No More Learning

6*
Cuthbert's Gospels, at Lindesfarne.
Having founded Kells, St. Columba began to consider the project of a
missionarycircuit,throughvariouspartsofIreland. Hehadresolvedonrestor-
new
took care, also, to furnish them, in a suitable manner, and to honour the saints'
churches and
relics which they contained. We have endeavoured to connect the series of
ing many existing
ones,
Manuscripts, the Book of Kells. He seemsbroken.
attempted 10 copy some of the ornaments, but
S9 See Rev. Dr. O'Conor's
" Rerum
" An-
he broke down in
despair.
He adds: "No
Hibernicarum
nales Ultonienses," p. 297.
°°
tomus
wonder that tradition should allege that
these — lines should have been traced
In addition to the work of Mr. Westwood already mentioned, the reader is referred to the " " thesame
artistic writer.
6l These have been printed and translated,
with valuable notes added, by Dr. O'Dono- van, in ' The Miscellany of the Irish Arch- Ecological Society," vol. i. , Art. x. , pp. 127
to 158.
6a See Rev. Dr. Reeves' Adamnan's " Life
of St. Columba," Additional Notes M,
p. 338.
63 See Rev. James Henthorn Todd's
" Remarks on Illuminations in Descriptive
certain ancient Irish Manuscripts," p. 3.
e< See O. Westwood's
J. work, already
by angels. "
"The Art of Illuminating as
unerring
J.
O.
in practised Europe
from the earliest Times. "
Palajographia, by
p. 15.
57 Mr. J. O. Westwood, in his " Fac-
similes of the Miniatures and Ornaments of Anglo-Saxon and Irish Manuscripts," gives
a description of the last-named Manuscript
at pp. 25 to 33, with Plates viii. , ix. , x. ,and
xi. , serving as illustrations, ad calcem. No-
thing can exceed the beauty of these designs,
and their fidelity to the original Manuscripts
nowpreservedintheLibraryofTrinityCol-
Dublin.
s8 Mr. Westwood declares, that its style is
any
lege,
unlike and
superior
to that of
totally
other school. It is unquestionably the most designated, at p. 23.
building
during
elaborately-executed Manuscript of early art
now inexisience. Every folio is ornamented
with an endless variety of initial capital
letters. The colouring is both varied and after St. Columba's death, while others prior most vivid, even after the lapse of ages,
while the interlacings of lines in the peculiar Celtic manner is most regular, although fre-
quently very minute, and hardly a line
to it were not of his immediate foundation. See "Ecclesiastical History of Ireland," vol. ii. , chap, xi. , set. x. , p. 132.
*° It must be observed, however, that we
6 s
this He peregrination.
Scriptores,"
iv. ,
6s In the opinion of Rev. Dr. Lanigan, there can be no doubt, that many of the Irish re- ligious foundations were not established until
June 9. ] LI VES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 3i7 his Irish travels in an order, observing chiefly probable chronology and the
66
grouping
yet, arranging
divergent
places ;
Columba travelled
through
the territories of Meath 6 7 and of 68 In Bregia.
60
to command how
me, painful
that —will not excepted, you
me to live with
alone
do not pretend to give the ensuing peregrina- tions in their exact or successive incidence, either as to date or locality.
tatibus ejus," cap. iii. , p. 13.
Lugneus
67 The ancient
ologia Hibernire. " A handbook of Irish
Antiquities, part ii. , chap, iv. , pp. 87 to 96, and chap, v. , pp. 104 to 107.
72 The Rev. Dr. labours under a Lanigan
mistake in supposing this place called Rach- raind to be identical with the Island of Rachlin, off" the Antrim coast. See Eccle- siastical History of Ireland," vol. ii. chap, xi. , sect, x. , p. 132.
of Meath included the present county known by that name, as also Westmeath County, Longford, Fercal and some other districts, as stated by Sir James Ware, in " De Hibernia et Antiqui-
68 called Usually
a in plain
73 The name to the northern applied
territory
Magh Breagh,
the eastern part of ancient Meath, comprising five triocha-cheds or baronies, according to Keating and others. As appears from the places mentioned in this plain, in later ages,
part
he went to the
of Buite mac
monastery
raised from their grave, and placed in a shrine.
Bronaigh.
church. It is — stated,
Rachraincl,7
circuit,
that he built a church at Lambay Island in the eastern part of Bregia.
2 Rochra now
il
the incidents in a manner less
of
than these appear in the Irish Life of the saint, which is our principal autho- rity for this portion and relation of his Acts.
the course of this
There,hetouchedwithhisstaffthatglass,? usedbyBuiteatthetimeofhis death, and this created a most wonderful sound, that astonished all the inmates at Monasterboice. 71 He had also the remains of St. Buite mac
73
Colman,74 the Deacon. 73 It is said, also, that he dwelt for some time on this
Island, which is a conspicuous one, and lyingsomeshort distance from thecoast, out in the Irish sea. 7° When the holy man lived in the Island Rechrea,77 a certain peasant came to him, complaining that his wife would not live with him, after the manner of other married women. The saint, on hearing this,
:
sent for the woman. He spoke to her as follows " Wherefore, O woman,
dost thou refuse to receive thine own husband, since our Lord saith, 'They
shall be two in one flesh? ' " This woman made answer " All things you please
:
soever I am to — this they be, willing perform,
" for thus her husband was called I do not refuse to take on me the care of all the
compel
Quinta Vita S. Columbse, lib. i. , cap. lxv. , it seems, that the country lying between p. 400.
Dublin and Drogheda, or between the Rivers Liffey and Boyne, were within it; but. its exact boundaries have not been defined in any of our authorities. See beabliAr* na jj-ceAfvc, or the Book of Rights, edited by John O'Donovan, n. (z), p. n.
69 His festival occurs, at the 7th of De- cember.
76 To our saint is ascribed, also, the foun- dation of a Monastery in Rechrainn, other- wise called Rechlandia, and now better known as Rathlin Island, off the northern coast of Antrim, and formerly within the ter- ritory of Dalrieda, in Ultonia. See Colgan's " Trias Thaumaturga," Quinta Appendix ad Acta S. Columbae, cap. ii. , p. 494. This,
however, is a mistake, as Rev. Dr. Reeves "
70 Allusions such as these give us an idea
of the specific manufactures and objects in shows, in his Adamnan's Life of St.
Ireland, for domestic purposes, at an early Columba," n. (b), pp. 164, 165.
period. The glass trade was formerly carried 77 This has been identified with Lambay on extensively in Ireland. See W. K. Island off the coast of Dublin County, by Sullivan's Article on Glass, in John Sproule's
" Resources and Manufacturing Industry of
Ireland, as illustrated by the Exhibition of
1853," &c. Class xxiv. , p. 398.
71 Here are yet to be seen a group of venerable antiquities, viz. : a Round Tower, an ancient church and richly-carved Celtic crosses. These are well described and pic- tured, in William F. Wakeman's "Archse-
Rev. Dr. Todd, by John O'Donovan, and by Rev. Dr. Reeves. Rathlin, off the An- trim coast, was likewise called Rechrea. See, also, leAbliArx O^eachnacri Armfo py, or Irish version of the Historia Britonum of Nennius, edited by Rev. Dr. Todd and Hon.
Algernon Herbert, n. (j), p. 139. Likewise
Bronaigh He then consecrat—ed the
Over this, he placed
of Dublin County.
74 His feast occurs, at the 16th of June. 75 See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga,
"
John O'Donovan's I55. 28I.
"
Irish Grammar," pp.
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [June 9. house ; or, if you will have it so, I am content to cross the seas and live in a
3i«
of " What you propose," replied the saint, "cannot holy virgins. "
monastery
lawfully be done, so long as your husband lives, for it should be impious to separate those united by the Lord. " And, he added further: "This day, will your hushand, yourself, and I, fast and pray for the happy success of this
" I know it is not impossible to obtain from the Lord those things, that seem to us difficult or impossible. " So all three withoneaccordbegantofastandpray. Thefollowingnight,withouttaking any sleep, the saint offered his prayer devoutly for them ; and, on the next
affair. " The wife of Lugneus replied :
§»^V Skreen-Columcille, County of Meath.
morning, he called for the woman. In presence of her husband, the saint said :
"
Tell us, O, woman, whether this day, refusing to be reconciled to your hus- band, you are of the same mind as you were on yesterday, or are you ready rather to live in a monastery of women. " "I know your prayers have been heard," she answered, " for him I hated so much on yesterday, I love most tenderly this day ; my heart—through what means I know not—has
wholly changed during the past night. "
78 See Rev. Dr. Reeves' Adamnan's "Life
of St. Columba," lib. ii. , cap. 41, pp. 164 t 166.
'9 About nine miles from Dublin City, and to the north. The O'Clerys place the church
From that day forward, to her last
History of Ireland," vol. ii. , chap, xi. , sect. x. , p. 132.
82
His feast occurs, at the 10th of May. 83 His festival is held, on the nth of
October.
8* See "Trias ' "Colgan's Thaumaturga,'
Quinta Vita S. Columba;, lib. i. , cap. lxvii. , p. 400.
85 Now a parish, in the barony so named, and described, on the " Ordnance Survey
Townland Maps for the County of Meath," sheets 31, 32, 37, 38. The town and town-
here, among dar.
80
his
erections,
in their Calen-
See his Life, at the 16th of March.
81 The Rev. Dr . Lanigan states, that the house of Swords was not established by him, nor before the year 563, but some time in
"
the seventh century. See Ecclesiastical
June 9. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
3 1 9
breath, the woman's soul was linked with indissoluble affection to her husband; so that, both of them lived happily together, until death dissolved their mar- riage bonds. ? 8 At Swords,? 9 St. Columb is said to have built a church, and to have committed its care to St. Finan Lobhuir. 80 However, this may not be correct. 8 ' He left there a Missal, which he had transcribed himself. There, also, he blessed a fountain, called Glan. There, too, while celebrating Mass, St. Comgall 8z and St. Caineach 83 saw a fiery column lighting on his head, and
coming
from Heaven. 84 At 8s also called there Skreen, Scrin-Cholaim-chille,
was a church dedicated to our saint, but — not founded probably by
—rived its modern name its ancient
place apparently de pagan
him. This
one Aichill or Achaill 86 from the fact of its being the repository of a shrine, which contained some of St. Columkille's relics. The old church stood on a Near it was erected a building for Augustinian Lord Francis de 88 about one
hill, but it is now destroyed.
8? in the fourteenth
century, by Feipo,
Eremites,
mile and a-half from Tara, in the county of Meath ; and, this place gives title
8
to a rural deanery of the Diocese. ? St. Columkille's well is noted, on the
north-western side of the church.
During the saint's abode, in that particular region of Ireland, and then
known as the plains of Breagh, he went one Sunday to a neighbouring 12
small monastery,9° named Trivet,? now Trevet. ? In Irish, it was called Treoit,93 or Trefoit. 9* It lay in the plain of Bregia, and on the Boyne. 95 That
same day, a certain Priest was celebrating the holy mysteries of the Eucharist, and he was one of the monks made choice of for that purpose, for they
deemed him a very holy and religious man. However, St. Columba suddenly pronounced this fearful sentence, on seeing him: " Clean and unclean things
are now mingled together, to wit, the clean mysteries of the Sacred Oblation, handled by an unclean man, who hideth in his conscience an enormous sin. " The bystanders were struck with fear, while the person regarding whom he had thus spoken confessed his sin before all the company. With great astonish- ment, the pious servants of Christ, who were present in the church, admired in the saint this stupendous knowledge, penetrating even to the secrets of men's hearts. They gave praise to the Almighty for His wonders, thus mani- fested. ? 6 At one time, St. Columba and St. Canice ? ? were walking by the sea-shore, during the prevalence of a great storm. Being asked, who were thenindangerontheocean,St. Columbareplied,thatsomeofSt. Canice's people were exposed to misfortune, and that one should lose his life, while in
Annals,andintheAnnalsofUlster; and,
sometimes, it is found allied with the epithet
mop, "great. "
94 in the "Annals of the Four Masters,"
landareshownonsheet32.
86 "
See Rev. Anthony Cogan's Diocese of Meath, Ancient and Modern," vol. i. , chap, xxvii. , p. 151.
87 The accompanying illustration, drawn
on the spot, by William F. Wakeman, and
by him transferred to the wood, en- " three sods," given in some ancient autho-
graved by Mrs. Millard, gives an accurate view of the existing remains of that religious house.
88 See Archdall's "Monasticon Hiberni-
cum," pp. 569, 570.
rities, cited by Drs. O'Donovan and Petrie.
9S See Dr. Todd's and Dr. Reeves' "Martyrology of Donegal," at November 1st, pp. 290, 291.
^ The foregoing account is to be found, in
89 See Rev. Dr. Reeves' Adamnan's
"
p. 282. xxxx. , p. 347, and likewise, in O'Donnell's
90 The Latin word used by Adamnan for Vita S. Columbse, lib. i. , cap. xcviii. See
Life of St. Columba," Additional Notes G, Adamnan's Vita S. Columbse, lib. i. , cap.
"
it is
9' It lies a little south-eastwards from the
church of Skreen.
92 A parish in the barony of Skreen and
county of Meath.
*>3 It is written cpeoic, in Tigernach's
monasteriolum. "
Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga," pp. 347, 405.
9? His festival occurs on the nth of Octo- ber, where his Life may be found. He died a. d. 599, in the 84th year of his age.
* See ibid. , cap. lxviii. , p. 400.
the form, cpej? 01c is occasionally found, This is agreeable to the etymon, cpi poic, or
being
3 2o LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [June 9. the morning others should safely reach the shore. The result corresponded
8
with this prediction. 9
While St. Columba and Boethan^ his disciple were once rambling along
the shore, they saw a ship go down in the waves. Beholding this sad spec- tacle, Boethan asked his superior why the Almighty permitted that ship to be lost. St. Columba replied, that one of the crew had been a great sinner, and that the others had suffered shipwreck, on account of his crimes. Boe- than remarked, how it hardly seemed just, that so many should suffer death for the crimes of one person. However, St. Columb kept silent, because he knew, that Boethan rather spoke these words indeterminately, than because
they expressed his matured opinion. A curious occasion for reprehending Baethan soon occurred ; for, on the way, Columba took a beehive, which he asked his companion to carry home. It happened, that one of the bees escaped, and stung Baethan's hand. At once he let fall the hive, when the honey-combs were broken in pieces. Columba slily asked, why Baethan had destroyed the hive, and he was told, because one of the bees had severely pained him. " Then," said Columba, " because you got a slight sting in one hand from a single bee, you consider the whole hive may fitly be destroyed ; so, the justice of God is not violated, although for the very grievous sin of one a wholemultitudemaypaythepenalty. " This,0°admonitionconvincedBaethen of his error, and he promised, never thenceforth to enquire too curiously into God'sways,orrashlytocriticisethem. 101 Amongothergreatmen,themost illustrious Patriarch io2 of the Irish Church in his day was St. Finian,I03 and Columbawenttovisithisoldpreceptor,atClonard. Onapproaching,thelatter
10* This must have in or happened,
saw him surrounded a choir of by
Angels.
before a. d. 552, which is the date usually assigned for the demise of St. Finian.
The latter directed the attention of his disciples to the circumstance, and cried
:
out " Behold how Columba approaches us, and he deserves to have as a
!
companion the Angel of the Lord. " 105 St. Columba once went to the place, known as Damhliag Cianain, now Duleek. St. Cianain Io6 lived in the time of St. Patrick. There, he had an opportunity for examining the remains pre- served. No person afterwards dared to touch the body of St. Cianain, or to open his tomb, until St. Adamnan io7 did so, and even the latter lost the sight
of his which was eyes,
108 At 10* Mornington,
restored after fervent
formerly called Villa Maris or Marinerstown, there was a church, which had
been dedicated to St. Columba. 110 Mornington now forms a portion of the UnionofColpe,inthecountyanddioceseofMeath. 111 Oneverywarmday,
while St. Columba and St. Baithen were
99 No doubt the holy disciple, who after- wards succeeded St, Columb as Abbot of Iona, and whose festival is held on this same day.
100WemayregardSt. Columba'sillustra- "
passing by
the River
Boind,
1 " saw they
only
prayer.
I0' Hisfeastoccurs,atthe23rdofSep- tion here, as an argumentum ad homi- tember.
nem. "
lo8 See " Trias Colgan's
101
102 " See Mabillon's
Thaumaturga," Quinta Vita S. Columba? , lib. i. , cap. cvii. ,
See ibid. , cap. lxix. , p. 400.
tomus lib. Benedicti," i. ,
viii. ,
sect,
v. , p.
parish of Colp, and barony of Lower Duleek, shown on the '* Ordnance Survey Townland Maps
208.
103 His festival is on the 23rd of February,
and at the 12th of December.
104 See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga,"
Quinta Vita S. Columbae, lib. i. , cap. lxvi. , p. 400.
ios This is stated, in ibid. , Vita Prima S.
Columbse, cap. iii. , p. 321. It is also related in Arlqmn^n^e *' T if» rtf Qt f~*/\ln»viKi " UK
for the County of Meath," sheet 21.
,I0 It is mentioned in Dopping's Visita- tion, preserved in Primate Marsh's Library,
Dublin.
: " See Rev. Dr. Reeves' Adamnan's Life of St. Columba. " Additional Notes G,
Annales Ordinis S.
p. 407.
'°9 A town and townland in the
iii. , cap. 4, pp. 195, 196. Rev. Dr. Reeves' edition.
Io6 ber.
His Life occurs, at the 24th of Novem-
"
p^ 284.
June 9. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 321
very wicked king **3 bathing in the water; He was known to be depraved in morals, and to be void of piety or fraternal charity. St. Columba had a revela- tion, that this king led a bad life, and that his death was also near at hand. Then, too, Columba began to consider, if he could be converted from his evil ways, and thus escape everlasting punishment. Therefore, he told St. Baithen to approach him, and to ask for an alms. If he gave anything, it was supposed God might be propitious to him, in this extreme moment, and might hear a prayer offered for him. St. Baithen obeyed, but when he ap- proached the king with this request, he was received with reproaches only, and he brought back such news to Columba. Full of sorrow and anxiety, our saint next went forward himself. Then the king, still more furiously inclined, threatened, and proceeded to take up a stone from the river, which he in- tended to cast at him. The Almighty prevented this, for instantly the king sank beneath the water. When St. Columba was departing from the place, he wrapped himself in some fine linen, and in a royal purple garment, which the king left hanging on those boughs that were near.