The Most Ancient Lives of Saint Patrick: Including the Life by Jocelin, Hitherto Unpublished in America, and His Extant Writings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The Most Ancient Lives of Saint Patrick: Including the Life by Jocelin, Hitherto Unpublished in America, and His Extant Writings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?
After these great miracles, however, the day of Patrick's death and of
his going to heaven approached. What he began to do was to go to Armagh,
that it might be there his resurrection would be. The angel Victor came
to him. What he said to Patrick was: "It is not there thy resurrection
has been decreed; go back to the place from whence you came (_i.e._, to
the Sabhall), for it is there God has decreed that you shall die--not in
Macha. God has granted thee," said the angel, "that thy dignity and
rule, thy devotion and teaching, shall be in Ard-Macha, as if thou
thyself wert alive there."
The angel left advice with Patrick as to how he would be buried, saying:
"Let two young, active oxen be brought," said he, "of the herds of
Conall, from Finnabndir--_i.e._, from Clochar; and let your body be
placed in a wagon after them; and what way soever these young oxen go by
themselves, and the place where they will stop, let it be there your
interment shall be; and let there be a man's cubit in your grave, that
your remains be not taken out of it." It was so done after his death.
The oxen carried him to the place where to-day is Dun-da-leth-glas; and
he was buried there with all honor and respect. And for a space of
twelve nights--_i.e._, whilst the divines were waking him with hymns and
psalms and canticles--there was no night in Magh-inis, but angelic light
there; and some say there was light in Magh-inis for the space of a year
after Patrick's death, quia nulli adanti viri meritum declarandum
accidisse dubium est, et ita non visa nox in tota ilia regione in tempore
luctus Patricii, qualiter Ezechiae langenti in horologio Achaz
demonstrato sanitatis indicio, sol per xv lineas reversus est, et sic sol
contra Gabon, et luna contra vallem Achilon stetit.
In the first night the angels of the Lord of the elements were watching
Patrick's body with spiritual chants. The fragrant odors of the divine
grace which issued from the holy body, and the music of the angels, gave
tranquillity and joy to the chief clerics of the men of Erin who were
watching the body on the nights following; so that the blessing of Jacob
to his son was kept regarding him--_i.e._, "Ecce odor filii mei sicut
odor agri pleni, quem benedixit dicens," etc.
There was, moreover, a great attempt at conflict and battle between the
provinces of Erin--viz., the Ulidians and the Ui-Neill and
Airghialla--contending for Patrick's body. The Airghialla and Ui-Neill
were trying to take it to Ard-Macha; the Ulidians were for keeping it
with themselves. Then the Ui-Neill went to a certain water [river]
there, when the river rose against them through the power of God. When
the flood left the river, the hosts proceeded to quarrel--viz., the
Ui-Neill and the Ulidians. It appeared then to each party of them that
they were bringing the body to their own country, so that God separated
them in this wise through the grace of Patrick.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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