The Most Ancient Lives of Saint Patrick Part 21

CHAPTER CXXVI.

_Another Magician is in like manner Consumed._

And at another time another magician, but in wickedness not differing, bound himself by a sacrilegious oath before the heathens which were gathered together unto evil deeds, that he would destroy the saint.

But ere the accursed crime could be attempted, the saint, raising his left hand, imposed in the name of the Lord his malediction on the malefactor; and he was consumed by fire from heaven, and even like the other nine he perished. Then the people which were collected to behold the death of the saint, fearing that a like destruction might descend on themselves, escaped by flight, or rather by the sufferance of the divine mercy.

CHAPTER CXXVII.

_A Grove is cursed by the Saint._

And Patrick was on a certain day speeding his journey for the ministry of his wonted preaching, when the wheel of the chariot wherein he sat was broken in twain. And his attendants hastened unto a neighboring grove, wherein was seen wood that seemed fit unto their purpose; and the wood is hewed down, and smoothed, and shaped to repair the wheel.

Nevertheless they long time labored with useless toil, for still did the wheel appear broken as before; and ever and anon as they endeavored to repair it, yet still, as touched of heaven, again did it fall in twain. Then the man of G.o.d well knowing that this could not uncausedly happen, enquired of the grove, and unto whom it belonged; and he was told that it had been consecrated unto the infernal spirits.

Wherefore, knowing the divine will, and agreeing with the sentence of heaven, he raised his left hand, and cursed the grove. Wonderful was the event! Forthwith, like the fig-tree in the Gospel, it withered; nor from that time was it ever fit unto any use, save only to be hewed down and cast into the fire.

CHAPTER CXXVIII.

_The Sentence p.r.o.nounced by the Saint on his Deceivers._

A certain prince and his people, which dwelled in a place called Nadese, within the country of Momonia, appointed a day and an hour whereon they might meet in the presence of Saint Patrick to deliberate concerning the erection of churches. And the saint came at the fixed time, and he waited during the whole day until the evening, but no man, at least no man thereunto deputed, came to meet him. And in this manner did they oftentimes deceive the servant of G.o.d. Nevertheless the Holy Spirit dwelling in Patrick concealed not from these men the reward of their presumption delivered through his mouth; for when on another evening they came, he said openly unto them, "Since ye have not only deceived me, but the Holy Spirit, neither ye nor your children shall ever in this place finish any your business until the evening."

And according to the common saying, this the sentence of the saint is continually fulfilled, for if the people of this place begin any business in the early morning, never can they finish it until the latest evening.

CHAPTER CXXIX.

_A Mountain is swallowed up in the Earth, and again it is raised._

And among the chiefs of Momonia was a certain wicked man named Cearbhallus, and he always hindered Saint Patrick, so that a church could not be builded in the lands of his inheritance. And not far from this man's dwelling was a lake which was fair and pleasing to the eye, but a lofty mountain which stood between intercepted all the delight from his view. Him did the saint address for the building of a church, exhorting and entreating; but long time he resisted. And on a certain day this wicked man, endeavoring with subtle argument to circ.u.mvent the saint, said unto him: "If in the name of the Lord thy G.o.d thou wilt remove yonder mountain, so that mine eyes may be freely satisfied with this desired lake, then shall thou build a church on my land wheresoever thou mayest please." This he required, because he deemed it impossible to be done. Then the saint having prayed raised his eyes of faith and love unto the prepared Mountain which is exalted on the top of the mountains; and forthwith the mountain was laid low, and swallowed in the earth, and permitted unto the man a free view of the lake. But when Saint Patrick began to build the church, this man of hardened heart would not suffer it to be finished, for he feared where no fear was, and dreaded lest thereby he should be deprived of his inheritance. Then the saint prayed again unto the Lord, and the mountain was lifted up unto its former height. And he foretold that the wicked man should in a short s.p.a.ce lose the possession of his land, and that no one of his race should ever be a prince or a bishop. And the prophecy of the saint was fulfilled, for as his eyes were prevented from the sight of the lake, so was his life closed by death.

CHAPTER Cx.x.x.

_Euchodius is cursed by the Saint, and his Son is blessed._

A certain wicked tyrant, named Euchodius, reigned in Ulydia; and he commanded two holy virgins, for that they rejected wedlock, to be bound with chains and cast into the water; and he set at naught Saint Patrick interceding for them. Wherefore the saint punished him with the sentence of his malediction, and foretold that not one of his seed should reign after him, but that his kingdom should be transferred to Kerellus, his younger brother. And his wife, who was then in travail, earnestly besought the saint that he would bless her and the child which she carried in her womb. Then the saint blessed them both, and prophesied that she would bring forth a most holy son, whose death should be doubtful and unsearchable. And the woman brought forth a son, who was named Dovengardus; and he was renowned for his sanct.i.ty and his miracles, whereof many and wondrous traditions are told among that people. And Euchodius in a short time lost both his life and hit kingdom, and thereto not one of his race succeeded. But his aforementioned brother and his descendants through many years possessed the kingdom of Ulydia.

CHAPTER Cx.x.xI.

_Of Saint Sennachus the Bishop._

In the place which is named Achadhfobhair Saint Patrick built and endowed a church with fair possessions; and thereover he appointed and consecrated a bishop, Sennachus, who for the innocency of his heart was called a lamb of G.o.d. And he, being so consecrated, entreated of the saint that with unceasing prayer he would labor with the Lord to s.h.i.+eld him in this his office from the commission of all sin; and furthermore he suppliantly besought that the church over which he presided might not be called by his name, as was in many places the custom among the Irish people. And this did he to preserve his lowliness, and to avoid vainglory, which is the fretting moth of all virtues. Then Saint Patrick, understanding the worthiness of Sennachus and the simplicity of his heart, promised unto him all his desire; and blessing him and his flock, prophesied that thereout should proceed many holy and eminent priests. And Sennachus, serving in exceeding holiness the Holy One of all holies, and being renowned for his miracles and for his virtues, entered at length into the heavenly sanctuary.

CHAPTER Cx.x.xII.

_The Miracle which is worked for Certain Hewers of Wood._

And Saint Patrick in his journeying pa.s.sed with his people through a forest in Midernia, and he met therein certain slaves that were hewing wood; and these men were under the yoke of a hard and cruel master, named Tremeus; and they hewed the wood with blunt axes, nor had they whetstones nor had they any other means whereon to sharpen them.

Wherefore their strength failed, their arms stiffened, and the flesh fell from their hands, and the naked sinews were seen, and the miserable men wished rather for death than for life. But when the man of G.o.d beheld their misery, he compa.s.sionated them, and he touched them, and he blessed their hands and their instruments. Then at the touch and the word of his blessing, all their strength is restored, their hands are healed, their instruments become sharpened, the hardest oaks are hewed down without toil, even as the tenderest twigs; and in these men did the miracle continue until the saint had wondrously obtained for them their freedom.

CHAPTER Cx.x.xIII.

_A Hone is divided by Saint Patrick, and the Oppressor is drowned._

And Patrick the pious father addressed the master, nay, rather the tormentor of these slaves, yet found he him stubborn and inexorable.

Wherefore betaking himself unto his accustomed arms, he fasted and prayed for three days; and once again approaching the man, he humbly besought their liberation, and once again found he him a new Pharao.

Then the saint spat on a stone by chance before them lying, and for the softening, the reproving, and the confounding of his hard-heartedness, the stone immediately splitted in three parts. But Tremeus becoming the more hardened by that which should have softened him, forthwith ascended his chariot, and scorning and rejecting the prayer of the saint, commanded these slaves to be afflicted with yet severer toil.

Wherefore the Lord suffering not that this insult to Patrick, the second Moses, should go unavenged, now punished the contemner of his servant, even as formerly he punished Pharao and his host; for the horses which were yoked to the chariot of Tremeus, rus.h.i.+ng forward, plunged into a neighboring lake, and drowned in its waters the chariot and him who sat therein. Then, this child of Belial being so destroyed, Saint Patrick without hindrance freed these afflicted men brought out of the house of bondage, and gave unto them their long-desired freedom.

CHAPTER Cx.x.xIV.

_An Angel foretelleth to Patrick of Saint Moccheus._

The blessed Patrick purposed to build a church in a place sufficiently fair and fitting, which is now called Ludha. But an angel appearing unto him, enjoined that he should desist therefrom, saying; "Soon shall a servant of the Lord arrive from Britain, named Moccheus, who for the sake of G.o.d deserting his country and his parents, shall come into Hibernia; and in this place shall he build and dwell, and finish his days in piety." Then the saint obeying the angel, turned unto the left side of the place, and there builded unto the G.o.d of Jacob a tabernacle which is yet known by the name of Saint Patrick. And Moccheus coming thither, erected an oratory and all places fitting, and lived there a life abundant in virtue; and often Saint Patrick was wont to visit him, and confer with him on things pertaining unto G.o.d. And on a certain day, while they were sitting together and communing of G.o.d, the angel appeared and proffered unto them an epistle; the which Saint Patrick reading, found to be an exhortation, nay, rather a command, unto him especially directed, that he should absolutely confer on Moccheus the place which he had builded, with all matters pertaining thereunto, and that he himself should fix his cathedral seat in Ardmachia. And Patrick willingly did as the angel, nay, rather as the Lord, had enjoined and thence retiring, he commended unto Moccheus twelve lepers, to whom he had ministered in Christ; and Moccheus a.s.sumed the care and the custody of all these matters.

CHAPTER Cx.x.xV.

_The Sentence p.r.o.nounced by Patrick on Moccheus._

And after some days, while Moccheus heard the Book of Genesis read before him, wherein he is told that the patriarchs before the Flood lived for nine hundred years and more, and that after the Flood many lived for three hundred years, he did not readily believe in the sacred history; for he said that this tabernacle of clay, the human body, of flesh so weak, covered with skin, and framed with bones and sinews, could in no wise so long endure. The which when Saint Patrick observed, he came unto him, that with true reason he might drive all such scruples from his mind; for he said that the whole canonical Scripture was dictated and written by the finger of G.o.d, and therefore should in no wise be derogated or disbelieved; inasmuch as it was not more difficult for the Creator of all things to extend the life of man unto a thousand years, if so he willed, than unto one day, as according to the Psalmist: A thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday, which is pa.s.sed. But even on these things Moccheus still doubting, the saint thus p.r.o.nounced, or rather prophesied: "Since thou disbelievest the Holy Scriptures, by thine own experience shalt thou prove the truth of its records; for even to the length of three hundred years shall thy life be prolonged, nor until that time is pa.s.sed shalt thou enter into the joy of the Lord." And Moccheus afterward repented him of his want of faith, but the sentence p.r.o.nounced by the Holy Spirit through the mouth of Patrick could not be revoked. And he lived for the s.p.a.ce of three hundred years; and then paying the debt of nature, and s.h.i.+ning in virtues and in miracles, at length he pa.s.sed out of the world unto Christ.

CHAPTER Cx.x.xVI.