The Most Ancient Lives of Saint Patrick: Including the Life by Jocelin, Hitherto Unpublished in America, and His Extant Writings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The Most Ancient Lives of Saint Patrick: Including the Life by Jocelin, Hitherto Unpublished in America, and His Extant Writings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?
"It is seen that illustrious men
Are not of his wondrous family;
If there are now, they will not
Be found till judgment comes."
Now, after that Patrick had founded cells and churches in Munster, and
had ordained persons for every grade, and healed all sick persons, and
resuscitated the dead, he bade them farewell, and left his blessing with
them. He then went to Brosnacha, and the men of Munster followed after
him, as if with one accord; and their households (hillocks? _telcha_)
followed them, to go after Patrick. Patrick thereupon blessed the
households (hillocks?), and they remained in their places.
Where the men of Munster overtook Patrick, men, youths, and women, was at
Brosnacha, when they raised great shouts of joy at seeing him; hence it
is called Brosnacha. It was here Patrick resuscitated Fot, son of Derad,
a Munsterman, who had been twenty-seven years dead. It was here, too, he
blessed the banquet of the youth at Craibhecha, with Bishop Trian, a
pilgrim of the Romans, by which the men of Munster were satisfied, and
the saints of Eri besides. He again bade farewell to the men of Munster,
and gave them his blessing, saying:
"A blessing on the men of Munaani
Men, sons, women.
A blessing on the land
That gives them food.
A blessing on all treasures
Produced upon the plains.
A blessing upon Munster.
A blessing on their woods
And on their sloping plains.
A blessing on their glens.
A blessing on their hills.
As the sands of the seas under ships--
So numerous be their homesteads,
In slopes, in plains,
In mountains, in peaks,
A blessing."
Patrick afterwards went to the territory of Hy-Failge, and Foilge Berrad
boasted that, if he met Patrick, he would kill him, in revenge of the
idol Cenn Cruach; for it was this that was a god to Foilge. This boast
of Foilge was kept back from Patrick by his people. One day Odran, his
charioteer, said to Patrick: "Since I have been a long time driving for
you, O Patrick! let me take the chief seat for this day. Be you the
charioteer, O father!" Patrick did so. After this Foilge came, who
dealt a thrust through Odran, in the guise of Patrick. "My curse," said
Patrick. "Upon the tree of Bridam," said Odran. "Be it so," replied
Patrick. Foilge died at once, and went to hell. As to Foilge Ross,
indeed, it is his children who are in the district at this day; and
Patrick blessed him, and from him is the sovereignty of the district
filled for ever.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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