The Most Ancient Lives of Saint Patrick: Including the Life by Jocelin, Hitherto Unpublished in America, and His Extant Writings
History
The Most Ancient Lives of Saint Patrick: Including the Life by Jocelin, Hitherto Unpublished in America, and His Extant Writings
Patrick, Saint, 373?-463?
When Patrick came with his fleet to Erinn, to preach to the Gaeidhel, and
went to Tara, he left Lomman in Inbher-Boinne, to take care of his ships,
during the forty nights of the Lent. Patrick commanded him to row his
vessel against the [current of the] Boyne, until he would arrive at the
place were to-day Ath-Truim [Trim] is--at that time the _dun_ of
Fedhlimidh, where he (Lomman) found the son of Laeghaire
MacNeill--_i.e._, at Ath-Truim. And in the morning, Fortchern,
Fedhlimidh's son, went and found Lomman, and his gospels before him. He
wondered at the precepts he heard. He believed, and was baptized by
Lomman. And Fortchern was listening to the instruction, until his mother
went to seek him. She welcomed the clerics, for she was of the Britons,
viz.: Scoth, daughter of the king of Britain. Fedhlimidh himself came to
converse with Lomman; and he believed, and presented Ath-Truim to God and
Patrick, and to Lomman, and to Fortchern. Patrick himself went and
founded Ath-Truim [Trim], twenty-five years before the foundation of
Ard-Macha. Of the Britons, moreover, was the origin of Lomman, and his
mother was the sister of Patrick.
Lomman's brethren were, moreover, Bishop Munis in Forgnidhe in
Cuircne--_i.e._, in the north of Meath, to the south of the Ethne (Inny);
Broccaidh in Imlech-Achaidh, in Ciarraighe of Connacht; Broccan in
Brechmagh, in Ui-Dorthain; Mughenoc in Cill-Dumagloin, in the south of
Bregia. They were the relatives, moreover, who were dear to Patrick by
consanguinity, and faith, and baptism, and instruction; and they
presented to Patrick whatever they possessed, land and churches, for
ever. But, after some time, when Lomman's death drew nigh, Lomman and
his foster-son, _i.e._, Fortchern, went to converse with his brother,
_i.e._, Broccaid, and he committed his church to Patrick and Fortchern;
and Fortchern opposed it, that he might not inherit his father's
possessions, who gave the place to God and Patrick. But Lomman said,
"You shall not receive my benediction unless you assume the abbacy of my
church." Fortchern took upon him the abbacy after the death of Lomman,
for three days, when he went to Trim; and afterwards gave his church to
Cathlai, a pilgrim. These are the offerings of Fedhlimidh, son of
Laeghaire, to St. Patrick, and to Lomman, and to Fortchern, viz.,
Ath-Truim, in the territory of Laeghaire of Bregia, and Imghae, in the
territory of Laeghaire of Meath. The way in which all these offerings
were presented to Patrick, and to Lomman, and to Fortchernd, per (_sic_)
omnibus regibus majoribus et minoribus usque indiem judicii. Prima feria
venit Patricius ad Taltenam, where the regal assembly was, to Cairpre,
the son of Niall. It was he who desired the murder of Patrick, and who
drove Patrick's people into the river Sele, wherefore Patrick called him
the enemy of God, and said to him, "Thy seed shall serve thy brother's
seed," and there shall not be salmon in that river, through Patrick's
malediction.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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