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Footnotes:
[1] “It would be futile,” says O’Curry, “to attempt to give any close and detailed account of the state of education in this country before the Christian era.”—Lectures, vol. ii., page 49.
[2] See Dr. O’Rorke’s excellent History of Sligo, vol. ii., page 7.
[3] Cæsar, De Bello Gallico, Liber iv., c. 13 and 14.
[4] Illi rebus divinis intersunt, sacrificia publica et privata procurant, religiones interpretantur.
[5] Vol. ii., page 222.
[6] See O’Curry’s Lectures, vol. ii., p. 203.
[7] Folio 213b.
[8] “Idola et immunda.”
[9] “On Ireland’s folk lay darkness, the tribes worshipped fairies (side).” Line 21.
[10] Tripartite, Stokes, p. 33.
[11] See O’Curry, vol. ii., p. 209.
[12] Tripartite, Stokes, p. 57.
[13] Cæsar, De Bello Gallico.
[14] Tripartite, p. 40.
[15] At Tulach-na-Druadh.
[16] See the account of the battle of Cuil-dreimhne.
[17] See Introduction to Senchus Mor, p. 18.
[18] Senchus Mor—Introduction. The ends of his fingers were probably employed to count the syllables and feet.
[19] See Introduction to the Senchus Mor.
[20] in the Bodleian Library, Oxford.
[21] Notably Ferguson and De Vere, with Mangan and T. D. M‘Gee.
[22] Introduction to the Senchus Mor.
[23] And also in the Book of Leinster.
[24] “Ogham Inscribed Monuments.”
[25] Page 373.
[26] The Scottish Ogham stones, or at least some of them, certainly bear Christian symbols. See Anderson’s Lectures, 2nd Series, Lecture V.
[27] Dr. Graves has proved that this score or key of the Ogham is correct by a priori reasoning, showing what ought to be the value of the symbols from the frequency of the recurrence of the letters which they represent in old Irish.
[28] So vivid is the local tradition that a poor woman came and showed me the very spot on which the King was slain beside the well at which he stopped his horse to snatch a drink.
[29] It was A.D. 218 according to Tighernach.
[30] See O’Curry’s Lectures, vol. ii., page 14, and Keating, Reign of Tuathal Teachtmar.
[31] See Petrie’s Antiquities of Tara Hill, p. 129.
[32] i.e. The Book of the Ua Chongabhail. kept probably in ancient times at Kildare.
[33] Lays of the Western Gael.
[34] Apud Ciceronem Pro Domo Suâ, c. 3, and elsewhere.
[35] Sedulius Episcopus Britanniæ (Strathclyde ?) de genere Scotorum, huic constituto vobis promulgato subscripsi. Apud Labbeum. Vol. iv.
[36] Dicuil, the Geographer, however, calls him ‘noster Sedulius,’ and he wrote in A.D. 825. See page 289.
[37] His statement is worth quoting. “Sedulius presbyter natione Scotus, Hildeborti Scotorum Archiepiscopi ab ineunte aetate discipulus, vir in divinis scripturis exercitatus, et in saecularibus litteris eruditissimus, carmine excellens et prosa, amore discendi Scotiam relinquens, venit in Franciam, deinde Italiam perlustravit, et Asiam, postremo Achaiae finibus excedens in urbe Roma mirabili doctrina clarus eluxit.”
[38] See Migne’s Patrologia Lat., vol. 19, page 440.
[39] Ad Scotos in Christo credentes. Prosper (p. 43).
[40] Sancto et Beatissimo patri Macedonio presbytero Sedulius in Christo salutem.
[41] Jejuniis castigata, orationibus refecta, puritate mundissima.
[42] In most of the MSS. copies of his works we find the following paragraph:—“Hoc opus Sedulius in certas chartulas dispersum reliquit, quod recollectum, adunatum, atque ad omnem elegantiam divulgatum est a Turcio Ruffo Asterio, viro claro, exconsule ordinario, atque patricio.”
“Sume, sacer meritis, veracis dicta poetae,
Quae sine figmenti condita sunt vitio.
Quo caret alma fides, quo sancti gratia Christi
Per quam justus ait talia Sedulius.”
Some critics suggest the reading:—
“Summe sacer meritis, veri accipe dicta poetae,”
which would leave no doubt that the epigram was addressed to Gelasius.
[44] Liber xxvii. De Inst. Div. Lit.
[45] L. 8. Carmen 9.
“Ambo pares lingua, florentes versibus ambo,
Fonte evangelico pocula larga ferunt,
Desine gentilibus ergo inseruisse poetis,
Dum bona tanta potes quid tibi Calliroem?”
[47] Guilielmus Eysengrein in Catalogo anno 412.
[48] Vol. xix.
[49] The construction is too artificial to please the critics of our time, or to leave freedom of thought and language to the poet.
Primus ad ima ruit magna de luce superbus;
Sic homo cum tumuit primus ad ima ruit.
[50] See Lib. ii., 1., 63 and 69. The whole passage, describing the Saviour’s miraculous birth, is very beautiful.
Haec tua perpetuae qui scripsi dogmata vitae
Corde, rogo, facias, Christe, manere meo;
Ut tibi quae placeant, tete faciente, requirens
Gaudia caelorum, te duce, Christe, metam.
[52] O’Hanlon, Lives of the Irish Saints, vol. ii., p. 487.
[53] Privata lectione evolvatur Sedulius antiquorum imitator, qui et verba Publii Maronis et contexendi suavitatem a seculari ad sacrum argumentum, tum scite tum pie accomodavit; indignum sane est christianos poetas adeo negligi ut ne nomen quidem juventuti scholasticae sit cognitum. Walch, His. Crit., cap. 10, n. 7.
[54] Ipse mutus latrat per Albinum (in some MSS. Alpinum) canem grandem et corpulentum, et qui calcibus magis saevire possit quam dentibus; habet enim progeniem Scotticae gentis de Brittanorum vicinia.—Praef. in Lib. iii., Jeremiæ.
[55] Epist. 185, No. 1.
[56] Carmina.
[57] Commonitorium.
[58] Propter acrimoniam et facundiam.
[59] “Omni Deum desideranti necessarias.”
[60] Tacitus, Agricola, c. 24.
[61] It is clear from his own confession that Britain (Brittaniae) was his native country (patria); but Britain then included Scotland.
[62] He became familiar with the Irish language, but it was, as he himself implies, at the expense of the vernacular, which in his case was the provincial Latin, a corrupt dialect.
[63] Legends of St. Patrick, by Aubrey de Vere.
[64] This is manifest from the Confession—Et iterum post paucos annos eram in Britannis cum parentibus meis.
[65] The Tripartite says that “Caelestinus, Abbot of Rome, read Orders over Patrick,” and the Scholiast on Fiacc’s Hymn, says that Germanus said, “Go to Caelestinus that he may confer Orders upon thee, for he is proper to confer them.”—Stoles’ Edition, vol. ii., 419.
[66] Tripartite.
[67] What is naturally just comes from the Holy Ghost, as the author of the Natural Law.
[68] Aubrey de Vere, Legends of St. Patrick.
[69] The Legends of St. Patrick, by Aubrey de Vere.
[70] Almost every member of a family could play on the harp. See Gerald Barry’s Descriptio Kambriæ, p. 183.
[71] Book of Armagh.
[72] Tirechan’s Collections—“Et secum fuit multitudo episcoporum sanctorum, et presbiterorum, et diaconorum, ac exorcistarum, hostiarium, lectorumque, necnon filiorum quos ordinavit.”—Book of Armagh, fol. 9.
[73] See Wasserschleben’s great collection, published at Leipzig, 1885.
[74] See Todd’s St. Patrick, p. 457.
[75] See Wasserschleben, page 61, Lib. xx., c. 5; Haddan and Stubbs, vol. ii., Part ii., page 332.
[76] “Si vero in illa (Cathedra Patricii) cum suis sapientibus facile sanari non poterit causa praedictae negotionis, ad sedem Apostolicam decrevimus esse mittendam, id est, ad Petri Apostoli Cathedram, auctoritatem Romæ Urbis habentem.” “Hi sunt qui hoc decreverunt id est, Auxilius, Patricius, Secundinus, Benignus.”—See Stokes, p. 356, vol. ii.
[77] See Stokes’ Tripartite, Vol. ii., page 507.
[78] Tripartite, page 97.
[79] Tripartite, page 75.
[80] Scholiast on Fiacc’s Hymn.
[81] Trip. p. 105, vol. i.
[82] “Libros legis, evangelii libros, et reliquit eos in locis novis.” Book of Armagh, f. 9.
[83] See “Tirechan’s Collections,” Book of Armagh, fol. 18, a2—“Ocus dubbert Patrice cumtach du Fiacc, idon, clocc, ocus menstir, ocus bachall, ocus poolire.”
[84] Trip. vol. i., page 87.
[85] See Du Cange, sub voce.
[86] Benignus succeeded Sechnall as Coadjutor or Auxiliary Bishop.
[87] For instance the Cotton MS. Nero. E. 1, fol. 171; and two in the Bodleian Fell. I., ff. 7a-11b and Fell. III., fol. 158-164.
[88] “Nam sermo et loquela mea translata est in linguam alienam, sicut facile potest probari ex saliva scripturae meae.”—Confession.
[89] Patrem habui Calpornum diaconum filium quendam Potiti filii Odissi presbyteri.
[90] Deum verum ignorabam.
[91] The strange phrase—“Repuli sugere mammellas corum”—seems to signify that he rejected the proferred intimate association with them. Mammella was used metaphorically as a term endearment, in classical Latin.
[92] This is the opinion of Skene—Celtic Scotland, p 158. vol. i.
[93] See Todd’s St. Patrick, p. 391.
[94] “Et devastaverunt servos et ancillas domûs patris mei.”
[95] The Decurio was under the Empire an official somewhat like a Mayor or Resident Magistrate.
[96] Irish Preface to the Hymn.
[97] It was first published in 1647 by Colgan from the Isidore MS., and then by Ware in his Opuscula S. Patritii. It is also published in Stoke’s Tripartite in the series of the Master of the Rolls.
[98] For instance:—
“Maximus namque in regno cœlorum vocabitur,
Qui quod verbis docet sacris factis adimplet bonis:
Bono procedit exemplo formamque fidelium,
Mundoque in corde habet ad Deum fiduciam.”
[99] See Krantz Danaiae Liber iv., c. 19.
[100] “Hymnus quando Communicarent Sacerdotes.”
[101] Tripartite Life.
[102] We know from St. Paul that no person who has been twice married can be lawfully ordained.—1 Tim. iii. 2.
[103] See Liber Hymnorum, vol. ii., page 287.
[104] Scela and lini.
[105] The entire passage is as follows:—“Timorem Dei habui ducem itineris mei per Gallias atque Italiam, etiam in insulis quae sunt in mari Tyrrheno—De Saeculo recessistis ad paradisum—Deo Gratias—Æcclesia Scotorum, imo Romanorum, ut Christiani ita et Romani sitis—Ut decantetur vobiscum oportet omni hora orationis vox illa laudabilis, Kyrie eleison, Christe eleison—Omnis æcclesia, quae sequitur me cantet, ‘Kyrie eleison, Christe eleison, Deo gratias.’”
[106] In the early ages of the Church a bishop was placed over every town.
[107] “Acta S. Patricii partim Latino, partim Hibernico Sermone.”
[108] He says that Colgan’s argument furnishes a choice specimen of an undistributed middle term.
[109] Strictly speaking, that building was a collection of cells, each of which was tenanted by three monks.
[110] Petrie p. 161.
[111] See Life of St. Moling, and of other saints.
[112] Additional Notes, page 336.
[113] Vita Brendani, cap. 14.
[114] Cap. II., De Silentio.
[115] “Cibus sit vilis et vespertinus.”
[116] See I. Eccles. Record, Jan. 1865.
[117] Regula., cap. 3.
[118] “Votum Monasticum.”—Adamnan.
[119] St. Patrick had, we are told, three maidens who were constantly employed on embroidery work for sacred purposes—one was his own sister, Lupait, another is called Cruimtheris, and the third was King Daire’s royal daughter.
“Beneath a pine three vestals sat close veiled:
A song these childless sang of Bethlehem’s child,
Low-toned, and worked their altar cloth, a Lamb,
All white, on golden blazon.”
Columcille, too, had his own special embroideress for working his vestments and altar cloths. She was called Coca, and has given her name to the ancient church of Kilcock, in the County Kildare, which she founded.* In the Book of Kells, too, we find examples of vestments in the ornamentation portrayed in the richest and most vivid colouring.
* See O’Curry, Manners and Customs, vol. iii., p. 123.
[120] The Romans were those who enjoyed the rights of the Imperial citizenship, which at this time had come to be in reality a badge of slavery.
[121] See the Salamanca MS., p. 161.
[122] Benignus was, says the author of the Tripartite Life of St. Patrick, an “adolescens facie decorus, vultu modestus, moribus integer, nomine uti et in re Benignus,” and his voice “cunctos oblectans.”
[123] The full title of the work is De Excidio Britaniæ Liber Querulus.
[124] “The penmanship is,” says Bishop Reeves, “of extreme elegance, and is admirable throughout for its distinctness and uniformity.”
[125] “Ferdomnach hunc librum, dictante Torbach, herede Patricii scripsit.” The only word somewhat illegible is “Torbach.”
[126] This is the only complete copy of the Scriptures of the New Testament, which has come down to our times from the Celtic Church of Ireland. The rest were all destroyed by the Danes.
[127] The ornamentation is so minute and elaborate that Professor Westwood declares that he counted in the small space of three quarters of an inch long by less than half-an-inch in width, no fewer than 158 interlacements of a slender ribbon pattern!—Archæol. Journal, vol. x. p. 278.
[128] If the nuns at Clonbroney, Co. Longford, were not before them.
[129] Tripartite, page 37.—“Patrick went to Inver Boinde. He found a wizard in that place who mocked at Mary’s virginity. Patrick sained the earth, and it swallowed up the wizard.”
[130] Aubrey de Vere, Legends of St. Patrick.
[131] See O’Hanlon’s Life of St. Brigid.
[132] She was in an especial manner the patroness of the ‘Sons of Reading,’ as students were then called; “and the Lord gives them, through Brigid’s prayer, every perfect good that they ask.”—Irish Life.
[133] See Round Towers, page 203.
[134] Dictionary of Christian Antiquities—‘Lamps.’
[135] Dr. Todd was of opinion that the manuscript described by Gerald Barry must have been the Book of Kells, which might have been removed at that time to Kildare for safe custody. But there is no historical foundation for this conjecture.
[136] Tripartite, p. 40.
[137] O’Clery’s Martyrology.
[138] Du Cange. See Dr. M‘Carthy’s able Paper in the Proceedings of the R.I.A., May, 1889. In the Tripartite (Stokes, p. 251), menister seems to mean the paten, and mias (quasi mensa) the altar-table.
[139] It has been said that Ninian died A.D. 432; but as Skene observes, without any authority. See Celtic Scotland, vol. ii., p. 4.
[140] “Proselytus Brito, homo sanctus, S. Patricii discipulus.” Secunda Praefatio, p. 6.
[141] Four Masters, A.D. 922.
[142] We believe this stream is a tributary of the Fane river, which in fact does come from the County Monaghan to Louth.
[143] Ad Scotos in Christum credentos ordinatus a Papa Caelestino Palladius primus episcopus mittitur.
[144] Hence the name Ailbe = ail-beo, “living under the rock.”
[145] See Stokes’ Calendar of Ængus.—April 23rd.
[146] In the Tripartite he is represented as founding Pallas Green in the Barony of Coonagh, co. Limerick.
[147] See Kilk. Arch. Soc., vol. iv., New Series, page 90.
[148] His father was son of Laei, son of Tadhg, son of Cian, son of Oilioll Olum. See Book of Rights, page 50, and page 103.
[149] Others think Kilbanon was the church of ‘Benen, brother of Cethech,’ who is distinguished in the Tripartite from ‘Benen, successor of Patrick.’ This is highly probable.
[150] Celtic Scotland, Book II, p. 44.
[151] Histor. Eccles., Liber III., c. 4.
[152] “Vade ad Brittaniam ad Rosnatum monasterium, et esto humilis discipulus Manceni, Magistri illius monasterii.” Vita S. Endei.
[153] Lib. III. c. 4.
[154] Primordia, page 1058.
[155] Chron. Picts and Scots, page 56.
[156] Trias Tham., page iii. note 67.
[157] The word Rosnat simply means a sea-girt promontory, and would be equally applicable to Whithern and St. David’s Head.
[158] Called also Bealagh-na-haite, from the overhanging cliffs.
[159] In Irish Bealagh-na-fearback.
[160] The lighthouse throws a red sector over the rock and shoal, which are also marked by a red buoy.
[161] Admirably edited by Miss Stokes, to whom Irish scholars owe so much.
[162] Aubrey de Vere’s Translation—Irish Odes and other Poems.
[163] “In the Islands of the Tyrrhene Sea.”—Fiacc’s Hymn.
[164] Confession, page 396, Vol. II., Rolls Series.
[165] Loman was a Briton, and Scotha, mother of Fortchern, was also a Briton, perhaps a connection.
[166] Loca Patriciana, page 152.
[167] The Life in the Book of Lismore says that he was then thirty years of age, and that he had previously founded three churches in his native territory—Ross Cuire, Drumfiaid, and Magh Glass.
[168] Gerald Barry seems to think the name meant the Valley of Roses, of which he says there were none—it should rather be called the Marble Valley.
[169] See Itinerarium Cambriae, page 102.
[170] See Tripartite, vol. ii., page 632.
[171] See Loca Patriciana, page 204.
[172] “His daily meal was a bit of barley bread and a drink of water. On Sundays and holidays it was wheaten bread and a piece of broiled salmon.”—Irish Life.
[173] See the Irish Life in the Book of Lismore.
[174] See Colgan’s Life of St. Columba of Tir-da-glas.
Regressus in Clonardiam
Ad cathedram lecturae,
Apponit diligentiam
Ad studium Scripturae.
—Hymn from St. Finnian’s Office.
Trium virorum millium
Sorte fit doctor humilis;
Verbi his fudit fluvium
Ut fons emanans rivulis.
[177] The Irish Life also makes him son of Fintan.
[178] The modern diocese of Meath is an aggregate of seven or eight ancient dioceses; hence it has no cathedral church, but takes its name from the ancient principality (Midhe) with which it is almost conterminous.
[179] Leabhar Breac.
[180] See Father D. O’Donoghue’s interesting Paper in the Journal of the R.S.A.I. for 1891, page 706.
[181] Life of St. Ita.
[182] See Latin Life of St. Brendan, edited by Cardinal Moran.
[183] “Bute (Scotland) is said to derive its name from bothe, a cell, St. Branden having once made it the place of his retreat, and for the same reason, the natives of this isle, and also of Arran, have been sometimes styled Brandani.”—Pennant’s Tour in Scotland, vol. ii., 4th edition, Dublin, 1775, p. 164.
[This note was sent to us by the late lamented Mr. Hennessy.]
[184] Annals of Clonmacnoise.
[185] From the late W. M. Hennessy we received shortly before his lamented death the following note:—
“In an Irish MS. in Trinity College, Dublin (Class H. 1, 7), in a tract beginning on fol. 84, two poems are copied, the composition of which is ascribed to St. Brendan (obviously of Clonfert). The first, No. 7, begins—
An da Aodh mo dha Charaid
(The two Hughs, my two friends).
The second begins—
Beannacht an Choimhdhe chomachtaigh
(The blessing of the Almighty Lord).
This,” adds Mr. Hennessy, “is stated to be in praise of Aedh, King of Cashel; but there is no record of such a King of Cashel in the time of St. Brendan.” It is much more likely it refers to Aedh, King of Connaught, who gave Inchiquin to Brendan.
[186] There are families near Clonfert, who bear this name at the present day.
[187] Life of St. Tighernach.
[188] Whiterne in sound for Irish ears is nearly the same as Futerne, the Latin being Futerna.
[189] Some confound this St. Fursey with another Fursey, son of Lochan of the Dal-araidhe.
[190] Fursey must have been very young, certainly not more than ten years of age, when Brendan died in A.D. 577.
[191] We have made a minute examination of all this locality with the help of the Very Rev. J. Barrett, P.P., V.F.
[192] To whom we are indebted for much information about Cummian.
[193] Note to Archdall, sub voce, “Clonfert.”
[194] There is a characteristic story of Cummian, Guaire, and Caimin, told by the scholiast on the Felire of Ængus. The three half brothers were at one time in Caimin’s Church of Inis Cealtra in Lough Derg. “What would you wish to have this Church filled with?” said Caimin to Guaire. “With silver and gold,” he replied, “that I might give it for my soul’s sake to saints and to churches, and to the poor.” “And you, Cummian, what would you have it filled with?” “I would have it full of books to instruct studious men, to enable them to preach the Gospel, and save souls,” said Cummian. Then they said, “But thou, Caimin, what would you wish to have in it?” “I would wish to have the full of it of diseases and sicknesses to afflict my body,” replied Caimin. And all three got their wish, “the earth to Guaire, wisdom to Cummian, and sickness and disease to Caimin;” and they all went to heaven in the way they wished.
[195] Primo loco de observatione Paschae Domini, et uno die et uno tempore per omnem orbem a nobis observetur et juxta consuetudinem litteras ad omnes tu dirigas.
[196] See Hefele. Councils, vol i., page 314. French Edition, 1869.
[197] Was this Breacan of Dairinis, near Waterford, half-brother to Cummian? He might have been then at Hy.
[198] Perhaps to Disert Chuimin, where he wrote: “Ut me ut nycticoracem in domicilio latitantem defenderem.” Epistola.
[199] Skene says this “is the oldest authentic notice of St. Patrick.”—Celtic Scot., vol. ii., p. 17.
[200] This is the synodical decree quoted in the Book of Armagh, and already referred to in this work at page 60. Its citation by Cummian so early as A.D. 640 is a clear proof that the Synod’s decrees are authentic.
[201] Tome 87. Patr. Latina.
[202] In some ancient MSS. Fada is written Fota, but it is the same word, meaning ‘Tall.’
[203] Ecclesiastical Architecture of Ireland, page 44.
[204] And sometimes Ninian, because he was confounded with the original founder.
[205] Book ii. c. i.
[206] Le gach boin a boinin.
[207] Cardinal Moran’s Essays, page 138.
[208] Book of Rights, page 100, note.
[209] See Chronicon Scotorum, compiled at Clonmacnoise.
[210] Vita S. Ciarani.
[211] This date of the Latin Life is quite accurate. The Dominical letter for that year is C.B.; therefore the 1st of January was on Friday, and the 23rd was Saturday; and the 9th of Sept. was also on Saturday. We cannot, however, now ascertain the exact day of the moon, for the old cycle was then in use.
[212] Chronicon Scotorum. Anno 544.
[213] Colgan says that some of the Druids continued in Ireland down to the eighth century, and were held in high esteem in certain parts of the country as poets and sheanachies.—Acta SS., page 149, n. 15.
[214] See Dr. Monaghan’s interesting Records of Ardagh and Clonmacnoise.
[215] One of the “Patres priores.”
[216] “Cheranus Scottorum gloria gentis.”
[217] This was the hide of the dun cow which Ciaran brought to Clonard where she gave milk to the Twelve Apostles of Erin.
[218] Annals of Loch Cé.
[219] See Lord Dunraven’s Notes.
[220] See Professor Stokes’ Lectures.
[221] It has been translated for Miss Stokes by Mr. O’Looney.
[222] See Christian Inscriptions, page 79.
Epistola Albini Magistri ad Colcum Lectorem in Scotia—
Benedicto Magistro, et Pio Patri Colcuo Alcuine humilis levita salutem.
[224] Acta Sanctorum, page 379.
[225] Wars of the G. G. Introduction, xiv.
[226] Four Masters, A.D. 840.
[227] Professor Stokes repeats these mistakes in his Lectures—Celtic Church, page 200. Keating, however calls Cormac Archbishop of Cashel, which he certainly was not.
[228] At his conference with Niall at Clonfert, Felim sat in the seat of the abbots as a token of his superiority over Niall, not as a bishop.
[229] It is not unlikely that his family resided at Cluain Ui Braoin, now Cloonybrian, near Boyle.
[230] See Lectures, page 127.
[231] It was first published in 1807 by M. Walckenaer from two MSS. in the Imperial Library of Paris. In 1814, M. Letronne produced a still more learned and accurate edition, in which he shows the advantages that scholars may derive from a careful study of Dicuil’s work. It is entitled: Recherches Geographiques, et Critiques sur Le Livre “De Mensura Orbis Terrarum,” composé en Irlande au Commencement du Neuvième siècle par Dicuil.
[232] It might be rendered a trustworthy brother.
[233] See Smith’s Dictionary of Geography.
[234] See Introd. to Celtic Scotland, page 3, vol. i.
[235] See Reeves’ Adamnan, page 169, note.
[236] See Bishop Reeves’ excellent edition of Adamnan’s Life of Columba.
[237] See Reeves’ Adamnan, page lxix.
[238] “By genealogy he had a natural right to the kingship of Ireland, and it would have been offered to him had he not put it from him for God’s sake.”—Life in the Book of Lismore.
[239] It is more likely that his ordination took place after he left Glasnevin on his homeward journey.
[240] This mistake led to important consequences. Columba not being himself a bishop found it necessary to have a bishop, subject to his jurisdiction, to perform episcopal functions in his monasteries. It was an unusual arrangement, as Bede declares, “Habere solet ipsa insula (Hy) rectorem semper abbatem presbyterum, cujus juri et omnis provincia, et etiam episcopi, ordine inusitato, debeant esse subjecti, juxta exemplum primi doctoris illius, qui non episcopus sed presbyter extitit et monachus.”—Bede, H.E. III. 4.
[241] A.D. 545—“Daire Colum Cille fundata est” (recte, 546).
[242] See the Felire of Ængus.
[243] Notes to the Felire.
[244] Fecerat autem priusquam Brittaniam veniret monasterium nobile in Hibernia, quod a copia roborum Dearmach linguâ Scottorum, i.e. Campus roborum cognominatur.—Book iii. 4.
[245] The ‘Great House’ was perhaps the abbot’s residence. See Petrie’s Round Towers, page 431.
[246] Ps. xc. verse 11.
[247] See Reeves’ Adamnan, page 276.
[248] Ibid, page 269.
[249] Gilbert, National MSS., page 10.
[250] See Professor Stokes’ very interesting Lecture.
[251] The Irish Life in the Book of Lismore indirectly implies that Kells was founded by St. Columba, as well as many other churches in Bregia.
[252] Round Towers, page 437.
[253] Four Masters.
[254] At the Dissolution in A.D. 1539 the Book came into the hands of Gerald Plunket of Dublin, but he appears to have restored it to the monks of Kells.
[255] Such is the opinion of the learned Cardinal Moran expressed to the writer in person.
[256] See Reeves’ Adamnan, page 275.
[257] Green Leaves, by T. D. Sullivan.
[258] From an account written in A.D. 1761.
[259] This cross ‘in margine viae’ is the only cross now in the island which could answer Adamnan’s description as that nigh to which Columba sat down to rest himself on his last journey from the monastic farm.—Page 231.
[260] Irish Life.
[261] Codex A. of Adamnan’s Vita.
[262] Greek characters are found in Adamnan’s earliest MSS.
[263] In the Irish Rule attributed to Columcille we find:—“Three labours in the day, i.e., prayers, work, and reading,” prescribed for all. But Adamnan’s statement is even more authoritative and explicit:—
“Nullum etiam unius horae intervallum transire poterat (Columba), quo non aut orationi, aut lectioni, vel scriptioni, vel etiam alicui operationi incumberat.”—Adamnan’s Praefatio II.
[264] In the Life in the Book of Lismore it is said that “Columba had thrice fifty monks for contemplation, and sixty for the active life”—that is in their turn.
[265] See Haddan and Stubbs, Vol. II., part I., page 120.
[266] See the Irish Life in the Book of Lismore, which enumerates several of these churches.
[267] The first part of this Vita Secunda is not the work of Cuimine the Fair.
[268] Matt. x., 8.
[269] “Scitote quod nullus citra Alpes compar illi in cognitione divinarum scripturarum et in magnitudine scientae reperitur.”—Salamanca MS.
[270] See School of Clonfert.
[271] For instance, the details of the martyrdom of St. Blaithmac of Iona by the Danes in A.D. 824, which he describes in Latin verse, and may have learned from a fugitive who was, perhaps, the bearer of this very MS.
[272] “Erat enim vir bonus et sapiens, et scientia Scripturarum nobilissime instructus.”
[273] “Edoctus est omnes liberales, sacras et asceticas disciplinas, linguas etiam Hebraicam et Graecam; et quicquid patria lingua (in qua tunc pleraeque scientiae et Dryadum quae non fuerant damnata dogmata) scriptum est vel artium vel legum vel historiarum.”
[274] Book II., c. 45.
[275] See Petrie’s Tara, page 147.
[276] “Dedit legem innocentum populis.”
[277] The story of Adamnan’s carrying his mother on his back originated in his well-known filial piety. Vol. III.
[278] Up to the tenth century Britannia included Scotland.
[279] See Haddan and Stubbs, vol. ii., part 1, p. 120.
[280] Four Masters, A.D. 1034.
[281] Decoro vultu, crine nitenti, ultra communem valentiam hominum, formâ erat speciosus, divinus ac humanis litteris et eloquentiâ erat praeditus.—Vita.
[282] No. 1247 (Theol. 287).
[283] See Transactions of the R.I.A., Vol. vii., 295.
[284] The author has received from Most Rev. Dr. Donnelly, Bishop of Canea, a duly attested relic of the Blessed Marianus—Ex sepulchro S. Merchertachi Scoti.
[285] Four Masters.