IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-S) /. ^ .^^4t>. .^'-,^ ^d 1.0 I.I 1.25 |^|2.8 150 "^ 2.5 1^ us lifi 6" 2.0 ii- 1116 p>. /}. / /A ■v// O 7 Photogrdphic Sciences Corporation 23 WEST ^MAIN STREET WEBSTER, NY. M580 (716) 872-4503 _^>;^ ^(i^ V '^ l/j :<> 90 THE tIPB OP the Virtues Which is innate in a good dlspoiitiod, and frbm the diyers specie^ of all created crea' tares, understood the Creator; and hira, beinir so understood, ehe affected with all her heart, and M^ith all her soul, for the love and desire of the which affection, she looked down on all the riches, and all the delights, and all the spJendours/W all the charms of this worid's glorf, and she de- spised them m her heart. Yet had she not heeq washed in the holy font, though In her manners $he represented the purity of the Christian faith. And her parents being heathens, meanly endea- voured with words, and with stripes to frustrate and to shakejier purpose ; but the column of her vimn hearty being builded on the rock of Christ, could neither he subdued by their persuasions, nor their threats ; nor could she by any of their evil doings at all be moved J-rom her hxed hrmness. Forasmuch as the sprinir- time 0^ her youth made her beautiful, and the elegahte of her form made her lovely, while in her ct)unte5an«;e Jhe lihes and the roses of the garden were mingled to, gether; very many princes of loyal stock desirt-d her m marriage ; however, in no wise could she be there- unto persuaded or compelled. Wherefore, havin? a long time vainly laboured, her parents by general cln- «ent brought her unto St. Patrick, the farne of whos« holiness was proved and published through all tht* country, by inany signs and miracles. Then they unl io ded unto the 5aint the purpose of the damsel, earn., c^stly entreating him that i»e would bring her unto the sight ol his God, whom she so loved, knd toward whom her heart yearned. This the saint hearing, rejoiced in the Lord, giving thanks unto him, whose breath dotf? blow even whither and how he listeth : and whi) oi- tentimes calleth unto himself, without any preaching those whom he had predestined unto IHe. Theq* having expounded unto the damsel the rules of Ihe Chi confessi sacram< having midst o ascendi and bei and be were j ture th And entered opposlt forth 01 day wi hour d where! ing th( was ri that tt is call somev that di and fo saint, laughl ness oj (lid he hour u tect, r And b on th€ a tem; works collec persio Am bands contai ST. PAVRICki n li the Christian faith, he catechised her, and baptized her, conlessing her belief, and strengthened her with the sacraments of the body ai.d bldod of Christ* And shej having received the viaticum, fell to the grolind in ihi midst of her prayt^rs, and breathed forth het spiritythud ascending from the font spotless and washed 6f all sin^ and being led by the angels unto the sight of her tair and beutiful beloved. Then did Patrick, ahd all who were present glorify Gbdj and with honourable sepul- ture they committed her holy remains unto the earth. And at a certain time, St. Patrick, on the Lord's day^ entered an harbour on the northern coast of Hibernia, opposite the town of Druimbo ; yet would he not go .forth of the ship, but remaining therein, solemnized the day with his Wonted devotion. And now was the mid- hour of the day passed, when he heard no little noise J whereby he understood that the Heathens Were violat* ing the Sabbath with their profane labours; (the which was right contrary to his* custom and command ;) and that they were then employed in a certain work which is called Rayth, that is, a wall ; and thereat be?ng somewhat moved, imperatively commanded them oil that day to cease from their labour. But tlyis profane and foolish generation received the prohibition o( thiJJ saint, not only with contempt, but with Scorn ^d laughter. Then did he, uifldeistanding the perverse- iiess of tfctese scorners, repeat his prohibitidn, and thud did he say unto them: « Though mightily shall ye la- bour unto your purpose, never Shall it come to ahy ef« tect, nor never shall ye derive any profit theiefrom." And how true Were his words, the event shewed ; fo£ on the next night was the sea wonderously raised Witn* a tempest, aiid spreading thereover, scattered all the? works of the \Heathen ; and lest ever it should be re- collected i>X rebuiidedj dispersed it with irreparable dis- persion. And a man named Darius, seiit tinto the saiht by li^ bands of his Servants, a large brazefl vessel^ the Which contained thrice twelve gallons, and jvas most jif edfiji F 92 THE L1F« OF S.'Andh"'rurr>'- •" '^^ -"--» of .heir received it rVeTsa i T n T^/.""' \''''^^' k-ndly And the serianl eml^uVt''- " * """"^ him/' tb.n^ more,than « Ithaak him » KDariu. ."h ""l wondering, accuspd thp ^aln^ nf .o i! ^^^'"s, thereat It back agam ; which thea they d,d The tafnf JT \v«"- cellent. « Truly ,» said hp « .V? -"^ ^** """'* ex- Man, nnd of unalterab'mrvdrwhec^ntr '"'"■»"'' whoie word codd not be chanOT,) wWh ,?""" ""'' b^ given unto bim or taken fVom him ^,! '''^ ^'''«* continue the same." Then 2 he 'fM ^" ^? """y r'^; .-'"'e 'he sai.t witT:pt'ast,^ Xi'dl"' - unto him a/iehd near his dwelUnR-pUice ah„„f, k^I* dispute imght possibly have arisen ' ' ^''"'h. - And alter a short time, the nnki. n • jnight show unto the saht'y t ^rea faZl! h*""' ^ him out of a low place untJa place wS was ^1'*' from a narrow dwellinijunto one whrlh 7 "'^h ' and fair, which was fore hoVntotm br«. ''''"='?''' jniracle, at that time named DmymsZal buttlT- f * now called Armachia. And vt StV • i ' "' ^^icli th. pleasanW and convonlnc/*/rhe T"^»"^f^- walking round it, found th«re^ aL i • ?'"=*' '"'^ U, fa^i, wfcich'thev who accolt^ii^'f^' '"^° «'"' ed tosfay ; hut this thrp°ou' feZ?!. M ?'""* "'"'- differ t« bedone. And that L^L?"'*' '" "<> wijc ^ Pity.'wto he hld'umi GoR etes' h'T'^ «>^ U.. in his r""^.ndcar.s«d anTcSed uS •ing of their ssel, kindly ia»k him.'^ ?r, when he he said no- nius, thereat d' rudeness; commanded k and biin^ saint, as he his works, tJemanded earingf that « I thank. 5 iirninessj mate con- ^ most ex- jnanimous nance and the vessel er do Ihey g his sei- and opave ut which, 'j that he b brought ^as high ; spacious i ani^elic ut which RS=iderinf(" ace, and Wn with int wili- no wije e bowels he bore d it, aad SAINT PATRICK. is carried it linto a park at the northern 6ide of Ardma- chia ; and the doe, even as the tamijst sheep, followed the compassionate hearer of her youngljnir, until be placed it down at her side. And on th'at day did the saint, for the praise of God and for the benefit of the .people, bring toith out of the earth by his prayers- (even for the seventh time) a clear fountain. CHAP. XVIU. When thejamp of draly light was extinguished in the shades of nocturnal darkness, the man ot God b^^ held m a vision of the night, angels measuring the form and extent of the city, which was to be builded in that high pl^ce ; and one of the angels enjoined him, th«t on the morrow h^ should go unto the fountain h^ar Ard* machia, which is now called Fobar Patrick, that rs the tountain of Patrick ; and there he iihOuld heal, in the name of the Lord, sixteen lepers, who wer« com« thi- ther trom many places to experience f he mercy of the Lord, and to receive his faith. And Patrick obeved the voice of the angel ; and earJy in the roornin/he lound those men, and by his preaching he converted m them unto the faith, and being converted, he baptized them in that fountain, and when baptized, he purified them tr9^ the leprous taint of either man. And this miracle, when published abroad, was accounted a iW presage, and a present sanction of the future city. Then Patrick founded, according to the direction of the angels, a city fair in its site, its form, and its ambit- and when by the Divine assistance it was completed' he brought to dwell therein twelve citizens, whom he' liadlrom all parts diligently and discreetly chosen- and these he instructed in the Catholic doctrines ot the Christian faith. And he beautified the city with church^ es, builded after a becoming and spiritual fashion • for the observance of divine worship, for the frovernment of soultf, and for the instruction of the Catholic flock, he _j...-.,„,,_.^ ^„^.5-j„ npijiiuai pci^i/iis : aiiu ne insitiuied 9 n TH? I^IFE OF # irertaift mqnasieries filled v^ith monks;, and others fiUn) withn^n^j'and placed them underthe regulations of all possible p^rfectieu. And jn the city placed he an ar- ^lii-episcopal cathedral ; and determined in his ipind, |hat it sHouid be the chief metropolis, and the mistress ai all Hiberuia ; and t/tat this his pi^rpose might remain fixed, and by posterity unallered, he resolved to jour- |i«y tti^q the Apqstolic Seat, and confirm it with au- thentic privileges. ' And the angel of \he Lord appearing in a dream untq Fatrick) approved the purpose of his journey, and show- ed him that the Pope would bestow and divide amono: many churches, the reliques of the apostles, I'eter and Paul, ar^d of many saints. And they were providei^ with fot|r chariots^ which conveyed him and his people imto the sea-side. Then the glorious prelate, Patrick, ^fter that the urgency of his laboiious preaphing was liijiflied) and the abundance of so many and so great miracles bad converted^ the whole island, blessed and D&de fareVeU to the several bishops an^ presbyters, and ^iber members of the church whom he had ordaine^ ; ^M with certain of his disciples, le^ by his angelic guide,^ he sailed towards Rome. \Vhither arrivingj, •while ih ^he presence of the supreme Pontiff, he de- clared the cause pf his coming: supreme favour he found in his eyes ; for embracing and acknowledgioi^ him as the apqstleof Hibernla, he deporated the saint with (he ^a!I,and appointed him his )egate,by his authority cpn- Birmed v^hatsoever Patrick Jiad done, Appointed or dis- posed therein^ And many parting-presents, and pre- vious gifts, which pertained unto the beauty, nay, unto, fhe strength of the church, did the Pope bestow oi^ him ; where among were certain reliques of the apos- tles, Peter and Paul, and of Stephen the pro to-m arty r, and of many other martyrs ; and moreover gave he untq i\ie j^'aint a linen cloth, which was marked with the blood qf our Lord and Saviour Jesus Chri§t, a a^ift ex- pelling all other gifts ! And with these most holy ho- npuis, the saii^^ being returned iinto Hibeinia, fortified IS of ail I an ar- 5 npind, nistress remain to jour- ith au- m unto I show- am on ^ ter and rovidetj people 'atrick, ng was great ed a|id IIS, and aine^ ; angelic •riving, he de- e found him as ith (he ty Con- or ais- id pre- y,untQ OW 01^ e apos*- nartyr, ie Uiktq th the; r'ld ex- o\y ho- ortified St. PATRICK. 95 therewith his metropolitan ^^^^^^^ the salvation of souls and the saUty ox tion,) and repos^ted them m^a c^^^^^^^^ ^.^^ B ^^^ altar. And m that ch^iCli, even ir ^ ^^^ Patrick, the c«f «. "ed^^^^^^^ 3^,,ld rtlSr;:olcr^ >^ the Vsence of %Ke' miracles which SMc^ :^::i^C^Z going to Rom^ ^^^^turmng thence, or at t^ ?.ned .e beyon our f^yj^j;::^,l ^^.^ne^d one, or all togeiner. x ui „i-!4:«<, igft he behind through the night, or made^ny abi^^, el. ^^ ^^^ him the proofs ot his sanctity >" " oratories, in Britain, and founded there many mona, ^^^^^ builded many oth«« ^^f t£ wX convents of holy Heathens ; and he jUed them w^ j ,i j^n vfhich monks, who assented •">*» *\** X,°„ prosperous and , he thereto appointed ; f «"y ^J'" B"t» „' '''*'"' «d,erse, which --^ *,X"cTaUy he fore'saw and ?'°P.''?F.hl holies' of th. bUiSsedWid, who was foretold the holiness oi vu. - then in his mother's womb For th„^^ country Pla'^?^'"^. H^'' "eving, lest he should abide rS::r£ay^P:slTo\!hemth^ wealth and the dominion. finished, he corfsoled And after his long journey w -.jteaunto the bis people with h,s n^'rUich he S chosen, and Lord's field thirty bishops, which he »- ^^^^^ ^^^^^^^^^ in toreis:n coumn^js nl»abii«i»1», both male and female, to be tithgd 5 and every t-nih head, M well of human kind a. of cattle, commanded he to be set apart for the portion ot the Loid. And inaWn.' ail the men monks, and the women nuns, he buuJed many monasteries, and assigned ^^foi^'^^^r their support, the tithe of the land and ot the cattte. Wherefore, in a short space, so it was, that no desert IJot nor even any co„L of the island, nor anyjUoe therein, however remote, was unfilled with pfrteci m X/and nuns ', .0 that'Hibernia was becomy^glUiy dislingaished by the episcopal """n*' "U ™le of St saints? And these lived according to the '»'« «^*- pltrick, with a contftmpt of the world, a destte of hea- ven an ho y mortification of the flesh, and an abandw.- Z't^faU^ileasurei equalling the "^g^.P^-^int J in their merit, and n their number, so that witn meir convSnand examnle.they edified fat distant coot- Zs Andin the dajs of St. Patrick, and for many l"es'of his uccessors no one was advanced unto the Sopal degree, or the cure of souls, unless by the w- Son of the Divine Spirit, or by some eviSeut »«« he wMFoved worthy tLeof, and which ought to be the custom of the present day . ..„!,„,„,,,«. ■ And a certain sa%t named Secundinu , ^ho ««» ;*^ ceeding wise and learned, "«•». "»'" |'- ?f,'£'tX he desired to compose an hymn m honour ot » »««^J^J^ was vet living. This he said, for that the saiM wnom he p«r>ed i write, was Patrick h*'"**" ? /"tnsweV- fore concealed he the name in silence, /l en.answer ed the saint, "Verily, it is worthy «^d ht, and mht,. .-J fif.hi. tiot the neonle should tell the wisoom Ji,-»g' 9S THE LIFE OF ot the saints, and that tho congregation should speak of their praise ; but jet, it is more becoming that the sub- i *u^ n"*^?^^'^® *^^"^^ "°^ ^e praised until alter his death. Praise thou, therefore, the charness of the day, but not until the evening cometh ; the courage of the soldier, but not until he had triumphed , the tbrtune of the sailor, but not until he hath landed, for the Scrip- ture saith, thou Shalt praise no man in his life-time. Nevertheless if so thy mind is fixed, what thou pro- posed to do, that do thou quickly: for death draweth mgh unto me, and of all the bishops which are in Hi- bernia Shalt thou be the first to die." Therefore, Se- cundinus composed an hymn in honour of St. Patrick, and after a lew days, according to the word of the saint, he died ; and he was buried in his own church, in a place which he called Domnhach-seachlainn, and by manifold miracles shoxveth himself to love in Christ. And this hymn, are many of the islanders daily wont to sing, and from its repetition they affirnv many and great wonders to have happened, -^ 5 And now the cloud of unbelief, by whose eclipse the people of Hibernia so long had wanted the warmth and tne light of the true sun, being dispersed, now did the tongue, the life, the virtue of the blessed Patrick, sa long as the breath and the Spirit of God were in his nos- trils, avail unto, the things which were began, conti- Dued and ended in the Lord ; giving the knowledge of salvation, affording the example of holiness, extending the remedy of all diseases. And verily, this peculiar ftabit of hie, which hs exercised in secret, was daily and perpetual, inasmuch as every day was he wont di- Jigently to sing the entire psaltery, with many songs and hymns, and the Apocalypse of the Apostle John. And in a wonderous manner dividing the night-sea- son, thus did this wakeful guardian and labourer in the l.ord's vineyard distinguish that also. For in the e ar- r • ^^-^' tht reof, having with prayers and psa'ms praised God, then applied he unto study ; and in the i' P^n, he plunged himself into cold vvater.aad rais- %T» PATRICK. 99 (' In' his heart, his voice,his pyes,and hit hands towat.U heaven, offered he oi>e hundred and filty ptayen. Al- terwards he stretched himself on a bare stone, ami of another sto»e m«kinK a jullow, he tested his moit sanctified body with a short sleep ; or that more clearly le may speak, he refreshed himselt nnto the labour o' his continual conflict. With such !«V«'"i^'"^'wh girded his loins with the roughest hair-cloth, the which had been dipped in cold water ; lest haply h« •»« « the flesh warring in his members against the law of the Spirit, should excite any spark of the old leaven. This did St' Patrick, with spare and meagre food, »"d with the coarsest clothing;, otf.r himself »» holy and living sacrifice, acceptable unto God : nor suffered he the ene- my to touch in him the walls of JctMalem, but he in- flicted on his own flesh the penance and f T'"»» »"" rentiess ; and that he should not h™g forth children which might hereafter be worthy of death, made be his snirit fruitful of abundant fruit. ' . *Tnd until the five-and-fiftieth year of h.s »«'=,*h"«- in he was advanced in Hibernia unto the episcopal de- cree, did he after the manner of the apostles, onUnu- flv travel on foot; and thenceforth, by reason oHhe diffi^iuv of the journey, he used a chariot, aceord^ns to the manner of tl.e country. And over h'S otl'« g"; meius he was clothed with a white cowl, so that in the form and the candid colour ot his habit, he fh'je^ " » profession, and proved himse f the candidate of loveli- ness and purity. Whence, it came »» P«^f ' t^«' ^^-^^ monks in Hibernia followed his ewmple, and t^r . manv vears were contented with the simple habit wS tCwool of the sheep aforde^ ""i" VKd^ tinged with any foreign dye. .4nd h« kept his hands Clear from any dft. ever -""""""V ^ ^ff wa^ e ve than to receive : therefore, when any gift was IhTen un"o him by any rich man, he ha.*tened so soon S mr-ht be to »ive it unto tl.e f «or, lightening himself r^of asV an heavy bnrthen. , i>|„W-r f^ru' in his speech, m Ins gaii, m u:* «.- „...-. ---^ ,j^ m THR LIFE OP wh<4e hoi\f, m he edify the behohiers ; an.! hifl dis- course w«s well seasoned, and suittMi unto every a^e, $ex, rank, and condition- In four languages— the Bri- ikikf the Hibernia, the Gallic, and the Ldtin, was he thoroughly skilled ; and tlie Greek language also did he partly understand. The little Book of Proverba which he composed in the Hibernia tongue, and which is full of edification, still ejifisteth ; and this great vo- Inme called Canoin Phadruig, that is, the Canons of Piitrick^ suited every person, be he secular, be he ec- el«sUstic, unto the exercise of justice and the salvation of souls. Whensoever he was addressed for the expo- aitiooi of profound questions onlifficult cases, always according to the custom of his lowliness, did he answer, <• I know not, God knoweth :" but when gruat neces- fi4y compelled him to certify the word of his mouth, he fttways affirmed by attesting his Judge. So excel- lent was he in the spirit of prophecy, that he foretold divers future things, even as if they were present ; Ibfit^s absent he well kne\y, and whatsoever uil from hit lips^ without even the smallest doubt, did that come 10 pin. i$o evidently did he foretel of the saints which Hot an hundred years thereafter would be born in HJber- nia^ but chiefly in Momonia and Conactia, that he showed even their names, their characters, and the places of their dwelling. Whomsoever he bound, them did the Divine Justice bind ; whomsoever he loosed them did the Divine Justice loose ; with his right band be blessed, with his left hand he cursed ; and whom he blessed, on them came the blessing of the Lord ; whom he cursed, on them came the hf^avenly malediction : and the lent^snce which issued froin his'lips, unshaken and fixed did it remain, even as had it gone forth of the eternal Jiidg:ment-seat. Whence did it plainly appear, that fhts holy man being faithful unto God, was with him as ont spirit. Yet, ihoml\ in his manifold virtues, he eQUftlled or excelled all other saint»,in the virtue oi loielines4 did he exaei «ven himself; for in his epistli^ hw w^ wont io meaiion hinis^'lf as the iovvcst, the jea? ,1^ «T. PATRICI^. m an(l the vilest-of all sinner!*, and littie acrountm-g ^Ue sizns and. the miracles which he had wrought, he thought himSL'lf 10 be compared not toany perlect man; and being but of small ptatuie he used oUen to callhim-j 9elf a dwarf. And not seldom, alter the u^anner of the aoostle Paul, he toiled with manual labour, hshing and tUlirix the groqnd, but chiefly in building chuiches; to which employment he tpnch urged his disciples, hollv j)v exhortation and example. Nevertheless, right ear- nestly did he apply himself upto baptizing the people', and prdaining ilie ministers of the church. Three hun- dred and fifty bishops did he consecrate with hif^ own hand; seven hundred churches did he endow; hv« thousand clerical men did He advance unto ihe priestly rank. But of the other ministers whom he Hi^pwRted unto the inferior orders of the monks and Uie nuns, whom he dedicat-tTunlo t!ie divine service, God alone* knoxy^th the number. CHAP. XIX. TrfRRicFpRR, Under this most sanctified rule oflil"^ . h di* he shine in so ma^iy atid so gteat miracles, that h^ V ' W^rfed second to no other Saint. For the Mind-, an<^, lie lame, and the deal, and the du^ib, thep?»lsied, the •lunatic, the l.riroustheepilectic, all who labomed un- der aiiy disease, did he, in the name of the Hpty iw nity, restore untp the po\\^er ot their limbs, and unto entire health ; and in these ^^ood d^eds was he daily piaclised. And of all those things which so wonder- pusly he did in the world, sixly-aiid-«i^ books are s-ud to have been written, whereof the greater part perished by fire, in the reigiis of Guimundus arid (.ffurcjesins. But four books ol his virtues and his miracles >;etrfe- rnain, written f aril y in the Hibernian, partly in th^^ Latin language ; a.id which, ^i different timrs four ol' his disciples composed, namely, his .ncc^ssor the hie.- sed Renignus •, the bishop St. Mel, the bishop M. Lu- manus, who was his nephew ; and hip. graud-neph<-^v^ lOi THE LIFE OF St. Patricias, who after the decease of his uncle re- tiinied into Britain, and died in the church ot Glascow. Likewise, did JSt. Kvinus collect into one Vv'^lunrje the acts oJ St Paiiick, the which is written partly in the Hihernian, and paitly in the Latin tongue, Fronn all which, whatsoever we could meet most worthy of be- lief, hava we deemed right to traiismit in this our work, unto aft^r tinges. And Patrick, the beloved of the Lord, heing full c/ days and of good works, and now faithfully finishing ihe tin) J of his appointed ministry, saw as well by Di- vine revelation as by the dissolutions of his earthly ta- bernacle, that the evening of his life was drawjng near. And being then nigh unto Ulydia, hastened his journey towards the metropolitan seat, Ardmachia ; for earn- estly he desired to lay in that place the remains of his sanctified bodj'', and In the sight of iiis sons whom he had brought forth unto Christ, to be consigned unto the common mother. But the event changed the purpose of the holy man ; that all might know, according to the testimony of the Scriptures ; that the way of man IS iiot in his own power, but that his steps are directed of God. For during his journey, he was caution- kfd not to return to Ardmachia in words to ^he*' ilbHowing effect :--" Stay thou, Patrick, thy feet from this^ thy purpose, i?ince it is not the Di-* vine Will that in Ardmachia thy life should he closed, or thy body therein be sepultured ; for Ulydia, ihe first place of all Hibernia which thou c!id»t convert, had the Lord provided thai thou shalt die, and that the city of Dunuui [now Down] thou shalt be honourably buried. And there shall be thy resurrection ; but in Ardmachia which thou so lovest, shall be the successive mi- nistry of the grace which hath been oo thee be- stowed. Ti»erefore remeciiber thy word, where- with thou ^avest hope unto thy first converts, the ST PATRICK. 103 icIp re- riascow. ime Ihe ' in the 'Tom all f of he- r work, full cf nishin^ by Di- hly ta- ig near, journey r earn- 8 of his lonn he nto the )Uipose ling ta of man irected ution- to !ie' :, thy le Di^ ' Jld be I ; for 1 thou , thou )own] there lachia 'e irii- je be- here- sy the soi;s of Dicbu, when instructed of heaven, thou did8t forete! unto them that in their land thou wouldst die and be buried." And at the word of the angel the saint was grieved ; but quickly re- lurninl unto himself, embraced he the P.vme Providence with much devotion and thanksgiving, and submitting his own will unto the will of God, he returned into Ulydia. , u i ^w And after a few days Patrick, the most holy old man, rested in a place not tar distant from the mother-church of the city of Dunum ;and with him was Brigida, the spotless pearl of Hibernia, and no small assembly of religious and ecclesias- tical persons. And while the ^nt di-coursed unto them\)f the glory of the saiii«|he pomted^out to them as he was instructed by tip Spirit, where he should be buried, on the eastern side of the ceroe- tery, Brigida said that she woula be happy if she might enshroud his holy body in a linen cloth, she had mad6 with her own hands, and woven for his obseqaies. And St. Patrick understanding the desire of Brigida, and her preparation of the gar- ment ; he himself returned unto the monastery ot Saballum, which he had filled with a fair assembly of monks, and there lying on the bed of sickness, awaited he, with an happy hope, the ternndnation of his life, nay, rathei^iof his pilgrimage, and his entrance into the life ettn\{\ an inanir nrtA ti:iinli fliitirrti fintttttK^ ^,. m the /ship ! ndeth, trellec) com- ber of )ry.— g that birth, >e lip 9 1 unto red of of thi^ bserrt, ?d l-~ ^ ST. PATRICK* ^^^ RiiHhtlv U he raUedj^nd is, the apostVe >oif Hiber- ivia, seeing that all the people thereof, and ^tli^j other islanders, are the signs ofhisapostiUate ! iRightly is be called a martyr, who bearu^ conti-^ hually in his heart, and in his body, the oarae^of Christ, showed himself a living sacrifice ^un«o ^God; who having suffered so many snares, «o many con- flicts from magicians, from idoktor«, from ruiep^ and.from evil spirits, held his heart a^'^aydpre* paved to undergo any and every death l^Kigtrtlif is he called the confessor Of God, who contmaally preached the name of Christ, and i^ho by hi* ^ords, his example, and his miracles eXcited j[^o-. ble, tribfes and tongues, urtto the confession; ot hisT name, of human sin, and of Divine Fomrse !-^ Biffhtly h he called a virgin, who abideth^a .vir- iji^in his body, in bis heart, and in Ms faith, a^Hl by bis three-fold virginity, pleaseth he the spouftc of virgins, and the virgin of virgins !-;^lligbtlyi5 ■he numbered among the angeHC choirs, and the assemblies of all saints, who was the sharer tn aH iiolv acts, ahd all virnfes ! ^ On the seventeenth day of March, id tb6 cwie Jiundredahd twentieth and third year of Im^ge, departed he forth of this world, and tlmsihe ye^rs of iiis life are reckoned. Ere he vvas carrief mtO Hibernia by the pirates, he had attained hisJUK- ieenth year, op(>ressed beneath a most cruerser^ij iude, six years did he feed smne, four yea^* ^^ lie feed, with the sweet food of the Gospel, thos6 who before were swine, but who, cmm ^W the (ilth of their idolatry, became his id^llowers. Eishteen years did tie study under St, G^rmaniw, and when he had reached his fiftieth and th»rd :..o. h-. wa« invested! with the episcopal digmty, nii^ rrn.mr(l in'o Hibernia, therein to preach m« 106 THB LIFE OF, &C. and in ^he space of thirty and five years converted he unto Christ all that country, aiid many other islands ; and during the thirty and three years which remained unto him, abided he chiefly in Saballuro, or in the monastery which he had founded at Armachia. Nor did he wiHingly leave' tRose holy places, unless some cause of inevitable urgency called him forth ; nevertheless, once in every year did he celebrate a council, that he might bring back unto the right rule those things which he knew to need reformation. And as St. Patrick expired, the surrounding circle of monks commended his spirit unto God, and enwrapped his body in the linen cloth which St. Brigida had pre- pared. And the multitude of the people, and of the cler- gy, gathered together and mourned with tears and with sighs, the dissolution of Patrick, their patron, even as the desolation of their country, and prayed in psalms and in hymns, the rites which unto his funeral were due* And the people of Ultonia having entered Dunum celebrated the solemnities of mass, and in the place foreshown, buried the venerable body with all due Ve- n^-rition ; and this desirable treasure, this most precious jewel, they depositeth beneath a stone five Cubits deep m the heart of the earth, lest by stealth it mi^ht be conveyed thence. But by how many and how^'great miracles the bones of this most holy saint were Taced therein, we find not recorded, either because tlie pen ot the negligent preserved them not, or being written, they were destroyed by sofne of the many Heathen princes who ruled in Hibernia. IN ow St. Patrick died in the four hundred and ninetieth and third year of Christ's incarnation;, Felix being then Pope, in the first year of the reign of Anastasius the Emperor, Aureh us Ambrosms ruling in Britain, Forchernus in Hibernia, Jesus Christ reigning in all things and over all things. Now, unto liiin be glory, and praise, and honour, and mr/ifre, thrcimh infii«te a2:os. f«ir t^v^^r anri ow- I iro I- T V 2 S kYerted r other J years ielly in le had T leave' citable ^nce in lat he things ircle of Tapped nd pie- le cler- id with ;ven as psalms re due* i' place ue ve* recious ts deep tght be V great graced le pen bitten, eathen k died ^ear of le iiist irelius »emia, flings, rr, ^^SiA ( .RULES FOR A CHRlStlAN LIFE. Woha observed 5y all who wish to secure to themitlm a happy Eternity. 1. Setti^e in thy soul a tirm resolution upon no ac- count whatever to consent to mortal sin. This resolu- tion is the very foundation of a virtuous life : whosoever is not arrived thus far, has not yet begun to serve God. Without this resolution,it is in vam for any one to flat- ter himself with the hopes of living hoUly, or dying ^^T'ln'order to enable thyself to keep this resolution, he diligent in flying all dangerous occasions, such as bad company, lewd or profane books, immodest plays, &e. For «he that loves danger shall pensh m it. -- 3 *Watch allthe motions of thy heart, and resist the first impressions of evil ; keep a guard upon thy senses and thv imagination, that the enemy miy not surpris? thy soul by these avenues ! Contemn not smaU faults, lest bv degrees thou fall into greater. , ■ . . . , , 4 Flv an idle life, as the mother of all rmschief ; and take it for a certain truth, that an idle life will never brin" a Christian to heaven. . 5 Never omit, upon any account, thy morning and evenin- prayers. In the morning remember always fo presents God the flnit fruits of the day, by gJV'HK h™ ?hv first thoughts : make an offering to h.m.ot all the actions of the day ; and renew this oblatwn at ti>e be- Snrn.' of every tW-^S thou doest, "Whether thou sat fS£,"saysk PaV(| Cor x.3J.)« or «,to(mr ITn tW evening prayers, make a daily exammaUon of thy conscience, calfo ■ thyself to an account, how thou hast passed the day ; and whatever sms thou d.s- coverest labour tp waA them away by p-nitenti^l t'earsTefore thou layest thyself down to ^"-i^J^hH i,„„,.,o hnt that nisht may be thy last ? In gom;; ti.j b^d ■ think on the grave ; compose thj sett to rusv iu.im«| N*7-- f^/> |08. BULKS FOR, &e. armsof thy God^attd if i^rttt wajce in^ th<»^^ls Aim, Who is alwajs-watc/iing over tAea* t^ Biside^thif fnoming and evening dkvotioni^ set midi iome time' in the day for prayer, more particularly fttiuial, by an interior conversation qf thy soul with God, , A#f 4i^f (me iovereign good. In the midst of all thy 0fi^j^synunfsy keep thyself as much as posAUe in the pre-, mce of Gbdf and Jretpjixntly aspire to him by short e^flto(&)Hs:* Read of ten spiritual books, as httersdr messages ^ent; thee from hearken. And if thy circum-z gMee^peimtf assHf daily at the sacrttfice of the mass. 8. Frequent the sacraments at leobt once a month;, Mt^dkt tptcial tare ip prepare thyself to receive them 9. Hat* 4mt^ de'Mtion to th^ passion of Christ : md often mtMM^ up6ii>hi» sufferings. to. Be paf*ictdarty devout to his blessed m\)thtr ; take Met fof (hy nothef, and seek upon all occasions hti' pro- heiM afai prayers : but learn with alt to vmiiate her Wtm. . . ^ II* Btifdy tf^ find ottt thy predminant passion, arw; Iflimtrmth all thy power to root it out. B. jf^t notadctyfm^witl^t offering t& God some J3. Beware of \elf^xi^ as thy greatest enemf:an(t mefimfi'Menee tk%sdf hj self -denials and mortiji- mtM^rt* Remember the kingdom ofheavenisnot to be ^Mmb0Mlfi6lence.''StM^^ ' ,^ m n spiritual alrrts-^ i^4 6^ sf i^)4r iiii thon cmt tof^iaim vnhaqypy m- ittrn ; oMfbr that end da%y bewail their misery in tk^ lim etaci in dt ^te duties pf thy caUmg, as being to gii^e an accomt one dayio that^iat MP'Stefiwho }a^W0ttidta each one otits mr imLctive staiiontn m «, 'V*' :;•■& ' f « '■ . ""■■ U>T .#i