The life and writings of St. Patrick, with appendices, etc.

Preface

Our chief purpose in writing this new Life of St Patrick, when so many Lives already exist, is to give a fuller and, we venture to hope, more exact account of the Saint's missionary labours in Ireland than any that has appeared since the Tripartite Life was first written. For this purpose we have not only thoroughly studied Colgan's great work, and made ourselves familiar with the really valuable publications of our own times, but we have, when practicable, personally visited all the scenes of the Saint's labours, both at home and abroad, so as to be able to give a local colouring to the dry record, and also to catch up, as far as possible, the echoes, daily growing fainter, of the once vivid traditions of the past.

We have no new views to put forward. We shall seek to follow the authority of the ancient writers of the Acts of St. Patrick, which we regard as in the main trustworthy. Those who do not like miracles can pass them over, but the ancient writers believed in them, and even when purely imaginary these miraculous stories have an historical and critical value of their own.

We find it convenient to classify our authorities into three divisions. The ANCIENT authorities are those that flourished before the Anglo-Norman invasion of Ireland, that is before A.D. 1172. The MEDIEVAL authorities will include all those who make reference to St. Patrick^s Acts down to the beginning of the 17th century. The MODERN authorities will comprehend the rest, including Colgan and Usher, who have written from that date (A.D. 1600) to the present time.

\V PREFACE.

We have resolved, however, to follow in the main the guidance of the ancient authorities, who, if credulous in things supernatural, had no motive but to write the truth, so far as it was known to them, for the instruction and edification of posterity. There was then only one Church, and they could have had no motive in representing St. Patrick to be anything else than what he was known to them — a great and successful Christian missionary of the Catholic Church.

Those ancient authorities are in substantial agreement on all the main points of our Apostle's history. Some shallow critics of our own time, by unduly indulging in what is mere speculation, have brought confusion into the Acts of St. Patrick, but this confusion, like the morning mist on the mountain side, is rapidly passing away. We shall not follow their example ; rather we shall adhere to the ancient authorities, and in so doing we follow in the footsteps of the really great Irish scholars of modern times, like Colgan, Usher, and O'Flaherty, who paid due regard to those ancient authorities, and under their guidance gave their own lives, with brilliant success, to the study of Irish history and antiquities.

The writings of St. Patrick himself must naturally be made the basis of any reliable history of the Saint. There is no doubt that the Confession and the Epistle to Coroticus were, as the Book of Armagh says of the former, originally written by his own hand. Every statement, therefore, in any Life of St. Patrick, ancient or modern, clearly inconsistent with the tenor of these documents must be rejected without hesitation.

Concerning the miracles related in most of the Lives the reader will form his own judgment. Some of the stories are, in our opinion, of their own nature incredible ; others are ridiculous, and several are clearly inconsistent with Patrick's own statements in the Confession. But we cannot reject a story merely because it is miraculous. The Confession itself records several miracles, and we are

PREFACE. V

by no means prepared to say that St. Patrick was either deceived or a deceiver. The most famous Lives of the great saints of that age are full of narratives of the miraculous. St. Athanasius wrote a Life of St. Anthony ; Sulpicius Severus has left a beautiful Life of St. Martin ; Paulinus of Nola has given us an authentic Life of St. Felix — these were great prelates and accomplished scholars, who had an intimate knowledge of those of whom they wrote, yet we find miracles recorded as undoubted events in every page of their narratives. The absence of the miraculous in any Patrician document is, therefore, no proof of its earlier date or more authentic character, as some modern critics seem to think. The most authentic and eloquent writings of that age are filled with such narratives of the miraculous, and the miracles were attested by most trustworthy witnesses, and are narrated as undoubted facts by contemporary writers. In this work our purpose is not controversial ; it is to show St. Patrick as he was known to his contemporaries and their immediate successors who had known the man, or received the living stories of his disciples. Most people will think such a narrative is of far more value from every point of view than the speculations of some of our modern critics and philologists, who would rather do away with St. Patrick altogether than admit that he got his mission from Rome.

The manifold variations in the spelling of Irish words, and especially of Irish proper names, present great difficulty to a writer on Irish subjects, and render it almost impossible to adopt a uniform system. As we have, on the whole, followed the guidance of the Rolls Tripartite, both as to the Irish text and its English version, we have thought it desirable to adopt also its system of spelling the Irish proper names. No doubt many of its forms are now archaic ; still they exhibit, we think, the language, especially in this matter of proper names, in simpler and purer forms than those which are at present in use ; and,

VI PREFACE.

moreover, tend to preserve a uniformity of usage, which is surely to be desired. Hence, we have adopted, as a rule, the spelling of the Tripartite, especially in proper names, except in the case of certain well-known words, where a departure from the existing usage might be misleading.

•i- John Healy, D.D.,

Archbishop of Tuam.

St. Jarlath's,

September, IQOS*

Contents

PAGE

Chapter 1

Early Lives of St. Patrick.

I. — St. Fiacc's Hymn ... 1 II. — Hymn of St. Secun-

III. — Vita Secunda ... 9

IV.— Ft^a Tertia 10

y.—Vifa Quarfa ... ... 10

VI. — Vita Quinta ... ... 11

YU.—Vita Sexta ... ... 14

VIII.— F?7a Septima ... 15

IX. — Book of Armagh ... 17

X. — Epistle to Coroticus ... 19

Chapter V

St. Patrick's Teachers.

I.— Visit to St. Martin of

Tours 74

II. — At Marmoutier III. — In Lerins IV. — In the Island of Aries...

V. — St. Germanus and St.

Patrick VI. — Mission of Palladius to

Irelana VII, — St. Germanus sends Patrick to Rome

. 75

81 86

93 96

Chapter VI

St. Patrick's Mission and Consecration.

I. — The Roman Mission of

II. — His Episcopal Consecration ... ... 112

III. — He sets sail for Ireland 116 IV.— Coasts Northward ... 119

Chapter VII

St. Patrick in Ulster.

I.— He sails for Ulster ... 124

II.— At Saul 126

III.— Revisits Slemish ... 129

IV.— Founds Church of Bright 131 V. — Patrick and Mochae ... 133 VI. — Social Life in Ancient

VII. — Druids, Bards, and

Chapter VIII

St. Patrick's Conflict with the Druids.

I. — He sails for the Boyne 140 n.— At Slane ... ... 142

148 154 158 162

III.— At Tara IV.— In Meath

V. — He visits Trim VI.— At Tailteann VII, — Further Missionary Journeys in Meath ... 165

Vlll

CONTENTS.

VIII.— At Uisneach ...

IX. — Patrick and Munis at Forgney X. — Patrick in Southern Teffia XI.— In Northern Teffia ...

PAGB

175 180

Chapter IX

St. Patrick at Magh Slecht.

I.— Probable Route ... 182

II. — Situation of Magh

III.— Church of Magh Slecht 187 IV. — Patrick crosses Shannon 189

Chapter X

St. Patrick in Roscommon.

I. — At Doogarrv ... 191

II.— At Elphin ' 195

III.— At Clebach Well ... 201 IV, — Royal Cruaclian ... 205

V. — Amongst the Ciarraige

of MagL Ai ... 206

VII. — Baptises the sons of

Brian at Magh Selce 210 VIII. — Amongst the Gregraide

of Lough Gara ... 213

Chapter XI

St. Patrick in Mayo.

I. — Amongst the Ciarraige

II, — Amongst the Conmaicne 221 III.— In Carra ... ... 224

IV. — ^At Aghagower ... 226

Chapter XII

St. Patrick on the Cruachan

AlGLE.

I.— The Saint's Fast ... 229 II. — His Mission confirmed

by Pope Leo the Great 234 III.— In the Plains of Mayo 237 IV. — He revisits his Roscommon Churches ... 242 v.— He revisits Tara ... 246

Chapter XIII

page

St. Patrick in Tirawley.

I. — Journey from Tara to

II.— His Conflict with Tirawley Druids ... 253 III.— At Focluth Wood ... 254 IV.— The Maidens of Focluth v.— Patrick founds Killala 259 VI. — Founding of Kilmore-

VII. — At Downpatrick Head 266

Chapter XIV

St. Patrick in Tireraqh.

I. — He recrosses the Moy ... 269 II. — Patrick and the Gre-

craide of the Moy ... 270 III. — Patrick and Prince

Conall 271

IV.— Patrick at Sligo ... 275

Chapter XV

St. Patrick in Tirerrill and

MOYLURG.

I. — Churches founded in

Tirerrill ... ... 280

II. — Patrick in Moylurg ... 281

III. — ^Again at Doogarv ... 283

V. — Founds Domnachmore 287

VI.— In North Sligo ... 289

Chapter XVI

St. Patrick in Tirconnell.

I, — He crosses the Erne ... 294 II. — St. Patrick's Purgatory

in Lough Derg ... 299 III. — He comes into Magh

IV. — Patrick and Eoghan

Chapter XVII

St. Patrick in Inishowen and Derry.

I. — Journey to Carndonagh 309 II. — Domnach Mor Maige

CONTENTS.

IX

PAGE

III.— At Moville ... 312

IV.— In County Derry ... 314

V. — At Keenachta ... 317

VI.— At Coleraine ... 320

Chapter XVIII

St. Patrick in Down and.

Connor.

I. — Uladh, Dalaradia, Dal-

II. — Patrick in Elniu, or

Magh Elne ... 326

III.— In Dalriada ... ... 329

IV. — Patrick and Olcan of v.— Other Churches of Dalriada ... ... 334

VI. — Patrick's Churches in

VII. — Patrick in Southern

Dalaradia .. ... 339

VIII.— In Eastern Dalaradia ... 340

Chapter XIX

St. Patrick in Oriel.

I. — He recrosses the Bann 342 II.— The Tribes of Oriel ... 345 III.— Patrick and Mac

Cartan in Clogher ... 347 IV. — Patrick and King Echu's v.— King Echu and St.

MacCartan ... 353

VI. — Patrick and Brigid in

VII.— Patrick in Hy Meith

VIII. — In Cremorne ... ... 359

X. — Again in Meath ... 362

XI. — ^Alleged Visit of Patrick

to Ath-Cliath ... 364

Chapter XX

I. — Geography of Leinster 368 II.— Patrick in Magh Liffe 369 III. — He revisits Hy Garr-

IV. — Auxilius and Iserninus 374 V. — Patrick at Narragh-

VI. — In West Kildare and

Queen's County ... 382

PAGE

CHAPTER XXT.

St. Patrick in South Leinster.

I. — Patrick and King

Crimthann ... 387

II.— He visits Dubthach ... 391 III. — He ordains Fiacc of

IV. — Fiacc founds Sletty ... 396 V. — Patrick founds other Churches in South Leinster ... ... 401

CHAPTER XXII. I.— Maigh Raighne ... 403

II. — Patrick's other Churches

III.— His Church of Disert ... 406 IV.— St. Patrick and St.

v.— Patrick in Cashel ... 411 VI.— In Muskerry ... ... 418

VII.— At Kilfeacle ... ... 419

VIII.— In Cullen ... ... 420

IX. — Patrick and the Pre-

patrician Bishops ... 421 X. — Patrick at Pallas Green 425

Chapter XXIII

St. Patrick in the Diocese of Limerick.

I. — He founds Donaghmore 427 II.— The Feast of Knockea 428 III. — Patrick at Knock-

IV.— In South Leinster ... 433

V. — ^Amongst the Deisi ... 434

VI.— In North Ormond ... 436

VII.— In Offaley 440

VIII.— Killeigh of Offaley ... 442 IX, — Patrick at Croghan

Hill 444

Chapter XXIV

St. Patrick Reforms the Brehon Code.

I. — Origin and Nature of

the Brehon Code ... 448 II. — 'Authors of the Revision 451 III. — Legal Relations between Church and State ... ... 456

CONTENTS.

PAGE

IV. — The Laws of Fosterage ... 467

V. — ^Tho Brehon Agrarian

Chapter XXV

St. Patrick in Ulidia.

I. — Patrick's Journey North-

II. — Patrick and Trian the

III. — Maccuil's P&nance ... 467 IV.— The Sabbath-Breakers of

V. — Patrick and King Eochaid

Mac Muiredach ... 473 VI, — St. Domangart of Slieve

VII.— Patrick in Fir Roiss ... 476

Chapter XXVI

St. Patrick in Armagh.

I. — Pre-Christian Armagh 481 II. — The Foundation of

III.— The Churches of Armagh 490 . IV.— The Date of the Founding of Armagh ... 492 V. — The Boundaries of

Chapter XXVII

St. Patrick's Labours Armagh.

IN

I. — His Daily Labours ... 500 II. — Story of Lupita or

III. — Vestment-making a«d

Embroidery ... 503

IV. — Relics for Armat^h ... 504

v.— Patrick's Coadjutors ... 508

VI.— Food for the Scholars ... 511

VII. — Nuns at Armagh ... 613

Chapter XXVIII

St. Patrick's Synods.

I. — ^Patrick's Canon in the

Book of Armagh ... 516 II. — Synod of Patrick, Auxilius, and Iserninus ... ... 519

PAGE

III.— The Iri.sh Collection of

IV. — The Prerogatives of

Chapter XXIX

St. Patrick's Sickness, Death, AND Burial.

II.— Date of his D^^ath ... 535 HI. — St. Brigid's Winding-

Sheet for Patrick ... 538

IV.— Patrick's Death ... 539

VI. — His Characteristic Virtues ... ... 544

VII. — His Personal Characteristics .. ... 546 v'lll. — ^Summary of his Labours 550

Chapter XXX

The Writings of St. Patrick.

I. — ^The Confession ... 553

II.— The Epistle to Coro-

IIL— The Faed Fiada, or

Chapter XXXI

St. Patrick's School of Armagh.

I. — His Itinerant School ... 562 II.— The School at Armagh 664 III. — Patrick and the Schools

of the Bards ... 568

Chapter XXXII

The Household of St. Patrick.

I. — List of the Gfhcials II.— Hi.: Bishop ..

IIL— His Priest IV.— His Judge ...

V. — His Champion VI. — His Psalm-Singer VII. — His Inferior OflEicials VIII. — His Artisans ...

APPENDIX I.

Birth-place of St. Patrick

APPENDIX n.

Burial-place of St. Patrick

... 585

... 691

CONTENTS.

XI

PAGE

APPENDIX III.

St. Patrick's Relations tn

St. Loman of Trim ... 620

APPENDIX rV.

* The Three Patricks ' ... 624

I. — History of Palladius ... 625 II. — Patricius Senior, or

Sen-Patraic ... 627

ni.— The Great St. Patrick 631 IV. — Patricit Junior ... 632

APPENDIX V.

The Relics of St. Patrick ... 633 I. — The Staff of Jesus, or

Bachall-Iosa, ... 633

n.— The Bell of the Will 636 ni.— The Canon of St.

IV.— The Shrine of St.

Patrick's Hand ... 642

APPENDIX VI.

The Patrician Pilgrimages ... 644 I. — Armagh Pilgrimage ... 644 II. — Downpatrick Pilgrim-

PACK

III. — Croaghpatrick Pilgrimage ... ... 646

IV. — Lough Derg Pilgrimage ... ... 656

v.— St. Patrick's Wells ... 667

APPENDIX VII.

Text of St. Patrick's Writings 668 I. — His Latin Writings: —

I. — The Confession ... 668 II. — Epistle to Coroti-

II. — His Irish Writings : — The Faed Fiada, or Deer's Cry ... 705 III, — Doubtful or Apocryphal Writings : — I. — Canons attributed to

II.— The 'Rule' of Patrick 716

APPENDIX VIII.

Hymn of St. Sechnall (Secun- DiNus), in Praise of St.

Patrick ... ... 723

APPENDIX IX.

Dedication of the New Cathedral OF St. Patrick, Armagh: The Si:r.:,:o5T ... 726

Chapter I. Introductory

EARLY LIVES OF ST. PATRICK.

I.— St. Fiacc's Hymn.

The Irish Hymn of St. Fiacc is the first of the seven Lives of St. Patrick given by Colgan, and, if we except the hymn of St. Sechnall in praise of St. Patrick, seems to have been also the earliest of those now extant. It is contained in the two ancient MSS. of the Liber Hymnorum, one of which is preserved in Trinity College; the other is at present in the Franciscan Monastery, Merchants' Quay, Dublin. Colgan published the Irish text of this latter MS. in his own great work,' with a Latin version for the benefit of scholars ignorant of the ancient Gaelic. But more accurate versions have been given recently in English by competent scholars, especially that published in the Irish Ecclesiastical Record for March, 1868, and also Stokes' version in the Rolls Tripartite.

The Irish Preface to the Hymn gives a very clear account of the time, place, and purpose of its composition, as well as the name and station of the writer. " Fiacc of Sletty," it tells us, " made this eulogy for Patrick." This would seem to imply that Patrick was alive at the time ; for it was, as a rule, only living men the poets praised. Now, Fiacc was the son of Ere, son of Bregan, son of Barraig (from whom are the Hy Barrche), son of Cathair Mor. So he was of royal ancestry, being fourth in descent from the great ancestor of the Leinster kings. He was a pupil of Dubthach Mac Hy Lugair, who was in the time of King Laeghaire the chief poet of Ireland. It was Dubthach who rose up to do honour to Patrick at Tara, although the king had forbidden any of his nobles to rise up before the stranger. Thenceforward he became a friend of Patrick, for Patrick had baptised him then, or shortly afterwards at Tara.

^ The Trias Thaiimaturga. Petrie thought the Liber Hymnorum was about 1,200 years old ; and Todd declared that it may safely be pronounced to be " one of the most venerable monuments of antiquity now remaining in western Europe." — Book of Hymns ^ p. 1.

Now, it was ' in the time of this Laeghaire, son of Niall, and of Patrick that the poem was made' — that is, it described events that took place in their time, for the phrase does not usually refer to the time a poem was composed.

Patrick going through Leinster on his missionary journey called, as might be expected, to see his friend Dubthach at his house in Leinster. This house was, we are told elsewhere, at Domnach Mor, 'beside the fishful sea.' Dubthach, on his part, ' made a great welcome for Patrick,' and amongst other things Patrick said to his host — " Seek for me a man of rank, of good family, moral, of one wife only, and of one child." ^ " Why seek you such a man," said Dubthach. " To give him Orders," said Patrick. " Fiacc is the very man you want," replied Dubthach, " but he has gone on a circuit to Connaught" — that is on a poet's visitation, to collect the bardic dues for the Archpoet and his school. Just then it came to pass that Fiacc * and his circle,' or school, were returning home, and Dubthach at once said — " There is he of wliom we have been speaking." '* But," said Patrick, " he might not like to take Orders.'* "Proceed, then, to tonsure me," said Dubthach, who knew that tonsure was the first step to Orders, and marked the man chosen for the clerical state. Patrick set about it. '' What are you going to do," said Fiacc. " To tonsure Dubthach." " Oh ! that would be a pity ; Ireland has no other poet like him," replied young Fiacc. '' I will take you in his stead," said Patrick. " My loss to poetry will be less than his," said Fiacc. So Patrick tonsured the young poet, shearing off the flowing hair and beard which he wore in bardic fashion, " And great grace was given him,'' we are told — and no wonder — in return for his generous self-denial. " He read all the ecclesiastical O^^do " — that is the Mass and Ritual — " in one night," but some say — and it is more likely — " in fifteen days." And " the grade of Bishop was conferred upon him, and he became High-Bishop of Leinster, and his successors after him." So far the Scholiast.^

Fiacc, being a professional poet, had a trained memory, and must have been an educated man when ordained, if he

^ It was not necessary that a candidate bishop should have only one child ; but it was from the beginning required, even by St. Paul, that he should not have been twice married.

2 He adds that the place where the Poem was written was Duma Gobla, to the north-west of Sletty ; and the time was in the reign of Liigaid, son of Laeghaire (484-507),

ST. FIACC'S HYMN. 3

was able to learn to read his Missal, or even his Ritual, in fifteen days. But his poem proves he was an accomplished scholar in his native tongue, and it is not unlikely that he already knew something of the Latin language, for he was a * tender youth ' in the retinue of Dubthach at Tara, when Patrick appeared there some fifteen years before ; and he must have often afterwards witnessed the clergy performing their sacred functions — for there can hardly be any doubt that after the conversion of his master he, too, became a Christian. His poem also proves that the Bards of Erin could read and write their own language even before Patrick came to Erin, for it would have been utterly impossible that a hitherto unwritten tongue could, in one or two generations, become, as it did in the poet's hands, a perfect written language, of great vigour and flexibilit}^, with fixed inflections and definite grammatical rules. If the Hymn of Fiacc is authentic, then there was certainly a written language in Ireland before St. Patrick, of much grace, strength, and beauty.

We do not think that any really valid argument has been brought forward against the authenticity of this most interesting memorial of our ancient Irish Church. The ' Stories ' ^ declaring that Patrick was born in Nemthor merely refer to the current traditions at the time of the writer, and have no necessary reference to a far-distant past. Again, when Fiacc says that the 'Tuatha ' or tribes of Erin were prophesying that * Tara's land would be silent and waste,' he merely tells us, what the Druids had frequently declared, that the new religion would cause the overthrow of the paganism, of which Tara was at once the centre and the symbol, for its kings continued to be pagans during the whole lifetime of St. Patrick It is by no means necessary to suppose that, when the poet wrote, Tara had already become waste and silent, as it certainly did after A.D. 565, when it was cursed by the Saints. So also when Fiacc, like a patriotic Irishman, says ** it is not pleasant to me that Tara should be a desert,"^ the expression does not mean that it was then a desert, rather the contrary : it appears to mean that the poet, whilst rejoicing in the glory of Down and Armagh, would not wish that royal Tara should become a desert. This question is further discussed in the account of St. Fiacc's meeting with St. Patrick.

^ Ni scelaib.

"^ Nimdil ceddithrub Temair.

II. — The Hymn of St. Secundinus.

This, perhaps, may be regarded as, in some respects, the most ancient Life of St. Patrick. There can be no reasonable doubt of its authenticity, for the evidence, both intrinsic ^nd extrinsic, is very strong. It is given in the Liber Hymnorum, under the title of the ' Hymn of St. Patrick, Bishop of the Scots^ ' — that is, of course, the Irish — meaning, however, not a hymn written by the Saint, but one written in his praise. The copy in the Trinity College Libei Hymnorum has a glossary, but no preface ; however, the folio containing the preface may have been torn from the MS. In the P'ranciscan codex of the Book of Hymns ^ there is a preface or introduction which sets forth, in the usual style, the time, place, author, and object of the composition.

This preface is in Irish, and has been given in Latin by Colgan, who first published St Sechnall's Hymn. The Lebar Brecc also contains a copy of the Hymn, with a fuller, but probably a less authentic, preface. It was also published by Sir James Ware from a copy that he found in the Library of Usher. It is said to be the Donegal copy ; but that is rather doubtful, for it differs from Colgan's version, and it is not easy to see how it could go to Rome from Usher's collection. It was also published by Muratori and Villaneuva, and lastly, after careful collation, the Franciscan copy has been printed by Stokes in his Tripartite Life.

Reference is also made in the Book of Armagh to the ' recitation ' of this Hymn as one of Four Honours ^ due to St. Patrick, so there can be no doubt that its authenticity was recognised by the earliest, as well as by the latest, of our Irish historians and scholars.

The internal evidence is no less striking and conclusive. The writer of the Hymn describes at length the virtues and labours of St. Patrick, but throughout he speaks of the Saint as one living at the time, not yet called to his reward, but who hereafter will possess the joys of the heavenly kingdom. A mere forger of a later date would

^ Incipit Hymnus Sancti Patritii Episcopi Scotorum.

"^ It originally belonged to the Monastery of Donegal ; then went to St. Isidore's in Rome ; afterwards to the Burgundian Library. Brussels, from which it has been transferred to the Library of the Franciscan Convent, Dublin.

*The Third Honour was, Hymnum ejus per totum tempus (ejus festi) cantare. The Fourth Honour was, Canticum ejus Scotticum (Irish) semper canere. Rolls Tripartite, p. 333.

THE HYMN OF ST. SECUNDINUS. J

hardly be so much on his guard in his tenses when speaking of the Saint, The Latin style, too, is characteristic of the period, for the language is, as we might expect, rather like that of St. Patrick himself — by no means elegant, and not always even grammatically correct.

The Shorter Preface given by Stokes in Irish, and by Colgan in Latin, tells us the history of the Hymn. It was Sechnall, son of Restitutus, of the Lombards of Letha, and of Darerca, Patrick's sister, who composed it. Secundinus was his Roman name, but the Irish called him Sechnall. Domnach Sechnaill (now Dunshaughlin) was the place ; and the time of its composition was the reign of Laeghaire,^ son of Niall. Its purpose was to praise Patrick, and also, it would seem, to appease him. For Patrick had heard how Secundinus had remarked that " he (Patrick) is a good man, were it not for one thing, that he preached charity so little ;'' and hearing it, Patrick was angered. "It is for charity's sake I do not preach it, for the saints after me will need men's gifts and service, and therefore I do not ask them," said Patrick. The Hymn attained its object, for Patrick * made peace with his nephew ' when he heard it. * This was the first Hymn made in Ireland.' ' It was composed in the order of the alphabet ' — that is, the first letter of each stanza in succession followed the order of ""jhe alphabet. There are twenty-three stanzas, with four lines in each stanza, and fifteen syllables in each line. There are, the writer adds, three words in it ' without meaning,' that is, introduced merely for the sake of the rhyme.

When Sechnall had composed his Hymn he went to read it for Patrick, merely saying that he had made a eulogy for a certain Son of Life, which he wished him to hear. '* The praise of God's household is welcome to me," said Patrick. Then Sechnall began with the second stanza — omitting the first, in which Patrick's name is mentioned — and proceeded to read through the Hymn. Stopping him, however, at the lines :

Maximus namque in regno coelorum vocabitur Qui quod verbis docet sacris factis adimplet bonis,

and walking further on, Patrick said to Sechnall, " How can you call him ' Maximus in regno coelorum ? ' How can a mere creature be the ' greatest ? ' " — for he well knew the Gospel only calls him " great.'*

^ The Irish of Stokes has, * Tempus Acda,' Son of Ncill, or of Laeghaire.

" Oh, the superlative," reph'ed Sechnall, '* is there put for the positive, and only means ' very great.' " ^ It was, however, the rhythm and not the meaning that needed a word of three syllables. Then when the Hymn was .finished, Sechnall claimed from Patrick the Bard's usual reward, thereby giving him to understand — what the Hymn itself showed — that Patrick himself was the * Son of Life ' who was eulogised.

" Thou shalt have it," said Patrick ; " as many sinners shall go to heaven because of (reading) this Hymn as there are hairs on thy cowl."

" I will not be content with that," said Sechnall.

" Then whoever will recite it lying down and rising up will go to heaven."

'' I will not be content with that," said Sechnall, " for the Hymn is long, and it will be hard to remember it."

*' Then its efficacy or grace shall be on the three last stanzas."

*' Deo gratias," said Sechnall. ^' I am now content." ^

The Preface in the Lebar Brecc, besides giving a sketch of St. Patrick's history, adds very much to the plain tale given before, and seems to contain unauthentic and later additions. Patrick is represented as going to Sechnall in great wrath when he heard of the latter's observation about his not preaching charity as he might. Sechnall, hearing of his coming, or seeing him approach, left the oblation at the altar just before Communion, ' to kneel to Patrick ' by way of apology ; but Patrick, still in wrath, went to drive his chariot over Sechnall, when God raised the ground around him on either side, so that Sechnall was not hurt ! Then followed the explanation of his not preaching charity given above, and a mutual reconciliation.^