Patrick
commemorated
this fault, in the presence of his faithful followers.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v3
i.
, "Archbishops of
happily went to bliss.
A. D.
This second captivity is
and he then
"
""• He on the 26th of departed,
Armagh," p. 9. placed by Ussher, adds —
November, See Rohrbacher's "Histoire
at A. D. "post paucos annos,
397,
in Britanniam ad
398.
Universelle de I'Eglise Catholique," tome vii. , p. 372.
"Index Chrouologicus,
*5 Some of St. Patrick's
that immediately after he landed in Gaul, he
became the disciple of St. Martin. Thus, have been rightly understood, by Probus,
and by some other writers.
^^
monk had been very remarkable, or when permission had been obtained, to ordain a
the two Rheims Breviaries, following the statement of Probus, have such an account.
biographers state,
=7 Thus we ad S. say,
Petrum,
;
As when the learning and sanctity of a studied with St. Germanus. See the Fifth monk for monastic services. The bishops
The Third Life, cap. xxi. , xxii. , pp. 22, 23, postpones this instruction, until he had first
parentes rediit. "
at A. D. cccxcvii. , p. 513.
for Rome but, this mode of expression seems not to
March 17. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 505
is very probable, that St, Patrick had been initiated into the ecclesiastical
state solely, while at Tours. This seems consistent, likewise, with his future
proceedings. Generally speaking, at this early period, the duties of a cleric
andofamonkweredeemedincompatible; although,inexceptionalcases,both professions were found united. ^^ St. Eusebius of Vercelli first introduced
collegiate monasteries into the Western Church. ^9 In these, a bishop usually
lived, in common with some of his clergy, or with persons, who separated from the world. Here, also, young men were educated and prepared for the
sacredministry. Certainrules,resemblingthoseofregularmonasteries,were observed in such houses, and therefore they were often confounded with monastic establishments, and so denominated. St. Martin appears to have been a great promoter of those educational institutes, which he brought into Gaul. 3° We have a description of his establishment, which was partly a monastery, strictly speaking, and partly a college or seminary, for the educa- tionofecclesiasticalstudents. St. Martinhadacelltohimself,andsomeof hisbrethrendweltincells,excavatedinthemountain. 3^ Variousobservances of strict discipline, such as abstinence from wine, were followed. The coarsenessoftheirdressisnoticed; and,itisremarked,thatitwaswonderful to see how the monks submitted to their monastic rules, particularly as several of them belonged to noble families. Many of these religious, after- wards,wereelevatedtotheepiscopalrank. Here,wehaveanexactpicture ofanecclesiasticalseminary,unitedtoamonastery. St:Augustinepresided over a nearly similar institution. s^ He and his clergy seemed to have every- thing in common, while they lived in the same house. 33
I'he illustrious Archbishop of Tours, St. Martin, had established, near that city, his celebrated Monastery of Marmoutier,34 in the midst of a desert. It was enclosed, between the Loire's right bank, and scarped rocks, which over- look the course of that river. It could only be entered, through a very narrow pathway. There, the holy Bishop Martin inhabited a cell, which had been made of interlaced branches. It was like that one, which he had for too short a time, occupied at Lignge. Those eighty monks, whom he had collected there, for the most part, dwelt in very small caves, hollowed in the rock, while they were attired in camel-skins. Among them, many noble Gauls dwelt. These were afterwards drawn from their retreat, to be conse-
crated bishops, like St. Martin himself, and much against their own desire. 35
The earliest transactions of St. Patrick are those most confused or miscon-
ceived,byhisbiographers; andtheyareconsequentlymostperplexingtothe modern writer, or reader, who seeks an order and a congruity, in their relation.
rarely conferred Holy Orders on men, de- voted to regular religious observances. St.
''
Alia monachorum est causa, alia cler—icorum : clerici pascunt oves, ego
xlix. De Diversis.
^^ See Possidius, in Vita S. Augustini,
cap. xxv.
^4 ij ^y^s only a little while before the
death of the holy Bishop of Tours, that the future apostle of southern Scotland, St. Ninian, returned from Rome, and became an inmate of the monastery of Marmoutier. See " Irish Ecclesiastical Record," vol. iii. Notes on the Life of St. Patrick, sect. ii. No. 28.
Jerome says,
pascor. " "Opera," Epistola I. liodorum.
Ad He-
°9 See St. Ambrose "Opera," Epistola Ixxxii. Ad Ecclesiam Vercellce.
3° See Cardinal Baronius' " Annales Ec- clesiastici," at a. d. 328. Num. 22.
—" :
3" Sulpicius Severus thus writes
cipuli vero octoginta erant, qui ad exem-
plum beati magistri instituebantur. " Again, Moines d'Occident," tome i. , liv. iii. , p. he says, "Nemo ibi quidquam proprium 228. Theaccompanying view of Marmoutier habebat. " He also observes, " Ars ibi, ex- Abbey, taken from an accurate French en- ceptis scriptoribus, nola habebatur, cui graving, has been drawn on the wood, by
tamen operi minor actasdeputabatur. "—See "De Vita S. Martini," cap. vii.
William F. Wakeman. It was engraved by Mrs. Millard. This gives a fair idea of
its present appearance.
3" See S. Augustini "Opera," Sermo,
Dis-
January, 1867, p. 195.
35 See Le Comte de Montelambert's
"
Les
5o6 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [March 17.
Thus, while some accounts^^ state, that on a certain occasion, Patrick visited St. Martin, and in due reverence remained with him, for forty days,37 other writers assign a residence of four yearSj^^ for him, at Tours. Probus^s adds, that he had received tonsure, and perhaps some minor orders, in this place. *" Indeed, St. Patrick's promotion to the priesthood is placed by Probus several years later/' Some writers have stated, that the future Aposde embraced a
Abbey of Mannoutier, France.
rule of regular discipline, at this time ;*' however, there seems to be no valid reason for supposing, that he intended to become a monk,*3 in this, or in any
other, institution. His sole object, in entering that house, and remaining in it, was to prosecute his studies, with the advantage of receiving a religious
education,inamonastery. Therecords,ofourApostle'slife,duringhisstay at Tours, commemorate very few incidents. It has been mentioned, more-
over, that his actions corresponded with the habit of his holy profession, while he perseveringly devoted himself to the practice of monastic austeri-
3* These are said to be, according to Irish
books. See Ussher's "Works," vol. vi. ,
of his times, that St. Patrick was not even a
p. 391- states, capite
37 An old copy of the Tripartite Life and
in John of Tinmuth. See Ussher's " Pri-
mordia," cap. xvii. , p. 834. The same writer quotes some corroborative pieces, and he alludes to an ancient Life of St. Patrick.
3* See the Third Life, cap. xxii. , p. 22.
Probus agrees with this account. See lib.
i. , cap. xiv. , p. 48. See, likewise, the
Rheims Breviaries, lect. v. , vi. Prima Ap-
pendix ad Acta S. Patricii, pp. 194, 195.
changed, moreover, in the Tripartite Life, "
"
39 This writer calls our saint simply a clericus," meaning, according to the style
Vita S. Patricii," pars, i. , cap. xxxii. , p. 121.
« The First, Second, Third and Fourth Lives have nothing about it.
deacon. See lib. i. , cap. xiv. , p. 48.
*" This wTiter " tonso ordi- natus est ab eo in clericum, et tenuit lectio-
nem et doctrinam ab eo. "
' See the Fifth Life, lib. i. , cap. xvii. , p.
48.
^ This story is only told in Jocelyn's, and in the Tripartite Life. That clerical ton- sure, mentioned by Probus, has been
into a monastic tonsure. See Septima
March 17. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 507
ties/-* The Tripartite Acts of St. Patrick state, how he set out for Tours, to visit St. Martin, that he might receive monastic tonsure. Until that time, it is said, he had only the tonsure of servitude's When he received the monastic tonsure, he abandoned all the cares and pleasures of this world. He devoted himself entirely to prayer and abstinence. It is even said, that he took a resolution, never more to taste flesh meat. ^^ Some of the Gaulish monks regarded this practice, as a trial too rigorous for their northern con- stitutions, however well it might be borne, by the monks of Egypt and of Asia Minor. 47 It is possible, the young scholastic may have shared these opinions, especially on one occasion. St, Patrick was tempted, it is said, to renounce this severe abstinence. He procured a portion of meat, which he carefully concealed, un. til the time for repast should have come. Scarcely had hedoneso,thanhewasfavouredwithavision. Thischeckedhisdesirefor eating, and rendered the law of abstinence ever after light and pleasing to him. A man appeared to him, bearing two faces. While our saint gazed at
in
him,
amazement,
the "IamaservantofGod withone apparition said, ;
face I contemplate the ordinary actions of man, but with the other, I view a
monk, who, yielding to self-indulgence, conceals some meat, lest perchance
he should be discovered," Saying these words, he disappeared. As the ancient record adds, the young religious was struck with sorrow of heart, and
prostrated himself upon the ground, praying for a long time. He humbly asked pardon from God, for what appeared to him a heinous crime. Then
said " andbe : Arise,
favoured, to deter them from ever violating their holy rules. ^s
St. Patrick's industry and piety greatly promoted the pursuit of his studies,
the to angel, Victor, coming
forthe Our saint, then arising, renounced the use of all flesh meat. Thenceforth, it is added, that he inviolably abstained from it until his death. In punishment for his fault, our saint was commanded to bring forth that meat, in the presence of his other fellow-religious. He humbly did so, and, in obedience to the superior, he cast it into water. His docility and humble spirit were rewarded, by a manifest prodigy. Imme- diately, the meat was found to be changed into fishes. *^ Often, in after times, St.
Patrick commemorated this fault, in the presence of his faithful followers. He mentioned to them this vision, with which he had been
him, Lord hath cancelled your fault. "
comforted,
** See the Sixth Life, cap. xxxii. , p. 66.
*s This would indicate, perhaps, that Con- quessa had been a slave, and therefore the mark of servitude was perpetuated, in her offspring. We read, that Sulpicius Severus, a wealthy nobleman of Aquitain, was a friend, biographer, and disciple of St. Martin. About this very time, of St. Patrick's return to Gaul, Sulpicius had given up the world, his fortune, and his bar practice. He sold his patrimony, and he chose for a dwelling one of his villas, in Aquitain, among his own slaves, who had become his brothers in religion. They all lived together, praying and labouring, sleep- ing upon straw, while eating only brown bread and boiled herbs. See Le Comte de
of such religious communities, as he lived with, at times ; yet, during his mission, and
when preaching the Gospel, in various parts of Ireland, our saint probably followed that
rule, given by our Saviour, of eating what- ever was laid before him. However, he would not violate the general ecclesiastical laws, relative to abstinence. See Dr. Lani- gan's "Ecclesiastical History of Ireland," vol. i,, chap, iv. , sect, viii. , n. 53, pp. 153, 154.
'^^ SeetheDialoguesofSulpiciusSeverus, lib. i. , cap. iii.
*^ In Jocelyn's Life of the saint, this story occurs, in the twenty-third chapter. The writer adds a very singular practice, in his time, on St. Patrick's day, regarding some bad fasters among our ancestors, and what they called Patrick's fish. See the Sixth Life, cap. xxiii. , p. 66.
Montalembert's
tome i. , liv. iii. , p. 229.
"
Les Moines d'Occident,"
^* However, Dr. Lanigan states, that he
cannot find sufficient for this any authority,
assertion, and he thinks, that St. Patrick, although he might have observed the rules
"^ See " Vita S. Septima
Patricii," pars, Irish Ecclesiastical Record," vol.
i. , cap. xxxii. , pp. 121, 122.
so ^ee
*'
5o8 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [March 17.
at the school of Tours. He always entertained a great veneration for its holy founder. So cherished was St. Martin's memory, that his beautiful memoir, composed by Sulpicius Severus, was one of the few tracts borne about by our Apostle. It was copied, by his own hand, and for this reason, it was subsequently preserved, with such jealous care, in the " Book of Armagh. 5° After his departure from Tours, he applied most fervently to
practices of piety. s^ As distinguishable from the vision, which urged him to undertake his mission among the Irish, the saint relates the following, as a
"
——
God forIknownot Iheard
Andonanother
within me, or beside me, some persons, singing in the spirit, the most beauti- ful words, and I knew not who they were, nor could I understand what I
at the end of their thus heard, until, prayer, they
sequence :
night
knows,
spoke :
life for you. ' And, again, I awoke. And, again, I heard one praying within
me, and it was within my inward man, and he prayed fervently with groaning. In the meantime, I was stupified, and I wondered and considered, who this could be, who was praying within me. But, at the end of his prayer, he said
he was a spirit ; and I remembered the words of the Apostle, saying :
'
The
spirit helpeth the weakness of our prayer. For what we ought to pray for, we know not, but the spirit himself asketh for us. ' This was said, with un-
to regard such visions, as direct messages from heaven.
It is not so very clear, that St. Patrick formed his design, for preaching the
Gospel, in Ireland, at the time of these visions. 53 Nor can it be known
exactly, at what date, these occurred ; although, they may be assigned, to about A. D. 417, if it be true, as some writers of his life assert, that he was
about thirty years old, at this period. ^* It might appear, from various parts of his Confession, that St. Patrick did not understand the drift of that vision, untilatsomelaterperiod. Then,hewasinformedbyourSaviour,concern- ing the task, which he had to undertake. 55 The circumstance of various dis- tinctvisionsseemstohavebeenconfounded,bycertainwriters. Whilesome of the saint's Livess^ altogether omit the name of St. Martin, as his instructor, others have it, that Patrick had visited that great bishop for forty days,57
which I cannot
from his own simple and pious soul, that St. Patrick's convictions taught him
speakable groanings,
express
find,
iii. Notes on the "Life of St. Patrick," sect. ii. St. Patrick at Tours. No. 28.
January, 1867, p. 195. An account of the ancient monastery of Marmoutier will be
"
llistoiredes Ordres Monastiques, Keligieux et Miliiaires," tome v. , part iv. ,
this ecclesiastical regulation prevailed. That it had been observed in the Gallic Church, prior to its being confirmed by the Council of Agde, appears pretty certain,
53 jsjot to quote some old writers, Harris mentions this resolution, and then he makes St. Patrick commence his travels. See
found in
chap, vii. , pp. 61 to 65.
Harris' Ware, vol. " i. ,
5' See the
of Rheims.
of
Breviary
5' See Father Viilanueva's
Archbishops
"
Sancti Patri- cii Ibernorum Apostoli, Synodi, Canones, Opuscula," ii>:c. Confessio S. Patricii, cap. iii. , pp. 194, 195. One account states, that St. Patrick was a priest, at that time, when
Armagh," p. 9.
S4 xhe Second Life states, that he was
then "incipiens quasi annorum triginta. " See cap. xxi. , p. 13. Again, we read : " Erat autem tunc quasi annorum triginta. "
he had the vision. See the Fifth Life, cap. See
"
xvii. , xviii. , p. 48. Therefore, he was
thirty years old, in all likelihood ; since the
Council of Agde required that age, for the
ordination of priests, as well as of bishops.
"
Presbyterium vel episcopura ante triginta annos, id est, antequam ad viri perfect! aitatem perveniat, nu—llus metropolitanorum ordinare priEsumat. " "Canon," xvii. It would also accord well with the probabili- ties of chronology, as referring to our saint. Long beforg th^ Council of Neocaesarea,
Quarta Vita S. Patricii," cap. xxv. , p. 38. Again, according to the Tripartite Life, lib. i. , cap. xxxi. , p. 121, "annum jam astatis attingens trigessimum. "
55 See Sir James Ware's "Opuscula S.
Patricii," Confessio, p. II.
5* Such as Fiach's Hymn, the Second
Life, and the Fourth Life,
in words. " '^'^ Thus do we
5?
anonymous writer of his Life, in three Books,
' He who his gave
jjuch is the statement made, by the
"
xvii. , p. 835. Jocelyn has it, "cum B.
as cited by Ussher, in his
Primordia," cap.
March 17. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 509
while the more probable accounts state, that he lived four years,58 in the cele- brated monastery, at Tours. ss In various tracts, St. Patrick's repairing to Tours, and there spendmg four years, we find placed, before the time of his going under the direction of St. German of Auxerre. Others invert the order of his studies. ^" A legendary account states, how an angel said to Martin, that Patrick should go to the island of Tamara. ^^ This seems to have been that island, where hermits dwelt, between the mountain and the sea. ^^ Jocelyn commemorates this vision of the angel to St. Martin. He says, however, that it was St. Martin himself, who was commanded to go to Tamara, while St. Patrick returned to the Blessed Germanus, with whom he spent some
days. ^3
The Bollandists state, under the year 414, that St. Patrick attached him-
self to Amator, then Bishop of Auxerre,^+ and, that he had been for some time
there, with that prelate.
This is not improbable, and we might suspect, that
^s
Probus^^ relates, that St. Patrick had been ordained priest, by Senior, a bishop, who lived on the mountain Hermon. This lay, at the right side of the ocean. ^7 Again, he tells us, that Senior's city was protected by seven walls. ^^ Placing Patrick's ordination in 410,^9 the Bollandists follow Probus, with regard to Senior. They consider, he was bishop, perhaps of Pisa. They supposed,moreover,thatSt. PatrickhadbeenthenandthereinItaly. Ithas been thought, by others, that Probus did not allude to any part of Italy, as he
it was the by
Martino Turonensi Archiepiscopo aliquanto tempore demoratur. "
5^ See the Third Life, cap. xxii. , p. 22 ; the Fifth Life, lib. i. , cap. xiv. , p. 48. However, after Probus gives St. Patrick
these four years of residence, the angel of
the Lord is said to have warned him, to go
among the solitaries, who made no use of
shoes, and that he remained with those
eremites for eight years. See ibid. , cap. ancient Irish phraseology. In the same XXV. Colgan's text of Probus seems to be manner, we are told, the nations of the
latter,
However,
another. Having heard of an ordination, by Amator, they possibly understood it, in re- ference to his episcopal ordination, of wliich alone they make mention.
^^
interpolated, however, to such a degree, that St. Patrick's actions have been thrown out of their original order, in this narra- tive.
East, called the South the right, and the
North the left. That rock, adjoining the
ocean southwards, must be sought for, as
Dr. Lanigan thinks, in the great promon- tory of Britany, or close to some of the bays
of Normandy. At first sight, it might seem probable, that Hermon was one of those rocks, near St. Malo. Perhaps, this was Aletum, or Alctha, a place of consider- able note, and, fi-om the patron saint, it got
59 See this matter treated, in Colgan's Fifth Appendix to the saint's Acts, chap. xi. , p. 236.
^ Thus, Colgan was induced to think, that Germanus had been our saint's first
preceptor, after his Irish captivity. See
"
Trias Thaumaturga," Quinta Appendix the name of St. Maclovius' town. After-
ad Acta S. Patricii, cap. xiii. , pp.
happily went to bliss.
A. D.
This second captivity is
and he then
"
""• He on the 26th of departed,
Armagh," p. 9. placed by Ussher, adds —
November, See Rohrbacher's "Histoire
at A. D. "post paucos annos,
397,
in Britanniam ad
398.
Universelle de I'Eglise Catholique," tome vii. , p. 372.
"Index Chrouologicus,
*5 Some of St. Patrick's
that immediately after he landed in Gaul, he
became the disciple of St. Martin. Thus, have been rightly understood, by Probus,
and by some other writers.
^^
monk had been very remarkable, or when permission had been obtained, to ordain a
the two Rheims Breviaries, following the statement of Probus, have such an account.
biographers state,
=7 Thus we ad S. say,
Petrum,
;
As when the learning and sanctity of a studied with St. Germanus. See the Fifth monk for monastic services. The bishops
The Third Life, cap. xxi. , xxii. , pp. 22, 23, postpones this instruction, until he had first
parentes rediit. "
at A. D. cccxcvii. , p. 513.
for Rome but, this mode of expression seems not to
March 17. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 505
is very probable, that St, Patrick had been initiated into the ecclesiastical
state solely, while at Tours. This seems consistent, likewise, with his future
proceedings. Generally speaking, at this early period, the duties of a cleric
andofamonkweredeemedincompatible; although,inexceptionalcases,both professions were found united. ^^ St. Eusebius of Vercelli first introduced
collegiate monasteries into the Western Church. ^9 In these, a bishop usually
lived, in common with some of his clergy, or with persons, who separated from the world. Here, also, young men were educated and prepared for the
sacredministry. Certainrules,resemblingthoseofregularmonasteries,were observed in such houses, and therefore they were often confounded with monastic establishments, and so denominated. St. Martin appears to have been a great promoter of those educational institutes, which he brought into Gaul. 3° We have a description of his establishment, which was partly a monastery, strictly speaking, and partly a college or seminary, for the educa- tionofecclesiasticalstudents. St. Martinhadacelltohimself,andsomeof hisbrethrendweltincells,excavatedinthemountain. 3^ Variousobservances of strict discipline, such as abstinence from wine, were followed. The coarsenessoftheirdressisnoticed; and,itisremarked,thatitwaswonderful to see how the monks submitted to their monastic rules, particularly as several of them belonged to noble families. Many of these religious, after- wards,wereelevatedtotheepiscopalrank. Here,wehaveanexactpicture ofanecclesiasticalseminary,unitedtoamonastery. St:Augustinepresided over a nearly similar institution. s^ He and his clergy seemed to have every- thing in common, while they lived in the same house. 33
I'he illustrious Archbishop of Tours, St. Martin, had established, near that city, his celebrated Monastery of Marmoutier,34 in the midst of a desert. It was enclosed, between the Loire's right bank, and scarped rocks, which over- look the course of that river. It could only be entered, through a very narrow pathway. There, the holy Bishop Martin inhabited a cell, which had been made of interlaced branches. It was like that one, which he had for too short a time, occupied at Lignge. Those eighty monks, whom he had collected there, for the most part, dwelt in very small caves, hollowed in the rock, while they were attired in camel-skins. Among them, many noble Gauls dwelt. These were afterwards drawn from their retreat, to be conse-
crated bishops, like St. Martin himself, and much against their own desire. 35
The earliest transactions of St. Patrick are those most confused or miscon-
ceived,byhisbiographers; andtheyareconsequentlymostperplexingtothe modern writer, or reader, who seeks an order and a congruity, in their relation.
rarely conferred Holy Orders on men, de- voted to regular religious observances. St.
''
Alia monachorum est causa, alia cler—icorum : clerici pascunt oves, ego
xlix. De Diversis.
^^ See Possidius, in Vita S. Augustini,
cap. xxv.
^4 ij ^y^s only a little while before the
death of the holy Bishop of Tours, that the future apostle of southern Scotland, St. Ninian, returned from Rome, and became an inmate of the monastery of Marmoutier. See " Irish Ecclesiastical Record," vol. iii. Notes on the Life of St. Patrick, sect. ii. No. 28.
Jerome says,
pascor. " "Opera," Epistola I. liodorum.
Ad He-
°9 See St. Ambrose "Opera," Epistola Ixxxii. Ad Ecclesiam Vercellce.
3° See Cardinal Baronius' " Annales Ec- clesiastici," at a. d. 328. Num. 22.
—" :
3" Sulpicius Severus thus writes
cipuli vero octoginta erant, qui ad exem-
plum beati magistri instituebantur. " Again, Moines d'Occident," tome i. , liv. iii. , p. he says, "Nemo ibi quidquam proprium 228. Theaccompanying view of Marmoutier habebat. " He also observes, " Ars ibi, ex- Abbey, taken from an accurate French en- ceptis scriptoribus, nola habebatur, cui graving, has been drawn on the wood, by
tamen operi minor actasdeputabatur. "—See "De Vita S. Martini," cap. vii.
William F. Wakeman. It was engraved by Mrs. Millard. This gives a fair idea of
its present appearance.
3" See S. Augustini "Opera," Sermo,
Dis-
January, 1867, p. 195.
35 See Le Comte de Montelambert's
"
Les
5o6 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [March 17.
Thus, while some accounts^^ state, that on a certain occasion, Patrick visited St. Martin, and in due reverence remained with him, for forty days,37 other writers assign a residence of four yearSj^^ for him, at Tours. Probus^s adds, that he had received tonsure, and perhaps some minor orders, in this place. *" Indeed, St. Patrick's promotion to the priesthood is placed by Probus several years later/' Some writers have stated, that the future Aposde embraced a
Abbey of Mannoutier, France.
rule of regular discipline, at this time ;*' however, there seems to be no valid reason for supposing, that he intended to become a monk,*3 in this, or in any
other, institution. His sole object, in entering that house, and remaining in it, was to prosecute his studies, with the advantage of receiving a religious
education,inamonastery. Therecords,ofourApostle'slife,duringhisstay at Tours, commemorate very few incidents. It has been mentioned, more-
over, that his actions corresponded with the habit of his holy profession, while he perseveringly devoted himself to the practice of monastic austeri-
3* These are said to be, according to Irish
books. See Ussher's "Works," vol. vi. ,
of his times, that St. Patrick was not even a
p. 391- states, capite
37 An old copy of the Tripartite Life and
in John of Tinmuth. See Ussher's " Pri-
mordia," cap. xvii. , p. 834. The same writer quotes some corroborative pieces, and he alludes to an ancient Life of St. Patrick.
3* See the Third Life, cap. xxii. , p. 22.
Probus agrees with this account. See lib.
i. , cap. xiv. , p. 48. See, likewise, the
Rheims Breviaries, lect. v. , vi. Prima Ap-
pendix ad Acta S. Patricii, pp. 194, 195.
changed, moreover, in the Tripartite Life, "
"
39 This writer calls our saint simply a clericus," meaning, according to the style
Vita S. Patricii," pars, i. , cap. xxxii. , p. 121.
« The First, Second, Third and Fourth Lives have nothing about it.
deacon. See lib. i. , cap. xiv. , p. 48.
*" This wTiter " tonso ordi- natus est ab eo in clericum, et tenuit lectio-
nem et doctrinam ab eo. "
' See the Fifth Life, lib. i. , cap. xvii. , p.
48.
^ This story is only told in Jocelyn's, and in the Tripartite Life. That clerical ton- sure, mentioned by Probus, has been
into a monastic tonsure. See Septima
March 17. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 507
ties/-* The Tripartite Acts of St. Patrick state, how he set out for Tours, to visit St. Martin, that he might receive monastic tonsure. Until that time, it is said, he had only the tonsure of servitude's When he received the monastic tonsure, he abandoned all the cares and pleasures of this world. He devoted himself entirely to prayer and abstinence. It is even said, that he took a resolution, never more to taste flesh meat. ^^ Some of the Gaulish monks regarded this practice, as a trial too rigorous for their northern con- stitutions, however well it might be borne, by the monks of Egypt and of Asia Minor. 47 It is possible, the young scholastic may have shared these opinions, especially on one occasion. St, Patrick was tempted, it is said, to renounce this severe abstinence. He procured a portion of meat, which he carefully concealed, un. til the time for repast should have come. Scarcely had hedoneso,thanhewasfavouredwithavision. Thischeckedhisdesirefor eating, and rendered the law of abstinence ever after light and pleasing to him. A man appeared to him, bearing two faces. While our saint gazed at
in
him,
amazement,
the "IamaservantofGod withone apparition said, ;
face I contemplate the ordinary actions of man, but with the other, I view a
monk, who, yielding to self-indulgence, conceals some meat, lest perchance
he should be discovered," Saying these words, he disappeared. As the ancient record adds, the young religious was struck with sorrow of heart, and
prostrated himself upon the ground, praying for a long time. He humbly asked pardon from God, for what appeared to him a heinous crime. Then
said " andbe : Arise,
favoured, to deter them from ever violating their holy rules. ^s
St. Patrick's industry and piety greatly promoted the pursuit of his studies,
the to angel, Victor, coming
forthe Our saint, then arising, renounced the use of all flesh meat. Thenceforth, it is added, that he inviolably abstained from it until his death. In punishment for his fault, our saint was commanded to bring forth that meat, in the presence of his other fellow-religious. He humbly did so, and, in obedience to the superior, he cast it into water. His docility and humble spirit were rewarded, by a manifest prodigy. Imme- diately, the meat was found to be changed into fishes. *^ Often, in after times, St.
Patrick commemorated this fault, in the presence of his faithful followers. He mentioned to them this vision, with which he had been
him, Lord hath cancelled your fault. "
comforted,
** See the Sixth Life, cap. xxxii. , p. 66.
*s This would indicate, perhaps, that Con- quessa had been a slave, and therefore the mark of servitude was perpetuated, in her offspring. We read, that Sulpicius Severus, a wealthy nobleman of Aquitain, was a friend, biographer, and disciple of St. Martin. About this very time, of St. Patrick's return to Gaul, Sulpicius had given up the world, his fortune, and his bar practice. He sold his patrimony, and he chose for a dwelling one of his villas, in Aquitain, among his own slaves, who had become his brothers in religion. They all lived together, praying and labouring, sleep- ing upon straw, while eating only brown bread and boiled herbs. See Le Comte de
of such religious communities, as he lived with, at times ; yet, during his mission, and
when preaching the Gospel, in various parts of Ireland, our saint probably followed that
rule, given by our Saviour, of eating what- ever was laid before him. However, he would not violate the general ecclesiastical laws, relative to abstinence. See Dr. Lani- gan's "Ecclesiastical History of Ireland," vol. i,, chap, iv. , sect, viii. , n. 53, pp. 153, 154.
'^^ SeetheDialoguesofSulpiciusSeverus, lib. i. , cap. iii.
*^ In Jocelyn's Life of the saint, this story occurs, in the twenty-third chapter. The writer adds a very singular practice, in his time, on St. Patrick's day, regarding some bad fasters among our ancestors, and what they called Patrick's fish. See the Sixth Life, cap. xxiii. , p. 66.
Montalembert's
tome i. , liv. iii. , p. 229.
"
Les Moines d'Occident,"
^* However, Dr. Lanigan states, that he
cannot find sufficient for this any authority,
assertion, and he thinks, that St. Patrick, although he might have observed the rules
"^ See " Vita S. Septima
Patricii," pars, Irish Ecclesiastical Record," vol.
i. , cap. xxxii. , pp. 121, 122.
so ^ee
*'
5o8 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [March 17.
at the school of Tours. He always entertained a great veneration for its holy founder. So cherished was St. Martin's memory, that his beautiful memoir, composed by Sulpicius Severus, was one of the few tracts borne about by our Apostle. It was copied, by his own hand, and for this reason, it was subsequently preserved, with such jealous care, in the " Book of Armagh. 5° After his departure from Tours, he applied most fervently to
practices of piety. s^ As distinguishable from the vision, which urged him to undertake his mission among the Irish, the saint relates the following, as a
"
——
God forIknownot Iheard
Andonanother
within me, or beside me, some persons, singing in the spirit, the most beauti- ful words, and I knew not who they were, nor could I understand what I
at the end of their thus heard, until, prayer, they
sequence :
night
knows,
spoke :
life for you. ' And, again, I awoke. And, again, I heard one praying within
me, and it was within my inward man, and he prayed fervently with groaning. In the meantime, I was stupified, and I wondered and considered, who this could be, who was praying within me. But, at the end of his prayer, he said
he was a spirit ; and I remembered the words of the Apostle, saying :
'
The
spirit helpeth the weakness of our prayer. For what we ought to pray for, we know not, but the spirit himself asketh for us. ' This was said, with un-
to regard such visions, as direct messages from heaven.
It is not so very clear, that St. Patrick formed his design, for preaching the
Gospel, in Ireland, at the time of these visions. 53 Nor can it be known
exactly, at what date, these occurred ; although, they may be assigned, to about A. D. 417, if it be true, as some writers of his life assert, that he was
about thirty years old, at this period. ^* It might appear, from various parts of his Confession, that St. Patrick did not understand the drift of that vision, untilatsomelaterperiod. Then,hewasinformedbyourSaviour,concern- ing the task, which he had to undertake. 55 The circumstance of various dis- tinctvisionsseemstohavebeenconfounded,bycertainwriters. Whilesome of the saint's Livess^ altogether omit the name of St. Martin, as his instructor, others have it, that Patrick had visited that great bishop for forty days,57
which I cannot
from his own simple and pious soul, that St. Patrick's convictions taught him
speakable groanings,
express
find,
iii. Notes on the "Life of St. Patrick," sect. ii. St. Patrick at Tours. No. 28.
January, 1867, p. 195. An account of the ancient monastery of Marmoutier will be
"
llistoiredes Ordres Monastiques, Keligieux et Miliiaires," tome v. , part iv. ,
this ecclesiastical regulation prevailed. That it had been observed in the Gallic Church, prior to its being confirmed by the Council of Agde, appears pretty certain,
53 jsjot to quote some old writers, Harris mentions this resolution, and then he makes St. Patrick commence his travels. See
found in
chap, vii. , pp. 61 to 65.
Harris' Ware, vol. " i. ,
5' See the
of Rheims.
of
Breviary
5' See Father Viilanueva's
Archbishops
"
Sancti Patri- cii Ibernorum Apostoli, Synodi, Canones, Opuscula," ii>:c. Confessio S. Patricii, cap. iii. , pp. 194, 195. One account states, that St. Patrick was a priest, at that time, when
Armagh," p. 9.
S4 xhe Second Life states, that he was
then "incipiens quasi annorum triginta. " See cap. xxi. , p. 13. Again, we read : " Erat autem tunc quasi annorum triginta. "
he had the vision. See the Fifth Life, cap. See
"
xvii. , xviii. , p. 48. Therefore, he was
thirty years old, in all likelihood ; since the
Council of Agde required that age, for the
ordination of priests, as well as of bishops.
"
Presbyterium vel episcopura ante triginta annos, id est, antequam ad viri perfect! aitatem perveniat, nu—llus metropolitanorum ordinare priEsumat. " "Canon," xvii. It would also accord well with the probabili- ties of chronology, as referring to our saint. Long beforg th^ Council of Neocaesarea,
Quarta Vita S. Patricii," cap. xxv. , p. 38. Again, according to the Tripartite Life, lib. i. , cap. xxxi. , p. 121, "annum jam astatis attingens trigessimum. "
55 See Sir James Ware's "Opuscula S.
Patricii," Confessio, p. II.
5* Such as Fiach's Hymn, the Second
Life, and the Fourth Life,
in words. " '^'^ Thus do we
5?
anonymous writer of his Life, in three Books,
' He who his gave
jjuch is the statement made, by the
"
xvii. , p. 835. Jocelyn has it, "cum B.
as cited by Ussher, in his
Primordia," cap.
March 17. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 509
while the more probable accounts state, that he lived four years,58 in the cele- brated monastery, at Tours. ss In various tracts, St. Patrick's repairing to Tours, and there spendmg four years, we find placed, before the time of his going under the direction of St. German of Auxerre. Others invert the order of his studies. ^" A legendary account states, how an angel said to Martin, that Patrick should go to the island of Tamara. ^^ This seems to have been that island, where hermits dwelt, between the mountain and the sea. ^^ Jocelyn commemorates this vision of the angel to St. Martin. He says, however, that it was St. Martin himself, who was commanded to go to Tamara, while St. Patrick returned to the Blessed Germanus, with whom he spent some
days. ^3
The Bollandists state, under the year 414, that St. Patrick attached him-
self to Amator, then Bishop of Auxerre,^+ and, that he had been for some time
there, with that prelate.
This is not improbable, and we might suspect, that
^s
Probus^^ relates, that St. Patrick had been ordained priest, by Senior, a bishop, who lived on the mountain Hermon. This lay, at the right side of the ocean. ^7 Again, he tells us, that Senior's city was protected by seven walls. ^^ Placing Patrick's ordination in 410,^9 the Bollandists follow Probus, with regard to Senior. They consider, he was bishop, perhaps of Pisa. They supposed,moreover,thatSt. PatrickhadbeenthenandthereinItaly. Ithas been thought, by others, that Probus did not allude to any part of Italy, as he
it was the by
Martino Turonensi Archiepiscopo aliquanto tempore demoratur. "
5^ See the Third Life, cap. xxii. , p. 22 ; the Fifth Life, lib. i. , cap. xiv. , p. 48. However, after Probus gives St. Patrick
these four years of residence, the angel of
the Lord is said to have warned him, to go
among the solitaries, who made no use of
shoes, and that he remained with those
eremites for eight years. See ibid. , cap. ancient Irish phraseology. In the same XXV. Colgan's text of Probus seems to be manner, we are told, the nations of the
latter,
However,
another. Having heard of an ordination, by Amator, they possibly understood it, in re- ference to his episcopal ordination, of wliich alone they make mention.
^^
interpolated, however, to such a degree, that St. Patrick's actions have been thrown out of their original order, in this narra- tive.
East, called the South the right, and the
North the left. That rock, adjoining the
ocean southwards, must be sought for, as
Dr. Lanigan thinks, in the great promon- tory of Britany, or close to some of the bays
of Normandy. At first sight, it might seem probable, that Hermon was one of those rocks, near St. Malo. Perhaps, this was Aletum, or Alctha, a place of consider- able note, and, fi-om the patron saint, it got
59 See this matter treated, in Colgan's Fifth Appendix to the saint's Acts, chap. xi. , p. 236.
^ Thus, Colgan was induced to think, that Germanus had been our saint's first
preceptor, after his Irish captivity. See
"
Trias Thaumaturga," Quinta Appendix the name of St. Maclovius' town. After-
ad Acta S. Patricii, cap. xiii. , pp.
