Bindon to a manuscript
fragment
in the Latin language, forming part of the Ussher Collection, in the Library of Trinity College, Dublin, classed E.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v1
, chap, xiv.
, pp.
230, 231.
8jtbearsontheimprint,Rothomagi,A. D. 1 62 1. It appeared in Svo shape. See Watt's "Bibliotheca Britannica," vol. ii. , p. 813.
9 See an interesting account of this pre- late, in Rev. C. P. Meehan's "Rise and p"all of the Irish Franciscan Monasteries, and Memoirs of the Irish Hierarchy in the Seventeenth Century," chap, vi. , pp. 1 76 to 157^ and Appendix, pp. 347 to 356.
"Coneus was an Itahan theologian, sent by Pope Urban VIII. to the court of Hen-
rietta Maria, Queen of England,
" This Scotsman's work was published in
on
flights. See
Dempster, "
Kelly's
*This was printed at Paris, A. D. 1620, in
Catalonia, Spain
who at Rouen published
Thomas
Writers," pp. 112 to 118.
of Irish
the
227, 228.
and Irish
D'Arcy
Gallery
Scotch, English,
Jesuits," pp.
'7 He was born at Dublin in
M'Gee's "
'* Who styles himself " Veredicus Hiber- iius. "
'5 Most likely this is the nobleman G. F. ,
whose initials only are given, and who is
said to have possessed the original copy of
"
Vitffi Sanctorum" belonging to the Island of All Saints, on Lough Ree.
'*This book appeared at Antwerp, a. d, 1621, in 8vo.
"
'^ In 8vo, p. 117.
Sanctorum Augusti," tomus i. , iv. Augusti, Vita S. Luani seu Moluse.
'9 In 8vo shape. See Watt's " Biblio-
theca Britannica," vol. , i. , p. 370, f. g.
'"' See " Historise Catholicse Ibernise
Compendium," tomus i. , lib. iv. , cap. xii. ,
pp. 51 to 58.
" Very Rev. Matthew Kelly, D. D.
^"^ See n. ibid. , p. 57,
^3 The numbers represent 289 distinct
saints, connected with Ireland, and a great many of these were venerated on the Conti- nent.
and he died in 1644. See Bibliotheca Scripto- rum Societatis lesu, opus inchoatum a R. P. Petro Ribadenira," &c. A Nathanaele Sotvello, p. 224. An interesting biography
INTRODUCTION. xxxvii
ejusdem sacrse insulse originibus. "" This learned Bishop of Ossory was most zealous in promoting the knowledge of Irish ecclesiastical history and hagiology, during that stormy period in which he lived. His death occurred on the 2oth of April, a. d. 1650, soon after the city of Kilkenny surrendered to Oliver Cromwell. '3
Some anonymous author,'^ under the letters G. F. ,^s wrote a work, having
for its " Hibernise sive Scotise Vindiciae adversus Immodes- title, Antiquioris
tam Parechasim Thomse Dempsteri, modern! Scoti, nuper editam ; quibus accessit Nomenclatura Sanctorum Prsecipuorum Hibernise, per Hen. Fitz- Simons, Soc. Jesu. "'^ Previous to this time, Father Henry Fitz-Simons, a
"
celebrated Irish Jesuit, ^^ had compiled
Catalogus Aliquorum Sanctorum
Hibernise. " The first edition of this Catalogue was printed at Douai, a. d.
1 61 5. It appears to have been enlarged from a list of Irish saints, compiled
by another Irish Jesuit, Father Richard Flaminius, or Fleming, who lived in Paris. A second edition appeared at Liege, a. d. 1619. '^ This work had
been republished, likewise, at Antwerp, a. d. 1621. ^9 This interesting Calendar has been re-issued—at least in part—by Philip O'SulleyaiLBeare. '" It has been inferred, by a late learned editor of his work,^' that O'SuUevan, who was composing the first part of his history in l6. i8, had not then seen the first edition of Fitz-Simon's Catalogue. ^^ From the manner in which O'Sullevan alludes to it, this, indeed, is extremely probable. Father Henry Fitz-Simon has disposed the names. Latinized, and in an alphabetical form, while he quotes also those authors, who treat concerning the holy personssodistinguished. Lesttherecordsopreparedmightperish,andno previous and similar list pubhshed before that time being considered more complete, O'Sullevan resolved to include, with numeration at each alpha- betical entry, those names, in his History. ^3 Besides this list, he inserts
" Some fragments of this work have been recovered by the Rev. James Graves, A. B. , M. R. I. A.
'3 It is said, he left in manuscript an "Ecclesiastical History of Ireland," and other writings, which are probably lost. See
of this remarkable man will be found in the "Irish Ecclesiastical Record," vol. viii,, Nos. Ixxxix. , xc, xci. , xcii. , xciii. , xcv. , xcvi. , and vol. ix. , Nos. xcvii. , xcviii. , c, cii. , cv.
1569,
"
tions towards illustrating the Biography of
See likewise Rev. George Oliver's
CoUec-
See likewise "Acta
xxxviii INTRODUCTION.
another catalogue of our national saints. ^* Their festivals were arranged, according to the order of months and days, yet hardly were they drawn together with sufficient elaborateness and care. ^s Seldom more than the simple name of each saint is given. In addition, O'Sullevan presents another list, collected by Conveus,^^ from the works of approved authors. '^ This was especially extracted from a small book, treating on the hagiology and literary proficiency of the Irish. Only a few saints' names are included, in thislist,withsomebriefnoticesreferringtothem. Insomeoftheprevious chapters, likewise, O'Sullevan Beare commemorates holy prelates, doctors, and saints belonging to Ireland. "^ In the course of this present work, frequent references will be found, at the various festivals assigned to each saint thus recorded. Yet, there can be no doubt, that mistakes and typo- graphical errors abound in those Catalogues ; while some holy persons are noted as Irish, without any satisfactory authentication of their nationality. In the year 1629, O'Sullevan pubHshed his Life of our Irish Apostle, inti-
tuled,
" Decas
Patriciana,"
or " St. Patrick's Decade. " It was so
called,
because this work had been divided into Ten Books, while each Book con-
tained Ten Chapters. The first eight Books are devoted to the Acts of the
great Irish Apostle. They are generally in accord with the longer lives,
afterwardspublishedbytheBoUandistsandbyColgan. Theninthbooktreats
on the history of St. Patrick's Purgatory ; while the tenth book contains
much miscellaneous matter on Irish history, and especially on that period
subsequent to the Reformation, together with his singular treatise, intended
as a to and " This work
reply Ussher, intituled, Archicomigeromastix. "*?
was the first in a series of Irish Saints' Lives he designed publishing ;3® for
he had completed the Acts of St. Kyran of Saiger, of St. Abban, of St. Ailbe, of St. Declan, and of St. Mochudda. Excepting the Latin translation of an Irish Life of St. Mochua, which he gave to Father John Boland, no other national saint's biography issued, nor had Colgan been able to ascer- tain where his manuscripts were deposited. 3^
The interest awakened on the Continent of Europe, by the peculiar reli- gious and political state of Ireland, and the circumstance, that the works of
**The author's name was unknown to him.
'SOver 220 distinct entries of saints, pre- sumably Irish, are here inserted.
"^^
Father Ricardus Convoeus was a Jesuit. ^7 It is headed : "Catalogus Quorundam Sanctorum, Virorumque illustrium Iberno- rum, alias Scotorum, seu Irlandorum, qui varias mundi plagas disseminandse aut con- servandae fidei, sacrarumque literarum desi- derio incensi peragrarunt aut speciali bene- ficio patroni habentur, ommissis innumeris
qui domi floruerunt. "
''See " Historise CatholicaB Ibemiae Com-
pendium,"tomusi. , lib. , i. , cap. ii. , p. 6, lib.
iv. , cap. i. toxiv. , pp. 93 to 112.
*9 This title has been translated "Scourge
of the Arch-horned. "
30 There is an interesting Life of Philip
O'Sullevan Beare, written by the Rev. Mat-
thew Kelly, prefixed to the edition of his
History. See, likewise, Thomas D. M'Gee's
"
Gallery of Irish Writers," pp. 24 to 33. 3' gee the Preface, written by the Rev.
Matthew Kelly, D. D. , and prefixed to the second edition of the "Historic Catholicac
Iberniae Compendium," supervised by him, and published at Dublin, A. D. 1850, in 8vo. The first edition of this work appeared in l62j.
3» Especially in relation to Irish History and Topography.
33 In the Burgundian Library, at Bruxelles, there is a very large folio paper MS . , classed
as vol. xxi. , and containing Nos. 7658, 7659, 7660, 7661. This is bound in vel- lum, and from the class-mark, it would seem originally to have belonged to a Jesuit Li- brary. The title or heading occupies half the first page, and has the following note written across it, in an old hand differing
" Authore N. P. Stephano "
The title is as follows " Vindiciae Scoto-
genti numero Sanctorum Ibemiae Scotorum veterum immerito privant et transformant in Neoscotos Britanniae Insulae posteros, priscae Pictorum ac Dalreudinorum Gentis candido Lectori memorabilium antiquitatum amanti. S. " This first part contains a Pre- face, with the censurae of various ancient authors, and afterwards a table of contents, divided into eleven chapters. The body of the tract commences at p. 14, and it is con- tinued in 202 folios, written on both sides. Then a different character of hand appears, which cbntinues to p. 309, written very
from the text
Vito, soc'^. Jesu Hiberno, Clonmeliensi.
:
:
rum veterum. Sanctorum indigenarum Iber-
niae oceani magnae Insulae, quas olim ab
immemorabili tempore, passim per Europam usque ad annum Christi saltem 1000 audie- bat Scotia, deinde vero per 200 et amplius annos dicebatur Scotia major sive vetus, ad discrimen Scotiae primoris et novae, quae ante per plurima secula audiebat Patria Pic- torum Britanniffi. In tres libros distributse, adversus graves crebrosque errores novorum de rebus Scoticis historicorum Hectoris Boetii, Georgii Buccanani, Georgij Tomsoni, Roberti Turneri, sub nomine Joannis Leslei, et asseclarum ipsorum qui Ibernorum natio-
nem et patriam prisco nomine proprio chris- tianorum Scotorum et Scotiae, una cum in-
and on both sides.
3* Some notices of the author are prefixed,
by the learned editor. See the Dublin edi-
tion, A. D. 1849.
33 Dr. Todd called the attention of Mr.
Bindon to a manuscript fragment in the Latin language, forming part of the Ussher Collection, in the Library of Trinity College, Dublin, classed E. 3. 19. Upon inspection, it was discovered, it is a part of this work of Stephen White, which is above de- scribed.
3* It is the only one of the author, as yet published. Another Tract, " De Sanctis et Antiquitate Hibemiaj," had been thought
worthy of publication ; yet, it appears never to have seen the light.
INTRODUCTION. XXXlX
Giraldus Cambrensis,32 since the invention of printing, had been extensively circulated and read, caused some learned and patriotic Irishmen to refute
the calumnies of that accomplished and effective, but vain and prejudiced writer. One of the first to enter the lists was Father Stephen White, a learned Jesuit. He wrote some very exhaustive and valuable treatises. 33 One of these is
" Hibernia adversus Cambri Calum- Apologia pro
entided,
nias : sive fabularum et famosorura Libellorum Silvestri Giraldi Cambrensis, sub vocabulis Topographise, sive de Mirabilibus Hiberniae, et Historia Vati- cinalis, sive Expugnationis ejusdem Insulae Refutatio. " This tract, preserved in the Burgundian Library, at Brussels, had long lain in MS. , until it was published and edited with various additions, by the Very Rev. Matthew Kelly, D. D. 3+ The original treatise had been composed very early in the seventeenthcentury,andprobablybeforetheyear1615. Withgreathonesty and research, but with a tone of controversial acerbity, the patriotic writer, White, proceeds to refute various errors and misrepresentations of Giraldus. 35 His work is rather diffuse, however, and it abounds with unnecessary repe- titions. In this particular treatise,3^ the sanctity and learning, for which Ireland had been famous during ages long past, have been ably vindicated, while the names and acts of various holy persons are instanced, for proof of several propositions advanced by the author. He states, also, that while
closely
xl INTRODUCTION.
compiling this work,37 he consulted, in addition to various published books, very mxny ancient manuscripts. 38 Much use has been made of this learned tract, as must appear from subsequent pages of the present work. 39 Father StephenWhite''"wasafriendofArchbishopUssher. Thecontentsofthe Bruxeiles MS. , or of the part, fastened within the binding, amount in all to about 1,000 closely written pages. It was evidently a copy, made perhaps for the author, by four, or, at all events, by three different scribes. As for its contents, as a valuable historical document, information appears to have been drawn from many and high authorities. The immense amount of
learning with which the author was gifted, and the facility of arrangement with which he has used it, are apparent.
Later still was written the " Cambrensis seu celebrated, Eversus, potius
Historica Fides in Rebus Hibernicis Giraldo Cambrensi abrogata," and it was published a. d. 1662,4' by its author. Dr. John Lynch, under the anony-
mous designation of Gratianus Lucius. Altogether abstracting from its im- portance, as a work of refutation, it embraces a great variety of well-digested and accurate information in reference to Irish History. The labours of
various eminent ecclesiastics, his countrymen, had already supplied the author with materials to render the hagiographical portion of his work espe- cially valuable. This, however, was not the only service he rendered to Irish historical and biographical literature. 4*
One of the first efforts, to invest with the immortality of print, a separate collection of Offices and Acts of the Irish Saints, was attempted by Thomas Messingham, a secular priest of Leinster, and who was Moderator of the
" Columbae,BrigidaeetaliorumquorundamHiberniasSanctorum. " Thiswas
"
followed in 1624, by his
Sanctorum Hibernige, quibus accesserunt non vulgaria monumenta, hoc est Sancti Patricii Purgatorium, S. Malachise Prophetiae de Summis Pontificibus,
Irish College in Paris. There a. d. 1620, he published
Officia S. S. Patricii,
37 Pi-obably at Dilengen.
38 The Rev. Dr. Oliver, in his "Collec-
tions towards the of illustrating Biography
the Scotch, English, and Irish Members of the Society of Jesus, "has alluded with com- mendation to this Irish Father and his works. See No. cclxxxvii. , p. 250.
39 At the end of this MS. volume will be found a detached folio tract, entitled, upon the cover, "Apologia pro Sanctis Scotiae, sed Infirma videtursaltem si conferatur cum Vindiciis P. Step. Viti, pro Scotia antiqua Seu Hibernia. " This tract, unpublished, formed part of a Jesuit collection. It con- tains twenty folios written upon both sides. It has a few leaves of detached Irish MSS.
upon 4to paper.
^ This learned man is greatly extolled in
Lynch's "Cambrensis Eversus," vol. i. , cap. i. , p. 94, Dr. Kelly's edition.
4' The original edition appeared in folio
and the place where it was printed is not stated, At the instance of the Celtic Society was issued a new and greatly improved edition, with Introduction—a Life included—trans- lation into English, and notes explanatory, prepared by the Rev. Matthew Kelly, D. D. It appeared in three 8vo volumes, at Dublin, from the years 1848 to 1852.
Florilegium Insulge Sanctorum, seu Vitse et Acta
"
size,
*=In 1669, he published at St. Malo,
Pii Antistitis Icon ; sive de Vita et Morte Reverendissimi Francisci Kiroveni, Alla- densis Episcopi. " This work has been re- published at Dublin, 1848, in small quarto size, with a translation and notes by Rev. C. P. Meehan.
** In the •irEirinn. "
" Foras Feasa
From another
Irish,
styled,
Sorbonne,
1652.
entry,
it is
a. d.
we learn, that it was placed in St. Isidore's
45 Father Peter Mac Cormack, Guardian of St. Isidore's Convent, Rome, in the last century, says, this MS. has been traced by Dr. Jeolfry Keatmg, propria in. inu. Coin- ciding with this opinion is one of the late Dr. James Henthorn Todd, expressed to the Franciscan Fathers, at Roma, in 1862.
4* It was afterwards sent to St. Anthony's Franciscan Convent, Louvain, thence to St. Isidore's, Rome, and in 1872, it was trans- ferrei to the Coavent of St. Francis, Mer-
chants'-quay, Dublin.
4' The paper is of a faded colour, and
"
vol. ii. , p. 254.
INTRODUCTION. xli
aliaque nonnulla quorum elenchus post Prsefatione habetur. " Omnia nunc
primuni partini ex MS. codicibus, partim typis editis collegit et publicabat Thomas Messinghamus, Sacerdos Hibernus, S. R. E. Protonotarius, nee non Seminarii Hibernorum Parisiis Moderator. ^^ On the whole, this work is de- ficiently edited, and defective on the score of historical or topographical notes and criticism. However, some valuable disquisitions and observations are dispersed throughout, while some important acta have been included.
Early in this century, the Rev. Dr. Jeoffry Keating wrote his popular "His-
tory of the Kingdom of Ireland,"t'^ in our national language. A folio paper MS.
of this work, and thought to be the original, is yet extant. s It formerly be-
longed to the Franciscan Convent at Donegal. *^ It comprises 84 leaves,
numbered, and representing double that number of closely-written pages. 47
IthasbeenannotatedthroughoutbyColgan. Twopagesinhishandwriting are prefixed, and these contain the names of authors cited in this History.
Besides, there is another folio paper copy of Keating's History, preserved in the Library of the Convent of St. Francis, Merchants'-quay, Dublin. It is very legibly written in the Irish language and character. 4^ Agreat number
of manuscript copies of the History were multiplied by Irish scribes, and are yet preserved, in various places, before this work had been published, with
its English translations. Although much condemned by incompetent critics, and having some apocryphal statements introduced, yet Keating's is a volume of exceeeding great value for the student of Irish History. 49
But the illustrious martyr, Christopher Fleming, and the never-to-be-for- gotten Father Luke Wadding, so renowned as a pious, patriotic, and learned Irishman, were the first great promoters of that noble spirit, which served in the seventeenth century to perpetuate the early hagiographical fame of Ireland. Fleming was descended from the lords of Slane,^^ and he was born on the 17th of April, 1599, at a place called Bel-atha-Lagain, in the
*3 In this work are included two pieces under vellum covers,
from the pen of David Roth, afterwards *^ It is comprised in 373 pages, under calf Bisiiop of Ossory, viz. , "De Nominibus binding. From an entry, we find, that it
"
in Vitam S. Patricii a Jocelino Scriptam. "
Hiberiiiae Tractatus," and
Elucidatioaes
belonged to a Dr. James Duffy, of the dio- cese of Limerick, and of the College of
Lil)rary, Rome, by Father Murphy, Guar- dian, i6th July, A. D. 1739.
^9 ^ considerable number of editions, in Irish, and translated into English, have been issued during the last and the present cen- tury. One of the most valuable, probably, is O'Mahony's translation, published at New York, A. D. 1866. See the Life of Dr. Jeoffry Keating in Thomas D'Arcy M'Gee's "Gallery of Iris li Writers," pp. 34 to 43.
^° His genealogical pedigree will be found
in the
Ulster Journal of Archjeology,"
xlii INTRODUCTION.
of Cluain-Caoin, in the county of Louth. s' He was a of parish subject
Armagh diocese. Owing to early pious sentiments, his parents were induced to favour dispositions, which led him to embrace a religious life. At the age ofthirteen,hewassentovertotheContinent. Hismaternaluncle,Christo-
pher Cusack, presided over the Colleges of Douay, Tournay and other semi- naries, founded in those parts for the Catholic education of Irish students. Having studied humanity at Douay, Fleming afterwards entered the Fran- ciscan College of St. Anthony of Padua, at Louvain. s^ In 1616, the first stone of this celebrated house was laid by Prince Albert and Isabella. 53 On the 17th of March, 161 7, he took the probationary habit of St. Francis, from Father Anthony Hickey,54 then superior over that college. On the same day, in the following year, Fleming was solemnly received into the order of St. Francis. At the same time, he relinquished the baptismal name of Chris- topher, to assume in religion that of Ireland's patron saint. He continued his Philosophical and Theological studies until the year 1623. Then, in com- pany with Hugh Mac Caghwell, Definitor General of the Franciscan order, he removed to Rome. Taking Paris on the way, he formed a close friend- shipwithFatherHughWard. Thelatterwasurgedbyhimtocollectand prepare for publication materials for the Lives of our Irish Saints. To Fleming, therefore, is due the first enlightened idea of starting an undertaking, which afterwards was continued by Ward and Colgan. During Fleming's travels through Italy, and while he continued at Rome, he was diligently employed in collecting all the Lives of Irish Saints to be found in Manu- scripts. By earnest and pressing letters, he urged on Father Ward the duty of prosecuting this work. After some time. Father Fleming joined him in Louvain,andthereforsomeyearshetaughtPhilosophyandTheology. In 1630, he was appointed Superior of the Franciscans at Prague, in Bohemia. In different libraries of France, Italy and Germany, Fleming found a great variety of Irish Saints' Acts, and their writings. He had actually prepared for the press materials for a volume, which had been left in the hands of
5' The ruins of his family mansion are still
pointed out close by Lagan Bridge. See " The Irish Ecclesiastical Record," vol. vii. ,
February, 1871, p. 193. A very interesting Memoir follows.
5* In the month of July, 1863, the writer
bishop of Tuam, Philip III. , King of Spain, founded this College for the Irish Francis- cans. See Very Rev. Laurence F. Rene- han's " Collections' of Irish Church His- tory," edited by Very Rev. Daniel M'Carthy, D. D. , vol. i. , p. 398.
^ See some notices of him in Father Luke
" Ordinis Minorum, Wadding's Scriptores
Quibus accessit Syllabus Illorum, qui ex eodem ordine pro Fide Christi fortiter oc-
cubuerunt," pp. 33, 34. In the Franciscan Archives, Dublin, there is a letter from him to Father John Colgan, in reference to mate- rials for Irish Saints' Lives. It is in a very damaged state, and very difficult to be read ; however, as an autograph, it pos- sesses great interest.
had an opportunity for inspecting this vene-
rable house—now used a educa- by Belgian
tional religious community. It is situated
on the great square of Louvain, not far from
the magnificent church of St. Peter. The
College was founded A. d. 1607. See the
Bull of foundation in the Appendix to the
"
Fourth Report of the Commission of His-
torical Manuscripts," by J. T. Gilbert.
S3 At the solicitation of the Franciscan
Father, Florence Conry, afterwards Arch-
INTRODUCTION. xliii
Moret, a printer at Antwerp. In this he intended to comprise St. Colum- ban's acts and works, with those of some other Irish saints, appending notes and essays. 55 Before it could be published, however, or before its editor could arrange and mature other works on his country's sacred Antiquities,5° the devoted Franciscan was called away from this world to enjoy com- panionship with the saints. s7 His life terminated with the holy crown of
martyrdom.
A civil war raged in Germany, and Lutheranism, sustained by the vic-
torious arms of the Swedes and Saxons, brought a cruel persecution on
Catholics, and especially on religious, at that time Father Fleming had re- moved to Prague. This city was threatened with an assault, after the battle of Leipsic. 5^ In order to consult for their safety, nobles, citizens and clergy prepared to seek shelter in places more secure. Having made all necessary arrangements for flight, and having given the directions required, in case he should not survive, Father Patrick Taafe, and Brother Francis Magennisss— not then advanced to orders—had been directed to proceed towards Benes- chau village, about twenty-four miles S. S.
8jtbearsontheimprint,Rothomagi,A. D. 1 62 1. It appeared in Svo shape. See Watt's "Bibliotheca Britannica," vol. ii. , p. 813.
9 See an interesting account of this pre- late, in Rev. C. P. Meehan's "Rise and p"all of the Irish Franciscan Monasteries, and Memoirs of the Irish Hierarchy in the Seventeenth Century," chap, vi. , pp. 1 76 to 157^ and Appendix, pp. 347 to 356.
"Coneus was an Itahan theologian, sent by Pope Urban VIII. to the court of Hen-
rietta Maria, Queen of England,
" This Scotsman's work was published in
on
flights. See
Dempster, "
Kelly's
*This was printed at Paris, A. D. 1620, in
Catalonia, Spain
who at Rouen published
Thomas
Writers," pp. 112 to 118.
of Irish
the
227, 228.
and Irish
D'Arcy
Gallery
Scotch, English,
Jesuits," pp.
'7 He was born at Dublin in
M'Gee's "
'* Who styles himself " Veredicus Hiber- iius. "
'5 Most likely this is the nobleman G. F. ,
whose initials only are given, and who is
said to have possessed the original copy of
"
Vitffi Sanctorum" belonging to the Island of All Saints, on Lough Ree.
'*This book appeared at Antwerp, a. d, 1621, in 8vo.
"
'^ In 8vo, p. 117.
Sanctorum Augusti," tomus i. , iv. Augusti, Vita S. Luani seu Moluse.
'9 In 8vo shape. See Watt's " Biblio-
theca Britannica," vol. , i. , p. 370, f. g.
'"' See " Historise Catholicse Ibernise
Compendium," tomus i. , lib. iv. , cap. xii. ,
pp. 51 to 58.
" Very Rev. Matthew Kelly, D. D.
^"^ See n. ibid. , p. 57,
^3 The numbers represent 289 distinct
saints, connected with Ireland, and a great many of these were venerated on the Conti- nent.
and he died in 1644. See Bibliotheca Scripto- rum Societatis lesu, opus inchoatum a R. P. Petro Ribadenira," &c. A Nathanaele Sotvello, p. 224. An interesting biography
INTRODUCTION. xxxvii
ejusdem sacrse insulse originibus. "" This learned Bishop of Ossory was most zealous in promoting the knowledge of Irish ecclesiastical history and hagiology, during that stormy period in which he lived. His death occurred on the 2oth of April, a. d. 1650, soon after the city of Kilkenny surrendered to Oliver Cromwell. '3
Some anonymous author,'^ under the letters G. F. ,^s wrote a work, having
for its " Hibernise sive Scotise Vindiciae adversus Immodes- title, Antiquioris
tam Parechasim Thomse Dempsteri, modern! Scoti, nuper editam ; quibus accessit Nomenclatura Sanctorum Prsecipuorum Hibernise, per Hen. Fitz- Simons, Soc. Jesu. "'^ Previous to this time, Father Henry Fitz-Simons, a
"
celebrated Irish Jesuit, ^^ had compiled
Catalogus Aliquorum Sanctorum
Hibernise. " The first edition of this Catalogue was printed at Douai, a. d.
1 61 5. It appears to have been enlarged from a list of Irish saints, compiled
by another Irish Jesuit, Father Richard Flaminius, or Fleming, who lived in Paris. A second edition appeared at Liege, a. d. 1619. '^ This work had
been republished, likewise, at Antwerp, a. d. 1621. ^9 This interesting Calendar has been re-issued—at least in part—by Philip O'SulleyaiLBeare. '" It has been inferred, by a late learned editor of his work,^' that O'SuUevan, who was composing the first part of his history in l6. i8, had not then seen the first edition of Fitz-Simon's Catalogue. ^^ From the manner in which O'Sullevan alludes to it, this, indeed, is extremely probable. Father Henry Fitz-Simon has disposed the names. Latinized, and in an alphabetical form, while he quotes also those authors, who treat concerning the holy personssodistinguished. Lesttherecordsopreparedmightperish,andno previous and similar list pubhshed before that time being considered more complete, O'Sullevan resolved to include, with numeration at each alpha- betical entry, those names, in his History. ^3 Besides this list, he inserts
" Some fragments of this work have been recovered by the Rev. James Graves, A. B. , M. R. I. A.
'3 It is said, he left in manuscript an "Ecclesiastical History of Ireland," and other writings, which are probably lost. See
of this remarkable man will be found in the "Irish Ecclesiastical Record," vol. viii,, Nos. Ixxxix. , xc, xci. , xcii. , xciii. , xcv. , xcvi. , and vol. ix. , Nos. xcvii. , xcviii. , c, cii. , cv.
1569,
"
tions towards illustrating the Biography of
See likewise Rev. George Oliver's
CoUec-
See likewise "Acta
xxxviii INTRODUCTION.
another catalogue of our national saints. ^* Their festivals were arranged, according to the order of months and days, yet hardly were they drawn together with sufficient elaborateness and care. ^s Seldom more than the simple name of each saint is given. In addition, O'Sullevan presents another list, collected by Conveus,^^ from the works of approved authors. '^ This was especially extracted from a small book, treating on the hagiology and literary proficiency of the Irish. Only a few saints' names are included, in thislist,withsomebriefnoticesreferringtothem. Insomeoftheprevious chapters, likewise, O'Sullevan Beare commemorates holy prelates, doctors, and saints belonging to Ireland. "^ In the course of this present work, frequent references will be found, at the various festivals assigned to each saint thus recorded. Yet, there can be no doubt, that mistakes and typo- graphical errors abound in those Catalogues ; while some holy persons are noted as Irish, without any satisfactory authentication of their nationality. In the year 1629, O'Sullevan pubHshed his Life of our Irish Apostle, inti-
tuled,
" Decas
Patriciana,"
or " St. Patrick's Decade. " It was so
called,
because this work had been divided into Ten Books, while each Book con-
tained Ten Chapters. The first eight Books are devoted to the Acts of the
great Irish Apostle. They are generally in accord with the longer lives,
afterwardspublishedbytheBoUandistsandbyColgan. Theninthbooktreats
on the history of St. Patrick's Purgatory ; while the tenth book contains
much miscellaneous matter on Irish history, and especially on that period
subsequent to the Reformation, together with his singular treatise, intended
as a to and " This work
reply Ussher, intituled, Archicomigeromastix. "*?
was the first in a series of Irish Saints' Lives he designed publishing ;3® for
he had completed the Acts of St. Kyran of Saiger, of St. Abban, of St. Ailbe, of St. Declan, and of St. Mochudda. Excepting the Latin translation of an Irish Life of St. Mochua, which he gave to Father John Boland, no other national saint's biography issued, nor had Colgan been able to ascer- tain where his manuscripts were deposited. 3^
The interest awakened on the Continent of Europe, by the peculiar reli- gious and political state of Ireland, and the circumstance, that the works of
**The author's name was unknown to him.
'SOver 220 distinct entries of saints, pre- sumably Irish, are here inserted.
"^^
Father Ricardus Convoeus was a Jesuit. ^7 It is headed : "Catalogus Quorundam Sanctorum, Virorumque illustrium Iberno- rum, alias Scotorum, seu Irlandorum, qui varias mundi plagas disseminandse aut con- servandae fidei, sacrarumque literarum desi- derio incensi peragrarunt aut speciali bene- ficio patroni habentur, ommissis innumeris
qui domi floruerunt. "
''See " Historise CatholicaB Ibemiae Com-
pendium,"tomusi. , lib. , i. , cap. ii. , p. 6, lib.
iv. , cap. i. toxiv. , pp. 93 to 112.
*9 This title has been translated "Scourge
of the Arch-horned. "
30 There is an interesting Life of Philip
O'Sullevan Beare, written by the Rev. Mat-
thew Kelly, prefixed to the edition of his
History. See, likewise, Thomas D. M'Gee's
"
Gallery of Irish Writers," pp. 24 to 33. 3' gee the Preface, written by the Rev.
Matthew Kelly, D. D. , and prefixed to the second edition of the "Historic Catholicac
Iberniae Compendium," supervised by him, and published at Dublin, A. D. 1850, in 8vo. The first edition of this work appeared in l62j.
3» Especially in relation to Irish History and Topography.
33 In the Burgundian Library, at Bruxelles, there is a very large folio paper MS . , classed
as vol. xxi. , and containing Nos. 7658, 7659, 7660, 7661. This is bound in vel- lum, and from the class-mark, it would seem originally to have belonged to a Jesuit Li- brary. The title or heading occupies half the first page, and has the following note written across it, in an old hand differing
" Authore N. P. Stephano "
The title is as follows " Vindiciae Scoto-
genti numero Sanctorum Ibemiae Scotorum veterum immerito privant et transformant in Neoscotos Britanniae Insulae posteros, priscae Pictorum ac Dalreudinorum Gentis candido Lectori memorabilium antiquitatum amanti. S. " This first part contains a Pre- face, with the censurae of various ancient authors, and afterwards a table of contents, divided into eleven chapters. The body of the tract commences at p. 14, and it is con- tinued in 202 folios, written on both sides. Then a different character of hand appears, which cbntinues to p. 309, written very
from the text
Vito, soc'^. Jesu Hiberno, Clonmeliensi.
:
:
rum veterum. Sanctorum indigenarum Iber-
niae oceani magnae Insulae, quas olim ab
immemorabili tempore, passim per Europam usque ad annum Christi saltem 1000 audie- bat Scotia, deinde vero per 200 et amplius annos dicebatur Scotia major sive vetus, ad discrimen Scotiae primoris et novae, quae ante per plurima secula audiebat Patria Pic- torum Britanniffi. In tres libros distributse, adversus graves crebrosque errores novorum de rebus Scoticis historicorum Hectoris Boetii, Georgii Buccanani, Georgij Tomsoni, Roberti Turneri, sub nomine Joannis Leslei, et asseclarum ipsorum qui Ibernorum natio-
nem et patriam prisco nomine proprio chris- tianorum Scotorum et Scotiae, una cum in-
and on both sides.
3* Some notices of the author are prefixed,
by the learned editor. See the Dublin edi-
tion, A. D. 1849.
33 Dr. Todd called the attention of Mr.
Bindon to a manuscript fragment in the Latin language, forming part of the Ussher Collection, in the Library of Trinity College, Dublin, classed E. 3. 19. Upon inspection, it was discovered, it is a part of this work of Stephen White, which is above de- scribed.
3* It is the only one of the author, as yet published. Another Tract, " De Sanctis et Antiquitate Hibemiaj," had been thought
worthy of publication ; yet, it appears never to have seen the light.
INTRODUCTION. XXXlX
Giraldus Cambrensis,32 since the invention of printing, had been extensively circulated and read, caused some learned and patriotic Irishmen to refute
the calumnies of that accomplished and effective, but vain and prejudiced writer. One of the first to enter the lists was Father Stephen White, a learned Jesuit. He wrote some very exhaustive and valuable treatises. 33 One of these is
" Hibernia adversus Cambri Calum- Apologia pro
entided,
nias : sive fabularum et famosorura Libellorum Silvestri Giraldi Cambrensis, sub vocabulis Topographise, sive de Mirabilibus Hiberniae, et Historia Vati- cinalis, sive Expugnationis ejusdem Insulae Refutatio. " This tract, preserved in the Burgundian Library, at Brussels, had long lain in MS. , until it was published and edited with various additions, by the Very Rev. Matthew Kelly, D. D. 3+ The original treatise had been composed very early in the seventeenthcentury,andprobablybeforetheyear1615. Withgreathonesty and research, but with a tone of controversial acerbity, the patriotic writer, White, proceeds to refute various errors and misrepresentations of Giraldus. 35 His work is rather diffuse, however, and it abounds with unnecessary repe- titions. In this particular treatise,3^ the sanctity and learning, for which Ireland had been famous during ages long past, have been ably vindicated, while the names and acts of various holy persons are instanced, for proof of several propositions advanced by the author. He states, also, that while
closely
xl INTRODUCTION.
compiling this work,37 he consulted, in addition to various published books, very mxny ancient manuscripts. 38 Much use has been made of this learned tract, as must appear from subsequent pages of the present work. 39 Father StephenWhite''"wasafriendofArchbishopUssher. Thecontentsofthe Bruxeiles MS. , or of the part, fastened within the binding, amount in all to about 1,000 closely written pages. It was evidently a copy, made perhaps for the author, by four, or, at all events, by three different scribes. As for its contents, as a valuable historical document, information appears to have been drawn from many and high authorities. The immense amount of
learning with which the author was gifted, and the facility of arrangement with which he has used it, are apparent.
Later still was written the " Cambrensis seu celebrated, Eversus, potius
Historica Fides in Rebus Hibernicis Giraldo Cambrensi abrogata," and it was published a. d. 1662,4' by its author. Dr. John Lynch, under the anony-
mous designation of Gratianus Lucius. Altogether abstracting from its im- portance, as a work of refutation, it embraces a great variety of well-digested and accurate information in reference to Irish History. The labours of
various eminent ecclesiastics, his countrymen, had already supplied the author with materials to render the hagiographical portion of his work espe- cially valuable. This, however, was not the only service he rendered to Irish historical and biographical literature. 4*
One of the first efforts, to invest with the immortality of print, a separate collection of Offices and Acts of the Irish Saints, was attempted by Thomas Messingham, a secular priest of Leinster, and who was Moderator of the
" Columbae,BrigidaeetaliorumquorundamHiberniasSanctorum. " Thiswas
"
followed in 1624, by his
Sanctorum Hibernige, quibus accesserunt non vulgaria monumenta, hoc est Sancti Patricii Purgatorium, S. Malachise Prophetiae de Summis Pontificibus,
Irish College in Paris. There a. d. 1620, he published
Officia S. S. Patricii,
37 Pi-obably at Dilengen.
38 The Rev. Dr. Oliver, in his "Collec-
tions towards the of illustrating Biography
the Scotch, English, and Irish Members of the Society of Jesus, "has alluded with com- mendation to this Irish Father and his works. See No. cclxxxvii. , p. 250.
39 At the end of this MS. volume will be found a detached folio tract, entitled, upon the cover, "Apologia pro Sanctis Scotiae, sed Infirma videtursaltem si conferatur cum Vindiciis P. Step. Viti, pro Scotia antiqua Seu Hibernia. " This tract, unpublished, formed part of a Jesuit collection. It con- tains twenty folios written upon both sides. It has a few leaves of detached Irish MSS.
upon 4to paper.
^ This learned man is greatly extolled in
Lynch's "Cambrensis Eversus," vol. i. , cap. i. , p. 94, Dr. Kelly's edition.
4' The original edition appeared in folio
and the place where it was printed is not stated, At the instance of the Celtic Society was issued a new and greatly improved edition, with Introduction—a Life included—trans- lation into English, and notes explanatory, prepared by the Rev. Matthew Kelly, D. D. It appeared in three 8vo volumes, at Dublin, from the years 1848 to 1852.
Florilegium Insulge Sanctorum, seu Vitse et Acta
"
size,
*=In 1669, he published at St. Malo,
Pii Antistitis Icon ; sive de Vita et Morte Reverendissimi Francisci Kiroveni, Alla- densis Episcopi. " This work has been re- published at Dublin, 1848, in small quarto size, with a translation and notes by Rev. C. P. Meehan.
** In the •irEirinn. "
" Foras Feasa
From another
Irish,
styled,
Sorbonne,
1652.
entry,
it is
a. d.
we learn, that it was placed in St. Isidore's
45 Father Peter Mac Cormack, Guardian of St. Isidore's Convent, Rome, in the last century, says, this MS. has been traced by Dr. Jeolfry Keatmg, propria in. inu. Coin- ciding with this opinion is one of the late Dr. James Henthorn Todd, expressed to the Franciscan Fathers, at Roma, in 1862.
4* It was afterwards sent to St. Anthony's Franciscan Convent, Louvain, thence to St. Isidore's, Rome, and in 1872, it was trans- ferrei to the Coavent of St. Francis, Mer-
chants'-quay, Dublin.
4' The paper is of a faded colour, and
"
vol. ii. , p. 254.
INTRODUCTION. xli
aliaque nonnulla quorum elenchus post Prsefatione habetur. " Omnia nunc
primuni partini ex MS. codicibus, partim typis editis collegit et publicabat Thomas Messinghamus, Sacerdos Hibernus, S. R. E. Protonotarius, nee non Seminarii Hibernorum Parisiis Moderator. ^^ On the whole, this work is de- ficiently edited, and defective on the score of historical or topographical notes and criticism. However, some valuable disquisitions and observations are dispersed throughout, while some important acta have been included.
Early in this century, the Rev. Dr. Jeoffry Keating wrote his popular "His-
tory of the Kingdom of Ireland,"t'^ in our national language. A folio paper MS.
of this work, and thought to be the original, is yet extant. s It formerly be-
longed to the Franciscan Convent at Donegal. *^ It comprises 84 leaves,
numbered, and representing double that number of closely-written pages. 47
IthasbeenannotatedthroughoutbyColgan. Twopagesinhishandwriting are prefixed, and these contain the names of authors cited in this History.
Besides, there is another folio paper copy of Keating's History, preserved in the Library of the Convent of St. Francis, Merchants'-quay, Dublin. It is very legibly written in the Irish language and character. 4^ Agreat number
of manuscript copies of the History were multiplied by Irish scribes, and are yet preserved, in various places, before this work had been published, with
its English translations. Although much condemned by incompetent critics, and having some apocryphal statements introduced, yet Keating's is a volume of exceeeding great value for the student of Irish History. 49
But the illustrious martyr, Christopher Fleming, and the never-to-be-for- gotten Father Luke Wadding, so renowned as a pious, patriotic, and learned Irishman, were the first great promoters of that noble spirit, which served in the seventeenth century to perpetuate the early hagiographical fame of Ireland. Fleming was descended from the lords of Slane,^^ and he was born on the 17th of April, 1599, at a place called Bel-atha-Lagain, in the
*3 In this work are included two pieces under vellum covers,
from the pen of David Roth, afterwards *^ It is comprised in 373 pages, under calf Bisiiop of Ossory, viz. , "De Nominibus binding. From an entry, we find, that it
"
in Vitam S. Patricii a Jocelino Scriptam. "
Hiberiiiae Tractatus," and
Elucidatioaes
belonged to a Dr. James Duffy, of the dio- cese of Limerick, and of the College of
Lil)rary, Rome, by Father Murphy, Guar- dian, i6th July, A. D. 1739.
^9 ^ considerable number of editions, in Irish, and translated into English, have been issued during the last and the present cen- tury. One of the most valuable, probably, is O'Mahony's translation, published at New York, A. D. 1866. See the Life of Dr. Jeoffry Keating in Thomas D'Arcy M'Gee's "Gallery of Iris li Writers," pp. 34 to 43.
^° His genealogical pedigree will be found
in the
Ulster Journal of Archjeology,"
xlii INTRODUCTION.
of Cluain-Caoin, in the county of Louth. s' He was a of parish subject
Armagh diocese. Owing to early pious sentiments, his parents were induced to favour dispositions, which led him to embrace a religious life. At the age ofthirteen,hewassentovertotheContinent. Hismaternaluncle,Christo-
pher Cusack, presided over the Colleges of Douay, Tournay and other semi- naries, founded in those parts for the Catholic education of Irish students. Having studied humanity at Douay, Fleming afterwards entered the Fran- ciscan College of St. Anthony of Padua, at Louvain. s^ In 1616, the first stone of this celebrated house was laid by Prince Albert and Isabella. 53 On the 17th of March, 161 7, he took the probationary habit of St. Francis, from Father Anthony Hickey,54 then superior over that college. On the same day, in the following year, Fleming was solemnly received into the order of St. Francis. At the same time, he relinquished the baptismal name of Chris- topher, to assume in religion that of Ireland's patron saint. He continued his Philosophical and Theological studies until the year 1623. Then, in com- pany with Hugh Mac Caghwell, Definitor General of the Franciscan order, he removed to Rome. Taking Paris on the way, he formed a close friend- shipwithFatherHughWard. Thelatterwasurgedbyhimtocollectand prepare for publication materials for the Lives of our Irish Saints. To Fleming, therefore, is due the first enlightened idea of starting an undertaking, which afterwards was continued by Ward and Colgan. During Fleming's travels through Italy, and while he continued at Rome, he was diligently employed in collecting all the Lives of Irish Saints to be found in Manu- scripts. By earnest and pressing letters, he urged on Father Ward the duty of prosecuting this work. After some time. Father Fleming joined him in Louvain,andthereforsomeyearshetaughtPhilosophyandTheology. In 1630, he was appointed Superior of the Franciscans at Prague, in Bohemia. In different libraries of France, Italy and Germany, Fleming found a great variety of Irish Saints' Acts, and their writings. He had actually prepared for the press materials for a volume, which had been left in the hands of
5' The ruins of his family mansion are still
pointed out close by Lagan Bridge. See " The Irish Ecclesiastical Record," vol. vii. ,
February, 1871, p. 193. A very interesting Memoir follows.
5* In the month of July, 1863, the writer
bishop of Tuam, Philip III. , King of Spain, founded this College for the Irish Francis- cans. See Very Rev. Laurence F. Rene- han's " Collections' of Irish Church His- tory," edited by Very Rev. Daniel M'Carthy, D. D. , vol. i. , p. 398.
^ See some notices of him in Father Luke
" Ordinis Minorum, Wadding's Scriptores
Quibus accessit Syllabus Illorum, qui ex eodem ordine pro Fide Christi fortiter oc-
cubuerunt," pp. 33, 34. In the Franciscan Archives, Dublin, there is a letter from him to Father John Colgan, in reference to mate- rials for Irish Saints' Lives. It is in a very damaged state, and very difficult to be read ; however, as an autograph, it pos- sesses great interest.
had an opportunity for inspecting this vene-
rable house—now used a educa- by Belgian
tional religious community. It is situated
on the great square of Louvain, not far from
the magnificent church of St. Peter. The
College was founded A. d. 1607. See the
Bull of foundation in the Appendix to the
"
Fourth Report of the Commission of His-
torical Manuscripts," by J. T. Gilbert.
S3 At the solicitation of the Franciscan
Father, Florence Conry, afterwards Arch-
INTRODUCTION. xliii
Moret, a printer at Antwerp. In this he intended to comprise St. Colum- ban's acts and works, with those of some other Irish saints, appending notes and essays. 55 Before it could be published, however, or before its editor could arrange and mature other works on his country's sacred Antiquities,5° the devoted Franciscan was called away from this world to enjoy com- panionship with the saints. s7 His life terminated with the holy crown of
martyrdom.
A civil war raged in Germany, and Lutheranism, sustained by the vic-
torious arms of the Swedes and Saxons, brought a cruel persecution on
Catholics, and especially on religious, at that time Father Fleming had re- moved to Prague. This city was threatened with an assault, after the battle of Leipsic. 5^ In order to consult for their safety, nobles, citizens and clergy prepared to seek shelter in places more secure. Having made all necessary arrangements for flight, and having given the directions required, in case he should not survive, Father Patrick Taafe, and Brother Francis Magennisss— not then advanced to orders—had been directed to proceed towards Benes- chau village, about twenty-four miles S. S.
