"
** Transactions of the Irish Royal
Martyris.
** Transactions of the Irish Royal
Martyris.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v8
40, 41, pp.
101, 102.
66 See the Bollandists' " Acta Sanctorum," tomus ii. , Augusti v. De S. Oswaldo Rege Moines d'Occident," tome iv. , lib. xiii. , ac Mart. Vita Drogoni monachi, cap. v. ,
62
The Annales de Wintonia have this event 6? See Samuel Lewis' ''Topographical Die-
See Le Comte de Montalembert's" Les
84 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [August 5.
ChurchtherewasknownasBlancMinster. 6' Fortwoyears,thesacredremains of Oswald were exposed in the manner already related, being regarded with
a sorrowful veneration by his Christian friends, while treated with ignominy
and insult by his pagan enemies. The spot where his body fell on the field of
battle was long preserved in popular tradition, and frequent pilgrimages were made to that place. Many of the pilgrims took away the very dust from it, and mixing it with water, great benefit was derived thereby to the sick. This custom had prevailed to such a degree, that in the time of Venerable Bede, a hole had been made there deep as a man's height, although the earth had been carriedawayinseveralsmallportions. Variousmiracleswerewroughtthrough his intercession, and many of these are detailed by that eminent church his- torian. 68 That celebrated battle, in which Oswald, King of the Saxons, fell,
6
has been placed at A. D. 638, in the Annals of Ulster; 9but it has been ante-
dated by fully four years. After his death, King Oswald, who reigned nine years,? was succeeded in Bernicia by his brother Oswy, and in Deira by
1 acousinofthe Edwin. Forsix bothofthoseprinces great King years,
Oswin,?
lived in apparent amity with each other ; but, in the seventh year, their secret
jealousy broke out into open hostilities, and Oswin was slain in 651. At length, his brother Oswy became the avenger of the good King's death, when,
after a restless reign of several years' duration, in 655, the hoary veteran Penda, now in his eightieth year, levied a large army of Mercians, and led his forceagainsttheNorthumbrians. InvaindidOswyendeavourtopropitiate the tyrant, by offering tribute. Roused by despair, Oswy and his son Alchfrid then gathered a small but resolute body of men, and marched to meet the
3 near Leeds, both armies engaged, and the North- umbrians proved victorious. The Mercians in their retreat bore their King Penda along in the disordered ranks. However, he was overtaken by the pursuers and put to death. 73 The head of Oswald was conveyed to the monastery of Lindisfarne, where, with sorrowing respect and yet satisfaction, his friend St. Aidan received such a precious deposit. Afterwards, and it is said owing to a supernatural admonition,? * the head was put in the same shrine
6
with the body of St. Cuthbert,? * in 1104. 7
Radolph, Archbishop of Canterbury, examined the reliquary, and found the remains of the latter holy prelate entire, with the head of St. Oswald, King and Martyr, placed within his arms. " Both sacred relics were transferred from
8
Lindisfarne, as we are informed, and brought to Durham. ?
fortress of Bebbaburgh, now Bamborough, in Northumberland, a chapel had been erected, and one in which the King had often prayed. There his hand and arm were placed in a shrine and religiously preserved. However, the King's arm was afterwards transferred to Peterborough,? and it is said they
invaders. At
Winwidfield,?
tionary of England," vol. iii. , p. 488.
68 See Venerable Bede's " Historia Eccle-
siastica Gcntis Anglorum," lib. iii. , cap. ix. , x. ,xi. , xii. , xiii. , pp. 185 to 195.
69 See the ArniAlA Ul<voh, otherwise An- nolo, Senaic, edited with a Translation and Notes, by William M. Hennessy, M. R. I. A. , vol. i. , pp. 106, 107.
Gibson's second edition, vol. ii. , col. 861. "See Rev. Dr. John Lingard's "Hfatory
of England," vol. i. , chap. ii. . pp. 96, 97.
74 to "Nova According Capgrave's
Legenda Anglia," Vita S. Oswaldi, fol. eclvi. "See his Life in the Third Volume of this
work, at March 20th, Art. i.
? 6 See Les Petits Bollandistes'
70 ve Counting from A. D. 633. See Venerable Saints," tome ix. ,
Bede's
"
Historia
Ecclesiastica Gentis
n. i.
77 See Willelmi Malmesbiriensis Monachi
"De Gestis Pontificum Anglorum," edited by N. E. S. A. Hamilton, Lib. iii. , p. 275.
7* Such is the account given by the Eng- lish writers.
Anglorum,"
lib. iii. ,
ix. ,
71 He is honoured as a saint and martyr,
while he has place in some Calendars on the
20th of August.
73 Now supposed to be Winmore. See
William Camden's "Britannia. " Edmund
cap.
p. 185.
Afterwards, as we are informed,
79 This is stated by Simon of Durham and
In the royal
"
Jour d'Aout, p. 304,
Vies des
August 5. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 85
had been surreptitiously conveyed thither. His niece Osfrida, wife of Etheldred, King of Mercia, translated the rest of St. Oswald's body to the
monasteryofBardney,inLincolnshire. However,duringtheDanishinvasions,
in a. d.
ferred to
80 it was found to have the relics of St. Oswald trans- necessary
tion
"
by Whitley Stokes,
LL. D. :—
90 Thus at Nonis " In Augusti :
910, Gloucester,
81 where the church of St. Peter had been founded
by
Elfleda, Countess of Mercia, and daughter to King Alfred. During the Danish
wars, the church and shrine were greatly injured; but, in the time of Arch- bishopTurstan,bothwererestored. 82 AmonumentwaserectedtoSt. Oswald, and it is still to be seen there, in a chapel of the Cathedral between two pillars. In 1 22 1, a part of the relics was translated to the Abbey of St. Winoc's Berg, in Flanders, and with great solemnity, it was deposited there by Adam, Bishop of Terouanne. During the wars in Flanders, consequent on the Reformation, those precious relics of the good and heroic English King were burned by the Calvinists. 8 3 Not alone in Great Britain, but also in Ireland, the memory of St. Oswaldwasheldingreatveneration. Norwasthiscommemorationowing to the arrival of the Anglo-Normans in the twelfth century, because centuries before that period, he is found inscribed on our ancient calendars. In the u Feilire" of St. ^Engus,84 this monarch is entered at the 5th of August and with commendation of his sanctity. The scholiast adds to this notice, that he was designated Fland Fina (" of the wine ") son of Ossa. 8s In the published
86
copyoftheMartyrologyofTallagh, theentriesforthe5thdayofAugustare
wanting, and we are referred to another codex for them. However, in the
Book of Leinster copy, at this same date, we find King Oswald 8 ? heading the
list of the Irish Saints. On the Continent of Europe, likewise, St. Oswald was
commemorated, especially in Belgium and Germany. At the 5th day of August,
his chief festival is noted in the Martyrologies of Usuard and Wandelbert, as
also in the Florarium Sanctorum, and in the English Martyrology of John
Wilson. In an ancient Manuscript Martyrology, formerly belonging to the Church of St. Mary and the Martyrs at Treves, 88 his feast is entered. 8 ? Refer-
ring to the account of Venerable Bede, Oswald is commemorated, on this day, in the Roman Martyrology. * The feast of St. Oswald is celebrated in the Scottish Calendars, at the 5 th day of August : thus, in the Kalendar of Drummond, 91 in the Kalendarium de Hyrdmanistoun,02 in the Kalendarium
by Ingulph.
80 See Les Petits Bollandistes " Vies des
Academy. " Irish Manuscripts, vol. i. , part i. On the Calendar of Oengus, p. cxxii.
Saints," tome ix. , ve Jour d'Aout,p. 304, n. i. •' u "
8s In Irish ^Lano pitiA mac OfA. — p. cxxix.
Ibid. ,
82
See Willelmi Malmesbiriensis Monachi
See the Polychronicon Ranulphi
Higden Monachi Cestrensis, edited by Rev.
Joseph Rawson Lumby, B. D. , vol. vi. , pp.
60, 61.
86 Thus noticed : "Non. Deestquintus dies videndus in alio codice. "— Rev. Dr. Kelly's edition, p. xxxi.
8? Thus entered, 0]*uuaIt>i ftegif.
"De Gestis Pontificum
Anglorum,"
edited
88 Allusion is made to this Father by
by N. E. S. A. Hamilton, lib. iv. , p. 293.
John Mabillon, " Annales Ordinis S. Benedicti,"
83 See Les Petits
'• Vies des
tomus lib. iii. ,
CefAt) An efvenci
Anglia sancti Oswaldi, Regis cujus actus Venerabilis
-Arvolij;
Martyr- ologium Romanum Gregorii XIII. " jussu
Bollandistes,
sect,
See the Bollandists' "Acta Sanctorum,"
Saints," tome ix. , ve Jour d'Aout, p. 304, n.
4"
In the Leabhar Breac" copy we find
the following stanza, and its English transla-
s*
conmac coem-OAi tAhopMlc noem nAilme
<\rvo|\ij; SaxAn fAervoAi.
Herentius splendid suffering deserves a
Beda commemorat. "—" Presbyter
loveable commemoration, with holy Oswald
whom w—e implore, over-King of the free
Regis Anglorum. "
of Scottish Saints, p. 20.
^ Thus : —" Nonse Sancti Oswaldi Regis et
Saxons.
"
** Transactions of the Irish Royal
Martyris. "
Ibid.
p. 44.
xlviii. ,
xxxi. , p. 637.
tomusii. , Augustiv. DeS. OswaldoRege
ac Mart. Commentarius proevius, sect, v. ,
pp. 91, 92.
editum, &c. Editio novissima, p. 1 13.
91
Nonae
Sancti Asvaldi
Thus —
:
"
Aug. BishopForbes'Kalendars
86 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
[August 5.
de Nova Farina^ in the Kalendarium de Arbuthnott,94 in the Kalendarium Breviarii Aberdonensis,9s and in Adam King's Kalendar. 96 It seems probable, that on other days, moreover, there were feasts to commemorate the Trans- lation of different relics of St. Oswald. Various manuscripts preserved in Trinity College, Dublin, have offices, and in different forms, to celebrate this holy King and Martyr. 97 In these are to be found proper lessons. In the Sarum Office he is also commemorated. Various monasteries, churches and chapels, especially in England, have been dedicated to this pious monarch. One ot these is known as Kirk-Oswald, near the river Itun, in Cumberland ; one was at Silecester, near the Picts' Wall in Northumberland another was
;
at Bardeney in Lincolnshire ; the monastery of Nosthil,98 in Yorkshire, was consecrated to him ; while in Gloucester his memory was preserved, likewise, and in religious memorials. 99 Among the heroes and saints of most enduring fame, the Anglo-Saxons have ever regarded their truly great King Oswald. Moreover, the Universal Church has enrolled him on the list of her holy Martyrs.
Article III. —St. Abel, Bishop and Confessor, Belgium. [Eighth Century. '] As the law of nature has had its first Abel, on whom our Divine
Redeemer has bestowed the title of 1 so hath the law of Just,
grace produced
another Abel, in whom justice and holiness so abounded, that such perfec-
tions have procured through his ministry the salvation of many others.
Because the saint has been called a 2 there are some who present Scotus,
contend that he was a native of Scotland ; but, besides very ancient tradition and records all the circumstances of his career serve to assure us, that he was a native of Ireland, for in his day Scotia Minor had few missionaries available for missionary enterprises on the European Continent. How- ever, while Bucelin sets Abel down as a German,« Alford classes him as an Englishman,s allowing him to have been a disciple of St. Boniface,6 the great Apostle of Germany, whom he assumes to have been a native of England. TheveryearlyaccountofSt. Abel,andformerlytobefoundat Rheims before the tenth century, was even then lost, when the judicious and critical Fulcuinus or Folquin,? who had personally inspected the records of
"
93 Thus — Nonse Oswualdi Regis et
:
Martyris. " Ibid. , p. 74.
94 Thus:—"Nonse S. Oswaldi Regis et
Martyris. " Ibid. p. 103.
95 Thus : "Nonse S. Oswaldi Regis et
Martyris,ix. lect. "—Ibid. ,p. 119.
96 Thus : "Aug. 5. S. Osualde, King of
Ingland, Mart. under Constantine 3. "— ibid. , p. 159.
97 In Trinity College, Dublin, a Manu- script, classed B. 3, 9, thus records the office,
Brittany," Book xv. , chap, xi. , num. II, p.
Augusti 5, Nonas. Sancti Oswaldi, Regis et
Mart. ix. Lect. Another Manuscript there,
classed B. 3, 12, contains at Augusti 5, Nonas, work contains an account of its Abbots. Oswaldi regis et Mart. ix. Lect. In the latter This has been published by D'Achery, in part of this MS. , there is an office for St. his "Spicilegium," tomus vi. , pp. 544 et Oswald, in iii. Lessons, with a Prayer. An- seq.
other Manuscript in Trinity College, Dublin, and classed B. 3, 13, contains at August the 5th, Nonas, Sancti Oswaldi regis et mart. iii. Lect.
4 In his Benedictine Martyrology.
98 Yorkshire.
"SeeDean "
Cressy's Church-History
According to Camden, when treating on
of
6Seehis
life,
at the of inthe 5th June,
361. — Article III 2u
'
See Genesis, iv. 4.
In his Martyrologium Gallicanum,"
Saussay writes, "is natione Scotus. "
:i Thus,anearlywriter,whohadthevery best sources for information, and who lived little more than two hundred years after Abel's death in the same place, the Abbot
" hunc eum- dem Abel, et nostrum fuisse, et Scottum, —et
of Lobbes, Fulcuinus, states
episcopum, facili ratione probavimus. "
"
s When treating about the Third Synod of St. Boniface, held at Mayence, a. d. 745, and in which the name of Abel is met with, in that joint letter of correction to Ethelbald, King of the Mercians.
Chronicon Laubiensi," chap, vii. , which
:
August 5. ] LiyES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 87
that ancient church, declares he was a Scot, a bishop, and also an inmate of his own monastery, at Lobbes. 8 Notices of this holy man find place in many collections of Saint history. The accomplished chronicler, Folcuin,^ mentions him with praise. A single paragraph only is devoted to his record by
Molanus. 10 He has been commemorated, likewise, by Father John 1112 1
Mabillon, by Mirreus, by Castellan,^ and by Ferrarius. * At the 5th of August, the Bollandists's have inserted the Acts of St. Abel, Bishop and
Confessor, in a Historic Sylloge of three sections, containing twenty-nine
20
16 In the sixth volume of the Acts of the some Belgian saints,
paragraphs.
account of St. Abel, Bishop and Confessor, may be found. 1 ? This apostolic man is celebrated in the work of Abbe Destombes,,8 andin Les Petits Bol- landistes. 1 ^
According to some accounts, when he was of an age to travel,
of Saints
patriots, Abel went to France, in order to serve God in a more perfect
manner. 23 Other accounts have that Abel was one of the twelve
it, priests
2
that followed the illustrious St. Egbert, -* afterwards Archbishop of York,
when by a Divine revelation he left that monastery in Ireland, over which he presided as Abbot, to go into Gaul, there to preach the Gospel to those idolatrouspeoplewhohadnotyetaknowledgeofthetrueGod. Afterwards, Egbert and his companions sought the court of Pepin d'Heristal, who then governed the country in quality of Mayor of the Palace. At that time, Radbod, who ruled over Frisia, had been subdued by him ; but, the people there had not yet received the truths of Christianity. Admiring their zeal, that religious potentate sent them thither to preach the Gospel. This was a mission which required great courage and patience, as the inhabitants were very barbarous, and strongly prejudiced against the introduction of any form of worship that tended to overthrow their old superstitious usages and rites. Nevertheless, the fortitude of Abel was such as to brave the perils that there awaited him ; for, his life was often in danger, but he feared not death,
provided he could accomplish the will of his heavenly Father. He preached the Gospel of Jesus Christ with great force and eloquence, and for long he labouredtogainsoulstotheChurch. Itisprobable,thatAbelhadbeena religious for some time, in the Abbey of Lobbes 5s and, Father Mabillon
following
the
example
Fursey,
Foillan,
Sixth Volume of this work, Art. i.
1 He was Abbot of Lobbes, in the tenth
;
l8 "
See Vies des Saints des Dioceses de
Cambrai et dArras. "
century. 8""
x9
See Vies des Saints," tome ix. ve Jour
See D'Achery's Spicilegium, vi. , Chronicon Lobiense, cap. vii.
tomus
9 He died a. d. , 990. See Le Dr. Hoefer's
" Nouvelle Biographie Generate" Tome
xviii. , col. 56, 57.
d'Aout, p. 304, as also pp. 332 to 334.
2» See his Life, at the 1 6th of January, in
the First Volume of this work, Art. i.
2I His feast occurs on the 30th of October,
az
He
on the 1st of May, at which date his life is to be seen, in the Fifth Volume of this work, Art. hi.
^ See Les Petits Bollandistes, " Vies des Saints," tome ix. , ve Jour d'Aout, p. 333.
24 His feast is on the kept
.
_
10
See the "Natales Sanctorum Belgii,"
at this day, pp. 171, 172.
" In " Acta Sanctorum Ordinis S. Bene-
dicti,'* saec. iii. , pars, i. , Appendix, p. 568.
12
13
14 In "
In Fastis Belgicis, et Burgendicis.
In his Universal
Martyrology. Generalis Sanctorum. "
Augusti v. De S. Abele Epis. Confessore in
Laubiense Ccenobio in Hannonia, pp. n1
to 117.
16
These have been compiled by Father John Pinius.
17 See " Acta Sanctorum Belgii Selecta," tomus vi. Augusti v.
at which date there are notices of him, in the
Catalogus
15 See " Acta Sanctorum," tomus i. ,
24th April,
21 and 22 his com- Ultan,
is honoured at Fosse, in Belgium,
Fourth Volume of this work, Art. i.
25 The Bollandists furnish an account of this celebrated abbey when treating on St. Ulgisus, in the" Acta Sanctorum," tomus i. , Februarii iv. , p. 498, and also in tomus ii. , Februarii vii. , when giving an account of
St. Amulwin, at p. 82.
88 LIVES OF 7HE IRISH SAINTS.
[August 5.
states, that he flourished there while Erminus56 was Abbots This latter holy man ruled for nearly twenty-five years, having departed this life on the
vii. of the May Kalends, a. d. 737-
28
Abel is regarded as the Apostle of the
BelgicProvincesofLiegeandofHainaut. 2* Weareinformed,moreover,that
he was a man profoundly read in the Sacred Scriptures, and that he was
remarkable for his virtues. 3° The City of Rheims has main-
many always tained a high position among the ecclesiastical centres of Christianity in
28
See ibid.
Cathedral of Rheims, France.
thirds of their contemplated height-120 metres. The simplicity and proportion of the numberless lines; the solidity of the structure combined with the most graceful details ; the delicate and exquisite carving of its statues and bas-reliefs ; the intricate tracery and regular forms of its doors, windows and bays; the rare beauty of its stained glass and fine paintings, are altogether subjects for the study and admiration
76 He is venerated on the 25th of April.
2
7See "Annates Ordinis S. Benedicti," tomus ii. lib. xxi. , sect, xxxvi. p. 103.
doardo primum auctius digesta, demum aliunde accersitis pluriimun aucta et illus- trata, et ad nostrum hoc Speculum fTdeliter deducta," tomus i. , Lille, 1666, fol.
32 St.
66 See the Bollandists' " Acta Sanctorum," tomus ii. , Augusti v. De S. Oswaldo Rege Moines d'Occident," tome iv. , lib. xiii. , ac Mart. Vita Drogoni monachi, cap. v. ,
62
The Annales de Wintonia have this event 6? See Samuel Lewis' ''Topographical Die-
See Le Comte de Montalembert's" Les
84 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [August 5.
ChurchtherewasknownasBlancMinster. 6' Fortwoyears,thesacredremains of Oswald were exposed in the manner already related, being regarded with
a sorrowful veneration by his Christian friends, while treated with ignominy
and insult by his pagan enemies. The spot where his body fell on the field of
battle was long preserved in popular tradition, and frequent pilgrimages were made to that place. Many of the pilgrims took away the very dust from it, and mixing it with water, great benefit was derived thereby to the sick. This custom had prevailed to such a degree, that in the time of Venerable Bede, a hole had been made there deep as a man's height, although the earth had been carriedawayinseveralsmallportions. Variousmiracleswerewroughtthrough his intercession, and many of these are detailed by that eminent church his- torian. 68 That celebrated battle, in which Oswald, King of the Saxons, fell,
6
has been placed at A. D. 638, in the Annals of Ulster; 9but it has been ante-
dated by fully four years. After his death, King Oswald, who reigned nine years,? was succeeded in Bernicia by his brother Oswy, and in Deira by
1 acousinofthe Edwin. Forsix bothofthoseprinces great King years,
Oswin,?
lived in apparent amity with each other ; but, in the seventh year, their secret
jealousy broke out into open hostilities, and Oswin was slain in 651. At length, his brother Oswy became the avenger of the good King's death, when,
after a restless reign of several years' duration, in 655, the hoary veteran Penda, now in his eightieth year, levied a large army of Mercians, and led his forceagainsttheNorthumbrians. InvaindidOswyendeavourtopropitiate the tyrant, by offering tribute. Roused by despair, Oswy and his son Alchfrid then gathered a small but resolute body of men, and marched to meet the
3 near Leeds, both armies engaged, and the North- umbrians proved victorious. The Mercians in their retreat bore their King Penda along in the disordered ranks. However, he was overtaken by the pursuers and put to death. 73 The head of Oswald was conveyed to the monastery of Lindisfarne, where, with sorrowing respect and yet satisfaction, his friend St. Aidan received such a precious deposit. Afterwards, and it is said owing to a supernatural admonition,? * the head was put in the same shrine
6
with the body of St. Cuthbert,? * in 1104. 7
Radolph, Archbishop of Canterbury, examined the reliquary, and found the remains of the latter holy prelate entire, with the head of St. Oswald, King and Martyr, placed within his arms. " Both sacred relics were transferred from
8
Lindisfarne, as we are informed, and brought to Durham. ?
fortress of Bebbaburgh, now Bamborough, in Northumberland, a chapel had been erected, and one in which the King had often prayed. There his hand and arm were placed in a shrine and religiously preserved. However, the King's arm was afterwards transferred to Peterborough,? and it is said they
invaders. At
Winwidfield,?
tionary of England," vol. iii. , p. 488.
68 See Venerable Bede's " Historia Eccle-
siastica Gcntis Anglorum," lib. iii. , cap. ix. , x. ,xi. , xii. , xiii. , pp. 185 to 195.
69 See the ArniAlA Ul<voh, otherwise An- nolo, Senaic, edited with a Translation and Notes, by William M. Hennessy, M. R. I. A. , vol. i. , pp. 106, 107.
Gibson's second edition, vol. ii. , col. 861. "See Rev. Dr. John Lingard's "Hfatory
of England," vol. i. , chap. ii. . pp. 96, 97.
74 to "Nova According Capgrave's
Legenda Anglia," Vita S. Oswaldi, fol. eclvi. "See his Life in the Third Volume of this
work, at March 20th, Art. i.
? 6 See Les Petits Bollandistes'
70 ve Counting from A. D. 633. See Venerable Saints," tome ix. ,
Bede's
"
Historia
Ecclesiastica Gentis
n. i.
77 See Willelmi Malmesbiriensis Monachi
"De Gestis Pontificum Anglorum," edited by N. E. S. A. Hamilton, Lib. iii. , p. 275.
7* Such is the account given by the Eng- lish writers.
Anglorum,"
lib. iii. ,
ix. ,
71 He is honoured as a saint and martyr,
while he has place in some Calendars on the
20th of August.
73 Now supposed to be Winmore. See
William Camden's "Britannia. " Edmund
cap.
p. 185.
Afterwards, as we are informed,
79 This is stated by Simon of Durham and
In the royal
"
Jour d'Aout, p. 304,
Vies des
August 5. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 85
had been surreptitiously conveyed thither. His niece Osfrida, wife of Etheldred, King of Mercia, translated the rest of St. Oswald's body to the
monasteryofBardney,inLincolnshire. However,duringtheDanishinvasions,
in a. d.
ferred to
80 it was found to have the relics of St. Oswald trans- necessary
tion
"
by Whitley Stokes,
LL. D. :—
90 Thus at Nonis " In Augusti :
910, Gloucester,
81 where the church of St. Peter had been founded
by
Elfleda, Countess of Mercia, and daughter to King Alfred. During the Danish
wars, the church and shrine were greatly injured; but, in the time of Arch- bishopTurstan,bothwererestored. 82 AmonumentwaserectedtoSt. Oswald, and it is still to be seen there, in a chapel of the Cathedral between two pillars. In 1 22 1, a part of the relics was translated to the Abbey of St. Winoc's Berg, in Flanders, and with great solemnity, it was deposited there by Adam, Bishop of Terouanne. During the wars in Flanders, consequent on the Reformation, those precious relics of the good and heroic English King were burned by the Calvinists. 8 3 Not alone in Great Britain, but also in Ireland, the memory of St. Oswaldwasheldingreatveneration. Norwasthiscommemorationowing to the arrival of the Anglo-Normans in the twelfth century, because centuries before that period, he is found inscribed on our ancient calendars. In the u Feilire" of St. ^Engus,84 this monarch is entered at the 5th of August and with commendation of his sanctity. The scholiast adds to this notice, that he was designated Fland Fina (" of the wine ") son of Ossa. 8s In the published
86
copyoftheMartyrologyofTallagh, theentriesforthe5thdayofAugustare
wanting, and we are referred to another codex for them. However, in the
Book of Leinster copy, at this same date, we find King Oswald 8 ? heading the
list of the Irish Saints. On the Continent of Europe, likewise, St. Oswald was
commemorated, especially in Belgium and Germany. At the 5th day of August,
his chief festival is noted in the Martyrologies of Usuard and Wandelbert, as
also in the Florarium Sanctorum, and in the English Martyrology of John
Wilson. In an ancient Manuscript Martyrology, formerly belonging to the Church of St. Mary and the Martyrs at Treves, 88 his feast is entered. 8 ? Refer-
ring to the account of Venerable Bede, Oswald is commemorated, on this day, in the Roman Martyrology. * The feast of St. Oswald is celebrated in the Scottish Calendars, at the 5 th day of August : thus, in the Kalendar of Drummond, 91 in the Kalendarium de Hyrdmanistoun,02 in the Kalendarium
by Ingulph.
80 See Les Petits Bollandistes " Vies des
Academy. " Irish Manuscripts, vol. i. , part i. On the Calendar of Oengus, p. cxxii.
Saints," tome ix. , ve Jour d'Aout,p. 304, n. i. •' u "
8s In Irish ^Lano pitiA mac OfA. — p. cxxix.
Ibid. ,
82
See Willelmi Malmesbiriensis Monachi
See the Polychronicon Ranulphi
Higden Monachi Cestrensis, edited by Rev.
Joseph Rawson Lumby, B. D. , vol. vi. , pp.
60, 61.
86 Thus noticed : "Non. Deestquintus dies videndus in alio codice. "— Rev. Dr. Kelly's edition, p. xxxi.
8? Thus entered, 0]*uuaIt>i ftegif.
"De Gestis Pontificum
Anglorum,"
edited
88 Allusion is made to this Father by
by N. E. S. A. Hamilton, lib. iv. , p. 293.
John Mabillon, " Annales Ordinis S. Benedicti,"
83 See Les Petits
'• Vies des
tomus lib. iii. ,
CefAt) An efvenci
Anglia sancti Oswaldi, Regis cujus actus Venerabilis
-Arvolij;
Martyr- ologium Romanum Gregorii XIII. " jussu
Bollandistes,
sect,
See the Bollandists' "Acta Sanctorum,"
Saints," tome ix. , ve Jour d'Aout, p. 304, n.
4"
In the Leabhar Breac" copy we find
the following stanza, and its English transla-
s*
conmac coem-OAi tAhopMlc noem nAilme
<\rvo|\ij; SaxAn fAervoAi.
Herentius splendid suffering deserves a
Beda commemorat. "—" Presbyter
loveable commemoration, with holy Oswald
whom w—e implore, over-King of the free
Regis Anglorum. "
of Scottish Saints, p. 20.
^ Thus : —" Nonse Sancti Oswaldi Regis et
Saxons.
"
** Transactions of the Irish Royal
Martyris. "
Ibid.
p. 44.
xlviii. ,
xxxi. , p. 637.
tomusii. , Augustiv. DeS. OswaldoRege
ac Mart. Commentarius proevius, sect, v. ,
pp. 91, 92.
editum, &c. Editio novissima, p. 1 13.
91
Nonae
Sancti Asvaldi
Thus —
:
"
Aug. BishopForbes'Kalendars
86 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
[August 5.
de Nova Farina^ in the Kalendarium de Arbuthnott,94 in the Kalendarium Breviarii Aberdonensis,9s and in Adam King's Kalendar. 96 It seems probable, that on other days, moreover, there were feasts to commemorate the Trans- lation of different relics of St. Oswald. Various manuscripts preserved in Trinity College, Dublin, have offices, and in different forms, to celebrate this holy King and Martyr. 97 In these are to be found proper lessons. In the Sarum Office he is also commemorated. Various monasteries, churches and chapels, especially in England, have been dedicated to this pious monarch. One ot these is known as Kirk-Oswald, near the river Itun, in Cumberland ; one was at Silecester, near the Picts' Wall in Northumberland another was
;
at Bardeney in Lincolnshire ; the monastery of Nosthil,98 in Yorkshire, was consecrated to him ; while in Gloucester his memory was preserved, likewise, and in religious memorials. 99 Among the heroes and saints of most enduring fame, the Anglo-Saxons have ever regarded their truly great King Oswald. Moreover, the Universal Church has enrolled him on the list of her holy Martyrs.
Article III. —St. Abel, Bishop and Confessor, Belgium. [Eighth Century. '] As the law of nature has had its first Abel, on whom our Divine
Redeemer has bestowed the title of 1 so hath the law of Just,
grace produced
another Abel, in whom justice and holiness so abounded, that such perfec-
tions have procured through his ministry the salvation of many others.
Because the saint has been called a 2 there are some who present Scotus,
contend that he was a native of Scotland ; but, besides very ancient tradition and records all the circumstances of his career serve to assure us, that he was a native of Ireland, for in his day Scotia Minor had few missionaries available for missionary enterprises on the European Continent. How- ever, while Bucelin sets Abel down as a German,« Alford classes him as an Englishman,s allowing him to have been a disciple of St. Boniface,6 the great Apostle of Germany, whom he assumes to have been a native of England. TheveryearlyaccountofSt. Abel,andformerlytobefoundat Rheims before the tenth century, was even then lost, when the judicious and critical Fulcuinus or Folquin,? who had personally inspected the records of
"
93 Thus — Nonse Oswualdi Regis et
:
Martyris. " Ibid. , p. 74.
94 Thus:—"Nonse S. Oswaldi Regis et
Martyris. " Ibid. p. 103.
95 Thus : "Nonse S. Oswaldi Regis et
Martyris,ix. lect. "—Ibid. ,p. 119.
96 Thus : "Aug. 5. S. Osualde, King of
Ingland, Mart. under Constantine 3. "— ibid. , p. 159.
97 In Trinity College, Dublin, a Manu- script, classed B. 3, 9, thus records the office,
Brittany," Book xv. , chap, xi. , num. II, p.
Augusti 5, Nonas. Sancti Oswaldi, Regis et
Mart. ix. Lect. Another Manuscript there,
classed B. 3, 12, contains at Augusti 5, Nonas, work contains an account of its Abbots. Oswaldi regis et Mart. ix. Lect. In the latter This has been published by D'Achery, in part of this MS. , there is an office for St. his "Spicilegium," tomus vi. , pp. 544 et Oswald, in iii. Lessons, with a Prayer. An- seq.
other Manuscript in Trinity College, Dublin, and classed B. 3, 13, contains at August the 5th, Nonas, Sancti Oswaldi regis et mart. iii. Lect.
4 In his Benedictine Martyrology.
98 Yorkshire.
"SeeDean "
Cressy's Church-History
According to Camden, when treating on
of
6Seehis
life,
at the of inthe 5th June,
361. — Article III 2u
'
See Genesis, iv. 4.
In his Martyrologium Gallicanum,"
Saussay writes, "is natione Scotus. "
:i Thus,anearlywriter,whohadthevery best sources for information, and who lived little more than two hundred years after Abel's death in the same place, the Abbot
" hunc eum- dem Abel, et nostrum fuisse, et Scottum, —et
of Lobbes, Fulcuinus, states
episcopum, facili ratione probavimus. "
"
s When treating about the Third Synod of St. Boniface, held at Mayence, a. d. 745, and in which the name of Abel is met with, in that joint letter of correction to Ethelbald, King of the Mercians.
Chronicon Laubiensi," chap, vii. , which
:
August 5. ] LiyES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 87
that ancient church, declares he was a Scot, a bishop, and also an inmate of his own monastery, at Lobbes. 8 Notices of this holy man find place in many collections of Saint history. The accomplished chronicler, Folcuin,^ mentions him with praise. A single paragraph only is devoted to his record by
Molanus. 10 He has been commemorated, likewise, by Father John 1112 1
Mabillon, by Mirreus, by Castellan,^ and by Ferrarius. * At the 5th of August, the Bollandists's have inserted the Acts of St. Abel, Bishop and
Confessor, in a Historic Sylloge of three sections, containing twenty-nine
20
16 In the sixth volume of the Acts of the some Belgian saints,
paragraphs.
account of St. Abel, Bishop and Confessor, may be found. 1 ? This apostolic man is celebrated in the work of Abbe Destombes,,8 andin Les Petits Bol- landistes. 1 ^
According to some accounts, when he was of an age to travel,
of Saints
patriots, Abel went to France, in order to serve God in a more perfect
manner. 23 Other accounts have that Abel was one of the twelve
it, priests
2
that followed the illustrious St. Egbert, -* afterwards Archbishop of York,
when by a Divine revelation he left that monastery in Ireland, over which he presided as Abbot, to go into Gaul, there to preach the Gospel to those idolatrouspeoplewhohadnotyetaknowledgeofthetrueGod. Afterwards, Egbert and his companions sought the court of Pepin d'Heristal, who then governed the country in quality of Mayor of the Palace. At that time, Radbod, who ruled over Frisia, had been subdued by him ; but, the people there had not yet received the truths of Christianity. Admiring their zeal, that religious potentate sent them thither to preach the Gospel. This was a mission which required great courage and patience, as the inhabitants were very barbarous, and strongly prejudiced against the introduction of any form of worship that tended to overthrow their old superstitious usages and rites. Nevertheless, the fortitude of Abel was such as to brave the perils that there awaited him ; for, his life was often in danger, but he feared not death,
provided he could accomplish the will of his heavenly Father. He preached the Gospel of Jesus Christ with great force and eloquence, and for long he labouredtogainsoulstotheChurch. Itisprobable,thatAbelhadbeena religious for some time, in the Abbey of Lobbes 5s and, Father Mabillon
following
the
example
Fursey,
Foillan,
Sixth Volume of this work, Art. i.
1 He was Abbot of Lobbes, in the tenth
;
l8 "
See Vies des Saints des Dioceses de
Cambrai et dArras. "
century. 8""
x9
See Vies des Saints," tome ix. ve Jour
See D'Achery's Spicilegium, vi. , Chronicon Lobiense, cap. vii.
tomus
9 He died a. d. , 990. See Le Dr. Hoefer's
" Nouvelle Biographie Generate" Tome
xviii. , col. 56, 57.
d'Aout, p. 304, as also pp. 332 to 334.
2» See his Life, at the 1 6th of January, in
the First Volume of this work, Art. i.
2I His feast occurs on the 30th of October,
az
He
on the 1st of May, at which date his life is to be seen, in the Fifth Volume of this work, Art. hi.
^ See Les Petits Bollandistes, " Vies des Saints," tome ix. , ve Jour d'Aout, p. 333.
24 His feast is on the kept
.
_
10
See the "Natales Sanctorum Belgii,"
at this day, pp. 171, 172.
" In " Acta Sanctorum Ordinis S. Bene-
dicti,'* saec. iii. , pars, i. , Appendix, p. 568.
12
13
14 In "
In Fastis Belgicis, et Burgendicis.
In his Universal
Martyrology. Generalis Sanctorum. "
Augusti v. De S. Abele Epis. Confessore in
Laubiense Ccenobio in Hannonia, pp. n1
to 117.
16
These have been compiled by Father John Pinius.
17 See " Acta Sanctorum Belgii Selecta," tomus vi. Augusti v.
at which date there are notices of him, in the
Catalogus
15 See " Acta Sanctorum," tomus i. ,
24th April,
21 and 22 his com- Ultan,
is honoured at Fosse, in Belgium,
Fourth Volume of this work, Art. i.
25 The Bollandists furnish an account of this celebrated abbey when treating on St. Ulgisus, in the" Acta Sanctorum," tomus i. , Februarii iv. , p. 498, and also in tomus ii. , Februarii vii. , when giving an account of
St. Amulwin, at p. 82.
88 LIVES OF 7HE IRISH SAINTS.
[August 5.
states, that he flourished there while Erminus56 was Abbots This latter holy man ruled for nearly twenty-five years, having departed this life on the
vii. of the May Kalends, a. d. 737-
28
Abel is regarded as the Apostle of the
BelgicProvincesofLiegeandofHainaut. 2* Weareinformed,moreover,that
he was a man profoundly read in the Sacred Scriptures, and that he was
remarkable for his virtues. 3° The City of Rheims has main-
many always tained a high position among the ecclesiastical centres of Christianity in
28
See ibid.
Cathedral of Rheims, France.
thirds of their contemplated height-120 metres. The simplicity and proportion of the numberless lines; the solidity of the structure combined with the most graceful details ; the delicate and exquisite carving of its statues and bas-reliefs ; the intricate tracery and regular forms of its doors, windows and bays; the rare beauty of its stained glass and fine paintings, are altogether subjects for the study and admiration
76 He is venerated on the 25th of April.
2
7See "Annates Ordinis S. Benedicti," tomus ii. lib. xxi. , sect, xxxvi. p. 103.
doardo primum auctius digesta, demum aliunde accersitis pluriimun aucta et illus- trata, et ad nostrum hoc Speculum fTdeliter deducta," tomus i. , Lille, 1666, fol.
32 St.
