Stokes, Lives of Saints from the Book of Lismore (1890)

Here follows the Life of Patrick, and let everyone who reads it give a blessing on the souls of the couple for whom this book was written.

¹ “Populus qui sedebat in tenebris vidit lucem magnam” (Is. 9:2; Mt. 4:16) — that is, the people who sat in darkness saw a great light; and the company that was in the shadow of death found light which came to enlighten them. Now the Holy Spirit, the Spirit nobler than every spirit, the Spirit who framed and taught both churches — the old testament and the new testament — through the grace of wisdom and of prophecy, it is that Spirit who spoke these words through the mouth of the chief prophet, Isaiah son of Amos — of whose praise Jerome speaks, saying “Potius dicendus est propheta quam evangelista”, “he is to be called a prophet rather than an evangelist”. It is in praise of him that Jerome the prophet(?) says that it is right for him to be called an evangelist rather than a prophet, because of his clarity and his fitness for the New Testament in which he told the tidings of Christ and of the holy Church, so that it might be thought by one that it was a clear telling rather than a prophecy — a narration after the event rather than a prophecy before the doing of the deed.

² Now one of his clear prophecies is what is recounted here, told by way of a past narrative: Populus qui sedebat in tenebris vidit lucem magnam. The people who sat in darkness saw a great light. The side that the prophet first takes up in this narrative is where he said before it in the same prophecy: “Primo tempore alleviata est terra Zabulon et terra Nephtalim” (Is. 9:1).

³ There came, then, with the renewal of the time, great glory and exaltation to the tribe of Zebulun and to the tribe of Naphtali. So it is on the track of that narrative that he says: “Populus qui”, and the rest — the people who sat in darkness. If according to history, that is the people of Israel who were in the darkness of slavery under the Assyrians. They saw the light of the redemption from that slavery — Ezra and Nehemiah and Joshua and Zerubbabel. But if according to the allegory, the people spoken of here is the people of the Gentiles who were in darkness of ignorance worshipping idols and images, until the true Light appeared to them — Jesus Christ with His apostles; for a great darkness was over the hearts of the Gentiles until the sun of righteousness, Jesus Christ, spread His rays over the four quarters of the world to enlighten it.

⁴ One then of the rays which the sun of righteousness shed into this world — the ray, the flame, the precious stone, and the shining lantern that enlightened the west of the world — is the noble man whose feast and commemoration are now kept in this season, namely holy Patrick son of Calpurnius, the high-apostle of the west of the world, the father of the baptism and of the faith of the men of Ireland.

⁵ So the folk of the Church celebrate the feast and commemoration of holy Patrick, and somewhat of his miracles and wonders is told in the churches of the Christians, on the sixteenth day of the kalends of April by the solar month in this present year — the Margaret, the precious jewel who is this feast-day, namely sanctus Patricius episcopus.

⁶ The learned relate that he was by origin of the Jews — for it is clear from the miracles that God wrought through him that he was of the children of Israel, since the Jews were of that stock at all events; for when the vengeance was wrought by Titus and Vespasian, the Jews were scattered over the world, and the original kindred of Patrick came to Britain and settled there — as Patrick himself relates in one of his epistles: “Nos dispersi sumus per multas regiones terrarum propter peccata nostra, eo quod Domini praecepta et mandata eius non custodivimus” — “we have been scattered through many regions of the earth for our sins, because we kept not the Lord’s precepts and His commandments” (cf. Conf. 1). It was in that scattering that his original kindred reached Britain.

⁷ Now Patrick was of the Britons of Alcluith on his father’s side; his grandfather was the deacon Potitus, and Concessa was the name of his mother — the daughter of Ocmus of the Franks, and a sister of Martin’s was she; and in Nemthor was he born. And the flagstone on which he was born: when an oath of falsehood is sworn upon it, water wells out of it as though it were weeping the falsehood; but if the oath be true, the stone remains in its own nature.

⁸ This is the first of Patrick’s miracles, wrought in his mother’s womb: a king of Britain’s son came to the place where the woman was, and she made him welcome and took a pledge from him; yet his wife gave Concessa poisoned drink through envy, and she drank it — and Patrick took the poison in his palm and made a stone of it in his hand; and so it was he was born. The name of God and of Patrick was magnified by that.

⁹ Now when Patrick was born, he was taken to be baptized to the blind flat-faced boy Gornias by name; and he had no water wherewith the baptism might be performed — until the infant’s hand made the sign of the cross over the ground, so that a well burst out of it. And Gornias washed his face from that well, and his eyes were opened for him; and he read out the order of baptism, he who had never learned a letter. So God wrought a triple miracle there: a well out of the earth, eyes for the blind man, and the reading of the baptismal office by one who had never seen a letter. Moreover a church was founded over that well in which Patrick was baptized, and the well is there before the altar, and it holds the form of the cross, as the learned tell.

¹⁰ His mother’s sister took him to rear, for she herself was in hard straits.

¹¹ Now Patrick was reared in Nemthor until he was a boy, and more than can be numbered or told are the miracles and wonders God wrought through him in his infancy and his boyhood — for God’s grace kept him company at every age.

¹² Once when Patrick was in his foster-mother’s house in winter-time, a great flood came, and water filled the dwelling where they were, so that it drowned the fire, and the vessels and the lower part of the house were afloat. He wept then to his foster-mother, asking for food as is the way of infants. “That is not the trouble we are in,” said the foster-mother. “There is something more pressing for us than making food for you — for the fire itself is not alive.” When Patrick heard that, he sought a place in the house that the water had not reached, and dipped his hand in the water: the five drops that trickled from his fingers were five flames of fire at once. Then the fire blazed up, and the water never appeared again. The name of God and of Patrick was magnified by that great wonder.

¹³ Once in winter-time his foster-mother sent him for sticks of firewood, and he gathered the lapful of frozen pebbles, and brought them home to his foster-mother. “It had been better for us,” said his foster-mother, “to bring dry firewood for our warming than what you have brought.” He said to his foster-mother: “Believe that it is easy for God to make the pebbles blaze like dry wood.” When they were set on the fire they blazed at once [gap: extent: 10 letters].

¹⁴ Once Patrick and his two sisters Lupait were herding sheep. The lambs ran quickly, as was their custom, to their mothers to drink milk. When Patrick and his sister saw that, they ran eagerly to restrain them. The girl fell and struck her head against a stone so that death was near to her. Patrick went to her and put the sign of the cross over the wound, and she was whole at once.

¹⁵ Another time, when Patrick was with the sheep, the wolf carried off a sheep from him, and his foster-mother blamed him greatly. The next day the wolf came to the same place, and the whole flock with it; and the wondrous thing in this was the restoring of the food out of the wild wolf’s teeth. The name of God and of Patrick is magnified thereby.

¹⁶ Once his foster-mother went to milk her cow; he went to drink a drink of new milk with her. But the cow went mad in the byre — a demon went into her — and she put her horn into the cow that was next to her and killed it; and she killed five of the best cows in the byre, and then went into the wilderness. Then the saint went — Sucat — by the counsel of the Holy Spirit to the five cows, and woke them from death. He blessed the mad cow there, and she was gentle from then on like a sheep.

¹⁷ There was a great assembly of the Britons. He went to that assembly with his foster-father and foster-mother. Now it happened that his foster-father died at that assembly. All were silent thereat, and his neighbours wept, and he saw his foster-father and said: “Boy, why did you let yourself be carried off to death?” Then Patrick went to his foster-father and put his arms about his neck and said to him: “Arise, let us go hence.” He arose at once at Patrick’s word, and Patrick carried him on his back to his house.

¹⁸ Another time the little boys of the place used to bring honey to their mothers from the hives. And his foster-mother said to him: “You bring me no honey, son, as the boys of the town bring to their mothers.” Then he went to the water with a vessel, and signed the water so that it was honey, and a salve was made of that honey which used to heal every disease.

¹⁹ Once another woman’s infant died, who used to help Patrick’s foster-mother in milking her cow. Patrick’s foster-mother said: “Take your son with you to-day to the pasture, as you would take him every day.” She did so. Now while the women were at the milking, and the boy dead on the floor of the byre, his mother gave new milk to Patrick and said to him: “Call the other boy to you to drink together with you.” “Come, infant,” said he, “here!” The boy arose from death at once at Patrick’s call, and they drank together then. The name of God and of Patrick was magnified thereby.

²⁰ Another time the king’s steward came to summon Patrick and his foster-mother to clean the hearth of the royal house in Alcluith. So Patrick and his foster-mother went, and the angel came to Patrick and said to him: “Pray to the Lord, and you shall never be obliged to do that work.” The angel cleaned the hearth afterwards, and says that though all the firewood in Britain were burned in that hearth there would be no ashes the next day — and that is still fulfilled.

²¹ Another time the king’s steward came to Patrick’s foster-mother to ask a tribute of curds and butter, and she had nothing to put into it in winter-time. Then Patrick made curds and butter of the snow, and it was brought to the king; and when it was shown to the king it turned back into its nature of snow. So that tribute was remitted to Patrick by the king.

²² Little of much is this of the boyhood miracles of holy Patrick.

²³ Now this is the cause of Patrick’s coming to Ireland. There were four sons of the king of Britain on a raiding expedition: they came and made a foray in Urmair Letha, and a company of the Britons of Alcluith happened to be on a journey in Urmair Letha at that time, and were slain in that foray. There were slain there first of all Calpurnius son of Potitus, Patrick’s father, and his mother Concessa. And they took Patrick and his two sisters, Lupait and Tigris. This is the direction the king of Britain’s sons went — round Ireland to the north — and they sold Patrick to Miliucc son of úa Búain with his three brothers. He was king of Dál nAraidi; and they sold his sister to another man — and it was not known to them. It was from there he got the name Cothraige, for serving a household of four.

²⁴ Such was the earnestness of the service in which Patrick was that he resolved that to whichever of the four households he should minister, it was as though he served him alone; and there was another devout practice of his — a hundred genuflexions at matins and a hundred at vespers, and one meal from hour to hour.

²⁵ Now he had four names: Sucat, his name from his parents; Cothraige, for that he was in service to four; Magonius, with Germanus; Patricius, “father of the citizens” — his name with Celestine, the successor of Peter.

²⁶ When Miliucc saw that he was a faithful slave, he bought him from the other three so that he might serve him alone; and he served in the manner of the Hebrews for six years — for it was fitting for him by another reckoning. And this is what was committed to him: the herding of swine; and he suffered great hardship in the wilderness of Sliab Mis, as he himself relates in the book of his epistles.

²⁷ Many indeed that can be numbered and told are the things God wrought through him in that wilderness. It was then that Victor the angel used to visit him, and he used to teach him about the order of prayer. Also the sons and daughters of Miliucc used to come to him with their children(?), and he used to teach them about the Christian faith according to the angel’s teaching.

²⁸ It was at that time that Miliucc saw a vision: Cothraige coming towards him with a flame of fire out of his mouth, so that the fire went out from him and did not burn him, and it burned his sons and his daughters so that they were ashes — and his ashes were scattered over Ireland. Then Cothraige gave judgement on the vision and said it was the fire of the divine grace which would be kindled from him afterwards in Miliucc — but he would not believe; yet it would burn the sins of his son and his daughter, and they would believe, and their name would be renowned over Ireland.

²⁹ Now one night in that fort he heard the angel’s voice, and it said to him in the vision: “Bene, serve Dei, ieiunas et oras, et cito exiturus eris ad patriam tuam” — “well, servant of God, you fast and pray, and soon you shall go forth to your fatherland”.

³⁰ Now the time of Patrick’s release from slavery was drawing near, for the Gentiles used to free their slaves every seventh year. Then Miliucc devised how he might keep his slave by him — namely Patrick. So he bought a bondmaid for him — Lupait, Patrick’s sister. Miliucc brought her to his slave. They were gathered into a house apart on their wedding-night. Then Patrick preached to the bondmaid, and they spent the night in prayer. On the next day morning Patrick saw the white wound in the bondmaid’s face, and asked the reason of the wound. The bondmaid said: “When I was in Nemthor in Britain, it chanced that I struck my head against a stone so that death was near to me. When my brother Sucat saw the wound he put the sign of the cross with his hand over my head, and I was healed at once.” Patrick said: “I am your brother, and it was I who healed you — and it is God’s mercy that has wrought our union again after our scattering.” Then they gave thanks to God, and went into the wilderness afterwards.

³¹ When Patrick was in the wilderness he heard the angel’s voice saying: “The ship is ready wherein you shall go to Italy to learn the holy scriptures.” This is what Patrick said to the angel: “The man whom I serve for seven years — I will not leave him without his leave.” Then said the angel: “Go; you shall know.” Patrick did so. Miliucc said he would not let him go unless a talent of gold were given for him. “God is able even for that,” said Patrick. Patrick reached the wilderness and told the angel Miliucc’s words. The angel said to him — to the place where the Angel’s… is: “Watch to-morning a boar digging the earth, and it will cast up a mass of gold for you from it, and give it for your freedom.” It was done so, and Sucat was released to journey free thereafter. But Miliucc repented letting his slave go, and sent his people after him to bring him back; but they neither overtook Patrick nor found the gold on returning.

³² Now Patrick went into the territory of Uí Néill on a visit to old Cianán. It is he who betrayed him — sold him for a bronze cauldron. He set the cauldron on the wall of his house so that his hands stuck to the cauldron thereafter. His wife came to help him: her hands stuck to the cauldron. All the household went to the cauldron, and all their hands stuck to the cauldron, and the cauldron stuck to the wall. Then they said: “It is a slave of a great powerful king we have sold. Let him be called back to us again.” So Patrick came to them again, and loosed their hands through their repentance, and they loosed the cauldron back.

³³ Then Patrick went with a Gaul to sea, and a great storm overtook them. Patrick prayed to his God with them, and the sea became calm. After they had taken land they were three days without food after the weariness of their journey. They besought Patrick to ask food for them from God. Afterwards God gave them a fresh wild pig — and woodland honey was brought to Patrick as to John the Baptist.

³⁴ He parted from them and came to Nemthor. When he had reached his home they besought him to stay with them, and it was not got from him — for whenever he fell asleep he thought it was the island of the Gael he saw, and he used to hear the choir-song of the children from the wood of Fochlaid.

³⁵ Then he went across the British Channel into the south-east of Italy, to Germanus — the chief bishop of all Europe at that time — and he read the ecclesiastical canon with him.

³⁶ Then he went to Martin at Tours, who put a monk’s tonsure on him. Thirty years was his age when he reached Germanus; thirty years he was learning with him; and forty years preaching in Ireland.

³⁷ Then Germanus sent Patrick to Rome to seek the bishop’s grade upon him — and an elder with him, Egedius the priest, to bear witness of him before the Romans.

³⁸ Then he went to sea, nine his company, until he came to an island and saw the new house and a married couple in it; and he asked the youth who was in the house how long they had been there. “From the time of Jesus,” said he, “and it is He who blessed our dwelling, and we abide thus for ever; and God commanded for you,” said the youth, “that you should go to preach in the land of the Gael, and Jesus left His staff with us to give you.” Then Patrick took Jesus’ staff with him, and went back to Germanus. Victor said to him: “God has commanded that you go to preach in the land of the Gael.” “If it be heard by God for me,” said Patrick, “I would give… or I would go.” “Come you,” said Victor, “to converse with Him on Mount Hermon.”

³⁹ So Patrick went, and pressed God with the petitions of the Gael. God said: “I will be aiding you,” said He.

⁴⁰ Then Patrick went to Rome and received the bishop’s grade from Peter’s successor, namely Celestine, the forty-second(?) from Peter. It is he who sent Palladius the bishop to Ireland; but the Gael received not his preaching — for it was not for him that God had appointed the conversion, but for Patrick. So Palladius went back and died in Britain. His companions went to Rome.

⁴¹ When Patrick went under the bishop’s grade, it is then the name Patricius was put on him. Grade was conferred on Patrick afterwards by Germanus and by Celestine and by Matha, the king of the Romans. Now while the bishop’s grade was being put upon him, the three choirs answered — the choir of the household of heaven, and the choir of the Romans, and the choir of the children of the wood of Fochlaid. And this is what they all sang: “Hibernienses omnes clamant ad te pueri” — “all the Irish children cry to you” (cf. Conf. 71). So Peter’s successor sent Patrick to preach to the Gael.

⁴² While Patrick was on the sea travelling towards Ireland, he saw the leper on the rock seeking a place for God’s sake in the currach. Then Patrick cast his stone into the sea for the leper; and when they reached Ireland they found the stone before them in the port.

⁴³ Then Patrick came and took Inver Dé in the territory of Cualu, and the fishermen were not friendly to him. Then he put a word on the estuary so that there should be no produce in it for ever. And it is he who came against Patrick — Sínell mac Finnchada. He is the first man who believed in God and in Patrick — and he left a blessing on him and on his seed.

⁴⁴ Forty years from the day Patrick came to Ireland till the day of his death.

⁴⁵ Then he steered his ship past Ireland eastward to Inis Pátraic. He went ashore. A certain man met him on a visit there, and they believed in him. Patrick went to the place of the ships to converse with Lóegaire at Tara. Then he went on to Inver na mBarc and received hospitality in a good man’s house there — Sesgnán his name.

⁴⁶ Patrick preached God’s word to him, and he believed in God and Patrick. He was baptized afterwards. He had a little boy who cleaved to Patrick and loved Patrick greatly. The boy seized Patrick’s foot in his lap, and could not sleep with his mother or his father that night but was sorrowful and kept weeping unless he were put beside Patrick. Now in the morning, when Patrick went to set out on his road, his chariot was brought to him. Patrick put his foot into the chariot. The little boy closed his two arms about Patrick’s foot, and this is what he said: “Let me go with Patrick — for Patrick is my own father.” Patrick said: “Let the boy be baptized and be put into the chariot.” Then Patrick said: “That boy shall be my successor” — and Patrick put a name on him: Benignus, that is, Benén.

⁴⁷ Then he went in Patrick’s company to the Graves of the Men of Feicc in Mag Breg, on Easter Eve. There Patrick celebrated the Easter office, and a consecrated fire is lit by them for the mass. That was the night of the feast of Lóegaire son of Niall — for Lóegaire always used to hold the feast of his birth every year in Tara of Breg, and fire might not be lit in Ireland by Lóegaire’s leave until his own fire was lit in Tara.

⁴⁸ Then Patrick cursed Inver Domnann and Inver Dé, and blessed the Boyne estuary because he found fish in it.

⁴⁹ Then he went to Inver Sláine and hid his ships in that fort. And there the swineherd of Díchu son of Trechem found him — where Saball Pátraic stands to-day — and he told his lord. Díchu came and set his hound on the clerks. Then Patrick sang the verse: “Ne tradas bestiis animam confitentium tibi” (cf. 1 Kings 13:4), and the rest. Then the hound was silent, and did them no hurt.

⁵⁰ When Díchu saw Patrick he loosed his sword to slay him. His arm stiffened over his head at once, until he did obeisance to Patrick and was seized with contrition of heart; and he believed, and Patrick baptized him afterwards — so that he was the first who took baptism and faith in Ulster from Patrick. Then Díchu offered the Barn (Saball) to Patrick. Now Díchu was old at that time. Patrick gave him his choice — to be renewed in the age of thirty, or to go to the kingdom of heaven at once. “I prefer,” said he, “to be renewed into the age of thirty.” Patrick blessed Díchu so that he went into youth thereafter.

⁵¹ Once when Patrick was at the Saball at mass, a certain druid went past the church. He cast his… over the church’s window into the chalice. The earth swallowed the druid at once.

⁵² Patrick went to preach to Miliucc son of úa Búain — and gold with him to buy the faith from him, for he knew that he was greedy for shapes and for gold above all. When Miliucc heard that Patrick was coming to him, he was not glad, for it was a shame to him to believe in his slave and in his servant. This then is the counsel the Devil tempted him to: to set fire to himself in his own house, so that he was burned in it and went to hell. That was revealed to Patrick, and this is what he said: “There shall be neither king nor crown-prince from him, and his seed and his name shall be at serving other men for ever, and his soul shall not come up out of hell for ever nor after doom.”

⁵³ That was the time when a fierce king fell upon Ireland — Lóegaire son of Niall. His seat and his royal grasp were in Tara. Three years before Patrick came into Ireland the druids prophesied his coming — namely Loichat Mael and Luccra. And this is what they said:

⁵⁴ “The Tailcinn shall come over the raging sea, their cloaks — their pierce-headed mass-cowls, their staves — their crook-headed croziers, their dishes — their altars in the east of their house; they shall all answer Amen.”

⁵⁵ Afterwards Patrick said to Díchu: “Go from me,” said he, “to Lóegaire mac Néill, that I may say my word to him, that there may be lordship and church in the land.” “If I go to Lóegaire,” said Díchu, “there are nine hostages of mine with him in Tara. My hostages will be slain and I myself shall be slain, the company I go with.” “You yourself shall escape and your hostages shall escape [gap: extent: 8 letters] … I shall go on your blessing,” said Díchu. Then Díchu went to Tara. “This is the man,” said Lóegaire, “who first believed in the Tailcenn before the men of Ireland. Take this man,” said he, “into one house with the hostages, and give them salt food but give them no drink.” It was done so. [gap] … maidens were brought to them, and draughts of wine were brought them … [gap] … to them. A clerk came upon them in a linen casula and took the fetters and the chains off them, and brought their horses that were on the floor of the liss into their bridles, and opened the doors of Tara before them. Then they mounted their horses and came to Patrick in the land of the Ulaid. Then Díchu tells his tale to Patrick. “It is likely,” said Patrick, “that man is not a prophet without honour save in his own country.”

⁵⁶ When the Easter solemnity drew near, Patrick deemed that there was no place fitter for them to celebrate the year’s high feast than Mag Breg, the place where the head of Ireland’s druidry and idolatry was, and Ireland’s chief fortress — Tara.

⁵⁷ He took leave of Díchu and put his ship to sea, and came to Inver Colptha and to Ferta Fer Feicc ashore, and pitched his tent there and lit the consecrated paschal fire with it. That was the season when the Gentiles used to celebrate that festival, and it was a geis for the king of Tara for a fire to be lit before the fire of Tara that night. Now Patrick knew not that geis — and had he known it he would not have refrained.

⁵⁸ While the folk of Tara were there, they saw the fire Patrick had lit — for it lighted all Mag Breg. Then said the king: “A breach of law and of geis is that to me — find out for us who lit that fire.” “We see the fire,” said the druids, “and we know the night on which it is lit: unless it is quenched before morning, it will never be quenched.” Then the king grew angry, and his chariot was yoked for him, and he came to Ferta Fer Feicc. The druids said to Lóegaire: “Do you not go up to that men, for they will come up to you.” Then Patrick came to the place where Lóegaire was. Lóegaire said… [Here the manuscript has a chasm of two folios — the whole Tara contest with the druids is lost.]

⁵⁹ Then Patrick went to Síth Áeda and blessed Conall and Fergus his son. Then he put his hands over the boy’s head. Conall wondered at that. Patrick said:

⁶⁰ “A son shall be born of your race — he shall be a sage, he shall be a prophet, he shall be a poet, the beloved, pure, bright lamp — you shall not say ’enough’.”

⁶¹ That is Colum Cille son of Feidlimid. So Patrick blessed Conall son of Niall and his kindred, and left a blessing on their peoples and on their estuaries and on their churches.

⁶² Patrick went into Tír Eogain and said to his people: “See that the dreadful lion does not come upon you — Eogan son of Niall.” They met by the way — Muiredach son of Eogan, who was in the forefront of the youths’ troop, and Sechnall who was at the rear of the clerks’ troop. Then Sechnall said to Muiredach: “you shall have a reward from me if you make your father believe in God.” “What reward?” said he. “Kingship from you,” said Sechnall. “I will do it,” said Muiredach. It was at Fid Mór that Muiredach and Eogan met Patrick. Now Eogan believed in God and in Patrick. “If it were in your house you had believed,” said Patrick, “Ireland’s hostages would come to your house; since it is not so, they shall not come until they come through strength of arms.”

⁶³ Patrick went to Ailech na Ríg and blessed the fort, and left his flagstone there, and prophesied kingship and dignity over Ireland from Ailech for ever — and gave a blessing of valour upon Eogan. And Patrick said:

⁶⁴ “My blessing on the tribes which I bring from Belach Ratha, and on Cenél Eogain — exiles till the day of doom: as long as there shall be a field with fruit, their battles shall be over men; the head of a host of the men of Fál from its place, an onslaught of them over every hearth.”

⁶⁵ Then Patrick went into Dál Araidi, to the twelve sons of Cáelbad, and gave a blessing on them all save Sárán alone — and gave a curse on him, so that kingship should never be taken from him for ever.

⁶⁶ Patrick went into Dál Araidi and baptized bishop Olcán who is in the east of Mag Coba, and Mac Nisse of Connor read his psalms with him.

⁶⁷ Patrick went to Eochaid son of Muiredach, the king of Ulster, who was tormenting and torturing two holy virgins who had offered their virginity to God — urging them to wedlock and to the worship of idols. Patrick offered prayers with them that he might not torture them — and it was not granted. Then Caírell son of Muiredach, the king’s brother, interceded with Patrick — and the king consented not because of him. Patrick said to Eochaid: “There shall be neither king nor crown-prince from you for ever, and yourself shall die a violent death. Your brother, however, Caírell — he himself shall be king, and there shall be kings from him, and lords over your children and over all the Ulaid for ever” — so that they are the seed of the kingship, the seed of Demmán mac Cairill, through Patrick’s word.

⁶⁸ Then the king’s wife went and prostrated herself under Patrick’s feet. Patrick blessed her, and blessed the child that was in her womb — and that is Domangart mac Eochach. It is he whom Patrick left in his own body in Sliab Slanga, and he shall be there for ever — for he is the seventh man whom Patrick left alive to guard Ireland.

⁶⁹ Then Patrick went into Dál Araidi across Fertais Tuama to Uí Tuirtre. Then he went into Uí Meith of the Land. It was there that three of Uí Meith struck the one of the two goats that used to carry water to Patrick; and they went to swear falsely to Patrick — and the goat itself bleated in the throat of the third man who struck it. “My God’s doom,” said Patrick, “the goat itself tells where it was eaten. And from to-day till doom,” said Patrick, “goats shall cleave to your children and your kindred” — and that is fulfilled still.

⁷⁰ Patrick then went to the Fir Rois. There the vessels of curds were turned into stones by him. And all the warriors who had plotted to slay Patrick were drowned in the ford.

⁷¹ Then Patrick went over Mag Breg into the territory of the Laigin, to Dún Náis. The site of Patrick’s tent is on the green east of the road, and the well is north of the fort where Patrick baptized the two sons of Dúnlang, namely Ailill and Illann, and the two daughters of Ailill — Mugain and Fedelm — who offered their virginity to God; and Patrick put a veil over their heads. Then he was sent by Patrick to the steward of Naas, Faillén his name. He feigned sleep on him, and it was said that the steward was asleep. “My God’s doom,” said Patrick, “no wonder though your sleep be heavy.” Then his household went to waken the steward — and he was found dead, for the disobedience he had done to Patrick. So hence is the proverb among the Gael: “the sleep of Faillén in Dún Náis.”

⁷² Now Dricriu was king of Uí Garrchon before Patrick at that time, and a daughter of Lóegaire mac Néill was his wife. And they refused Patrick about the feast at Ráith Inbir. And Cillíne gave him hospitality, and killed his only cow for him — and he gave it him in recompense for the little he would get of sustenance in the king’s house. Then it was that Patrick said to his cooking-woman, as she was grieving for her son:

⁷³ “Woman, cherish your little son! A great boar comes to slay him(?); it is from a spark the fire comes; your little son shall live, shall be whole.”

⁷⁴ “The fruit that is best of earthly produce — he it is, Marcán mac Cillín, the best man of Uí Garrchon.”

⁷⁵ Then Patrick founded many churches and settlements in Leinster, and left a blessing on them and on Uí Cennselaig in particular — and left húasaille in Cell húasaille and Mac Táil in Cell Cuilinn, and ordained Fiachu Find of Sliab Mairge as bishop of the province. Moreover Failge Berraide boasted that he would kill Patrick wherever he met him, in revenge for the idol Cenn Croich — for it was his god that Failge’s father had worshipped. Now his people concealed from Patrick what Failge had said. One day Ódrán his charioteer said to Patrick: “Since I have been a long while driving for you, father Patrick, let me into the chief seat to-day, and you shall be driver.” Patrick did so. Then Patrick went into the territory of Uí Failge. Failge came and dealt a cast through Ódrán in the guise of Patrick. It was not long thereafter until Failge died and his soul went into hell. Then the Devil went into Failge’s body so that it was among men as though alive… [gap] Then after a long while Patrick went to Failge, and knocked at the door of the fort outside, and asked one of Failge’s slaves where Failge was. “I left him in his house,” said the slave. “Say to him,” said Patrick, “to come to speak with me.” The slave went for Failge, and found nothing of him in the house but his bare bones without blood, without flesh. The slave came to Patrick with grief and sorrow, and told him how he had found Failge. Patrick said: “From the day that Failge wounded my driver in my presence, his soul went into hell for the deed he did, and a demon went into his body.” That is the violent death of Failge.

⁷⁶ Now the Failge of Ross — it is his children who are in the land to-day; and Patrick blessed them, and the lordship of the land is from him for ever.

⁷⁷ Then Patrick went over Belach Gabráin into the land of Ossory, and founded churches and settlements there, and said there would be distinguished warriors and clerks of them for ever, and no province’s dominion would prevail over them so long as they were obedient to Patrick.

⁷⁸ Then Patrick took leave of them, and left a martyrry of elders with them and a company of his household — where Martarthech stands to-day in Mag Raighne.

⁷⁹ Then Patrick went into the territory of Munster, to Cashel of the Kings. And there he met Aengus son of Nat-Fraích, king of Munster, who welcomed him and brought him with him to his house in the fort — to the place where Leac Pátraic is to-day. And Aengus believed in God and in Patrick there, and he was baptized, and many of the men of Munster with him.

⁸⁰ Then it was that the baptism of the men of Munster began — therefore Patrick said:

⁸¹ “The Munstermen, when they are sanctified(?) — about Cashel the head of their baptism; though smitten with them on the floor of their land, their kingship shall be under reproach… O Cashel where I have blessed Ireland till its height come — with my two hands I have blessed it so that there shall not be… of Munster.”

⁸² Now while Patrick was blessing Aengus’s head, the point of the crozier went through his foot. And after the blessing was finished he saw the wound in Aengus’s foot. Patrick said: “Why did you not tell me?” “I thought,” said Aengus, “that it was part of the order of the faith.” “you shall have its reward,” said Patrick. “Death by wounding shall not befall your successor from to-day for ever — save one man only.” Patrick said that his grace would be in Cashel — as he said:

⁸³ “Patrick’s resurrection is in Dún, his dignity in Ard Macha; to tuneful Cashel’s hill he has granted a third of his grace.”

⁸⁴ Patrick went into Muscraige Breogain. Now one day he was washing his hands in a ford there, and a tooth fell out of his head into the ford. Then he went up the hill from the ford eastward, and search was made for the tooth by them — and the tooth shone at once in the ford like the sun. And Áth Fiacla (“Ford of the Tooth”) is the ford’s name, and Cell Fiacla is the name of the church where the tooth was left. And he left four of his household there — Cuirche and Loscán, Cailech and Beoán.

⁸⁵ Then he went into the land of Uí Fhidgenti, and Lonán son of Erc, king of Uí Fhidgenti, made a feast for Patrick — and the deacon Mantán of Patrick’s household with him at it. Then a company of poets came to Patrick to ask food. Patrick sent messengers from him to Lonán and to deacon Mantán to ask something for the poets. They said that they were only jesters(?) — or their feast would be broken… Patrick said there should be neither king nor bishop from Lonán, nor a high church from deacon Mantán, on earth. Then a certain tender youth came — Nessán his name — with a wether and a kid and three flaskets of curds on his back for Patrick. Patrick said:

⁸⁶ “The little boy who comes from the north — it is to him the victory shall be given — with his little wether on his back to Cothraige it has come.”

⁸⁷ And Patrick took them for the guests(?). Now while the guests were eating the wether, the earth swallowed them at once so that they went into the depths of hell; and the flaskets remain still, turned into stones. Then Patrick gave a blessing to Nessán and conferred the deacon’s grade on him — and it is he who is in Mungret.

⁸⁸ Then Patrick went to Findine over against Domnach Mór in the north-west — a hill from which the country by Limerick to the north is seen — and he gave a blessing on Thomond for their earnestness in coming with a great store of riches to meet Patrick.

⁸⁹ Cairthenn son of Blait, the elder of Clann Tairrdelbaig, believed in the Lord and Patrick baptized him in Saingel — “a special angel came to converse with him there, and it was not Victor”. Nor were children ever borne to Cairthenn till then. Then Eochu Bailderg was brought to Cairthenn: Patrick shaped for him a share of blood, so that that spot was in his body as a token of the miracle.

⁹⁰ Now Patrick himself went not into the land — but he saw westward from Limerick and northward, and blessed as far as he saw. Et prophetavit de sanctis qui in eo fierent, nominibus et tempore quo pervenissent — “and he prophesied of the saints who should arise in it, their names and the time when they should come”. “The green island in the west,” said Patrick, “in the mouth of the sea — a lamp of God’s household shall come into it who shall be the head of counsel to these peoples: Senán of Inis Cathaig” — sixty, or a hundred and twenty years after Senán mac Gerrginn meic Dubthaig(?). Neither did Patrick go over Luachair into West Munster; he prophesied of Brénainn mac húi Alte, qui nascetur CXX anno — “who shall be born in the hundred and twentieth year” — which was fulfilled.

⁹¹ Patrick went into Muscraige Tíre baptisare et fundare fidem — “to baptize and found the faith”. There he found three brothers — Fuirc and Muinech and Mechar, the three sons of Forat mac Connla. Muinech believes at once, and Patrick takes him and blesses him, and left that there should be distinguished laymen and clerks from him for ever, and the high-kingship of his land from him always.

⁹² Now he was seven years in Munster, and the learned reckon that he said mass on every seventh furrow of every land he traversed in Munster. After that Patrick founded churches and settlements throughout Munster, and ordained men of every grade, and healed folk of every sickness, and raised the dead. Then he took leave of them and left a blessing on them.

⁹³ Then he went to Éle. The men of Munster went after him — how each of them went in turn after Patrick. Then the men of Munster — men, women, children — crowded round Patrick at Brosnacha, and uttered a great shout and a great… of joy at beholding Patrick. And it is hence the Brosnacha of Éle were named.

⁹⁴ Then Patrick took leave of the men of Munster, and gave a blessing on them — as he said:

⁹⁵ “God’s blessing on Munster — men, boys, women; a blessing on the land that yields them fruit; a blessing on every treasure that is born on their farms; without… help, God’s blessing on Munster! A blessing on its peaks, on its bare flagstones; a blessing on its glens, a blessing on its ridges! May the sand on its shores be as numerous as their hearths — in its slopes, in its plains, in its mountains, in its peaks!”

⁹⁶ Patrick went back to the Fir Rois, purposing to settle in Drum Mór. Then the angel came and said to him: “Not here has God granted you to abide.” “Question — where?” said Patrick. “In Macha to the north,” said the angel.

⁹⁷ Then Patrick went to Ard Pátraic beside Louth eastwards, and purposed to settle there. Patrick used to come every day from Ard Pátraic, and Mochta used to come from Louth westward, and they used to fitting and converse every day at Lic Mochta. One day the angel brought an epistle between them. Patrick read it, and this is what was in it:

⁹⁸ “Devout, faithful Mochta — let the place where he has settled abide; Patrick, by the word of the King — let him dwell in Macha.”

⁹⁹ Then Patrick went to Macha by the angel’s word — to where Ráith Dáire is to-day. There was a certain rich, honoured man at that time in the east, Dáire his name. Patrick besought Dáire to give him a site for his recles in Druim Sailech — where Ard Macha stands to-day. He said he would not give him the hill. But a site in the glen was given him — where the Ferta is to-day. So Patrick lived there for a long while.

¹⁰⁰ One day Dáire’s two horses were brought to eat the grass of the fort. Patrick grew angry thereat so that he killed the horses at once. Dáire grew angry about the killing of his horses, and said the clerk should be killed. Then a sickness and faintness came suddenly upon Dáire so that death was near to him. “The clerk’s fall has caused this,” said the woman who was with him; “deal with him,” said she. Then she sent to ask water of prayer from Patrick for Dáire. “It shall not pass,” said Patrick [gap] — “yet but for the woman, there would be no resurrection for Dáire for ever.”

¹⁰¹ Patrick blessed the water and it was said to bring it to Dáire and over the horses. It was done so — and Dáire arose with his horses at once. Then a bronze cauldron was brought as an offering to Patrick from Dáire. “Deo gratias,” said Patrick. Dáire asked his household what the clerk had said. “Gratiam,” said the household. “That is no good price for a good cauldron,” said Dáire. “Take it from him again,” said Dáire. They took the cauldron from him again. “Deo gratias,” said Patrick. His household tell Dáire what Patrick had said. “It is the same word with him,” said Dáire — “‘gratias’ when it is given to him, and ‘gratias’ when it is taken from him.” Then Dáire came with his wife afterwards to show honour to Patrick, and they offered the cauldron to him, and the hill with its appurtenance — where hitherto its name is Ard Macha, and Ard Sailech its name before that.

¹⁰² Now this is how Patrick marked out the ráth: the angel before him, and he behind him with his household and his elders, and the Staff of Jesus in Patrick’s hand.

¹⁰³ These are the elders who recounted the miracles of Patrick: Colum Cille and Ultán and Adamnán mac Tinde, and Airennán the sage, and Ciarán of Bélach Dúin, and bishop Airmedach of Clochar, and Colmán Uamach, and Cruimther Collait of Druim Relgech.

¹⁰⁴ A true man was that man — in purity of nature like a patriarch, a true pilgrim like Abraham, gentle and dutiful of heart like Moses, a praise-giving psalmist like David, a student of wisdom and knowledge like Solomon, a choice vessel for proclaiming truth like Paul the apostle — a man full of the grace and the familiarity of the Holy Spirit like John, a fair garden with children of virtues, a branch of a vine with fruitfulness, a warming fire with the kindling of the eagerness and warming of the sons of life about kindling and lighting charity. A lion for strength and might, a dove for gentleness and simplicity, a serpent for prudence and dexterity. A man gentle, mild, humble, gracious towards the sons of life; patient, gentle towards the sons of death. A slave of labour and service to Christ; a king in rank and power for binding and loosing, for freeing and enslaving, for quickening and for slaying.

¹⁰⁵ Now after those great miracles, and after the raising of the dead, the healing of the blind and the leper and the lame and the folk of every other sickness — after the teaching of the men of Ireland and their baptism, after the founding of churches and monasteries, after the destroying of idols and images and of the crafts of druidry — the day of the decease of holy Patrick drew near, and of his going to heaven. And this is what he purposed — to go to Armagh, that there his resurrection might be. The angel Victor came to him and this is what he said to him: “Go back to the place from where you have come — to the Saball; for it is there you shall die, and it is not in Armagh that God has granted you your resurrection. Your honour and your dignity, your devotion and your teaching, shall be in Armagh as though you were alive. you did promise Díchu that his should be your resurrection,” said the angel. Patrick said: “It is in slavery to its end with me when I cannot be buried in the place that is pleasing to me.” The angel said: “Let there be no grief on you, Patrick, for your honour and your dignity shall be in Armagh, though your resurrection be in Dún; and God has given you many good things. For He has given you heaven for Díchu with his children; He has given you seven persons every Saturday of the men of Ireland, to be brought from pain to heaven; He has given you that everyone who sings your hymn on the day of your decease shall not be in hell; He has given you that you shall be the judge of doom over the men of Ireland.”

¹⁰⁶ Patrick did the angel’s counsel, and went back into the territory of the Ulaid.

¹⁰⁷ Now when the hour of Patrick’s decease came, bishop Tassach gave him Christ’s body, and he sent his spirit to heaven in the hundred and thirty-second year of his age.

¹⁰⁸ Now the angels of heaven came for Patrick’s soul and bore it with them to heaven with great honour and reverence. And though great be his honour anywhere, greater shall it be in the assembly of doom — when the men of the world shall arise at the command of Michael the archangel; and the men of Ireland shall go to Patrick’s assembly to Dún Lethglaise so that they may escape together with him to Sliab Sión, the place where Christ shall be as judge over the children of Adam on that day: when Christ shall sit on the royal seat of His majesty judging the three households — the household of heaven and earth and hell. And the twelve apostles shall sit along with Him on twelve royal seats judging the twelve tribes of the children of Israel. Then Patrick shall sit on the royal seat of his judgeship and judge the men of Ireland — for it is Patrick who is apostle over Ireland, and it is he who is their father of teaching and of faith, and it is he who shall be their judge on the day of doom. And it is together with him that the company shall go to the… of doom who fulfilled His commandment and His teaching in unities, in prayers, in alms, in mercy, in gentleness, in dutifulness and in the other divine commandments in the heavenly kingdom.

¹⁰⁹ The angel left counsel with Patrick how he should be buried, and this is what he said to him: “Let two untamed young oxen be brought from the cattle of Conall from Fennabor, namely from Clochar; and let your body be set in their four…, and wherever they go and halt by themselves — there let it be buried.” And it was done so after his decease. And for twelve nights — as long as the elders in Ireland were watching it — there was no night in Mag Inis, but an angelic light was there. Some say it was for the end of a year the light was there — from which Tricha Cét na Soillsi (“the thirty hundred of the light”) is named.

¹¹⁰ Now there was a purpose of a great conflict and battle between the Ulaid and the Uí Néill in contending for it — for Armagh and the Ulaid to keep it by themselves. This then was the counsel resolved on by them all: each of them to bring the body towards his own land — and God sundered the way between them in that wise, through Patrick’s grace.

¹¹¹ Then bishop Tassach gave him communion and the sacrifice, and he sent his spirit to heaven in the Saball.

¹¹² Now Patrick was buried in Dún dá Lethglas with honour and reverence, with miracles and marvels every day. And though great be his honour anywhere, it shall be greater in the assembly of doom — in the union of the apostles and disciples of Jesus, in the union of the nine grades of heaven, in the union of the divinity and humanity of the Son of God, in the union of the Holy Trinity — Father and Son and Holy Spirit.

¹¹³ I beseech the mercy of almighty God that we may reach that union — in saecula saeculorum. Amen.

[The text ends.]