Oral instruction of a similar character was doubtless also communicated by St. Patrick to his disciples during their missionary journeys, as well as in those places where he and his household remained for any considerable time. Books were scarce, but were not unknown. The British and French clergy no doubt brought with them to Ireland such books as were indispensable for a missionary priest or bishop. These would be a Mass-book, a ritual, and a copy of the psalms, and of the Gospels. They were carried in leathern wallets slung from the girdle, and sometimes in covers, or cases of wood, strengthened and adorned with metallic rims and clasps. Such were the book-covers (_leborchometa_), which St. Asicus of Elphin used to make for Patrick.[78] Once also when Patrick was journeying from Rome he met six young clerics with 'their books at their girdles,' who were going to the holy city on their pilgrimage. And Patrick gave them a hide of seal-skin, or cow skin--it is doubtful which, says the narrator--to make a wallet, as it would seem, for their books, for they had it adorned with gold and white bronze.[79] Palladius left books (_libru_) after him in Leinster, and both Patrick and the Druids had books at Tara, and Patrick's books (_libair_) once fell into one of the streams that flow into the Suir and were 'drowned.' Probably these were some of the books which Celestine gave to Patrick, 'in plenty,' when he was about to come to Ireland.[80] Patrick gave Deacon Justus of Fuerty in the co. Roscommon, his own book of ritual and of baptism (_lebar nuird ocus baptismi_.)[81] He also carried across the Shannon the books of the Law and of the Gospel, and left them in the new Churches which he founded.[82] _Lebar n-uird_ is the same as _Liber ordinis_, and means a missal, or Ordo Missae, and the _Liber baptismi_ would be what we now call a 'ritual,' containing the forms for the administration of the sacraments. In Tyrawley the Saint gave Bishop Mucknoi, whom he there ordained, "seven Books of the Law," in order that Mucknoi himself might ordain other bishops and priests, and deacons in that country, and as it would seem, have copies of the Books of the Law to give them. (_Book of Armagh_, f. 14.)