blessed the plain, and the darkness was expelled, and the sun shone out, and all gave thanks. They were for a long time contending thus before the king--_i.e._, as Nero said to Simon and Peter--et ait rex ad illos, "Libros vestros in aqua mittite, et ilium cujus libri illesi evaserint adorabimus." Respondit Patricius: "Faciam ego"; et dixit magus: "Nolo ego ad judicium ire aquae cum ipso; aquam etiam Deum habet"; because he heard that it was through water Patrick used to baptize. Et respondit rex: "Mittite igitur in igne"; et ait Patricius: "Promptus sum;" at magus nolens dixit; "Hic homo versa vice in alternos annos nunc aquam nunc ignem deum veneratur." "It is not this that shall be done," said Patrick; "for since you say that it is the fire I adore, go you, if you wish, into a house apart, and well closed, and a student of my people along with you, and let my _casula_ be about you, and your druidic tunic about my student (_mac cleirech_); and fire will be applied to the house, that God may decide between you there." This counsel was agreed to by the men of Erinn, including Laeghaire. The house was then made, one-half of dry faggots, and the other half of fresh materials. The druid was put into the fresh part, and Patrick's _casula_ about him. Benen, however, was put into the dry part, with the druid's tunic about him. The house was afterwards closed and fastened on the outside, before the multitude, and fire was applied to it. A great prodigy occurred there through Patrick's prayers. The fresh part of the house was burned, as well as the druid under the casula, and not a bit of the _casula_ was destroyed. The dry portion, in which was Benen, however, was not burned, and God preserved Benen under the druid's tunic, and the tunic was burned, so that it was reduced to ashes. The king was greatly enraged against Patrick for the killing of his druid. He arose, and would like to slay Patrick; but God did not permit it, through the intercession of Patrick. The anger of God fell afterwards on the impious multitude, so that great numbers of them died--viz., twelve thousand in one day. Patrick said to Laeghaire: "If you do not believe now, you shall die quickly; for the anger of God will come upon your head." When the king heard these words, he was seized with great fear. The king went into a house afterwards to take counsel with his people. "It is better for me," said he, "to believe in God than [to suffer] what is threatened to me--my death." It was after this that Laeghaire knelt to Patrick, and believed in God, and many thousands believed in that day.