No More Learning

^3 The accompanying illustration was drawn on the wood, by William F. Wake- man, after a photograph, taken by Frederick H. Mares. It has been engraved, by Mrs. Millard.
436
LIVES 01' 7HE miSH SAINTS. [February 9.
approaches this place. The ancient monastery of Drum-lias was burned A. p. 1360. An old church in ruins, stood there f^ but, with many other interesting objects, it has now disappeared. The religious house here does not appear to have been afterwards restored ; and, the site was probably abandoned, by the
monks, although a parish church sup- plied the devotional wants of that neigh- bourhood. This would seem to have
become a rectory,^^
dependent on Creve- lea, after the Fran- ciscans obtained
possession of their home, in the latter
delightful locality. Besides, the more historic Drum-lias there is also a Drum-
lish f^ this is a village and townland in the parish of Killoe, in the barony and
county of Longford. ''7 In the county of Fer- managh, there are two different town-
—called Drum- lands,
the
parish of K-inawley, and barony of Clan- awley,^^ and the other in the parish of De- venish and barony of
lish one, in
Creevlea Ruins, County
Leitiim.
Magheraboy. ^9
Again, there is a Drumlish, in the parish of Tedavnet, barony and county Monaghan ;3o a Drumlish in the parish of Clooncraff, barony and county of Roscommon ;3» and a Drumlish, in the parish of Dromore, barony of Omagh East,andcountyofTyrone. 3=' Intheimmediateneighbourhoodofthetown of Larne, county of Antrim, on the top of a hill, called Drumalis,33 stood a
=4 See Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the
Four Masters," vol. iii. , pp. 616 to 618, and n. (i), ibid.
=5 In an inquisitioni in the reign of lames
I. , and taken during the first year, among
possessions of Creevalea, we find noticed,
'•
the rectory of Drerjleis," doubtless, Dnim- leis.
^'^ See ** Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for the County of Fermanagh. " Sheet 33-
=9 See ibid. . Sheets IS, 31.
3' See ** Oalnance Survey Townland '^ Marked on the " Ordnance Survey Maps for the County of Roscommon. "
Townland Maps for the County of Leitrim. " Sheet 5.
=7 See Lewis' "Topographical Dictionary of Ireland," vol. i. , pp. 517, 518.
Sheet 17.
3= " Townland See Ordnance Survey
Maps for the County of Tyrone. " Sheet 42.
30 See
*'
Ordnance Sui-vey Townland
Maps for the County of Monaghan. " Sheet 6.
February 9. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 437
religious establishment, according to popular tradition. 34 Its existence is even proved by secular documents. The site is a most lovely one. 35 OriginallytheplaceseemstohavebeencalledClondumalis. ThePremon- stratenses or White Canons were in possession of it, when suppressed in 1542, during the reign of Henry VIII. 36 However, it seems most likely, the Druim Licce of Cruimther Finne must be identified, with Drumlease, in Leitrim county.
Article IV. —Festival of the Second Deposition of St. Fursey's
Relics. [^Seventh Cenfury. ] Among the visions,' occurring in our native literature, the vision of St. Fursey is that most generally known. It is
doubted, among various respectable writers, whether the death of this holy contemplative—whose Acts have been already given, at the i6th of January—
should properly be assigned to that day,=' or rather to the 9th of February. 3 We have already seen, while Desmay marks the former date, as the anni-
versary for his canonization, he places St. Fursey's death, at the present
day. 4 Colgan supposes, as well on the authority of Desmay, that the i6th of January had been the day of our saint's canonization, and not of his death; as,also,becauseRaban,inhisMartyrology,callsittheday,notofa first, but of a second, deposition, of the saint. s By this, he means, the re-
"
33 Here the people of Larne were ac-
customed to assemble for festive sports on
Easter Monday, May Day, and on other
occasions, as described by the local poet E, I, 29 ; and E. 4, 12. In an ancient
and historian, Dr. M'Henry, in his novel,
vellum folio MS. , noted as vol. xxiv. . No.
7960, of the Library Catalogue, at Bruxelles, there is a copy of this Vision of the Irish soldier Tungdal, the authorship of which is attributed to one Marcus. It commences thus: "Incipit prologus Marci ad abbatis- sam quandam," and after this prologue com-
"
O'Halloran. "
34 The townlands of Drtimaliss and Curran,
in the parish of Larne, and barony of Upper Glenarm, are noticed on "Ordnance Survey Tow^nland Maps for the County of Antrim. " Sheets 35, 40.
35 In a lecture, delivered in the Town mences, " Ibernia igitur Insula. " The fol-
Hall of Larne, on Wednesday evening, Nov. , 6th, 1872, the Rev. Classon Porter, says : " It includes an extensive view of the Irish
channel, with the Maiden Lighthouses and
theScotchcoastinthedistance; ofIsland-
magee; oftheCorranandLarneLough; of
Magheremoume ; of Glynn village ; of the nuscript, from which the foregoing is ex- Bank Braes ; of the town and valley of
—Larne, and of the highlands of Kilwaghter
of mountain, hill and dale—which, varied magnificence, could not be surpassed ; nor can any one, in the present day, who is alive to the beauties of nature, look from the
top of this gently-sloping hill, on the gor- geous panorama, which is there spread before him, without admiring the taste of the holy men, who chose such a lovely spot as the scene of their pious labours, and the site of their peaceful abode. " Published in the Larne Reporter of that time.
tracted, was without any illuminations, nor could Mr. Bindon, who examined it, find any
in a
all enclosed picturesque background,
there.
3^ See ibid. —
Article iv.
^
One of these has lately
86.
4 From the statement of Venerable Bede,
been published, in the Italian language, " Visione di Tugdalo volgarizzata nel Secolo xiv. , ed ora per la prima volta posta in luce," da Francesco Corazzini. Bologna, 1872, sm. 4to. There are no less than
Dr. Lanigan supposed it to have been the "
for
Martyrologies, an old Life of St. Fursey, which has
and on
''
three copies of the
Visio Tungdali Mili-
tis," among the Trinity College MSS. , and these are marked as follows: "C. 4, 23;
lowing note, regarding this piece, is on the
"
Visio Tungdali militis Hiberni,
first folio.
an. 1 148, auctore Marco in qua mentio fit SS. Patricii apli Hiberni Malachite ep. Dun. Ruadani Nennise ep. Cluan. Coelestini ep. Armach. Chaini ep. Lundinen. " The ma-
trace of the Irish language
* on the Relying
xvii. Kalend. Februarii ad aeterna commigrasse regna," his death has been assigned, to the 16th of January, and the Bollandists concur. See " Acta Sanctorum," tomus ii. , Februarii ix. Prsetermissi et in alios dies rejecti, pp.
575» 576.
3 The old author of St. Fursey's Acts,
makes the 9th of February the anniversary of his death. See Colgan's "Acta Sancto- rum Hibernise," xvi. Januarii. Vita S.
Furssei, lib. ii. , cap. xvii. , p.
day for his burial. See Ecclesiastical History of Ireland," vol. ii. , chap, xyii. , sect. X. , n. 95, p. 463.
438 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [February 9.
moval of our saint's relics, at the time of translation, which took place four
years after Fursey's death. It is a more probable opinion, according to some, than that contained in our saint's old Acts, and in Desmay's Life, where it is asserted, the feast of Translation or Elevation of Furse/s remains, bySt. EligiusandSt. Autbert,occurredonthe9thofFebruary. Accord- ing to these same authorities, this was also the day of our saint's decease. For, it is supposed, the canonization, mentioned by Desmay, could have occurred, at no other time, than when the first translation or raising of Fursey'srelicstookplace. Suchanopinionhethinks,issustainedbyseveral old and respectable writers. *^ However, this matter has given rise to very opposite views. 7 Without presuming to decide this controverted point, it must suffice to present particulars, regarding our saint, and which have not been given in his Acts, as already written. ^ We have seen, that no sooner was Fursey's decease known,5 than Erchinoald sent a message to Haimoin, requesting him to resign his claim to the reHcs of the saint. This demand was rather unwillingly complied with ; but, the power and influence of the
former, and the favours which, during life, our saint accepted from him, together with the miracles wrought after Fursey's death, afforded Haimoin convincing reasons to satisfy the pious wishes of his benefactor. The body was accordingly removed to Perrone, with great funeral pomp and expense. Erchinoald caused a magnificent church to be built, in which he intended the remains of our saint should be preserved. This church had been com- menced before, but had not been completed at, that juncture, when the holy confessor's death occurred. St. Fursey's remains lay within the portals or porch of the church, whilst Erchinoald used every exertion and spared no cost, in completing the structure. The Patrician had resolved, this
•church should be finished, and in a style of great magnificence, so that, in some measure, it might be rendered worthy the majesty of God, and the sacred purposes for which it was destined. But, the enemy of mankind, envying the progress of every good work, tempted Leutsinda, wife of Erchnoald, to indulge in murmurs, at the great expense of this erection. In a wrathtul and avaricious spirit, she petulantly reproached her husband for expending treasures to a large amount, in behalf of a stranger, whose body alter some days should be reduced to ashes, and become the food of worms. The pious Erchinoald bore these murmurs of his wife with patience, recol- lecting the example set him by holy Job. ^° He warned Leutsinda, that she ought to perform penance for her impious murmurs, and repent without delay. Then, he recalled to her recollection, all those wonderful miracles
wrought by St. Fursey, and how all things had succeeded prosperously, so far as they were concerned. This success was attributed 10 the spiritual patronage of the saint, given in return for any temporal benefits bestowed
5 It is thought, by Colgan, that the date for St. Fursey's tirst burial happened on the 4th of March, because it is slated in his old Acts, book i. , chap, xl , and book ii. , chap. xiv. , that his body lay, for some time, in the porch of the new church at Perrone, until it
canonization seems to be assumed. But, there does not appear to be any record of a canonization, and we a. e probably only to
regard it, as commemorating the translation of liis body, and its expo. siiion, in an uncor- rupt state.
**
was ready for dedication, within thirty days, "
7 See Colgan's pendix, cap. x. , p. 98.
after his death. See Acta Sanctorum Hi- berniae," xvi. Januarii. Vita S. Fursaei. Also, Appendix, cap. x. , pp. 82, 86, 89.
^
' Dr. Lanigan thinks it likely, St. Fursey
^ He says, that among others, may be cited, St. Notker, Raban Maur, Usuard and Venerable Bede, who was nearly a synchro- nns. These place him in their martyr- ologies, at this present day ; and, thus, his
died on the i6th of January. See
"
Acta Sanctorum Hiber- niae," xvi. Januarii. Vita S. Fursaei. Ap-
At the i6th of January.
Eccle- siastical History of Ireland," vol. ii. , chap.
xvi. , sect, x. , and n. 92, pp. 461, 462.
'°
Jobii. , 9, 10.
February 9. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS 439
on him. In fine, this religious noble declared, he doubted not, that the
Almighty would preserve his body from all putrefaction or decay henceforth, and that this immunity should be proved, at the time of its removal, and to
reprovetheunworthycomplaintsofhiswife. " Meantime,whennearlythirty days" had elapsed, St. Eligius,^3 or Eloi, Bishop of Noyon, and St. Aut- bertus,^** Bishop of Cambray, were invited to consecrate the church, and to assist at the removal of Saint Fursey's relics from the porch.
A great mul- titude of people were present at the ceremonies, that took place, on this re- markable and solemn occasion. 's Among others, Leutsinda attendee'.
However, she was drawn thither, rather through a spirit of curiosity, than of piety, being desirous of witnessing with her own eyes, the state in which the saint's relics should be found. Whilst assistants were preparing to remove his body from the tomb, and bear it into the church enclosure, with pious reverence ; Leutsinda ordered the shroud to be removed from the corpse. But, when attempting to look upon St. Fursey's remains, she found herself suddenly deprived of sight. Then being terrified, and bursting forth into tearsandlamentations,Leutsindaprostratedherselfbeforethebody. She besought the holy Bishops, Eligius and Autbert, to intercede for her, by offer- ing up their prayers to St. Fursey, for the restoration of her vision. She declared at their feet, she had grievously sinned, but that she then sincerely repented. Wherefore, the holy prelates offered up their prayers for the penitent, and being joined by all the people present, Leutsinda was again restored to the use of sight. Giving thanks and praises to God, she devoted herselfandallherpossessionstoSt. Fursey. Afterwards,shesawtheremains
of this holy confessor, in a perfect state, as if he had only departed at that moment. All those, who were present in the church, beheld the sacred re-
mains in a condition of perfect preservation. The holy bishops, who were in attendance, took the venerable relics of the saint in their arms, while hymns were sung. They bore the sacred body into the Church of St. Peter
'^
and St. Paul. It was there deposited behind the high altar,
spices were placed in the coffin, containing the relics of our saint. '7 His
accidit. "—" Annales Ordinis S. Bcnedicti," tomus i. , lib. xiv. , sect, i. , p. 410.
'*
Bede states, it was buried near the altar,
'^ Venerable Bede says, that the body of
St. Fursey lay twenty-seven days in the porch of the church, before its first transla-
"
tion. See Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis
Anglorum," lib. iii. , cap. 19, p. 215.
'« Bede says :" Sed & post annos quatuor constructa domuncula cultiore receptui cor- poris ejusdem, ad orientem altaris adhuc sine macula corruptionis inventum ibidem
digno cum eum honore translatum est. "
'^ These particulars Bede relates, from the little book of St. Fursey's ancient Acts,
bodies of Saints Meldan and Beodan. St. Fursey himself had already entombed
these saints, in the very place then occupied by their remains. Fragrant
in that '^ until some sort of shrine had been place,
for four
fashi9ned, which was destined to exhibit more reverence towards the saint. We are told the body had been buried, at the east side of the altar. ''s Moved by the wonderful miracles daily wrought at the tomb of the saint, Erchinoald and his wife Leutsinda at length founded a college of Regular Canons, which they endowed with ample possessions. The piety of various French
body lay
years
" See
cap. XV. , p. 86.
** Acta Sanctorum Hiber- nias,"xvi. Januarii. VitaS. Furssei,lib. ii. ,
^^
Colgan's
Although Venerable Bede says thirty- seven days elapsed, after the death of St. Fursey, and his first interment ; yet, Dr. Lanigan thinks,it probable, that only twenty- three days intervened between the day of his departure and that of his burial. See "Ec- clesiastical
chap, xvi. , sect, x. , n. 93, p. 463.
'3 His feast occurs, on the 1st of Decern- ber.
''* His festival is held, on the 13th of De- cember.
'5 Speaking of our saint's first burial, Ma- billon writes, "id quod v. idus Februarii
History
of Ireland," vol. ii. ,
and near the
440 LTVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [February 9.
nobles afterwards increased these endowments, to honour God, and his servants,^** there interred. ^^ After this removal of Fursey's remains, owing
to his intercession, with great faith and piety, countless pilgrims flocked
thither to visit his tomb. This circumstance and miracles wrought caused
Erchinoald and his wife Leutsinda to prepare another place, more convenient
of access, and more publicly placed in view, for a second translation of the
relics. Four years after the first deposition of his body, at the eastern side
over St. Peter's altar, these noble persons had a sort of receptacle con-
=**
structed.
Tournay, he was an artist, and he fashioned precious metals with great skill. Desmay tells us, that many reliquaries of saints were known to be extant, and whichSt. Eligiushadmade. Amongstothers,theshrinesofSt. Germanus,'* Bishop of Paris, of St. Severinus, abbot,^5 of Saints Piutus^^ and Quintin,='7 martyrs,ofSt. Lucian,^^ofSt. Genovefua^9andofSt. Columba,3o&c. To this St. Eligius, therefore, Hercenaldus and Leutsinda sent a considerable amount of gold and silver, that he might produce from it a suitable shrine, for the relics of the holy confessor. The venerable bishop exerted all re- sources of his skill and ingenuity in executing the shrine. Having completed it, he invited St. Autbert3^ to assist at the translation of our saint's relics. This ceremony, took place, on the 9th of February. 32 This was afterwards observed, as an anniversary of this solemn translation at Perrone. When assistants approached his tomb,33 for the purpose of removing the saint's body, his remains were found to be entire, as they had been four years pre- viously, on the day of their deposition. 34 Not only his flesh, but even the colourofhisbody,seemedundecayed. Therelicswereexhibitedinthis state, before the clergy and people, who were present, to their great delight and edification. Precious spices were placed around the body, which was deposited in that shrine, prepared by St. Eligius for its reception. Having covered it in the shrine, hymns of praise were sung, and lights blazed around
^° ** In prima enim, quae ibi fuerat Eccle- ^* His feast occurs, on the 28th of May. sia Beatus Fursaeus sanctos Collagas quos ^5 He was venerated, on the nth of Feb- Beoanum atque Meldanum tumulaverat, ruary,
Before St. Eligius^3 had been consecrated Bishop of Noyan and
animas quorum in visione, qua miranda sustinuit D*monum improperia viderat ; &
^^
Also, called St. Piat, Apostle of Tour- nay, whose feast is on the ist of October,
'^^ His festival occurs, on the of Oc- 31st
tober.
alia
patrocinia pretiosorum
Dei servorum,
quse secum detulerat (exceptis illis quse de
Hyerosolymitatis partibus allata, Latiniaco
Coenobio sul) firmissimo munimine posuerat) quorum meritis usque in hodiernum diem Kex coelestis multi—s virtutum signis locum istum honestavit. " Colgan's "Acta Sane torum Hibernise," xvi. Januarii. Vita S. Furssei, lib i. , cap. xl. , p. 82, lib. ii. , cap. XV. , xvi. , p. 86, and ibid. Vita S. Fursaei, a Desmseo, cap. xx. , p. 297.
^^
His feast is assigned to the 8lh of Jan-
='
Among these were St. Beoan and St.
uary.
'^'^ Also, called Genevieve, Patroness of
Paris, who is venerated, on the 3rd of Jan- uary.
^o Probably St. Columba, virgin and martyr, whose feast is kept, on the 31st of December,
31 According to Baronius, Autbert was Bishop of Cambray, in the year 648. He survived St. Eligius, for many years. But, we can hardly suppose, that he lived to the year 709, as Sigebert and Baronius state,
32
According to Desmay.
33 q^hc old author of St. Fursey's Life calls
it a sarcophagus.
Meldan, whose relics were placed there by
" The old author says, "ad —orientalem partem altaris domuncula. " Colgan's
**
Acta Sanctorum Hibernise," xvi, Januarii. Vita S. Furssei, lib. i. , cap. xli. , p. 82.
=3
According to Baronius, in his Annals,
Eligius, departed this life, A. D. 665, but
according to Miraeus, in his Belgian Chroni-
cle, A. D. 660. His Life has been written. History of Ireland," vol. ii. , chap, xvi. , in two books, by his intimate friend St. sect, x. , and n. 95, pp. 462, 463.
Ouen, Bishop of Rouen,
St. Fursey.
s-*
Dr. Lanigan refers the Translation of
St. Fursey's body, four years after his death, to the 9th of February. See "Ecclesiastical
February 9. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 441
the sanctuary. These reHcs were then placed on the eastern side, over the high altar, which was dedicated to St. Peter, Prince of the Apostles, and behind that altar, as the old writer of our saint's Acts relates. 35 He also remarks, from that date to his own time, any persons who approached to offer up their devotions and lawful petitions before the shrine of Saint Fursey were seen to obtain whatever favours they sought. 36 The year, succeeding this translation of our saint's relics, was remarkable for a general failure of the vine-cropthroughoutthewholeofFrance; sothat,itwaswithgreatdifficulty, winecouldbeprocuredforcelebrationoftheDivineMysteries. Ithappened, that a noble lady, at Perrone, with a great part of her family, suffered from some grievous illness. As her life had been despaired of, her last moment was hourly expected. On a certain night, she had a vision. It seemed to her, she was told to send to the church, in which St. Fursey's body lay, and to ask for herself and family some of the wine, which was there required for the Eucharistic Sacrifice. She immediately called a trusty servant, and related the particulars of her nocturnal vision. Being sent to the church, this servant asked the cleric who was sacristan, at the time, for that wine, which would restore his mistress to health. On account of its scarcity, the sacristan refused to comply with this request, but he advised the servant to go and fetch water to his mistress, from St. Fursey's well, which was to be found near the mountain summit. The servant filled the vessel, which he hadbrought,withthiswater,andboreithomewards. Thewaterwasmira- culously changed into wine, before the sick woman tasted it, to the bearer's greatastonishment,forheknewfromwhatsourceithadbeendrawn. Im- mediately after the pious matron tasted this liquid, she was restored to health, as likewise was the case, in reference to other infirm persons in the family. Whereupon, accompanied by her relations, domestics and friends, this noble lady proceeded at once to St. Fursey's church, bearing lights, with offerings of gold and silver. Here she prostrated herself in prayer, and she offered acts of thanksgiving to God, and to his servant, St. Fursey.
She then dedicated the remainder of her life to a devout worship of Almighty God, and to a pious veneration for the patron saint of that church. There she desired her remains to be laid after death. 37 We are told by Desmay,38 that not only do the people of Perrone derive strength and health from the use of this water, when suffering from fever or from any other kind of dis- ease ; but, even all infirm persons, from parts more distant, when with faith and piety, they venerated holy St. Fursey and used that water, which by an ancient custom of the church had been blessed. There were six different kinds of diseases, especially enumerated, in the hymn of lauds, recited on the saint's festival. 39 Such account is to be found, in an old office of St. Fursey. These maladies were known to be removed, by a devout venera- tion of the patron saint. ^o A small aperture was to be seen in the old tomb
**
3S See Colgan's
nise," xvi. Januarii. Vita S. Furssei, lib.
3' They are thus named, in the following lines :—
Acta Sanctorum Hiber-
86.
3^ In the time of Bede, the fame of miracles
wrought at St. Fursey's tomb was very great. See "Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis Anglo-
rum," lib. iii. , cap. xix. , p. 215.
"
37 See, also, Mabillon's
S.