This woman returned from her pilgrimage, and full
confident that her petitions should be granted.
confident that her petitions should be granted.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v1
Hia, Virgine, pp.
164 to 166.
'See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus ii. , xxv,
Januarii. Prsetermissi et in alios dies re-
jecti, p. 610. There they cite " Martyro-
logium Anglicanum novum," as an authority. 3 Her life has been already written at the
Canterbury, has elegantly composed a Latin panegyric on them.
' See Matt, xiv. , 29.
'° See iv. Kings, ii. , 8.
" Dr. Lanigan is of opinion, that this story
of the exile and the subsequent martyrdom of St. Fingar or Guigner, may have had its origin in the raid of Coroticus on the coast
"
Ecclesiastical History of Ireland," vol. i. , chap, vi. , sec. x. , p. 297,
and nn. 107, 108, 109, pp. 301, 302.
"An interesting account of this the ex- treme south-western part of England, will
15th of January. "
of Ireland. See
*See Catalogus aliquorum Sanctorum "
Iberniae," in O'Sullevan's Historise Ca-
tholicae Ibernise Compendium," tomus i. ,
lib, iv. , cap. xii. , p. 55.
sThis is intimated in the account left us
by St. Anselm, Archbishop of Canterbury. *In the "Trias Thaumaturga," Quinta Appendix ad Acta S. Patricii, cap. xxiii. . p. 270, Colgan seems to confound St. Hia
with St. Phiala, the sister of St. Fingar, and who is said to have received the veil from St. Patrick. The feast of . St. Phiala he places incorrectly at the 25th of January, rather than at the 23rd of February.
7 In all, it is stated, they numbered 777 men, together with St. Phiala. It does not seem certain, that St. Hia shared in their martyrdom.
^See the Acts of these holy martyrs at
"
Cornwall, with the Constitution of the Stan-
neries, the Inhabitants, their Manners, Customs, Plays or Interludes, Exercises, and Festivals, the Cornish Language, Tenures," etc. , with a map and numerous plates. Folio, A. D. 1758.
nia. " Article Danmonii and Cornwall, p.
140. Ed. Londini, fol. A. D. 1607.
'^ Its situation is marked on the map ac-
companying this article, p. 133.
'S See Moll's laree folio Map of Cornwall,
Also Warner's " Tour in Cornwall," 8vo, a. d, 1809.
the 23rd of February. Including the pre-
sent St. Hya, St. Anselm, Archbishop of Januarii.
be found in Borlase's
Natural History of
'^See William Camden in his " Britan-
'*
In "Martyrologium Anglicanum," xxv,
444 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [January 26.
of January. '7 Many centuries afterwards, several churches and other sacred memorials throughout Cornwall remained to mark that honour, in which she had formerly been held.
Ctomtp--sJi)rt6 IBap tsi ganuarp*
ARTICLE I. —ST. NOTBURGA, WIDOW, AND HER EIGHT BEATIFIED CHILDREN, IN GERMANY.
[ABOUT THE NINTH AND TENTH CENTURIES. ]
A HOLY mother greatly contributes to effect the salvation of her
children, as we find shown in the history of that high-souled Jewish matron, who exhorted her seven martyr sons to live and die for God, and who last of all joyfully welcomed death, even in its most cruel shape,' for she desired not to be separated from their companionship and their crown. The Bollandists give us some particulars regarding the pious ^vidow Notburga and her offspring. '^ These are acknowledged, as having been received from one of the Jesuit fathers, named Daniel Felder. 3 They were furnished by theparishclergyofKleggovia,whowerepiousanderuditemen. Fromthem it would appear, that Saint Notburga flouris—hed about the ninth or tenth
century a—ndthatshewasanativeofScotia most ;
Scotia probably Major
or Ireland although such supposition is not satisfactorily established. * She was of royal descent. Being of age, she contracted marriage with a man of her own country, and who died, shortly subsequent to its celebration. After her husband's death, she suffered persecution, at the instance of some wicked
'7 In allusion to the companions, who left Ireland, St. Anselm informs us, they were
"
all martyred on one day,
compendio, perennis vitie bravium perce- perant. " Yet in no other account does it seem to be intimated St. Hia was a martyr,
for she is invariably styled a virgin in the Calendars. Besides, her feast is assigned to this day, while that of St. Fingar, of St. Phiala, and of their other 777 companions,
was kept on th—e 23rd of February.
*'
these acts at any length. See
torum Hibernice," xxvi. Januarii, n. I, p. 169.
Colgan confesses, that he could not dis- cover the Scotia of which St. Notburga was a native, viz. , whether Ireland or Albania, But, at the period of t—ime in which she is said to have flourished that is to say, about eight hundred years, before her acts were published by Bollandus—our annals relate, that many Scots from Ireland, who were
these are found Saints Fintan and Eusebius, anchorets, loannes Erigena, Dungal, Helias,
Marcus, Marcellus, and many others. Eric of Auxerre, a grave author of the period, in his preface to the Life of St. Germanus, ad- dressed to Charles the Bald, indicates what
terms :
Article
'
i. Seeii. Machabees,vii.
and flour- learning,
' These acts of St. Notburga, widow, of
St. Hixta, virgin, and of seven other chil-
dren of St. Notburga are inserted in the
"Acta Sanctorum," tomus ii. , xxvi. Janu-
arii. De S. Notburga Vidua, S. Hixta Vir-
gine, et aliis vii. ejus liberis Novem-Geminis,
in Diocesi Constantiensi, pp. 750, 751.
3
the 26th of January the day on which they are given by the Bollandists. But, he says, as he found nothing regarding St. Notburga and her children, from other sources, that he did not think it necessary to illustrate
has been advanced in the
has — these at Colgan republished acts,
following
Quid Hiberniam memorem, contempta pelagi discrimine pasne totam cum grege
Philosophorum ad littora nostra migrantem. " See Hid,, n. 2, p. 169.
sacrsE mortis
for
ished both in Gaul and Germany. Amongst
distinguished
piety
"
Acta Sane-
January 26. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 445
persons. In consequence of this, she was obliged to relinquish her native country. She undertook a long and painful journey, and that too, while in
astateofpregnancy. ShetravelledthroughGermany,tothevillageofBuel, neartherightbankoftheRhine. s Here,sheissaidtohavegivenbirth,at
the same time,^ to the extraordinary number of nine children. ? One of her
offspringdidnotlivetoreceivebaptism; buttheremainingeightweresaid to have been baptized at a fountain which issued from a certain rock. ^
This water was miraculously produced by St. Notburga, who ordered her attendant maid to strike the spot with a walking staff, used by her mistress
during her journey. Her children were brought up in the practice of every Christian virtue, by their devout mother ; and they obtained a reputation of
being considered patron saints, in various places throughout Kleggovia. Many chapels were afterwards erected in their honour. These were de-
stroyed during the religious troubles of the sixteenth century. We are in- formed, regarding those children, that some were sons and others were daughters ; but of the latter, St. Hixta or Yxta, virgin, is best known. Her memory has been revered, in the village of lestellen, where she is said to have been buried, and under the altar of a chapel, specially dedicated to her honour. Before the Reformation, in the sixteenth century, many devout persons were accustomed to visit this tomb and chapel of St. Hixta ; and through her intercession, those clients were relieved from disease and various adversities. 9
The pious Notburga was devoted to prayer, and in all adversities her firm trust was placed in God. She consecrated her numerous children to His service; and she had the great happiness of seeing them all increase those virtues she had planted in their infant minds. After a life piously spent, she was removed from this world, to receive in the next rewards for her virtue. St. Notburga's body was buried near that place, where she had procured the fountain of water for her children's baptism. After some time,
ley gave birth to eight children—three boys and five girls. They are all living, and are
healthy, but quite small. Mr. Bradley was married six years ago to Eunice Mowbry. She has given birth to two pairs of twins, and now eight more, making twelve children
s The acts of our saint state, moreover, "
that it was in Shleggonia,
Landgraviatu, ut appellant, Sulzentium Comitum situs. "
* The compiler of her acts contends for
the credibility of this narrative against ob-
jectors, in these words: " Atque ut ilia
omittamus nimium portentosa, comitissam in six years. "
^ We are in the acts of the HoUandiae, 365, peperisse, Henenbergicam told,
quamdam etiam plures (quae non sine insolito Dei numine evenere) novem, duodecim, tri-
genta sex genitos, gravium Scriptorum fide constat. S. Quiteriam aliasque novem ejus sanctas sorores uno partu natas, suo loco daturi sumus. Ipsi ex Leonardo Paludano V. CI. dicimus, duas nunc in honorario ser- vitio Ducissae BuUoniensis versari puellas,
quarum parens unus fuisse fertur e 33, quos mater triplici partu edidit, bis imdenos,semet denos. "
^ Incredible as this statement may appear, we find an account, contained in an Ameri- can paper of a rather late date, in which a parallel case is recorded, at least as nearly regards the number of St. Notburga's chil- dren surviving their birth. The New York Tribune published the following extraor-
announcement. "It is dated — dinary John-
son, Trumbull county, O. , Aug. 4, 1859 On the 2nd of August Mrs. Timothy Brad-
saint, that after%vards crowds of people were ac- customed to resort to this fountain, and many miracles were there wrought. The inhabitants of the place, however, were un- willing strangers should drink at this foun- tain ; but they were admonished by St. Notburga that they should feel grateful to
God for favours granted them, without- seeking to deprive others of like benefits.
Finding her admonitions were disregarded, she directed the waters of this fountain to an adjoining wood. Shortly before and even at the time the Bollandists wrote, the well was to be seen in this place. It is remarked in their work, that its waters brought bene- fits to many, not so much from their abun- dance, as from their salubrity.
:
5 Colgan's
"
Acta Sanctorum Hibemije,"
Vita S. i. , Notburgse, cap.
xxvi.
ii. , iii. , viii. , pp. 168, 169.
Januarii.
446 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [January 26.
an elegant chapel was erected there, to which, in after years, many pious
pilgrims resorted. During periods of public calamity, the Catholics of Kleggovia flocked thither in great numbers to implore her intercession. Nu-
merous testimonials, hung up in the church, and indicating rewards or benefits obtained after those pious pilgrimages, proved the efficacy of our saint's
prayers. The memory of St. Notburga was held in special veneration by the people of Buel, who esteemed her as patron of this place. They cele- brated her festival with great solemnity, each 26th of January. On this day, all public business was there suspended ; pleadings being even inter- dicted within the law courts. In some ancient pictures our saint was repre- sentedcarryingeightinfantsinherarms; theninthchild,whohaddiedwith- out receiving baptism, being placed at her feet. '° This holy parent of a nu- merous and happy offspring, who had endured much persecution in her native country, and many inconveniences during her exile, was destined to attain the crown of eternal glory, and to rejoice for ever with her children. "
The Bollandists relate some miracles, which took place a short time be-
fore they WTOte. In the year 1639, a noble matron, who was afflicted with
dropsy, vowed that she would make a pilgrimage to St. Notburga's Church.
Having fulfilled this promise, and off"ered up her prayers, she was relieved
from her malady. Full of joy and gratitude for this result, she suspended in
the church a token, commemorative of such event. A certain man, who
lived in the village of Griessen, had received a severe hurt, which could
neither be cured by medical aid nor by use of baths. His wife resolved
upon a visit to our saint's chapel, there to entreat intercession on behalf of
her infirm husband.
This woman returned from her pilgrimage, and full
confident that her petitions should be granted. To the admiration of many,
her husband was instantly restored to health. During this same year, the
Rev, Christopher Wideman, Parish Priest of Buel, saw a Protestant woman,
from the adjoining village of Wilchlingen, in St. Notburga's Church. She
was forth and as her —a of engaged pouring prayers, giving offering pound
wax.
Having
asked for what
these — so purpose religious practices
contrary
tothoseofpersonsbelongingtoherpersuasion wereintended,thewoman
replied, she had a daughter, who was subject to epileptic fits. She had
learned fi"om experience, that if annual gifts and prayers were offered to St. Notburga, her daughter should be free from any recurrence of these fits, for a whole year ; but if the mother neglected this practice, her child might be seized with horrible convulsions, nor would the daughter suffer any person to assist during her attacks, while the whole house was disturbed by fearful outcries. Thus, it appeared, that persons without the Church's pale did not cease,onthataccount,toderivebenefitsfromSt. Notburga'smerits. " As this holy woman had lived only for God, so in death He was not unmindful of her. All the consolations that our holy and beautiful religion affords were hers during the entire period of her life, and during her last illness. While on this earth, she had a foretaste of the happiness reserved for the elect. Her death was happy as her life had been holy ; she passed away with a smile upon her lips, and her face still bright with the reflection of the vision, which shone upon her last moments.
Article II. —St. Conon or Conan, Bishop of Sodor and the
"See Very Rev. F. C. Husenbeth's Emblems of Saints," p. 125.
" See
"
"See " Acta Sanctorum," tomusii. , xxvi. Januarii, pp. 750, 751. Also Colgan's
" Acta Sanctorum Hiber-
" Acta Sanctorum p. 169.
Colgan's
niae," xxvi. Januarii. Vita S. Notburgae, &€. , cap. iv. , ix. , pp. 168, 169.
Hibemiae,"
Janu-
xxvi.
arii. Vita S. Notburgse, cap. v. , yi. , vii. ,
January 26. ]
447
that this
asserting holy prelate
did not —with Fiacre, agree
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
'
Isle of Man. \_Sixth and Seventh Centuries? ^ The Bollandists^ pass over
the notices of St. Conan, Bishop of Sodor, at this date, because they dis-
covered that the statements of Lesley,^ of George Conseus, and of Camerarius,^
was the master of
accounts in the—life of this latter saint. * Boece mentions a Connane pro-
bably this saint among the distinguished persons who lived in Scotland. s Our own Colgan seems to have mistaken the present saint's identity and festival,^ as has been shown already, when treating on St. Mochonna, Doconna,
orConnan,BishopofInis-Patrick,countyofDublin. ? Owingtothefollow- ing circumstances, it is said, the denomination of Inis-Patrick was given to the Isle of Man,^ while the coincidences of proper names, of persons and places, obviously caused the mistake. It is stated, that St. Patrick had re- turned from Ireland to Britain, for the purpose of obtaining more missionaries toaidonhisIrishmission. 9 MakingasecondvoyagetoIreland,withthirty rehgious persons, he was driven by a storm to the Isle of Eubonia'° or Man, about the year 444. Finding the people much addicted to magic practices and Druidism," he stayed there three years, and he was instrumental in con- verting them to the true faith. The holy Apostle of Ireland soon afterwards placedabishopoverthem; andasuccessionofholypastorscanbenamed as his successors. " Many of these were from Ireland, and it is supposed the present pious prelate was a native of our country. Whether or not the Archbishop of Armagh, as successor of St. Patrick, was acknowledged as Metropolitan over Eubonia or Inis-Patrick, at an early period, is uncertain. Originally the diocese was restricted to the Isle of Man ; afterwards, it is said, some of the Southern Hebrides, called the Sudereys or Southern Islands, gave the name Sodor to the group of thirty, constituting this diocese. The terms. Bishop of the Sudoer, and Bishop of the Isles, were convertible. In 838, Pope Gregory IV. ,'3 instituted this see. In 1098, Magnus,'* King of Norway,'s having conquered, not only the Western Isles but Man, the bishopricsofSodorandManwereunited. " Theycontinuedthus,untilthe close of the fourteenth century. '? On the death of John Dunkan, a. d. 1380,
Articlen. —' See"ActaSanctorum,"
tomus ii. , xxvi. Januarii. Prsetermissi et in
"SeeRev. AlbanButler's"Livesofthe
Fathers, Martyrs and other Principal Saints," at the 26th of January, where there is a no- tice of St. Conon, Bishop of the Isle of
alios dies rejecti, p. 690.
' " De Gestis Scotorum," lib. iv.
3 See the account of this saint, in " De Man.
Statu Hominis, Veteris simul ac Novas Ecclesise, et Sanctis Regni Scotiae," lib. i. , cap. iii. , sec. 2, p. 135.
" Yet the " Chronicon Mannise," states, that the names of the earliest bishops were neither recorded in writing, or known from tradition. See *'
< See his Life at the of
Johnstone's Antiquitates Celto-Normanicae," p. 44.
30th August. History of Scotland," book ix. , chap. 21, Bollanden's translation, tomus ii. ,
p. 108. Ed. 1821.
' See " Acta Sanctorum Hibemise," xiii.
Januarii. De S. Connano Episcop. Mannice, pp. 59, 60.
' At the 13th of January. Article ix.
5 " Sec
^
instructive article, on the Isle of Man, vol. Chronicon Manniae, pp. 10 to 12.
'*
" Isle of Man ; its History, Physical, Ec- princes was acknowledged in the Isle of
vi. , pp. 295, 296.
clesiastical, Civil, and Legendary. " Appen- dix P. , pp. 341, 342.
Man, there might have been a close con- nexion between the Manx Church and the ancient British Church in Wales,
'°
See the account of this transaction re-
corded by Jocelyn in Colgan's
''
Trias Thau-
^^ had ofthe Then the English possession
maturga. " Sexta Vita S. Patricii, cap. xcii. , p. 86.
"
Isle of Man. See Chambers' Enclyclo-
'^ He sat in the Papal chair from A. D.
827to 843. See Sir Harris Nicolas' "Chrono-
logy of History," p. 391.
'* See H. A. Bullock's "History of the
Isle of Man," chap, i. , pp. 8, 9.
*s See an account of his exploits in John-
See in Chambers' "EncyclopDsdia," an stone's "Antiquitates Celto-Normanicae. "
It is not improbable, that during the 9 See Rev. Joseph George Cumming's period when the authority of the Welsh
paedia," vol. vi. , art. , Isle of Man, p. 296.
nerally
to
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [January 26.
the clergy of Man elected Robert Waldby, for their prelate ;^^ at the same time, the bishops of Man still retained their title, bishops of Sodor ; giving the name of Sodor to a little island near Peel, in which the cathedral of St. German was built. ^9
St. Conon appears to have been born during the latter part of the sixth
century. Although no record regarding this matter is known to remain, it is
probable he left Ireland to join the religious community at lona, where his education may have been received, and where his talents and virtues, no doubt, caused him to attain distinction. His youth was devoted to prayer andtopenitentialexercises: heentertainedlikewiseagreatdevotiontowards theholyMotherofGod. ^° Theseyouthfulpracticesgrewwithhisyears;=' and the greatest purity characterized his every thought, word and act. In fine, Conanus was appointed tutor to the three sons^^ of Eugenius the Fourth, King of Scotland. ^3 These young princes are described as having made great progress in learning and good morals. Afterwards Conon sat as bishop in the Isle of Man, it is said, about the year 600. These, at least, are the only tangible accounts we can glean from writers who have alluded to him. From the tuition of Bishop Conon, Doneualdus was called away by the universal suffrages of the Scottish people, to take on himself the direction of their affairs. ''^
This is probably the St. Conan who is placed among the southern Pictish bishops, in that magnificent and learned work of Dr. Gordon,'3 and whose
is
period assigned
to a. d. It is the date to which his death is— 648. ^^ ge-
In — placing
his festival at the 26th of
day January
referred. ^7
which Colgan demiirs^^ Camerarius appears to be more correct than his learned criticiser.
This Conan was greatly venerated in Scotland. He was remembered at Kilconan in Fortingal, and at the well of St. Conan, near Dalmally. ^9 Conan's fair is held on the third Wednesday in March, in Glenorchy;3° but,
'* The civil government of the Manx is and Donualdus, according to some of the
"
liament The islanders make their own Historiae a Prima Gentis Origine," etc. ,
altogether independent of the Imperial Par- Scotch writers. See Boethius'
Scotorum
laws, and appoint their own authorities, judges and law officers. Their parliament is styled the Court of Tynwald. It is com- posed of the Lieutenant-Governor, and the Council, and the House of Keys. The Council is made up of the Bishop, the At- torney-General, two judges, the Clerk of the Rolls, the Water Bailiff, the Archdeacon, and the Vicar-General. The House of Keys is formed of the twenty-four legal re-
lib. ix. , foL 173.
'3 See an account of him in George Bu-
•'
chanan's Rerum Scoticarum Historia,"
lib. v. , pp. 144, 145.
^••See Hector Boetius, "Scotorum His-
torise a Prima Gentis Originse," etc. , lib. ix. , p. 174.
=sSee Rev. J. F. S. Gordon's " Scoti- chronicon," vol. i. . Episcopal Succession in the Church of Scotland, p. 26.
ofthe Anewmea- **Thisis the ofhis people. year
presentatives
sure is introduced into the House of Keys
and debated upon ; it is then sent to the
Council, and finally to the Queen of Eng- land for her assent. It becomes law by
promulgation from t—he Tynwald Hill in English and in Manx a dialect of the latter closely allied to Irish.
'9 See Rev. Joseph George Cumming's
"Isle of Man," &c. , Appendix P. , pp.
'See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus ii. , xxv,
Januarii. Prsetermissi et in alios dies re-
jecti, p. 610. There they cite " Martyro-
logium Anglicanum novum," as an authority. 3 Her life has been already written at the
Canterbury, has elegantly composed a Latin panegyric on them.
' See Matt, xiv. , 29.
'° See iv. Kings, ii. , 8.
" Dr. Lanigan is of opinion, that this story
of the exile and the subsequent martyrdom of St. Fingar or Guigner, may have had its origin in the raid of Coroticus on the coast
"
Ecclesiastical History of Ireland," vol. i. , chap, vi. , sec. x. , p. 297,
and nn. 107, 108, 109, pp. 301, 302.
"An interesting account of this the ex- treme south-western part of England, will
15th of January. "
of Ireland. See
*See Catalogus aliquorum Sanctorum "
Iberniae," in O'Sullevan's Historise Ca-
tholicae Ibernise Compendium," tomus i. ,
lib, iv. , cap. xii. , p. 55.
sThis is intimated in the account left us
by St. Anselm, Archbishop of Canterbury. *In the "Trias Thaumaturga," Quinta Appendix ad Acta S. Patricii, cap. xxiii. . p. 270, Colgan seems to confound St. Hia
with St. Phiala, the sister of St. Fingar, and who is said to have received the veil from St. Patrick. The feast of . St. Phiala he places incorrectly at the 25th of January, rather than at the 23rd of February.
7 In all, it is stated, they numbered 777 men, together with St. Phiala. It does not seem certain, that St. Hia shared in their martyrdom.
^See the Acts of these holy martyrs at
"
Cornwall, with the Constitution of the Stan-
neries, the Inhabitants, their Manners, Customs, Plays or Interludes, Exercises, and Festivals, the Cornish Language, Tenures," etc. , with a map and numerous plates. Folio, A. D. 1758.
nia. " Article Danmonii and Cornwall, p.
140. Ed. Londini, fol. A. D. 1607.
'^ Its situation is marked on the map ac-
companying this article, p. 133.
'S See Moll's laree folio Map of Cornwall,
Also Warner's " Tour in Cornwall," 8vo, a. d, 1809.
the 23rd of February. Including the pre-
sent St. Hya, St. Anselm, Archbishop of Januarii.
be found in Borlase's
Natural History of
'^See William Camden in his " Britan-
'*
In "Martyrologium Anglicanum," xxv,
444 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [January 26.
of January. '7 Many centuries afterwards, several churches and other sacred memorials throughout Cornwall remained to mark that honour, in which she had formerly been held.
Ctomtp--sJi)rt6 IBap tsi ganuarp*
ARTICLE I. —ST. NOTBURGA, WIDOW, AND HER EIGHT BEATIFIED CHILDREN, IN GERMANY.
[ABOUT THE NINTH AND TENTH CENTURIES. ]
A HOLY mother greatly contributes to effect the salvation of her
children, as we find shown in the history of that high-souled Jewish matron, who exhorted her seven martyr sons to live and die for God, and who last of all joyfully welcomed death, even in its most cruel shape,' for she desired not to be separated from their companionship and their crown. The Bollandists give us some particulars regarding the pious ^vidow Notburga and her offspring. '^ These are acknowledged, as having been received from one of the Jesuit fathers, named Daniel Felder. 3 They were furnished by theparishclergyofKleggovia,whowerepiousanderuditemen. Fromthem it would appear, that Saint Notburga flouris—hed about the ninth or tenth
century a—ndthatshewasanativeofScotia most ;
Scotia probably Major
or Ireland although such supposition is not satisfactorily established. * She was of royal descent. Being of age, she contracted marriage with a man of her own country, and who died, shortly subsequent to its celebration. After her husband's death, she suffered persecution, at the instance of some wicked
'7 In allusion to the companions, who left Ireland, St. Anselm informs us, they were
"
all martyred on one day,
compendio, perennis vitie bravium perce- perant. " Yet in no other account does it seem to be intimated St. Hia was a martyr,
for she is invariably styled a virgin in the Calendars. Besides, her feast is assigned to this day, while that of St. Fingar, of St. Phiala, and of their other 777 companions,
was kept on th—e 23rd of February.
*'
these acts at any length. See
torum Hibernice," xxvi. Januarii, n. I, p. 169.
Colgan confesses, that he could not dis- cover the Scotia of which St. Notburga was a native, viz. , whether Ireland or Albania, But, at the period of t—ime in which she is said to have flourished that is to say, about eight hundred years, before her acts were published by Bollandus—our annals relate, that many Scots from Ireland, who were
these are found Saints Fintan and Eusebius, anchorets, loannes Erigena, Dungal, Helias,
Marcus, Marcellus, and many others. Eric of Auxerre, a grave author of the period, in his preface to the Life of St. Germanus, ad- dressed to Charles the Bald, indicates what
terms :
Article
'
i. Seeii. Machabees,vii.
and flour- learning,
' These acts of St. Notburga, widow, of
St. Hixta, virgin, and of seven other chil-
dren of St. Notburga are inserted in the
"Acta Sanctorum," tomus ii. , xxvi. Janu-
arii. De S. Notburga Vidua, S. Hixta Vir-
gine, et aliis vii. ejus liberis Novem-Geminis,
in Diocesi Constantiensi, pp. 750, 751.
3
the 26th of January the day on which they are given by the Bollandists. But, he says, as he found nothing regarding St. Notburga and her children, from other sources, that he did not think it necessary to illustrate
has been advanced in the
has — these at Colgan republished acts,
following
Quid Hiberniam memorem, contempta pelagi discrimine pasne totam cum grege
Philosophorum ad littora nostra migrantem. " See Hid,, n. 2, p. 169.
sacrsE mortis
for
ished both in Gaul and Germany. Amongst
distinguished
piety
"
Acta Sane-
January 26. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 445
persons. In consequence of this, she was obliged to relinquish her native country. She undertook a long and painful journey, and that too, while in
astateofpregnancy. ShetravelledthroughGermany,tothevillageofBuel, neartherightbankoftheRhine. s Here,sheissaidtohavegivenbirth,at
the same time,^ to the extraordinary number of nine children. ? One of her
offspringdidnotlivetoreceivebaptism; buttheremainingeightweresaid to have been baptized at a fountain which issued from a certain rock. ^
This water was miraculously produced by St. Notburga, who ordered her attendant maid to strike the spot with a walking staff, used by her mistress
during her journey. Her children were brought up in the practice of every Christian virtue, by their devout mother ; and they obtained a reputation of
being considered patron saints, in various places throughout Kleggovia. Many chapels were afterwards erected in their honour. These were de-
stroyed during the religious troubles of the sixteenth century. We are in- formed, regarding those children, that some were sons and others were daughters ; but of the latter, St. Hixta or Yxta, virgin, is best known. Her memory has been revered, in the village of lestellen, where she is said to have been buried, and under the altar of a chapel, specially dedicated to her honour. Before the Reformation, in the sixteenth century, many devout persons were accustomed to visit this tomb and chapel of St. Hixta ; and through her intercession, those clients were relieved from disease and various adversities. 9
The pious Notburga was devoted to prayer, and in all adversities her firm trust was placed in God. She consecrated her numerous children to His service; and she had the great happiness of seeing them all increase those virtues she had planted in their infant minds. After a life piously spent, she was removed from this world, to receive in the next rewards for her virtue. St. Notburga's body was buried near that place, where she had procured the fountain of water for her children's baptism. After some time,
ley gave birth to eight children—three boys and five girls. They are all living, and are
healthy, but quite small. Mr. Bradley was married six years ago to Eunice Mowbry. She has given birth to two pairs of twins, and now eight more, making twelve children
s The acts of our saint state, moreover, "
that it was in Shleggonia,
Landgraviatu, ut appellant, Sulzentium Comitum situs. "
* The compiler of her acts contends for
the credibility of this narrative against ob-
jectors, in these words: " Atque ut ilia
omittamus nimium portentosa, comitissam in six years. "
^ We are in the acts of the HoUandiae, 365, peperisse, Henenbergicam told,
quamdam etiam plures (quae non sine insolito Dei numine evenere) novem, duodecim, tri-
genta sex genitos, gravium Scriptorum fide constat. S. Quiteriam aliasque novem ejus sanctas sorores uno partu natas, suo loco daturi sumus. Ipsi ex Leonardo Paludano V. CI. dicimus, duas nunc in honorario ser- vitio Ducissae BuUoniensis versari puellas,
quarum parens unus fuisse fertur e 33, quos mater triplici partu edidit, bis imdenos,semet denos. "
^ Incredible as this statement may appear, we find an account, contained in an Ameri- can paper of a rather late date, in which a parallel case is recorded, at least as nearly regards the number of St. Notburga's chil- dren surviving their birth. The New York Tribune published the following extraor-
announcement. "It is dated — dinary John-
son, Trumbull county, O. , Aug. 4, 1859 On the 2nd of August Mrs. Timothy Brad-
saint, that after%vards crowds of people were ac- customed to resort to this fountain, and many miracles were there wrought. The inhabitants of the place, however, were un- willing strangers should drink at this foun- tain ; but they were admonished by St. Notburga that they should feel grateful to
God for favours granted them, without- seeking to deprive others of like benefits.
Finding her admonitions were disregarded, she directed the waters of this fountain to an adjoining wood. Shortly before and even at the time the Bollandists wrote, the well was to be seen in this place. It is remarked in their work, that its waters brought bene- fits to many, not so much from their abun- dance, as from their salubrity.
:
5 Colgan's
"
Acta Sanctorum Hibemije,"
Vita S. i. , Notburgse, cap.
xxvi.
ii. , iii. , viii. , pp. 168, 169.
Januarii.
446 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [January 26.
an elegant chapel was erected there, to which, in after years, many pious
pilgrims resorted. During periods of public calamity, the Catholics of Kleggovia flocked thither in great numbers to implore her intercession. Nu-
merous testimonials, hung up in the church, and indicating rewards or benefits obtained after those pious pilgrimages, proved the efficacy of our saint's
prayers. The memory of St. Notburga was held in special veneration by the people of Buel, who esteemed her as patron of this place. They cele- brated her festival with great solemnity, each 26th of January. On this day, all public business was there suspended ; pleadings being even inter- dicted within the law courts. In some ancient pictures our saint was repre- sentedcarryingeightinfantsinherarms; theninthchild,whohaddiedwith- out receiving baptism, being placed at her feet. '° This holy parent of a nu- merous and happy offspring, who had endured much persecution in her native country, and many inconveniences during her exile, was destined to attain the crown of eternal glory, and to rejoice for ever with her children. "
The Bollandists relate some miracles, which took place a short time be-
fore they WTOte. In the year 1639, a noble matron, who was afflicted with
dropsy, vowed that she would make a pilgrimage to St. Notburga's Church.
Having fulfilled this promise, and off"ered up her prayers, she was relieved
from her malady. Full of joy and gratitude for this result, she suspended in
the church a token, commemorative of such event. A certain man, who
lived in the village of Griessen, had received a severe hurt, which could
neither be cured by medical aid nor by use of baths. His wife resolved
upon a visit to our saint's chapel, there to entreat intercession on behalf of
her infirm husband.
This woman returned from her pilgrimage, and full
confident that her petitions should be granted. To the admiration of many,
her husband was instantly restored to health. During this same year, the
Rev, Christopher Wideman, Parish Priest of Buel, saw a Protestant woman,
from the adjoining village of Wilchlingen, in St. Notburga's Church. She
was forth and as her —a of engaged pouring prayers, giving offering pound
wax.
Having
asked for what
these — so purpose religious practices
contrary
tothoseofpersonsbelongingtoherpersuasion wereintended,thewoman
replied, she had a daughter, who was subject to epileptic fits. She had
learned fi"om experience, that if annual gifts and prayers were offered to St. Notburga, her daughter should be free from any recurrence of these fits, for a whole year ; but if the mother neglected this practice, her child might be seized with horrible convulsions, nor would the daughter suffer any person to assist during her attacks, while the whole house was disturbed by fearful outcries. Thus, it appeared, that persons without the Church's pale did not cease,onthataccount,toderivebenefitsfromSt. Notburga'smerits. " As this holy woman had lived only for God, so in death He was not unmindful of her. All the consolations that our holy and beautiful religion affords were hers during the entire period of her life, and during her last illness. While on this earth, she had a foretaste of the happiness reserved for the elect. Her death was happy as her life had been holy ; she passed away with a smile upon her lips, and her face still bright with the reflection of the vision, which shone upon her last moments.
Article II. —St. Conon or Conan, Bishop of Sodor and the
"See Very Rev. F. C. Husenbeth's Emblems of Saints," p. 125.
" See
"
"See " Acta Sanctorum," tomusii. , xxvi. Januarii, pp. 750, 751. Also Colgan's
" Acta Sanctorum Hiber-
" Acta Sanctorum p. 169.
Colgan's
niae," xxvi. Januarii. Vita S. Notburgae, &€. , cap. iv. , ix. , pp. 168, 169.
Hibemiae,"
Janu-
xxvi.
arii. Vita S. Notburgse, cap. v. , yi. , vii. ,
January 26. ]
447
that this
asserting holy prelate
did not —with Fiacre, agree
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
'
Isle of Man. \_Sixth and Seventh Centuries? ^ The Bollandists^ pass over
the notices of St. Conan, Bishop of Sodor, at this date, because they dis-
covered that the statements of Lesley,^ of George Conseus, and of Camerarius,^
was the master of
accounts in the—life of this latter saint. * Boece mentions a Connane pro-
bably this saint among the distinguished persons who lived in Scotland. s Our own Colgan seems to have mistaken the present saint's identity and festival,^ as has been shown already, when treating on St. Mochonna, Doconna,
orConnan,BishopofInis-Patrick,countyofDublin. ? Owingtothefollow- ing circumstances, it is said, the denomination of Inis-Patrick was given to the Isle of Man,^ while the coincidences of proper names, of persons and places, obviously caused the mistake. It is stated, that St. Patrick had re- turned from Ireland to Britain, for the purpose of obtaining more missionaries toaidonhisIrishmission. 9 MakingasecondvoyagetoIreland,withthirty rehgious persons, he was driven by a storm to the Isle of Eubonia'° or Man, about the year 444. Finding the people much addicted to magic practices and Druidism," he stayed there three years, and he was instrumental in con- verting them to the true faith. The holy Apostle of Ireland soon afterwards placedabishopoverthem; andasuccessionofholypastorscanbenamed as his successors. " Many of these were from Ireland, and it is supposed the present pious prelate was a native of our country. Whether or not the Archbishop of Armagh, as successor of St. Patrick, was acknowledged as Metropolitan over Eubonia or Inis-Patrick, at an early period, is uncertain. Originally the diocese was restricted to the Isle of Man ; afterwards, it is said, some of the Southern Hebrides, called the Sudereys or Southern Islands, gave the name Sodor to the group of thirty, constituting this diocese. The terms. Bishop of the Sudoer, and Bishop of the Isles, were convertible. In 838, Pope Gregory IV. ,'3 instituted this see. In 1098, Magnus,'* King of Norway,'s having conquered, not only the Western Isles but Man, the bishopricsofSodorandManwereunited. " Theycontinuedthus,untilthe close of the fourteenth century. '? On the death of John Dunkan, a. d. 1380,
Articlen. —' See"ActaSanctorum,"
tomus ii. , xxvi. Januarii. Prsetermissi et in
"SeeRev. AlbanButler's"Livesofthe
Fathers, Martyrs and other Principal Saints," at the 26th of January, where there is a no- tice of St. Conon, Bishop of the Isle of
alios dies rejecti, p. 690.
' " De Gestis Scotorum," lib. iv.
3 See the account of this saint, in " De Man.
Statu Hominis, Veteris simul ac Novas Ecclesise, et Sanctis Regni Scotiae," lib. i. , cap. iii. , sec. 2, p. 135.
" Yet the " Chronicon Mannise," states, that the names of the earliest bishops were neither recorded in writing, or known from tradition. See *'
< See his Life at the of
Johnstone's Antiquitates Celto-Normanicae," p. 44.
30th August. History of Scotland," book ix. , chap. 21, Bollanden's translation, tomus ii. ,
p. 108. Ed. 1821.
' See " Acta Sanctorum Hibemise," xiii.
Januarii. De S. Connano Episcop. Mannice, pp. 59, 60.
' At the 13th of January. Article ix.
5 " Sec
^
instructive article, on the Isle of Man, vol. Chronicon Manniae, pp. 10 to 12.
'*
" Isle of Man ; its History, Physical, Ec- princes was acknowledged in the Isle of
vi. , pp. 295, 296.
clesiastical, Civil, and Legendary. " Appen- dix P. , pp. 341, 342.
Man, there might have been a close con- nexion between the Manx Church and the ancient British Church in Wales,
'°
See the account of this transaction re-
corded by Jocelyn in Colgan's
''
Trias Thau-
^^ had ofthe Then the English possession
maturga. " Sexta Vita S. Patricii, cap. xcii. , p. 86.
"
Isle of Man. See Chambers' Enclyclo-
'^ He sat in the Papal chair from A. D.
827to 843. See Sir Harris Nicolas' "Chrono-
logy of History," p. 391.
'* See H. A. Bullock's "History of the
Isle of Man," chap, i. , pp. 8, 9.
*s See an account of his exploits in John-
See in Chambers' "EncyclopDsdia," an stone's "Antiquitates Celto-Normanicae. "
It is not improbable, that during the 9 See Rev. Joseph George Cumming's period when the authority of the Welsh
paedia," vol. vi. , art. , Isle of Man, p. 296.
nerally
to
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [January 26.
the clergy of Man elected Robert Waldby, for their prelate ;^^ at the same time, the bishops of Man still retained their title, bishops of Sodor ; giving the name of Sodor to a little island near Peel, in which the cathedral of St. German was built. ^9
St. Conon appears to have been born during the latter part of the sixth
century. Although no record regarding this matter is known to remain, it is
probable he left Ireland to join the religious community at lona, where his education may have been received, and where his talents and virtues, no doubt, caused him to attain distinction. His youth was devoted to prayer andtopenitentialexercises: heentertainedlikewiseagreatdevotiontowards theholyMotherofGod. ^° Theseyouthfulpracticesgrewwithhisyears;=' and the greatest purity characterized his every thought, word and act. In fine, Conanus was appointed tutor to the three sons^^ of Eugenius the Fourth, King of Scotland. ^3 These young princes are described as having made great progress in learning and good morals. Afterwards Conon sat as bishop in the Isle of Man, it is said, about the year 600. These, at least, are the only tangible accounts we can glean from writers who have alluded to him. From the tuition of Bishop Conon, Doneualdus was called away by the universal suffrages of the Scottish people, to take on himself the direction of their affairs. ''^
This is probably the St. Conan who is placed among the southern Pictish bishops, in that magnificent and learned work of Dr. Gordon,'3 and whose
is
period assigned
to a. d. It is the date to which his death is— 648. ^^ ge-
In — placing
his festival at the 26th of
day January
referred. ^7
which Colgan demiirs^^ Camerarius appears to be more correct than his learned criticiser.
This Conan was greatly venerated in Scotland. He was remembered at Kilconan in Fortingal, and at the well of St. Conan, near Dalmally. ^9 Conan's fair is held on the third Wednesday in March, in Glenorchy;3° but,
'* The civil government of the Manx is and Donualdus, according to some of the
"
liament The islanders make their own Historiae a Prima Gentis Origine," etc. ,
altogether independent of the Imperial Par- Scotch writers. See Boethius'
Scotorum
laws, and appoint their own authorities, judges and law officers. Their parliament is styled the Court of Tynwald. It is com- posed of the Lieutenant-Governor, and the Council, and the House of Keys. The Council is made up of the Bishop, the At- torney-General, two judges, the Clerk of the Rolls, the Water Bailiff, the Archdeacon, and the Vicar-General. The House of Keys is formed of the twenty-four legal re-
lib. ix. , foL 173.
'3 See an account of him in George Bu-
•'
chanan's Rerum Scoticarum Historia,"
lib. v. , pp. 144, 145.
^••See Hector Boetius, "Scotorum His-
torise a Prima Gentis Originse," etc. , lib. ix. , p. 174.
=sSee Rev. J. F. S. Gordon's " Scoti- chronicon," vol. i. . Episcopal Succession in the Church of Scotland, p. 26.
ofthe Anewmea- **Thisis the ofhis people. year
presentatives
sure is introduced into the House of Keys
and debated upon ; it is then sent to the
Council, and finally to the Queen of Eng- land for her assent. It becomes law by
promulgation from t—he Tynwald Hill in English and in Manx a dialect of the latter closely allied to Irish.
'9 See Rev. Joseph George Cumming's
"Isle of Man," &c. , Appendix P. , pp.
