No More Learning

Fasting was very strictly observed by St. Columba,* ? and by his monks,
08 and Friday —throughouttheyear exceptingtheintervalbetweenEasterandWhitSunday
as a chief —of mortification.
practice Every Wednesday*
was
was a fast day, when no food was taken until None/00 Lent strictly
asa for 10 with the kept, preparation Easter,* and,
of exception Sunday,
the
fast was prolonged until evening, when a light meal, consisting of such food, asbread,eggs,anddilutedmilk,wastaken. 411 However,ifavisitorhappened to arrive on an ordinary fast-day of the week, the fast was relaxed in his
12 and more
severe weather, or after hard labour, the superior sometimes allowed his
favour,*
generous
fare than that taken was allowed. *13 In usually
monkstorest. *'* on They slept
beds,*
1* distributed
through
theseveralcells,
barley flesh. *2* On
on
was
ofstraw,*16 and
1?
1 ? sometimes made from
flour,*
offish,*
of eggs,*
and of milk,*
and probably of seal's
pallets
very simple. *'
8
provided It consisted of
pillows. * bread,*
20
21
22
23
2 26
with
Their refection ordinary
Sundays and great Festivals,* * there was an improvement of diet,* as
on every day, except on Wednesdays and Fridays, when the first meal was takenatNone. FromthemiddleofSeptembertothebeginningofLent, the first meal was continuously after None. During Lent, only the first meal was delayed until sun-down. *3° These practices and usages of St. Coluniba and of his monks being premised, the narrative of his subsequent acts may by rendered more intelligible to the general reader.
28 and other kinds of flesh
2?
The number of meals usually allowed is not known, or the times when these were served; but, it seems likely, that St. Columba's discipline was milder that that of St. Comgall or of St. Columban. *20 It probably resembled St. Benedict's Rule, which allowed dinner at twelve, and supper at evening, every day between Easter and Pentecost. After Pentecost, these meals were allowed
beef,*
mutton,*
meat,
were
probably permitted.
*3° See
iii. , lib. ii. , cap. 3.
*" See lib. ii. , cap. 19, lib. iii. , cap. 23.
*22 This we learn, from a statement of Venerable Bede's " Historia Ecclesiastica Venerable Bede. See " Historia Ecclesias- Gentis Anglorum," lib. iii. , cap. v. , pp. 169 tica Gentis Anglorum," lib. iii. , cap. 23,
404 See
ibid. ,
lib. ii. ,
cap. 9, 39,
lib.
cap. 23.
405 See ibid. , lib. iii. , cap. 23. Also,
to 174. Edhio Cantahrigse, 1644, fol.
406 See Adamnan's " Lifeof St. Columba,"
lib. ii. , cap. 9.
4°? See Prsefacio Secunda, p. 9.
408 See ibid. , lib. i. , 26.
4°9 See Venerable Bede's "Historia Ec-
clesiastica Gentis Anglorum," lib. iii. ,
p. 226.
4; 3 See Adamnan's "Life of St. Co-
lumba," lib. ii. , cap. 16, 38, lib. iii. , cap. 23.
*24 See lib. i. , cap. 41. 425 See lib. iii. , cap. 12.
**
« See lib. i. , cap. 21, 29.
See lib. ii. , cap. 29. ^ See lib. i, cap. 41.
The Rule and Penitential of St. Co-
" Collec-
430 gee Rev. Dr. Reeves' Adamnan's "Life of St. Columba. " Additional Notes N. In- stitutio Hyensis, sect. ii. Disciplina, pp. 343to356.
cap. v. , p. 171.
"
4. 0
See Adamnan's
Life of St. Co-
4:8
lumba," lib. , ii. , cap. 39.
4. 1 See Venerable Bede's "Historia Ec-
clesiastica Gentis Anglorum," lib, iii. , cap. xxiii. , p. 226.
4 " See Adamnan's "Life of, St. Co- lumba," lib. i. , cap. 26.
4I3 See ibid. , lib. i. , cap. 21.
4. 4 See lib. i. , cap. 29.
4. 5 See lib. ii. , cap. 30, lib. iii. , cap. 6. 4. 6 See lib. iii. , cap. 233.
4I ? See lib. i. , cap. 1, lib. iii. , cap. 233. 4. 8 See lib. i. , cap. 21.
4. 9Seelib. ii. , cap. 4*
lumba are to be found in
tanea Sacra," with various learned Annota- tions. The Regula S. Columbani Abbatis is written in Ten Chapters, extending from pp. 4 to 8; while the Regula Coenobialis Fratrum, sive Liber de Quotidianis Poeni- tentiis Monachorum, is in Fifteen Chapters, from pp. 19 to 24.
Fleming's
June 9. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 405
CHAPTER X.
T. COLUMBA's MANNER OF LIVING AT IONA—VARIOUS ANECDOTES ILLUSTRATING IT —HIS SPIRIT OF PROPHECY AND HIS GIFTS OF SECOND SIGHT—HIS SPIRITUAL ILLUMINATIONS—HIS HEALING OF THE SICK AND MIRACULOUS MANIFESTATIONS.
As dates for the acts of St. —Columba are wanting for the most part—in some cases they may be inferred and as chronological order seems to have been
overlooked by his biographers in their arrangement ; it is not possible to do more than place these transactions in a form, which may serve to complete the
narrative, although their circumstantial position is mostly conjectural and arbi-
The hut or in which St. Columba trary. cell,
1
usually There, too,hestudiedandwrote; whilewefind,also,thathewasfrequentlyattended by a favourite and faithful minister Diermaid or Diormitius,3 who had accom- paniedhimfromIreland. 4 Thencehewenttothechurch,atstatedintervals,
studied,
was erected on a small
2
eminence, overlooking
the other cells.
—of the
accompanied by his monks over whom he presided. That St. Columba had a clear and powerful voice seems a well-authenticated tradition ; since thosewhoheardhimsingingpsalmsinthechurchrelatedit. 6 Whenengaged in choir with the brothers, the venerable man raised his voice so wonderfully, that it was sometimes heard four and sometimes 8
to offer up the Holy Sacrifice Mass,
furlongs off,? eight furlongs. Besides indicating a strong constitution and powerful physique, this natural gift serves to account for the impression his clear and loud intonation must
have produced, whether addressing a few persons or large multitudes. ' But what was stranger still, to the brethren in the church, his voice did not seem louder than that of others ; while at the same time, persons more than a mile away heard it so distinctly, that they could mark each syllable, for his voice sounded the same whether he was far off or near. 10 It is admitted, however, this occurred only rarely, and not always ; even so, it could never happen without the aid the Holy Ghost.
The following anecdotes appear to rest on monastic traditions at Iona,
before they had been committed to writing. A certain young man, named
Columbanus 11 a vessel full of milk to that where the Bruin, brought place
saint was writing, at the door of his little cell. Columbanus requested him to bless it, as he was accustomed to do. While our saint made the victorious
Chapter X.
—x As all vestiges of St. 6 See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga," Columba's original monastery have been Tertia Vita S. Columboe, cap. x. , p. 333; swept away, long since his time ; it should Quarta Vita S. Columbse, lib. i. , cap. xxxvii. , now be impossible, even to conjecture that pp. 346, 347 ; Quinta Vita S. Columbae, exact spot, where his cell stood.
2 This hu—t was " in eminentiore loco fabricatum. " Rev. Dr. Reeves' Adamnan's "Life of St. Columba," lib. iii. , cap. 22,
p. 227. .
3 He is frequently alluded to, in Adam-
nan's "Life of St. Columba. "
4 In the year 563, when the saint left for
Britain.
5 A
very interesting
ner of living in community is given by Father Thomas Innes, in his " Civil and Ec-
clesiastical History of Scotland," book ii. , sect, xxvii. to xxx. , pp. 16410172.
lib. ii. , cap. xcix. , p. 427. 1 Or five hundred paces,
account of their man-
,0 This account is to be found in his Iri^h "
dwelt,
and in which he
and to assist at the choir offices— s
8
Or one thousand paces.
9 This is further illustrated, in the trans-
actions of our saint, when he visited the court of King Brude, about a. d. 565, and when he was opposed by the Pictish Druids. See E. W. Robertson's "Scotland under her early Kinys," vol. i. , chap. i. p. 7.
Life, found in the Leabhar Breac," in the
Highland Society's Manuscript, and in the Book of Lismore.
"Probably another instance of Colum-
406
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [June q
12
bar J 3 which fastened down the lid of that pail ** was pushed back, through
two openings, which received it, and it was shot away to a very great distance.
The cover then fell to the ground, and the most part of the milk was spilled.
The youth then laid this vessel, with the little milk that was left in it, upon
the ground. He humbly fell on his knees in prayer. The saint then said :
" Rise up, Columbanus, for you have been negligent in performing your duty
this day ; because you did not chase away, with a sign of the cross, a Devil '3
that lurked in the bottom of the empty vessel, before you poured in the milk.
The Demon, being unable to sustain the virtue of this sacred sign, has now
fled away in terror, having disturbed the vessel, and spilled the milk it con-
tained. " 16 Our saint blessed the little milk that was left, and lo ! that vessel,
which before was almost empty, after the benediction of his sacred hand, be-
camemiraculouslybrimful. 1? Itfelloutatonetime,thatabrotherknownas
Molua, grandson of Brian, came to the place where the saint was writing,
andsaidtohim "Ibeseechyou,blessthisknife,whichIholdinmyhand. " :
Still holding the pen, the saint stretched out his hand, and without turning his
sign of the cross in the air,
the vessel began to shake; for a wooden cross-
facefromthebookinwhichhehadbeen 8 Hethusblessedthe writing. '
knife, according to the brother's request, by forming over it a sign of the cross.
:
Moluabeinggone,oursaintasked "WhatsortofaknifehaveIblessedfor
that brother ? " Diarmit his familiar attendant answered
banus for Colmanus Nepos Briuni, i. e. Ua p. 326 ; Quinta Vita S. Columbae, lib. ii. ,
with cattle are killed. " Then the saint " I trust replied :
in our
that this weapon I have blessed shall never do hurt to a man or beast. " 1 ? The truth of which sentence was shown in effect that very same hour. For going out of the monastic enclosure, with intent to kill an ox, that brother endea- voured thrice to effect his object, and yet he could not so much as pierce the animal'sskin. 20 Anotherda)',asignalwasgivenfromacrossthestrait,atthe Island of Iona. 21 Hearing the shout," as he was sitting in his little hut '3
D|\iuin. Colgan has a long note, to prove that this was the Colman, abbot of Lindis-
fame, who, after the Synod of Whitby, sailed with his fraternity A. D. 668, to Inis- bofind. and who died in 676. See "Trias Thaumaturga," Quarta Vita S. Columba? , lib. ii. , cap. xvi. , and n. 16, pp. 354, 382, 383. But, the comparison of dates renders this very unlikely.
"
cap. xvi. , p. 354 ; Quinta Vita S. Columbae, lib. ii. , cap. lxix. , p. 422.
,7 See Rev. Dr. Reeves' Adamnan's
"Life of St. Columba," lib. ii. , cap. 16,
pp. 125, 126, and nn. (a, b, c, d, e, f).
12 The ancient memoirs of St. Patrick
Thaumaturga," Vita Quarta S. Columbae, lib. ii. , cap. xxix. , p. 357 ; Vita Quinta S. Columbae, lib. ii. , cap. 1. , p. 418.
*9 See " Life of St. Columba, Founder of Hy," written by Adamnan, Ninth Abbot of that Monastery, edited by William Reeves,
by tropeo etiam crucis in omni hora diei noctisque centies se
Muirchu relate of him, that
signans, et ad omnes cruces quascunque D. D. , M. R. I. A. , &c, book ii. , chap, xxx. ,
vidisset orati—onis gratia de curru discendens p. 57.
" "° fol. a.
When this
circumstance came to the
declinabat Liber Armacanus, 7, b,
13 Adamnan terms it "gergenna. "
14 ' • Fcrrum aut lignum teres, quo per duas
ansas transmis^o operculum firmatur ne ex- cidat. "—" Acta Sanctorum," tomus ii. , Junii ix. , Vita Secunda S. Columbae Abbatis, cap. ii. , n. (e), p. 219.
*s An enumeration of all the — superstitions
monks' knowledge, it is said, they skilfully smelted the iron of this knife, and then ap- plied a thin coating of it, to all the iron tools used in their monastery. Such was the efficacy of our saint's blessing, that those tools could never afterwards inflict a wound on flesh. See Adamnan's Vita S.
regarding milk in its various stages preva- Columbae, lib. ii. , cap. xxix. Rev. Ur.
lent even in the present day among the pe—a- santry of Scotland and the north of Ireland should require more space, than the limited nature of a note permits, remarks the Rev. Dr. Reeves, at this passage.
16 See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga," Secunda Vita S. Columbae, cap. viii. ,
Reeves' edition, p. 143, andnn. (a, b, c, d), ibid.
2I wide.
22
In calm weather, a strong voice may be heard across the strait. The only mode now in use of making a signal for a boat is to
l8
See this account in Colgan's "Tiias
:
" A knife, where-
firmly
Lord,
The strait is about an English mile
June 9. ] LIVES OF THE TRTSH SAINTS. 407
are to be seen in the illuminations of some vi. ,
"
Britannicarum Ecclesiarum Antiqui-
" manuscripts. See Keller's Bilder und
Schriftzuge in den irischen Manuscripten," p. 92, plate vii. (Zurich, 185 1).
tates," cap. xvii. , p. 444.
38 The Irish fast on Wednesday was ob-
**
28
See Rev. Dr. Reeves' Adamnan's "Life
of St. Columba," lib. i. , cap. 25, and nn.
2 * the saint said
" That man who is
made of wood
the strait is not of very sharp wit, for when stopping here to-day he shall spill my inkhorn. " On hearing this, Diarmaid his minister stood a little in front of the door, expecting the arrival of this troublesome guest, and pre- pared to save the inkhorn. 25 But owing to some cause or other, he left that placeforamoment. Afterhisdeparture,thetroublesomeguestdidarrive. 26
planks,
:
shouting beyond
Advancing eagerly
garment, and thus spilled the ink. 28
tokissthe he the 2? withthehemofhis saint, upset inkhorn,
In a remarkable manner and by Divine inspiration was Columba gifted
with the spirit of prophecy 2Q and often he knew beforehand, when ;
guests were about to visit him from a distance, so that he was able to give orders for their suitable reception. 30 One day, as he was sitting at the fire, 31 in the monastery, he saw Lugbe, 32 of the family Mocumin, reading a book far
:
off, and to him he suddenly cried " Take care, my son, take care, for I
think that the book you are reading shall fall into a vessel full of water. And
so it really happened. 33 For the above-mentioned youth, on rising shortly afterwards, to perform some duty in the monastery, forgot the word of the holy man. Then that book, which he held negligently 34 under his arm,35 suddenly fell into the vessel of water. According to the ancient Roman
observance,Wednesday,FridayandSaturdayweredaysoffast;36 and,this practiceseemstohavebeenintroducedbySt. PatricktoIreland,3? whereit
was observed to a comparatively recent period. 38 Great discretionary power existed in heads of houses, however, under the Irish monastic system, to remit
the rules of fasting, on special occasions. 30 At a certain time, the saint spoke
raise a smoke, by burning a bundle of son of Tothal, a king, who lived at Alcluith heather ; and, as each owner of a boat has or Dunbarton.