*' She
received
the veil from St.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v1
'Adamnan
Anglorum,"
and Sergius III. in the sixth year of his pon-
tificate, A. D. 911. See Sir Harris Nicolas'
"
Chronology of History," p. 211.
'^A. D. 797. See Dempster's "Historia
588 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [January 31.
in six paragraphs, by the BoUandists. ^^ Cressy'* and other English church historians have not forgotten to commemorate this saint. In Hke manner, Father Innes'3 alludes to the remarkable events of his biography. Bishop Forbes, who finds him commemorated in some Scottish Kalendars,^+ has a special biography of St. Adamnanus of Coldingham. '^s Many other Scottish and Continental writers have noted some particulars concerning his life. However, we cannot with certainty pronounce on this saint having been a native of our island. ^^ Bede declares, that he was of Scottish race f7 and, it is likely enough, Adamnan was bom in Scotia Major or Ireland. ^^ Colgan would not undertake to determine this question, as to whether he had been born there or in Scotia Minor, also called Britannic Scotia, and Albania, by the ancients, as it is denominated Scotland, by modern writers. Those who wish to maintain our saint was a native of this latter country, might advance by way of argument, that he was converted while in Britain ; yet, by a con- fessor, who appears to have been an Irishman. ^9 Again, it might be urged, that if Adamnan were an Irishman, why should not his nationality have been as clearly indicated as that of his confessor, or why should not his conversion have taken place in Ireland ? But, an Irishman might easily oppose such objections, by retorting the argument, and by inquiring, if he were a native of British Scotia, why was not his conversion effected in modem Scotland, and not rather in Coludum or Coldingham ? 3° It may be asked, likewise, why should his conversion have been effected by an Irish confessor, rather than by a Scotchman, if he were a native of Albania ? Those, who desire to claim Adamnan, as an Irishman, might also add, that many Irish saints and mis- sionaries then laboured in Northumbria, and in other parts of England, by spreading a knowledge of Faith among the people. 3* Hence, it appears to be very probable, that Adamnan was one of those pious Irish pilgrims, who owed his conversion to a director of Irish race, if not of Irish birth. Re- garding the parents of Adamnan we have no account ;32 but, it seems pro-
" See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus ii. , xxxi.
Januarii. Acta S. Adamnani, pp. 1120, 1 121.
"See "Church History of Brittany," book xviii. , chap, xv. , pp. 455, 456.
'3 See "Civil and Ecclesiastical History of Scotland. " Chronological Memoirs, pp. 270 to 274.
" Ecclesiastical History of Ireland," vol. iii. , chap, xviii. , § v. , p. 97, and n. 61, p. 100. There our saint is dismissed with a few brief notices,
'' According to the most probable sequence and interpretation of Venerable Bede's nar- rative.
30 Thjs ^. ^s situated, formerly, in the pro- =** ThusDempster,in his "Menologium vinceofNorthumbria,inEngland,asappears
Scoticum," strangely enough has St. Adam- nanus Coludius, and Adamnanus, Abbot of Hy, at this day, while the Scottish entries in the Kalendar of David Camerarius place the former saint at the 27th and the latter at the
31st of January.
y's See "Kalendars of Scottish Saints," pp.
191, 234, 264, Bishop Forbes says he was of the Irish race. Ibid. , p. 264.
from Bede's " Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis Anglorum," lib. iv. , cap. 25, and from Tri- themius " De Sanctis Ordinis S. Benedicti," lib. iii. , cap. 124.
3' Here specially might be enumerated, St. Aidan, St. P'inan, St. Colman, St. Cath- bert, St. Dima, St. Fursey, St. Dichull, be- sides a host of other holy men. Induced by their example, many were desirous of leading a contemplative or missionary life in England. These left their own native is- land, in great numbers, to extend still more the kingdom of God upon earth. See, on this subject, Rt. Rev. Bishop Moran's edi-
tion of Peter Lombard's " De Hiber- Regno
nije. Sanctorum Insula, Commentarius," cap, XV. , pp. 78 to 87.
3^ yee that portion in Venerable Bede's
"* " See Bishop Challoner's
Brittannia
Sancta," part i. , p. 87.
="' Besides Bede, from whose history the
present account of this saint is chiefly taken, the English Martyrology, at the 31st of Jan-
and
Trithemius,
"
DeJViris lllustribus," lib. iii. , cap. 124, have notices regarding
uary, him.
'^
Dr. Lanigan remarks, that there is no authority for deciding, whether this saint was a native of Ireland or Scotland. See
"
lib. iv. , cap. 25, which refers to him.
Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis Anglorum,"
January 31. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 589
bable, he first saw the light, towards the close of the sixth or beginning of the seventh century. 33
It would appear, that in his youth, he was addicted to a life of debauchery and licentiousness ; yet, the grace of God effectually interposed, and rescued him from this state of sin. Being moved to penitence, he sought the counsel of a spiritual director,34 to whom he disclosed his manifold crimes, expres- sing, at the same time, a desire to perform suitable penance for such trans- gressions. The director35 told him, in order to appease God's wrath, that he should apply, for the future, to a recitation of psalms, to devout prayer, and to fasting. Our saint, who showed himself a true penitent, declared his readiness to accept any penance imposed, that salvation might be secured on the last day, even although it should be enjoined on him to remain standing during whole nights in prayer, or to pass the whole week in a continuous fast. 3^ His confessor, however, would not impose so rigorous a penance on this fervent penitent, but only required him to fast two or three days ; then, after a short interval, he directed Adamnan to revisit the tribunal of confes- sion, that he might hear what should afterwards be expedient for him to do. 37 Having thus expressed himself, and having prescribed an exact measure of penance, that confessor of Irish descent was suddenly called away from England, where our saint then lived. After this occurrence, our saint had no longer access to his spiritual father, who left for Ireland. 32 But, mindful of his former transgressions, Adamnan bewailed with tears, by day and night, the miseries of his youth. By the most guarded conduct, he afterwards endeavoured to nourish a spirit of penance and purity, practising frequent vigils and prayers. He only tasted nutriment on Sundays and Thursdays, spending other days of the week in observing the strictest abstinence from all food. Although Adamnan heard about the death of his director in Ireland, yet this did not induce him to change that rigorous mode of living. Whatever penitential observances the pious religious at first under- took as a satisfaction for his sins, those holy exercises were afterwards con- tinued, while joined with fervent and constant aspirations to God.
It is not altogether unquestionable, although highly probable, that the conversion of Adamnan was commenced at Coldingham. It is certain,
however, from Venerable Bede's narrative, that his penance was there en- joined by the director. This happened, it is likely, during the seventh
century. As a priest and monk, he lived many years afterwards in the monastery of Coldingham,39 which then lay within the old province of
33 This may be inferred from the English before the Christian era. See Elias Reg- Martyrology, and from ^Venerable Bede's nault's " Histoire de I'lrlande," liv. i. ,
narrative,
3^ He is called an Irish Confessor, in
chap, ii. , p. 23.
ssgeg Bede's "HistoriaEcclesiastica Gen-
tis Anglorum," lib. iv. , cap. 25, p. 336.
37 See Father Innes' " Civil and Ecclesi-
"
35 It is not correct to say, that Bede calls
"
Hibernus," while omitting to distinguish our saint in like manner. Bede only says, that Adamnan's master went to Hibemia, from which country his origin was derived, whereas our saint is
"
Bishop Forbes' Saints," p. 264,
Kalendars of Scottish
his master or director
asticalHistoryofScotland. " Chronological Memoirs, p. 272.
vir de genere Scotorum. " All na- tives of Ireland, at that time, were generally calledScots,astheircountrywasnamed Scotia. The origin of both terms to natives of Ireland and to their country is thought by a French writer to have no more remote antiquity than a century or two centuries
called
38Be(}e calls it " suum Hibemiam. " See " Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis Anglo- rum," lib. iv. , cap. 25, p. 337. This Cressy
''
Ireland his Native Country. " See "Church History of Brit-
tany," book xviii. , cap. xv. , p. 456. 39Thisreligiousestablishmentwasfounded
''
which extended from 634 to 643 A. D. " George Chalmers' " Caledonia ; or, an Account, Historical and Topographic, of North Britain ; from
rightly interprets
under the reign of Oswald—,
590 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [January 31.
Northumbria,inthekingdomofAnglia/" Atasubsequentperiod,itformed a part of the Marches, belonging to Scotland. •* Here, in the seventh century, St. Abba or Ebba^' founded a double separate monastery :43 one house being intended for monks, and the other for nuns. ** The latter was under her own special direction. This holy abbesses was daughter to Ethelfrid, King of Northumberland, and a sister to St. Oswald*^ and Oswio, styled respectively the Sixth and Seventh*? Bretwaldas, or chief wielders of Saxon power in Britain. *^ It is said, St. Ebba was abbess here in the year 661. At this place,« she entertained St. Cuthbert,'° the Prior o—f Melrose, for several days. About a mile —south-west of St. Abb's Head thus de- nominated from that holy woman St. Ebba's ancient nunnery, at Colding-
ham, stood on the sea-beaten rock. s^
the most ancient to the present times : with a Dictionary of Places, Chorographical and Philological," vol. i. , book ii. , chap, vii. , P- 325-
It is said, the most ancient church
that Dukedom was united to the Crown of
France, ending with the year of our Lord 68 ; in which are several pieces of Talies- sin, an ancient British Poet, and a Defence
*° Coldingham was a cell to Durham. In of the Antiquity of the Scottish Nation :
his Appendix to Venerable Bede's History,
Num XX. , pp. 760 to 764, Smith has printed various charters relating to this house. See
''
with many other Antiquities, never before
published in the English Tongue ; with a
compleat Index to the whole," book vi. , Sir William Dugdale's Monasticon Angli- chap, xxv. , p. 215, and chap, xxvi. , pp.
canum," vol. vi. , part ii. , p. 1 149. The new edition, by John Caley, Esq. , F. R. S. S. A. , Henry Ellis, LL. B. , F. R. S. S. A. , and the Rev. Bulkeley Bandinel, D. D.
217, 218. As an Appendix to this work,
and of very great interest for the antiquary, is a republication of the following distinct
tract. Its title runs " The Breviary of *' See Gough's Camden's "Britannia," Britayne. As this most noble and renowned
vol. iii. , p. 301, for an account of this
place, in comiexion with the Merchia, Merch, or Mers.
*' She received the veil from St. Finan, an Irish bishop of Lindisfarne, according to her Life. This will be found in Capgrave's
"Legenda Sanctorum Angliae," at the 25th
Hand was of ancient time divided into three
Kingdomes, England, Scotland, and Wales. Contaynyng a learned discourse of the vari-
able state and alteration thereof, vnder diuers as wel natural : as forren Princes and Con- querours. Together with the Geographicall
description of the same, such as nether by
elder, nor later writers, the like hath been
of August.
"
*3See Rev. Alban Butler's Lives of the set foorth before. " Written in Latin by
Fathers, Martyrs, and other Principal Hunifrey Lhuyd of Denbigh, a Cambro-
Saints," vol. viii. , xxv. August.
**This account suggests a similitude be-
tween her foundation and St. Brigid's at Kildare. See, regarding this latter estab- lishment, remarks in Rev. P. J. Carew's "Ecclesiastical History of Ireland," chap. vi. , p. 240.
*5 The feast of St. Ebba, virgin, and Ab- bess of Coldingham falls on the 25th of August. See an account of her in Bishop Forbes' "Kalendars of Scottish Saints," p. 330. —
Britayne. And lately Englished by Thomas Twyne, Gentleman, M. D. Lxxiii.
** During the period of the Saxon hep-
"
History of the . Anglo-Saxons," vol. i. , book iii. , chap. 5> P- 3I9» regards the Bretwalda as a kind
of war-king, or a temporary military leader. The learned Saxon scholar and antiquary, John Mitchell Kemble, in his account re- garding the growth of the kingly power, considers the Bretwaldadom as being "a mere accidental predominance. " See "The
*^ This — man see his Life at the holy
Saxons in
a of the England, History Eng-
5th of August had been educated Ireland,
lish Commonwealth till the
Period of the
in and he was a convert to the Faith.
Norman Conquest," vol. ii. , book ii. , chap,
i. , p. 18.
'The of in Ber- Nunnery Coldingham,
' See an account of their respective reigns
in Dr. " of
Lingard's History England,"
chap, ii,, pp. 89 to 103. Also Mon. De wickshire, is thought to have been the oldest
" Histoire
tome i. , lib. iii. , pp. 164 to 168. Likewise
John Lewis' "History of Great Britain, from the first Inhabitants thereof, 'till the Deatli of Cadwalader, Last King of the Britains ; and of the Kings of Scotland to Eugene V. As also a Short Account of the Kings, Dukes, and Earls of Bretagne, 'till
in Scotland, as neither its founder, the time of its foundation, nor its order, are said to be known. See a further account of this nunnery, with three distinct copperplate
"
Antiquities of Scot- land," vol. i. , pp. 95 to 98.
s° See his Life at the 20th of March.
S' See a description of Coldingham, with
Rapin Thoyras'
d'Angleterre,"
tarchy. Sharon Turner, in his
engravings, in Grose's
:
January 31. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 591
herehadbeenfabricatedofwood. s' Coldinghamparishliesalongthecoast of Berwickshire, and on the German Ocean. 53 Not many years ago, the ruins there remaining were very extensive ; but those are now sadly dilapi- dated, by peasants having carried stones away for the erection of their cottages. 5+ During the middle ages, Coldingham was a priory of consider- able consequence,5s while its possessions and revenues were ample. s^ Not very long after the monastic foundation,57 our saint must have joined the
That term "
nan, s^ seems to imply his attainment of some dignity, in the monastery where
he lived, and accordingly he has been dignified with the title of abbot. ss It has been assumed to indicate, he was superior over that religious house, with which he was connected. However, Venerable Bede speaks of our saint in such terms, as might lead us to suppose, he was not elevated to any exalted ec- clesiastical dignity. ^" In like manner do John Capgrave^' and Harpsfeld^' alludetohim,asifoccupyingasubordinateposition. Mostrehableauthorities regardhimassimplyapriestandamonk. ^3 Weread,thatonacertainday, Adamnan going out from the monastery, in company with a religious brother, both again returned, having accomplished the object of their journey. While on their way back, Adamnan looked towards the ecclesiastical buildings of Coldingham, which reared their walls^* in the distance. A sudden grief overcast his soul, and to the surprise of his companion, Adamnan burst into tears. That brother demanded the cause for his sorrow. " All those public
said the " are about to be con- saint,
Coldingham fraternity.
prsepositus," applied
to the Adam- holy
and
s«med in a short time, and laid prostrate in ashes. " This being heard, the
private buildings,
which
you see,"
two magnificent illustrations of its priory, "
Antiquities
of England and Scotland," etc. , vol. i. In-
troduction, p. XXXV.
History of Berwickshire, anciently termed Coldinghamshire. " This work, containing plates and many wood-cut views, was pub- lished at Edinburgh, in 1836.
in Robert William Billing's Baronial and Ecclesiastical Antiquities of Scotland," vol. i. , pp. I, 2.
5* See W. H. Hunter's " of the History
5^ See Walter Scott's " Border
53
"
Priory of Coldingham, from the earliest date to the present time ; also the Rights of Property and Possessions of the Priory. " This work contains beautiful plates of views, and it appeared in Edinburgh, A. D. 1858.
57 We consider this house, mainly, if not altogethei-, embraced that rule of life pre- vailing in the institute at lona.
5* By Trithemius.
59 In this light Camerarius regards him.
in his
Wion, "Lignum Vitse," Appendix,
and Menard, in his Appendix to the Bene-
dictine of him almost Martyrology, speak
in similar terms.
*° See " Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis
Except a detached portion, about 5 furlongs long and 3^ broad, which is em- bosomed to ithe east in the parish of Eye- mouth, it is bounded on the north by the German Ocean ; on the east by the German
Ocean and the parishes of Eyemouth and
Ayton ; on the south by the parishes of
Chirnside and Buncle ; and on the west by
the of St. — Oldham- parishes Abbey Bathans,
stocks, and Cockburnpath. " FuUarton's
"
Gazetteer of Scotland," vol. i. , pp. 288, 289.
Imperial
5« has been Lately
a
published beautfully
illustrated work, by the Rev. Mackenzie E. C. Walcott, B. D. F. S. A. , and Precentor of Chichester, intituled, "Scoti-Monasticon. The Ancient Church of a
Anglorum," lib. iv. , cap. 25, p. 336. *" "
Scotland, History of the Cathedrals, Conventual Foundations, Collegiate Churches, and Hospitals of Scot- land. " Therein is contained a very com- plete and detailed description of the antiqui- ties now remaining at Coldingham, with notices regarding its foundation, and a chronological record of its priors, from the twelfth to the sixteenth century. See pp.
239 to 243.
55 See A. Carr's " History of Coldingham, containing a Survey of the Ecclesiastical
*" See "Historia Ecclesiastica. " Anglicana
Seculum vii. , cap. 32.
*3 Colgan appears to cite Trithemius and
the foregoing authorities, in confirmation of this opinion. See "Acta Sanctorum Hi-
bernian," xxxi. Januarii, n. 8, p. 226. **Bede applies the words "sublimiter
"
In Legenda Sanctorum Anglise. " Vita S. EabbK.
"
were on an elevated site, rather than of a
erecta
to them. This probably means, they
Historia Eccle- siastica Gentis Scotorum," lib. iv. , cap. 25,
special great height. See P- 337-
592 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [January 31.
brother had no sooner arrived at the monastery, than he communicated to
the superioress Ebba,^5 what had been predicted by Adamnan. Greatly disturbed at this announcement, the abbess^^ held an interview with our
saint. Then she inquired from him, how it happened, that he had been able to ""predict such a misfortune. ^^ The holy man replied, on a late occasion, while occupied during night at his accustomed vigils, and in the recitation of psalms, a certain person, whose features were unknown, presented himself.
Then, feeling alarmed, our saint was desired by this strange visitor to allay ""
his fears. For," said the apparition, and in a familiar voice, you act rightly, who not only remain during night depriving yourself of rest, but,
moreover, you spend
it
and salutary vigils,
" I know well,"
replied
God's
monastery is composed,? " I have observed yourself alone occupied with the great affair of salvation. All other persons, men and women, are either buried in profound sleep, or are awake in the commission of some sin ; since those little houses,? ^ which were destined for prayer or study, are now con- verted into chambers where eating, drinking, idle conversation, or trans- gressions of some other kind, are committed. Even virgins, consecrated to God, in contempt of their sacred profession, apply themselves to weaving rich stuffs, often as they are at leisure. 7* With these they either clothe them- selves, with detriment to their holy state, or they prepare them for externs of the other sex, to procure their friendship. On this account, the place and its inhabitants are destined for Heaven's vengeance, which will be manifested by consuming flames. " The Abbess Ebba73 asked, why the saint had not
the " I have need of saint,
anger, for my previous transgressions. '''^^
*s There are notices of this holywoman
''
Historia Anglicana Eccle- siastica," Ssec. vii. , cap. 2, 7.
•^She must not be confounded with St.
Ebba, virgin and martyr, who was abbess, at a later period, over this same nunnery of Coldingham. Thelatterreceivedhercrown of martyrdom at the hands of the Danes, on
? « Bede calls them " domunculoe. " See ibid. These were probably fashioned after the early Irish cells.
^^ See Father Innes' "Civil and Eccle-
siastical History of Scotland. " Chonolo-
gical Memoirs, p. 273.
"Prefixed to Rev. Mackenzie E. C.
Walcott's account of the Abbess Ebba and
the at —are cited the nunnery Coldingham,
in Harpsfeld's
watching
praying. "^^ that thus I
may deprecate
The strange visitor responded : " You say, indeed, what is true; for you and many others have need, by the exercise of good works, to atone for past sins, and when ceasing from tem- poral labours, the more eagerly should you endeavour for spiritual benefits. These things, however, are done by very few persons. For, even now, whilst I have in succession visited all the cottages and beds of which this
the 2nd of
A. D. 870,
according
to the
April,
English Martyrology, Matthew of West-
minster, and other authorities. In his
" Martyrologium Benedictinum," Hugh Menard places her festival at the foregoing date.
following appropriate lines
" There was an ancient house not far away Renowned throughout the world for
^ tany,'. '
' ' Church
of Brit-
sacred lore,
And so pure, unspotted life,
^
book xviii. , chap, xv. , p. 456. ''
say,
It governed was and guided evermore,
Through wisdom of a matron grave and
hoar,
Whose only joy was to relieve the
See Cressy's
History
well, they
See Bede's Historia Ecclesiastica
Gentis Anglorum," lib. iv. , cap. 25, p. 338. ^See Father Innes' " Civil and Ecclesi-
astical History of Scotland. " Chronological Memoirs, p. 273.
needs
Of wretched and souls,
7° Bede uses the words, "
singulorum
help
the
helpless
casas ac lectos inspexi," which give us an
idea, that this monastic institute consisted
of detached huts, grouped together over
some considerable space of ground. See
poor.
All night she spent in bidding of her
beads,
And all the day in doing good and " Godly deeds. "
"
lib. iv. , cap. 25, p. 338,
Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis Anglorum," —
See
Scoti-Monasticon," p. 376.
:
JANUARY 31. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
Anglorum,"
and Sergius III. in the sixth year of his pon-
tificate, A. D. 911. See Sir Harris Nicolas'
"
Chronology of History," p. 211.
'^A. D. 797. See Dempster's "Historia
588 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [January 31.
in six paragraphs, by the BoUandists. ^^ Cressy'* and other English church historians have not forgotten to commemorate this saint. In Hke manner, Father Innes'3 alludes to the remarkable events of his biography. Bishop Forbes, who finds him commemorated in some Scottish Kalendars,^+ has a special biography of St. Adamnanus of Coldingham. '^s Many other Scottish and Continental writers have noted some particulars concerning his life. However, we cannot with certainty pronounce on this saint having been a native of our island. ^^ Bede declares, that he was of Scottish race f7 and, it is likely enough, Adamnan was bom in Scotia Major or Ireland. ^^ Colgan would not undertake to determine this question, as to whether he had been born there or in Scotia Minor, also called Britannic Scotia, and Albania, by the ancients, as it is denominated Scotland, by modern writers. Those who wish to maintain our saint was a native of this latter country, might advance by way of argument, that he was converted while in Britain ; yet, by a con- fessor, who appears to have been an Irishman. ^9 Again, it might be urged, that if Adamnan were an Irishman, why should not his nationality have been as clearly indicated as that of his confessor, or why should not his conversion have taken place in Ireland ? But, an Irishman might easily oppose such objections, by retorting the argument, and by inquiring, if he were a native of British Scotia, why was not his conversion effected in modem Scotland, and not rather in Coludum or Coldingham ? 3° It may be asked, likewise, why should his conversion have been effected by an Irish confessor, rather than by a Scotchman, if he were a native of Albania ? Those, who desire to claim Adamnan, as an Irishman, might also add, that many Irish saints and mis- sionaries then laboured in Northumbria, and in other parts of England, by spreading a knowledge of Faith among the people. 3* Hence, it appears to be very probable, that Adamnan was one of those pious Irish pilgrims, who owed his conversion to a director of Irish race, if not of Irish birth. Re- garding the parents of Adamnan we have no account ;32 but, it seems pro-
" See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus ii. , xxxi.
Januarii. Acta S. Adamnani, pp. 1120, 1 121.
"See "Church History of Brittany," book xviii. , chap, xv. , pp. 455, 456.
'3 See "Civil and Ecclesiastical History of Scotland. " Chronological Memoirs, pp. 270 to 274.
" Ecclesiastical History of Ireland," vol. iii. , chap, xviii. , § v. , p. 97, and n. 61, p. 100. There our saint is dismissed with a few brief notices,
'' According to the most probable sequence and interpretation of Venerable Bede's nar- rative.
30 Thjs ^. ^s situated, formerly, in the pro- =** ThusDempster,in his "Menologium vinceofNorthumbria,inEngland,asappears
Scoticum," strangely enough has St. Adam- nanus Coludius, and Adamnanus, Abbot of Hy, at this day, while the Scottish entries in the Kalendar of David Camerarius place the former saint at the 27th and the latter at the
31st of January.
y's See "Kalendars of Scottish Saints," pp.
191, 234, 264, Bishop Forbes says he was of the Irish race. Ibid. , p. 264.
from Bede's " Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis Anglorum," lib. iv. , cap. 25, and from Tri- themius " De Sanctis Ordinis S. Benedicti," lib. iii. , cap. 124.
3' Here specially might be enumerated, St. Aidan, St. P'inan, St. Colman, St. Cath- bert, St. Dima, St. Fursey, St. Dichull, be- sides a host of other holy men. Induced by their example, many were desirous of leading a contemplative or missionary life in England. These left their own native is- land, in great numbers, to extend still more the kingdom of God upon earth. See, on this subject, Rt. Rev. Bishop Moran's edi-
tion of Peter Lombard's " De Hiber- Regno
nije. Sanctorum Insula, Commentarius," cap, XV. , pp. 78 to 87.
3^ yee that portion in Venerable Bede's
"* " See Bishop Challoner's
Brittannia
Sancta," part i. , p. 87.
="' Besides Bede, from whose history the
present account of this saint is chiefly taken, the English Martyrology, at the 31st of Jan-
and
Trithemius,
"
DeJViris lllustribus," lib. iii. , cap. 124, have notices regarding
uary, him.
'^
Dr. Lanigan remarks, that there is no authority for deciding, whether this saint was a native of Ireland or Scotland. See
"
lib. iv. , cap. 25, which refers to him.
Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis Anglorum,"
January 31. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 589
bable, he first saw the light, towards the close of the sixth or beginning of the seventh century. 33
It would appear, that in his youth, he was addicted to a life of debauchery and licentiousness ; yet, the grace of God effectually interposed, and rescued him from this state of sin. Being moved to penitence, he sought the counsel of a spiritual director,34 to whom he disclosed his manifold crimes, expres- sing, at the same time, a desire to perform suitable penance for such trans- gressions. The director35 told him, in order to appease God's wrath, that he should apply, for the future, to a recitation of psalms, to devout prayer, and to fasting. Our saint, who showed himself a true penitent, declared his readiness to accept any penance imposed, that salvation might be secured on the last day, even although it should be enjoined on him to remain standing during whole nights in prayer, or to pass the whole week in a continuous fast. 3^ His confessor, however, would not impose so rigorous a penance on this fervent penitent, but only required him to fast two or three days ; then, after a short interval, he directed Adamnan to revisit the tribunal of confes- sion, that he might hear what should afterwards be expedient for him to do. 37 Having thus expressed himself, and having prescribed an exact measure of penance, that confessor of Irish descent was suddenly called away from England, where our saint then lived. After this occurrence, our saint had no longer access to his spiritual father, who left for Ireland. 32 But, mindful of his former transgressions, Adamnan bewailed with tears, by day and night, the miseries of his youth. By the most guarded conduct, he afterwards endeavoured to nourish a spirit of penance and purity, practising frequent vigils and prayers. He only tasted nutriment on Sundays and Thursdays, spending other days of the week in observing the strictest abstinence from all food. Although Adamnan heard about the death of his director in Ireland, yet this did not induce him to change that rigorous mode of living. Whatever penitential observances the pious religious at first under- took as a satisfaction for his sins, those holy exercises were afterwards con- tinued, while joined with fervent and constant aspirations to God.
It is not altogether unquestionable, although highly probable, that the conversion of Adamnan was commenced at Coldingham. It is certain,
however, from Venerable Bede's narrative, that his penance was there en- joined by the director. This happened, it is likely, during the seventh
century. As a priest and monk, he lived many years afterwards in the monastery of Coldingham,39 which then lay within the old province of
33 This may be inferred from the English before the Christian era. See Elias Reg- Martyrology, and from ^Venerable Bede's nault's " Histoire de I'lrlande," liv. i. ,
narrative,
3^ He is called an Irish Confessor, in
chap, ii. , p. 23.
ssgeg Bede's "HistoriaEcclesiastica Gen-
tis Anglorum," lib. iv. , cap. 25, p. 336.
37 See Father Innes' " Civil and Ecclesi-
"
35 It is not correct to say, that Bede calls
"
Hibernus," while omitting to distinguish our saint in like manner. Bede only says, that Adamnan's master went to Hibemia, from which country his origin was derived, whereas our saint is
"
Bishop Forbes' Saints," p. 264,
Kalendars of Scottish
his master or director
asticalHistoryofScotland. " Chronological Memoirs, p. 272.
vir de genere Scotorum. " All na- tives of Ireland, at that time, were generally calledScots,astheircountrywasnamed Scotia. The origin of both terms to natives of Ireland and to their country is thought by a French writer to have no more remote antiquity than a century or two centuries
called
38Be(}e calls it " suum Hibemiam. " See " Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis Anglo- rum," lib. iv. , cap. 25, p. 337. This Cressy
''
Ireland his Native Country. " See "Church History of Brit-
tany," book xviii. , cap. xv. , p. 456. 39Thisreligiousestablishmentwasfounded
''
which extended from 634 to 643 A. D. " George Chalmers' " Caledonia ; or, an Account, Historical and Topographic, of North Britain ; from
rightly interprets
under the reign of Oswald—,
590 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [January 31.
Northumbria,inthekingdomofAnglia/" Atasubsequentperiod,itformed a part of the Marches, belonging to Scotland. •* Here, in the seventh century, St. Abba or Ebba^' founded a double separate monastery :43 one house being intended for monks, and the other for nuns. ** The latter was under her own special direction. This holy abbesses was daughter to Ethelfrid, King of Northumberland, and a sister to St. Oswald*^ and Oswio, styled respectively the Sixth and Seventh*? Bretwaldas, or chief wielders of Saxon power in Britain. *^ It is said, St. Ebba was abbess here in the year 661. At this place,« she entertained St. Cuthbert,'° the Prior o—f Melrose, for several days. About a mile —south-west of St. Abb's Head thus de- nominated from that holy woman St. Ebba's ancient nunnery, at Colding-
ham, stood on the sea-beaten rock. s^
the most ancient to the present times : with a Dictionary of Places, Chorographical and Philological," vol. i. , book ii. , chap, vii. , P- 325-
It is said, the most ancient church
that Dukedom was united to the Crown of
France, ending with the year of our Lord 68 ; in which are several pieces of Talies- sin, an ancient British Poet, and a Defence
*° Coldingham was a cell to Durham. In of the Antiquity of the Scottish Nation :
his Appendix to Venerable Bede's History,
Num XX. , pp. 760 to 764, Smith has printed various charters relating to this house. See
''
with many other Antiquities, never before
published in the English Tongue ; with a
compleat Index to the whole," book vi. , Sir William Dugdale's Monasticon Angli- chap, xxv. , p. 215, and chap, xxvi. , pp.
canum," vol. vi. , part ii. , p. 1 149. The new edition, by John Caley, Esq. , F. R. S. S. A. , Henry Ellis, LL. B. , F. R. S. S. A. , and the Rev. Bulkeley Bandinel, D. D.
217, 218. As an Appendix to this work,
and of very great interest for the antiquary, is a republication of the following distinct
tract. Its title runs " The Breviary of *' See Gough's Camden's "Britannia," Britayne. As this most noble and renowned
vol. iii. , p. 301, for an account of this
place, in comiexion with the Merchia, Merch, or Mers.
*' She received the veil from St. Finan, an Irish bishop of Lindisfarne, according to her Life. This will be found in Capgrave's
"Legenda Sanctorum Angliae," at the 25th
Hand was of ancient time divided into three
Kingdomes, England, Scotland, and Wales. Contaynyng a learned discourse of the vari-
able state and alteration thereof, vnder diuers as wel natural : as forren Princes and Con- querours. Together with the Geographicall
description of the same, such as nether by
elder, nor later writers, the like hath been
of August.
"
*3See Rev. Alban Butler's Lives of the set foorth before. " Written in Latin by
Fathers, Martyrs, and other Principal Hunifrey Lhuyd of Denbigh, a Cambro-
Saints," vol. viii. , xxv. August.
**This account suggests a similitude be-
tween her foundation and St. Brigid's at Kildare. See, regarding this latter estab- lishment, remarks in Rev. P. J. Carew's "Ecclesiastical History of Ireland," chap. vi. , p. 240.
*5 The feast of St. Ebba, virgin, and Ab- bess of Coldingham falls on the 25th of August. See an account of her in Bishop Forbes' "Kalendars of Scottish Saints," p. 330. —
Britayne. And lately Englished by Thomas Twyne, Gentleman, M. D. Lxxiii.
** During the period of the Saxon hep-
"
History of the . Anglo-Saxons," vol. i. , book iii. , chap. 5> P- 3I9» regards the Bretwalda as a kind
of war-king, or a temporary military leader. The learned Saxon scholar and antiquary, John Mitchell Kemble, in his account re- garding the growth of the kingly power, considers the Bretwaldadom as being "a mere accidental predominance. " See "The
*^ This — man see his Life at the holy
Saxons in
a of the England, History Eng-
5th of August had been educated Ireland,
lish Commonwealth till the
Period of the
in and he was a convert to the Faith.
Norman Conquest," vol. ii. , book ii. , chap,
i. , p. 18.
'The of in Ber- Nunnery Coldingham,
' See an account of their respective reigns
in Dr. " of
Lingard's History England,"
chap, ii,, pp. 89 to 103. Also Mon. De wickshire, is thought to have been the oldest
" Histoire
tome i. , lib. iii. , pp. 164 to 168. Likewise
John Lewis' "History of Great Britain, from the first Inhabitants thereof, 'till the Deatli of Cadwalader, Last King of the Britains ; and of the Kings of Scotland to Eugene V. As also a Short Account of the Kings, Dukes, and Earls of Bretagne, 'till
in Scotland, as neither its founder, the time of its foundation, nor its order, are said to be known. See a further account of this nunnery, with three distinct copperplate
"
Antiquities of Scot- land," vol. i. , pp. 95 to 98.
s° See his Life at the 20th of March.
S' See a description of Coldingham, with
Rapin Thoyras'
d'Angleterre,"
tarchy. Sharon Turner, in his
engravings, in Grose's
:
January 31. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 591
herehadbeenfabricatedofwood. s' Coldinghamparishliesalongthecoast of Berwickshire, and on the German Ocean. 53 Not many years ago, the ruins there remaining were very extensive ; but those are now sadly dilapi- dated, by peasants having carried stones away for the erection of their cottages. 5+ During the middle ages, Coldingham was a priory of consider- able consequence,5s while its possessions and revenues were ample. s^ Not very long after the monastic foundation,57 our saint must have joined the
That term "
nan, s^ seems to imply his attainment of some dignity, in the monastery where
he lived, and accordingly he has been dignified with the title of abbot. ss It has been assumed to indicate, he was superior over that religious house, with which he was connected. However, Venerable Bede speaks of our saint in such terms, as might lead us to suppose, he was not elevated to any exalted ec- clesiastical dignity. ^" In like manner do John Capgrave^' and Harpsfeld^' alludetohim,asifoccupyingasubordinateposition. Mostrehableauthorities regardhimassimplyapriestandamonk. ^3 Weread,thatonacertainday, Adamnan going out from the monastery, in company with a religious brother, both again returned, having accomplished the object of their journey. While on their way back, Adamnan looked towards the ecclesiastical buildings of Coldingham, which reared their walls^* in the distance. A sudden grief overcast his soul, and to the surprise of his companion, Adamnan burst into tears. That brother demanded the cause for his sorrow. " All those public
said the " are about to be con- saint,
Coldingham fraternity.
prsepositus," applied
to the Adam- holy
and
s«med in a short time, and laid prostrate in ashes. " This being heard, the
private buildings,
which
you see,"
two magnificent illustrations of its priory, "
Antiquities
of England and Scotland," etc. , vol. i. In-
troduction, p. XXXV.
History of Berwickshire, anciently termed Coldinghamshire. " This work, containing plates and many wood-cut views, was pub- lished at Edinburgh, in 1836.
in Robert William Billing's Baronial and Ecclesiastical Antiquities of Scotland," vol. i. , pp. I, 2.
5* See W. H. Hunter's " of the History
5^ See Walter Scott's " Border
53
"
Priory of Coldingham, from the earliest date to the present time ; also the Rights of Property and Possessions of the Priory. " This work contains beautiful plates of views, and it appeared in Edinburgh, A. D. 1858.
57 We consider this house, mainly, if not altogethei-, embraced that rule of life pre- vailing in the institute at lona.
5* By Trithemius.
59 In this light Camerarius regards him.
in his
Wion, "Lignum Vitse," Appendix,
and Menard, in his Appendix to the Bene-
dictine of him almost Martyrology, speak
in similar terms.
*° See " Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis
Except a detached portion, about 5 furlongs long and 3^ broad, which is em- bosomed to ithe east in the parish of Eye- mouth, it is bounded on the north by the German Ocean ; on the east by the German
Ocean and the parishes of Eyemouth and
Ayton ; on the south by the parishes of
Chirnside and Buncle ; and on the west by
the of St. — Oldham- parishes Abbey Bathans,
stocks, and Cockburnpath. " FuUarton's
"
Gazetteer of Scotland," vol. i. , pp. 288, 289.
Imperial
5« has been Lately
a
published beautfully
illustrated work, by the Rev. Mackenzie E. C. Walcott, B. D. F. S. A. , and Precentor of Chichester, intituled, "Scoti-Monasticon. The Ancient Church of a
Anglorum," lib. iv. , cap. 25, p. 336. *" "
Scotland, History of the Cathedrals, Conventual Foundations, Collegiate Churches, and Hospitals of Scot- land. " Therein is contained a very com- plete and detailed description of the antiqui- ties now remaining at Coldingham, with notices regarding its foundation, and a chronological record of its priors, from the twelfth to the sixteenth century. See pp.
239 to 243.
55 See A. Carr's " History of Coldingham, containing a Survey of the Ecclesiastical
*" See "Historia Ecclesiastica. " Anglicana
Seculum vii. , cap. 32.
*3 Colgan appears to cite Trithemius and
the foregoing authorities, in confirmation of this opinion. See "Acta Sanctorum Hi-
bernian," xxxi. Januarii, n. 8, p. 226. **Bede applies the words "sublimiter
"
In Legenda Sanctorum Anglise. " Vita S. EabbK.
"
were on an elevated site, rather than of a
erecta
to them. This probably means, they
Historia Eccle- siastica Gentis Scotorum," lib. iv. , cap. 25,
special great height. See P- 337-
592 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [January 31.
brother had no sooner arrived at the monastery, than he communicated to
the superioress Ebba,^5 what had been predicted by Adamnan. Greatly disturbed at this announcement, the abbess^^ held an interview with our
saint. Then she inquired from him, how it happened, that he had been able to ""predict such a misfortune. ^^ The holy man replied, on a late occasion, while occupied during night at his accustomed vigils, and in the recitation of psalms, a certain person, whose features were unknown, presented himself.
Then, feeling alarmed, our saint was desired by this strange visitor to allay ""
his fears. For," said the apparition, and in a familiar voice, you act rightly, who not only remain during night depriving yourself of rest, but,
moreover, you spend
it
and salutary vigils,
" I know well,"
replied
God's
monastery is composed,? " I have observed yourself alone occupied with the great affair of salvation. All other persons, men and women, are either buried in profound sleep, or are awake in the commission of some sin ; since those little houses,? ^ which were destined for prayer or study, are now con- verted into chambers where eating, drinking, idle conversation, or trans- gressions of some other kind, are committed. Even virgins, consecrated to God, in contempt of their sacred profession, apply themselves to weaving rich stuffs, often as they are at leisure. 7* With these they either clothe them- selves, with detriment to their holy state, or they prepare them for externs of the other sex, to procure their friendship. On this account, the place and its inhabitants are destined for Heaven's vengeance, which will be manifested by consuming flames. " The Abbess Ebba73 asked, why the saint had not
the " I have need of saint,
anger, for my previous transgressions. '''^^
*s There are notices of this holywoman
''
Historia Anglicana Eccle- siastica," Ssec. vii. , cap. 2, 7.
•^She must not be confounded with St.
Ebba, virgin and martyr, who was abbess, at a later period, over this same nunnery of Coldingham. Thelatterreceivedhercrown of martyrdom at the hands of the Danes, on
? « Bede calls them " domunculoe. " See ibid. These were probably fashioned after the early Irish cells.
^^ See Father Innes' "Civil and Eccle-
siastical History of Scotland. " Chonolo-
gical Memoirs, p. 273.
"Prefixed to Rev. Mackenzie E. C.
Walcott's account of the Abbess Ebba and
the at —are cited the nunnery Coldingham,
in Harpsfeld's
watching
praying. "^^ that thus I
may deprecate
The strange visitor responded : " You say, indeed, what is true; for you and many others have need, by the exercise of good works, to atone for past sins, and when ceasing from tem- poral labours, the more eagerly should you endeavour for spiritual benefits. These things, however, are done by very few persons. For, even now, whilst I have in succession visited all the cottages and beds of which this
the 2nd of
A. D. 870,
according
to the
April,
English Martyrology, Matthew of West-
minster, and other authorities. In his
" Martyrologium Benedictinum," Hugh Menard places her festival at the foregoing date.
following appropriate lines
" There was an ancient house not far away Renowned throughout the world for
^ tany,'. '
' ' Church
of Brit-
sacred lore,
And so pure, unspotted life,
^
book xviii. , chap, xv. , p. 456. ''
say,
It governed was and guided evermore,
Through wisdom of a matron grave and
hoar,
Whose only joy was to relieve the
See Cressy's
History
well, they
See Bede's Historia Ecclesiastica
Gentis Anglorum," lib. iv. , cap. 25, p. 338. ^See Father Innes' " Civil and Ecclesi-
astical History of Scotland. " Chronological Memoirs, p. 273.
needs
Of wretched and souls,
7° Bede uses the words, "
singulorum
help
the
helpless
casas ac lectos inspexi," which give us an
idea, that this monastic institute consisted
of detached huts, grouped together over
some considerable space of ground. See
poor.
All night she spent in bidding of her
beads,
And all the day in doing good and " Godly deeds. "
"
lib. iv. , cap. 25, p. 338,
Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis Anglorum," —
See
Scoti-Monasticon," p. 376.
:
JANUARY 31. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
