The Most Ancient Lives of Saint Patrick Part 20

CHAPTER CXVI.

_The Chariot is, by the Decision of the Angel, sent unto Fiechus._

The blessed Patrick gave order that a chariot should be prepared unto Saint Fiechus, for that he, being weighed down by infirmity, could not go on foot to visit his diocese and discharge his episcopal duties.

For he was reduced with exceeding abstinence, and moreover he was afflicted with a disease in his hip. And Saint Secundinus, this observing, felt in his mind certain worldly feelings, and was displeased, and insisted that the chariot should rather be given unto himself than unto Fiechus. And the holy prelate, seeing his displeasure, sought rather to satisfy him with a sign than by argument, saying: "Be not displeased, most dear brother, at this little gift which we have given unto our brother and fellow-bishop, lest occasion of reproach should be afforded to the evil one; for this our brother, who is infirm, needeth the chariot more than doth any one among us.

But that I may not seem to err in my judgment, let this matter be left to the heavenly decision." Then the angel, appearing at the prayer of the saint, bade the horses to be yoked unto the chariot, and to be sent forward without a charioteer; and at whichsoever they should stop, to him should the chariot be given. And it was done as the angel commanded, and the saint bade the chariot to be yoked; but the horses, no man guiding them, went through irregular and devious paths, and came in the evening to the dwelling of Secundinus, and, being unyoked, were turned there to pasture. And in the morning, no man yoking them, they were yoked to the chariot, and in like manner going unto the mansion of a certain other saint, there they stayed the night. And on the third day they hastened unto Saint Fiechus, and stayed there, and evidently showed that they were intended for him. Yet would not the saint ascend the chariot, until the angel had certified him that unto him the gift was sent. And at another time was this miracle in like manner repeated of two horses which were by Saint Patrick himself intended for Fiechus, and to be yoked unto his chariot.

CHAPTER CXVII.

_The Several Offices of a certain Monastery are appointed by an Angel._

And at another time the angel commanded the aforementioned Fiechus that he should build a monastery on the other side of the river, a.s.signing unto all the offices their fit and proper place; that where a boar should appear unto him, there should he build a refectory, and where a stag should be seen, an oratory. And the saint replied unto the angel that he in no wise could undertake such a work, unless Patrick, his father and pastor, should come and approve thereof. And his words displeased not the angel; for in them he saw the affection and the obedience which Fiechus bore in Christ unto the man of G.o.d. And after a few days were past, the angel so advising, Patrick a.s.sisted Fiechus, and in the place which is called Forrach builded they a monastery, even according to the direction of the angel. And therein Fiechus presided as abbot; nevertheless throughout his diocese did he fully exercise the episcopal office. And every year, at the beginning of the fast of the Lent time, he went alone out of the monastery, with five barley loaves mixed with ashes for his support, and abided in the wilderness through all that sacred season. But on the Sabbath day which is called Palm-Sunday, or sometimes at the Supper of the Lord, he was wont to return unto his monastery for the discharge of his holy office, always bringing with him the half of one loaf yet uneaten. And he sent before him unto G.o.d threescore saints, whom when he followed he was buried in Scleptus. And his son aforementioned imitated his father in wisdom and holiness; and having in another place attained the episcopal degree, he rested in the Lord.

CHAPTER CXVIII.

_The Prophecy of Saint Patrick concerning the Men of Callria._

And while Saint Patrick earnestly pursued his preaching of the divine Word, certain armed men of Callria met him, and violently expelled this angel of peace from their borders. But what the man of G.o.d beheld of them in the Spirit, deemed he that should not be concealed in silence.

"Since ye have raised your arms against an unarmed man, and driven from your borders him announcing unto ye peace and preaching salvation, ye and your seed shall turn your backs in the day of battle." And they, hearing this, feared his face mightily, even as a sword, and repenting their rashness, save only five alone, bended their knees before the saint with lamentable prayers, and besought forgiveness. Then the saint awhile deliberated within himself, and once again spoke unto them with prophetic speech: "The word which, at the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, hath gone out of my mouth on ye and on your seed shall be fulfilled; but since ye have repented in your hearts, though ye shall be turned to flight, shall none of ye, save only five alone, fall in any conflict of battle." And the people of Hibernia vouch that this prophecy of the saint hath been evinced by continual proofs.

CHAPTER CXIX.

_Certain Cheeses are converted into Stones, and many Wicked Men are drowned._

And certain wicked and envious men, who lived in the country of Ferros, contriving to destroy the life of the saint, offered unto him poisoned cheeses, as if for his benediction; the which he blessed, and immediately converted into stones, to the admiration of many, the honor of G.o.d, the veneration of himself, and the confusion of the poisoners.

And unto this day remain these stones in the place where the miracle was done, and show the virtue of Patrick, though mute, because they underwent mutation. Then did these poisoners, seeing that their machinations redounded to the glory of the saint and to the shame of themselves, gather together fifty armed men to spill the blood of this just one. And they, being a.s.sembled against him, entered the ford of a certain river, journeying along the bank whereof the man of G.o.d met them; and when he beheld their countenances, he understood their thoughts, and raising against them his left hand, with a clear voice he cried out, "Ye shall not come unto us, nor shall ye return unto your own people, but in this river shall your bodies remain, even to the day of judgment." Then, according to the word of the man of G.o.d, immediately they sank as lead in the mighty waters; nor even to this day were their bodies found, though long and often sought. Thus, at the divine mandate, did the water punish them who conspired the death of Saint Patrick, as erewhile the fire from heaven punished them which were sent by King Achab to the prophet. And the place wherein they sank in the waters is called even to this day the Ford of the Drowned Men.

CHAPTER CXX.

_Of the Pitfalls pa.s.sed over without danger, and the Prophecies of the Saint._

And certain other sons of darkness, dwelling in the plain called Liffy, digged deep pitfalls in many parts of the public pathway, the which they covered with branches and green sods, that the saint when journeying might fall unawares therein. But a certain damsel discovered the contrived snare, and she hastened to show it unto the man of G.o.d, that he might avoid the mischief. Then he, trusting in the Lord, commanded his people to drive forward the horses, and, having blessed them, he pa.s.sed over with unfailing foot. For the soft and tender herbage supported them like the solid earth, inasmuch as the holy troop bore in their hearts and on their bodies Him who bore all things. And the priest of G.o.d sent the damsel unto her father, that she might bring him into his presence to receive the salvation of his soul. And the damsel did even as he commanded, and brought before him her father; and at the preaching of the saint the man believed, and with his ten sons and his three daughters was baptized. Then did Patrick consecrate the virgins unto G.o.d, and gave to them the sacred veil; and he prophesied that of the sons five should be happy and prosperous in a secular life, and that the other five should first enter the clerical order, and at length holily live and die in the monastic habit; but unto them who had treacherously prepared the pit for him and for his people he foretold that they and their seed should pa.s.s their life in providing their sustenance and continually digging in the ground, and that, according to the Scripture, poverty should come on them like water. And all these things which the saint prophesied did the event prove.

CHAPTER CXXI.

_The Prophecy of the Saint on a Certain Village._

And Saint Patrick went unto a certain village, near the island of Inchenn, and he found therein a place fitting for the erection of a church; the which when he had begun, a crowd of rustics issued from the village, and impeded the work. Then the saint, being filled of the spirit of prophecy, foretold unto them with the voice of truth, "Since ye have made yourselves a hindrance unto me, that I may not build a habitation to the Lord my G.o.d, never shall the smoke go out of the houses which ye or your generation shall build in this place." And the testified proof of the words of the saint even to this day evinceth its truth, for many have oftentimes begun to build houses there, but for the rudeness of these men never could they be finished.

CHAPTER CXXII.

_The Sentence prophetically declared._

A certain man named Dengo, who was wicked and perverse, and powerful in iniquity, prevented the saint from building a church in a convenient place; to whom the saint attesting his Judge, nay, prophesying, said, "In a short time shall thine house be destroyed, and thy substance wasted away; and thy sons that issue from thine impious loins shall of the greater part defile themselves by mutual fratricide; while the remnant of them shall never attain unto dignity or power, but shall be strangers and wanderers on the earth." And the prophecy of Saint Patrick was proved by the subsequent misery visited on the man and on his children.

CHAPTER CXXIII.

_The Prophecy of the Saint on a Certain Bishop and on the one who consecrated him._

A certain powerful man had endowed with lands and possessions a church that he was about to build on his own estate; the which to govern, Saint Patrick would have appointed one among his disciples who was able unto the gaining of souls. But the man refused, saying that in his own family he had a priest whom he willed to place over his own church.

Then the saint, deeming it unworthy to contend for such a matter, departed from the man. And he on the morrow brought unto the saint his son, desiring that he might be consecrated unto the bishopric of that church. And for that the saint apart from his companions pursued in solitude his studies and his prayers, the man, turning from him, went unto two of his disciples, who were elsewhere appointed bishops, and addressed them for the consecration of his son. And one of them denied his request, saying that he could do no such thing without the consent and the approbation of the saint; but the other, induced either by entreaty or reward, presumed to do what the man required. The which having discovered, Saint Patrick, afflicting the presumer with the affliction of penance sufficiently severe, foretold that through all his life he should suffer the want of bread. And he declared that the bishop so consecrated was worthy of degradation and contempt, and that his church should be exceeding poor, so that it should not be able to defend itself even from two men. And that which the saint foretold unfailingly came to pa.s.s--whereby a prudent man may take heed, lest misled by ambition he should ever attempt the like.

CHAPTER CXXIV.

_The Blind Man is restored to Sight; from him who seeeth is Sight taken; and three are relieved of Lameness._

A certain man named Domhhaldus, who was blind even from his birth, hearing the saint pa.s.sing by, placed himself in his way; for he trusted that through him should he receive the light so much desired. But forasmuch as the darkness was before his steps and the light was withdrawn from his eyes, while running forward he fell, and when he would have arisen no one was there who would help him with their hand.

And a certain priest in the company of the saint seeing him to fall, laughed, and mocked the mischance of the blind man. The which Saint Patrick observing, was offended, and lest any among his disciples should so again presume, he checked the foolishness of the scorner with reproof and with punishment, saying, "Verily I say unto thee, since in the name of my G.o.d the eyes of this man, which are closed in darkness, shall now be opened, the eyes of thee, which are opened only to evil, shall now be closed." Thus he said, and making the sign of the cross, he removed the darkness from the blind man, and the light from the bad man who saw. And herein was the word of the Saviour, recorded in the Holy Scriptures, fulfilled: "That they which see not might see, and that they which see might be blind." And even on the same day healed he three lame men who besought his aid; and according to the prophet, he made the lame to leap as a hart, and run on their way rejoicing.

CHAPTER CXXV.

_Nine Evil-doers are consumed by Fire from Heaven, and a Fountain is produced out of the Earth._

And nine evil-doers contriving the death of Patrick, the herald of life, pretended to be monks and ministers of righteousness; and they put on them white cowls, that the easier might they destroy the saint, who was clothed in the same habit. And herein did they imitate their preceptor, Satan, the angel of darkness, who sometimes transfigureth himself into an angel of light, and unto whom in their arts and in their acts they paid obedience. But an ill.u.s.trious man named Enda, the friend of the holy prelate, observing the treachery of these wicked men, sent unto them his own son named Conallus, that he might prevent their endeavor, and repulse their violence from the man of G.o.d. And the son did even as his father commanded, and stood, the son of light, among these sons of darkness. And Saint Patrick, warned of heaven, knew these ravens under the wings of the dove, these wolves under the fleece of the lamb; but well he knew that as the Ethiop cannot change his skin, no, not though washed with fine linen, so could not these magicians quit their inborn wickedness, though clothed in white raiment. Therefore with the sign of the cross he fortified himself, and opposed it to the enemies of Christ; and fire marvellously descending from heaven consumed the evil-doers, and left Conallus standing among them, unhurt of the flame, as he was guiltless of their sin. Thus was the cross of Christ a protection to the faithful even for their salvation, and to the idolaters a punishment even for their perdition. And afterward the saint impressed on the earth the sign of the cross, and a clear and salubrious fountain issued forth. And on the spot where this miracle was worked by the cross did he build a church, which even unto this day is called the Cross of Saint Patrick.