See, also, Eugene O'Curry's
Lectures
"On the Manners and Customs of the Ancient
Irish," edited by Dr.
Irish," edited by Dr.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v3
, pp.
^9 These incidents are thus alluded to in
Aubrey
De Vere's of St. "Legends
"
" The is wroth with a wrath King greater
Than the wrath of Nial or the wTath of Conn !
From his heart to his brow the blood malces path,
And hangs there, a red cloud, beneath his crown.
" Is there any who knows not, from south to north,
Saint Patrick at Tara," p. 26
:
lighted
At Slane
And bless'd his font 'mid the chanting
choir !
From hill to hill the flame makes way.
While the king looks on it his eyes wiili ire
Flash red, like Mars, under tresses grey. "
it is
Holy Saturday
March 17. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 559 on that night, Patrick and liis successors should hold sovereign power, not only-
"
over the
magicians had only the natural foresight to anticipate St. Patrick's final success, unless they energetically opposed this his first intrepid proceeding. s^ Their pro- phecy—if as such we can regard it—has been fully verified, in the spiritual light, which from that hour to this day, has burned on through so many vicissitudes of Ireland's history. The appearance and mission of our saint, at Tara, being the supreme effort of his life, so the accounts left to^us, regarding them, have been overcrowded with popular fables, and these have even been con- fused in the records which remain. It was resolved, that signal vengeance be executed, on the transgressors of the law. Wherefore, the king, being greatly incensed, hastened with all expedition to quench St. Patrick's Paschal
Fire, and he is said to have taken with him a number of chiefs, guards and
Magi, when setting out for Slane. Horses and chariots were prepared for
this expedition. S3 One account has it, that his retinue consisted of thrice
nine, that is twenty-seven chariots. ^* His Magiciansss had asserted, that
numberwasfortunate,andprosperous. TheseMagihadproposedtodispute
with the saint. At sight of all the chariots coming, the holy man sung that
verseofthePsalm "Sometrustinchariots,andsomeinhorses,butwewill :
call upon the name of the Lord our God. " s° When the king came near to the place, Fearta da Feic,57 where Patrick had kindled his fire, the Magi, through advice given, prevented their monarch from honouring the saint, by approach-
ing him, as if it would be a humiliating acknowledgment of supremacy or reverence. Therefore, he sent messengers to the saint, and commanded him to make his appearance, before the royal presence. His Divine office being ended, the saint came. But, none of the courtiers, as the king had com- manded, exhibited any reverence or honour, by rising up to salute St. Patrick,onhisapproach,exceptoneHercus,orHerc,5^sonofDego. He rose, and saluted the saint, in a very marked manner. S9 The saint gave him hisbenediction,andpromisedhimlifeeverlasting. Healsolived,itissaid,to the ninetieth year of his age, and died, a. d. 512,^° or, as some state, a. d. 514. ^'
" 5^
City of Kings," but, even over all Hibernia. s^ It is probable, those
manner, all will believe in bim ; and the
Romans will come and take away our place
andnation. " (Johnxi. ,48. )
monarch. They are represented, as uttering blasphemies against God.
5' See the Second
15, the Third Life, cap. xxxvii. , p. 24, the
5*Psalmxix. ,9.
S7 The Abbate D. Giacomo Certani
ed e non molto distante a Temoria all'
and then — Reale," very incorretly
follows, "e Metropoli della Conacia. " "II Mose dell' Ibernia, Vita del glorioso S.
Patrizio, Canonico Regolare Lateranense, Apostolo, e Primate dell' Ibema," Libro Quinto, p. 159.
ss pje died, on the 2nd of November, which is the date for his festival,
59 a certain writer, called Anselm, who
Fourth
the Fifth Life, cap. xl. , p. 40, Life,
lib. i. , cap. XXXV. , p. 50, the Sixth Life,
cap. xl. , p. 74, and the Seventh Life, lib. i. ,
cap. Iv. , p. 125. See, also, Miss Cusack's
Life of St. Patrick," pp. 379, 380, 385. According to Probus, the Magi pre- dieted regarding this fire: "nisi extinctus fuerit hac nocte, non extinguetur in seter- num : insuper et omnes ignes nostrae con-
suetudinis
eum, regnum tuum dissipabit. "
Vita S. Patricii," lib. i. , cap. xxxv. , p. 50. The other Lives substantially agree.
Life, cap. xxxiv. , p.
"
ora Citta
adds,
et — incendit superexcellet : ille, qui
or relates, that this holy man was converted by St. Patrick, on Holy Satur- day. He is said to have been son to a certain King, Clito. It is related of him, that he, too, stood up to honour St. Patrick. Yet, the Acts of our national Apostle do not mention such a circumstance. St. Fin- gar and his martyr companions are vene-
rated, at the 23rd of February.
^ See Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the
53 The Latin Tripartite Life states, that
the king came " in fine noctis," to Slane, or Ferta-fer-Feic. See Seventh Life, lib. i. , cap. Ivi. , p. 126. The Irish Life, as pub- lished by Miss Cusack, has a like statement. See p. 385.
s-t According to Jocel3m.
"
Fingar
has recorded the Acts of a St. Quinta Guignar,
55 Among these, Lochu or Lochru and Four Masters," vol. i. , pp. 166 to 1 69, and Lucamael are named, as chiefly advising the nn. (h, i, k, 1. ) Ibid.
56o LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [March 17.
This holy man received the grace of regeneration, and he led a life, conspicuous both for miracles and virtues. Afterwards, he became the first bishop, in the city of Slane. He departed to a better life, in the same city, of which he is the recognisedpatron. ThelegendsofSt. Patrick'sActsthengivesomewonderful accounts of Luchru's opposition,^^ and of a challenge to a contest, in which the Irish Apostle proved victorious. ^3 The Lord magnified his servant, by sending earthquakes, lightning and thunder, to scatter the hosts of his enemies. The monarch, his queen, and others, who were in their train, felt terrified at thoseportents. Then,thequeen,^^fallingprostratebeforethesaint,undertook on behalf of her husband, that he should yet adore the true Lord of all, and submit to the saint's directions. Patrick then praying to Almighty God, the vehement storm ceased, no further was life sacrificed, and the sky became serene. Thekingcame,too,asthequeenhadpromised,butcovering,withthe veilofafeignedhumility,theobstinatemaliceofhisheart. Inshowandout-
ward adoration only, he acknowledged the sovereign majesty of God. He bent the knee, and there entreated Saint Patrick, that he would be pleased to come
to his court, while Loaighaire promised, that for the future, he should be wholly directed and governed by the saint. Whereupon, the holy man conde-
scended, to accept this invitation, although he was not ignorant of the king's deep and wicked dissimulation ; for, the spirit of a Divine Revelation burned,
within the soul of our Apostle. Notwithstanding, the deceitful king, being ob- durate in his malice, took an apparently kind farewell of Patrick. ^s However, the monarch beset all the way, whereby the saint was to pass, so that he might be assassinated. With armed chariots, Laoighaire blocked up every passage
*' See Ussher's " Primordia," cap. xvii. , ness ; and he set the idolater to war against
"
p. 1047, as also his
at A. D. Dxiv. If this account be true, Egyptians. Each man rushed on his fellow,
Index Chronologicus," the idolater, like the Egyptians against the
according to Dr. Lanigan's computation, it will follow, that Here could only have been about nine years old, at that time.
** The . account of St. Patrick's contest with the Druids, at Tara, is related in Patrick Kennedy's "Legendary Fictions of the Irish Celts," pp. 322 to 325.
*3 Lochu is said to have attempted a
flight into the air, after the example of Simeon Magus, to have fallen down to the ground,andtohavebrokenhisneck. Then, the king, attributing this calamity to St. Patrick's malediction, ordered his satellites to kill the holy man. The mangled remains of the magician who was named Lochu, in that part of the country, thus lay at the feet of St. Patrick. It is stated, that he was pro- jected to earth, by a ball of snow, after the saint had prayed aloud, in presence of all the
and brother fought against brother, while the chariots and their riders were cast to the ground and overturned. Several men were slain, and hardly did the rest escape with life, to a neighbouring hill, called Moduirn. On William Larkin's fine map of the County of Meath, published in 1812, the hills about Slane are very finely delineated ; but, no such name for any hill there occurs. The old Celtic names, for the most part, have merged into modern English denominations. The Latin Tripartite Life states, that fifty of King Leoghaire's retinue came only half- alive to the mountain of Modhairn, and Briggraidbe, in the territory of Carbrie, while the rest were scattered in various directions, three only excepted, King Leo- gaire, his queen, and one of his courtiers. See Seventh Life, lib. i. , cap. Iviii. , p. 126.
*'' In St. Patrick's Acts, her published
name is not given, except in the Latin Tri-
people. Anticipating
tion, St. Patrick in a clear voice began to
their inten- desperate
sing that verse of the psalm " Let God partite Life, which alone calls this queen
:
arise, and let his enemies be scattered, and Angusa, the daughter of Tessach, son to let them that hate him fly from before his Liethen. See lib. i. , cap. Iviii. , p. 126.
The Iri. sh version does not at all name her. ''5 The Irish Tripartite Life states, that the king went to Tara. in sorrow and shame, by twilight, a few persons only escaping in his company. In the Latin and Irish Tri- partite Lives, St. Benen, or Benignus, is said to have carried the polaire (satchel or epis- 15. For, he sent among them, according to tolary) of sacred books, on his back. Ac- the prophecy of Isaiah, the spirit of giddi- cording to the Irish Life, Benan is called a
face. " (Psalms Ixvii. I. ) Then, the Lord, the protector of his chosen ones in the time of need, saved from this angry multitude his faithful servant. Thus, as was said by
"
The Lord shot forth his arrffwt, and lie scattered them ; he vndtiplied lightnings, a7id troubled them. " Psalms xvii.
the Prophet :
March 17. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 561
and river ford. With nine chariots, and wicked men in them, each spot was guarded, to the end, that if the saint escaped one passage, he should be en-
trappedinanother. But,themaUceofmancannotprevailagainstthegoodness of God, who conducted his true servant, with eight more attendants,^^ and the holy youth Benignus, in an invisible manner, and through the midst of their blood-thirsty enemies, to Tara, where the king kept his chief court. At the various places of ambush, the eyes of those plotters were bound, so that they couldnotbeholdtheholytravellers. But,totheirsightappearedeightstags, with one hind, passing over the mountains ; and, thus, the Lord being his protector, did the saint and his companions escape the contrivers of, and the means for, their destruction. ^7
On the following day, which was Easter Sunday, the great Fes was solemnized by a public banquet, held in the Royal Hall, on the Hill of Tara. ^^ The advent of St. Patrick in Ireland, and the late events at Slane, were then a subject for general wonder and comment. An invitation had been extended, that he should present himself, before the magnates of the land, at their great assembly. ^9 Nothing could be more sublime, than the dignified and solemn entrance of St. Patrick, into the king's presence, at the Palace of Tara. Pre- cededbythecrucifix, andaccompaniedbyhisclergy,theholymanadvanced like a prophet,7° and when he arrived, all assembled there gazed upon himself and upon his companions, with feelings of admiration and reverence. The palace gates flew open as he approached. 7' It is said, that as St. Patrick
journeyed forward to Tara, on this occasion, he composed that celebrated
Hymn,72 in the Irish
gUla, and he was clothed
or garment of invisibility, occurs, in the Latin Life. ** The Second Life has
language, known as the Feth-Fiadha,73 and which was
"
Quarta Vita S. Patricii," cap. xli. , xlii. ,
with a dicheltair, Notliing of this
the order and celebration of the Tara Fes.
See, also, Eugene O'Curry's Lectures "On the Manners and Customs of the Ancient
Irish," edited by Dr. W. K. Sullivan, vol.
seven.
*7 See "Secunda Vita S. Patricii," cap. ii. , lect. ii. , pp. 12 to 20. Also "Trans-
XXXV. , xxxvi. , xxxvii. , p. 15 ; "Tertia Vita S. Patricii," cap. xxxviii,, xxxix. , xl. , p. 24 ;
actions of the Royal Irish Academy," vol. xiv. O'Flaherty's "Isles of Arran," pp. 105, 106.
""
Quinta Vita S. Patricii," lib.
^^ In the History of Tara Hill," Dr. Petrie printed the celebrated Hymn of St. Patrick, with a translation and notes by
xliii. , p. 40 ;
i. , cap. xxxvi. , xxxvii. , xxxviii. , xxxix. , xl. ,
"
xl. , xli. , xlii. , xliii. , xliv. , pp. 74, 75;
"
Ivi. , Ivii. , Iviii. , lix. , Ix. , p. 126. Also, Miss
Sexta Vita S. Patricii," cap.
Septima Vita S. Patricii," lib. i. , cap. re-translated from different versions, by
pp. 50, 51 ;
Cusack's 387-
*«
"
Life of St. Patrick," pp. 385 to
Whitley Stokes, the late Dr. Todd, and J. O'BeirneCrow. MissCusackhasprinted
According to the Scholiast on St.
Fiech's Hymn, this place. Latinized, Temo-
ria, had its name, Tea-mhur, or Tese-Murus,
because Tea, the wife of King Eremon, son some h—as been Latinized, "Lorica Pa-
to the Spaniard Milesius, had been there in- terred. See First Life, stanza 10, p. 2, and n. 17 r. , p. 5.
Stenson's "Pane-
1875. i2mo.
T' See Archdeacon Hamiilton's " Sum-
mary of the Life of St. Patrick," p. 6, to his edition of the Confession,
7' The most m—inute notices we find, re- garding the turs mentioned by Ptolemy in
"
Jeoffrey Keating, in his
land," and under the reign of Tuathal Teachtmhar, from a. d. 79 to 109, describes
tricii :"
" There has come to me to-day, powerful
strength, the invocation of the Trinity.
" I invoke the of the mighty power
Trinity, 1 believe in the Trinity, under the unity of the God of the Elements.
" At Tara, to-day, I place between me and harm, the virtue of the birth of Christ with his Baptism ; the virtue of His Cruci- fixion, with His Burial ; the virtue of His Resurrection, with His Ascension ; the
•^9 See Rev. E.
J. J.
gyric of St. Patrick," p. 15. Almonte,
—and the
his account of Ireland
and forts at Tara, are to be found in Dr, Petrie's "History of Tara Hill. " Dr.
virtue of the to the Eternal coming
other houses
Judg-
History of Ire-
ment.
" At Tara, to-day, the virtue of the love
of the Seraphim, the obedience of the angels, the hope of the resurrection to eternal re- ward, the prayers of the noble fathers, the
John O'Donovan. Since then, it has been
this Hymn, in the body of her
"
Life of St. Patrick," with valuable annotations.
73 Here do we insert an English trans- lation of this sublime Hymn, which, by
2N
562 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [March 17.
afterwards held in such great veneration among our people. 7+ The Monarch Laoighaire had desired, that his chiefs and familiars should manifest nothing of courteous respect to the distinguished stranger. Wherefore, as our saint
entered the king's palace, none showed him any honour, or reverence, ex-
cepting the king's chief Poet. ^s In some accounts, he is merely called a
Poet 7^ in others, he is distinguished as Arch-Poet. 77 With great submission, ;
this " son of saluted him. This action was distinguished song," Dubtach,? ^
reputedinhimtojustice. HeaskedtobecomeaChristian,andhereceived the grace of baptism. After his call to the true faith, Dubtach's talents were entirely given, to diffuse Christian truths and virtues. Some of his writings weresaidtobeextantintheseventeenthcentury; and,Colgansays,thatdivers Tracts of Dubthach were even in his own keeping. 79 Instead of displaying his varied powers in praising false gods, the Arch-Poet, thenceforward, only celebrated the greatness and mercies of the one true God. ^°
At this time, the king was seated at a royal banquet, and he invited St.
Patrick,withgreatdissimulation,topartakeofmeatanddrink. LuchMael, or Lugach Mael, the Magician, grieving for the death of his friend Luchra, is
saidtohavepresentedapoisonedcuptothenewly-arrivedguest. However, owing to the Divine protection, the contents in no measure injured St. Patrick. To the great astonishment of all the assembled guests, after bless- ing it, he drank out of that vessel, and the poison was miraculously removed from the liquid therein contained. After the banquet was over, our saint and
allwhowerepresentadjournedtotheopenplain. There,theMagician,Luca- mael, challenged the Apostle, to a trial of their respective powers. These
predictions of the Prophets, the preaching of
the Apostles, the faith of the Confessors, the
purity of the holy Virgin, the deeds of just men.
Christ after me, Christ in me, Christ under me, Christ over me, Christ at my right hand, Christ on my left, Christ at this side, Christ at that side, Christ at my back. May Christ be in the heart of each person to whom I may speak, Christ in the mouth of each person who speaks to me, Christ in each eye which sees me, Christ in each ear which hears me. "
7^ See the Seventh Life, lib. i. , cap. Ix. , p. 126. The recital of this Hymn was supposed
to prove a spiritual antidote, against all evils, both of mind and body.
" On such a foundation. Harris formed his
epithet of "poet laureat. " See Harris'
"
At Tara, to-day, the strength of heaven,
the light of the sun, the whiteness of the
snow, the face of fire, the rapidity of light- ning, the swiftness ot the wind, tlie depth of the sea, the stability of the earth, the hard- ness of rocks.
" At Tara, to-day, may the strength of God pilot me ! may the power of God pre- serve me ! may the wisdom of God instruct me! maytheeyeofGodbeholdme! may the ear of God hear me ! may the word of God make me eloquent ! m-iy the Hand of
God protect me ! may the Way of God Ware, vol. i. , "Archbishops of Armagh,"
direct me ! may the Shield of God defend me ! may the Heart of God guard me
against the snares of demons, the tempta- tions of vices, the inclinations of the mmd, against every man who meditates evil to- wards me, far or nigli, alone or with others.
" I place all these powers between me and every evil, unmerciful powers directed
p. 14.
'*Jocelyncallshim"PoetaRegis," See
"Sexta Vita S. Patricii," cap. xliv. , p. 74. " See " Prima Vita S. Patricii," n. i, p. 4, where Fiech's Scholiast calls Dubtach the Arch-poet, or a chief among the Irish poets, or bards. The Tripartite Lite makes him the arch-poet of the king and of the
See " Vita S. kingdom. Septima Patricii,"
lib. i. , cap. xli. , p. 126.
'^ Fiach, the son of Ere, was a pupil to
this Dubtach ; and, that celebrated disciple afterwards became Bishop of Sletty, near the banks of the Barrow, in the Queen's County.
against my
soul and
body,
as a
protection
against the incantations of false prophets,
against the black laws of Gentilism, against
the false laws ot heresy, against the treachery
of idolatry, against the spells of witches and
Druids, agauist every knowledge which
blinds the soul of man. May Clnist protect me this day against poison, against burning, against drowning, against wounding, until I merit a great reward.
"Christ be with me, Christ before me,
" See the Commentator on St. Patrick's First Life, n. 5, p. S.
^ See Sir James Ware, " De Scriptoribus Hibernise," lib. ii. , cap. i. , p. 2.
March 17. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 56-
'efforts on the part of the Magician and of the saint are related, with varied
colourings of fancy ; but, they are of too legendary a complexion, to deserve serious attention. ^' It is stated, that the monarch ^Yished the saint and the Magician, to put their respective books into water. Should the book of one or of the other be saved from injury or obliteration, his doctrine was adjudged to be the right code of belief. This proposal pleased St. Patrick, but not the Magician, who said the Christian missionary worshipped the watery element as God, because he baptized with it. Then, the king proposed a trial of the books by fire. The book saved from it, was to determine the excellence of its teaching. To this the Magus objected once more, for he said Patrick by turns worshipped fire and water, and that either element should prove propi- tious for him. St. Patrick then declared, that he adored no element, but only the Creator of all the elements. A different kind of trial was then pro- posed, to which the Magus assented ; but, this resulted in his own most
miserable death. ^^
Notwithstanding, King Leogaire
relented not in his wicked
malice, but rather was his heart hardened like unto that of Pharaoh. To
revenge the ]\Iagician's death, he contrived, it is said, by all means possible,
to effect the saint's utter destruction. He found many of his subjects willing
and prompt, to execute this bloody purpose. But, Almighty God, the powerful protector of his servant, manifested his miraculous power ; for, the earth,gapinghorribly,swallowedthoseofficersandthemob. Manycitizens ofTarahadahand,inprosecutingthatwickedandtreacherousdesign. ^3 This severe chastisement struck such a terror into their minds, that fearing to incur
*' We are told, in St. Patrick's
the Magician, fearing to be overcome by
our patron's supposed spells, caused a fan-
tastic snow to fall over all the adjoining
country. In like manner, it is related, that
by force of his magic charms, he overcast all
the land with a palpaljle darkness. But,
neither the one nor other portent was he
able to remove, as he publicly confessed.
Then, Saint Patrick, the child of liglit, ofi'er-
ing his devout prayers to the Son of Justice,
chased away both the snow and the impene-
trable darkness. The people of that region,
who had sat so long in darkness, now ment.
seeing this great light, prayed to the true ^^ The Latin Tripartite Life has an ac- God. They likewise magnified his holy count of three noble young hostages, then servant, St. Patrick, while they felt a de- detained at Tara. These were favourably testation for the delusive efforts of the impressed with the saint and his mission.
Magus.
*^
He consoled those noble youths, by predict-
According to an appointment of all the company for St. Patrick and the Magician, a new and temporary house was built, alter a strange manner.
Aubrey
De Vere's of St. "Legends
"
" The is wroth with a wrath King greater
Than the wrath of Nial or the wTath of Conn !
From his heart to his brow the blood malces path,
And hangs there, a red cloud, beneath his crown.
" Is there any who knows not, from south to north,
Saint Patrick at Tara," p. 26
:
lighted
At Slane
And bless'd his font 'mid the chanting
choir !
From hill to hill the flame makes way.
While the king looks on it his eyes wiili ire
Flash red, like Mars, under tresses grey. "
it is
Holy Saturday
March 17. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 559 on that night, Patrick and liis successors should hold sovereign power, not only-
"
over the
magicians had only the natural foresight to anticipate St. Patrick's final success, unless they energetically opposed this his first intrepid proceeding. s^ Their pro- phecy—if as such we can regard it—has been fully verified, in the spiritual light, which from that hour to this day, has burned on through so many vicissitudes of Ireland's history. The appearance and mission of our saint, at Tara, being the supreme effort of his life, so the accounts left to^us, regarding them, have been overcrowded with popular fables, and these have even been con- fused in the records which remain. It was resolved, that signal vengeance be executed, on the transgressors of the law. Wherefore, the king, being greatly incensed, hastened with all expedition to quench St. Patrick's Paschal
Fire, and he is said to have taken with him a number of chiefs, guards and
Magi, when setting out for Slane. Horses and chariots were prepared for
this expedition. S3 One account has it, that his retinue consisted of thrice
nine, that is twenty-seven chariots. ^* His Magiciansss had asserted, that
numberwasfortunate,andprosperous. TheseMagihadproposedtodispute
with the saint. At sight of all the chariots coming, the holy man sung that
verseofthePsalm "Sometrustinchariots,andsomeinhorses,butwewill :
call upon the name of the Lord our God. " s° When the king came near to the place, Fearta da Feic,57 where Patrick had kindled his fire, the Magi, through advice given, prevented their monarch from honouring the saint, by approach-
ing him, as if it would be a humiliating acknowledgment of supremacy or reverence. Therefore, he sent messengers to the saint, and commanded him to make his appearance, before the royal presence. His Divine office being ended, the saint came. But, none of the courtiers, as the king had com- manded, exhibited any reverence or honour, by rising up to salute St. Patrick,onhisapproach,exceptoneHercus,orHerc,5^sonofDego. He rose, and saluted the saint, in a very marked manner. S9 The saint gave him hisbenediction,andpromisedhimlifeeverlasting. Healsolived,itissaid,to the ninetieth year of his age, and died, a. d. 512,^° or, as some state, a. d. 514. ^'
" 5^
City of Kings," but, even over all Hibernia. s^ It is probable, those
manner, all will believe in bim ; and the
Romans will come and take away our place
andnation. " (Johnxi. ,48. )
monarch. They are represented, as uttering blasphemies against God.
5' See the Second
15, the Third Life, cap. xxxvii. , p. 24, the
5*Psalmxix. ,9.
S7 The Abbate D. Giacomo Certani
ed e non molto distante a Temoria all'
and then — Reale," very incorretly
follows, "e Metropoli della Conacia. " "II Mose dell' Ibernia, Vita del glorioso S.
Patrizio, Canonico Regolare Lateranense, Apostolo, e Primate dell' Ibema," Libro Quinto, p. 159.
ss pje died, on the 2nd of November, which is the date for his festival,
59 a certain writer, called Anselm, who
Fourth
the Fifth Life, cap. xl. , p. 40, Life,
lib. i. , cap. XXXV. , p. 50, the Sixth Life,
cap. xl. , p. 74, and the Seventh Life, lib. i. ,
cap. Iv. , p. 125. See, also, Miss Cusack's
Life of St. Patrick," pp. 379, 380, 385. According to Probus, the Magi pre- dieted regarding this fire: "nisi extinctus fuerit hac nocte, non extinguetur in seter- num : insuper et omnes ignes nostrae con-
suetudinis
eum, regnum tuum dissipabit. "
Vita S. Patricii," lib. i. , cap. xxxv. , p. 50. The other Lives substantially agree.
Life, cap. xxxiv. , p.
"
ora Citta
adds,
et — incendit superexcellet : ille, qui
or relates, that this holy man was converted by St. Patrick, on Holy Satur- day. He is said to have been son to a certain King, Clito. It is related of him, that he, too, stood up to honour St. Patrick. Yet, the Acts of our national Apostle do not mention such a circumstance. St. Fin- gar and his martyr companions are vene-
rated, at the 23rd of February.
^ See Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the
53 The Latin Tripartite Life states, that
the king came " in fine noctis," to Slane, or Ferta-fer-Feic. See Seventh Life, lib. i. , cap. Ivi. , p. 126. The Irish Life, as pub- lished by Miss Cusack, has a like statement. See p. 385.
s-t According to Jocel3m.
"
Fingar
has recorded the Acts of a St. Quinta Guignar,
55 Among these, Lochu or Lochru and Four Masters," vol. i. , pp. 166 to 1 69, and Lucamael are named, as chiefly advising the nn. (h, i, k, 1. ) Ibid.
56o LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [March 17.
This holy man received the grace of regeneration, and he led a life, conspicuous both for miracles and virtues. Afterwards, he became the first bishop, in the city of Slane. He departed to a better life, in the same city, of which he is the recognisedpatron. ThelegendsofSt. Patrick'sActsthengivesomewonderful accounts of Luchru's opposition,^^ and of a challenge to a contest, in which the Irish Apostle proved victorious. ^3 The Lord magnified his servant, by sending earthquakes, lightning and thunder, to scatter the hosts of his enemies. The monarch, his queen, and others, who were in their train, felt terrified at thoseportents. Then,thequeen,^^fallingprostratebeforethesaint,undertook on behalf of her husband, that he should yet adore the true Lord of all, and submit to the saint's directions. Patrick then praying to Almighty God, the vehement storm ceased, no further was life sacrificed, and the sky became serene. Thekingcame,too,asthequeenhadpromised,butcovering,withthe veilofafeignedhumility,theobstinatemaliceofhisheart. Inshowandout-
ward adoration only, he acknowledged the sovereign majesty of God. He bent the knee, and there entreated Saint Patrick, that he would be pleased to come
to his court, while Loaighaire promised, that for the future, he should be wholly directed and governed by the saint. Whereupon, the holy man conde-
scended, to accept this invitation, although he was not ignorant of the king's deep and wicked dissimulation ; for, the spirit of a Divine Revelation burned,
within the soul of our Apostle. Notwithstanding, the deceitful king, being ob- durate in his malice, took an apparently kind farewell of Patrick. ^s However, the monarch beset all the way, whereby the saint was to pass, so that he might be assassinated. With armed chariots, Laoighaire blocked up every passage
*' See Ussher's " Primordia," cap. xvii. , ness ; and he set the idolater to war against
"
p. 1047, as also his
at A. D. Dxiv. If this account be true, Egyptians. Each man rushed on his fellow,
Index Chronologicus," the idolater, like the Egyptians against the
according to Dr. Lanigan's computation, it will follow, that Here could only have been about nine years old, at that time.
** The . account of St. Patrick's contest with the Druids, at Tara, is related in Patrick Kennedy's "Legendary Fictions of the Irish Celts," pp. 322 to 325.
*3 Lochu is said to have attempted a
flight into the air, after the example of Simeon Magus, to have fallen down to the ground,andtohavebrokenhisneck. Then, the king, attributing this calamity to St. Patrick's malediction, ordered his satellites to kill the holy man. The mangled remains of the magician who was named Lochu, in that part of the country, thus lay at the feet of St. Patrick. It is stated, that he was pro- jected to earth, by a ball of snow, after the saint had prayed aloud, in presence of all the
and brother fought against brother, while the chariots and their riders were cast to the ground and overturned. Several men were slain, and hardly did the rest escape with life, to a neighbouring hill, called Moduirn. On William Larkin's fine map of the County of Meath, published in 1812, the hills about Slane are very finely delineated ; but, no such name for any hill there occurs. The old Celtic names, for the most part, have merged into modern English denominations. The Latin Tripartite Life states, that fifty of King Leoghaire's retinue came only half- alive to the mountain of Modhairn, and Briggraidbe, in the territory of Carbrie, while the rest were scattered in various directions, three only excepted, King Leo- gaire, his queen, and one of his courtiers. See Seventh Life, lib. i. , cap. Iviii. , p. 126.
*'' In St. Patrick's Acts, her published
name is not given, except in the Latin Tri-
people. Anticipating
tion, St. Patrick in a clear voice began to
their inten- desperate
sing that verse of the psalm " Let God partite Life, which alone calls this queen
:
arise, and let his enemies be scattered, and Angusa, the daughter of Tessach, son to let them that hate him fly from before his Liethen. See lib. i. , cap. Iviii. , p. 126.
The Iri. sh version does not at all name her. ''5 The Irish Tripartite Life states, that the king went to Tara. in sorrow and shame, by twilight, a few persons only escaping in his company. In the Latin and Irish Tri- partite Lives, St. Benen, or Benignus, is said to have carried the polaire (satchel or epis- 15. For, he sent among them, according to tolary) of sacred books, on his back. Ac- the prophecy of Isaiah, the spirit of giddi- cording to the Irish Life, Benan is called a
face. " (Psalms Ixvii. I. ) Then, the Lord, the protector of his chosen ones in the time of need, saved from this angry multitude his faithful servant. Thus, as was said by
"
The Lord shot forth his arrffwt, and lie scattered them ; he vndtiplied lightnings, a7id troubled them. " Psalms xvii.
the Prophet :
March 17. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 561
and river ford. With nine chariots, and wicked men in them, each spot was guarded, to the end, that if the saint escaped one passage, he should be en-
trappedinanother. But,themaUceofmancannotprevailagainstthegoodness of God, who conducted his true servant, with eight more attendants,^^ and the holy youth Benignus, in an invisible manner, and through the midst of their blood-thirsty enemies, to Tara, where the king kept his chief court. At the various places of ambush, the eyes of those plotters were bound, so that they couldnotbeholdtheholytravellers. But,totheirsightappearedeightstags, with one hind, passing over the mountains ; and, thus, the Lord being his protector, did the saint and his companions escape the contrivers of, and the means for, their destruction. ^7
On the following day, which was Easter Sunday, the great Fes was solemnized by a public banquet, held in the Royal Hall, on the Hill of Tara. ^^ The advent of St. Patrick in Ireland, and the late events at Slane, were then a subject for general wonder and comment. An invitation had been extended, that he should present himself, before the magnates of the land, at their great assembly. ^9 Nothing could be more sublime, than the dignified and solemn entrance of St. Patrick, into the king's presence, at the Palace of Tara. Pre- cededbythecrucifix, andaccompaniedbyhisclergy,theholymanadvanced like a prophet,7° and when he arrived, all assembled there gazed upon himself and upon his companions, with feelings of admiration and reverence. The palace gates flew open as he approached. 7' It is said, that as St. Patrick
journeyed forward to Tara, on this occasion, he composed that celebrated
Hymn,72 in the Irish
gUla, and he was clothed
or garment of invisibility, occurs, in the Latin Life. ** The Second Life has
language, known as the Feth-Fiadha,73 and which was
"
Quarta Vita S. Patricii," cap. xli. , xlii. ,
with a dicheltair, Notliing of this
the order and celebration of the Tara Fes.
See, also, Eugene O'Curry's Lectures "On the Manners and Customs of the Ancient
Irish," edited by Dr. W. K. Sullivan, vol.
seven.
*7 See "Secunda Vita S. Patricii," cap. ii. , lect. ii. , pp. 12 to 20. Also "Trans-
XXXV. , xxxvi. , xxxvii. , p. 15 ; "Tertia Vita S. Patricii," cap. xxxviii,, xxxix. , xl. , p. 24 ;
actions of the Royal Irish Academy," vol. xiv. O'Flaherty's "Isles of Arran," pp. 105, 106.
""
Quinta Vita S. Patricii," lib.
^^ In the History of Tara Hill," Dr. Petrie printed the celebrated Hymn of St. Patrick, with a translation and notes by
xliii. , p. 40 ;
i. , cap. xxxvi. , xxxvii. , xxxviii. , xxxix. , xl. ,
"
xl. , xli. , xlii. , xliii. , xliv. , pp. 74, 75;
"
Ivi. , Ivii. , Iviii. , lix. , Ix. , p. 126. Also, Miss
Sexta Vita S. Patricii," cap.
Septima Vita S. Patricii," lib. i. , cap. re-translated from different versions, by
pp. 50, 51 ;
Cusack's 387-
*«
"
Life of St. Patrick," pp. 385 to
Whitley Stokes, the late Dr. Todd, and J. O'BeirneCrow. MissCusackhasprinted
According to the Scholiast on St.
Fiech's Hymn, this place. Latinized, Temo-
ria, had its name, Tea-mhur, or Tese-Murus,
because Tea, the wife of King Eremon, son some h—as been Latinized, "Lorica Pa-
to the Spaniard Milesius, had been there in- terred. See First Life, stanza 10, p. 2, and n. 17 r. , p. 5.
Stenson's "Pane-
1875. i2mo.
T' See Archdeacon Hamiilton's " Sum-
mary of the Life of St. Patrick," p. 6, to his edition of the Confession,
7' The most m—inute notices we find, re- garding the turs mentioned by Ptolemy in
"
Jeoffrey Keating, in his
land," and under the reign of Tuathal Teachtmhar, from a. d. 79 to 109, describes
tricii :"
" There has come to me to-day, powerful
strength, the invocation of the Trinity.
" I invoke the of the mighty power
Trinity, 1 believe in the Trinity, under the unity of the God of the Elements.
" At Tara, to-day, I place between me and harm, the virtue of the birth of Christ with his Baptism ; the virtue of His Cruci- fixion, with His Burial ; the virtue of His Resurrection, with His Ascension ; the
•^9 See Rev. E.
J. J.
gyric of St. Patrick," p. 15. Almonte,
—and the
his account of Ireland
and forts at Tara, are to be found in Dr, Petrie's "History of Tara Hill. " Dr.
virtue of the to the Eternal coming
other houses
Judg-
History of Ire-
ment.
" At Tara, to-day, the virtue of the love
of the Seraphim, the obedience of the angels, the hope of the resurrection to eternal re- ward, the prayers of the noble fathers, the
John O'Donovan. Since then, it has been
this Hymn, in the body of her
"
Life of St. Patrick," with valuable annotations.
73 Here do we insert an English trans- lation of this sublime Hymn, which, by
2N
562 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [March 17.
afterwards held in such great veneration among our people. 7+ The Monarch Laoighaire had desired, that his chiefs and familiars should manifest nothing of courteous respect to the distinguished stranger. Wherefore, as our saint
entered the king's palace, none showed him any honour, or reverence, ex-
cepting the king's chief Poet. ^s In some accounts, he is merely called a
Poet 7^ in others, he is distinguished as Arch-Poet. 77 With great submission, ;
this " son of saluted him. This action was distinguished song," Dubtach,? ^
reputedinhimtojustice. HeaskedtobecomeaChristian,andhereceived the grace of baptism. After his call to the true faith, Dubtach's talents were entirely given, to diffuse Christian truths and virtues. Some of his writings weresaidtobeextantintheseventeenthcentury; and,Colgansays,thatdivers Tracts of Dubthach were even in his own keeping. 79 Instead of displaying his varied powers in praising false gods, the Arch-Poet, thenceforward, only celebrated the greatness and mercies of the one true God. ^°
At this time, the king was seated at a royal banquet, and he invited St.
Patrick,withgreatdissimulation,topartakeofmeatanddrink. LuchMael, or Lugach Mael, the Magician, grieving for the death of his friend Luchra, is
saidtohavepresentedapoisonedcuptothenewly-arrivedguest. However, owing to the Divine protection, the contents in no measure injured St. Patrick. To the great astonishment of all the assembled guests, after bless- ing it, he drank out of that vessel, and the poison was miraculously removed from the liquid therein contained. After the banquet was over, our saint and
allwhowerepresentadjournedtotheopenplain. There,theMagician,Luca- mael, challenged the Apostle, to a trial of their respective powers. These
predictions of the Prophets, the preaching of
the Apostles, the faith of the Confessors, the
purity of the holy Virgin, the deeds of just men.
Christ after me, Christ in me, Christ under me, Christ over me, Christ at my right hand, Christ on my left, Christ at this side, Christ at that side, Christ at my back. May Christ be in the heart of each person to whom I may speak, Christ in the mouth of each person who speaks to me, Christ in each eye which sees me, Christ in each ear which hears me. "
7^ See the Seventh Life, lib. i. , cap. Ix. , p. 126. The recital of this Hymn was supposed
to prove a spiritual antidote, against all evils, both of mind and body.
" On such a foundation. Harris formed his
epithet of "poet laureat. " See Harris'
"
At Tara, to-day, the strength of heaven,
the light of the sun, the whiteness of the
snow, the face of fire, the rapidity of light- ning, the swiftness ot the wind, tlie depth of the sea, the stability of the earth, the hard- ness of rocks.
" At Tara, to-day, may the strength of God pilot me ! may the power of God pre- serve me ! may the wisdom of God instruct me! maytheeyeofGodbeholdme! may the ear of God hear me ! may the word of God make me eloquent ! m-iy the Hand of
God protect me ! may the Way of God Ware, vol. i. , "Archbishops of Armagh,"
direct me ! may the Shield of God defend me ! may the Heart of God guard me
against the snares of demons, the tempta- tions of vices, the inclinations of the mmd, against every man who meditates evil to- wards me, far or nigli, alone or with others.
" I place all these powers between me and every evil, unmerciful powers directed
p. 14.
'*Jocelyncallshim"PoetaRegis," See
"Sexta Vita S. Patricii," cap. xliv. , p. 74. " See " Prima Vita S. Patricii," n. i, p. 4, where Fiech's Scholiast calls Dubtach the Arch-poet, or a chief among the Irish poets, or bards. The Tripartite Lite makes him the arch-poet of the king and of the
See " Vita S. kingdom. Septima Patricii,"
lib. i. , cap. xli. , p. 126.
'^ Fiach, the son of Ere, was a pupil to
this Dubtach ; and, that celebrated disciple afterwards became Bishop of Sletty, near the banks of the Barrow, in the Queen's County.
against my
soul and
body,
as a
protection
against the incantations of false prophets,
against the black laws of Gentilism, against
the false laws ot heresy, against the treachery
of idolatry, against the spells of witches and
Druids, agauist every knowledge which
blinds the soul of man. May Clnist protect me this day against poison, against burning, against drowning, against wounding, until I merit a great reward.
"Christ be with me, Christ before me,
" See the Commentator on St. Patrick's First Life, n. 5, p. S.
^ See Sir James Ware, " De Scriptoribus Hibernise," lib. ii. , cap. i. , p. 2.
March 17. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 56-
'efforts on the part of the Magician and of the saint are related, with varied
colourings of fancy ; but, they are of too legendary a complexion, to deserve serious attention. ^' It is stated, that the monarch ^Yished the saint and the Magician, to put their respective books into water. Should the book of one or of the other be saved from injury or obliteration, his doctrine was adjudged to be the right code of belief. This proposal pleased St. Patrick, but not the Magician, who said the Christian missionary worshipped the watery element as God, because he baptized with it. Then, the king proposed a trial of the books by fire. The book saved from it, was to determine the excellence of its teaching. To this the Magus objected once more, for he said Patrick by turns worshipped fire and water, and that either element should prove propi- tious for him. St. Patrick then declared, that he adored no element, but only the Creator of all the elements. A different kind of trial was then pro- posed, to which the Magus assented ; but, this resulted in his own most
miserable death. ^^
Notwithstanding, King Leogaire
relented not in his wicked
malice, but rather was his heart hardened like unto that of Pharaoh. To
revenge the ]\Iagician's death, he contrived, it is said, by all means possible,
to effect the saint's utter destruction. He found many of his subjects willing
and prompt, to execute this bloody purpose. But, Almighty God, the powerful protector of his servant, manifested his miraculous power ; for, the earth,gapinghorribly,swallowedthoseofficersandthemob. Manycitizens ofTarahadahand,inprosecutingthatwickedandtreacherousdesign. ^3 This severe chastisement struck such a terror into their minds, that fearing to incur
*' We are told, in St. Patrick's
the Magician, fearing to be overcome by
our patron's supposed spells, caused a fan-
tastic snow to fall over all the adjoining
country. In like manner, it is related, that
by force of his magic charms, he overcast all
the land with a palpaljle darkness. But,
neither the one nor other portent was he
able to remove, as he publicly confessed.
Then, Saint Patrick, the child of liglit, ofi'er-
ing his devout prayers to the Son of Justice,
chased away both the snow and the impene-
trable darkness. The people of that region,
who had sat so long in darkness, now ment.
seeing this great light, prayed to the true ^^ The Latin Tripartite Life has an ac- God. They likewise magnified his holy count of three noble young hostages, then servant, St. Patrick, while they felt a de- detained at Tara. These were favourably testation for the delusive efforts of the impressed with the saint and his mission.
Magus.
*^
He consoled those noble youths, by predict-
According to an appointment of all the company for St. Patrick and the Magician, a new and temporary house was built, alter a strange manner.
