No More Learning

p. 51, n. (b), p. 55, n. (c).
41 Others of this name are mentioned, at
lib. i. , cap. 39, lib. ii. , cap. 4, of Adamnan's
Biography.
42 From the Manuscript Canons attributed
to St. Adamnan, and extant in Marsh's Library, as also from other authentic laws of the Irish Church, it appears, that certain meats were prohibited as unclean. Many of them are deiailed in Cummian's Peniten- tial. Some of those laws were founded on misapprehension regarding the temporary decree of the Council of Jerusalem, ordering
1'
33 This is specially shown, by consulting the volumes, known as Old and New Statis-
tical Account of Scotland, as also that ad- "
mirable topographical work OHgines Parochiales Scotise. "
"
34 See Rev. Dr. Reeves' Adamnan's
Life of St. Columba," lib. iii. , cap. 5, pp.
197, 198, and cap. 18, pp. 222, 223.
35 " Totum etiam mundum velut sub uno solis radio collectum, sinu mentis mirabi liter laxato manifestum perspiciens, speculnba- tur. "—Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga,"
Christians to abstain
"
from things strangled
Prima Vita S. ColumbDe, cap. xxviii. , jurious to health or connected with supersti- p. 324. tion, which the Church sought to extin- 36 Adamnan frequently puts the name of guish. In the Missal of St. Columbanus,
islands in the adjective form with insula. Thus he deals with Ethica, Iona, Malea.
37 The name Hinl a occurs in Adamnan's "Vita S. Columba," lib. i. , cap. 45, lib. ii. , cap. 24, lib. iii. , cap. 5, 17, 18, 23.
38 Yet, his own fasts were of a most rigor- ous character, and they were even increased in austerity, when he found a poor woman
there is a form of blessing for a vessel, into which anything unclean had fallen. This may be seen in " Musseum Italicum," vol. i. , P- 390.
43 A similar sentence was pronounced by St. Enna against a hypocritical layman, who refused to accept the hospitality offered by Crumther Coelan Echinis
ceteris fratribus cibum in charitate minis- tratum noluisti sumere, de carnibus eqiu, quern furaberis, manducabis, atque manuu-
living on still more wretched food. See "
Rev. S. Baring-Gould's Lives of the Saints," vol. vi. , pp. 121, 122.
and from blood,'' Ac;s xv. The cause for
the ;e and other prohibitions, it is impossi-
ble at this time to ascertain
probably some
;
meats were known by experience to be in-
:
" Tu qui cum
!
June 9. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 427
found in the wood with robbers, and eating that kind of flesh mentioned, and off a wooden hurdle. 4 * Thus was the saint's prediction accomplished.
In the year 574,4S according to the generally received j. chronology, died Conall, 46 sonof Comgall, King over Scottish Dalriada. While St. Columba lived in the Island of Himba, he fell into an ecstasy one night. 4 '' Then he saw an Angel of our Lord sent to him from Heaven. This Angel held in his hand a glass book,48 containing the ceremonies for installing kings,4 ^ which he offered to our saint, while commanding him to read it. This was intended to inculcate his obedience to the decrees of Heaven. Now, according to the law of Tanistry,s° Eogan, the cousin of Conall, and son of Gabhran who was slain by KingBrude,51 should succeed to the throne, in the natural course of events.
s2 as
ing out his hands, the Angel struck our saint with a whip. Afterwards, a black print or weal remained on Columba' s side all the remaining days of his
St. Columba could not be induced to
although it was commended and commanded in the book, because the saint better loved Iogenanus 54 or Eoghan,ss Aydan's brother. Suddenly stretch-
However,
inaugurate Aydan
king,S3
life. That Angel added further
:
" Know for certain, that I have been sent
to you by the Lord, to cause you, according as it is set down in this book, to
inaugurate Aydan as king. If you do not obey, I will strike you again. ">6
This Angel appeared for three successive nights, with a similar admonition
repeated. Thereupon, our saint obeyed the injunction of our Lord. To accomplish that end, Columba embarked for Hy, where he crowned Aydan king. This monarch came thither, about that same time ; and, the chonology fixed for his consecration as King of Scotland has been assigned to the year 574. " The object of Columba, in using that solemn rite, 58 was to place Aidan in the rank of an independent sovereign, and to induce the Pictish monarch
cando — " Acta Sanc- jugulaberis. " Colgan's
torum Hibernise," xxi. Martii. Vita S. Endei, cap. xxvi. , p. 709.
44 Hence, Anglice, Griddle, adds the Rev.
51 In the 560. See ibid. year
s2 He was the son of Gabhiain.
his mother, Aidan was connected with the Britons of Strathclyde ; and, for a few years,
:
Dr. Reeves " Alio die cum faber monas- he had played his part in the British wars.
terii non esset prope, S. Comgallus uni de
fratribus dixit: vade frater in officinam
fabri, e—t fac nobis craticulam ad assandos
pisces. " Fleming's "Collectanea Sacra," about A. D. 570, and he ruled for thirty-four
"
Rerum Scoti- carum Historic, lib. v. , p. 144.
s* This is the diminutive form of the name as found in Adamnan.
55 His death is recorded in "Annales Ultonienses," at A. n. 594, and in "Tiger- nachi Annales," atA. D. 596. See Rev. Dr. O'Conor's "Rerum Hibernicarum
Scripto-
res," tomus ii. , p. 159, and iv. p. 32.
56 See " Trias Vita Colgan's Thaumaturga,"
Vita S. Comgalli, cap. 33, p. 31CM. years, dying A. n. 604. See ""
45 See William F. Skene's Chronicles of the Picts, Chronicles of the Scots, and other Early Memorials of Scottish History," sect, viii. , p. 67.
46 He reigned sixteen year? , according to the Additions in Annals of Tigernach. See Rev. Dr. O'Conor's " Rerum Hibernicarum Scriptores," tomus ii. , atA. D. 574, p. 152.
47 See Rev. Dr. Reeves' Adamnan's " Life of St. Columba,"lib. iii , cap. 5, pp. 197 to20i.
Prima S. Columbse, cap. v. , p. 321 ; Tertia 48 Thus, it is supposed to have appeared Vita S. Columbse, cap. xxvii. , p. 334 ; to our saint, during his vision. The Rev. Quarta Vita S. Columboe, lib. iii. , cap. v. , Thomas Innes thinks, however, that it was PP- 364> 365 ; Quinta Vita S. Columbar,
so called, because the cover of it had been " encrusted with glass or crystal. "—"Civil and Ecclesiastical History of Scotland," sect, xlix. , book ii. , p. 202.
49 It is exceedingly interesting to know,
that at the early period whenthisaccount
was written such a rite had been included in "
lib. ii. , cap. xl. , p. 416.
s? See William F. Skene's " Celtic Scot-
land : a Histoiy of Ancient Alban," vol. ii. , book ii. , chap, iii. , p. 123.
58 It has been incorrectly stated, in the "Dictionary ofChristian Antiquities," edited by Dr. William Smith, and Samuel
the Ceremoniale Episcoporum," of which Cheetham, M. A. , in the Article Corona-
it is probable copies are yet preserved.
s° See William F. Skene's "Celtic Scot-
tion, that Aidan was inaugurated by St. Columba "on the celebrated stone of des- tiny, taken afterwards from Iona to Dunstaff-
land : book
a History of Ancient Alban,
ii. , 122. chap, hi. , p.
"
vol. ii. ,
See ibid. 53AccordingtothecomputationofGeorge
Buchanan, he began to reign over Scotland,
nage,
and thence to Scone. "—
Vol.
i. , p. 466.
Through
428 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [June 9.
and people to recognise him as such over the whole of the Dalriadic territo- ries. Our saint prophesied in the manner following,59 regarding him and his posterity. Laying his hand on the monarch's head, having installed and con- secrated Aydan, St. Columba thus announced these predictions, regarding his
and
use some fraud or unjust deportment towards me or my spiritual children. Commend you this seriously to your sons and to their descendants, let these
do the same to their sons and grandchildren, fearing otherwise, that the sceptre of the kingdom should be wrested out of their hands. For, at what time soever, they shall work any harm towards me, or against my kinsmen in Ireland, the scourge I have sustained for your sake from the Angel shall be turned on them, through the indignation of our Lord. In such case, they shall strengthen thehearts of men against them,andtheir enemies shall insult them. " 60
Another time, in the said Island of Himba, the grace of the Holy Ghost so copiously and ineffably descended on him, that remaining three en- tire days locked up in his cell, Columba was so replenished during the time with Divine light, that he neither eat, nor drank, nor permitted any to come to him, during such interval. 61 In the night, two beams of surpassing bright- ness issued out at the chinks of the door, and through holes in the lock. He was heard, likewise, to sing most sweet and ineffable canticles. Many secrets, that were hidden from the knowledge of men since the world's beginning,
were manifested to him ; the eyes of his most clear intellect pierced through difficulties, contained in the most obscure and abstruse passagesof Holy Scrip- tures. Thesemeaningshesaw,withthebrightnessofdaylight,asheafterwards acknowledged to some friends. He complained regarding the absence of Baithen, his beloved disciple, who, had he been present during those three days, should have been able to describe mysteries, concerning past or future ages, and which were still unknown to other men. This he could have done, and also could have interpreted various passages of the Sacred volume, by help of the saint'sinstructions. 62 However,Baithenwasthendetainedbycontrarywindsin
It happened, also, during a time spent on the Island of Hinba, and when St. Columba resolved on excommunicating certain violators of religious establishments, that one Lamh Dess 6 * rushed on him with a spear, and intending
family
kingdom.
beyond
question,
" I believe
O that King Aydan,
all
none of your enemies shall be able to make head against you, until you first
63 and therefore he was not able to
until those three during which St. Columkille communed with the Holy Spirit, had transpired.
Egea Island,
return,
days,
59 This is recorded by Cummineus Albus, seventh Abbot of Hy, in the Book he wrote on the Virtues of St. Columba. He pre- sided as Abbot of Iona, from the year 657 to that of 669, when his death is recorded in Tigemachi Annales. See Rev. Dr. O'Conor's "Rerum Hibernicarum Scriptures," tomus
ii. , p. 207.
Secunda Vita S. Columbce, cap. xxi. , p. 327; TertiaVitaS. Columbce,cap. xxxviii. , pp. 334, 335 ; Quarta Vita S. Columbce, lib. iii. , cap. xviii. , pp. 367, 368; Quinta Vita S. Columbce, lib. ii. , cap. cvii. , pp. 428, 429.
62 See Rev. Dr. Reeves' Adamuan's " Life
ofSt. Columba," lib. iii. , cap. 18, pp. 222,
223.
°3 Now— Egg or Eig Island, where St.
the Fourth Volume of this work, Art. i.
64 This was his Irish name, and it is Latinized Manus Dextra, by Adamnan, who gives this narrative. See Rev. Dr. Reeves' Adamnan's "Life of St. Columba," lib. ii. ,
cap. 24, pp. 135 to 137.
60
This prophecy hath been fulfilled in our
days, says Adamnan, by Donnall Breac,
Aydan's grandson, who without any just cause wasted ami destroyed Donnall's
country, he being grandson to Ainmire. This great misfortune happened after the
batile of Roth, or Maghrath, fought in the year 636 or 637. From that day to the time
of Adamnan, the delinquent's posterity had been down-trodden by strangers, enduring a fate, which was calculated to fill all hearts
with grief.
61
See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga," Prima Vita S. Columbce, cap. xiii. , p. 322 ;
Donnan an Irishman and a disciple
of Columba—founded a monastery, and where, with his community, he suffered death, at the hands of pirates, A. D. 617. See an ac- count of them, at the 17th day of April, in
St.
June 9. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
429
to take his life. 65
posed, to save his superior from this violent assault, and he succeeded. After-
wards Lamb Dess was 6? slain,
son of
in a called place
size,?
65 See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga," Tertia Vita S. Columbse, cap. xix. , p. 333 ; Quarta Vita S. Columbse, lib. ii. , cap. xxiv. , pp. 355, 356, and Quinta Vita S. Columbse, lib. ii. , cap. cii. , p. 428.
60 There is a holy man bearing this name,
and venerated at Tamlacht Finnloga or
Tamlachtfinlagan, in the county of London- derry, at the 3rd of January. An account of these transactions may be found more fully detailed, tn the First Volume of this work, at that date, Art. ii.
67 As Adamnan states "jaculo trans- fixus. "
to identify the spot—in William F. Skene's
"
Celtic Scotland : a History of Ancient Alban," vol. ii. , book ii. , chap, iii. , pp. 98, 99, and Map of part of Iona, showing Site of the Monasteries, at p. 100.
? 3 Mhuinter Port, or Port a Mhuinter, the People's Bay, is shown on that Map of Iona, prefixed to Henry Davenport Graham's "Antiquities of Iona. "
7+ It was usual among the Irish to mark with a cross the spot where any providen- tial visitation took place. See lib. iii. , cap. 23. This practice in Ireland seems to have prevailed from the time of the Irish Apostle.
: InoneofhisLivesweread "U—binunc
usque crux habetur in signum. " Vita S. Patricii, in Liber Armancanus, fol. 3, a a.
75 time of Adam- Both were shown, in the
nan. See Vita S. Columbse, lib. i. , cap. xlv.
1& Now Tiree. It is about thirteen miles
inlength,fromsouth-westtonorth-east. It
consists chiefly of gneiss, and in parts it is fertile. See "Gazetteer of the World,"
vol. xiii. , p. 116.
77 from ech or It is an appellative formed
68 Its exact
tained, but there are Islands, bearing this
name, and near Scarba, among the Hebri-
position
has not been ascer-
des.
—69 The date for his festival if one he had
seems doubtful
fell, most probably, on the 18th of Au- gust.
70 See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga," Quarta Vita S. Columbse, lib. i. , cap. xlv. , p. 348, and n. 95, pp. 379, 380; Quinta Vita S. Columbse, lib. ii. , cap. Hi. , p. 418.
;
but, Colgan
thinks it
But,
monks,
Finlugan,
Finlugh,
one of the
or
6
Ernan, 9 an aged priest, to govern the monastery he had founded many years
before, in the Isle of Himba. ? ° At his departure, Columba embraced him
: verylovingly,andpronouncedthisprophecy "This,myfriend,whomInow
send away, I never hope to see him living again in this world. " Within a few days, Ernan fell sick, and would have himself carried back to the saint, who was very much rejoiced thereat, and who went forth to meet him near the har- bour. ? 1 The situation is of
appears the port of the island, on the coast of Mull. Thence a road led across that island, to the branch settlement in the Island of Hinba, under Ernan, Columba's uncle. Here it was, that the dying Ernan landed, when he had desired to be taken to Columba, who, having set out from his cell to meet the aged saint, saw him fall to the ground and expire, not far from the shore. ? 2 Adamnan's description of that touching incident, and the fragment of a poem, attributed to Columba, enable us to trace the road, from the Port na Muintir,73 at the landing-place, to the cell of the great Abbot. Though he was very weak and sickly, yet Ernan would walk on his feet, without assistance. But, on the way, he fell down and gave up the ghost suddenly, and before our saint could have a sight of him, although only the short dis- tance of twenty-four paces lay between them. Hence, before the entrance to a kiln, they raised a cross ? on that very death-spot, as likewise another
where our saint stopped. ? 5
Several monasteries were founded by Columba, or by his orders, in
by Conan,
Long Island. 68 The venerable Abbot Columba sent his maternal uncle,
capable
as opposite the landing place of the steamer, at Iona, and across the sound,
—
receiving
topographical illustration,
named
66 inter-
some
Baithen,
6 then called Ethica. ? ? This denomina-
an island of considerable
tion is not a substantive, as has been generally supposed, but rather
71 See Rev. Dr. Reeves' Adamnan's ich, "corn," and it signifies triticiJerax.
"8
See Adamnan's Vita S. Columbse, lib.
Life of St. Columba," lib. i. , cap. 45, pp. 86 to 88. —
72 See an account which seems exactly
?
i. , cap. xxxvi. , lib. ii. , cap. xv. , xxxix. , and lib. iii. , cap. viii.
43°
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [June 9. 78 agreeing with insula or terra.