43 A similar
sentence
was pronounced by St.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v6
" See John "
O'Donovan's Iri>hGrammar,"p. 274.
St. Columba lived on the Island of Hinba 22
; while,
of monasteries in viz. , 23 Cainnech,24 Brendan of 2*
Ireland, Comgall, Clonfert, and Cormac Hua Liathain,26 he happened to be there. These holy men with one accord choose, that St. Columba should consecrate the sacred
2
mysteries of the Eucharist in his church. ? Yielding to their pious desire, St.
Columba at once entered it with them on a 28 While Sunday.
celebrating Mass at their request, and in their presence, Brendan saw a very bright
12 See Rev. Dr. Reeves' Adamnan's
" 18
Life of St. Columba," lib, i. , cap. 21, lib. ii. , cap. 24, and lib. hi. , cap. 5, 17, 18, 23, sect. 4.
See ibid. , pp. 317 to 324.
19 See Martin's " Western Isles of Scot-
13 However, William F. Skene thinks this
name indicates that group called the Gar-
veloch Isles, situated in the centre of the
great channel, which separates the Island of
Mull from the mainland of Lorn, and also
styled the lmbach, or "sea-surrounded. "
The most westernly ofthe four Islands which "Life of St. Columba," lib. i. , cap. 21, pp. constitute this group, is denominated Elach-
nave and Eilean na Naomh, or " Island of
"
5o, 51.
23 Abbot of Bangor. His feast occurs at
It is a grassy Island rising to a
Saints. "
considerable
a small and sheltered bay, on the lower ground, facing which are a fountain, called
St. Columcille's Well, and the foundations
of what must have been a monastic estab- lishment,nearw—hicharetheremainsoftwo June.
"-"
bee-hive cells. " William F. Skene's Cel- 1 See Colgan's Trias Thaumaturga,"
height,
Kilkenny.
and has at the west side
He was vene- rated on the nth of October.
tic Scotland : a History of Ancient Alban, vol. ii. , book ii. , chap, iv. , pp. 128, 129.
"
Prima Vita S. Columba? , cap. xii. , p. 322; Secunda Vita S. Columba? , cap. xii. , and nn. n, 12, 13, p. 331; Tertia Vita S. Co-
lumba? , cap. xxxvii, p. 334 ; Quarta Vita S. Columba? , lib. iii. , cap. xvii. , p. 367, and n. (! 9)> P- 386 ; Quinta Vita S. Columbae, lib.
14 A conjecture has been offered, that previously to the occupation ofthe western Islands by the Scandinavians, Oransay separated from Colonsay by flood tide only, if not both of these Islands, at least the
ii. , cap. cvi. , p. 428. " 28
larger on—e seems to have been called See an account of this miraculous mani- Hymba. " "New Statistical Account of festation in Rev. Dr. Reeves' Adamnan's
Scotland," vol. vii. , part ii. , p. 544.
15 From Adamnan's " Life of St. Colum-
ba," lib. iii. , cap. 5, and n. (b), p. 197 ; also
"Life of St. Columba," lib. iii. , cap. 17,
pp. 219 to 222.
35 It is said to have shone like a comet.
land," p. 275.
29 See "Origines Parochiales Scotise,"
vol. ii. , and part i. , p. 339; also " Collec- tanea de Rebus Albanicis," pp. 2, 3.
21
2-
the 10th of May. 24 Patron of
See "Old Statistical Survey of Scot- land," vol. xvii. , pp. 272, 283.
See Rev. Dr. Reeves' Adamnan's
25 See his Life, at the 16th of May, in the Fifth Volume of this work, Art. i.
26
His festival was kept, on the 21st of
426 LIVES OF THE IRISHSAINTS. [June 9.
continued from the time of the consecration,30 until the termination of the sacred mysteries. 3' Afterwards, St. Brendan related what he had witnessed to the Abbots Comgall and Cainnech, all of whom had continual intercourse with each other. 32 The frequency of their churches in the west of Scotland indicates the connexion which existed between them and that region. 33 It was there, also, on other occasions, he had some extraordinary visions and visitations from Heaven. 34 Indeed, one of his biographers does not hesitate to say, that he had mental intuition of all that was taking place on earth, while he was living. 35
Again we are informed, that our saint came to the Hinbinan 3° Island, 37 on a certain occasion. He gave orders, on that same day, for some indul- gence 38 in food to the penitents ;39 as it was usual in Columba's religious establishments, to relax the strictness of dietary discipline, on the arrival of a distinguished visitor/ Among these penitents in that place, there was a certain Neman,*1 son of Cathir. Though ordered by the saint, he would not accept such little indulgence. This was a singularity in devotion, which Columba by no means approved ; and, he very justly desired, that this man should conform, in a spirit of monastic obedience, to the general usages of
their institute. The saint addressed him with these words " O Neman,
:
will you not accept any indulgence in food from me or from Baithen ? time
2 shallbe,whenyouwilleatmare'sflesh,* andbeconcealedinthewoodswith
robbers. "43 Accordingly, that person returning to the world was afterwards
39 This was a practice usual in the early
"
30 Such allusions as the present are valua- ble, not alone as recording particulars of our saint's biography, but also, as revealing clearly the doctrinal and ritual observance of that
monasteries. See Venerable Bede's
toria Ecclesiastica Gentis Anglorum," lib. ii.
early period.
31 The First Life of St. Columba, as pub-
"
His-
40 See Rev. Dr. Reeves' Adamnan's Life of St. Columba," lib. i. , cap. 21 , 26,
lished by Colgan, has this miraculous mani- festation as taking place after the recitation of the Gospel, which is also reconcilable with the account in the text.
32 See Rev. Dr. Reeves' Adamnan's
Life of St. Columba," n. (g), p. 222.
p. 51, n. (b), p. 55, n. (c).
41 Others of this name are mentioned, at
lib. i. , cap. 39, lib. ii. , cap. 4, of Adamnan's
Biography.
42 From the Manuscript Canons attributed
to St. Adamnan, and extant in Marsh's Library, as also from other authentic laws of the Irish Church, it appears, that certain meats were prohibited as unclean. Many of them are deiailed in Cummian's Peniten- tial. Some of those laws were founded on misapprehension regarding the temporary decree of the Council of Jerusalem, ordering
1'
33 This is specially shown, by consulting the volumes, known as Old and New Statis-
tical Account of Scotland, as also that ad- "
mirable topographical work OHgines Parochiales Scotise. "
"
34 See Rev. Dr. Reeves' Adamnan's
Life of St. Columba," lib. iii. , cap. 5, pp.
197, 198, and cap. 18, pp. 222, 223.
35 " Totum etiam mundum velut sub uno solis radio collectum, sinu mentis mirabi liter laxato manifestum perspiciens, speculnba- tur. "—Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga,"
Christians to abstain
"
from things strangled
Prima Vita S. ColumbDe, cap. xxviii. , jurious to health or connected with supersti- p. 324. tion, which the Church sought to extin- 36 Adamnan frequently puts the name of guish. In the Missal of St. Columbanus,
islands in the adjective form with insula. Thus he deals with Ethica, Iona, Malea.
37 The name Hinl a occurs in Adamnan's "Vita S. Columba," lib. i. , cap. 45, lib. ii. , cap. 24, lib. iii. , cap. 5, 17, 18, 23.
38 Yet, his own fasts were of a most rigor- ous character, and they were even increased in austerity, when he found a poor woman
there is a form of blessing for a vessel, into which anything unclean had fallen. This may be seen in " Musseum Italicum," vol. i. , P- 390.
43 A similar sentence was pronounced by St. Enna against a hypocritical layman, who refused to accept the hospitality offered by Crumther Coelan Echinis
ceteris fratribus cibum in charitate minis- tratum noluisti sumere, de carnibus eqiu, quern furaberis, manducabis, atque manuu-
living on still more wretched food. See "
Rev. S. Baring-Gould's Lives of the Saints," vol. vi. , pp. 121, 122.
and from blood,'' Ac;s xv. The cause for
the ;e and other prohibitions, it is impossi-
ble at this time to ascertain
probably some
;
meats were known by experience to be in-
:
" Tu qui cum
!
June 9. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 427
found in the wood with robbers, and eating that kind of flesh mentioned, and off a wooden hurdle. 4 * Thus was the saint's prediction accomplished.
In the year 574,4S according to the generally received j. chronology, died Conall, 46 sonof Comgall, King over Scottish Dalriada. While St. Columba lived in the Island of Himba, he fell into an ecstasy one night. 4 '' Then he saw an Angel of our Lord sent to him from Heaven. This Angel held in his hand a glass book,48 containing the ceremonies for installing kings,4 ^ which he offered to our saint, while commanding him to read it. This was intended to inculcate his obedience to the decrees of Heaven. Now, according to the law of Tanistry,s° Eogan, the cousin of Conall, and son of Gabhran who was slain by KingBrude,51 should succeed to the throne, in the natural course of events.
s2 as
ing out his hands, the Angel struck our saint with a whip. Afterwards, a black print or weal remained on Columba' s side all the remaining days of his
St. Columba could not be induced to
although it was commended and commanded in the book, because the saint better loved Iogenanus 54 or Eoghan,ss Aydan's brother. Suddenly stretch-
However,
inaugurate Aydan
king,S3
life. That Angel added further
:
" Know for certain, that I have been sent
to you by the Lord, to cause you, according as it is set down in this book, to
inaugurate Aydan as king. If you do not obey, I will strike you again. ">6
This Angel appeared for three successive nights, with a similar admonition
repeated. Thereupon, our saint obeyed the injunction of our Lord. To accomplish that end, Columba embarked for Hy, where he crowned Aydan king. This monarch came thither, about that same time ; and, the chonology fixed for his consecration as King of Scotland has been assigned to the year 574. " The object of Columba, in using that solemn rite, 58 was to place Aidan in the rank of an independent sovereign, and to induce the Pictish monarch
cando — " Acta Sanc- jugulaberis. " Colgan's
torum Hibernise," xxi. Martii. Vita S. Endei, cap. xxvi. , p. 709.
44 Hence, Anglice, Griddle, adds the Rev.
51 In the 560. See ibid. year
s2 He was the son of Gabhiain.
his mother, Aidan was connected with the Britons of Strathclyde ; and, for a few years,
:
Dr. Reeves " Alio die cum faber monas- he had played his part in the British wars.
terii non esset prope, S. Comgallus uni de
fratribus dixit: vade frater in officinam
fabri, e—t fac nobis craticulam ad assandos
pisces. " Fleming's "Collectanea Sacra," about A. D. 570, and he ruled for thirty-four
"
Rerum Scoti- carum Historic, lib. v. , p. 144.
s* This is the diminutive form of the name as found in Adamnan.
55 His death is recorded in "Annales Ultonienses," at A. n. 594, and in "Tiger- nachi Annales," atA. D. 596. See Rev. Dr. O'Conor's "Rerum Hibernicarum
Scripto-
res," tomus ii. , p. 159, and iv. p. 32.
56 See " Trias Vita Colgan's Thaumaturga,"
Vita S. Comgalli, cap. 33, p. 31CM. years, dying A. n. 604. See ""
45 See William F. Skene's Chronicles of the Picts, Chronicles of the Scots, and other Early Memorials of Scottish History," sect, viii. , p. 67.
46 He reigned sixteen year? , according to the Additions in Annals of Tigernach. See Rev. Dr. O'Conor's " Rerum Hibernicarum Scriptores," tomus ii. , atA. D. 574, p. 152.
47 See Rev. Dr. Reeves' Adamnan's " Life of St. Columba,"lib. iii , cap. 5, pp. 197 to20i.
Prima S. Columbse, cap. v. , p. 321 ; Tertia 48 Thus, it is supposed to have appeared Vita S. Columbse, cap. xxvii. , p. 334 ; to our saint, during his vision. The Rev. Quarta Vita S. Columboe, lib. iii. , cap. v. , Thomas Innes thinks, however, that it was PP- 364> 365 ; Quinta Vita S. Columbar,
so called, because the cover of it had been " encrusted with glass or crystal. "—"Civil and Ecclesiastical History of Scotland," sect, xlix. , book ii. , p. 202.
49 It is exceedingly interesting to know,
that at the early period whenthisaccount
was written such a rite had been included in "
lib. ii. , cap. xl. , p. 416.
s? See William F. Skene's " Celtic Scot-
land : a Histoiy of Ancient Alban," vol. ii. , book ii. , chap, iii. , p. 123.
58 It has been incorrectly stated, in the "Dictionary ofChristian Antiquities," edited by Dr. William Smith, and Samuel
the Ceremoniale Episcoporum," of which Cheetham, M. A. , in the Article Corona-
it is probable copies are yet preserved.
s° See William F. Skene's "Celtic Scot-
tion, that Aidan was inaugurated by St. Columba "on the celebrated stone of des- tiny, taken afterwards from Iona to Dunstaff-
land : book
a History of Ancient Alban,
ii. , 122. chap, hi. , p.
"
vol. ii. ,
See ibid. 53AccordingtothecomputationofGeorge
Buchanan, he began to reign over Scotland,
nage,
and thence to Scone. "—
Vol.
i. , p. 466.
Through
428 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [June 9.
and people to recognise him as such over the whole of the Dalriadic territo- ries. Our saint prophesied in the manner following,59 regarding him and his posterity. Laying his hand on the monarch's head, having installed and con- secrated Aydan, St. Columba thus announced these predictions, regarding his
and
use some fraud or unjust deportment towards me or my spiritual children. Commend you this seriously to your sons and to their descendants, let these
do the same to their sons and grandchildren, fearing otherwise, that the sceptre of the kingdom should be wrested out of their hands. For, at what time soever, they shall work any harm towards me, or against my kinsmen in Ireland, the scourge I have sustained for your sake from the Angel shall be turned on them, through the indignation of our Lord. In such case, they shall strengthen thehearts of men against them,andtheir enemies shall insult them. " 60
Another time, in the said Island of Himba, the grace of the Holy Ghost so copiously and ineffably descended on him, that remaining three en- tire days locked up in his cell, Columba was so replenished during the time with Divine light, that he neither eat, nor drank, nor permitted any to come to him, during such interval. 61 In the night, two beams of surpassing bright- ness issued out at the chinks of the door, and through holes in the lock. He was heard, likewise, to sing most sweet and ineffable canticles. Many secrets, that were hidden from the knowledge of men since the world's beginning,
were manifested to him ; the eyes of his most clear intellect pierced through difficulties, contained in the most obscure and abstruse passagesof Holy Scrip- tures. Thesemeaningshesaw,withthebrightnessofdaylight,asheafterwards acknowledged to some friends. He complained regarding the absence of Baithen, his beloved disciple, who, had he been present during those three days, should have been able to describe mysteries, concerning past or future ages, and which were still unknown to other men. This he could have done, and also could have interpreted various passages of the Sacred volume, by help of the saint'sinstructions. 62 However,Baithenwasthendetainedbycontrarywindsin
It happened, also, during a time spent on the Island of Hinba, and when St. Columba resolved on excommunicating certain violators of religious establishments, that one Lamh Dess 6 * rushed on him with a spear, and intending
family
kingdom.
beyond
question,
" I believe
O that King Aydan,
all
none of your enemies shall be able to make head against you, until you first
63 and therefore he was not able to
until those three during which St. Columkille communed with the Holy Spirit, had transpired.
Egea Island,
return,
days,
59 This is recorded by Cummineus Albus, seventh Abbot of Hy, in the Book he wrote on the Virtues of St. Columba. He pre- sided as Abbot of Iona, from the year 657 to that of 669, when his death is recorded in Tigemachi Annales. See Rev. Dr. O'Conor's "Rerum Hibernicarum Scriptures," tomus
ii. , p. 207.
Secunda Vita S. Columbce, cap. xxi. , p. 327; TertiaVitaS. Columbce,cap. xxxviii. , pp. 334, 335 ; Quarta Vita S. Columbce, lib. iii. , cap. xviii. , pp. 367, 368; Quinta Vita S. Columbce, lib. ii. , cap. cvii. , pp. 428, 429.
62 See Rev. Dr. Reeves' Adamuan's " Life
ofSt. Columba," lib. iii.
O'Donovan's Iri>hGrammar,"p. 274.
St. Columba lived on the Island of Hinba 22
; while,
of monasteries in viz. , 23 Cainnech,24 Brendan of 2*
Ireland, Comgall, Clonfert, and Cormac Hua Liathain,26 he happened to be there. These holy men with one accord choose, that St. Columba should consecrate the sacred
2
mysteries of the Eucharist in his church. ? Yielding to their pious desire, St.
Columba at once entered it with them on a 28 While Sunday.
celebrating Mass at their request, and in their presence, Brendan saw a very bright
12 See Rev. Dr. Reeves' Adamnan's
" 18
Life of St. Columba," lib, i. , cap. 21, lib. ii. , cap. 24, and lib. hi. , cap. 5, 17, 18, 23, sect. 4.
See ibid. , pp. 317 to 324.
19 See Martin's " Western Isles of Scot-
13 However, William F. Skene thinks this
name indicates that group called the Gar-
veloch Isles, situated in the centre of the
great channel, which separates the Island of
Mull from the mainland of Lorn, and also
styled the lmbach, or "sea-surrounded. "
The most westernly ofthe four Islands which "Life of St. Columba," lib. i. , cap. 21, pp. constitute this group, is denominated Elach-
nave and Eilean na Naomh, or " Island of
"
5o, 51.
23 Abbot of Bangor. His feast occurs at
It is a grassy Island rising to a
Saints. "
considerable
a small and sheltered bay, on the lower ground, facing which are a fountain, called
St. Columcille's Well, and the foundations
of what must have been a monastic estab- lishment,nearw—hicharetheremainsoftwo June.
"-"
bee-hive cells. " William F. Skene's Cel- 1 See Colgan's Trias Thaumaturga,"
height,
Kilkenny.
and has at the west side
He was vene- rated on the nth of October.
tic Scotland : a History of Ancient Alban, vol. ii. , book ii. , chap, iv. , pp. 128, 129.
"
Prima Vita S. Columba? , cap. xii. , p. 322; Secunda Vita S. Columba? , cap. xii. , and nn. n, 12, 13, p. 331; Tertia Vita S. Co-
lumba? , cap. xxxvii, p. 334 ; Quarta Vita S. Columba? , lib. iii. , cap. xvii. , p. 367, and n. (! 9)> P- 386 ; Quinta Vita S. Columbae, lib.
14 A conjecture has been offered, that previously to the occupation ofthe western Islands by the Scandinavians, Oransay separated from Colonsay by flood tide only, if not both of these Islands, at least the
ii. , cap. cvi. , p. 428. " 28
larger on—e seems to have been called See an account of this miraculous mani- Hymba. " "New Statistical Account of festation in Rev. Dr. Reeves' Adamnan's
Scotland," vol. vii. , part ii. , p. 544.
15 From Adamnan's " Life of St. Colum-
ba," lib. iii. , cap. 5, and n. (b), p. 197 ; also
"Life of St. Columba," lib. iii. , cap. 17,
pp. 219 to 222.
35 It is said to have shone like a comet.
land," p. 275.
29 See "Origines Parochiales Scotise,"
vol. ii. , and part i. , p. 339; also " Collec- tanea de Rebus Albanicis," pp. 2, 3.
21
2-
the 10th of May. 24 Patron of
See "Old Statistical Survey of Scot- land," vol. xvii. , pp. 272, 283.
See Rev. Dr. Reeves' Adamnan's
25 See his Life, at the 16th of May, in the Fifth Volume of this work, Art. i.
26
His festival was kept, on the 21st of
426 LIVES OF THE IRISHSAINTS. [June 9.
continued from the time of the consecration,30 until the termination of the sacred mysteries. 3' Afterwards, St. Brendan related what he had witnessed to the Abbots Comgall and Cainnech, all of whom had continual intercourse with each other. 32 The frequency of their churches in the west of Scotland indicates the connexion which existed between them and that region. 33 It was there, also, on other occasions, he had some extraordinary visions and visitations from Heaven. 34 Indeed, one of his biographers does not hesitate to say, that he had mental intuition of all that was taking place on earth, while he was living. 35
Again we are informed, that our saint came to the Hinbinan 3° Island, 37 on a certain occasion. He gave orders, on that same day, for some indul- gence 38 in food to the penitents ;39 as it was usual in Columba's religious establishments, to relax the strictness of dietary discipline, on the arrival of a distinguished visitor/ Among these penitents in that place, there was a certain Neman,*1 son of Cathir. Though ordered by the saint, he would not accept such little indulgence. This was a singularity in devotion, which Columba by no means approved ; and, he very justly desired, that this man should conform, in a spirit of monastic obedience, to the general usages of
their institute. The saint addressed him with these words " O Neman,
:
will you not accept any indulgence in food from me or from Baithen ? time
2 shallbe,whenyouwilleatmare'sflesh,* andbeconcealedinthewoodswith
robbers. "43 Accordingly, that person returning to the world was afterwards
39 This was a practice usual in the early
"
30 Such allusions as the present are valua- ble, not alone as recording particulars of our saint's biography, but also, as revealing clearly the doctrinal and ritual observance of that
monasteries. See Venerable Bede's
toria Ecclesiastica Gentis Anglorum," lib. ii.
early period.
31 The First Life of St. Columba, as pub-
"
His-
40 See Rev. Dr. Reeves' Adamnan's Life of St. Columba," lib. i. , cap. 21 , 26,
lished by Colgan, has this miraculous mani- festation as taking place after the recitation of the Gospel, which is also reconcilable with the account in the text.
32 See Rev. Dr. Reeves' Adamnan's
Life of St. Columba," n. (g), p. 222.
p. 51, n. (b), p. 55, n. (c).
41 Others of this name are mentioned, at
lib. i. , cap. 39, lib. ii. , cap. 4, of Adamnan's
Biography.
42 From the Manuscript Canons attributed
to St. Adamnan, and extant in Marsh's Library, as also from other authentic laws of the Irish Church, it appears, that certain meats were prohibited as unclean. Many of them are deiailed in Cummian's Peniten- tial. Some of those laws were founded on misapprehension regarding the temporary decree of the Council of Jerusalem, ordering
1'
33 This is specially shown, by consulting the volumes, known as Old and New Statis-
tical Account of Scotland, as also that ad- "
mirable topographical work OHgines Parochiales Scotise. "
"
34 See Rev. Dr. Reeves' Adamnan's
Life of St. Columba," lib. iii. , cap. 5, pp.
197, 198, and cap. 18, pp. 222, 223.
35 " Totum etiam mundum velut sub uno solis radio collectum, sinu mentis mirabi liter laxato manifestum perspiciens, speculnba- tur. "—Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga,"
Christians to abstain
"
from things strangled
Prima Vita S. ColumbDe, cap. xxviii. , jurious to health or connected with supersti- p. 324. tion, which the Church sought to extin- 36 Adamnan frequently puts the name of guish. In the Missal of St. Columbanus,
islands in the adjective form with insula. Thus he deals with Ethica, Iona, Malea.
37 The name Hinl a occurs in Adamnan's "Vita S. Columba," lib. i. , cap. 45, lib. ii. , cap. 24, lib. iii. , cap. 5, 17, 18, 23.
38 Yet, his own fasts were of a most rigor- ous character, and they were even increased in austerity, when he found a poor woman
there is a form of blessing for a vessel, into which anything unclean had fallen. This may be seen in " Musseum Italicum," vol. i. , P- 390.
43 A similar sentence was pronounced by St. Enna against a hypocritical layman, who refused to accept the hospitality offered by Crumther Coelan Echinis
ceteris fratribus cibum in charitate minis- tratum noluisti sumere, de carnibus eqiu, quern furaberis, manducabis, atque manuu-
living on still more wretched food. See "
Rev. S. Baring-Gould's Lives of the Saints," vol. vi. , pp. 121, 122.
and from blood,'' Ac;s xv. The cause for
the ;e and other prohibitions, it is impossi-
ble at this time to ascertain
probably some
;
meats were known by experience to be in-
:
" Tu qui cum
!
June 9. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 427
found in the wood with robbers, and eating that kind of flesh mentioned, and off a wooden hurdle. 4 * Thus was the saint's prediction accomplished.
In the year 574,4S according to the generally received j. chronology, died Conall, 46 sonof Comgall, King over Scottish Dalriada. While St. Columba lived in the Island of Himba, he fell into an ecstasy one night. 4 '' Then he saw an Angel of our Lord sent to him from Heaven. This Angel held in his hand a glass book,48 containing the ceremonies for installing kings,4 ^ which he offered to our saint, while commanding him to read it. This was intended to inculcate his obedience to the decrees of Heaven. Now, according to the law of Tanistry,s° Eogan, the cousin of Conall, and son of Gabhran who was slain by KingBrude,51 should succeed to the throne, in the natural course of events.
s2 as
ing out his hands, the Angel struck our saint with a whip. Afterwards, a black print or weal remained on Columba' s side all the remaining days of his
St. Columba could not be induced to
although it was commended and commanded in the book, because the saint better loved Iogenanus 54 or Eoghan,ss Aydan's brother. Suddenly stretch-
However,
inaugurate Aydan
king,S3
life. That Angel added further
:
" Know for certain, that I have been sent
to you by the Lord, to cause you, according as it is set down in this book, to
inaugurate Aydan as king. If you do not obey, I will strike you again. ">6
This Angel appeared for three successive nights, with a similar admonition
repeated. Thereupon, our saint obeyed the injunction of our Lord. To accomplish that end, Columba embarked for Hy, where he crowned Aydan king. This monarch came thither, about that same time ; and, the chonology fixed for his consecration as King of Scotland has been assigned to the year 574. " The object of Columba, in using that solemn rite, 58 was to place Aidan in the rank of an independent sovereign, and to induce the Pictish monarch
cando — " Acta Sanc- jugulaberis. " Colgan's
torum Hibernise," xxi. Martii. Vita S. Endei, cap. xxvi. , p. 709.
44 Hence, Anglice, Griddle, adds the Rev.
51 In the 560. See ibid. year
s2 He was the son of Gabhiain.
his mother, Aidan was connected with the Britons of Strathclyde ; and, for a few years,
:
Dr. Reeves " Alio die cum faber monas- he had played his part in the British wars.
terii non esset prope, S. Comgallus uni de
fratribus dixit: vade frater in officinam
fabri, e—t fac nobis craticulam ad assandos
pisces. " Fleming's "Collectanea Sacra," about A. D. 570, and he ruled for thirty-four
"
Rerum Scoti- carum Historic, lib. v. , p. 144.
s* This is the diminutive form of the name as found in Adamnan.
55 His death is recorded in "Annales Ultonienses," at A. n. 594, and in "Tiger- nachi Annales," atA. D. 596. See Rev. Dr. O'Conor's "Rerum Hibernicarum
Scripto-
res," tomus ii. , p. 159, and iv. p. 32.
56 See " Trias Vita Colgan's Thaumaturga,"
Vita S. Comgalli, cap. 33, p. 31CM. years, dying A. n. 604. See ""
45 See William F. Skene's Chronicles of the Picts, Chronicles of the Scots, and other Early Memorials of Scottish History," sect, viii. , p. 67.
46 He reigned sixteen year? , according to the Additions in Annals of Tigernach. See Rev. Dr. O'Conor's " Rerum Hibernicarum Scriptores," tomus ii. , atA. D. 574, p. 152.
47 See Rev. Dr. Reeves' Adamnan's " Life of St. Columba,"lib. iii , cap. 5, pp. 197 to20i.
Prima S. Columbse, cap. v. , p. 321 ; Tertia 48 Thus, it is supposed to have appeared Vita S. Columbse, cap. xxvii. , p. 334 ; to our saint, during his vision. The Rev. Quarta Vita S. Columboe, lib. iii. , cap. v. , Thomas Innes thinks, however, that it was PP- 364> 365 ; Quinta Vita S. Columbar,
so called, because the cover of it had been " encrusted with glass or crystal. "—"Civil and Ecclesiastical History of Scotland," sect, xlix. , book ii. , p. 202.
49 It is exceedingly interesting to know,
that at the early period whenthisaccount
was written such a rite had been included in "
lib. ii. , cap. xl. , p. 416.
s? See William F. Skene's " Celtic Scot-
land : a Histoiy of Ancient Alban," vol. ii. , book ii. , chap, iii. , p. 123.
58 It has been incorrectly stated, in the "Dictionary ofChristian Antiquities," edited by Dr. William Smith, and Samuel
the Ceremoniale Episcoporum," of which Cheetham, M. A. , in the Article Corona-
it is probable copies are yet preserved.
s° See William F. Skene's "Celtic Scot-
tion, that Aidan was inaugurated by St. Columba "on the celebrated stone of des- tiny, taken afterwards from Iona to Dunstaff-
land : book
a History of Ancient Alban,
ii. , 122. chap, hi. , p.
"
vol. ii. ,
See ibid. 53AccordingtothecomputationofGeorge
Buchanan, he began to reign over Scotland,
nage,
and thence to Scone. "—
Vol.
i. , p. 466.
Through
428 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [June 9.
and people to recognise him as such over the whole of the Dalriadic territo- ries. Our saint prophesied in the manner following,59 regarding him and his posterity. Laying his hand on the monarch's head, having installed and con- secrated Aydan, St. Columba thus announced these predictions, regarding his
and
use some fraud or unjust deportment towards me or my spiritual children. Commend you this seriously to your sons and to their descendants, let these
do the same to their sons and grandchildren, fearing otherwise, that the sceptre of the kingdom should be wrested out of their hands. For, at what time soever, they shall work any harm towards me, or against my kinsmen in Ireland, the scourge I have sustained for your sake from the Angel shall be turned on them, through the indignation of our Lord. In such case, they shall strengthen thehearts of men against them,andtheir enemies shall insult them. " 60
Another time, in the said Island of Himba, the grace of the Holy Ghost so copiously and ineffably descended on him, that remaining three en- tire days locked up in his cell, Columba was so replenished during the time with Divine light, that he neither eat, nor drank, nor permitted any to come to him, during such interval. 61 In the night, two beams of surpassing bright- ness issued out at the chinks of the door, and through holes in the lock. He was heard, likewise, to sing most sweet and ineffable canticles. Many secrets, that were hidden from the knowledge of men since the world's beginning,
were manifested to him ; the eyes of his most clear intellect pierced through difficulties, contained in the most obscure and abstruse passagesof Holy Scrip- tures. Thesemeaningshesaw,withthebrightnessofdaylight,asheafterwards acknowledged to some friends. He complained regarding the absence of Baithen, his beloved disciple, who, had he been present during those three days, should have been able to describe mysteries, concerning past or future ages, and which were still unknown to other men. This he could have done, and also could have interpreted various passages of the Sacred volume, by help of the saint'sinstructions. 62 However,Baithenwasthendetainedbycontrarywindsin
It happened, also, during a time spent on the Island of Hinba, and when St. Columba resolved on excommunicating certain violators of religious establishments, that one Lamh Dess 6 * rushed on him with a spear, and intending
family
kingdom.
beyond
question,
" I believe
O that King Aydan,
all
none of your enemies shall be able to make head against you, until you first
63 and therefore he was not able to
until those three during which St. Columkille communed with the Holy Spirit, had transpired.
Egea Island,
return,
days,
59 This is recorded by Cummineus Albus, seventh Abbot of Hy, in the Book he wrote on the Virtues of St. Columba. He pre- sided as Abbot of Iona, from the year 657 to that of 669, when his death is recorded in Tigemachi Annales. See Rev. Dr. O'Conor's "Rerum Hibernicarum Scriptures," tomus
ii. , p. 207.
Secunda Vita S. Columbce, cap. xxi. , p. 327; TertiaVitaS. Columbce,cap. xxxviii. , pp. 334, 335 ; Quarta Vita S. Columbce, lib. iii. , cap. xviii. , pp. 367, 368; Quinta Vita S. Columbce, lib. ii. , cap. cvii. , pp. 428, 429.
62 See Rev. Dr. Reeves' Adamuan's " Life
ofSt. Columba," lib. iii.
