Our saint
received
his education, it has been asserted, at the school of Illtutus,39 which he is said to have founded, near the sea-coast, and not far from Llan-carvan.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v3
26, 27.
do I find a St. Manchan, so called. In the latter, however, we have recorded a Nannidh
Collan, day,
date, "
Martyrology
of Inis Cais. '^ At this
Ibid. , pp. 14, 15. wefindthefeastofMan- of
See pp. 274, 275.
in Corann.
Dr. " Kelly's
Ibid. , pp.
^
" of Martyrology Tallagh,"
he is set down
as " Moinend, Epis. " at the same day. See p. xvii.
*
At this day, I only find a "Moinne," in the "Martyrology of Donegal," pp. 134,
135.
is thus entered, See p. xxv.
buteveninthe"
ology of Donegal," I cannot find notice of a
Manchan, at this day.
Tallagli fails,
Martyr-
March i. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
Again, if we regard the denomination, Nennius, Nennidius, or Nennionus, we
Bishop of Kiltoma, in Meath, at the 13th of November. '^ Colgan is of opinion, that the founder of Kill-mune—sometimes called Nennius—can be no other person, than the saint having this name, venerated on the ist of March, and who had so many Irish saints enumerated among his disciples, viz. : Saints Brigid, Virgin,'9 Endeus,^° Finnian of Maghbile,^' Tigernach,^^ Eugene, Bishop of Ardstra,^3 and Carpre, Bishop of Colerain. ^'* Whoever had been master of these great saints must necessarily have flourished, before the end of the fifth century.
From what we have already said, there seems to be little difficulty, in re-
conciling the chronological period of the exiled Irish Manchan, living in Wales, with that of a holy man, known as Manchen, the Master. ^5 He is
classed among the disciples of St. Patrick, our great Irish Apostle. It is said, this latter had set him to rule over the church of Coille Fochluc, in
Connaught. ^^ AHuponrecordmightagreewiththeholycharacter,wisdom,
find Irish saints, not fewer in number, set down in our Calendars.
Among these, we need only mention, St. Nennius, Abbot of Inis-muighe-Samh, on Lough Erne, at the i6th and i8th of January 3" St Moinennus or Mon- Nennius at the ist of March -p St. Nennionus or Nennius, denominated Sene of the Monastery, at the 18th of April -^^ St. Nennius, Abbot of Cion- chaoin, at the 21st of April ;'5 St. Nennius, Deacon of Cluain-airthir, at the 25th of April ;'^ St. Nennius Sene, at the 25th of July;'? St. Nennius,
" The ticular date.
remarks
to this
" fails at this month,
'9 So Colgan states. But, I fear he must
have hastily identified this saint, with Nin-
nidh of the White Hand, whose Acts he
gives at the 1 8th of January.
^^
In the Life of this saint, published by Colgan, at the 2 ist of March, his sister, St. Fanchea, is represented as saying to him : " Vade ad Britanniam ad Rosnacum mon- asterium, et esto humilis discipulus Manseni,
previous
apply
par-
Tallagh
" Colgan gives us his Acts, at the latter of these days. It is said, he flourished, in the time of Saints Patrick and Brigid ; that he left Ireland ; and, that he lived many years afterwards, in Britain.
'3 Colgan published his Acts, at this day. He is there called Bishop of Clonfert. He flourished about the middle of the sixth
"
century. See Acta Sanctorum Hiber- Magiatri ilims Monasierii," See cap. v. , p.
nire," i. Martii. Vita S. Moinenni, sive, 705-
^^This
to
'* In t-Jie "Manyrology of Donegal," says Colgan.
Mon-Nennii, pp. 437
439.
nothing regarding
ejus vita, cap. iii. ,"
already quoted,
him. But, in the " lagh," I meet with a ister," at this date, p. xxi.
4th "Mo- nennii disciplinis et monitis in Rosnacensi Monasterio, quod alio nomine Alba voca-
p. xxii.
'7 In the
"
"
See Martj'rology of Donegal," at
this date, he is called, "
the Old. In
" Sanctis etiam Pa- tricius hoic populo converso noviter ad Christum, Magistrum, Manchenum virum religeosum, et in scripturis Sanctis exercita-
I lind
saint, was
whoisveneratedonthe
5 There is a Ninnidh of Cluain-Caoi, at
this in the " of
day, Martyrology Donegal,"
pp. 106, 107. Dr. Kelly's "Martyrology ofTallagh" does not mention him at this date, in such a manner ; but we find there a "Ninidh Bugno i Tir Bret. " See p. xxii.
"In the "Martyrology of Donegal," there is a notice concerning Deacon Menn
ofCluainArathair,atthisdate. Inanote, he seems to be identical with Nennius, as the commentator remarks. See pp. 110, III. In the " of we
tur. "—"Vita S. Tigernaci," cap. iii.
^3 As in the former we find Ros- instance,
nacensis or Rosnatensis, confounded with Alba, and Nennius or Monennius with Man- chanus, so in " Vita S. Eugenii," cap. iii. ,
as Colgan promised to show at the 23rd of August, these words are quoted, "Vir sanctus ac sapiens, Nennio qui Mancenus dicitur de Rosnacensi Monasterio quod alio nomine Alba vocatur. "
** Also, " Vita S. Eugenii," cap. iii,, quoted by Colgan,
^5 See, Vita Tripartita S. Patricii, pars,
ii. , cap. 62, Colgan's "Trias Thauma-
Martyrology Tallagh," read, Dechonen Cluana Arathair. "
Ninnio,
the Martyrology ofTallagh," he is deno-
says Joceline.
minated, "Ninnio senior. " See p. xxx. '* "
of Tal- Moninnsen o Main-
of
Martyrology "
April,
diligently instructed,
In the Martyrology of Donegal," at
this date, such an entry may be seen, pp. tum. " Vita S. Patricii, cap. 59. Ibid. 30S, 309. Dr. Kelly's "Martyrology of '^ See Giraldus Cambrensis, " Itinerarium
"' " Ut habetur in
turga. " *° So
12 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
[March
and learning of the saintly Abbot Manchan, who presided over Rosnat or
Kill-mune Monastery, in Britain, and perhaps, at some subsequent period of his life to that already indicated.
When Manchan and probably some Irish disciples alone were inhabitants of this place, they may have given it the well-remembered name Kill-mune. By this denomination, it seems to have been solely designated, in all our Irish Histories and Calendars. Possibly, it obtained the title, Moiiastei'ium Rosna- tense, or Rosjiacense, in other writings, from the circumstance of Manchan's religious house having been built, in the valley, Rosina, or Rosnat. We know, that Menevia, or St. David's, afterwards lay in this valley. ^? It does not seem so clearly explained, why this place had the etymon. Alba, applied to it. ^^ Yet, Colgan was doubtful, if this monastery, called indiscriminately,
in the Lives of our early saints, Rosnatense, Albium, or Magnum Monas- terium, could have been different from that of Benchor or Bangor. ''? Such a supposition, however, would even appear irreconcilable with various authori- ties, produced by this learned author.
St. David wasbroughtupataplace,variouslycalled, Vetus-Rubus, or Vetus- Menevia,3°inLatin,andHenmenen,orHenmenew,intheWelshlanguage. He was there instructed in letters and in ecclesiastical discipline. He was often
discovered by his companions, in the state of being taught by a dove, which warbled hymns with him. Hence, and for a reason to which allusion will be
made hereafter, the pictures and statues of St. David usually represent him preaching on a hill, with a dove perched on his shoulder. 3^ This bird, also, serves to typify the Holy Ghost, shedding the sweet influence of holy inno- cence and Divine Grace into his soul. Thus, our saint grew in amiabiUty and virtue, beloved by the children of men, and favoured specially by the Lord of Heaven.
Some persons supposed St. Patrick to have been the first founder of a monastery at Menevia, and that it had been afterwards restored or enlarged by St. David, about the year 490. 3^ About this time, also, St. Finian of Clonard33 is said to have left Ireland for Britain, where he formed an ac- quaintanceship and a friendship, with St. David. 34 At such date, as St.
Cambrice," lib. ii. , cap. i. , and Camden in his description of Pembrokeshire.
**
Tile valley in which Kilmmie monastery lay abounded in marble, and possibly the church or house had been built of this mate- rial ; so that it might be called marmorea, rather than J^osea or Rosina, says Giraldus ; for roses do flourish there, while marble is found in great abundance.
'''See "Acta Sanctorum Hiberniae," Martii i. Vita S. Davidis, n. 4, p. 430. This opinion he endeavours further to sus- tain, in his Actsof NenniusorMonenennius, at the same day ; but, I think, with no very successful result. See ibid. , p. 439.
3° This monastery seems to have borne no less than five distinct names, besides having various other forms of spelling. "Sortitusest autem locus hoc nomenab Hi bernico Muni,"
to have dilTered from the new Menevia, to wlKch St. David transferred his episcopal see, although it was identical with old Menevia. This latter, however, must have been situated, not very far from the present city, St. David's ; and, it was the site of an older religious house, in which our saint re- ceived his early rudiments of instruction,
3' yee Very Rev. F. C. Husenbeth's
" Emblems of Saints," p. 45. As authority
for this representation, he quotes Jacques Callot's "Les Images de tous les Saints et Saintes de I'annee. " This latter work has been published in Paris, A. D. 1636. It con- tains engravings by Isr. Henriet.
3= See Bollandists' "Acta Sanctorum," tomus i. , Martii i. Vita S. Davidis, p. 40. And Ussher's " Britannicarum Ecclesiarum Antiquitates," cap. xii. , p. 253. Also,
"Index "
Chronologicus, A. D. ccccxc, p.
524.
33 See Colgan's Acts of this saint, at the
23rd day of February. But, the Bollandist editor says, this Life had been edited from a Codex MS. of theirs, which wanted some correction.
Giraldus " et Rubus Cambrensis, quod
says
sonat, unde et Kilmune Hibernice adhuc ho-
die Ecclesia Menevensis appellatur. " See
"
Acta Sanctorum," tomus i. , Martii i. Vita
S. Davidis, cap. i. , and n. (n), p. 42. Giraldus was well acquainted with its local characteristics. This Vetus Rubus appears
March i. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
Benedict35 had been only a boy ten years old, it is not true, that his rule had been then followed in Menevia. 3^
What has been evolved from contemporaneous incidents, when St. David flourished, shows St. Finnian of Clonard,37 although he might have been a companion in Britain, could hardly have been St. David's disciple. The holy bishop of Menevia was then too young to have been master over a man, who returned to Ireland, before the year 520. In all probability, St. Finnian^^ wasolderthanSt. David. StillalearnedIrishhistorianisinclinedtothink, that both studied together, at least during part of their scholarship, in some eminent British school. Such conclusion appears uncontravened, by any existing record.
Our saint received his education, it has been asserted, at the school of Illtutus,39 which he is said to have founded, near the sea-coast, and not far from Llan-carvan. Afterwards, he studied with Paul ^en, or Paulinus,'»° it is thought,
atTy-gwyn-arDaf,-*'wherehespenttenyearsreadingtheHolyScriptures. St. Ailbe, who baptized him, is also said to have superintended his education, for some time. '** Hence, we are supposed to obtain an additional proof, that David must have been very young, about the commencement of the
sixth century. He afterwards withdrew, from all worldly allurements, and he was ordained a priest. David then began his missionary labours, and grounded well in exercises of piety, he preserved a chastened spirit, in the
pursuit of greater learning and perfection. He set out for the Isle of White- land, Withland, or Witland,<3 where Paulinus,'** a disciple to St. Germanus,
3* See Ussher's
"
Britannicarum Eccle-
was in vogue, Paulinus could scarcely have opened his before A. D. 512. See Dr. Lani- gan's "Ecclesiastical History of Ireland," vol. i. , chap, ix. , sect, ix. , and note 151,
pp. , 471, 475, 476.
*' In Caermanhenshire. " Below Tal-
charn the river Taf runs into the sea ; on whose banks stood formerly the famous TwyGwinarTafoxtheWhiteHouseonthe Ta}\ built of white hazel rods for a summer residence, where A. D. 914 Hoel, surnamed the Good, Prince of Wales, held an assembly, whereat assisted 140 ecclesiastics, besides others, and abrogating the ancient laws he enacted new ones for his people as the pre- ambletotheselawssetsforth. Onthisspot was afterwards built a monastery called White Land. "—Cough's Camden's "Britan-
nia," p. 505.
'*'' Ussher makes such a statement from
siarum Antiquitates," cap. xvii. , p. 473, ""
and IndexChronolo^icus ada. d,ccccxc. 35 His feast occurs, on the 21st of March. 3* Edward Maihew, Bucelin, and other
writers, incorrectly say, that St. David followed the rule of St. Benedict.
37 Finnian is not mentioned, in any of St.
David's Lives. In his ownActs, when
spoken of, as connected with David, he
does not appear represented as a disciple.
See Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum Hiberniae," xxiii. Februarii. Vita S. Finniani, cap. iv. ,
v. , vi. , vii. , viii. , ix. , x. , xi. , pp. 393, 394. 38 His Life will be found, at the 12th of
December.
59 This school of Iltutus, at Laniltult, or
Lantwitt, in Glamorganshire, is said to have been very celebrated, about the beginning of the sixth century. See Ussher's "Index
St. Ailbe's Life. See "
" at a. d. and Chronologicus 508, Stilling-
Primordia," p.
"
fleet's Antiquities of the British Churches," chap. V. A Life of Iltutus mentions David, by mistake, as his scholar. The Bollandists
871.
*3 Giraldus Cambrensis says, he set out,
''"
in Vectam insulam. Camden tells us,
and Stillingfleet observe, however, instead of David, we must read Daniel. This latter studied under Iltutus. Afterwards, he be- came first Bishop of Bangor.
the Anglo-Saxons called it Wuidland, or Withland, whilst the Britons called it Guith. In Caermarthen, ascribed to old Demetia, Whiteland was known by the Latin desig- nation where a
° to Ussher's "
According Prinr\ordia,"
magnificent
p. 472, and Stillingfleet's "History of the British Churches," there had been a school of Paulinus at Withland or Whiteland, in Caermarthen, and not the Isle of Wight, as some have made it, in which St. David spentsomeofhisearlyyears. SeehisActs, at the 1st of March, cap. 8. Paulinus is said to have been a disciple of Iltutus. Con- sidering the period, at which Iltutus' school
Albalandia,
Cistercian monastery was built, regarding which a charter of King John exists. See
" Monasticon Anglicanum," p. 884 et seq. This lay near Glamorgan, wiiere lUtutus opened his school. Whiteland is mistaken for the Isle of Wight, by the learned Alban Butler, in his Life of St. David, at the 1st
"
of March. See Lives of the Fathers,
" MartyrsandotherprincipalSaints, vol. iii,
14 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [March i.
lived, and in a very holy manner. This distinguished teacher had been
deprived of sight. Calling his disciples together, Paulinus ordered each in turn to ofifer a prayer, and then to make a sign of the cross over his eyes. All
obeyed these injunctions, but without any healing result, until David was called. This truly modest and humble young priest, by a religious habit
"
"I have not seen the face of my master. " "Then," replied Paulinus,
" touch my eyes, that I may behold thee " David obeyed the order, and
!
sight was immediately restored to his beloved master. However, such was
the extraordinary abnegation and modesty of our saint, that for ten years so- journ with Paulinus, he never allowed his eyes to gaze upon the features of his holy director. •'s
In assuming Paulinus to have been the master of David, it is thought by Colgan, the former must have acted in his capacity, as teacher to our saint, before the end of the fifth century, Ussher^s opinion would seem to be,*° that David—having been already promoted to the priesthood—studied under Paulinus, at the very commencement of the sixth century, and that he was a fellow-disciple, about this time, with Theliaus. <7 However, vainly endeavour- ing to identify this Paulinus,'^^ master of St. David, with others bearing a similar name, Colgan is forced to a conclusion, that he may have been Hil- dutus or Iltutus,'>9 and especially led to this inference, from one or two circumstances related, regarding this latter saint. The first of these is, that in David's Life, published by himself, there is mention made concerning St. Paulinus,andyetnowordaboutSt. Iltutus,5°asoursaint'steacher; likewise, in a Life of this latter, which he cites, David, with others, is said to have been taught by Iltutus. s' In the second plact, as by the Rothe MS. , by Capgrave,5^ and by Giraldus,53 Paulinus is called a disciple of St. Gerraanus,54
acquired, constantly kept his eyes fixed on the ground.
Hitherto," said he,
* By Capgrave, he is called, Paulentus, or Poulentus.
° See, at the year 500, Ussher's " Index
Chronologicus. "' It is strange, Colgan should cite Ussher, as naming a. d. 484, for this course of instruction, more than once. He then infers from it, that a certain St. Paulus, who died, A. D. 600 or 620, could not have been the Paulinus, who was David's teacher, A. D. 484. Ussher has no such account. St. Paulus, called Leonensis Episcopus, is said to have been a disciple of Iltutus, and to have died at Bath, more than one hundred years old, A. D. 600, according
*' Capgrave gives his Acts, and tells us, he was venerated, on the viii. of the Ides of November,
so His feast occurs, at the 6th of Novem- ber. He died, at Del, in the sixth century. S' Speaking about this saint, his Life has
"
" Acta Sanctoram Hiber-
*5 See
niae," i. Martii. Vita S. Davidis, cap. vi. , vii. , viii. , p. 426.
Colgan's
to Claudius Robert, in
"
porum Leonensium," at this year. Ussher
also places his death, about the same time,
"
in his Index Chronologicus ;" but, in the
"
body of his work, adds,
pervenisse traditur," and for this latter date, he cites John Capgrave, after Vita S. Itha- mari. See " Britannicarum Ecclesiarum
"
Antiquitates, cap. xiv. , p. 290.
*7 His feast occurs, at the 9th of February.
*^ Giraldus " tandem Paulinus says :
rarius,
nius, in his notes to the Martyrology, at the loth of October. Colgan, however, adds
epis- copus, cum quo David olim liberalibus dis-
regarding
him: " Sed an in Britanniam
ciplinis in pueritia studuerat. " From this, it is not easy to determine, whether Pauli- nus was the master or fellow-disciple of St. David.
venerit, vel institutor S. Davidis usque ad
annum 570 pervenerit, nullomihiargumento
constat. "
5= Capgrave calls him Paulentus.
53 Giraldus names him Paulinus. It is
Catalogus Episco-
vel etiam DCXX.
it, that many scholars flocked to him,
rum de numero quatuoristi, Samson, Pauli- nus, Gildas, et Dewi, id est, David, stude- bant sapienter. " Here, Paulinus or Paulas is represented as a fellow-disciple of St. David. Colgan tells us, he who in the Life of Iltutus is titled Paulinus, should rather be regarded as " Paulus episcopus Oxismorum sive Leonensis. " This would appear, from a Life of St. Gildas, in Bibliotheca Floria- censi, where Gildas, Paulus Leonensis and Samson are enumerated, among the dis- ciples of Hiltutus. How is it likely, we may ask, that the master and disciple, bear- ing different names, could have been mis- taken for one and the same person ? There was another St. Paulinus, Bishop of Capua, who lived about A. D. 570, according to Fer-
" De Sanctis and to Baro- Italia? ,"
quo-
March i. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS 15
the Bishop ; so, according to another authority, St. Iltutus is said to have been a disciple of the same GernKinus. ss And lastly, St. Paulinus, together
with David, Dubricius,s6 Daniel," and others, is reported to have assisted at the Synod of p]revi,58 \^^\^ \^^ the country of Ceretica. Now, St. Iltutus is
supposed to have fiourished, about the same time, and in this same region. It is not hkely, he was absent from such an important Synod, writes Colgan ; or, if present, that he had been omitted from that account, contained in the RotheMS. S9 Theauthor,whowrotethisLifeofSt. David,seemstohave supposed, that the person, called by him Paulinus, had been named Iltutus, by other writers. ^" Indeed, it becomes no easy matter to determine this
question, with any perfect degree of accuracy.
CHAPTER III.
ST. DAVID ADMONISHED BY AN ANGEL TO COMMENCE HIS MISSION—RESTORES GLASTON- BURY—BUILDS A CHAPEL IN HONOUR OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY—KING INA's FOUNDATIONS FOR IRISHvSTUDENTS—DEATH AND BURIAL OF KING ARTHUR—RELI- GIOUS ERECTION AT BATH BY ST. DAVID—HE BLESSES THE SPRINGS AT THIS PLACE —MISSIONARY Vl^ORKS UNDERTAKEN BY ST. DAVID, DURING THE SAXON INCUR- SIONS—CONDITION OF W^ALES ABOUT THIS PERIOD—KING ERTIG's SIGHT RESTORED —AN ANGELIC MONITION—MANY DISCIPLES FLOCK TO ST. DAVID—OPPOSITION EX- PERIENCED, AND THE DESIGNS OF PAGAN ENEMIES FRUSTRATED.
When David had
of time with the — Paulinus, Angel
It is time that God's beloved
a talent entrusted to thy care should be presented for the salvation of souls. " And the works of our saint soon became manifested to men. He founded or re-edified no less than twelve monasteries. Among these, one of the most celebrated was known as Glastonbury, on the confines of Somerset-
shire. However, we are not to regard St. David, as the original founder, but rather as the rebuilder or restorer of this ancient religious establishment. ^ For we even learn, from an ancient local chronicle, that when Archbishop of Caerleon on Usk, St. David,^ with seven bishops, over whom he presided,
spent
a sufficient
length^ "
of the Lord said to this latter — man holy
:
not reasonable to suppose, he could be iden-
tical with St. Paulinus, Apostle of Northum-
bria, and Archbishop of York, who died
A. D. 640. See his Life, at the loth of inum Britannicis scriptoribus ignotum, si a October, the day of his feast, in Rev. Alban
Butler's "Lives of the Fathers, Martyrs and other Principal Saints," vol. x.
s-* His feast is held, on the 26th of July.
"
55 Vincentius,
lib. XX. cap. 105, and Vita S. Samsonis, preserved in a Landafif Registry.
s* His festival is usually observed, on the 14th of November.
57 His feast is assigned, to the 23rd of November.
Paulino sit diversus. " See "Acta Sanctorum Hibernise," i. Martii. Vita S. Davidis, n.
"
In Speculo Hystoriali,"
St. Joseph of Arima- thea, with his disciples, is said to have settled in this place, and to have consecrated it. Afterwards, St.
do I find a St. Manchan, so called. In the latter, however, we have recorded a Nannidh
Collan, day,
date, "
Martyrology
of Inis Cais. '^ At this
Ibid. , pp. 14, 15. wefindthefeastofMan- of
See pp. 274, 275.
in Corann.
Dr. " Kelly's
Ibid. , pp.
^
" of Martyrology Tallagh,"
he is set down
as " Moinend, Epis. " at the same day. See p. xvii.
*
At this day, I only find a "Moinne," in the "Martyrology of Donegal," pp. 134,
135.
is thus entered, See p. xxv.
buteveninthe"
ology of Donegal," I cannot find notice of a
Manchan, at this day.
Tallagli fails,
Martyr-
March i. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
Again, if we regard the denomination, Nennius, Nennidius, or Nennionus, we
Bishop of Kiltoma, in Meath, at the 13th of November. '^ Colgan is of opinion, that the founder of Kill-mune—sometimes called Nennius—can be no other person, than the saint having this name, venerated on the ist of March, and who had so many Irish saints enumerated among his disciples, viz. : Saints Brigid, Virgin,'9 Endeus,^° Finnian of Maghbile,^' Tigernach,^^ Eugene, Bishop of Ardstra,^3 and Carpre, Bishop of Colerain. ^'* Whoever had been master of these great saints must necessarily have flourished, before the end of the fifth century.
From what we have already said, there seems to be little difficulty, in re-
conciling the chronological period of the exiled Irish Manchan, living in Wales, with that of a holy man, known as Manchen, the Master. ^5 He is
classed among the disciples of St. Patrick, our great Irish Apostle. It is said, this latter had set him to rule over the church of Coille Fochluc, in
Connaught. ^^ AHuponrecordmightagreewiththeholycharacter,wisdom,
find Irish saints, not fewer in number, set down in our Calendars.
Among these, we need only mention, St. Nennius, Abbot of Inis-muighe-Samh, on Lough Erne, at the i6th and i8th of January 3" St Moinennus or Mon- Nennius at the ist of March -p St. Nennionus or Nennius, denominated Sene of the Monastery, at the 18th of April -^^ St. Nennius, Abbot of Cion- chaoin, at the 21st of April ;'5 St. Nennius, Deacon of Cluain-airthir, at the 25th of April ;'^ St. Nennius Sene, at the 25th of July;'? St. Nennius,
" The ticular date.
remarks
to this
" fails at this month,
'9 So Colgan states. But, I fear he must
have hastily identified this saint, with Nin-
nidh of the White Hand, whose Acts he
gives at the 1 8th of January.
^^
In the Life of this saint, published by Colgan, at the 2 ist of March, his sister, St. Fanchea, is represented as saying to him : " Vade ad Britanniam ad Rosnacum mon- asterium, et esto humilis discipulus Manseni,
previous
apply
par-
Tallagh
" Colgan gives us his Acts, at the latter of these days. It is said, he flourished, in the time of Saints Patrick and Brigid ; that he left Ireland ; and, that he lived many years afterwards, in Britain.
'3 Colgan published his Acts, at this day. He is there called Bishop of Clonfert. He flourished about the middle of the sixth
"
century. See Acta Sanctorum Hiber- Magiatri ilims Monasierii," See cap. v. , p.
nire," i. Martii. Vita S. Moinenni, sive, 705-
^^This
to
'* In t-Jie "Manyrology of Donegal," says Colgan.
Mon-Nennii, pp. 437
439.
nothing regarding
ejus vita, cap. iii. ,"
already quoted,
him. But, in the " lagh," I meet with a ister," at this date, p. xxi.
4th "Mo- nennii disciplinis et monitis in Rosnacensi Monasterio, quod alio nomine Alba voca-
p. xxii.
'7 In the
"
"
See Martj'rology of Donegal," at
this date, he is called, "
the Old. In
" Sanctis etiam Pa- tricius hoic populo converso noviter ad Christum, Magistrum, Manchenum virum religeosum, et in scripturis Sanctis exercita-
I lind
saint, was
whoisveneratedonthe
5 There is a Ninnidh of Cluain-Caoi, at
this in the " of
day, Martyrology Donegal,"
pp. 106, 107. Dr. Kelly's "Martyrology ofTallagh" does not mention him at this date, in such a manner ; but we find there a "Ninidh Bugno i Tir Bret. " See p. xxii.
"In the "Martyrology of Donegal," there is a notice concerning Deacon Menn
ofCluainArathair,atthisdate. Inanote, he seems to be identical with Nennius, as the commentator remarks. See pp. 110, III. In the " of we
tur. "—"Vita S. Tigernaci," cap. iii.
^3 As in the former we find Ros- instance,
nacensis or Rosnatensis, confounded with Alba, and Nennius or Monennius with Man- chanus, so in " Vita S. Eugenii," cap. iii. ,
as Colgan promised to show at the 23rd of August, these words are quoted, "Vir sanctus ac sapiens, Nennio qui Mancenus dicitur de Rosnacensi Monasterio quod alio nomine Alba vocatur. "
** Also, " Vita S. Eugenii," cap. iii,, quoted by Colgan,
^5 See, Vita Tripartita S. Patricii, pars,
ii. , cap. 62, Colgan's "Trias Thauma-
Martyrology Tallagh," read, Dechonen Cluana Arathair. "
Ninnio,
the Martyrology ofTallagh," he is deno-
says Joceline.
minated, "Ninnio senior. " See p. xxx. '* "
of Tal- Moninnsen o Main-
of
Martyrology "
April,
diligently instructed,
In the Martyrology of Donegal," at
this date, such an entry may be seen, pp. tum. " Vita S. Patricii, cap. 59. Ibid. 30S, 309. Dr. Kelly's "Martyrology of '^ See Giraldus Cambrensis, " Itinerarium
"' " Ut habetur in
turga. " *° So
12 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
[March
and learning of the saintly Abbot Manchan, who presided over Rosnat or
Kill-mune Monastery, in Britain, and perhaps, at some subsequent period of his life to that already indicated.
When Manchan and probably some Irish disciples alone were inhabitants of this place, they may have given it the well-remembered name Kill-mune. By this denomination, it seems to have been solely designated, in all our Irish Histories and Calendars. Possibly, it obtained the title, Moiiastei'ium Rosna- tense, or Rosjiacense, in other writings, from the circumstance of Manchan's religious house having been built, in the valley, Rosina, or Rosnat. We know, that Menevia, or St. David's, afterwards lay in this valley. ^? It does not seem so clearly explained, why this place had the etymon. Alba, applied to it. ^^ Yet, Colgan was doubtful, if this monastery, called indiscriminately,
in the Lives of our early saints, Rosnatense, Albium, or Magnum Monas- terium, could have been different from that of Benchor or Bangor. ''? Such a supposition, however, would even appear irreconcilable with various authori- ties, produced by this learned author.
St. David wasbroughtupataplace,variouslycalled, Vetus-Rubus, or Vetus- Menevia,3°inLatin,andHenmenen,orHenmenew,intheWelshlanguage. He was there instructed in letters and in ecclesiastical discipline. He was often
discovered by his companions, in the state of being taught by a dove, which warbled hymns with him. Hence, and for a reason to which allusion will be
made hereafter, the pictures and statues of St. David usually represent him preaching on a hill, with a dove perched on his shoulder. 3^ This bird, also, serves to typify the Holy Ghost, shedding the sweet influence of holy inno- cence and Divine Grace into his soul. Thus, our saint grew in amiabiUty and virtue, beloved by the children of men, and favoured specially by the Lord of Heaven.
Some persons supposed St. Patrick to have been the first founder of a monastery at Menevia, and that it had been afterwards restored or enlarged by St. David, about the year 490. 3^ About this time, also, St. Finian of Clonard33 is said to have left Ireland for Britain, where he formed an ac- quaintanceship and a friendship, with St. David. 34 At such date, as St.
Cambrice," lib. ii. , cap. i. , and Camden in his description of Pembrokeshire.
**
Tile valley in which Kilmmie monastery lay abounded in marble, and possibly the church or house had been built of this mate- rial ; so that it might be called marmorea, rather than J^osea or Rosina, says Giraldus ; for roses do flourish there, while marble is found in great abundance.
'''See "Acta Sanctorum Hiberniae," Martii i. Vita S. Davidis, n. 4, p. 430. This opinion he endeavours further to sus- tain, in his Actsof NenniusorMonenennius, at the same day ; but, I think, with no very successful result. See ibid. , p. 439.
3° This monastery seems to have borne no less than five distinct names, besides having various other forms of spelling. "Sortitusest autem locus hoc nomenab Hi bernico Muni,"
to have dilTered from the new Menevia, to wlKch St. David transferred his episcopal see, although it was identical with old Menevia. This latter, however, must have been situated, not very far from the present city, St. David's ; and, it was the site of an older religious house, in which our saint re- ceived his early rudiments of instruction,
3' yee Very Rev. F. C. Husenbeth's
" Emblems of Saints," p. 45. As authority
for this representation, he quotes Jacques Callot's "Les Images de tous les Saints et Saintes de I'annee. " This latter work has been published in Paris, A. D. 1636. It con- tains engravings by Isr. Henriet.
3= See Bollandists' "Acta Sanctorum," tomus i. , Martii i. Vita S. Davidis, p. 40. And Ussher's " Britannicarum Ecclesiarum Antiquitates," cap. xii. , p. 253. Also,
"Index "
Chronologicus, A. D. ccccxc, p.
524.
33 See Colgan's Acts of this saint, at the
23rd day of February. But, the Bollandist editor says, this Life had been edited from a Codex MS. of theirs, which wanted some correction.
Giraldus " et Rubus Cambrensis, quod
says
sonat, unde et Kilmune Hibernice adhuc ho-
die Ecclesia Menevensis appellatur. " See
"
Acta Sanctorum," tomus i. , Martii i. Vita
S. Davidis, cap. i. , and n. (n), p. 42. Giraldus was well acquainted with its local characteristics. This Vetus Rubus appears
March i. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
Benedict35 had been only a boy ten years old, it is not true, that his rule had been then followed in Menevia. 3^
What has been evolved from contemporaneous incidents, when St. David flourished, shows St. Finnian of Clonard,37 although he might have been a companion in Britain, could hardly have been St. David's disciple. The holy bishop of Menevia was then too young to have been master over a man, who returned to Ireland, before the year 520. In all probability, St. Finnian^^ wasolderthanSt. David. StillalearnedIrishhistorianisinclinedtothink, that both studied together, at least during part of their scholarship, in some eminent British school. Such conclusion appears uncontravened, by any existing record.
Our saint received his education, it has been asserted, at the school of Illtutus,39 which he is said to have founded, near the sea-coast, and not far from Llan-carvan. Afterwards, he studied with Paul ^en, or Paulinus,'»° it is thought,
atTy-gwyn-arDaf,-*'wherehespenttenyearsreadingtheHolyScriptures. St. Ailbe, who baptized him, is also said to have superintended his education, for some time. '** Hence, we are supposed to obtain an additional proof, that David must have been very young, about the commencement of the
sixth century. He afterwards withdrew, from all worldly allurements, and he was ordained a priest. David then began his missionary labours, and grounded well in exercises of piety, he preserved a chastened spirit, in the
pursuit of greater learning and perfection. He set out for the Isle of White- land, Withland, or Witland,<3 where Paulinus,'** a disciple to St. Germanus,
3* See Ussher's
"
Britannicarum Eccle-
was in vogue, Paulinus could scarcely have opened his before A. D. 512. See Dr. Lani- gan's "Ecclesiastical History of Ireland," vol. i. , chap, ix. , sect, ix. , and note 151,
pp. , 471, 475, 476.
*' In Caermanhenshire. " Below Tal-
charn the river Taf runs into the sea ; on whose banks stood formerly the famous TwyGwinarTafoxtheWhiteHouseonthe Ta}\ built of white hazel rods for a summer residence, where A. D. 914 Hoel, surnamed the Good, Prince of Wales, held an assembly, whereat assisted 140 ecclesiastics, besides others, and abrogating the ancient laws he enacted new ones for his people as the pre- ambletotheselawssetsforth. Onthisspot was afterwards built a monastery called White Land. "—Cough's Camden's "Britan-
nia," p. 505.
'*'' Ussher makes such a statement from
siarum Antiquitates," cap. xvii. , p. 473, ""
and IndexChronolo^icus ada. d,ccccxc. 35 His feast occurs, on the 21st of March. 3* Edward Maihew, Bucelin, and other
writers, incorrectly say, that St. David followed the rule of St. Benedict.
37 Finnian is not mentioned, in any of St.
David's Lives. In his ownActs, when
spoken of, as connected with David, he
does not appear represented as a disciple.
See Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum Hiberniae," xxiii. Februarii. Vita S. Finniani, cap. iv. ,
v. , vi. , vii. , viii. , ix. , x. , xi. , pp. 393, 394. 38 His Life will be found, at the 12th of
December.
59 This school of Iltutus, at Laniltult, or
Lantwitt, in Glamorganshire, is said to have been very celebrated, about the beginning of the sixth century. See Ussher's "Index
St. Ailbe's Life. See "
" at a. d. and Chronologicus 508, Stilling-
Primordia," p.
"
fleet's Antiquities of the British Churches," chap. V. A Life of Iltutus mentions David, by mistake, as his scholar. The Bollandists
871.
*3 Giraldus Cambrensis says, he set out,
''"
in Vectam insulam. Camden tells us,
and Stillingfleet observe, however, instead of David, we must read Daniel. This latter studied under Iltutus. Afterwards, he be- came first Bishop of Bangor.
the Anglo-Saxons called it Wuidland, or Withland, whilst the Britons called it Guith. In Caermarthen, ascribed to old Demetia, Whiteland was known by the Latin desig- nation where a
° to Ussher's "
According Prinr\ordia,"
magnificent
p. 472, and Stillingfleet's "History of the British Churches," there had been a school of Paulinus at Withland or Whiteland, in Caermarthen, and not the Isle of Wight, as some have made it, in which St. David spentsomeofhisearlyyears. SeehisActs, at the 1st of March, cap. 8. Paulinus is said to have been a disciple of Iltutus. Con- sidering the period, at which Iltutus' school
Albalandia,
Cistercian monastery was built, regarding which a charter of King John exists. See
" Monasticon Anglicanum," p. 884 et seq. This lay near Glamorgan, wiiere lUtutus opened his school. Whiteland is mistaken for the Isle of Wight, by the learned Alban Butler, in his Life of St. David, at the 1st
"
of March. See Lives of the Fathers,
" MartyrsandotherprincipalSaints, vol. iii,
14 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [March i.
lived, and in a very holy manner. This distinguished teacher had been
deprived of sight. Calling his disciples together, Paulinus ordered each in turn to ofifer a prayer, and then to make a sign of the cross over his eyes. All
obeyed these injunctions, but without any healing result, until David was called. This truly modest and humble young priest, by a religious habit
"
"I have not seen the face of my master. " "Then," replied Paulinus,
" touch my eyes, that I may behold thee " David obeyed the order, and
!
sight was immediately restored to his beloved master. However, such was
the extraordinary abnegation and modesty of our saint, that for ten years so- journ with Paulinus, he never allowed his eyes to gaze upon the features of his holy director. •'s
In assuming Paulinus to have been the master of David, it is thought by Colgan, the former must have acted in his capacity, as teacher to our saint, before the end of the fifth century, Ussher^s opinion would seem to be,*° that David—having been already promoted to the priesthood—studied under Paulinus, at the very commencement of the sixth century, and that he was a fellow-disciple, about this time, with Theliaus. <7 However, vainly endeavour- ing to identify this Paulinus,'^^ master of St. David, with others bearing a similar name, Colgan is forced to a conclusion, that he may have been Hil- dutus or Iltutus,'>9 and especially led to this inference, from one or two circumstances related, regarding this latter saint. The first of these is, that in David's Life, published by himself, there is mention made concerning St. Paulinus,andyetnowordaboutSt. Iltutus,5°asoursaint'steacher; likewise, in a Life of this latter, which he cites, David, with others, is said to have been taught by Iltutus. s' In the second plact, as by the Rothe MS. , by Capgrave,5^ and by Giraldus,53 Paulinus is called a disciple of St. Gerraanus,54
acquired, constantly kept his eyes fixed on the ground.
Hitherto," said he,
* By Capgrave, he is called, Paulentus, or Poulentus.
° See, at the year 500, Ussher's " Index
Chronologicus. "' It is strange, Colgan should cite Ussher, as naming a. d. 484, for this course of instruction, more than once. He then infers from it, that a certain St. Paulus, who died, A. D. 600 or 620, could not have been the Paulinus, who was David's teacher, A. D. 484. Ussher has no such account. St. Paulus, called Leonensis Episcopus, is said to have been a disciple of Iltutus, and to have died at Bath, more than one hundred years old, A. D. 600, according
*' Capgrave gives his Acts, and tells us, he was venerated, on the viii. of the Ides of November,
so His feast occurs, at the 6th of Novem- ber. He died, at Del, in the sixth century. S' Speaking about this saint, his Life has
"
" Acta Sanctoram Hiber-
*5 See
niae," i. Martii. Vita S. Davidis, cap. vi. , vii. , viii. , p. 426.
Colgan's
to Claudius Robert, in
"
porum Leonensium," at this year. Ussher
also places his death, about the same time,
"
in his Index Chronologicus ;" but, in the
"
body of his work, adds,
pervenisse traditur," and for this latter date, he cites John Capgrave, after Vita S. Itha- mari. See " Britannicarum Ecclesiarum
"
Antiquitates, cap. xiv. , p. 290.
*7 His feast occurs, at the 9th of February.
*^ Giraldus " tandem Paulinus says :
rarius,
nius, in his notes to the Martyrology, at the loth of October. Colgan, however, adds
epis- copus, cum quo David olim liberalibus dis-
regarding
him: " Sed an in Britanniam
ciplinis in pueritia studuerat. " From this, it is not easy to determine, whether Pauli- nus was the master or fellow-disciple of St. David.
venerit, vel institutor S. Davidis usque ad
annum 570 pervenerit, nullomihiargumento
constat. "
5= Capgrave calls him Paulentus.
53 Giraldus names him Paulinus. It is
Catalogus Episco-
vel etiam DCXX.
it, that many scholars flocked to him,
rum de numero quatuoristi, Samson, Pauli- nus, Gildas, et Dewi, id est, David, stude- bant sapienter. " Here, Paulinus or Paulas is represented as a fellow-disciple of St. David. Colgan tells us, he who in the Life of Iltutus is titled Paulinus, should rather be regarded as " Paulus episcopus Oxismorum sive Leonensis. " This would appear, from a Life of St. Gildas, in Bibliotheca Floria- censi, where Gildas, Paulus Leonensis and Samson are enumerated, among the dis- ciples of Hiltutus. How is it likely, we may ask, that the master and disciple, bear- ing different names, could have been mis- taken for one and the same person ? There was another St. Paulinus, Bishop of Capua, who lived about A. D. 570, according to Fer-
" De Sanctis and to Baro- Italia? ,"
quo-
March i. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS 15
the Bishop ; so, according to another authority, St. Iltutus is said to have been a disciple of the same GernKinus. ss And lastly, St. Paulinus, together
with David, Dubricius,s6 Daniel," and others, is reported to have assisted at the Synod of p]revi,58 \^^\^ \^^ the country of Ceretica. Now, St. Iltutus is
supposed to have fiourished, about the same time, and in this same region. It is not hkely, he was absent from such an important Synod, writes Colgan ; or, if present, that he had been omitted from that account, contained in the RotheMS. S9 Theauthor,whowrotethisLifeofSt. David,seemstohave supposed, that the person, called by him Paulinus, had been named Iltutus, by other writers. ^" Indeed, it becomes no easy matter to determine this
question, with any perfect degree of accuracy.
CHAPTER III.
ST. DAVID ADMONISHED BY AN ANGEL TO COMMENCE HIS MISSION—RESTORES GLASTON- BURY—BUILDS A CHAPEL IN HONOUR OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY—KING INA's FOUNDATIONS FOR IRISHvSTUDENTS—DEATH AND BURIAL OF KING ARTHUR—RELI- GIOUS ERECTION AT BATH BY ST. DAVID—HE BLESSES THE SPRINGS AT THIS PLACE —MISSIONARY Vl^ORKS UNDERTAKEN BY ST. DAVID, DURING THE SAXON INCUR- SIONS—CONDITION OF W^ALES ABOUT THIS PERIOD—KING ERTIG's SIGHT RESTORED —AN ANGELIC MONITION—MANY DISCIPLES FLOCK TO ST. DAVID—OPPOSITION EX- PERIENCED, AND THE DESIGNS OF PAGAN ENEMIES FRUSTRATED.
When David had
of time with the — Paulinus, Angel
It is time that God's beloved
a talent entrusted to thy care should be presented for the salvation of souls. " And the works of our saint soon became manifested to men. He founded or re-edified no less than twelve monasteries. Among these, one of the most celebrated was known as Glastonbury, on the confines of Somerset-
shire. However, we are not to regard St. David, as the original founder, but rather as the rebuilder or restorer of this ancient religious establishment. ^ For we even learn, from an ancient local chronicle, that when Archbishop of Caerleon on Usk, St. David,^ with seven bishops, over whom he presided,
spent
a sufficient
length^ "
of the Lord said to this latter — man holy
:
not reasonable to suppose, he could be iden-
tical with St. Paulinus, Apostle of Northum-
bria, and Archbishop of York, who died
A. D. 640. See his Life, at the loth of inum Britannicis scriptoribus ignotum, si a October, the day of his feast, in Rev. Alban
Butler's "Lives of the Fathers, Martyrs and other Principal Saints," vol. x.
s-* His feast is held, on the 26th of July.
"
55 Vincentius,
lib. XX. cap. 105, and Vita S. Samsonis, preserved in a Landafif Registry.
s* His festival is usually observed, on the 14th of November.
57 His feast is assigned, to the 23rd of November.
Paulino sit diversus. " See "Acta Sanctorum Hibernise," i. Martii. Vita S. Davidis, n.
"
In Speculo Hystoriali,"
St. Joseph of Arima- thea, with his disciples, is said to have settled in this place, and to have consecrated it. Afterwards, St.
