The mention of the Scots in this document is important, because it proves that Scottish settlements in North-Western Britain had begun before the middle of the fifth century. This must be taken into account in criticising the notice in Bede, _H.E._ i. 1, of the origin of the British Dalriada. P. 193.—The outrage on the neophytes: _Letter against Coroticus_, 375₂₂₋₃₂. The language of Patrick implies that it was the Scots and Picts, not the _milites Corotici_, who slaughtered some of the Christians: socii Scottorum atque Pictorum apostatarum quasi sanguine uolentes saginari [see White’s ed.] sanguine innocentium Christianorum quos ego innumerum [? _leg._ innumerum numerum; _Boll._ innumeros] Deo genui atque in Christo confirmaui. The text of the _Letter_ is full of corruptions, some of which may be easily corrected. In the following sentence we should perhaps read: Postera die <quam> qua crismati neophiti in ueste candida, dum flagrabat in fronte ipsorum <crux>, crudeliter trucidati atque mactati gladio <a> supradictis, <..> et misi epistolam, etc. _Crux_ or _crucis signum_ may have fallen out before _crudeliter_. For the sign of the cross and white chrism at baptism, see Warren, _Liturgy and Ritual of the Celtic Church_, p. 65; cp. p. 217. It was laid down by Innocent I. (_Ep._ xxv., Migne, _P.L._ xx. 555) that chrism _in pectore_ might be performed by presbyters, chrism _in fronte_ only by bishops. For the Roman and Gallican baptismal ceremonies see Duchesne, _Origines du culte chrétien_, cap. ix. P. 194.—There is a difficulty, perhaps only superficial, in Patrick’s narrative in his _Letter_. He makes Coroticus fully responsible for the outrage, but his language suggests that the message which he had sent to demand the captives before the plunderers left Ireland was not addressed to Coroticus personally; the ruler’s name is not mentioned, and the plural is used (_cachinnos fecerunt de illis_, 376₄). It is possible, however, that something has fallen out (see last note) before the words _et misi epistolam_. _Ib._—The persons in Strathclyde to whom the _Letter against Coroticus_ was transmitted and who were asked to excommunicate the tyrant are not designated by a more precise expression than _sancti et humiles corde_ (376₂₃). They were, no doubt, the whole Christian community; but there is no indication who was to receive the letter in the first instance. There is apparently a reference to the contemplated transmission of the letter from one place to another in Britain (certainly from Ireland to Britain) by the hands of some _famulus Dei_ in 380₁₉, and the writer is afraid that it might possibly be abstracted. The inference seems to be that it was not to go direct to Alcluith, but to some other place (could it possibly have been Whitern?).