Thus Bede, after narrating the foundation of Iona and Dearmagh by Columba, adds—‘Ex quo utroque monasterio plurima exinde monasteria per discipulos ejus et in Britannia et in Hibernia propagata sunt: in quibus omnibus idem monasterium insulanum, in quo ipse requiescit corpore, principatum teneret.’—B. iii. c. 4. Footnote 136: See the very able paper by Dr. Reeves on this subject in the _Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy_, vol. vi. p. 447. Footnote 137: _Ancient Laws of Ireland_, vol. iii. p. 75. Footnote 138: _Ancient Laws of Ireland_, vol. iii. p. 75. The translation of these passages has been made a little more literal, but the meaning of the last sentence is not very apparent. Footnote 139: _Annoit—andoit .i. eclais do et in aile as cenn agas is tuiside_; that is, a church which precedes another is a head and is earlier—a parent church.—_O’Don. sup._ Footnote 140: From _Dalta_, a pupil, a disciple. Footnote 141: _Pairche_, a parochia.—Cormac’s _Glossary_. _Compairche_ is conparochia. Footnote 142: Conchad went to Armagh, and Fland Feblae gave his Cell (_Cheill_) to him, and he himself took the abbacy (_Abbaith_).—_Book of Armagh._ Deinde cellas et monasteria fundavit in sua propria regione.—_Act. S. Brendani_, c. ii. Footnote 143: This expression is translated in the Ancient Laws ‘a pilgrim,’ but the pilgrim in the true sense of the term is expressed in Irish by the word ‘ailithir.’ _Deoraid_, advena.—_O’Don. sup._ Footnote 144: _Ancient Laws of Ireland_, vol. iii. p. 79. Footnote 145: The explanation given in the commentary of this obscure expression is, if ten sons are born after the first, then ‘to set aside the three worst sons, and to cast lots between the seven best sons to see which of them should be due to the church.’ Footnote 146: _Ancient Laws_, vol. iii. pp. 39, 40, 41. Footnote 147: _Ancient Laws_, vol. iii. p. 31. Footnote 148: _Ib._ p. 33. Footnote 149: MS., Brit. Mus., Nero, A. vii. Footnote 150: _Ancient Laws_, vol. iii. p. 13. Footnote 151: _Ib._ p. 17. Footnote 152: _Ib._ p. 35. Footnote 153: This is the number we have seen in the small establishment of Mobhi Clarenach. Saint Brendan went to Bishop Ere when five years old, ‘ad legendum ... et quinquaginta ex illis manserunt sub lege Sancti Episcopi Erci usque ad mortem suam.’—_Act. S. Brendani_, c. vi. Footnote 154: Postea navigavit Sanctus Brendanus in peregrinatione ad Britanniam, adivitque sanctissimum senem Gilldam, virum sapientissimum in Britannia habitantem, cujus fama sanctitatis magna erat.—_Act. Brendani_, c. xv. It is usually stated that he went to Armorica, or Bretagne, but by Britannia, when used without qualification, Britain can only be meant. Footnote 155: