Saint Patrick

“ Not a few have a character of the sublime; many are pathetic; some have a profound meaning under a strange disguise; but their predominant character is their brightness and gladsomeness. A large tract of Irish history is dark: but the time of Saint Patrick, and the three centuries which succeeded it, were her time of joy. That chronicle is a song of gratitude and hope, as befits the story of a nation’s conversion to Christianity, and in it the bird and the brook blend their carols with those of angels and of men. It was otherwise with the later legends connecting Ossian with Saint Patrick. ”

“ And at another time the aforementioned brothers, for the purpose of visiting Saint Patrick, took their way on foot over the sands of the sea-shore. And as they walked along, communing on the way together, behold, the flowing-in of the tide surrounded them, and, preventing all escape, smote them with the fear of death. Then the saint, instructed of heaven, saw their peril, and, showing it unto his disciples, professed that he grieved for them. ”

“ And while arrayed in armor they rose unto arms, they heard a voice from heaven, which seemed as the voice of Saint Patrick, staying their violence; and the sea, rising above its wonted bounds, reared itself as a wall, and separated the contending people, so that they could neither behold nor attack one the other ”

“ But what the saint foretold of his disciple Malachia happened in due time. Why, however, he did not this miracle himself, but willed it to be done by his disciples, is, I confess, to me and many such as I, utterly unknown. Yet by these things a wise man will understand that as Saint Patrick, in the name of the Lord, raised this dead body and divers others, so, what is still more excellent, his disciples, when enjoined by his commands and assisted by his prayers, were enabled to work this great miracle.
CHAPTER LXXXIV. The Prayers of the Saint confer Beauty on an Ugly Man. ”

“ Therefore is the strangeness of this miracle to be admired, the holiness of Patrick to be venerated, and in all these things the power of the omnipotent God to be adored; and herein by a most evident sign did the Lord illustrate Saint Patrick, whose preaching afterward inflamed many that had been frozen in unbelief with the fire of faith and of the charity of God. ”

“ And while Saint Patrick earnestly pursued his preaching of the divine Word, certain armed men of Callria met him, and violently expelled this angel of peace from their borders. But what the man of God beheld of them in the Spirit, deemed he that should not be concealed in silence. "Since ye have raised your arms against an unarmed man, and driven from your borders him announcing unto ye peace and preaching salvation, ye and your seed shall turn your backs in the day of battle." ”

“ And Saint Patrick in his journeying passed with his people through a forest in Midernia, and he met therein certain slaves that were hewing wood; and these men were under the yoke of a hard and cruel master, named Tremeus; and they hewed the wood with blunt axes, nor had they whetstones nor had they any other means whereon to sharpen them. Wherefore their strength failed, their arms stiffened, and the flesh fell from their hands, and the naked sinews were seen, and the miserable men wished rather for death than for life. ”

“ But the saint, beholding the multitude of chariots, began this verse: "Some in chariots, and some on horses; but we will invoke the name of the Lord." And when the king approached the place, the magicians advised him not to go near Saint Patrick, lest he should seem to honor him by his presence, and as if to reverence or adore him. ”

“ And their visions were true, as we know
From the facts which his histories paint.
XII.
Renowned was Saint Patrick through life,
And of error he was a dire foe;
Hence for ever his name shall be grand
Among the nations, as ages shall flow. ”

“ And in Lesser Britain lived a venerable man, named Vinvaloeus, who was even from his infancy renowned for signs and wonders; for as his acts are recorded, very many exceeding great miracles are attested to have been done by him. And he, the south wind so blowing that all his perfumes breathed forth, heard the holy name of Saint Patrick, and earnestly desired he to hasten unto the odor of his virtues. ”

“ Saint Patrick makes way into Fochlut wood by the sea, the oldest of Erin’s forests, whence there had been borne unto him, then in a distant land, the Children’s Wail from Erin. He meets there two young Virgins, who sing a dirge of man’s sorrowful condition. Afterwards they lead him to the fortress of the king, their father. There are sung two songs, a song of Vengeance and a song of Lament; which ended, Saint Patrick makes proclamation of the Advent and of the Resurrection. The king and all his chiefs believe with full contentment. ”

“ And from that hour, even unto the end of her life, was the fire of human love extinguished in her bosom, as if her body were of stone or wood, and not of flesh. And afterward she loved Saint Benignus with a pure and a saintly love, and she confessed that through his merits Saint Patrick had snatched her from the fire of hell. Now, for me, I do much more admire this quickening and refreshing of the soul unto life than the raising up of any man from death. ”

“ Before his death, Saint Patrick makes confession to his brethren concerning his life; of his love for that land which had been his House of Bondage; of his ceaseless prayer in youth: of his sojourn at Tours, where St. Martin had made abode, at Auxerres with St. Germanus, and at Lerins with the Contemplatives: of that mystic mountain where the Redeemer Himself lodged the Crozier Staff in his hand; of Pope Celestine who gave him his Mission; of his Visions; of his Labours. His last charge to the sons of Erin is that they should walk in Truth; that they should put from them the spirit of Revenge ”

“ In the legends of the Patrician Cycle the chief-loving old Bard is ever mournful, for his face is turned to the past glories of his country; while the Saint is always bright, because his eyes are set on to the glory that has no end.
These legends are to be found chiefly in several very ancient lives of Saint Patrick, the most valuable of which is the “Tripartite Life,” ascribed by Colgan to the century after the Saint’s death, though it has not escaped later interpolations. ”

“ As Saint Patrick, the preacher of truth, while yet living in the flesh, recalled and incited by his example and conversation many living men, who yet were dead, unto the true life, so did he by his prayers bring many who were buried unto the land of the living. ”

“ And Saint Patrick, induced by his holy custom, retained with him a certain leper, unto whom with intent devotion he ministered all things needful for the sake of Christ. Even with his own hands cleansed he his sores, and refreshed in him either man with fitting food. For the leper, the health of his body being almost destroyed, earnestly studied to preserve the health of his soul, and was continually intent on prayer and on rendering thanks unto God. ”

“ And Patrick, being pierced therewith in his heart, could not finish the letter; but awaking, he gave infinite thanks to God, for he was assured by the vision that the Lord had set him apart, even from his mother's womb, had by His grace called him to convert and to save the Irish nation, which seemed to desire his presence among them. And on this he consulted the angel of great counsel, and through the angel Victor he received the divine command that, quitting his father and his country, he should go unto France, there to learn the doctrine and the discipline of the Christian faith. ”

“ I, Patrick, a sinner, the rudest and least of all the faithful, and most contemptible to very many, had for my father Calpornius, a deacon, the son of Potitus, a priest, who lived in Bannaven Taberniae, for he had a small country-house close by, where I was taken captive when I was nearly sixteen years of age. I knew not the true God, and I was brought captive to Ireland with many thousand men, as we deserved; for we had forsaken God, and had not kept His commandments, and were disobedient to our priests, who admonished us for our salvation. ”

“ CHAPTER XLIII. Of the Miraculous but Terrible Rescue of Saint Patrick.
But the king, being much grieved at the death of the magician, burned with anger, and, with all the manifold multitude of his people, he arose to destroy the saint. And he, beholding their violence, and singing forth with a loud voice, began this verse from the Psalms: "Let God arise, and let His enemies be scattered, and let them who hate His face be put to confusion." Then the Lord, the protector of His chosen ones in the time of need, saved from this multitude his faithful servant ”

“ Where Dairè dwelt, its lord.
Saint Patrick sent
To Dairè embassage, vouchsafing prayer
As sire might pray of son; “Give thou yon hill
To Christ, that we may build His church thereon.”
And Dairè answered with a brow of storms
Bent forward darkly, and long, sneering lips,
“Your master is a mighty man, we know.
Garban, that lied to God, he slew through prayer,
And banned full many a lake, and many a plain,
For trespass there committed! Let it be!
A Chief of souls he is! No signs we work,
Rulers earth-born: yet somewhat are we here—
Depart! By others answer we will send.” ”

“ Nineteen Men are raised by Saint Patrick from the Dead.
But to these wonderful acts succeed yet more wonderful, and evidently show in His saint the wonderful God; for the next miracle deserveth even higher admiration. And as Patrick was one day preaching eternal punishment to those who resisted the commands of God, and the reward of eternal life to those who obeyed, his words were confirmed by the argument of an unheard miracle. ”

“ A certain powerful man had endowed with lands and possessions a church that he was about to build on his own estate; the which to govern, Saint Patrick would have appointed one among his disciples who was able unto the gaining of souls. But the man refused, saying that in his own family he had a priest whom he willed to place over his own church. Then the saint, deeming it unworthy to contend for such a matter, departed from the man. And he on the morrow brought unto the saint his son, desiring that he might be consecrated unto the bishopric of that church. ”

“ Is there anything more?" asked Patrick. "Yes," said the angel; "you shall have one man for every hair in your casula from pains on the Day of Judgment." "Which of the other saints who labor for God," said Patrick, "that would not bring that number to heaven? I shall not accept that," said Patrick.
"What will you accept, then?" asked the angel. "Here it is," said Patrick: "that I should bring from hell on the Day of Judgment seven persons for every hair in this casula." "It shall be granted to you," said the angel; "and depart from this Cruachan." ”

“ Entering, therefore, and going forward in the slippery paths of youth, he held his feet from falling, and the garment that nature had woven for him, unknowing of a stain, he preserved whole, abiding a virgin in the flesh and in the spirit. ”

“ Then did all who beheld this wondrous vision earnestly entreat of Saint Patrick that in that place, consecrated of heaven, he would build a church. But the saint refused, and prophesied unto them: "When threescore years have passed away, then shall a son of life be born, and his name shall be Comhgallus, which is, being interpreted, the Beautiful Pledge; for he shall be beloved of God and of man, and beautiful in his manners and in his merits ”

“ That hymn, at morning sung, and noon, and eve,
Even as it lulled the waves of warring clans
So lulled with music lives of toil-worn men
And charmed their ebbing breath. One time it chanced
When in his convent Kevin with his monks
Had sung it thrice, the board prepared, a guest,
Foot-sore and hungered, murmured, “Wherefore thrice?”
And Kevin answered, “Speak not thus, my son,
For while we sang it, visible to all,
Saint Patrick was among us. At his right
Benignus stood, and, all around, the Twelve,
God’s light upon their brows; while Secknall knelt
Demanding meed of song. ”

“ And first addressing the bishop, he bade him that he should thenceforth plough on the land, and fish in the water, lest he should seem to tempt the Lord his God; then, that he should not presume to glory in any miracle worked by him through the divine grace; and, lastly, the saint gave command that the men should be divided from the women, and that distinct dwellings and oratories should be builded for either sex. Thus truly, as Saint Patrick said, the name of God would not through them be dishonored among the nations to whom they preached it ”

“ To him with more profitable labor did Saint Patrick succeed, as is said in the Irish proverb, "Not to Palladius, but to Patrick, the Lord vouchsafed the conversion of Ireland." And the Pope, being certified of Palladius's death, immediately gave to Patrick the command, which hitherto, keeping more secret counsel, he had delayed, to proceed on his journey and on the salutary work of his legation. ”

“ Near this place is a stone which the inhabitants call Saint Patrick's Rock; for some believe that he was born thereon, and others that on it he celebrated Mass. As often as any controversy arises between the villagers or the neighbors which is thought fit to be determined by an oath, it is brought to this stone, and there, the sacrament being taken, the cause is decided. But if any perjurer or false witness laid his hand thereon, immediately it was wont to pour forth water, and the holiness of Patrick openly showed unto all how accursed was the crime of perjury or of false testimony ”