¹ The venerable Bede, commending in very few words in his History of the English the beginnings of St Ninian the confessor’s holy conversation and the tokens of his holiness, the dignity of his office and the fruit of his ministry, his best end and the reward of his labour, writes thus of him: “In the year of our Lord’s incarnation five hundred and sixty-five, there came from Ireland to Britain a priest and abbot, distinguished in habit and life as a monk, named Columba, to preach the word of God to the provinces of the Northern Picts, who are separated from their southern regions by steep and rugged mountain ridges. For those Southern Picts, who have their seats within the same mountains, had long before abandoned the error of idolatry and accepted the faith of truth, a bishop of great reverence and holiness, Ninian, a man of the British nation, preaching to them — who had been regularly instructed at Rome in the faith and mysteries of the truth. He made the seat of his bishopric, named for St Martin the bishop, and a famous church, where he also rests in body with many saints, in the place vulgarly called ‘at the White House’, because he there built a church of stone, in a manner unusual among the Britons.”

² But what Bede wrote briefly, it pleases us to pursue at greater length, God aiding. In Greater Britain blessed Ninian was sprung of royal stock, in that region — as is thought — situate in the western parts of the island, where the ocean, stretching out as it were an arm and making on either side as it were two angles, divides the realms now of the Scots and of the English; which is proved to have had its own king even to the latest times of the English, not only by the testimony of histories but also by the memory of certain men. His father was a king, a Christian in religion, and truly happy in that he deserved to have such offspring.

³ For when Ninian had passed his boyhood years, wondrous was his devotion to churches, wondrous his love of his companions. Sober in food, sparing in words, assiduous in reading, grave in manners, abstaining from jesting, and ever subjecting the flesh to the spirit. At length, stirred by the prompting of the Holy Spirit, despising riches and treading down all affections, the noble youth undertook a pilgrimage. Crossing the sea and entering Italy through the Gallic Alps, by a prosperous journey he came as far as Rome. And approaching the supreme pontiff, when he had laid before him the cause of his journey, the pontiff, embracing his devotion, received him with the utmost devotion in the place of a son, and gave him to teachers of the truth to be imbued with the disciplines of the faith and the sound senses of scripture. So the youth, thirsting from then on for the word of God with all eagerness, like a resourceful bee, composed for himself honeycombs of wisdom out of the diverse opinions of the doctors as from flowers of many kinds, and laying them up in the hive of his breast, kept them to be brought forth for the refreshing of his inner man and the comfort of many others. Meanwhile, while he was extolled by all as chaste in body, prudent in mind, provident in counsels and circumspect in every deed and word, it happened that he rose to the grace and familiarity of the supreme pontiff himself. Having therefore dwelt in the City praiseworthily for many years and been sufficiently instructed in the sacred scriptures, he was advanced to the heights of the virtues and lifted on the wings of charity to contemplate heavenly things.

⁴ Then the Roman pontiff, hearing that certain people in the parts of Britain had not yet received the faith of Christ, consecrated Ninian to the degree of the episcopate and, a blessing given, sent him as apostle to the same people. But the man of God, returning from the City, drawn by the desire of seeing St Martin the bishop, turned his journey to the city of Tours. And St Martin, receiving him honourably, recognised by God’s revelation that he was sanctified by God and would profit the salvation of many. At length Ninian, having taken leave of him and come to the place of his mission — a great concourse of people was made, immense joy to all, wondrous devotion, the praise of Christ resounding everywhere, since they held him as a prophet. He soon began to root up what was ill planted, scatter what was ill gathered, destroy what was ill built. When the minds of the faithful had been purged of all error, he taught by word all the things to be done by the faithful, showed them by works and example, and confirmed them by many miracles.

⁵ And he chose for himself a see in the place now called Whithorn, on the seashore; it is shut in by the sea itself, and opens a way only on the northern side to those wishing to enter; where he built a church of stone — before which they say none had been built of stone in Britain. And since he had now learned that St Martin, whom he ever venerated with wondrous affection, had passed from earth to heaven, he dedicated that church in his honour.

⁶ There was in the same region a certain king — for the whole island lay subject, divided among diverse kings — named Tudwaldus, rich and haughty, who despised the man of God’s counsels and disparaged his doctrine and morals, withstanding him to his face. Now on a certain day, when he was more than usually troublesome to the man of God, the heavenly judge, no longer suffering the injury done to his servant to go unavenged, struck the proud man on the head with an unbearable disease, and sudden blindness invaded those haughty eyes; and he who had assailed the light of truth, deservedly lost the light of the flesh. At length led by saner counsel, he sent to the most holy man of God, begging that as an imitator of the Lord’s benignity he would render him good for evil and love for hatred. And the man of God first rebuked the king with reproof, then touching him impressed the sign of the cross on his eyes. And without delay the pain fled, the blindness was put to flight; and the king, honouring the holy man thereafter, took care to fulfil without delay whatever he afterwards asked of him.

⁷ A certain girl, given into the service of a certain noble lady, was beautiful of face and lovely of aspect; upon whom when a shameless youth had cast his eyes, he was seized with a blind passion. At length the wretched woman was subjected by entreaty or bribe to another’s lust; and when her womb swelled, the crime was betrayed, and soon laughter was turned to mourning, joy to pain, pleasure changed to punishment. Compelled by her elders to name the guilty man, she believed herself less guilty if she said she had been deceived or forced by some man of great name: she laid the crime on the priest to whom the bishop had committed the care of the parish. The good are scandalised, the wicked rejoice, the crowd laughs, the holy order is blasphemed by the impious, the priest whose fame had been injured grieved. For when the boy was born, the bishop called the clergy and people to the church: and the shameless woman, bursting forth with all modesty laid aside, did not fear to cry out before all the people that the priest was her corrupter and deceiver, and cast the child in his face. But St Ninian ordered the boy to be presented to him, being but a few days old: to whom he said: “Hark,” he said, “O boy, in the name of Jesus Christ, if this priest begot you, declare it before the people.” And without delay a clear voice sounded from the infant body, convicted the liar and absolved the innocent priest: and stretching out his right hand and pointing out his own father among the people: “This man,” he said, “is my father: he begot me, he committed the crime that is laid on the priest. For your priest, O bishop, is innocent of this offence: there is nothing between me and him but the fellowship of our common nature.” At once thanksgiving and the voice of praise sounded in the mouth of all; the people exulted, understanding that the Lord had visited his people through St Ninian.

⁸ Meanwhile St Ninian, attacking the Southern Picts, whom the gentile error adhering to them still compelled to venerate and worship idols, preached the truth of the gospel with signs following. The blind see, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed: the deaf hear, the dead rise, those oppressed by demons are freed. And so the faith is received, error is cast off, churches are built when temples have been destroyed: rich and poor run to the laver of salvation, and those who dwell in the islands that are afar off give thanks to God. He ordained priests, consecrated bishops, and divided the whole land into definite parishes.

⁹ When all had been confirmed in the faith and he had returned to his church, he entered the refectory one day with the brethren: and seeing no herbs or vegetables set upon the table, he called the brother to whom the care of the garden had been committed; and when he inquired the cause of the lack, he said: “Truly, father, whatever remained of the leeks or such things I committed to the earth, and the garden has not yet produced anything fit to eat.” “Go,” said the saint, “and whatever your hand finds, take and bring to me.” And when at the bishop’s command the brother had entered the garden, he saw leeks and other kinds of herbs not only grown but even producing seed. And giving thanks to God, gathering as much as seemed sufficient, he set it before the bishop on the table. When thieves strove to drive off his animals, a certain bull, as though turned to fury, attacked them and overthrew their chief, and piercing his belly with its horns, shook out his soul with his bowels. Then, digging the earth with its hoofs, with wondrous force it struck a stone it had found: and in testimony of so great a miracle, the hoof sank into the stone as in soft wax, leaving its print in the rock; and from the print the place has its name even today. And in the morning the holy bishop, finding the man dead, ceased not from tears and prayers until he restored the man alive and whole.

¹⁰ As I think upon the gentleness, kindness and conversation of this St Ninian, of Dunstan, and of other confessors of Christ, I am ashamed of our wretchedness, ashamed of the sloth of our frail generation. Who of us, I ask, even at home among his own household, does not bring forth in mutual talk rather idle things than profitable, carnal things than spiritual? Our lips, which divine grace consecrated to praising God and to celebrating the sacred mysteries, are daily polluted with detractions and worldly words; and while they grow weary of psalms and other prayers, they run through all the day on the vain and shameful deeds of men. Is not the soul, like the body, in motion all the day, and the tongue never at rest? The rumours and manners of impious men are turned over in the mouth, religious gravity is dissolved in laughter and tales, kings’ affairs, bishops’ offices, clerks’ ministries, princes’ disputes, the life and manners of all men are discussed. Beyond our own judgement, we judge all things, and — which is more to be lamented — we bite and devour one another. Not so the blessed confessors, not so: whose quiet the crowd did not harm, whose meditation the journey did not hinder, whose prayer did not grow cold with weariness. For wherever they walked, by prayer or contemplation or good works they lifted their mind to heavenly things.

¹¹ For Ninian, whenever turning aside from the journey he gave rest to his body, had it for a pleasure to draw out a little book and read, or attend to meditation. Such grace did the divine power confer on him that even reclining in the open and reading amid the densest rains, no moisture ever touched the book to which he was intent; but though the neighbouring places all around were wet with water pouring in, he alone with his little book sat beneath the waves as beneath the roof of a house. It happened once that Ninian was journeying with his holy brother named Plebia: who, turning aside from the way for the sake of rest, refreshed their minds with sacred reading from open psalters. Soon the serenity of the air, darkened with black clouds, sent down the waters which it had conceived by natural draught from the upper regions to the lower. But the foul air, curved like a chamber around the servants of God, remained like an impenetrable wall against the flowing waters. Yet amid the psalmody blessed Ninian turned his eyes from his little book, touched by a slight unlawful thought — indeed he was being drawn by a certain desire at the devil’s suggestion. And at once the rain, invading even his book, betrayed what lay hidden. Then his brother, understanding what was done, gently rebuked him; and the bishop, returning to himself, blushed that he had been overtaken by a vain thought: and at the same moment of time both laid aside the thought and stayed the rain.

¹² Meanwhile many, both nobles and commoners, gave their sons to the holy man to be imbued with sacred letters: whom he instructed in the things to be known, formed in manners, restraining their vices by wholesome discipline and teaching them to live soberly, piously and justly. Once one of the holy man’s disciples offended, and fearing the discipline, fled; nor did he fear to carry off with him the saint’s staff on which he used to lean. And entering a little boat, the winds rushing on, he was carried almost at once far out to sea; knowing not what to do or where to turn, returning to himself he confesses his guilt, asks pardon, and begs that divine aid may be present to him through Ninian’s holy merits. In one of the holes he fixed the bishop’s staff: and soon at the staff’s touch a wind arising from the east bore the little boat with a gentle push. The staff caught the wind for a sail, steered the ship for a rudder. And the youth, coming to land, fixed the saint’s staff on the shore, praying God that in testimony of so great a miracle it might send out roots and, moisture being received against nature, produce branches and leaves. And without delay the dry wood, putting forth roots and clothing itself with new bark, produced leaves and branches, and growing into a no small tree, makes Ninian’s power manifest even now to all onlookers. And miracle is added to miracle: for at the tree’s root a limpid spring bursting forth sent out a little stream of longer course, useful and healthful to the sick for the saint’s merits.

¹³ So blessed Ninian, wondrously shining in these and suchlike miracles and mighty in the highest virtues, came by a happy course to the day of his calling. And thus, perfect in life and ripe in age, on the sixteenth day before the first of October he happily ascended to the heavens; and he was buried in the church of blessed Martin which he himself had built from the foundations.

¹⁴ To a certain man of the people there was born of his own wife a miserable son, the grief of both parents, the marvel of the people, a horror to look, whom nature had formed against nature, all his members turned backward. For the joints of his feet being turned backward, the heels stood out in front; the back clung to the face, the breast adjoined the occiput; with arms bent, the hands rested on the elbows. That shape lay there, to which members had been given without use, life without fruit, all his limbs dissolved, the tongue alone remaining. His parents, carrying him to St Ninian’s tomb, said: “Weary surely and worn, afflicted with sorrow and overcome with weariness, we lay this before your pity. If it be a gift, doubtless thanks are owed to those who offer; if a burden, you at least are stronger to bear it, whose power is the greater to help. Here therefore let him either die or live; let him either be healed or perish.” When they had poured out these or suchlike words with tears, they left the sick man there and departed. And look, in the silence of the dead of night, the wretch saw a man coming to him, flashing with heavenly light, resplendent with pontifical insignia: who, touching his head, told him to rise healed and give thanks to God his Saviour. And when he departed, the poor man, as though awaking from a heavy sleep, bent each member back to its natural place with easy motion. And when the use of his members had been recovered, in process of time being tonsured a clerk and promoted to the priesthood, he ended his life in the service of St Ninian. Two lepers also, approaching St Ninian’s spring, washed themselves with the water: and their flesh was cleansed and restored like the flesh of a little child.

A Further Story #

¹ [Added in the Tiberius manuscript.] There was a certain monk of great life who was a gardener: and a thief used to come and climb the hedge and secretly carry off the herbs. And when he saw many of the plants he had planted trampled underfoot and others torn up, going round the whole garden he found where the thief used to come: and finding a certain serpent, he said: “In the name of Jesus I command you to guard this entrance and not suffer the thief to enter here.” Forthwith the serpent stretched itself across the way, and the monk returned to his cell. And when at midday all the brethren were resting, the thief came as usual and climbed the hedge. And as he set his foot into the garden, he suddenly saw the stretched serpent blocking the way; and trembling he fell backward, and his foot stuck fast in the hedge-stake. The gardener came, found the thief hanging, and said to the serpent: “I thank my God, you have fulfilled what I commanded; now depart.” And it at once went away; and the man of God, coming to the thief, said: “What is this, brother? Has God delivered you to me? Why have you presumed so often to commit theft?” And saying this, he freed his foot from the hedge where it had stuck, took him down without hurt, and with great sweetness offered him the herbs which he had sought to carry off by stealth, saying: “Go, and henceforth do no more theft; but when you have need, enter here to me: and what you labour to take away with sin, I will devoutly give you.”