Sir Patrick

“ Sir Patrick the elder was the first to regain command of himself, and the first use he made of the power of speech was to put a thousand questions to his son. The younger knight satisfied him as to everything, and concluded by giving him the history of his accident, and the glorious but afflicting death of his faithful old allounde.
“Poor fellow,” said the elder Sir Patrick, going up to the spot where he lay, and dropping a tear of gratitude over him—“poor fellow, he has died as a hero ought to do—nobly, in stark stoure in the field. ”

“ 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. ”

“ Nay, look not so serious, dearest Patrick! surely thou dost not doubt me in this matter?”
“Doubt thee, my Catherine!” said Sir Patrick, kissing her hand with fervour; “sooner would I doubt mine own existence;—thou art pure virgin truth itself! Think no more of it. Thou shalt have another and a richer one anon. But say, dearest! ”

“ When the tumult and shouting had died Patrick went in quest of the little Padre.
He discovered him sitting on the wreck of his bivouac of the night; he was clasping some small article to his bosom, and the look on his face was that of a man who had found his heart's desire.
Patrick sat himself down on a box of bombs, and looked humbly at the Reverend Paul. It is an awful thing for a man suddenly to find he has been entertaining a hero unawares. ”

“ 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. ”

“ Patrick was comfortably settled in the valley of Rosina, and intended to pass his life there, but an angel came to him and said, ‘Thou must leave this place to one who is not yet born.’ Patrick was annoyed, even angered, but obedient, and went off to Ireland, where he became a great man. ”

“ For he abode in the mountains, and in the woods, and in the caves of the wilderness, and having leisure for prayer, and knowing how kind was the Lord, freely and more freely did he pour forth the incense of his supplications in the presence of the Most High; and an hundred times in the day and an hundred times in the night did he on his bended knees adore his Creator, and often did he pray for a long time fasting, and, nourishing himself with the roots of herbs and with the lightest food, did he mortify his members which were stretched upon the earth. ”

“ The Callraighe of Cul-Cernadhan were in a secret place before Patrick, and they brought their spears close to their shields to assault Patrick and his people. "My debroth," said Patrick, "what you did is not good. Every battle and every conflict which you wage, and your children after you, will be gained over you." They forthwith knelt to Patrick, except five. Patrick said: "In any battle that may be won against you, though all Connacht be after you, no greater number than five shall fall of you." ”

“ With face of one who notes not shapes around,
But dreams some happy dream. The king drew nigh,
And on her golden head the sceptre staff
Leaning, but not to hurt her, thus began:
“Your prophets of the day, I trust them not!
If sent from God, why came they not long since?
Our Druids came before them, and, belike,
Shall after them abide! With these new seers
I count not Patrick. Things that Patrick says
I ofttimes thought. His lineage too is old—
Wide-browed, grey-eyed, with downward lessening face,
Not like your baser breeds, with questing eyes
And jaw of dog. ”

“ 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. ”

“ Patrick blessed the ground, and it swallowed the druids. Patrick went afterwards from Inis-Patrick, past Conaille, and past the coast of Ulster, until he stopped at Inbher-Brena. He went afterwards to Inbher-Slani, where the clerics hid their ships; and they went ashore to put off their fatigue, and to rest; so that there it was the swine-herd of Dichu, son of Trichim, found them, where Sabhall-Patrick is to-day. When he saw the divines and the clerics, he thought they were robbers or thieves, and he went to tell his lord; whereupon Dichu came, and set his dog at the clerics. ”

“ Patrick took the part of servants who had suffered hard usage from their masters. When he found youths of the lower ranks, who seemed to him fitted for a higher calling, he provided for their education, and trained them to be teachers of the people.
He had, from his youth, as we have seen, experienced the especial guidance of the Lord, and his heart was penetrated by it. Now, whilst he laboured in the fervour and power of faith, he was able to produce effects on the rude minds of the Irish, such as never could have been produced by ordinary human power. ”

“ As the people of Tara were thus, they saw the consecrated Easter fire at a distance which Patrick had lighted. It illuminated all Magh-Bregh. Then the king said: "That is a violation of my prohibition and law; and do you ascertain who did it." "We see the fire," said the druids, "and we know the night in which it is made. If it is not extinguished before morning," added they, "it will never be extinguished. The man who lighted it will surpass the kings and princes, unless he is prevented." ”

“ The honest joiner was ushered into a room where Sir Patrick sat in the midst of his family, acting at once as their schoolmaster and their playmate.
"Weel, James," said the laird, "I understand ye hae been at Berwick the day. Ye've got early back. What uncos heard ye there?"
"I watna, Sir Patrick," replied the other; "now-a-days, I think, there's naething unco that can happen. Satan seems to have been let loose on our poor misgoverned country. But I wish to speak to your honour very particularly, and in private, if you please." ”

“ And Patrick went to the place which the angel had pointed out unto him, and he found therein no small weight of gold. Wherefore he addressed for his ransom his hard and cruel master, and with the offering of the yellow metal induced his mind, greedy of gold, to grant unto him his freedom. ”

“ Then the shipmaster said to Patrick, “Now, O Christian, thou sayest thy God is great and almighty. Why then dost thou not pray for us? For we are in danger of starvation, and there is no likelihood of our seeing any man.” And Patrick, in the spirit of the missionary, replied, “Nothing is impossible to the Lord, my God. Turn to him truly, that he may send you food in your path this day till ye are filled, for he has plenty in all places.” ”

“ Both entertained Patrick in the reign of Laeghaire Mac Neill, and they are, and will be for ever, the same age. There is a man from him in Dromanna-Bregh; there is another man from him in Sliabh-Slainge—i.e., Domangart, son of Eochaidh. It is he that will raise Patrick's relics a little before the Judgment. His cell is Rath-Murbhuilg, at the side of Sliabh-Slainge; and there is always a shin (of beef) , with its accessories, and a pitcher of ale, before him every Easter, which is given to Mass people on Easter Monday always. ”

“ Patrick blessed the goblet again, and the ale changed into its natural state. The names of God and Patrick were magnified thereby. The hosts then went and took up their station outside Tara. "Let us work miracles," said Luchat Mael, "before the multitude in this great plain." Patrick asked; "What are they?" The druid said: "Let us bring snow upon the plain, so that the plain may be white before us." Patrick said to him: "I do not wish to go against the will of God." The druid said: "I will bring the snow upon the plain, though you like it not." ”

“ Therefore the king stayed, and, as these evil-doers advised, sent messengers unto Patrick, commanding that he should appear before him; and he forbade all his people that when he came any one should stand up before him. ”

“ Therefore it was that Patrick, at the command of the forementioned prince, was appointed to the care of the swine, and under his care the herd became fruitful and exceedingly multiplied. From whence it may well be learned that as the master's substance is often increased and improved by the attention of a diligent and fortunate servant or steward, so, on the other hand, is it reduced and injured under an idle or unprosperous hand. ”

“ The idea of labouring among the heathen, which may have been gradually, though quite unconsciously, gathering force and secretly winning possession of his brain, suddenly stood full-grown, as it were, face to face with him in a sensible shape. In a vision of the night it seemed to him that he saw a man standing by his side. It was a certain Victoricus. We may suppose that Patrick had made this man’s acquaintance in Gaul, and that he was interested in Ireland, but his only appearance in history is in Patrick’s dream. ”

“ Patrick, after his servitude and his affliction, obtained the primacy of the especial and spiritual dominion of Ireland. Joseph refreshed with corn the Egyptians oppressed by famine; Patrick, in process of time, fed with the salutary food of the Christian faith the Irish perishing under idolatry. To each was affliction sent for the profit of his soul, as is the flail to the grain, the furnace to the gold, the file to the iron, the wine-press to the grape, and the oil-press to the olive. ”

“ Patrick goes, by the order of his king, to smooth Macha, and he assigned the twelve lepers left in Ard-Phadraig to Mochta, and their food used to be given to them each night by Mochta. Patrick went afterwards to the macha, by order of the angel, to a place where Rath-Daire is this day. There was a certain prosperous and venerable person there. Daire was his name—i.e., Daire, son of Finchad, son of Eogan, son of Niallan. Patrick asked for a site for his regles from him. Daire answered: "What place do you desire?" ”

“ Come then, let him along with me, that I may show him to the Lady Mariota’s apartment. I swear by the Holy Rood, Sir Patrick, that the youth shall have justice—justice to the fullest extent of what he hath demanded. Clear the way, then, I say; come, Sir Page, come along; thou shalt dance hither anon at freedom, or thou shalt dangle it and dance it on the gallows-tree below, where many as brave and stout a youth as thou hath figured before thee. ”

“ The Lord said that there came not, and would not come, after the apostles, a man more illustrious, were it not for the hardness of the request which is granted thee. Strike thy bell," said the angel; "thou art commanded from heaven to fall on thy knees, that it may be a blessing to the people of all Eriu, both living and dead." "A blessing on the bountiful king that gave," said Patrick; "the Cruachan shall be left."
Patrick proceeded afterwards until he was in Achadhfobhair, where he celebrated the ordo at Easter. There are, moreover, "keepers" of Patrick's people in Eriu living still. ”

“ Three men fell—and on rushed Sir Patrick and his two people with a loud shout. The three, who yet stood against them, were panic-struck, and, ere they could well offer defence, they were also extended writhing among the heather, in the agonies of death; and the whole matter was over in less time than it has taken for me to tell of it. But, uncertain whether the partial covert of the pine-patch might not still shelter some more enemies, they rushed in among the trees, brandishing their reeking blades. Up started a youth from among some low brushwood, and ran off like a hare. ”

“ 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." ”

“ The epic simplicity of Patrick’s journey may be true to outward circumstances, but it is not possible to believe that he went out so purely at a venture, like one in a romance who fares forth, on a quest indeed and with a purpose, yet content to leave his course to be guided by fortune, without previous plan or calculation. The sole motive of Patrick’s northern journey is represented here as the hope of persuading his old master to become a Christian, whereas its actual and important result, the missionary work in southern Ulidia, appears almost as an accidental consequence. ”

“ Patrick said to Derball: "There shall be no king nor bishop of your family, and it will be allowable to the men of Munster to plunder you all every seventh year for ever as bare as a leek."
As Patrick was in the district of the Desi, awaiting the king of the country—i.e., Fergair, son of Rossa—Patrick said to him, after his arrival: "How slowly you come!" "The country is rough" [said he] . "True indeed," said Patrick. "There shall be no king from you for ever. What delayed you to-day?" asked Patrick. ”