No More Learning

Dr. the
by foregoing
of 1 on this Martyrology Donegal,
Article vii.
—
»
Edited by Drs. Todd
Article viii. Thus is
2 of
chiefly glosses stanza: 1. Oto
14 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [June i.
suffered at Antioch, with Zozimus ; and, their feast is commemorated, at this date,inseveralancientMartyrologies,astheBollandistsmention. * Theyare noticed, also, at the ist ofJune, in the Petits Bollandistes,3
Article IX. —Reputed Feast of St. Dicull, Hermit at Bosen- ham. There is a Festival, to commemorate the Elevation of the Relics of a St. Dicull, said to have been the founder of a monastery, at Bosanhame,
ruary. He is called Dicul, a monk ot the Scottish nation ; while, his monas- tery is said to have been situated, between Sussex ? and Southampton. If we are to credit Dempster 4 he flourished a. d. 689,5 and he wrote a book,
"
The artists of the king with melodies, each of them,
to Thomas " Scotorum. "1 It is at Dempster's Menologium placed
according
the ist of June f as also, there is a feast for this saint, at the nth of Feb-
,
"Ad Occidentals Saxones Exhortationes. " It is stated, that his place was surrounded by woods and by the sea ; and, that with him, in holy companion- ship, lived five or six monks. 6 Dempster holds, that he flourished at a time, somewhat later than a Dicullus, alluded to by Venerable Bede. ?
Article X. —Reputed Feast of St. Damian, Priest. Thomas
"1
Dempster, in his Menologium Scotorum," has a festival, at the ist of June,
forDamian,apriest,atCummernald,orCumbernauld. Heissaidtohave
2
brought the Relics of St. Andrew, the Apostle, with St. Regulus, to Scotland. These came to Otholinia, under the dominion of the Picts, at that time, which is stated to have been in the fourth century. 3 He is called a Priest, and a cousin- german to the deacon Merinatus ; however, Dempster would not determine,
menuiAn 7j\L. . 1. uijto. bit) t>m. oit> . 1. ughuo no Aichluj;uo mertmAn. no oto . 1.
Martyribus Antiochiae, p. 42.
5 "Vies des Saints," tome vi.
Premier
. 1. caba-in m-oechtnij; t>ocAipe.
no oit).
de — Jour Juin, p. 357.
bm-oig. bm oiti ooa [w5^. Lat, ode, odd] melo-oiA. uc t>icicun.
Aer x>&n& itinig cojvmnib ConAcLiAnAib ceol bmT>e C10 bmo LacAch xnb a ot>
ni choircremne AnAinpceot).
This stanza is thus translated into English — :
Article ix.
It is thus entered
. 1.
At>bor>o, ec unocoicicup 00 . 1. burner, ec Bosanhame monasterio Diculli Eremitae
Withtheirtrainsmusic-sweet,
Though his (own) song is sweet to
We will not hear their
playing. "
This is related in " De Probatis Surius,
. 1. CAbnAo oomenmA t>ia hoit). no 010
oocmenmAm. Anbio 010 . 1. ugut) mentnAn
no bmoer menniAn 7 comAO oit> <\u&p ox>
Ab ooa roepoe no oin . 1. uAnAig oocmen-
niAin . 1. cAbAin t>ocAine . 1. Anirni mor* " Cummernaldiae Damiani presbyteri, qui LibencAf ec nAciuicAr euif [h] ooie ueL S. Andreae reliquias a S. Regulo allatas m noc oie. 2. AcecuL . 1. AAirner no recepit. B T. "
AceccVi—AncAm. 4. . 1. m r ponce humr 2 See Bishop Forbes* " Kalendars of
menrif. Ibid. , p. xcvi.
Scottish Saints," p. 201.
3 See the account given by Hector Boece,
in "Scotorum Historue," lib. vi. , fol. cviii.
3 4
See ibid. , p. xcviii.
See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus i. , Junii i. De SS. Zosimo et Tecla Virgine,
:
2" SeeBishopForbes' KalendarsofScot-
tish Saints," p. 201.
3 Under the Additions to this County,
Boseham or Bosenham is described, in Cough's Camden's "Britannia," vol. i. , pp. 192, 193.
Ecclesiastica Gentis
Scotorum," tomus i. , lib. iv. , num. 406, p. 222.
:
5 Dempsteradds "Sanctumputateccle-
sia Scotica, ex Beda, lib. iii. Hist. Eccles.
fundatoris elevatio. B. "
4 See "Historia
Anglor, cap. xix. "
Sanctorum Vitis," tomus v. Vita S. Wilfridi, xii. Octobris.
? In"HistoriaEcclesiasticaGentisAnglo-
rum," lib. iii. , — xxviii. cap.
«
Article x. It is thus entered
:
June 2. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 15
whether he was a Scot or a Greek, or whether he accompanied St. Regulus to Scotland, or there joined him, with his other companions. He is said to have written a book, " De Reliquiarum S. Andreae in Britanniam Advectione," and to have flourished, in the year 332. 4 One of the churches at St. Andrew was dedicated to him. s
Article XI. —Elevation of the Relics of St. Madelgisilus, at
Centule. Some Elevation of the Relics of St. Madelgisilus, at Centule, is
commemorated the 1 at the 1st of The Life of this by Bollandists, June.
saint has been presented, already, at the 30th day of May,2 which is his prin- cipal festival, and where allusion is made to the Elevation in question.
^eronti ©ap of 3une.
ARTICLE L—ST. ALDEGISUS, ADALGISUS, OR ALGISUS, PRIEST, AND MISSIONARY, IN HANNONIA.
[SEVENTH CENTURY. ]
CHAPTER I.
INTRODUCTION—WRITERS OF THE ACTS OF ST. ALDEGISUS—HIS PARENTAGE, AND EDUCATION, IN IRELAND—HE IS SAID TO HAVE BECOME A DISCIPLE OF ST. FURSEY—HIS ORDINATION—HE PROCEEDS AS A MISSIONARY TO FRANCE—ALDEGISUS IS HONOURABLY RECEIVED BY KING CLODOVEUS AT LAON—HE SETTLES AS A HERMIT, WITH SOME COMPANIONS, AT TERASC1A, IN PICARDY.
lovers of this world desire to write about transitory and evil things, IF much more should those who desire to record what subjects are eternal and salutary for the devotion of the faithful, and for the salvation of posterity. So states the mediaeval author of our saint's Acts, in which he recognises the wonderful gifts of God, and the glory of his august name ; since before the con- stitution of this world, his holy ones were under the prescience of His Supreme Wisdom, and after its creation in due course were they glorified. This is fully revealed in the lives and works of the Patriarchs and Prophets ; in the glorious choirs of the Apostles and Evangelists ; as in the multitudes of the holy Martyrs and Confessors. Among the latter class may be ranked the present holy man—the special Patron and Confessor of the writer—a brilliant light amid those stars of the Heavenly firmament, and whose rays were calculated to chase darkness from the souls of men, through his virtues
and miracles.
Certain mistakes probably crept into the Acts of this holy missionary.
Colgan intended to treat of St. Algisus, at the 2nd of June.
1
There are Acts
the
" Historia s See William F. Skene's " Chronicles of
4 See Thomas
Ecclesiastica Gentis Scotorum," tomus ii. ,
the Ficts and —
Scots," p. 187.
tomus
lib. num. iv. ,
2 See the Fifth Volume of this Art. i. , at that date,
work,
Article xi.
•
See " Acta
Sanctorum,"
to "
Actuum Sanctorum MS. quas
Dempster's 410, pp. 223, 224.
i. , Junii i. Among saints, p. 4.
pretermitted
Article 1. —Chapter
* i.
According
Catalogus
—
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [June 2. of St. Etto, Bishop, in which among the companions of St. Fursey are distin-
— as
guished constituting
his brethren or
disciples Algisus
and
Adelgisus
or Alde-
gisus whereas these names seem to be applicable to one and the same person.
Again, while Algisus is said to have died in one monastery, Aldegisus is said
to have departed in another. 3 Although there may be mistakes of statement
and exaggerations, in the Acts of Algisus ; yet, may it be alleged, also, they do not deserve those severe criticisms, which such errors have called forth. The Manuscript Life of this saint was extant in the time of Molanus,3 at the Beth- lehemitemonasteryofCanonsRegular,nearLouvain. Theauthorofthis Tract states in its preface, that he collected the Life and Virtues of the most excellent Father—whom he terms our Algisus—from the faithful narratives of his senior Fathers 4 and, while desirous of and what
; correcting arranging
had been written into one Treatise, he desired to include, also, what had been derived from tradition. This was done, through motives of piety, and not to challenge literary admiration, so that devout persons might have a memorial of the holy man, and praise the work of God wrought by him. The Bollan-
——
dists s have such Acts 6 illustrated by notes of this holy man, at the 2nd of
June. These are edited by Father Francis Baerl, preceded by a Commen- tary,? and they are followed by an Appendix. 8 In the Third Volume of the
"
Acta Sanctorum Belgii, the Acts of St. Chillen and of St. Adalgisus will be found. 10 A short notice of the latter saint is met with in Molanus. 11 He
is commemorated, also, by Mirseus, 12 and Bucelin. ^
Dempster's
There are notices of
" Scoto- Menologium
this
rum,"1* and in the Petits Bollandistes. 'S
holy missionary, likewise,
in Thomas
This holy man was born in Ireland, 16 where he was brought up in the
exercise of every virtue, having been dedicated to the Almighty, by his dis-
tinguished and pious parents. They offered vows and prayers, that their son might have intellect and will, to serve God with his whole mind. From his
habentur ordine Mensium et Dierum.
"
sidered, that the Acts in question should not
be published, and that the Epitome of Molanus should suffice; however, Baert re- solved otherwise, leaving freedom to the critic to form bis own opinions as to their
3
"Ego vero, ubi de uno laboramus satis, alterum quserendum non existimo, ut labore-
FatherFrancisBaerthereuponremarks:
mus magis ; pnesenim cum scriptor hie, non
alia ratione ad divisionem illam motus value.
videatur, quamaliquali, apud varios Autores non antiquos, reperta nominis dissimilitu- dine. "
3 This writer states, he had seen it, and
from that source has been drawn, what he
had compiled in eulogizing our saint.
* However, the Bollandist Father Baert, relying much on the opinion of Father
Godefrid Henschen, throws much
on the antiquity of these writers, who lived, as he supposed, only a short time before the compilation had been made, since there are matters somewhat incredible, such as the miraculous well, the cell Adalgisus built, the reception of Corbican's body, and the vision of St. Peter the Apostle, there introduced. It is not easy to understand, how Baert arrived at an opinion, that because St. Adal- gisus is said to have come to France with St. Fursey, this thought must have been derived from perusing the writings of Venerable Bede, and from the well known acts of St. Fursey, which mention his other Scottish
companions, although no notice be taken of
Si. Algisus among them. Henschen con- claris parentibus crtus,"&c.
suspicion
8 In five
s See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus
i. , Junii ii. De S. Adalgiso, sive Algiso Presbytero, in Theoracia Picardiae Regiuncula, pp. 222
to 228.
6
These are contained in two chapters, containing seventeen paragraphs. A Pro- logue of the author is prefixed.
» In five paragraphs.
paragraphs.
» In a Hisiorico-critical Sylloge, by
Cornelius Smet, sees. I to 19.
I0 At the 2nd of June, pp. 589 to 598.
" See " Natales Sanctorum Belgii, "Junii
ii. , at pp. 108, 109.
" See Fasti Belgici et Burgundici," pp.
272, 393.
I3 In his Benedictine Martyrology.
" in Belgio Adalgisi Apostoli.
** Thus
M. L. "—Bishop Forbes' "Kalendars of Scot- tish Saints," p. 201.
:
Js See "Vies des Saints," tome vi. ,
Second Jour dejuin, p. 371.
l6 The writer of his Acts states
" Hie de transmarinis partibus, de Hibeinia scilicet,
:
June 2. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 17
youth, they took good care to have him indoctrinated with learning, both mundane and sacred. Through the efficacious grace of Him, who rules all hearts, Adalgisus resolved on dedicating himself wholly to the Lord's ser- vice. According to the compiler of our saint's Acts, his brothers were Saints Goban *» and Etho. ,s In the time of our saint flourished the illustrious man
Fursey,
10 said to have been a
Bishop,
20 in the Island of the Hibernian
Scots,
and who devoted himself to the most pious manner of living and to the work of
AlmightyGod. Hedesired,also,tojoinwithhimselfthosecompanions,who
would find the same delight in a religious life, and who had an evident voca- tion for it. Wherefore, Saints Algisus, and his venerable brothers, Etho and
21
when serving God with one heart and mind, full of wisdom and faith, the
Holy Spirit guided them through a course of learning, while they neglected not to study the Sacred Scriptures. With earnestness of purpose and unchang-
ing charity, those pious pupils pursued their meditations on the Divine Law, by day and by night.
When they had remained under his tutelage for a sufficient time, St. Fursey called them to himself, and exhorted them to prepare for the reception of Holy Orders. He advised them, through faith in the Holy Trinity and through the virtue of the Holy Ghost, to receive the Priesthood, and the blessings it conferred, in the name of Him, who rescued them from eternal death. They responded to his exhortations, by yielding obedience, and by receiving the Body and Blood of our Lord, when they were ordained by St. Fursey. This ordinance was duly conferred, according to the ritual, and they returnedtotheirfriends,givingthankstoGod. Thesixthhourofthenight following, which was that of the Sabbath, and while reclining on their beds, as a reward for their pious recollection and vigil, all of those Priests deserved
to hear these words, as if addressed to them by the Lord " Come to me
:
all you who labour and are burdened, and I will refresh you at my heavenly table in my kingdom. " This gave them great consolation, and on the follow-
ing day, which was Sunday, Saints Algisus, with his brothers-german Goban and Etho, as also Eloquius and many others, went to their holy superior, St. Fursey. They related what had occurred in the vision, and they sought his permission to visit the tombs of the Apostles, Peter and Paul, with those of other saints, so that there they might offer vows and prayers. St. Fursey
hearing their narrative gave thanks to God; but, wishing to accompany them, he answered St. Algisus and his companions, with a cheerful countenance:
"Certainly, I shall not give you permission to go, unless I am with you. " Then, having called his brothers St. Ultan 22 and St. Foillan 23 to him, St. Fursey said u My dear brothers, do you wish to seek Christ with
Goban,
as also a
holy
man
Eloquius,
placed
themselves under his
guidance,
me? "
They replied :
" Our father and our wherever we superior, you go,
of
17 His Feast has been '
June.
assigned
to the 20th
when he is said to have visited Rome.
" His Feast is referred to the of 3rd
18
His Festival occurs at the 10th of December.
" His Festival is kept, on the 1st of May,
and the reader is referred to that date, in the Fifth Volume of this work, for his Acts, at Art. iii.
23 His feast is held, on the 30th of Octo- ber.
** This name has been derived from a
T—eutonic source, signifying "noble pledge. "
of Christian
"Dictionary Biography,"
edited by William Smith, LL. D. , and Henry Wace, M. A. , vol. i. , p. 32.
July.
19 The reader is referred to his Life, at the
16th of January, in the First Volume of this work, Art. i.
20
This is a doubtful statement, since neither in his own Acts, nor in the notices of him, by Venerable Bede, is it to be found related. Some think, he might have been ordained as a bishop, before he left Ireland; while others are of opinion, that he might have been consecrated by Pope St. Martin,
:
B
i8r
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [June 2.
shall follow you. " In like manner, the holy Confessor Algisus or Adalgisus ** called his brothers, Goban, and Etho, with Eloquius, and another godson,
namedCorbican,asalsohisservant,namedRodalgus. Hethenspoketo
them " beloved, let us and follow Christ, and offer ourselves to : Dearly go
:
him as a holocaust. " They replied to him " Be it as you have spoken, O holy
man, who desireth not only to profit yourself, but to have others, especially those so closely related by family ties, and through the exercise of pious
works,asyourcompanions. " Wherefore,askingtheblessingandabsolution of St. Fursey, and commending themselves to the Lord, having obtained such favours, they returned thanks. St. Fursey, in turn, asked their blessing, which he received ; then, in the name and with the peace of God, he went with them to the sea-shore. They embarked on board a ship, while the waves
sailed to a more distant
not stated, save that it was on some part of the French shore. However, they directed their course to Corbei,26 where there was a church,27 dedicated to the honour of the St. Peter and St. 28 in that district
being calm, they
country.
Holy Apostles Paul,
about Amiens,2^ and in which diocese it was situated. There, the pilgrims were
received in a hospitable manner, when they had entered that monastery. 3° Prostrating themselves before the altar of the most blessed Peter, these
" O Lord
who art, who hath been, and who art to be, who hath caused us to pass over
the waves of a tranquil sea, and who hath brought us safely hither, we humbly request thee, O most bountiful Creator, to show us that place destined for eachoneofus,fromthebeginningoftheworld. Amen. " Havingpoured forth this prayer in sighs and in tears, they arose. Embracing each other, they issued from that monastery, and in the cause of Christ, they separated for differentquarters; but,whileabsentingthemselvesthusinbody,thebond of Faith and of Charity united them in soul. Wherefore, to different places of the Gaulish kingdom they went, preaching the Lord's Gospel everywhere, until each arrived at his respective destination. Then, severally addicting themselves to prayers, vigils, and pious exercises, they spent the rest of their days, entirely devoted to God's service.
From the sixth to the seventh century, as ancient chronicles record, many are the holy missionaries of Ireland, who are known to have preached the Gospel in France. It has been groundlessly assumed,31 how- ever, that Adalgisus, from his name, had been a native of Gaul, who became a disciple of an Irish missionary, greatly distinguished in Gaul, during the seventh century. Among St. Fursey's companions, at Lagny, is thought to
devout souls forth their poured
prayer :
God, omnipotent King,
2
s It is the opinion of Father Baert, that
marks, that it was "satis honorifice con- structa. "
St. Algisus preceded St. Fursey to France,
and that after his from departure Ireland,
q8 It was consecrated
here by Berthefroid, Bishop of Amiens,
Fursey went to Sigebert, King of the East
Angles, before the year 636. He thinks, in 662.
with the monastery
there must be an anachronism in the Acts of
St. Adelgisus, who is represented as finding Clodoveus II. at Laon, as he did not begin
to reign in France, until 638. Now, the monastery at Corbei was first founded, ad. 657, in the reign of Clotaire III. , so that it should be difficult to believe, Algisus could have been entertained there at a much earlier period. For the date of its foundation, Baert
2 » A description of this city, with an illus- tration of the facade of its magnificent cathe- dral, will be found in Elisee Reclus' " Nou- velle
jrefers to Le Cointe, tomus "
3° It must be observed here, that Corbie was founded by Queen Bathilde, during her regency, in the year 657 or 662, and over it she placed St. Theodefroi, a religious of Luxeuil. See an account of it, in M. Maxime de Montrond's " Dictionnaire des Abbayes
et Monasteres,"&c, cols. 222, 223. 3I By Father Francis Baert, S. J.
32 See Rev. Dr. Lanigan's " Ecclesiastical
i. , Conciliorum Gallise," for its charter, which is cited.
lin.
86
This is stated by Molanus and Buce- J7 The author of our saint's Acts here re-
2 s Where landed is they
" tome chap, xii. , sect, iv. , pp. 787 to 789.
Geographie Universale,
ii. ,
June 2. ]
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
19
have been included Adalgisus 32 but, this hardly appears to have been the ;
case, if we follow the old writer of his Life. However, with those holy persons, already alluded to, the blessed Algisus, especially recommending himself to Divine protection, and regarding the destined object of his way, is said to have come to Laon. 33 There, he was reverently welcomed, by King Clodoveus,34 who most generously acceded to a request earnestly preferred, that Algisus and his companions might obtain a suitable place, where they could serve our Lord, in a religious community life. Wherefore, with Cor- bican, Rodald, and Carebert,35 our saint went into a retired place, called Cellula, in the wood of Therascia, or Thierache, 36 in Picardy. This was near Mount-Saint Julian, on the River Oysia, 3 ? or Isara, now the Oyse, which falls into the Seine. There, St. Algisus fixed his staff in the ground, and imme- diately, a clear fountain of water sprung up 38 afterwards, it was known to
;
have cured many persons from their infirmities. 3? When this miracle was
: witnessed, by the holy man, he gave thanks to God, in these words " O
Lord, to thee be all glory. " Two possessed persons came there, who requested Algisius in the name of Christ to deliver them from demoniac influence. For
these, he earnestly prayed on his knees, with an humble and a devout soul, and rising up, he imposed hands on them. Then signing them with a sign of the cross, instantly the Liberator of all, through the merits of our saint, released the afflicted from their miserable bondage. This miracle, wrought before a number of persons, ended in their perfect restoration ; nor was it more than the beginning of wonderful works, whereby the Almighty mani- fested his power, while the fame of Adelgisus increased each day.
The holy man found a suitable site for his habitation, near the miraculous
fountain; and,accordingtothecustomofthatage,beforehebegantobuild,the
founder spent the night in prayer and vigil. When the next day dawned, his servants went to the neighbouring Mount, where they vigorously cut down trees, toservefortheirfuturehabitation. Ofthisproceeding,Adelgisuswasignorant;
but, an Angel of the Lord appeared, in the shape of a dove, and carrying in its bill a leafy branch from the wood. That dove then flew towards the place, destined for them by the Almighty, and full in their presence. The disciples, who had been at work, retired from the Mount, and they followed that dove towards the spot, where their holy superior was engaged at prayer. Here, theyfoundthedove,standingbesidehim. Thediscipleswerefilledwitha reverential awe. Then, Adalgisus rising from prayer took an axe in his hands, to commence his religious foundation. There, the holy Confessor built his church, and he laboured at the work, with his own hands, aided by those of
his disciples. That place was afterwards called Cellula, or
the little monas- God, Algisus,
40 When the house had been
tery. "
History of Ireland," vol. ii. , chap, xvi. , sect. x. , p. 462.
33 This is stated by Molanus and Buce- lin.
34 It seems probable Clovis II. , husband of Queen Eathilde, is here meant, who died
"
in August, 656. See
tian Biography," edited by William Smith, LL. D. , and Henry Wace, M. A. , vol. i. , p. 583.
erected,
35 It seems most
servant of our saint, to whom Baert alludes
Adelgisus.
as a French having
name, he had arrived in France.
pro-
likely,
and who was bably associated -with St. Adelgisus, after
39 According to Molanus and Bucelin.
4° We the Bollandist editor has believe,
mistaken the character of the ccznobium here, as having been a small house to accommodate
Dictionary of Chris-
this is the new rials of St.
" the servant of
36 See " Histoire Literaire de la France," tome vii. , Siecle xi. , p. 190.
37 It is also called Oesia, Esia, and ^sia, bytheoldwriters. SeeBavdrand's"Novum Lexicon Geographicum," tomus i. , pp. 15,
278, 389.
3iJ This was well known, in the time when
the old writer of our saint's Acts lived ; yet, it appears to have been forgotten, when the Bollandists came to treat about the memo-
followers/
Annanus J over the
:
!
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [June 2.
together with his pious subjects, Corbican, Rodald, and Carebert, settled down, to praise Almighty God, and to proclaim that precious miracle, which
had inaugurated their religious enterprise, as also to thank unceasingly our Lord Jesus Christ, for his bountiful regard, towards these devoted
1
C H APTER II .
RETURN TO PICAKDY—HIS MISSIONARY CAREER— MEMORIALS—CONCLUSION.
When it was known in Ireland, that St. Adelgisus and his companions had taken up their residence at Cellula, certain Irish pilgrims set out with a St.