The poem on the Remis-
sion of the Boromean tribute, containing fifty-two stanzas, though bearing his name, is hardly compatible with his religious character.
sion of the Boromean tribute, containing fifty-two stanzas, though bearing his name, is hardly compatible with his religious character.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v9
This was taken from a Manu- seventh century.
script of the thirteenth century, which
6a Thus Adamnan writes in this tract :
to a collection of the ancient " abbey at Cadouin, in the Diocese of Peri- gueux. Besides this, he found another tract
on a similar subject and an earlier account,
by St. Anthony de Plaisanci, belonging to
belonged
Cujus
mihi formam in tabula cerata Arculfus ipse depinxit ;" and again, "juxta exemplar quod mihi Arculfus in paginola
figuravit cerata depinximus. "
63 The venerable Bede adds;
"
Fecitque
September 23. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 501
of Cardinal Baronius' great historical work,6* in which the author accepted implicitly the statements by Arculfus, he was severely criticised by Isaac Casaubon ; when, in order to vindicate Baronius, the laborious Jesuit Jacob Gretser undertook to publish the entire treatise,65 and in his Prologomina to it, he vigourously assails Casaubon for having impugned the authenticity of
66
This treatise M De Locis Sanctis " 6? is mentioned by Venerable Bede, as
Adamnan's genuine work. In the Vatican Library and at Corbey, manuscript copies of it are preserved, both of which have been used by Mabillon, who has published it. There are other copies at St. Germanus a Pratis,68 of the
at Berne, of the ninth and tenth centuries 69 at of eighth century ; ; Saltzburg,
the ninth or tenth century 7° and at Rheinau, of the eleventh centuryJ1 ;
There is another in the British Museum,? 3 of the fourteenth century. 73 The
tractopenswithaprologue 74invokingfirstthethreepersonsoftheMost ;
HolyTrinity,beforestatingthetitleandoriginalinceptionofthework. In this tract, Adamnan mentions the tombs of St. Simeon and of St. Joseph at Jerusalem, many relics of the Passion of Christ, the impression of the feet of our Saviour on Mount Olivet, covered with a round church having a hole open on the top, and over the place where the impression of the footsteps was to be seen. He also mentions grasshoppers in the deserts of the Jordan, and which the common people eat, boiled with oil ; as also a portion of the cross in the Rotunda Church of Constantinople, and which was exposed on a golden altar during the three last days of Holy Week, when the emperor, court, army, clergy, and others went there to kiss the sacred wood. 75
The two chief literary works associated with the name of Adamnan are the Tract intituled " De Locis Sanctis," and the " Vita St. Columbae. " Already have we briefly described and criticised the latter work, when
Arculfus' statements on insufficient information.
recording the Life of the great Archimandrite. ?
6
In his account of Adamnan,
John of Trittenham,77 altogether omits his having been the author of St. Columba's Acts, while some of his less celebrated writings are noted. Cave
opus ut dixi, multum utile, et maxime illis, qui longius ab eis locis, in quibus patriarchse
et apostoli erant, secreti, ea tan—tum de his, quse lectione didicerint, norunt. " "Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis Anglorum," lib. v. , cap. xv.
64 See "Annales Ecclesiastici," tomus viii. ,
Ibid. , pp. 129, 132. Again we are told, "ce MS. — etoit dans la bibliotheque de
Corbie. " Ibid. , p. 355. It is probably the
Corbey manuscript which was collated by Mabillon.
^ Report of the Record Commission. Appendix A. , pp. 31, 46.
Annus
6s With the title
7°See ibid
7I See ibid. ,
7* It is classed Codex Cotton, Tiberius,
D. v. , pars ii. , pp. 156 a to 184 £.
73 Though copied by an ignorant scribe,
and imperfect, it contains some valuable various readings. It has been collated by the Rev. Dr. Reeves.
74 See Mabillon's ''Acta Sanctorum Or- dinis S. Benedicti," sec. iii. , pars ii. , p. 456. Venetiis, 1734.
" See the Rev. Alban Butler's "Lives of
J. C. 699,
sect, x. ,
201. 203.
:
xi. , p. 543.
" Adamnani Abbatis
p. p.
Hiiensis Libri tres de Locis Sanctis ex Relatione Arculfi, Episcopi Galli. "
'6 See Leslie Stephen's "Dictionary of National Biography,"—vol. i. , art. Adamnan
or Adomnan (625? 704) by John T. Gilbert, p. 93.
67 Gretser 'sedition of this work, published at Ingoldst, a. d. 1619, was printed from a manuscript sent to him by Father Rosweyd, " ex intima Holandia. " See Prolegomina, p. 22.
the Fathers, Martyrs, and other principal 68 See Rev. Dr. O'Connor's " Rerum Saints," vol. ix. , September xxiii.
Hibernicarum Scriptores," tomus i. Epistola Nuncupatoria, p. 142. It is described in the " Nouveau Traite de Diplomatique," tomus iii. , p. 66, as "de S. Germain des Pres,
76 See at the 9}h of June, in the Sixth Volume of this work, Art. i. , the Life of St. Columkille or Columba, Abbot of lona, and Apostle of Caledonia, chap. i.
and as "un
ecriture ordinaire du viii. au ix. siecle. "
e—n
77 See " ticorum," fol. 1. a.
num. 844,"
petit in-folio,
Catalogus Scriptorum Ecclesias-
502 LIVESOFTHEIRISHSAINTS. [September23.
incorrectly states, that Surius, at the 9th of June, published Adamnan's Life
of St. Columba and that Serarius was the first editor of the tract, " De ;
8
LocisTerrse Sanctse," published at Ingolstad, in 1619. 7
that the genuineness of Adamnan's Vita S. Columbae should be called in
question by Sir James Dalrymple. Defending the Presbyterian views of Church government,79 in the spirit of sectarian controversy, he found it con- venient to throw discredit on a certain anecdote,80 therein contained. The Rev. Robert King states, that the fact of Bede being silent about Adamnan having written St. Columba's Life, if it be not sufficient evidence to disprove his authorship, seems to indicate, at least, that Bede was not aware of its
his 81 the Rev. Dr. Giles considers Adamnan being composition. Again,
"
only as the reputed author of a
that he had written it. 82 However, as the Rev. Dr. Reeves observes, it is to be hoped his doubts originated in a different style of research from that which made Bede's Columcille an island,83 and Dearmach the same as
86
8? and he considered the
from what was to be found in the body of the Biography. However,
a critic and 80 who studied with a full scholar,
Adamnan,
style
of that Preface88 it to differ proved
title,
apud Hyienses floruerunt, ejusmodi nugasesseconscriptas. " —" De Ecclesiastics BritonumScotorumque
79Inananonymouspublication,bearingthe
Sage," p.
Edinburgh, 17 14.
"AVindication of the Ecclesiastical
vii. litera Seeculo, quo
Part of Sir James Dalrymple's Historical
Collections, in answer to a late Pamphlet,
intituled, The Life of The Rev. Mr. John
21.
80 Which occurs in lib. i. , cap. 44.
81 See " Primer of the Church History ef
Life of St. Columba," having strong doubts
84 APrussian 8* toa ofBritish clergyman, extending portion
Derry.
the enlightenment of German criticism, objected,
to be met with in the Life by Adamnan ; while he considered, that the Prologue title to that Life induced suspicion of its having been written by
of the remarks, that had the writer in question consulted a good edition00 of Adam-
"
nan's
Prologue and the remainder of the work. Had he gone further, he might have found the Bollandists' remarks upon this subject. As to the Apology, the matter is different from the biographical narrative ; while the style and
anguage are so similar to the rest, that only the architect of a paradox could discernanydifferenceinthematerials. Whatevermaybethoughtaboutexter- nal proofs of genuineness, there is internal evidence in the Life on many points, to satisfy all just critics. 01 Where there is any slight variation, the Life tells
Vita S. Columb»," he might have solved that difficulty regarding the
78 See "
toria Literaria, vol. i. , Saeculum Monothele- ticum, p. 594.
85 Carolus Guilielmus Schsel.
Scriptorum
Ecclesiasticorum His-
Ireland," vol. i. , book ii. , chap, xi. , p. 342. Sancti scriptoris a librario esse praeposi-
82 See Dr. Giles' edition of Bede's " Eccle- siastical History" in Bohn's Antiquarian Library, p. 264. London, 1847.
tum nemo non videt, apologiam vero, quae tam stylo ac sermone quam re aliena sit a
Vita ipsa, ficticiam esse, facile apparet. "
88 Pinkerton also takes the spurious title
"
•3 The "British Critic" noticed this error
in the translation of Bede, book v. , chap. i.
However, Dr. Giles corrected it in his 456. See Vita S. Columbae, p. 53.
secondedition. Seep. 248.
84 See Bede, p. 114. The derivation of
Dalrieda, namely, Dal-Ri-Eta, " the por-
•TheRev. Dr. Reeves.
90 As, for instance, that of Colgan.
91 Thus, 1. It was written by an ecclesias- tion of King Eta," in p. 7 ; and the charac- tic living in lona insula (pp. 176, 181)
ter of Hy as " one of the most fertile" of the
Scottish islands, in p. 1 1 3, are not borne out by record or fact.
styled nostra (pp. 12, 178), in which was nostrum monasterium (pp. 58, 72, 1 77) ; 2. By the superior of the Monastery (pp.
86
:
to the Life by Adamnan " Hsec ipsa adeo
fabulis est obscurata, ut vix credi possit,
Historic Fontibus," p. 61, Berolini, 1851.
8? He continues autem Vitae : Prologi
suspicionem mihi faciunt, quorum titulum
" Praefatio Apologiaque Adamnani Abbatis "
It seems strange,
antiquities that trifles and fables are
knowledge
subject,
In a dissertation, he writes in reference
from Canisius'
Varise Lectiones," pp. 3,
September 23. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 5°3
its own for it story,
to be a 2 Of Adamnan's two compilation. 9
professes
admittedly genuine Latin Works, the tract u De Locis Sanctis" is the better
written, and more flowing in style ; yet it bears a striking resemblance to the other in language and construction, as also in the use of peculiar words and
The reader will observe, remarks the Rev Dr. Reeves, a liberal employment of diminutives, so characteristic of Irish composition ; and he will find them, in many cases, used without grammatical force, and com- mutable in the same chapters with their primitives. The same tendency is observable among verbs in the use of frequentatives and intensitives. He delights in the distributive numerals, instead of cardinals, and in the adjective termination ax where admissible. He uses the pluperfect for the perfect,andthenominativeinsteadoftheablativeabsolute. Heoccasionally employsGreek,orGreco-Latinwords; andinafewinstances,heintroduces Irish and Hiberno-Latin expressions. " Proper names^ he sometimes inflects according to the rules of Irish grammar. In a Latin narrative they present an anomalous appearance. Above all, the artificial, and often unnatural, interweaving of his words, in long sentences, and the oft-recurring ablative absolute in awkward position, will strike the reader as remarkable features of Adamnan's style,
In the Tripartite Life, it is twice stated, that Adamnan wrote a Life of
Festilogy,' consisting of seven quatrains and a-half, comes under the head of spurious writings ascribed to Adamnan.
The poem on the Remis-
sion of the Boromean tribute, containing fifty-two stanzas, though bearing his name, is hardly compatible with his religious character. 97 A work " Historia Hibernorum ab Origine ad sua Tempora," is mentioned by
Ward,98 as also an "Epitome metrica triginta Voluminum Legum Hibernicarum ;"99 but, like the preceding, they are probably some
phrases.
St. Patrick. 95 To him are ascribed certain
verses, attributed to him, as also the Four Masters. 97 His alleged Feilire, or
*
92Wemightaswelldenythegenuineness of Bede's " Ecclesiastical History," because
Segineus (pp. 16, 26) ; 3. By one who con-
versed with those who had heard S. and another from Constantius, without Columba's voice (p. 73); who conversed acknowledgment. withapersonwhorememberedthenight 93SuchasHi,andHininglas. Thusalso on which S. Columba died (p. 238) ; who maic, the genitive of mac.
conversed with the acquaintances of St. 94 Thus, Ferguso, (p. 8) ; Aido, (pp. n, Columba's friends (pp. 50, 85, 237) , who 36, 41, 45, 82, 125) in the genitive ; conversed with a person who had witnessed
the battle of Dun-Ceithim in 629 (p. 95) ;
who knew an early friend of the St. Fintan
who died in 635 (p. 22) ; who conversed Cellach, (p. 65);Colgion and Colgen, gen. with the nephew of his predecessor, Virg-
nous, who died in 623 (p. 225) ; who was
living when the battle of Magh-Rath took
place (p. 200) ; who witnessed the ravages (p. 220) ; Draigniche, gen. of Draignech,
16,26,223tit. ); whoseimmediateprede- cessor was Falbeus, and he a successor of
of the great Pestilence (p. 182) ; who was (PP- 45, 255).
a personal friend of King Aldfrid (p. 185) ; 95 See Colgan s " Trias Thaumaturga," who lived when the house of Gabhran was Septima Vita S. Patricii, lib. i. , cap. Ixx. , p. declining (p. 201; ; 4. By one whose name 128, and lib. hi. , cap. xcix. , p. 167.
was Adamnan (pp. 16, 95, 225, 238). Here
is an accumulation of evidence which should
satisty any mind, and the more so, as it is
for the most part undesigned and incidental,
the internal counterpart of the writer's own
declaration ; "Hujus ergo prsemissae narra- the piety of the writer, especially in one
tionis testes, non bini tantum vel terni, secundum legem, sed centenni et amplius
particular passage.
"See " Sancti Rumoldi Martyris Inclyti,
&c, Acta, &c. " Dissertatio Historica de
adhuc extant. " (pp. 17, 182).
poems. Tighernach9
an early chapter is borrowed from Gildas,
Comgill, gen. of Comgall, (p. 32) ; Domnill, gen. of Domnall, (p. 201) ; Fechureg, gen. of Fiachrach, (p. 45, 225) ; Cellaig, gen. of
of Colgu, (pp. 65, 82); Ainmurech, gen. of Ainmire (pp. 91, 201) ; Loigse, gen. of Loigis, (p. 210) ; Leathain, gen. of Liathan,
96 At the year 695.
9? See Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the
Four Masters," at A. D. 742, vol. i. , pp. 342, 343.
98 It evidences the ingenuity rather than
6 cites some
504 LIVESOFTHEIRISHSAINTS. [September23.
compilations of more modern date and of no authority, so far as Adamnan's name has been attached to them. In addition to these foregoing works, we are told that he wrote a " Vita St. Bathildis, Clodovsei Francorum Regis
Uxoris. "
100
Besides his
u
Varia Poemata," the Canons of Adamnanus101
are
were said to be extant in the Cotton 102 Library.
reported as
Also, they
existing in Marsh's Library, at St. Sepulchre's, Dublin, in a MS. Book. ,03 He is said to have been the author of some Epistles ; and to have written a
u De Paschate I04 as likewise a Rule for Monks. 10* The legitimo,"
Book,
Rev. Alban Butler informs us, that the Book, which our Saint is said to have
compiled on the right time for keeping Easter, was composed for the use of his monks, and that some time after, it disposed them to forsake their
106
erroneous computation.
the foregoing tracts may be regarded as spurious, or at least, that they are not the composition of our Saint.
CHAPTER III.
THE VISIT OF ADAMNAN TO IRELAND DURING THE REIGN OF FINNACHTA FLEDACH, AND HIS RETURN TO IONA—AGAIN HE RE-VISITS IRELAND—REMISSION OF THE BOROMEAN TRIBUTE—ADAMNAN'S TEMPTATIONS—DEATH OF KING BRUIDE, AND LEGEND OF HIS RESUSCITATION FROM DEATH BV ADAMNAN—THE LIFE OF ST. COLUMBA WRITTEN IN IONA—SUPPOSED SOJOURN OF OUR SAINT IN DERRY—THE GREAT SYNOD AT WHICH FLANN FEBHLA, ABBOT OF ARMAGH, PRESIDED, AND AT WHICH ADAMNAN ASSISTED—HIS DISCIPLINARY RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE IRISH CLERGY AND LAITY.
How long Adamnan remained in Ireland during the reign of Finnachta
1
Fledach has not transpired. Doubtless, one chief object he had in view was
the visitation of the various monasteries subject to his jurisdiction. However,
Patria S. Rumol di, p. 218. Art. iii. , Lovanii, 1662.
,0*Said to be a Manuscript, kept in Lon-
don. An^lia, ibid. Sir James Ware says, he was informed by the Jesuit, Father Stephen White, that this Life was extant in St. Arnulph's Library, belonging to the Benedictine convent in the city of Metz,
in Lorrain.
101 In vol. iv. of the MSS. , belonging to
Sir Simon D'Ews) Contra eos qui Pascha
tempore itlefitimo observabant, i. e. against such who keep the Feast of Easter at an unlawful Time. "—Harris' Ware, vol. ii. " Writers of Ireland," book i. , pp. 46.
"* See ibid. , pp. 45, 46.
Io6
See "Lives of the Fathers, Martyrs and other principal Saints," vol. ix. , September 23rd. However, the Rev. Dr. Reeves observes, that he knew not from what source this admirable writer derived
Nevertheless, we can hardly doubt, that some of
the Burgundian Library at Bruxelles, are
two treatises attributed to this saint, viz. , his information to authorize such a I. S. Adamnani Canones, Fol. 78, 2, and atatement.
1
Chapter hi. — This monarch is classed
Extant among the Irish Saints, in our Calendars, porro in libro vetere Canonum in bibliotheca at the 14th of November. "Ce Prince Cottoniana Adomnani Canones, quorum pieux voulant renoncer au monde et se con- primus his verbis sequitur, Maritima sacrer au service de Dieu, entra dans un Monastere vers la douxieW annee de son regne ; mais la necessite des affaires, jointe aux sollicitations des grands, le firent quitter le Couvent avant la fin de son noviciat, pour —reprendre les renes du gouvernement. " L'Abb6 Ma-Geoghegan's " Histoire de l'lrlande ancienne et modeine," tome i. , Seconde Partie, chap.
iii. , p. 316.
S. Adamnanus de Scrinio, Fol. 85.
,0J " Sir James Ware writes ;
animalia ad littora delata, quorum tnortes
nescimus, sumenda sunt sand fide, nisi sint
putrida. " — " De Scriptoribus Hiberniae," lib. i. , cap. iii. , p. 35.
,03 This is entitled, "Presidents of the See
of Armagh", p. 395.
,0« "Or, fas the Title stands in a Manu-
script Chronicle of the Monastery of St. Edmundsbury, formerly in the custody of
September 2$. ] LIVES OF THJB. IRISH SAINTS. 505
having remained some time in his native country—but at what precise date we —Adamnan returned to It is remarked, that the of
are not assured/
Hy. object his visit appears to have been of special importance, from the particular manner in which it is recorded by the annalists, whose every word is full of meaning. It occurred fourteen years after the death of his predecessor. It would seem, political as well as ecclesiastical matters engaged his attention, at that time. His friend, King Finnachta, the sovereign over Ireland, had incurred the Hy-Nialls' displeasure, if we are to attach credit to certain bardic accounts. Finnachta had impaired the false honours he was expected to
uphold, by remitting the Lagenian tribute, that had been paid annually to each chief of the reigning dynasty. From the title Fledach, or " th—e Festive," which the monarch bore, we—may well suppose that hospitality which in those days meant prodigality had encroached on his limited revenues to the great disappointment and dissatisfaction of his court retainers. These had formed no idea regarding retrenchment, in connection with that sort of
right acquired by position and undisputed powers over a vanquished people. Finnachta's indulgence does not appear to have been extorted by force of
arms, for he had fought and routed the Lagenians. Adamnan is said to have advocated the maintenance of this demand ; and a poem of some length' is
attributed to him, However, the unbecoming and puerile language of that composition proves it to have been not the work of Adamnan. 3 The Irish Lift of our saint says, that a proclamation had been made by Finnachta to the effect, that Columcille's lands should not enjoy the same privileges as those of Patrick, Finnian and Ciaran. On this announcement, Adamnan
:
said M That King's life, who made this proclamation, shall be short he
;
shall fall by fratricide ; and there shall never be a king of his race. " « This prediction might seem to have been fulfilled in the result ; for Finnachta fell in battle, being slain by Aedh, after he had enjoyed the sovereignty of Ireland for twenty years. 5 It is quite probable, that Adamnan zealously exerted
himself to promote the new Easter observance, during this sojourn of his in Ireland. It is also likely, that the subsequent adoption of his wishes on this point had been prepared by his sermons and recommendations at that period.
Again, Adamnan proceeded to Ireland, long after the death of Abbot Failbe. This latter journey may be referred to about the year 692. 6 There is a curious coincidence between his Irish Life and Lessons in the Breviary of Aberdeen, as to certain temptations he encountered, and the manner in which the Demon made his assaults, coming to him in human form, and proposing abstruse and difficult questions. * The philosophy of these legends,
2
Mr. Edward O'Reilly had in his of St. Columba. " Appendix to Preface, pp. possession a copy of this poem, comprising xlviii. , xlix.
defeat of Finachta Fleadhach is assigned to the year 693.
verses. See "
Account of nearly Four Hundred Irish Four Masters," vol. i. , pp. 296, 297, this
fifty-two
Writers," p. 1.
3 In this Adamnan calls Finnachta, in
ftij cjtm Iia£ ceti x>ecu, "'the old grey king without teeth. " The bard indulges in
"
—
" Were I a King of reddened spears
the following sentiments
:
p. This is the date also given, in the Annals
Chronological
of Tighernach and in those of Ulster.
7 The Breviary of Aberdeen relates, that a child was found, who " ante Dei virum See the Book of Lecan at fol. 310 b ; Book ductus multa ei probleumata praeposuit. of Invasions, fol. 94 a. Tunc sanctus facto signaculo crucis 4 See Rev. Dr. Reeves' Adamnan's " Life inimicum effugavit, qui in specie infantis
I would humble mine enemies,
" I would exalt my high places,
" My combats should be frequent. "
* In Dr. O'Donovan's " Annals of the
6
Additional Notes to Rev. Dr. Reeves' Adamnan's "Life of St. Columba," 378.
See the Chronicon Hyense, in the
5o6 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [September 23
says an ingenious writer, consists in their having arisen during an imagina- tive age, out of a prevailing and well-founded belief in Adamnan's learning
and mental acquirements. Diligence in his sacred calling was one of his
many virtues. With true modesty, he apologises for his literary deficiencies,
in one of his works.
script of the thirteenth century, which
6a Thus Adamnan writes in this tract :
to a collection of the ancient " abbey at Cadouin, in the Diocese of Peri- gueux. Besides this, he found another tract
on a similar subject and an earlier account,
by St. Anthony de Plaisanci, belonging to
belonged
Cujus
mihi formam in tabula cerata Arculfus ipse depinxit ;" and again, "juxta exemplar quod mihi Arculfus in paginola
figuravit cerata depinximus. "
63 The venerable Bede adds;
"
Fecitque
September 23. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 501
of Cardinal Baronius' great historical work,6* in which the author accepted implicitly the statements by Arculfus, he was severely criticised by Isaac Casaubon ; when, in order to vindicate Baronius, the laborious Jesuit Jacob Gretser undertook to publish the entire treatise,65 and in his Prologomina to it, he vigourously assails Casaubon for having impugned the authenticity of
66
This treatise M De Locis Sanctis " 6? is mentioned by Venerable Bede, as
Adamnan's genuine work. In the Vatican Library and at Corbey, manuscript copies of it are preserved, both of which have been used by Mabillon, who has published it. There are other copies at St. Germanus a Pratis,68 of the
at Berne, of the ninth and tenth centuries 69 at of eighth century ; ; Saltzburg,
the ninth or tenth century 7° and at Rheinau, of the eleventh centuryJ1 ;
There is another in the British Museum,? 3 of the fourteenth century. 73 The
tractopenswithaprologue 74invokingfirstthethreepersonsoftheMost ;
HolyTrinity,beforestatingthetitleandoriginalinceptionofthework. In this tract, Adamnan mentions the tombs of St. Simeon and of St. Joseph at Jerusalem, many relics of the Passion of Christ, the impression of the feet of our Saviour on Mount Olivet, covered with a round church having a hole open on the top, and over the place where the impression of the footsteps was to be seen. He also mentions grasshoppers in the deserts of the Jordan, and which the common people eat, boiled with oil ; as also a portion of the cross in the Rotunda Church of Constantinople, and which was exposed on a golden altar during the three last days of Holy Week, when the emperor, court, army, clergy, and others went there to kiss the sacred wood. 75
The two chief literary works associated with the name of Adamnan are the Tract intituled " De Locis Sanctis," and the " Vita St. Columbae. " Already have we briefly described and criticised the latter work, when
Arculfus' statements on insufficient information.
recording the Life of the great Archimandrite. ?
6
In his account of Adamnan,
John of Trittenham,77 altogether omits his having been the author of St. Columba's Acts, while some of his less celebrated writings are noted. Cave
opus ut dixi, multum utile, et maxime illis, qui longius ab eis locis, in quibus patriarchse
et apostoli erant, secreti, ea tan—tum de his, quse lectione didicerint, norunt. " "Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis Anglorum," lib. v. , cap. xv.
64 See "Annales Ecclesiastici," tomus viii. ,
Ibid. , pp. 129, 132. Again we are told, "ce MS. — etoit dans la bibliotheque de
Corbie. " Ibid. , p. 355. It is probably the
Corbey manuscript which was collated by Mabillon.
^ Report of the Record Commission. Appendix A. , pp. 31, 46.
Annus
6s With the title
7°See ibid
7I See ibid. ,
7* It is classed Codex Cotton, Tiberius,
D. v. , pars ii. , pp. 156 a to 184 £.
73 Though copied by an ignorant scribe,
and imperfect, it contains some valuable various readings. It has been collated by the Rev. Dr. Reeves.
74 See Mabillon's ''Acta Sanctorum Or- dinis S. Benedicti," sec. iii. , pars ii. , p. 456. Venetiis, 1734.
" See the Rev. Alban Butler's "Lives of
J. C. 699,
sect, x. ,
201. 203.
:
xi. , p. 543.
" Adamnani Abbatis
p. p.
Hiiensis Libri tres de Locis Sanctis ex Relatione Arculfi, Episcopi Galli. "
'6 See Leslie Stephen's "Dictionary of National Biography,"—vol. i. , art. Adamnan
or Adomnan (625? 704) by John T. Gilbert, p. 93.
67 Gretser 'sedition of this work, published at Ingoldst, a. d. 1619, was printed from a manuscript sent to him by Father Rosweyd, " ex intima Holandia. " See Prolegomina, p. 22.
the Fathers, Martyrs, and other principal 68 See Rev. Dr. O'Connor's " Rerum Saints," vol. ix. , September xxiii.
Hibernicarum Scriptores," tomus i. Epistola Nuncupatoria, p. 142. It is described in the " Nouveau Traite de Diplomatique," tomus iii. , p. 66, as "de S. Germain des Pres,
76 See at the 9}h of June, in the Sixth Volume of this work, Art. i. , the Life of St. Columkille or Columba, Abbot of lona, and Apostle of Caledonia, chap. i.
and as "un
ecriture ordinaire du viii. au ix. siecle. "
e—n
77 See " ticorum," fol. 1. a.
num. 844,"
petit in-folio,
Catalogus Scriptorum Ecclesias-
502 LIVESOFTHEIRISHSAINTS. [September23.
incorrectly states, that Surius, at the 9th of June, published Adamnan's Life
of St. Columba and that Serarius was the first editor of the tract, " De ;
8
LocisTerrse Sanctse," published at Ingolstad, in 1619. 7
that the genuineness of Adamnan's Vita S. Columbae should be called in
question by Sir James Dalrymple. Defending the Presbyterian views of Church government,79 in the spirit of sectarian controversy, he found it con- venient to throw discredit on a certain anecdote,80 therein contained. The Rev. Robert King states, that the fact of Bede being silent about Adamnan having written St. Columba's Life, if it be not sufficient evidence to disprove his authorship, seems to indicate, at least, that Bede was not aware of its
his 81 the Rev. Dr. Giles considers Adamnan being composition. Again,
"
only as the reputed author of a
that he had written it. 82 However, as the Rev. Dr. Reeves observes, it is to be hoped his doubts originated in a different style of research from that which made Bede's Columcille an island,83 and Dearmach the same as
86
8? and he considered the
from what was to be found in the body of the Biography. However,
a critic and 80 who studied with a full scholar,
Adamnan,
style
of that Preface88 it to differ proved
title,
apud Hyienses floruerunt, ejusmodi nugasesseconscriptas. " —" De Ecclesiastics BritonumScotorumque
79Inananonymouspublication,bearingthe
Sage," p.
Edinburgh, 17 14.
"AVindication of the Ecclesiastical
vii. litera Seeculo, quo
Part of Sir James Dalrymple's Historical
Collections, in answer to a late Pamphlet,
intituled, The Life of The Rev. Mr. John
21.
80 Which occurs in lib. i. , cap. 44.
81 See " Primer of the Church History ef
Life of St. Columba," having strong doubts
84 APrussian 8* toa ofBritish clergyman, extending portion
Derry.
the enlightenment of German criticism, objected,
to be met with in the Life by Adamnan ; while he considered, that the Prologue title to that Life induced suspicion of its having been written by
of the remarks, that had the writer in question consulted a good edition00 of Adam-
"
nan's
Prologue and the remainder of the work. Had he gone further, he might have found the Bollandists' remarks upon this subject. As to the Apology, the matter is different from the biographical narrative ; while the style and
anguage are so similar to the rest, that only the architect of a paradox could discernanydifferenceinthematerials. Whatevermaybethoughtaboutexter- nal proofs of genuineness, there is internal evidence in the Life on many points, to satisfy all just critics. 01 Where there is any slight variation, the Life tells
Vita S. Columb»," he might have solved that difficulty regarding the
78 See "
toria Literaria, vol. i. , Saeculum Monothele- ticum, p. 594.
85 Carolus Guilielmus Schsel.
Scriptorum
Ecclesiasticorum His-
Ireland," vol. i. , book ii. , chap, xi. , p. 342. Sancti scriptoris a librario esse praeposi-
82 See Dr. Giles' edition of Bede's " Eccle- siastical History" in Bohn's Antiquarian Library, p. 264. London, 1847.
tum nemo non videt, apologiam vero, quae tam stylo ac sermone quam re aliena sit a
Vita ipsa, ficticiam esse, facile apparet. "
88 Pinkerton also takes the spurious title
"
•3 The "British Critic" noticed this error
in the translation of Bede, book v. , chap. i.
However, Dr. Giles corrected it in his 456. See Vita S. Columbae, p. 53.
secondedition. Seep. 248.
84 See Bede, p. 114. The derivation of
Dalrieda, namely, Dal-Ri-Eta, " the por-
•TheRev. Dr. Reeves.
90 As, for instance, that of Colgan.
91 Thus, 1. It was written by an ecclesias- tion of King Eta," in p. 7 ; and the charac- tic living in lona insula (pp. 176, 181)
ter of Hy as " one of the most fertile" of the
Scottish islands, in p. 1 1 3, are not borne out by record or fact.
styled nostra (pp. 12, 178), in which was nostrum monasterium (pp. 58, 72, 1 77) ; 2. By the superior of the Monastery (pp.
86
:
to the Life by Adamnan " Hsec ipsa adeo
fabulis est obscurata, ut vix credi possit,
Historic Fontibus," p. 61, Berolini, 1851.
8? He continues autem Vitae : Prologi
suspicionem mihi faciunt, quorum titulum
" Praefatio Apologiaque Adamnani Abbatis "
It seems strange,
antiquities that trifles and fables are
knowledge
subject,
In a dissertation, he writes in reference
from Canisius'
Varise Lectiones," pp. 3,
September 23. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 5°3
its own for it story,
to be a 2 Of Adamnan's two compilation. 9
professes
admittedly genuine Latin Works, the tract u De Locis Sanctis" is the better
written, and more flowing in style ; yet it bears a striking resemblance to the other in language and construction, as also in the use of peculiar words and
The reader will observe, remarks the Rev Dr. Reeves, a liberal employment of diminutives, so characteristic of Irish composition ; and he will find them, in many cases, used without grammatical force, and com- mutable in the same chapters with their primitives. The same tendency is observable among verbs in the use of frequentatives and intensitives. He delights in the distributive numerals, instead of cardinals, and in the adjective termination ax where admissible. He uses the pluperfect for the perfect,andthenominativeinsteadoftheablativeabsolute. Heoccasionally employsGreek,orGreco-Latinwords; andinafewinstances,heintroduces Irish and Hiberno-Latin expressions. " Proper names^ he sometimes inflects according to the rules of Irish grammar. In a Latin narrative they present an anomalous appearance. Above all, the artificial, and often unnatural, interweaving of his words, in long sentences, and the oft-recurring ablative absolute in awkward position, will strike the reader as remarkable features of Adamnan's style,
In the Tripartite Life, it is twice stated, that Adamnan wrote a Life of
Festilogy,' consisting of seven quatrains and a-half, comes under the head of spurious writings ascribed to Adamnan.
The poem on the Remis-
sion of the Boromean tribute, containing fifty-two stanzas, though bearing his name, is hardly compatible with his religious character. 97 A work " Historia Hibernorum ab Origine ad sua Tempora," is mentioned by
Ward,98 as also an "Epitome metrica triginta Voluminum Legum Hibernicarum ;"99 but, like the preceding, they are probably some
phrases.
St. Patrick. 95 To him are ascribed certain
verses, attributed to him, as also the Four Masters. 97 His alleged Feilire, or
*
92Wemightaswelldenythegenuineness of Bede's " Ecclesiastical History," because
Segineus (pp. 16, 26) ; 3. By one who con-
versed with those who had heard S. and another from Constantius, without Columba's voice (p. 73); who conversed acknowledgment. withapersonwhorememberedthenight 93SuchasHi,andHininglas. Thusalso on which S. Columba died (p. 238) ; who maic, the genitive of mac.
conversed with the acquaintances of St. 94 Thus, Ferguso, (p. 8) ; Aido, (pp. n, Columba's friends (pp. 50, 85, 237) , who 36, 41, 45, 82, 125) in the genitive ; conversed with a person who had witnessed
the battle of Dun-Ceithim in 629 (p. 95) ;
who knew an early friend of the St. Fintan
who died in 635 (p. 22) ; who conversed Cellach, (p. 65);Colgion and Colgen, gen. with the nephew of his predecessor, Virg-
nous, who died in 623 (p. 225) ; who was
living when the battle of Magh-Rath took
place (p. 200) ; who witnessed the ravages (p. 220) ; Draigniche, gen. of Draignech,
16,26,223tit. ); whoseimmediateprede- cessor was Falbeus, and he a successor of
of the great Pestilence (p. 182) ; who was (PP- 45, 255).
a personal friend of King Aldfrid (p. 185) ; 95 See Colgan s " Trias Thaumaturga," who lived when the house of Gabhran was Septima Vita S. Patricii, lib. i. , cap. Ixx. , p. declining (p. 201; ; 4. By one whose name 128, and lib. hi. , cap. xcix. , p. 167.
was Adamnan (pp. 16, 95, 225, 238). Here
is an accumulation of evidence which should
satisty any mind, and the more so, as it is
for the most part undesigned and incidental,
the internal counterpart of the writer's own
declaration ; "Hujus ergo prsemissae narra- the piety of the writer, especially in one
tionis testes, non bini tantum vel terni, secundum legem, sed centenni et amplius
particular passage.
"See " Sancti Rumoldi Martyris Inclyti,
&c, Acta, &c. " Dissertatio Historica de
adhuc extant. " (pp. 17, 182).
poems. Tighernach9
an early chapter is borrowed from Gildas,
Comgill, gen. of Comgall, (p. 32) ; Domnill, gen. of Domnall, (p. 201) ; Fechureg, gen. of Fiachrach, (p. 45, 225) ; Cellaig, gen. of
of Colgu, (pp. 65, 82); Ainmurech, gen. of Ainmire (pp. 91, 201) ; Loigse, gen. of Loigis, (p. 210) ; Leathain, gen. of Liathan,
96 At the year 695.
9? See Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the
Four Masters," at A. D. 742, vol. i. , pp. 342, 343.
98 It evidences the ingenuity rather than
6 cites some
504 LIVESOFTHEIRISHSAINTS. [September23.
compilations of more modern date and of no authority, so far as Adamnan's name has been attached to them. In addition to these foregoing works, we are told that he wrote a " Vita St. Bathildis, Clodovsei Francorum Regis
Uxoris. "
100
Besides his
u
Varia Poemata," the Canons of Adamnanus101
are
were said to be extant in the Cotton 102 Library.
reported as
Also, they
existing in Marsh's Library, at St. Sepulchre's, Dublin, in a MS. Book. ,03 He is said to have been the author of some Epistles ; and to have written a
u De Paschate I04 as likewise a Rule for Monks. 10* The legitimo,"
Book,
Rev. Alban Butler informs us, that the Book, which our Saint is said to have
compiled on the right time for keeping Easter, was composed for the use of his monks, and that some time after, it disposed them to forsake their
106
erroneous computation.
the foregoing tracts may be regarded as spurious, or at least, that they are not the composition of our Saint.
CHAPTER III.
THE VISIT OF ADAMNAN TO IRELAND DURING THE REIGN OF FINNACHTA FLEDACH, AND HIS RETURN TO IONA—AGAIN HE RE-VISITS IRELAND—REMISSION OF THE BOROMEAN TRIBUTE—ADAMNAN'S TEMPTATIONS—DEATH OF KING BRUIDE, AND LEGEND OF HIS RESUSCITATION FROM DEATH BV ADAMNAN—THE LIFE OF ST. COLUMBA WRITTEN IN IONA—SUPPOSED SOJOURN OF OUR SAINT IN DERRY—THE GREAT SYNOD AT WHICH FLANN FEBHLA, ABBOT OF ARMAGH, PRESIDED, AND AT WHICH ADAMNAN ASSISTED—HIS DISCIPLINARY RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE IRISH CLERGY AND LAITY.
How long Adamnan remained in Ireland during the reign of Finnachta
1
Fledach has not transpired. Doubtless, one chief object he had in view was
the visitation of the various monasteries subject to his jurisdiction. However,
Patria S. Rumol di, p. 218. Art. iii. , Lovanii, 1662.
,0*Said to be a Manuscript, kept in Lon-
don. An^lia, ibid. Sir James Ware says, he was informed by the Jesuit, Father Stephen White, that this Life was extant in St. Arnulph's Library, belonging to the Benedictine convent in the city of Metz,
in Lorrain.
101 In vol. iv. of the MSS. , belonging to
Sir Simon D'Ews) Contra eos qui Pascha
tempore itlefitimo observabant, i. e. against such who keep the Feast of Easter at an unlawful Time. "—Harris' Ware, vol. ii. " Writers of Ireland," book i. , pp. 46.
"* See ibid. , pp. 45, 46.
Io6
See "Lives of the Fathers, Martyrs and other principal Saints," vol. ix. , September 23rd. However, the Rev. Dr. Reeves observes, that he knew not from what source this admirable writer derived
Nevertheless, we can hardly doubt, that some of
the Burgundian Library at Bruxelles, are
two treatises attributed to this saint, viz. , his information to authorize such a I. S. Adamnani Canones, Fol. 78, 2, and atatement.
1
Chapter hi. — This monarch is classed
Extant among the Irish Saints, in our Calendars, porro in libro vetere Canonum in bibliotheca at the 14th of November. "Ce Prince Cottoniana Adomnani Canones, quorum pieux voulant renoncer au monde et se con- primus his verbis sequitur, Maritima sacrer au service de Dieu, entra dans un Monastere vers la douxieW annee de son regne ; mais la necessite des affaires, jointe aux sollicitations des grands, le firent quitter le Couvent avant la fin de son noviciat, pour —reprendre les renes du gouvernement. " L'Abb6 Ma-Geoghegan's " Histoire de l'lrlande ancienne et modeine," tome i. , Seconde Partie, chap.
iii. , p. 316.
S. Adamnanus de Scrinio, Fol. 85.
,0J " Sir James Ware writes ;
animalia ad littora delata, quorum tnortes
nescimus, sumenda sunt sand fide, nisi sint
putrida. " — " De Scriptoribus Hiberniae," lib. i. , cap. iii. , p. 35.
,03 This is entitled, "Presidents of the See
of Armagh", p. 395.
,0« "Or, fas the Title stands in a Manu-
script Chronicle of the Monastery of St. Edmundsbury, formerly in the custody of
September 2$. ] LIVES OF THJB. IRISH SAINTS. 505
having remained some time in his native country—but at what precise date we —Adamnan returned to It is remarked, that the of
are not assured/
Hy. object his visit appears to have been of special importance, from the particular manner in which it is recorded by the annalists, whose every word is full of meaning. It occurred fourteen years after the death of his predecessor. It would seem, political as well as ecclesiastical matters engaged his attention, at that time. His friend, King Finnachta, the sovereign over Ireland, had incurred the Hy-Nialls' displeasure, if we are to attach credit to certain bardic accounts. Finnachta had impaired the false honours he was expected to
uphold, by remitting the Lagenian tribute, that had been paid annually to each chief of the reigning dynasty. From the title Fledach, or " th—e Festive," which the monarch bore, we—may well suppose that hospitality which in those days meant prodigality had encroached on his limited revenues to the great disappointment and dissatisfaction of his court retainers. These had formed no idea regarding retrenchment, in connection with that sort of
right acquired by position and undisputed powers over a vanquished people. Finnachta's indulgence does not appear to have been extorted by force of
arms, for he had fought and routed the Lagenians. Adamnan is said to have advocated the maintenance of this demand ; and a poem of some length' is
attributed to him, However, the unbecoming and puerile language of that composition proves it to have been not the work of Adamnan. 3 The Irish Lift of our saint says, that a proclamation had been made by Finnachta to the effect, that Columcille's lands should not enjoy the same privileges as those of Patrick, Finnian and Ciaran. On this announcement, Adamnan
:
said M That King's life, who made this proclamation, shall be short he
;
shall fall by fratricide ; and there shall never be a king of his race. " « This prediction might seem to have been fulfilled in the result ; for Finnachta fell in battle, being slain by Aedh, after he had enjoyed the sovereignty of Ireland for twenty years. 5 It is quite probable, that Adamnan zealously exerted
himself to promote the new Easter observance, during this sojourn of his in Ireland. It is also likely, that the subsequent adoption of his wishes on this point had been prepared by his sermons and recommendations at that period.
Again, Adamnan proceeded to Ireland, long after the death of Abbot Failbe. This latter journey may be referred to about the year 692. 6 There is a curious coincidence between his Irish Life and Lessons in the Breviary of Aberdeen, as to certain temptations he encountered, and the manner in which the Demon made his assaults, coming to him in human form, and proposing abstruse and difficult questions. * The philosophy of these legends,
2
Mr. Edward O'Reilly had in his of St. Columba. " Appendix to Preface, pp. possession a copy of this poem, comprising xlviii. , xlix.
defeat of Finachta Fleadhach is assigned to the year 693.
verses. See "
Account of nearly Four Hundred Irish Four Masters," vol. i. , pp. 296, 297, this
fifty-two
Writers," p. 1.
3 In this Adamnan calls Finnachta, in
ftij cjtm Iia£ ceti x>ecu, "'the old grey king without teeth. " The bard indulges in
"
—
" Were I a King of reddened spears
the following sentiments
:
p. This is the date also given, in the Annals
Chronological
of Tighernach and in those of Ulster.
7 The Breviary of Aberdeen relates, that a child was found, who " ante Dei virum See the Book of Lecan at fol. 310 b ; Book ductus multa ei probleumata praeposuit. of Invasions, fol. 94 a. Tunc sanctus facto signaculo crucis 4 See Rev. Dr. Reeves' Adamnan's " Life inimicum effugavit, qui in specie infantis
I would humble mine enemies,
" I would exalt my high places,
" My combats should be frequent. "
* In Dr. O'Donovan's " Annals of the
6
Additional Notes to Rev. Dr. Reeves' Adamnan's "Life of St. Columba," 378.
See the Chronicon Hyense, in the
5o6 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [September 23
says an ingenious writer, consists in their having arisen during an imagina- tive age, out of a prevailing and well-founded belief in Adamnan's learning
and mental acquirements. Diligence in his sacred calling was one of his
many virtues. With true modesty, he apologises for his literary deficiencies,
in one of his works.
