79
breath had left him, their whole church resounded with lamentations.
breath had left him, their whole church resounded with lamentations.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v6
210, 211, lib.
iii.
, cap.
23, n.
(d), p.
230.
S2 No doubt, this had been a station of holiesttraditions,inAdamnan'stime.
53 The first cross erected there was proba- bly a rude one.
54 According to Cosmo Innes, it was per- haps that of a quern. See "Origines Parochiales Scotia;," vol. ii. , part i. , p. 299. However, the Rev. Dr. Reeves thinks it was more probably a mill-stone of larger dimensions,
S5 See Le Comte de Montalembert's " Les Moines d'Occident,"tome iii. , liv. xi„ chap,
vii. , p. 280, and n. 1.
In Graham's "
See Plates iv. and xliii. , with the Descrip-
2 where a cross was afterwards and to be erected,53
at a certain
seen fastened into a mill-stone,54 on the way side. It is said to have been known as Maclean's cross,s5 in the course of time 56 the latter have
5<s
See Rev.
'Miniature Lives of the Saints for every
Day in the Year," vol. i. , June 9, S. Co- tion at pp. 6, 24,
lumba, Abbot, p. 321. 57 Or cow-house. The word used by
Henry
Sebastian
pictured.
; but, may
"
Iona it is
June 9. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 539
occupied the site of an earlier and a less elaborate monument. While sitting there to obtain a little rest —for age had left its traces upon him—a white draughthorse,thatusedtocarrymilkvesselsfromthebyres? tothemonas- tery, came towards the holy abbot. On approaching its venerable master, the poor animal placed his head on the Abbot's bosom. As if directed by some providential instinct, the horse seemed to know, that the holy abbot must soon leave this earth, which so long had been blessed by his presence. That animal then poured forth plaintive neighings and winnings, also foaming at the mouth, while even shedding copious tears on the saint's bosom. Its motions and sensibilities almost resembled those of a rational being. Witnessing this moving incident, the attendant sought to drive away that poor mourner ; but,
"
the saint restrained his efforts. Columba said : whichissofondofme,topourouthissorrowonmybosom. Behold,you a man and endowed with reason could know little of my departure hence, had I not told you, in some strange and mysterious manner. Our Creator has manifested to this poor irrational brute, that his master is about to leave him. " Saying these words, Columkille blessed the horse, and the animal afterwards moved away in evident sadness.
A little to the west of Reilig Odhran on Iona, and nearly opposite the
westernfrontofthecathedralchurch,thereis anaturalhillockofrock. s8 This
knoll,calledCnocnan-Carnan,5^ musthavebeenafavouriteplaceofresort
for the abbot, and for the monks of Iona, since it commanded a magnificent
view of objects near, and also of the monastery, on the eastern side, of the
sound, of the opposite coast, of the swelling ocean, and of the distant moun-
tains. We can doubt, it is " the little hill"6° which Adam- hardly respecting
nan relates that most remarkable anecdote, in his account of Colurnba's life. 61 On the way homewards, the saint ascended a little hillock overlooking the
62 and
on the 63 for some few short top
moments,
He then said "The kings not only of Scotland with their subjects, but even the kings of foreign and barbarous nations, with their vassals, shall honour much this placets though it be now humble and confined ; while the saints of other
Adamnan for it is " bocetum. " This epithet tic site.
seems to have puzzled his interpreters and 6) Allusion is thus —made to it, in the
translators, who have rendered it "field," following poetic lines:
monastery,
standing
Columkille elevated his hands and blessed his 6* monastery.
:
or "pasture. " But this mediaeval Latin word seems to to have • been derived from the Irish buaiLiTJ.
s8 Many of the hills in Iona were regarded
by the islanders as Sithenns or ''fairy
eminences. " The largest of these is the
Collicnhis Angelorum, or " Hill of the
Angels. "
59 This hill, as also Blar Buidhe and Cnoc
Mor, form a chain extending southwards.
to His words are " monticellum monas-
terio supereminentem. "
61 However in his "Iona," the Duke of
" Then climbing to the peak, the holy man
Invoked God's smile on mountain, lake and shore,
Man, beast, and bird, church, school,
and granary ;
And spoke with outstretched hands,
the Torr Abb or Abbot's knoll, opposite the west entrance of the cathedral, to have been the spot. See
chap, ii. , pp. 87 to 90.
62 The Rev. Dr. Reeves remarks, that it
cannot have been the Torr Abb or Abbot's Tower, on which a cross formerly stood ; since it is too far north, and it does not com- mand a view of the former probable monas-
•
and kneel Besides our graves. '
Argyll supposes
"
'
this prophecy :
The day shall come when saints
Permit that dear animal,
from distant lands
Shall flock with reverence here; kings
too shall seek
This shore with gifts, to honour God,
Rev. John Adams' "St. Malo's Quest, and other Poems. " The death of St. Columba, p. 71.
6* See Father John Mabillon's " Annales Ordinis S. Benedict]'," tomus i. , lib. ix. , sect, xix. , p. 249.
65 No fewer than four Irish
kings, eigh-
54© LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [June 9.
churches shall pay no small veneration to it. 66 After he had bestowed his sacred benediction, the Abbot descended that hill and returned to his monas- tery. There he sat down to write the Psalter, and he just came to that verse
" autem Dominum non deficient omni Inquirentes
" Here must I pause at the end of this page: let
of the
bono. "6? Then he said
Baithan write what follows. " The last which the saint 63
in
was just past, and the existing portion of the night belonged to Sunday. The office which he attended was that commonly known as the Vigilia neeturrue. " We should think rather the First Vespers of the ensuing Sunday is
here alluded to.
? ' Alluding to the House of St. Columb
at Kells, and describing its upper chamber,
and Round Towers of Ireland," part ii. , sect, iii. , subs. 4, p. 431.
Thirty-third Psalm, :
verse, wrote, espe- cially applied to himself, since he shall never be deprived of the immeasura-
ble riches of Heaven. That subsequent verse
:
" Come children, hear me,
I will teach you the fear of our Lord,"f9 also become his successor, Baithan,
who not only succeeded in the office of teaching, but also in the charge of
writing. After St. Columkille had set his pen aside, at the aforesaid verse,
he entered into the church to hear the office of Sunday evening,? which he
finished and then came back to his cell. There, instead of a straw bed, he
had a bare stone 1 and another stone served for a 2 in
flag,? pillow. ? Sitting that place during the night, he bequeathed to his spiritual children these his
: lastprecepts,butinthehearingonlyofDiarmit "Icommendtoyou,mychil-
dren, these my last words, to preserve true charity and peace among yourselves. If you observe this precept, according to the example of the saints, God the comforter of the good will help you, and being with him, I shall intercede for you. He will afford you not only all you want in this life, but likewise he will bestow those joys of eternity, which are prepared for them that keep his com- mandments. " These were the last words the holy Abbot spoke upon earth, ? 3 and then he longed for the termination of his pilgrimage towards the heavenly
kingdom.
Having finished these sacred instructions, the glorious saint held his peace ;
for the hour of his departure fast approached. At midnight,? -* when the bell ? 5
teen Norwegian, and forty-eight Scottish ]<ings were buried afterwards in I una. See George Buchanan's " Rerum Scoticarum Historia," lib. i. , p. 26.
65
This prediction was literally fulfilled. The monastery and churches on Iona were
Cathach copy of the Psalter ascribed to St. Columkille, as the writer, since it contains
from Psnlm 31 to 106, in thesamehandwriting. See Sir William Betham's "Antiquarian
Researches," vol. i. , pp. 109 to 121, and the fac-simile at p. 112.
69 The Latin of Adamnan is " Venite aurlite me, timorem Domini docebo vos. "
the
care of Scottish monarchs and
special
people for ages after his departure.
filii,
6? "They that seek our Lord shall not fail
'° The Rev. Dr. Reeves observes, in a "
every good. "
passage
:
Midnight
—v. 11. The same Latin
comment at this
version, as that given by Adamnan, is in
Cummian's Life of St. Columba. But, the
Vita Secunda S. Columba;, cap. xix. , p. 327,
the Vita Tertia S. Columbse, cap. xxxiv. , p.
329, and the Vita Quinta S. Columbce, lib.
iii. , cap. liii. , p. 440, substitute •'minuentur,"
for Adamnan's "deficient. " This latter
word is found also in the Cathnch copy.
The Rev. Dr. Lanigan remarks, at this pas-
sage : "In the present Vulgate edition we
read minuentur, instead of deficient, as it
stood in the old Vulgate or Italic, before tential bed. "
some emendations from St. Jerome's revision
(not version) were introduced into the text
of the psalms. Minuentur is one of them. ?
Hence it appears, that down to the times
not only of Columba but of Adamnan, the near his grave. See William F. Skene's
Irish continued to read the old Vulgate, as
it existed before the introduction of tho—se
corrections borrowed from St. Jerome. "
"Celtic Scotland : a History of Ancient
Alban. " vol. ii. , book ii. , chap. iv. . p. 143 .
'•
Ecclesiastical History of Ireland, "vol ii. ,
chap, xii. , sect, xiv , \\ 225.
6S This cannot have been the Caah or
•' In this chamber there is a flat stone, six feet long, and one foot thick, no—w called St. Columb's peni- Ecclesiastical Architecture
Dr. George Petiie adds
:
3
In Adamnan's time, these objects were preserved as a monument, and exposed
" See Le Comte de Montalembert's Les
Moines d'Occident," tome iii, liv. xi. ,
chap. \
? 4 The Rev. Dr. Reeves remarks in a note :
73
June 9. ] LI VES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 541
rung for Matins, he at once arose, and going sooner than any of the company to the church, the holy Abbot fell down on his knees and prayed before the altar. Following slowly after him, Diarmit saw all the church illuminated with an angelic splendour, which covered the saint. ? 6 But, at his approach to the door, this light disappeared. It was also observed to vanish, by other monks, who stood apart. Entering thereupon into the church, Diarmit called
" O
Thus groping up and down in the dark, before his brethren came with the
lights, Diarmit found his Abbot lying prostrate in the front of that altar. Then, Diarmit sat down by the holy man and supported his saintly head upon his bosom. Inthemeantime,thechoirofmonkscamehastilywiththeirlights, and seeing their holy father ready to die, all began to lament. Even at that very instant, when the separation of his soul from the body was immediately impending, St. Columkille opened his eyes, looked above and about him, with a vivacious and an expressive countenance. n No doubt he was con- templating certain holy Angels, that came to conduct him to the true home ofeveryjustservantofGod. ThenDiarmittookuphisholyhand,tobless again his assembled monks ; and the saint himself did what he could to move this hand, in order to give them his blessing, with its motion, since he could not pronounce it with his voice. Afterwards, his sacred benediction being
bestowed in this manner, the saint yielded very suddenly his happy soul to the bosom of its God. The angelical vision had left such cheerfulness remaining on his countenance, that it seemed the sweet aspect of one cast into a rather than the
often to the with a mournful saint,
voice, saying:
father,
where are
you? "
placid slumber,
after death even appeared fresh and ruddy.
79
breath had left him, their whole church resounded with lamentations. 80 Such then was the end of this glorious patron's life ; such were the happy begin- nings of his merits, when admitted into the society of the glorious Patriarchs, of the holy Apostles, of the sacred Martyrs, and of the immaculate Virgins. In death, the illustrious Colamkille triumphed by the favour of our sweet Saviour Jesus, and his memory was ever afterwards celebrated in the Church.
82 who have
on a Sunday, and towards the close of the sixth century, the death of St.
It is allowed all by nearly
his that it was Acts,
composed
Columba occurred. Various dates, however, have been assigned for this
of a 8 His face corpse. ?
ghastly sight
When the monks found the
For thirty-four years did the holy man continue his labours in Scotland. 81
" The saint had previously attended at the vespertinalis Dominica noctis missa, an office
equivalent to the nocturnal vigil, and now, on the turn of midnight, the bell rings for matins, which were celebrated, according to ancient custom, a little before day-break. Farther on, the office is named in the ex- pression, hymnis matntinalibusfinitis. "
p. 323 ; Vita Secunda S. Columbse, cap. xxii. , xxiii. , xxiv. , xxv. , xxvi. , pp. 329, 330 ; Vita Tertia S. Columba? , cap. xl. , p. 335 ; Vita Quarta S. Columbse, lib. iii. , cap. xxii. , xxiii. , pp. 369, 370 ; Vita Quinta S. Co- lumbje, lib. iii , cap. xlvii. , xlviii. , xlix. , 1. , li. , Iii. , liii. , liv. , lv. , pp. 439 to 441.
78 See "Trias Colgan's
**TheeccentricThomas believe, the singular exception.
I
present
;
and this could
says: et duos ex
Thaumaturga," Vita Prima S. Columbse, cap. xviii. , xix. ,
Dempster is,
writers,
75 While Cummian has it "campana," land," vol. ii. , book ii. , chap, iv. , p. 142. Adamnan gives it as "clocca. " ^ See Rev. Dr. Reeves' Adamnan's 76 See Father John Mabillon's " Annales "Life of St. Columba," lib. iii. , cap. 23,
Ordinis S. Benedicti," tomus i. , lib. ix. , sect,xix. ,p. 249.
77 These particulars Adamnan learned
pp. 228 to 235, with nn. (a, b, c, d, e, f, g, h,i,a,b,c,d,e,f, g,h,i,k,1,m,n,o,p, q, a, b, c, d).
"Post annos
from some who were
have been the case, for St. Columba died in 597, while Adamnan was born in 624, less than thirty years after the founder's de- cease.
8l Venerable Bede
79 See William F. Skene's
"
Celtic Scot-
circiter
tanniam pnedicaturus adiit. " Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis Anglorum," lib. iii. , cap. iv. , p. 169.
triginta
— Bri- quo ipse
•'
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [June 9. Among the earliest we find on record, it is stated, that he departed
that his dea—th must be referred to some other 86 In early biographers, year.
542
event.
this
life,
year
6 and
seventy-seventh yearof
83 The consideration of St. Columba's birth-year, which we have already treated about, has of course relation also to the year
of his departure, and to the question of his exact age.
84 Father John Colgan has devoted eigh-
teen paragraphs, including a chronological table reaching from a. d. 591 to A. D. 606, to
investigate the exact day and year of St. Columba's death. See "Trias Thauma-
turga," Quarta Appendix ad Acta S. Columbse, cap. vi. , pp. 484 to 486.
85 See Dr. O'Donovan's edition, vol. i. ,
pp. 214 t0 2I 7> and n. (y).
86 Colgan seems to have laboured under
the false impression, that St. Columba de-
parted this life on a Saturday, and verging towards its close ; while it is evident Irom an attentive study of Cummian's and Adam- nan's narrative, Sunday morning after mid- night had come, when the holy Abbot had prepared to recite the Office of Matins and Lauds, which it seems was the established usage at Iona. The supposition, that Tighernach was right, in stating the night of Pentecost was that of St. Columba's depar- ture, caused the error of Colgan and of other writers who followed him as an authority on this matter.
8? See the Rev. Dr. O'Conor's " Rerum
Hibernicarum Scriptores," tomus iv. , An-
nales Ultonienses, whereat a. d. 594, they
state ° Quies Coluim cille v. Id. Jun. :
"
cille moritur," at p. 5.
92 "
There the entry is, Kal. iv. Quies of
Colum Cille, on the night of Whit Sunday, the 5th of the Ides ofJune, in the 35th year
of his peregrination, and the 77th, truly, of his age. See pp. 64, 65.
93 Edited by Rev. Joseph Rawson Lumby.
B. D. , vol. v. , pp. 394, 395.
94 See Rev. Dr. O'Conor's " Rerum Hiber-
nicarum Scriptores," tomus ii. , Tigernachi Annales, where at A. D. 596, we have the
anno etatis sue lxxvi.
B as the Sunday-letter, and indicates 595, the
very year in their margin.
89 A curious perversity prevails through
88 Their
signature
is vii. , which
gives
the Rev. Dr. and the chroni- Reeves,
of our Lord 8* to the Annals of Clonmac- 590, according
83 in the
noise; while it was in 592, according to the Annals of the Four Masters. 85 However, as the 9th of June fell on the Monday of this year, and as the festival of Easter fell on the 6th of April, while that of Pentecost Sunday was on the 25th of May, it may be inferred from the data given by St. Columba's
—he Annals of Ulster8?
594, t although they
seem to mean the
following
88 the rest of St. Coluim cille, at the place
of his
It appears to be evident, that this record of the event had been advisedly framed f$ but it is hard to conceive on what principle they refer to it so early a year. 9°Ina. d. 595,accordingtothe"AnnalesCambrias,"? 1 the"Chronicum Scotorum,"? 2 the Polychronicon Ranulphi Higden Monachi Cestrensis,? 3 the deathofSt. Columkilleoccurred. Intheyear596,accordingtoTigernach,? 4 and on the night of Pentecost Sunday,? 5 in the thirty-fifth year of his pilgrim-
year
age,?
age.
seventy-sixth year
his 7 St. Columkille'sdecease is
age,? recorded;
the Annals of Ulster to a. d. 1015, when supposing Whit Sunday to have been on
their calculations are righted.
9° " In it," remarks the Rev. Dr. Reeves,
" Easter fell on the 3rd of April, and Whit-
Sunday on the 22nd of May, and the 9th of
June was Thursday.
91 As edited by the Rev. John Williams
the 2nd, which it most probably was, the saint's decease was inside the week, and was thus within the octave of Whitsuntide ; for the festival of Trinity Sunday was not yet instituted, and Easter and Pentecost were the two great ecclesiastical seasons of the year. "
ab Ithel, M. A. , where it is noted
"
Colutn-
"
nocte Dominica Pentecostes v. Id. Junii,
anno peregrinacionis sue xxxv. , etatis vero lxxvii. ," p. 159.
95 In the year 596, Pentecost Sunday fell on the loth of June. If the Whitsun enter into this calculation, as the Rev. Dr. Reeves observes, the year of our saint's death must beassigned to a. d. 596, while Adamnan's mode of computation must be inverted. In such case, likewise, the midnight between Saturday and Sunday must be attracted to the former, in order to fit the obit into the 9th, while at the same time, an opposite pro- cess must be adopted, in order to identify that occurrence with the ensuing Pentecost of 597-
90 As Columba's removal to Britain is said
to have been at Whitsuntide, " Prima nox
ejus in Albain in Pentecosten," according to
the Annals of Innisfallen, at A. D. 555 ; it is
possible, an even period might have been
assigned to the term of his pilgrimage, sug-
following record :
Quies Coluimcille in
gests
cler was probably desirous of squaring the matter, by placing his obit at the same fes- tival. " It is further to be observed that,
June 9. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 543
Saturday
it he attended the nocturnal
day IQs that
authority,
of 108 which fell on a June,
of our Lord IO° This date 597.
literary
midnight
desiderata, no work is more r—
08
00
100 and Rev. Dr.
the Naemhsenchas,
the Martyrologium Anglicanum,
while an ancient Irish Life,
01
Hermannus Contractus,'
O'Conor,103 have followed that computation. However, as we learn on good
10* that was the last of St. Columba's and that on
life,
he rose for matins, which was the second serviceappertaining to the Dominical Office; that just as the brethren had assembled to recite the Vespertinal Mass of Sunday,106 and while it was still dark in the oratory, his attendant being obliged to feel after him was unable to discern his position and condition
until lanterns were brought ; that this portion of the twenty-four hours was !
vigils ;
shortly
after
midnight,
called the night of Sunday : °7 from all the foregoing considerations, the evidence is conclusive, that the holy Abbot died on a Sunday, on the 9th day
in the
Sunday,
agrees, also, with the chronological notices of his biographer Adamnan, who
year
inferentially places the birth of St. Columba in the year 52 1 ; while in his forty-
second 110 he over to Britain, a. d. and year, passed 563,
97 Tigernach assigns St. Columba's birth
to A. D.
S2 No doubt, this had been a station of holiesttraditions,inAdamnan'stime.
53 The first cross erected there was proba- bly a rude one.
54 According to Cosmo Innes, it was per- haps that of a quern. See "Origines Parochiales Scotia;," vol. ii. , part i. , p. 299. However, the Rev. Dr. Reeves thinks it was more probably a mill-stone of larger dimensions,
S5 See Le Comte de Montalembert's " Les Moines d'Occident,"tome iii. , liv. xi„ chap,
vii. , p. 280, and n. 1.
In Graham's "
See Plates iv. and xliii. , with the Descrip-
2 where a cross was afterwards and to be erected,53
at a certain
seen fastened into a mill-stone,54 on the way side. It is said to have been known as Maclean's cross,s5 in the course of time 56 the latter have
5<s
See Rev.
'Miniature Lives of the Saints for every
Day in the Year," vol. i. , June 9, S. Co- tion at pp. 6, 24,
lumba, Abbot, p. 321. 57 Or cow-house. The word used by
Henry
Sebastian
pictured.
; but, may
"
Iona it is
June 9. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 539
occupied the site of an earlier and a less elaborate monument. While sitting there to obtain a little rest —for age had left its traces upon him—a white draughthorse,thatusedtocarrymilkvesselsfromthebyres? tothemonas- tery, came towards the holy abbot. On approaching its venerable master, the poor animal placed his head on the Abbot's bosom. As if directed by some providential instinct, the horse seemed to know, that the holy abbot must soon leave this earth, which so long had been blessed by his presence. That animal then poured forth plaintive neighings and winnings, also foaming at the mouth, while even shedding copious tears on the saint's bosom. Its motions and sensibilities almost resembled those of a rational being. Witnessing this moving incident, the attendant sought to drive away that poor mourner ; but,
"
the saint restrained his efforts. Columba said : whichissofondofme,topourouthissorrowonmybosom. Behold,you a man and endowed with reason could know little of my departure hence, had I not told you, in some strange and mysterious manner. Our Creator has manifested to this poor irrational brute, that his master is about to leave him. " Saying these words, Columkille blessed the horse, and the animal afterwards moved away in evident sadness.
A little to the west of Reilig Odhran on Iona, and nearly opposite the
westernfrontofthecathedralchurch,thereis anaturalhillockofrock. s8 This
knoll,calledCnocnan-Carnan,5^ musthavebeenafavouriteplaceofresort
for the abbot, and for the monks of Iona, since it commanded a magnificent
view of objects near, and also of the monastery, on the eastern side, of the
sound, of the opposite coast, of the swelling ocean, and of the distant moun-
tains. We can doubt, it is " the little hill"6° which Adam- hardly respecting
nan relates that most remarkable anecdote, in his account of Colurnba's life. 61 On the way homewards, the saint ascended a little hillock overlooking the
62 and
on the 63 for some few short top
moments,
He then said "The kings not only of Scotland with their subjects, but even the kings of foreign and barbarous nations, with their vassals, shall honour much this placets though it be now humble and confined ; while the saints of other
Adamnan for it is " bocetum. " This epithet tic site.
seems to have puzzled his interpreters and 6) Allusion is thus —made to it, in the
translators, who have rendered it "field," following poetic lines:
monastery,
standing
Columkille elevated his hands and blessed his 6* monastery.
:
or "pasture. " But this mediaeval Latin word seems to to have • been derived from the Irish buaiLiTJ.
s8 Many of the hills in Iona were regarded
by the islanders as Sithenns or ''fairy
eminences. " The largest of these is the
Collicnhis Angelorum, or " Hill of the
Angels. "
59 This hill, as also Blar Buidhe and Cnoc
Mor, form a chain extending southwards.
to His words are " monticellum monas-
terio supereminentem. "
61 However in his "Iona," the Duke of
" Then climbing to the peak, the holy man
Invoked God's smile on mountain, lake and shore,
Man, beast, and bird, church, school,
and granary ;
And spoke with outstretched hands,
the Torr Abb or Abbot's knoll, opposite the west entrance of the cathedral, to have been the spot. See
chap, ii. , pp. 87 to 90.
62 The Rev. Dr. Reeves remarks, that it
cannot have been the Torr Abb or Abbot's Tower, on which a cross formerly stood ; since it is too far north, and it does not com- mand a view of the former probable monas-
•
and kneel Besides our graves. '
Argyll supposes
"
'
this prophecy :
The day shall come when saints
Permit that dear animal,
from distant lands
Shall flock with reverence here; kings
too shall seek
This shore with gifts, to honour God,
Rev. John Adams' "St. Malo's Quest, and other Poems. " The death of St. Columba, p. 71.
6* See Father John Mabillon's " Annales Ordinis S. Benedict]'," tomus i. , lib. ix. , sect, xix. , p. 249.
65 No fewer than four Irish
kings, eigh-
54© LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [June 9.
churches shall pay no small veneration to it. 66 After he had bestowed his sacred benediction, the Abbot descended that hill and returned to his monas- tery. There he sat down to write the Psalter, and he just came to that verse
" autem Dominum non deficient omni Inquirentes
" Here must I pause at the end of this page: let
of the
bono. "6? Then he said
Baithan write what follows. " The last which the saint 63
in
was just past, and the existing portion of the night belonged to Sunday. The office which he attended was that commonly known as the Vigilia neeturrue. " We should think rather the First Vespers of the ensuing Sunday is
here alluded to.
? ' Alluding to the House of St. Columb
at Kells, and describing its upper chamber,
and Round Towers of Ireland," part ii. , sect, iii. , subs. 4, p. 431.
Thirty-third Psalm, :
verse, wrote, espe- cially applied to himself, since he shall never be deprived of the immeasura-
ble riches of Heaven. That subsequent verse
:
" Come children, hear me,
I will teach you the fear of our Lord,"f9 also become his successor, Baithan,
who not only succeeded in the office of teaching, but also in the charge of
writing. After St. Columkille had set his pen aside, at the aforesaid verse,
he entered into the church to hear the office of Sunday evening,? which he
finished and then came back to his cell. There, instead of a straw bed, he
had a bare stone 1 and another stone served for a 2 in
flag,? pillow. ? Sitting that place during the night, he bequeathed to his spiritual children these his
: lastprecepts,butinthehearingonlyofDiarmit "Icommendtoyou,mychil-
dren, these my last words, to preserve true charity and peace among yourselves. If you observe this precept, according to the example of the saints, God the comforter of the good will help you, and being with him, I shall intercede for you. He will afford you not only all you want in this life, but likewise he will bestow those joys of eternity, which are prepared for them that keep his com- mandments. " These were the last words the holy Abbot spoke upon earth, ? 3 and then he longed for the termination of his pilgrimage towards the heavenly
kingdom.
Having finished these sacred instructions, the glorious saint held his peace ;
for the hour of his departure fast approached. At midnight,? -* when the bell ? 5
teen Norwegian, and forty-eight Scottish ]<ings were buried afterwards in I una. See George Buchanan's " Rerum Scoticarum Historia," lib. i. , p. 26.
65
This prediction was literally fulfilled. The monastery and churches on Iona were
Cathach copy of the Psalter ascribed to St. Columkille, as the writer, since it contains
from Psnlm 31 to 106, in thesamehandwriting. See Sir William Betham's "Antiquarian
Researches," vol. i. , pp. 109 to 121, and the fac-simile at p. 112.
69 The Latin of Adamnan is " Venite aurlite me, timorem Domini docebo vos. "
the
care of Scottish monarchs and
special
people for ages after his departure.
filii,
6? "They that seek our Lord shall not fail
'° The Rev. Dr. Reeves observes, in a "
every good. "
passage
:
Midnight
—v. 11. The same Latin
comment at this
version, as that given by Adamnan, is in
Cummian's Life of St. Columba. But, the
Vita Secunda S. Columba;, cap. xix. , p. 327,
the Vita Tertia S. Columbse, cap. xxxiv. , p.
329, and the Vita Quinta S. Columbce, lib.
iii. , cap. liii. , p. 440, substitute •'minuentur,"
for Adamnan's "deficient. " This latter
word is found also in the Cathnch copy.
The Rev. Dr. Lanigan remarks, at this pas-
sage : "In the present Vulgate edition we
read minuentur, instead of deficient, as it
stood in the old Vulgate or Italic, before tential bed. "
some emendations from St. Jerome's revision
(not version) were introduced into the text
of the psalms. Minuentur is one of them. ?
Hence it appears, that down to the times
not only of Columba but of Adamnan, the near his grave. See William F. Skene's
Irish continued to read the old Vulgate, as
it existed before the introduction of tho—se
corrections borrowed from St. Jerome. "
"Celtic Scotland : a History of Ancient
Alban. " vol. ii. , book ii. , chap. iv. . p. 143 .
'•
Ecclesiastical History of Ireland, "vol ii. ,
chap, xii. , sect, xiv , \\ 225.
6S This cannot have been the Caah or
•' In this chamber there is a flat stone, six feet long, and one foot thick, no—w called St. Columb's peni- Ecclesiastical Architecture
Dr. George Petiie adds
:
3
In Adamnan's time, these objects were preserved as a monument, and exposed
" See Le Comte de Montalembert's Les
Moines d'Occident," tome iii, liv. xi. ,
chap. \
? 4 The Rev. Dr. Reeves remarks in a note :
73
June 9. ] LI VES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 541
rung for Matins, he at once arose, and going sooner than any of the company to the church, the holy Abbot fell down on his knees and prayed before the altar. Following slowly after him, Diarmit saw all the church illuminated with an angelic splendour, which covered the saint. ? 6 But, at his approach to the door, this light disappeared. It was also observed to vanish, by other monks, who stood apart. Entering thereupon into the church, Diarmit called
" O
Thus groping up and down in the dark, before his brethren came with the
lights, Diarmit found his Abbot lying prostrate in the front of that altar. Then, Diarmit sat down by the holy man and supported his saintly head upon his bosom. Inthemeantime,thechoirofmonkscamehastilywiththeirlights, and seeing their holy father ready to die, all began to lament. Even at that very instant, when the separation of his soul from the body was immediately impending, St. Columkille opened his eyes, looked above and about him, with a vivacious and an expressive countenance. n No doubt he was con- templating certain holy Angels, that came to conduct him to the true home ofeveryjustservantofGod. ThenDiarmittookuphisholyhand,tobless again his assembled monks ; and the saint himself did what he could to move this hand, in order to give them his blessing, with its motion, since he could not pronounce it with his voice. Afterwards, his sacred benediction being
bestowed in this manner, the saint yielded very suddenly his happy soul to the bosom of its God. The angelical vision had left such cheerfulness remaining on his countenance, that it seemed the sweet aspect of one cast into a rather than the
often to the with a mournful saint,
voice, saying:
father,
where are
you? "
placid slumber,
after death even appeared fresh and ruddy.
79
breath had left him, their whole church resounded with lamentations. 80 Such then was the end of this glorious patron's life ; such were the happy begin- nings of his merits, when admitted into the society of the glorious Patriarchs, of the holy Apostles, of the sacred Martyrs, and of the immaculate Virgins. In death, the illustrious Colamkille triumphed by the favour of our sweet Saviour Jesus, and his memory was ever afterwards celebrated in the Church.
82 who have
on a Sunday, and towards the close of the sixth century, the death of St.
It is allowed all by nearly
his that it was Acts,
composed
Columba occurred. Various dates, however, have been assigned for this
of a 8 His face corpse. ?
ghastly sight
When the monks found the
For thirty-four years did the holy man continue his labours in Scotland. 81
" The saint had previously attended at the vespertinalis Dominica noctis missa, an office
equivalent to the nocturnal vigil, and now, on the turn of midnight, the bell rings for matins, which were celebrated, according to ancient custom, a little before day-break. Farther on, the office is named in the ex- pression, hymnis matntinalibusfinitis. "
p. 323 ; Vita Secunda S. Columbse, cap. xxii. , xxiii. , xxiv. , xxv. , xxvi. , pp. 329, 330 ; Vita Tertia S. Columba? , cap. xl. , p. 335 ; Vita Quarta S. Columbse, lib. iii. , cap. xxii. , xxiii. , pp. 369, 370 ; Vita Quinta S. Co- lumbje, lib. iii , cap. xlvii. , xlviii. , xlix. , 1. , li. , Iii. , liii. , liv. , lv. , pp. 439 to 441.
78 See "Trias Colgan's
**TheeccentricThomas believe, the singular exception.
I
present
;
and this could
says: et duos ex
Thaumaturga," Vita Prima S. Columbse, cap. xviii. , xix. ,
Dempster is,
writers,
75 While Cummian has it "campana," land," vol. ii. , book ii. , chap, iv. , p. 142. Adamnan gives it as "clocca. " ^ See Rev. Dr. Reeves' Adamnan's 76 See Father John Mabillon's " Annales "Life of St. Columba," lib. iii. , cap. 23,
Ordinis S. Benedicti," tomus i. , lib. ix. , sect,xix. ,p. 249.
77 These particulars Adamnan learned
pp. 228 to 235, with nn. (a, b, c, d, e, f, g, h,i,a,b,c,d,e,f, g,h,i,k,1,m,n,o,p, q, a, b, c, d).
"Post annos
from some who were
have been the case, for St. Columba died in 597, while Adamnan was born in 624, less than thirty years after the founder's de- cease.
8l Venerable Bede
79 See William F. Skene's
"
Celtic Scot-
circiter
tanniam pnedicaturus adiit. " Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis Anglorum," lib. iii. , cap. iv. , p. 169.
triginta
— Bri- quo ipse
•'
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [June 9. Among the earliest we find on record, it is stated, that he departed
that his dea—th must be referred to some other 86 In early biographers, year.
542
event.
this
life,
year
6 and
seventy-seventh yearof
83 The consideration of St. Columba's birth-year, which we have already treated about, has of course relation also to the year
of his departure, and to the question of his exact age.
84 Father John Colgan has devoted eigh-
teen paragraphs, including a chronological table reaching from a. d. 591 to A. D. 606, to
investigate the exact day and year of St. Columba's death. See "Trias Thauma-
turga," Quarta Appendix ad Acta S. Columbse, cap. vi. , pp. 484 to 486.
85 See Dr. O'Donovan's edition, vol. i. ,
pp. 214 t0 2I 7> and n. (y).
86 Colgan seems to have laboured under
the false impression, that St. Columba de-
parted this life on a Saturday, and verging towards its close ; while it is evident Irom an attentive study of Cummian's and Adam- nan's narrative, Sunday morning after mid- night had come, when the holy Abbot had prepared to recite the Office of Matins and Lauds, which it seems was the established usage at Iona. The supposition, that Tighernach was right, in stating the night of Pentecost was that of St. Columba's depar- ture, caused the error of Colgan and of other writers who followed him as an authority on this matter.
8? See the Rev. Dr. O'Conor's " Rerum
Hibernicarum Scriptores," tomus iv. , An-
nales Ultonienses, whereat a. d. 594, they
state ° Quies Coluim cille v. Id. Jun. :
"
cille moritur," at p. 5.
92 "
There the entry is, Kal. iv. Quies of
Colum Cille, on the night of Whit Sunday, the 5th of the Ides ofJune, in the 35th year
of his peregrination, and the 77th, truly, of his age. See pp. 64, 65.
93 Edited by Rev. Joseph Rawson Lumby.
B. D. , vol. v. , pp. 394, 395.
94 See Rev. Dr. O'Conor's " Rerum Hiber-
nicarum Scriptores," tomus ii. , Tigernachi Annales, where at A. D. 596, we have the
anno etatis sue lxxvi.
B as the Sunday-letter, and indicates 595, the
very year in their margin.
89 A curious perversity prevails through
88 Their
signature
is vii. , which
gives
the Rev. Dr. and the chroni- Reeves,
of our Lord 8* to the Annals of Clonmac- 590, according
83 in the
noise; while it was in 592, according to the Annals of the Four Masters. 85 However, as the 9th of June fell on the Monday of this year, and as the festival of Easter fell on the 6th of April, while that of Pentecost Sunday was on the 25th of May, it may be inferred from the data given by St. Columba's
—he Annals of Ulster8?
594, t although they
seem to mean the
following
88 the rest of St. Coluim cille, at the place
of his
It appears to be evident, that this record of the event had been advisedly framed f$ but it is hard to conceive on what principle they refer to it so early a year. 9°Ina. d. 595,accordingtothe"AnnalesCambrias,"? 1 the"Chronicum Scotorum,"? 2 the Polychronicon Ranulphi Higden Monachi Cestrensis,? 3 the deathofSt. Columkilleoccurred. Intheyear596,accordingtoTigernach,? 4 and on the night of Pentecost Sunday,? 5 in the thirty-fifth year of his pilgrim-
year
age,?
age.
seventy-sixth year
his 7 St. Columkille'sdecease is
age,? recorded;
the Annals of Ulster to a. d. 1015, when supposing Whit Sunday to have been on
their calculations are righted.
9° " In it," remarks the Rev. Dr. Reeves,
" Easter fell on the 3rd of April, and Whit-
Sunday on the 22nd of May, and the 9th of
June was Thursday.
91 As edited by the Rev. John Williams
the 2nd, which it most probably was, the saint's decease was inside the week, and was thus within the octave of Whitsuntide ; for the festival of Trinity Sunday was not yet instituted, and Easter and Pentecost were the two great ecclesiastical seasons of the year. "
ab Ithel, M. A. , where it is noted
"
Colutn-
"
nocte Dominica Pentecostes v. Id. Junii,
anno peregrinacionis sue xxxv. , etatis vero lxxvii. ," p. 159.
95 In the year 596, Pentecost Sunday fell on the loth of June. If the Whitsun enter into this calculation, as the Rev. Dr. Reeves observes, the year of our saint's death must beassigned to a. d. 596, while Adamnan's mode of computation must be inverted. In such case, likewise, the midnight between Saturday and Sunday must be attracted to the former, in order to fit the obit into the 9th, while at the same time, an opposite pro- cess must be adopted, in order to identify that occurrence with the ensuing Pentecost of 597-
90 As Columba's removal to Britain is said
to have been at Whitsuntide, " Prima nox
ejus in Albain in Pentecosten," according to
the Annals of Innisfallen, at A. D. 555 ; it is
possible, an even period might have been
assigned to the term of his pilgrimage, sug-
following record :
Quies Coluimcille in
gests
cler was probably desirous of squaring the matter, by placing his obit at the same fes- tival. " It is further to be observed that,
June 9. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 543
Saturday
it he attended the nocturnal
day IQs that
authority,
of 108 which fell on a June,
of our Lord IO° This date 597.
literary
midnight
desiderata, no work is more r—
08
00
100 and Rev. Dr.
the Naemhsenchas,
the Martyrologium Anglicanum,
while an ancient Irish Life,
01
Hermannus Contractus,'
O'Conor,103 have followed that computation. However, as we learn on good
10* that was the last of St. Columba's and that on
life,
he rose for matins, which was the second serviceappertaining to the Dominical Office; that just as the brethren had assembled to recite the Vespertinal Mass of Sunday,106 and while it was still dark in the oratory, his attendant being obliged to feel after him was unable to discern his position and condition
until lanterns were brought ; that this portion of the twenty-four hours was !
vigils ;
shortly
after
midnight,
called the night of Sunday : °7 from all the foregoing considerations, the evidence is conclusive, that the holy Abbot died on a Sunday, on the 9th day
in the
Sunday,
agrees, also, with the chronological notices of his biographer Adamnan, who
year
inferentially places the birth of St. Columba in the year 52 1 ; while in his forty-
second 110 he over to Britain, a. d. and year, passed 563,
97 Tigernach assigns St. Columba's birth
to A. D.
