No More Learning

in the sixteenth century, Sir Oliver Morres,
js Such is the statement of the grapher on /Engus, contained in the " Lea-
Early
glosso-
374.
September 3. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 79
in laws and in poetry. This saint was regarded, likewise, as the Augustine
of such was the and of his ecclesiastical 16 Ireland; depth range knowledge.
He was passionately addicted to a love of literature; but, it would seem, he was not remarkable for lending his much-prized books to others who desired their use or possession. '? The most valuable codices—especially the copies of Gospels and ritual Books—were often kept in polaire or leathern cases and in
or satchels. '9 These latter20 from fastened usually hung pegs
tiaga^
in the walls of the old Irish monasteries. In the time of St. Patrick, a legend
21
isrelated,thattheIrishApostle desiredaskinonwhichhesleptandstood,
while celebrating the holy sacrifice of the Mass, to be converted into a sack or satchel, which might serve to hold books. These were then fastened to the girdles of six attendant boys, who accompanied six Irish clerics, on a
22 and collector of books.
Roman
pilgrimage.
This saint is to have been a lover said, likewise, great
St. Columkille2 3once paid him a visit ; but, accord-
ing to the legend, Lon-garad hid his books, and his visitor predicted that
after Longarad's death, no man would be able to read the works which were
in his 2* and which were so withheld, from one who possession, inhospitably
could so thoroughly appreciate their value. It is a curious remark, how many similar ancient customs have prevailed, and in countries so very far remote, when we undertake the task of making —antiquarian comparisons.
Atthe — present
time, in the
monasteries and in that of notably
Abyssinian
Souriani the disposition of the monks' manuscripts is to Europeans very
original. Those manuscripts are usually hung in leather cases or satchels, tied with leather thongs, and having straps attached to the cases. By these, the books contained in them depend from long wooden pegs, fastened in the walls. 25 Those wooden pegs project underneath a shelf, carried in the
""
bhar Breac copy of his Feilire. " Art. i.
26
or four manuscripts are hung on one peg, or even on more, if the Cordices
Egyptian style around the walls, and at the height of the door-top.
Three
16 22"
Anancientvellumbook,whichwehave mentioned under St. Brigid's life, at 1st ot February, and under St. Patrick's, at the 17th March, states, that Lon-garadh, in his habits and life, was like to Augustine, who was very wise.
See Colgan's Trias Thaumaturga,"
Vita Septima S. Patricii, pars ii„ cap. ix. ,
p. 130.
23 See his Life at the 9th of June, in the
Sixth Volume of this work, Art. i.
24 See " Transactions of the Royal Irish
*f It is probable, like most literary men,
he had found from experience, how difficult
it was to recover or recall them when lent ;
and, at a time when copies of tracts had not
been sufficiently multiplied, their absence
might have much retarded his pursuit of viii. , p. 93. There is also an illustrative knowledge, under difficulties of the period.
18 Called in Irish ciaja, in the legend of
Longaradh.
'9 In Latin usually called scetha, or sceta,
squesa or cetha, meaning in English, "a sheath. "
20 The Book of Armagh has also the significant term of scetha, at fol. 191, a. a. It is worthy of notice, also, that in Sulp'crps Severus' Preface to his Vita S. Mcuuu. , l. c printed text reads: " Libellum quern de vita S. Martini scripseram scheda sua premere. " See at p. 483, in George Horn's very complete edition of the works of that writer, published at Amsterdam, in 1665, 8vo.
21 See the Life of St. Patrick in the Third Volume of this work, at the 17th of March,
wood-cut, representing this singular arrange- ment, and the interior of the library. It serves to revive in our imagination some very probable scenes of our ancient Irish monastic community or library rooms,
26 The Library room at Souriani was
about twenty-six feet long, twenty wide, and twelve in height ; its roof was formed of the trunks of palm trees, across which reeds were laid. These supported a mass of earth and plaster, of which the terrace roof was corn- posed. The windows, at a good height from the ground, were unglazed ; but, they were defended with bars of iron-wood, or some hard kind of wood. The door opened into the garden, and its lock was of wood, also, according to the peculiar construction used
Academy," Irish Manuscript Series, vol. i. , part i. On the Calendar of Oengus. By
Whitley Stokes, LL. D. , pp. cxl. , cxli.
2S See the Hon. Robert Curzon's "Visit to Monasteries in the Levant," part i. , chap,
8o LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
[September
be small. The usual size of these books is that of a small and very thick quarto. The books of Abyssinia are bound in the ordinary way ; sometimes
in wooden boards, which occasionally are elaborately carved in rude and coarse devices. The straps, attached to the book cases, were intended also to support these, and the manuscripts were carried over the shoulders. A very interesting account is given about the manner in which Abyssinian
manuscripts are written; most usually on skins or vellum, but occasionally, too, on charta bombycina. The ink used by the scribes is a compound of gum, lampblack and water. It is jet black, and it keeps the colour for ever ; while it is not corrosive or injurious, either to the pen or paper. The scribes use a reed pen. The ink-horn is the small end of a cow's horn, stuck into the ground, at the feet of the scribe. The Abyssinian manuscripts are adorned with the quaintest and griraest illuminations conceivable. The colours are composed of various ochres, and laid over the outlines of figures, first drawn with the pen. *? The foregoing recorded facts may probably throw considerable light on the preservation of the ancient books of Erinn, and
especially as relating to the legendary account of St. Longaradh's death. It
is said, that the book satchels of Erin, and the gospels, and the lesson books
of the 8 fell from their racks, on the of death. a9 students,' night Lon-garadh's
Another account states, that this happened in an apartment where St. Colum- kille and others dwelt. St. Columkille then announced to Baethin the death of Lon, of Garadh, in Ossory. 3° It was believed, also, that no person had
such a knowledge of books as Lon-garadh ; for, it is related, he used to understandtheminamostperfectmanner. UniversalregretforLon-garadh's death was felt in all the monasteries and schools of T and we have
in Egypt from time immemorial. That
Ireland,3
still some Irish poems extant which give expression to it. 32 There is still extant in an old Treatise some notices of this St. Longard, of Dysart Lon- gard, whose death brought such confusion to the Libraries of Ireland, in his
library contained perhaps nearly fifty
volumes, while the entire literature of
Abyssinia did not include more than double
such a number of works. Some old Coptic
and Syiiac manuscripts were found, also, and different version is given, and where the
purchased by the Hon. Mr. Curzon, while at Souriani.
27 Many other curious particulars are to
be gleaned concerning the art of writing in
that country from the book, already quoted,
of the Hon. Robert Curzon. See part i. ,
chap, vii. , viii.
lines are ascribed to St. Columkille.
3* In the gloss to the "Feilire" in the Leab- har Breac copy are the two following Irish stanzas, with their literal English translation :
If manb ton
i)o clulL gapA-o mop itvooti
"O Opitvo coniL&p AcnpeAb
Icoich legitvo Agur fcoi. -oxbach Lou
1 C1IL5Ap<vomopmoon 1)"oich le^mo Agur fcol
urop Openn x>&]\& hop. Dead is Lon —
Of Cell the evil
3
*This allusion preserves the tradition of
the multiplicity of schools, which had been established in Ireland, during the sixth
century.
29 This account is also to be found in the
"
MS. Book of Fermoy. See
of the Royal Irish Academy," vol. i. , part i. , Irish MSS. Series, pp. 35, 36.
30 See this curious legend in " The Book of Obits and Martyrology of the Cathedral Church of the Holy Trinity," edited by John Clarke Crosthwaite and Rev. Dr. Todd. Introduction,pp. lxxi. ,lxxii.
3' It was said in an Irish stanza given by
the O'Clerys—thus translated into English—
and — the incident of our saint's regarding
departure:
Proceedings
" Lon died, [Lon died] Garad was unfortunate ;
He is a loss to learning and schools, — Of Erin's isle to its extremities. "
,
See ibid. , p. lxxii.
where a somewhat
garad great
To Erin with her many homesteads It is ruin of learning and schools. Died hath Lon
In Cell garad—great the evil !
It is ruin of the learning and schools OfErin'sislandoverherborder. "
—"Transactionsof the Royal Irish Academy," Irish Manuscript Series, vol. i. , part i. On
the Calendar of LL. D. , p. cxlii.
Oengus, by Whitley Stokes,
!
September 3. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 81
time. 33 Also, an abridged version of this same story is found in a copy of the Felire /Engusa, at the 3rd of September, in the Leabhar Breac version. It is told more at length in the notes. His private collection of books included a curriculum of all the sciences. 34
extolled. It is — — said, although illegible owing
His learning was greatly long keeping, injury, damp, his books were preserved for ages after his time. 35
to
Article IV. —Translation of St. Erentrude's Relics, at Salzburg.
or probably to bad ink
The date for Lon-garadh's departure from this life is not recorded ; but, as being a contemporary of St. Columbkille, he must have lived in the sixth century.
Already at the 30th June—the day for her principal feast1—we have given 2
the Acts of this holy Abbess of Nunberg, near Salzburg, in Upper Austria. As there stated, the 3rd of September, a. d. 1305, was regarded as the date for the translation of her relics 3 to the crypt at Salzburg, where at present
The Cathedral and City of Salzburg.
they are preserved. * The district around it in Roman times formed a part of Noricum, and the city itself was called Juvavia,s where her brother, or,
to most
her St. 6 built a celebrated uncle, Rupert,
monastery,
3 See Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum Hiber- Leinster," belonging to the Franciscan nian," Martii xxvii. De S. Erentrude
according
writers,
33 In the Ten Folia of the " Book of
Community, Merchants'-quay, Dublin, page 17, column 3.
34Thusexpressedinanote.
35 See Professor Eugene O'Curry's "Lec- tures on the Manusciipt Materials of Ancient Irish History," lect. i. , pp. 17, 18, and Appendix No. xvn. , pp. 501, 502.
Article iv. —' See the Sixth Volume of this work, at that date, Art. i.
Abbatissa Nunbergensi, p. 770.
"
Acta Sanctorum," tomusv. ,Juniixxx. DeS. ErendrudeVirg. Abbatissa Salisburgi in Bavaria. Commen-
tarius Prsevius, num. 6, 9, pp. 5^ ! » 5^ 2 «
"
p.
6 See his
Latinized Nonnarummontis Monas- of this work, at the 27th of March, Art.
"
terium. " ii.
Acts,
2
4 Seethe Bollandist's
Annales Ordinis S. Benedicti," tomus i. , lib. xviii. , sect, li. ,
s See Mabillon's 611.
in the Third Volume
82 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
[September 3.
and became its first bishop. On the northern side of the Carinthian moun- tain-chain, it commands a most extensive view of the Bavarian plain stretching northwards. In due course, Salzburg became an archiepiscopal see, while its archbishop was recognised as Primate of Germany, and an Elector of Germany. He possessed many large domains in Austria, Styria and
8with
and its situation—one of the most picturesque in Germany—presents a noble
amphitheatre of Alpine mountains as a background towards the south. The
streets are narrow and crooked, and the squares are small but regular. The
present cathedral was built in the seventeenth century. 9 On the 3rd of
September, the feast of a translation of St. Erentrude's relics is commemorated
by Arturus a Monasterio,10 Dorganus," Wion,12 Menard,'3 and Ferrarius. 1 *
1
The Bollandists, * likewise, have references to it at this date.
Article V. —Translation of the Relics of St. Foillan. The
translation of St.
Foillan's body is commemorated at this date, according to
1
Molanus, Dorgan, Wion, Menard, Ferrarius, in "Catalogus generalis
;
translation, on the 3rd of September.
Article VI. —St. Balin or Balloin, of Tech-Saxon. The present holy man was a brother to St. Gerald, or Garalt, whose life has been given, at the 13th of March. 1 The Martyrologies of Marianus O'Gorman, of Cathal
Carinthia. 7 The adornedthe archbishops
city
many splendid buildings,
Sanctorum," and Wilson, in " Martyrologium Anglicanum. " On this day, the remains of St. Foillen, Martyr, were removed from Nivelles, in Belgium, at the instance of the Abbot of Fosse. The chief feast of St. Foillan is held on the 31st of October, where further notices of him may be found. 2 The present feast is noticed by the —Bollandists. 3 Three principal feasts are instituted in honour of St. Foillan that of his death, on the 3
1 st of October that of the discovery of his body, on the 16th of January; and that of its
Knight's
"
Penny Cyclopaedia of the Society
and of
2 record the festival of St. Balan or at the Balloin,
Donegal,
3rdofSeptember. 3 Itisstated,thathecamefromEnglandtoIreland,with his brothers, Gerald, Berikert* and Hubritan,s after the middle of the seventh century. He lived at a place, called Tech-Saxan, or the House of the
Maguire,
i See James Bell's System of Geography, Popular and Scientific," vol. i. , part ii. Austria, chap, v. , sect, i. , p. 436.
8 The accompanying illustration, from a local photograph, has been drawn on the
wood, and engraved by Mr. Gregor Grey. Another view of Salzburg, but taken from a different direction, may be seen at the 30th of June—feast of St. Erentrude—in the Sixth Volume of this work, Art. i.
9 From 1614 to 1668, by the architect, Santino Solari of Como. See Charles
Septembris iii. Among the pretermitted Feasts, p. 598. —
Article v. 'In his additions to Usuard, issued A. n. 1573.
a
In the Tenth Volume of this work,
3 See " Acta Sanctorum," tomus i. , Septembris iii. Among the pretermitted
Saints, p. 601.
Article vi. — In the Third Volume of
this work. See Art. iii.
2
In the edition, published by Rev. Drs. Todd and Reeves, at the 3rd of September, such an entry seems to have been acciden- tally omitted ; however, in the Table
appended, it is supplied. See pp. 232 to In his Gynseceum is noticed : S. 235, 362, 363.
for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge,"
vol. xx. , p. 374.
10 *' "
Erentrudis (al Erendrudis) abbatissa Bene- dictinse translatio Salisburgi in Bavaria. "
"
In his Benedictine Menology, "In " Lignum Vitse. "
13 In his Benedictine Martyrology.
J See
niae," Martii xiii.
Elitherensis et Magionensis, n. 5, p. 602.
14 In "
s See " Acta Sanctorum," tomus
* He is also said to have been called Nem. See notices of him, at the 18th of February, and at the 6th of December.
s As Uuilbrithi or Hulbriten, his name is
Catalogus
Generalis Sanctorum. " i. ,
Colgan's
'
" Acta Sanctorum Hiber- Vita S. Giraldi Abbatis
September 4
]
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
83
Saxons, most probably because it had been founded or occupied by himself,
or by his brothers, or by some of his countrymen, who accompanied him from
England. ThisplaceissaidtohavebeeninAthenryParish,intheDiocese
of Tuam, and County of Galway. A house of Franciscans of the Third
OrderwasthereinthetimeofColgan. CastellanplacesthisSt. Balointhe
province of Connaught, and his feast at the present day, as noted by the
6
Article VII. —St. Colman, of Cluain or Druim Ferta Mughaine, now Kilclonfert, King's County. In the Feilire of St. Aligns, at the 3rd day of September, we have an entry for the feast of Colman of Druim
Bollandists.
Ferta. 1 A on that commentator,
contained in the Leabhar
states, that the place is to be identified with Cluain Ferta Mugaine in
copy
Breac,
2 It is at
LowerPhilipstown,andKing'sCounty. SomeruinsoftheoldChurchare still visible. Near them may be found the well of St. Colman, but corruptly called St. Cloman's welU It is probable, Archdall thought this Kilclonfert was identical with Clonfert Mulloe,5 which he incorrectly places in the
;
present
known as Kilclonfert, a
parish
3 in the of Barony
OfTaly.
King's County.
the Martyrology of Christ Church, but not in its prefixed Calendar, at the iii. of the September Nones, the present day. Most likely it is this saint's festival which is commemorated but, it seems difficult to account for the
6 There is an allusion to a Colman and his in companions
8 veneration was given at the 3rd of September to Colman, of Cluain-Ferta or
introduction of his companions. ? According to the Martyrology of Donegal,
Druim9-Ferta. This is also called in Ui I0 or place Mughaine, Failghe,
a district in Leinster. "
Jfourtb 2Bap of September
Offaly,
ARTICLE I. —ST. ULTAN, SAID TO HAVE BEEN BISHOP, OR MORE PROBABLY ABBOT, OF ARDBRACCAN, COUNTY OF MEATH.
[FIFTH AND SIXTH CENTURIES. ]
for his sanctity and learning at an early period, St.
Ultan is said to have been the founder of an ancient Irish at DISTINGUISHED See,
present merged in the Diocese of Meath. He is commemorated in the
set down, in the Irish Calendar, at the 24th s See a letter of P. O'Keeffe, from Mount- of April. rath, and dated December 1st, 1838. "Letters
6
See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus i. , Sep- containing information relative to the
tembris iii. Among the pretermitted Saints, p. 600.
Article VII. —*See "Transactions of the
Antiquities of the Queen's County, collected
during the progress of the Ordnance Survey
See Monasticon Hibernicum," p. 379. Series, vol. ii. , part i. On the Calendar 7 See the edition of John Clarke Crosth-
Royal Irish Academy," Irish Manuscript
of Oengus, by Whitley Stokes, LL. D. , p. cxxxvi.
3Seeibid. , p. cxli.
3
This parish contains 10,266a. 3r. I5p. , and it is marked on the "Ordnance Survey
waite and Rev. Dr. Todd. Introduction,
p. )xx. and p. 153. 8EditedbyDrs. ToddandReeves,pp. 233,
234.
9 A note by Dr. Todd, at Druim, states :
" The word Droma is written as a gloss over C uain, meaning that we should read Drum- fert, not Clonfert, here.
I0 In the Table appended to this Martyr- ology, we have an Irish entry thus rendered
Townland
for the
Maps sheets 9, 10, 18, 19.
King's County," Th townland proper
is on sheet 10.
4 See Dr. O'Donova " Annals of the
Four Masters," vol. ii. , n. (r), p. 914.
in 1838," vol. i. , pp. 119, 120. 6"
84 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [September 4.
1
Felire of ^Engus, at this date, and with allusion to what must have been
a more ancient legend regarding him. We have already partially treated about St. Ultan and his writings, in connection with the life of St. Brigid, Virgin
2
and first Abbess of Kildare.
published Martyrology of Tallagh,3 we find a festival recorded in honour of UltanMacHuaConchobar. HewasthereforeheldtobeoftheO'Connor family. 4 An entry is to be found in that copy, contained in the Book of Leinster,s and somewhat different. The words " in Ardbrec w are added, as if to intimate, that he belonged to Ardbraccan. He is also noticed by various
writers, and among these are Archbishop Ussher,6 Sir James Ware,? Father
8 10
John Colgan, Bishop Challenor,9 and the Bollandists. The Rev. Alban
Butler," gives some account of St. Ultan, thought to have been first Bishop of Ardbraccan, in Meath.
He was descended from the race of Irial, son to Connel Cearnach, according to the O'Clerys. " He is said to have been related to the great St. Brigid,13 on the maternal side. 1* Her mother, as we have already seen, was Brodsecha, daughter to Dalbronaigh. St. Ultan is said to have been the brother of Broicsech, daughter of Dallbronach, i. e. , they were both of the Dal Conchubhair.
subsequent to the period already stated. In a table appended to the 16
His birth is related to have taken so place
copy is the following rann
tomus PP- 3. 4
Septembris," pretermitted Feasts,
vol. i. , i. part
p. exxxvi.
9
On the Calendar of
' s Such is the in a more recent entry
See the Second Volume of this work, at Feb. 1, Art. i. , chap. i.
3 Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. xxxiii.
4 According to Ussher " Ex eodem enim ; Conc—hubarensium sive Counoreorum fami- lia. " " De Primordiis Britannicarum Ec-
clesiarum,'' cap. xvii. , p. 965.
UlriAn m<vc h Conchoban
"Martyrology of Donegal," edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, p. 235.
16 See the edition of Rev. Drs. Todd and
Reeves, pp. 478, 479.
17 To him has been ascribed the miracle
of a sunk fleet.
18 His life has been at the already given,
5 Thus
entered, m Arvobnec.
:
ii. the Among
At the 4th of September, likewise, in the
js
it seems most probable— if we take into account the Acts of St. Ultan and the year assigned for his death—that his birtli must be referred to a date long
Martyrology of Donegal, and within brackets, it is laid down, that Ultan of Ard-Brecain,17 was a disciple of St. Declan. 18 Here, again, there seems to
"
Colman of Cluain-ferta [Drom-forta in the Felire of ^Engus] Mugaine [in Ui Failghe].