¹ The Life of Brigit begins.

² These are they who follow the spotless Lamb wherever he goes.

³ John, son of Zebedee, Jesus’ beloved disciple and heir of virginity, it was he who wrote these words and left them in remembrance in the Christian Church, for the praise and reward that God bestowed on the third order of the Church, that is, on the people of virginity, namely the teaching of the spotless Lamb.

⁴ Then John says here: “These are they who follow the Lamb, etc.” However, this is only a side note in John’s account, since he had said earlier in his Gospel: “No one can say the song except those 144,000 who were redeemed from the earth” [Rev. 14:3], that is, they receive the strength of the virtues in place of earthly things. No one comes into the world to offer worthy praise or to make a fitting hymn of thanksgiving to the Lord except someone who has duly kept the proper observance of each order of the Church, has preserved his lineage and virginity, and has been crowned through the price of Christ’s blood.

⁵ “For they are virgins.” For these indeed are the virgins, so that it is according to the meaning of these words that John says: “These are they who follow the Lamb wherever he goes,” that is, virgins, the third order of the Church. For there are orders of the Church to which the thirtyfold, the sixtyfold, and the hundredfold fruit is given, as John bears witness, saying: “See the Lamb of God, see him who takes away the sins of the world” [John 1:29]. The Lamb, moreover, is so called because of his innocence. “They follow the Lamb” — for what else is it to follow Christ except to imitate him, as Peter says: “Follow in his footsteps” [1 Peter 2:21], that is, follow him in the virginity of heart and flesh, for the flesh of the Lamb itself is virginal. For it profits no one to possess bodily virginity if the mind has been defiled by corruption, that is, it does not save anyone to have the body in virginity if the mind is impure. For virginity of the flesh is a body untouched by lust; virginity of the soul is incorrupt faith. Boasting, however, destroys virginity. For virgins who glory in their own merits are compared to hypocrites. For this is what it means in the Gospel that the virgins had no oil in their vessels, namely that they did not keep within their conscience the witness of good works, but sought glory outwardly among men. For this is what is in the Gospel: that the virgins who had no oil in their vessels are the virgins who do not truly keep the Lord’s commandment, but only boast before everyone.

⁶ This is false chastity, that is, virginity, wherever it may go. Each person follows this Lamb, that is, insofar as they imitate him. Not because he is the Son of God, but because he offered himself to the sons of men to be imitated, to whom the apostle says: “I appeal to you, brothers, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice” [Rom. 12:1], holy and pleasing to God, of the Old and New Testament. The noble fathers therefore observed the law of virginity in foreshadowing Christ. The Apostles and disciples of Jesus Christ, Son of God, who was still a martyr and the beloved friend of the Lord, and the saints and holy virgins of the world besides, observed it, just as the noble, honoured virgin did, for whose feast and commemoration this present age and season are celebrated, namely Saint Brigid, virgin of God. It is then that the Christians celebrate the feast and festival day of holy Brigid, namely on the Kalends of February, that is, on the day of the solar month. It is the same thing, and on whatever day of the week in the year it happens to fall.

⁷ Here, then, something is recounted about her miracles and wonders and about her bodily birth in the churches of the Christians.

⁸ Brigit, daughter of Dubthach son of Demri or Dreimne son of Bresal son of Dén son of Conla son of Artrach son of Artchirp son of Coirpre Nia son of Cormac son of Óengus Mínd son of Eochaid Fionn Fuath n-Airt son of Fédlimid Rechtid, and so forth.

⁹ Then there was Dubthach son of Démri. He bought a bondwoman, Broicsech was her name, daughter of Dall Brónach of Dál Conchobair in southern Brega. Dubthach desired her for intercourse, so that she might bear him a child. After that, Dubthach’s wife became jealous of the bondwoman; Brechtnat Blaithbec was the name of Dubthach’s wife, and the queen said: “If you do not sell me this bondwoman into distant lands, I shall leave you; that is, my gifts from you will be lessened, and I shall go away from you.”

¹⁰ It was not Dubthach’s wish to sell the bondwoman at all.

¹¹ Dubthach and his bondwoman went together in a chariot past the house of a certain druid. When the druid heard the sound of the chariot, he said: “Look, boy, who is in the chariot, for here is the sound of a king’s chariot.” The boy said: “Dubthach is there.” The druid then went to the front of the chariot. He asked whose the woman in the chariot was. Dubthach said: “That is my bondwoman,” he said. The druid’s name was Maithgen; from him Ross Maithgen is named. The druid asked whose child the bondwoman was to bear. “From Dubthach,” said the bondwoman. The druid said that the birth would be marvellous; there will be nothing like it on earth.

¹² Dubthach said: “I will not let my wife have my goods unless this bondwoman is sold.”

¹³ The druid said through the gift of prophecy: “Your wife will bear you offspring from this bondwoman’s line; for the bondwoman will bear a noble, honoured daughter before the people of the earth. As the sun shines among the stars, so the deeds and splendour of the maiden will shine.”

¹⁴ Dubthach and the bondwoman were glad because of this. Dubthach said: “I have sons already; I should be glad, then, if I had a daughter as well.”

¹⁵ After that, Dubthach went to his house with his bondwoman. But the woman was still jealous of the bondwoman.

¹⁶ Great indeed was the honour of this maiden before God, for two bishops came from among the Britons, from Alba or Scotland, to prophesy concerning her and to consecrate her, namely Bishop Mel and Melchu — those were their names. Dubthach welcomed them, and the bondwoman served them humbly and waited upon them. Dubthach’s wife was sorrowful because of this. Bishop Mel asked her the cause of her sadness. The woman said: “Because Dubthach has preferred his bondwoman to me.” Bishop Mel said: “It shall be thus, as I have said, for your offspring will come from the bondwoman’s offspring; but her offspring will succeed your offspring.” She was angry because of that. Then the bishop asked her: “How many sons do you have?” said he. The woman said: “Seven sons,” said she. Bishop Mel said: “I shall take the seventh son, and he will be the worst of them; and the other sons will be evil to you, unless they acknowledge the bondwoman’s offspring. And you yourself will be cursed for the wickedness you do to the bondwoman.”

¹⁷ After those words, then, a certain druid came from the territory of Uí Macc Uais on a quest for treasure to Dubthach’s house. But when the druid realised that it was the bondwoman who was the cause of the wife’s anger, the druid said: “Will you sell the bondwoman?” “I will sell her,” said Dubthach. The bishops said: “Sell the bondwoman, and do not sell the child that is in her womb.” Dubthach did as they said.

¹⁸ The druid and the slave-girl went out with him. The druid went with his slave-girl to his house.

¹⁹ A certain poet came from Crích Conaille to the house of the druid mentioned above, for the price of a slave-boy or a slave-girl. The druid sold the slave-girl, but not the unborn child. It then came about that the druid held a great feast, and he invited the king of Conaille to the feast. And then it was time for the king’s wife to conceive. There was a prophet in the king’s company, and the king’s friend asked him: when would it be good for the queen to conceive the royal seed? The prophet said: “The child that is conceived tomorrow at sunrise would surpass every conception in Ireland.” So the queen conceived at that time, and bore a dead son. Then the poet asked the prophet when it would be good for the slave-girl to conceive. The prophet said: “The child that is conceived tomorrow at sunrise, and is neither in a house nor outside it, would surpass every birth in Ireland.”

²⁰ The slave-girl went the next morning at sunrise, carrying a vessel full of milk in her hand. When she put one foot over the threshold of the house inside and the other foot outside, then the girl was born, that is, Saint Brigid.

²¹ The maidservants washed the girl of the milk that was in her mother’s hand. That was fitting, indeed, for the revelation of Saint Brigid, namely for her beauty and the brightness of her virginity.

²² On Wednesday, then, in the eighth hour, Brigit was born in Fochart Muirthemni. There is still, to the south-east of the church, the flagstone on which Brigit was born. And the girl was taken at once after her birth to the queen’s dead son. And when Brigit’s breath reached him, he rose from death at once.

²³ Afterwards the druid and the slave-girl went with her daughter into the territory of Connacht. Her mother was of the Connachta, her father of Munster, and her home was among the Connachta.

²⁴ On another day the slave-girl went to visit her, and her daughter was hidden in her house. Some people saw the beauty of the house where the girl was, blazing so that it made a fiery flame from the earth to heaven. When they came to help the house, the fire had died down, and they said that the girl was full of the grace of the Holy Spirit.

²⁵ One day the druid and the slave-girl went round her on their circuit. The covering over the girl’s head caught fire. When the druid and the slave-girl stretched out their hands to her, the fire did not die down.

²⁶ Then, as the druid slept, he saw three clerics in bright garments, that is, three angels from heaven. And they poured oil over the head of Saint Brigit until they had completed the rite of baptism. And the third cleric said to the druid: “This holy girl’s name shall be Sancta Brigita.” The druid rose and told what he had seen.

²⁷ The holy girl, Brigit, was reared amid worldly life, and likewise in virtues besides, and in resistance, that is, in opposing the druid’s instruction and in asking. The druid pondered the girl. It seemed to him that it was because of the purity of her body. Then a white cow with red ears gave milk to Brigit, and a heathen woman gave milk to her. The girl consumed that nourishment.

²⁸ That holy girl was brought up so that she was a servant, and whatever her hand touched she would either distribute or offer to God. Whatever little creature she saw, she would nourish, and she and her servants. She would heal the sick. She would serve the blind. She would feed the poor.

²⁹ Brigit desired to go to visit her native land, and the druid sent messengers to Dubthach to have him come to see his daughter. The messengers told Dubthach of the signs and many miracles in his daughter. Dubthach then went, and the druid welcomed him, and gave him his noble daughter.

³⁰ After that, Dubthach and his daughter Brigit went into the territory of Uí Failge. It is then that Brigit worked a marvellous miracle: namely, her mother was in an unbearable illness. The mother sent for Saint Brigit and another girl together with her. A certain man, whose name was Boethcú, came to the house to ask for a drink of ale. Brigit refused him. Brigit then filled a vessel from another well, and blessed it so that it changed into the taste of ale, and she gave it to her mother, so that she was immediately cured by it. When it was carried to be drunk at the feast, not a drop was found missing from it.

³¹ One of Brigit’s miracles was when she was minding Dubthach’s pigs. Two thieves came and stole two boars from the herd. They crossed the plain until Dubthach met them, and he exacted a fine for his pigs from them. Dubthach said to Brigit: “Was the tending of the pigs good, daughter?” said he. Brigit said to Dubthach: “I am counting the pigs.” Dubthach counted the pigs, and nothing of them was missing.

³² Then men came to Dubthach to seek satisfaction. Dubthach divided the salt meat into five portions and left it with Brigit to cook. A hungry hound came into the house to Brigit. Brigit gave it one of the five portions out of mercy. After the hound had eaten that portion, Brigit gave it another portion. Dubthach came after that and said to Brigit: “Did you boil the salt meat, and did all the portions remain?” “I am counting them,” said Brigit. Dubthach counted them, and nothing of them was missing. Dubthach’s servants saw what Brigit had done. “What a pity,” said Dubthach, “the miracles of that girl.” Afterwards the servants did not eat the food, for it was too marvellous. Instead, it was distributed to the poor and to the needy of the Lord.

³³ Once a believing woman went to Dubthach, asking that Brigit should go with her to Mag Léne, for the synod of Leinster was gathered there. In a vision a holy man who was in the assembly was revealed to her, namely Muire Ingen, coming to the assembly, and he said to her that there was no man-king in the assembly. The woman then went the next day, and Brigit with her, to the assembly. And the one who had seen the vision said this: “This is the Muire I saw,” said he to Brigit. All the hosts blessed Saint Brigit under the name and honour of Muire. Thus Brigit is the Mary of the Gaels from then onwards.

³⁴ Once, through the grace of the Holy Spirit, it came into Brigit’s mind to go and enquire about her mother, who was in the deer-park, and she asked her father’s permission, but he did not grant it to her. So she went to Dubthach without his permission. Her mother was delighted when she arrived. Her mother was sick, feverish, leprous, and [damaged text]. Then Brigit at once divided her yield into twelve portions, in honour of the twelve apostles and the Creator, and set the thirteenth portion so that it was greater than every other portion, in honour of Jesus Christ, and afterwards gave it all to the poor of the Lord. However, the druid’s shepherd marvelled at the arrangement Brigit made with the milk. Then Brigit said: “Christ, with his twelve apostles, preached to the people of the world. In his name I satisfy the poor, for Christ is present in the person of every faithful poor man.”

³⁵ Then the steward, that is, the shepherd, went to the druid’s house, and the druid and his wife asked him: “Is the young stock being well looked after?” As the steward said, the shepherd replied: “I am thankful for whatever is provided and for the larger of the calves,” for he dared not look at Brigit’s nakedness in her presence. The steward brought with him a basket, eight spans high. Then the steward said to Brigit: “The druid and his wife are coming to have this basket filled from the butter of the byre, that is, the cattle-yard.” “A blessing on them,” said Brigit. The druid and his wife came to the byre and saw the fat calves. Brigit welcomed them and gave them food. Then the druid’s wife said to Brigit: “This is why we have come, to find out whether the person you were entrusted to has taken hold of what was assigned to you. What butter have you got?” She had nothing in her keeping except the yield of one half-measure, and she gave that first. Then the druid’s wife was satisfied and said: “It is good,” said she, “to fill my big basket with this amount of butter.” “Fill your basket,” said Brigit, “and He will give you butter in return.” She would still go behind her, and would give half the produce of whatever she saw from it, for it was not God’s will that her face should be taken from her until the basket had been filled in that way, and that is what she would take when going behind her.

³⁶ “O God, my own great Lord, until the end of all things, bless, O loud God without prohibition, with your right hand, this milk-pail. May the Son of Mary, my friend, bless my milking, the ruler of the world to its brink; may abundance be mine through sitting.”

³⁷ The druid and his wife honoured the Lord through the miracle they had seen, and then the druid said to Brigit: “The butter and the cows you milk, I dedicate them to you. I shall have no more concern with the deer-park except service to the Lord.” Brigit answered him and said: “Take the cows, and give me my mother’s freedom.” The druid said: “Your mother shall indeed be freed. The cows shall be given to you, and whatever you say, I shall do.” Brigit distributed the cows to the poor and to God’s needy people. The druid was baptised and became a believer, and from that time onward he remained in Brigit’s company.

³⁸ Brigit came afterwards, with her mother, to her father’s house. Dubthach and his wife then desired to sell the holy Brigit into the deer-park, for Dubthach was angry that she had given away his wealth and possessions to the poor, and that is what Brigit did. So Dubthach went in a chariot, and Brigit with him. Dubthach said to Brigit: “It is not for your honour or respect that you are carried in a chariot, but to be taken to be sold and to be made to grind meal for Dúnlang son of Enda, king of Leinster.” When they reached the king’s fort, Dubthach went into the fort to the king. Brigit remained in the chariot at the fort gate. Dubthach left his sword in the chariot in Brigit’s presence. A lame man came to Brigit asking for alms. She gave Dubthach’s sword to him. Dubthach said to the king: “The bondslave girl, that is, my daughter,” said he. Dúnlang said: “Why are you selling your own daughter?” Dubthach said: “There is no reason, except that she sold my wealth and gave it to the poor.” The king said: “The girl comes into the fort.” Dubthach comes before Brigit and becomes angry at her for giving the sword to the poor man. When Brigit came into the king’s presence, the king said to her: “When your father’s wealth is the selling-price of a handmaid, it is far better that I buy your wealth and your property for myself, and that you give it to the poor.” Brigit said: “May the Son of the Virgin be my witness that, if it were in my power, I would give to the Lord all the creatures and all wealth in Leinster.” The king said to Dubthach: “You and your wife are not fit to bargain over this girl, for her worth before God is greater than before men.” And the king gave a gold sword to Dubthach in return for her. And so Saint Brigit the virgin was freed from captivity.

³⁹ Soon afterwards, a man of noble birth came to Dubthach to ask for his daughter. Dubthach and his sons were willing to do this. Brigit was then pressed hard. Her brother spoke to her, namely Beccán, that was his name: “It is a pity for the fair eye I see, that it is not under a man’s care.” “May the Son of the Virgin know,” said Brigit, “that we shall not be cheerful if it is he who pours dust upon us.” Brigit then put her finger beneath her eye and drew it out of her head so that it lay on her cheek, and said: “Here for you is your lovely eye, Beccán.” Then his eye was dimmed at once. When Dubthach and her brother saw this, they vowed that she should go to a man for ever. Then she put her fingertip to his eye, and it was sound at once. Beccán’s eye, however, was not sound until his death.

⁴⁰ Dubthach said to Brigit: “Daughter,” said he, “put a veil on your head. If you have dedicated your virginity to God, I shall not hinder you.” “Thanks be to God,” said Brigit.

⁴¹ Brigit and another girl went together to receive the veil from Bishop Mel in Telach Mide. He was glad to see them. Brigit remained in humility, so that she should be the last to whom the veil would be given. A column of fire rose over her head to the roof-beam of the church. Bishop Mel asked: “Who is this girl?” Mac Caille answered: “That is Brigit,” said he. “Come, holy Brigit, so that a veil may be blessed upon your head before the other maidens,” said Bishop Mel.

⁴² This happened there through the grace of the Holy Spirit, in token of the bishop’s order being conferred on Brigit. Mac Caille said that it was not the order of a bishop for a woman. Bishop Mel said: “I cannot change it, for this dignity was given by God beyond every other woman to her.” Thus it is by the honour of a bishop that the men of Ireland give precedence to Brigit’s successor.

⁴³ In the eighth hour she was born. In the eighteenth she received the veil over her head. In the twenty-eighth she went to heaven. At the ninth hour Brigit was consecrated with the number of the eight Beatitudes which she fulfilled. The foot of the altar that was in Brigit’s hand still remains, though the other three feet were burned. ‍

⁴⁴ One of Brigit’s miracles was this: when the feast of Easter was drawing near, Brigit took up a certain place near Bishop Mel, close by the chapel. It was fitting for Brigit, through her charity, to make ale for the many churches that were around her, and it was not customary to make ale in that time. But Brigit brought only one measure of malt. The people of Brigit had only two vessels. They made two batches in the one vessel and filled the other vessel with the ale. And the girls still used to carry the ale from Brigit to the churches. And Brigit still had the vessel at hand until the yield of the one measure of malt was increased through Brigit’s blessing among the seven churches of Fir Telach, at the chapel, on the day of Easter.

⁴⁵ When the feast of Easter had been completed, Brigit asked her girls whether there was any lack among them of drink for Easter. The girls said: “God will provide food,” said they. Then two girls came in, with a basket full of water with them. “The Son of the Virgin knows,” said Brigit, “that there is good there.” She thought that it was ale. No sooner had she said that than the water was changed at once into choice ale.

⁴⁶ Brigit went to a certain church in the land of Thebes to celebrate Easter. When Brigit had given instruction on Thursday to the elders and to the feeble people who were in the church, there were four sick people there, namely a leper, a madman, a blind man, and a cripple. Brigit made them whole, four in all, and healed each of them at once from every disease that was upon them.

⁴⁷ Once Brigit was in a house receiving guests, and all went out except a boy of fourteen years who had never spoken and had no use of either foot or hand. Brigit did not know that he was like that. Then the guests came in to Brigit. Brigit said to the boy at the guests’ request: “I will do it,” said the boy. He rose at once and served the guests. And from that time onwards he was completely healed.

⁴⁸ And then the men of Ireland held an assembly at Tailtiu, where Patrick and a synod of the clergy of Ireland were gathered. Brigit and Bishop Míl went to the assembly. Then another woman came to the assembly with a child in her hand, and she said that the child was by Bishop Brón. The bishop denied it. Brigit asked the woman by whom the child had been conceived, and told her not to speak a lie. The woman replied, “It is by Bishop Brón,” said she. Then a swelling came at once into his tongue so that he was unable to speak. Brigit laid the edge of the crozier over the child’s mouth, and asked, “Who is your father?” The child answered and said, “A noble man who is in the assembly, that is my father,” said he. So Bishop Brón was healed in that way through the grace of Brigit.

⁴⁹ Brigit went to speak with Patrick at Mug Lemne, where he was preaching the Gospel. Brigit fell asleep during the preaching. Patrick said, “Why have you fallen asleep?” Brigit bowed her knees three times, and said, “I have seen a vision,” said she. Patrick said, “Tell us the vision.” “I have seen,” said she, “four white furrows stretching south-east across the whole island, and before their seed had been sown the crop had grown. White wells and bright streams came out of the ridges, and white garments were around the seedbeds and around the granaries. I have seen four other furrows to the north, and they stretched across the island, and before the crop had been sown again the corn had grown. It was then that the barley was immediately ripe, and black streams came out of the ridges, and black garments were around the seedbeds and around the granaries. And I was sorrowful at that,” said Brigit. ‍

⁵⁰ Patrick said: “Do not be sad, for what you have seen is good. The first four furrows you saw are myself and you: we shall sow the four books of the Gospel with the seed of faith and repentance. The crop that will grow for you beforehand will be the perfection of those people. The other four furrows are those deceitful teachers and liars: they will sow against the teaching of the faith. And that abundance shall come to pass. We, I and you, shall then be before the face of the Creator.”

⁵¹ Brigit then went to Dúnlaing to ask that the sword he had given him, when he was at the door in the fort, be released to her father. Then a servant came from the king’s servants to speak with Brigit, and said to her: “If you would free me from the service under which I am, I would be yours as a Christian. I would serve you myself.” Brigit said: “I will speak that to the king.” Brigit then went into the fort and asked the king for two favours: that the sword be given to Dubthach, and that the servant be set free. Brigit said to the king: “If you grant me a distinguished family, kingship for your sons, and heaven for yourself, grant me these two requests that I ask.” The king said to Brigit: “The kingdom of heaven I do not ask, for I do not see it and I do not know what it is that I am asking for. The kingship for my sons I do not ask either, for they will not live to rule in it, and each one has his own appointed time. Grant me a long life in the kingship, victory in every battle against the Uí Néill, for war often arises between us, and grant me victory in the first battle, so that I may be a believer in the other battles.” And this was fulfilled in the battle of Lochair against the Uí Néill.

⁵² On one occasion the king of Leinster came to hear Brigit’s preaching and celebrate Easter with her. After the rite of the celebration was completed, the king went away on his journey. Brigit went to dine. Lomman, Brigit’s bald man, said that nothing should be eaten until the arms and weapons of the king of Leinster were brought back, namely his spear, sword, and shield. He was thus stirred up on her behalf. A messenger went from Brigit after the king. From midday until None the king was on the move, and he had not gone even a thousand paces when the arms were taken from him and given to the bald man.

⁵³ On another occasion Bishop Erc and Brigit were in the land of Leinster. She said to Bishop Erc: “There is a battle now between your people and their kinsmen.” A young cleric from Bishop Erc’s household said: “We do not think so,” said he, “for that would be true.” Brigit blessed the young cleric’s eyes. The young cleric said: “I see my brothers being killed now.” Then the young cleric was deeply repentant. ‍

⁵⁴ On another occasion a certain cripple came to Brigit to ask for a cow. Brigit said to him: “Which do you prefer, to take away a cow or to be cured of your lameness?” The cripple said that he would rather be cured of his lameness than be given the kingship of the whole world. “For every healthy man is a king,” said he. Brigit then prayed to God that the cripple might be healed, and that he might afterwards serve Brigit.

⁵⁵ When Brigit’s fame had spread throughout all Ireland in miracles and wonders, two Britons came, and with them a little crippled boy to be healed by Brigit. And they placed their trust in Bishop Míl for his healing. Brigit said: “Let him be in the field until the beginning (?) of the celebration.” The Britons then said, in annoyance at those people: “You healed people of your own nation yesterday without healing us today.” Brigit prayed, and the three of them were healed at once. ‍

⁵⁶ After that Brigit went with her virgins to the ordination of Bishop Míl. The king of Tethba was nearby, at a feast. The king had in his hand a silver vessel of workmanship. A certain impatient man took it from his hand, and it fell and was broken into pieces. That man was arrested by the king. Bishop Míl went to ask for it, and got nothing from the king except his death. Bishop Míl, however, requested that the broken vessel be given to him by the king, and he set out again and took it with him to the house where Brigit was. Brigit prayed to the Lord that the vessel should be restored to a better form. It was then brought back to the king, and the prisoner was released. Bishop Míl said: “It is not against me that God performs this miracle, but against Brigit.”

⁵⁷ On another occasion Brigit went to the funeral rites of a certain maiden, namely Brigit daughter of Congal, who performed many miracles. And when they were eating, that is, Brigit with her virgins, Brigit remained in the middle of the meal. And she said to one of the young girls: “Make the sign of Christ over your face and over your two eyes, so that you may see what I see.” Then the young girl saw Satan by the side of the table, with his head down and his feet up, with fire and flame coming out of his belly and out of his nostrils. Brigit said to the demon, so that he might answer her: “I cannot bear a nun without speaking to her, for you keep the commandments of God. You have dealings with the poor and with God’s people.”

⁵⁸ “Tell us,” said Brigit, “what is the reason for your hostility in your dealings with the human race?”

⁵⁹ The demon said: “So that the race should not reach Paradise,” said he.

⁶⁰ Brigit said to the demon: “Why have you come to us here among our nuns?”

⁶¹ “There is a certain devout young woman here,” said the demon, “and you are in her company.”

⁶² Brigit said to the young woman: “Make the sign of Christ over your eyes.” And the young woman at once saw that hideous creature there. And great fear seized the young woman when she saw the demon.

⁶³ “Why, then,” said Brigit, “is the soul of the foster-child whom you are healing being held so long?”

⁶⁴ The young woman then did penance, and she was healed from the demon’s malice and envy that had been in her company.

⁶⁵ On one occasion Brigit went across Tethba, with a great host in her company. There were two cripples behind them, and they quarrelled on the road. The one of them who first raised his hand had his hand struck. Then the other cripple’s hand was struck as well. After that they did penance, and Brigit healed them of their lameness.

⁶⁶ On one occasion Brigit was in Armagh with her virgins. Two dry, weary women came to them, water over them. They came to Brigit for a blessing. A dry stream followed after them, and went ridge over ridge from the door of Rath to Loch Lapan, and neither broke nor let a single drop from it. It was clear to everyone that it was Brigit’s blessing that they had received. Patrick said: “Let the water be divided over Armagh and over Airthera.” Then it was divided, and every sickness and every affliction that was in the land was healed.

⁶⁷ Brigit went into the territory of Fer Ross to free a captive who was in the king of Fer Ross’s hands. Brigit said: “Will you set that captive free for me?” The king said: “What would you give me for it? I would not give you the kingship of the men of Brega. But do not come under surety,” said the king. “His life shall be given to you for the space of one night.” Brigit then took pity on the captive. When the fetter was to be taken off him, she said: “Take up this hymn, and flee to your right.” It was done thus, and the captive escaped at Brigit’s word.

⁶⁸ On another occasion Brigit came over Slieve Bloom one day. There was a madman in the mountain, plundering the district. Great fear seized the virgins who were with Brigit when they saw the madman. Brigit said to the demon: “A word of God has happened here for us.” “I cannot,” said he, “without doing you homage, for mercy is due to the people of the Lord, that is, to the poor and to the wretched.” Then the madman said: “The Lord honours a nun, and everyone will honour her. Love the Lord, and everyone will love you. Fear the Lord, and everyone will fear you.” Then the madman went away from them and did them no harm.

⁶⁹ On one occasion Brigit, coming from captivity across the Plain of Leinster, saw a scholar’s son running by, namely Ninnid the student.

⁷⁰ “What are you doing, young man,” said Brigit, “and why are you going so fast?”

⁷¹ “To heaven,” said the scholar.

⁷² “The Son of the Virgin knows,” said Brigit, “the reason why I should go with you.”

⁷³ The scholar said: “O nun, do not hinder my journey, or, if you do wish to hinder me, pray to the Lord with me, so that it may be easy for me to go to heaven.” “I will pray to God with you,” said she, “so that it may be easy for you, and that he may bring you, with great hosts, to heaven.”

⁷⁴ Brigit said the Pater Noster with him, and from that time onward he was devout. And Brigit said that there should be neither rule nor penance imposed on him, and it was he who afterwards gave Communion and the sacrament to Brigit.

⁷⁵ Brigit went with Bishop Ibar, who consecrated her church, and then they went to the place where Kildare stands today. It was then that Ailill son of Dúnlang came, with a hundred horsemen, through the middle of Kildare in a woollen cloak. Two girls from Brigit came out to ask for something from the rods. Complaint was made against them. At once all their horses were hobbled beneath their horsemen, down on the ground. Their horses were fettered and hobbled, and they did not rise until Ailill son of Dúnlang had sent that hundred horsemen to Brigit. It was from this that Tech Sanct Brigte in Kildare was founded.

⁷⁶ Then Brigit said—

⁷⁷ “O God, guard my house as its destruction is warded off; may the lordship of Leinster be, until doom, with Ailill son of Dúnlang.” ‍

⁷⁸ Then the two lepers came asking alms to Brigit. There was no one in the household except one cow. So Brigit gave the cow to the lepers. One of the lepers gave thanks to God for the cow. The other leper was displeased, for he was proud.

⁷⁹ “I have gone,” said he, “so that I may have the cow to myself. Up to now,” said he, “I, monks and nuns, have never reckoned among the servants of God, or among the poor and the sick, and I shall not now be in partnership over the one cow.”

⁸⁰ Then Brigit said to the humble leper: “Stay here a while, until she gives something to the household,” and the proud leper went off with his cow. Then some layman came with a cow to Brigit. Brigit gave that cow to the humble leper. When the proud leper had gone on his way, his cow bolted and ran off by itself. Then it came back again to Brigit, to the place where its owner was, who was cursing and reproaching Brigit. “It was not for God,” said he, “that you made your offering, but because you were led astray by greed and pride against me.” ‍

⁸¹ Then the two lepers went on to the Barrow. The river rose up against them. The humble leper escaped with his cow through St Brigit’s blessing. However, the proud leper fell into the stream, together with his cow beneath him, and was drowned.

⁸² On another occasion Rigan, daughter of Crémthann son of Enna Cennselaig, that is, the Queen of Leinster, came with a silver chain to offer it to Brigit. On one end of it was a figure in the shape of a man, and on the other end a silver apple. Brigit gave it to the young men. They put it away without Brigit’s knowledge, for Brigit was often in the habit of taking her cattle and giving them to the poor. Then a leper came to Brigit, and Brigit asked the young men for the chain without their knowing it, and gave it to him. When the young men learnt of it, they said with great bitterness and annoyance: “Little good is your mercy to us, for everyone,” they said, “and all too little are we in getting food and clothing.” “You are delaying it,” said Brigit. “Go into the church, the place where prayer is made. There you will find your chain.” They went at Brigit’s word. But although it had been given to the poor, the young men found the chain there.

⁸³ On another occasion Brigit saw a man with salt on his back. “What is on your back?” said Brigit. “Stones,” said the man. “Then they shall be stones indeed,” said Brigit. And the salt was turned into stones. The same man came back again, and as he passed Brigit she asked, “What is on your back?” “Salt,” said the man. “Then it shall be salt indeed,” said Brigit. And it was turned back into salt by the word of Brigit.

⁸⁴ On another occasion two lepers came to be healed by Brigit. Brigit said to one of the lepers: “Wash the other.” He did so, and was cured at once. Brigit said to the healthy leper: “Do to the other leper what I have done to you, and wash the body of the man who made you clean.” “But as for where we have come,” said he, “we shall not meet, for the proper thing for you is your veil,” said he, “while I am clean in all my limbs, and the same fresh, clean garment washes the dirty body of that leper and his dark, grimy limbs are falling off him.” Then Brigit herself washed the humble, wretched leper. The proud leper, who had been washed first, said then: “I declare,” said he, “that a great flame of fire is going through my skin.” Then indeed he was suddenly struck down by leprosy from the top of his head to the soles of his feet, because of his pride towards Brigit.

⁸⁵ On another occasion Brigit, as she was going towards the bishop’s hand, saw a goat’s head in the chalice of the offering. Brigit hurled the chalice of the offering. “Why,” said the man of God, “do you hurl it?” “There is a reason why I hurl it,” said Brigit. “A goat’s head,” she said, “has appeared to me in the chalice of the offering.” The bishop called the servant who had committed the offence. “Confess your fault, servant,” said the bishop. “This morning,” said the servant, “I went into the goat-house and stole a fat goat out of it. And I ate its flesh.” The servant was punished and did penance. Brigit went towards the bishop’s hand afterwards, and did not see the apparition.

⁸⁶ On another occasion seven bishops came to Brigit, and she had nothing to give them. After the cows had been milked three times, the cows were milked again the third time, and the yield was greater than every other milking.

⁸⁷ On another occasion, a certain nun of Brigit’s household took a longing for salt. Brigit prayed, and the stone that was in her presence turned into salt, and the nun was healed afterwards.

⁸⁸ On another occasion a labourer of Brigit’s household was cutting wood. It happened that he had killed a little fox, and the King of Leinster had the labourer seized by the king. Brigit ordered a wild fox to come out of the wood. Then it came, and at Brigit’s command it was playing tricks and mocking the host and the king. When the fox had finished its antics, it went safely through the wood, and the host of Leinster, on foot and on horseback and with hounds, followed after it.

⁸⁹ Among Brigit’s miracles was this: she had a great reaping-party at work. A shower of rain fell over Mag Life, and not a drop fell in her field through Brigit’s prayer.

⁹⁰ Among Brigit’s miracles was this: she blessed the blind man so that both his eyes were healed.

⁹¹ Among Brigit’s miracles was this: thieves stole her cattle. The River Liffey rose up against them. The cattle came home the next day with the thieves’ clothes on their horns.

⁹² Among Brigit’s miracles was this. God brought her together with a widowed woman, namely Lassair of Mag Chail. Her cow had killed Brigit’s calf, and she had burnt her clothes under it. God brought it about for Brigit that the clothes were whole again the next day, and the calf was with its mother.

⁹³ On another occasion Brendan came from the west of Ireland to seek out Brigit at Mag Liffe, for the fame Brigit had for miracles and wonders seemed marvellous to him. Brigit went out from among her sheep to welcome Brendan. When Brigit came into the house, she flung her wet cloak onto the sunbeams, and they supported it like a rod. Brendan said to his servant to put his cloak on the same sunbeams. And the servant flung it on them, so that one of them fell a long way off. Brendan himself flung it a third time in anger and fury, and the cloak rested on them.

⁹⁴ Then each of them gave the other his due. Brendan said: “It was not my custom to go seven times without my mind being on God.” Brigit said: “Since I once set my mind on God, I have never taken it away at all.”

⁹⁵ When Brigit was minding sheep, thieves came to her. And they stole seven sheep from her, after first beating them. Afterwards, when the flock had been counted, the sheep were restored again through St Brigit’s prayer.

⁹⁶ Then a certain man of Brigit’s household brewed mead for the king of Leinster, when the king came to partake of it. Not a drop was found in it, for Brigit had given all the mead to the poor. Brigit rose at once to save the host, and blessed the vessels, and they were instantly filled with choice mead. Whatever Brigit asked of the Lord was given to her at once. For this was her desire: to satisfy the poor, to drive away every distress, and to show mercy to every wretched person.

⁹⁷ Many indeed were the miracles and wonders in that manner which the Lord worked for holy Brigit. So many that no one is able to recount them, unless his own spirit were to come, or an angel of God from heaven, to tell them.

⁹⁸ There was never anyone more modest or more courteous than that holy young woman. She never washed her hands, nor her feet, nor her head among men. Nor did she ever look upon a man’s form. She never spoke without the salt of grace in her. She was gentle. She was lovely. She was disciplined. She was devout. She was joyful in the commandments of God. She was steadfast. She was humble. She was forgiving and loving. She was a chaste vessel guarding the body of Christ. She was a temple of God. She was a throne of steadfastness for the Holy Spirit in her heart and mind. She was devoted to God. She was sorrowful for the poor. She was rich in miracles. For that reason her likeness among creatures is the dove among birds, the vine among trees, the sun above the stars.

⁹⁹ Her father is the heavenly Father, this holy maiden’s father. Her Son is Jesus Christ. Her foster-father is the Holy Spirit. Therefore this holy maiden works the great, innumerable miracles.

¹⁰⁰ She is the helper of every one who is in need and in danger. She it is that stills the storms. She it is that calms the waves and the fury of the great sea. She is this prophetess of Christ. She is the Queen of the South. She is Mary of the Gaels.

¹⁰¹ Then Brigit came to the end of her days, after founding churches and building many cells. In miracles and wonders, she was as numerous as the grains of sand of the sea or the stars of heaven. After almsgiving and compassion, she received communion and the sacrament from Ninded Lámidan, after he had come from Rome in Latium. And after that her spirit went to heaven. Her body and her relics, however, are in the earthly world, with great honour and reverence, with miracles and wonders. Her soul is in the heavenly city, among the choirs of angels and archangels, in the unity of the cherubim and seraphim, in the unity of the noble, holy Trinity of Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

¹⁰² I ask the mercy of the Lord, through the intercession of holy Brigit, that we may reach that unity for ever and ever. Amen.