James O'Leary, The Most Ancient Lives of Saint Patrick… (1874)
“ And Patrick, through their whole journey, was preaching unto those pagans the Word of God, and disputing with them and persuading them unto the faith of the Holy Trinity and the kingdom of heaven; but they, even as the deaf adder that listens not to the voice of the charmer charming wisely, closed their ears against the Word of God until misery gave them understanding to hear. For hunger yet more heavily assailing and oppressing them, the greater part are said to have thus spoken: "Behold, O worshipper of Christ! how wretched are we with want and misery, and our eyes fail us for every need ”
