land by reason of the marueilous dilatation of their mind Though the saint seemeth to report this of others for the auoidance of all vaine glory and selfe esteeme yet that he meant it of himself indirectly is cleare to any that hath perused the vessell of election S. Paul in his 2. to the Corinthians For he discoursing of visions and rapts happening to himself wrote not I know of my selfe but I know such a man that he was rapt into paradise which though he seeme to recount of another yet none can doubt but he spoke of himselfe 5. It fell out another tyme that one of the brothers came to the place where the faint was writting and sayd to him I beseech you blesse this Iron I hould in my hand the saint stretched out his hand holding the pen blessed the Iron according to the brothers request in the meane tyme he held his face towards the book he wrot the brother being gone away the saint asked What Iron he had blessed for the Brother Diarmitius his familiar tender answered A knife wherewith Beeues are killed then the saint replyed I trust firmely in our Lord that this weapon I haue blessed will neuer do hurt to man nor beast The truth of which sentence of the Saint was showen in effect the selfe same houre For the brother going out of the monastery with an intent to kill a Cow endeauoured thrice therunto and yet could not so much as pierce her skinne Another tyme the Saints faythfull tender Diarmitius sickened euen to death the Saint came to visit him in that extremity and standing by the beds side prayed after this manner I beseech thee O Lord be fauourable to me and let not the soule of my pious tender be takē out of this mortal life before I end the course of my dayes After praying thus he held his peace for a little space then opening his sacred mouth he sayd This my louing child shal not only escape the danger of this present infirmity but shall moreouer liue for many yeares after my death Diarmitius was deliuered incontinently of his disease and suruiued the Saint many a longe yeare How S. Columbe discouered a Bishop that would not haue himselfe knowne how he foretould the comming of a Crane out of Ireland and how by the presents that were offered to him to be blessed he knew the sinnes of the owners CHAP. V. THERE came out of the Prouince of the Numinenses a certaine proselit to visit the saint this man being a Bishop dissembled al that he could his degree and estate yet could he not keep it hidden from the saints al-piercing knowledge For the proselit being to consecrate the next sunday our Sauiours holy body the saint sayd to him Since you are a Bishop breake this dominicall bread after the manner and with the same solēnity a Bishop ought to breake it now we know ful wel that you are a Bishop why did you conceale your selfe from vs by occasion wherof we did not demean our selues towards you with that respect veneration your place and calling requires The humble harted pilgrim hearing him speake in this kind glorifyed Christ in his holy seruant Columbe Another time the venerable Abbot sent his vncle Ernanus to gouerne the monastery of Humba of whome at his departure he pronounced this prophecy This my friend whome I now send away I neuer hope to see him liuing againe in this world Within a few dayes Ernanus fell sicke and would haue himselfe caryed backe to the saint who was very glad thereof and went forth to meet him Ernanus though he were very weake and sickly yet would he needes go on his feet and loe in the way he gaue vp his ghost suddainly before the saint could haue a sight of him 2. The saint tould a certaine Peasant that came to his monastery Loe the barbarous ennemies sacke and spoile all the Prouince you inhabit VVhich dolefull newes made the poore fellow fall into pittiful lamentatiōs for his wife children The saint seeing him drowned in sorrow anguish sayd to him your wife and family haue escaped to the mountaines but you goods and cattle the ennemy hath taken away the man going home found all to be true as the saint had tould him A certaine valiant and strong man named Gorens would faine learne of the saint what kind of death himselfe should dy of The saint told him You shall not be slaine in the field nor drowned in the sea but the companion of your way whom you lest distrust or suspect shall be the cause of your death within some years after the foresayd Gorens seeing men fighting at mortal debate ran in haste to separate them in the meane tyme by some chance or other he let his knife fall carelessely which wounded him in the knee of which wounde after the sickenesse of some moneths he dyed and so the prophecy of the Saint was fullfilled 3. Another tyme likewise the saint being in the often mentioned Iland of Hoy he called one of the monkes to him and commanded him as followeth The third day next ensuing you shall goe to the Weast part of this I le and shall expect the comming of a certaine Crane from the North part of Ireland which Crane being driuen by the force of the blustering windes through the spacious Regions of the ayre all weary and turmoyld shal arriue there after the ninth houre and hauing all her forces and vigour consumed she will fall downe on the shoare before you forget not to take her vp mercifully and to bring her to the next house where you shall entertaine her liberally and feed her carefully for three dayes by which tyme her strength shall be well repayred and her selfe being vnwilling to soiourne with vs any longer will returne backe to Scotland her sweet country where she was borne and my motiue of commending her so seriously to your care is because she is of one country with vs. The brother obeyed willingly and the third day at the place and tyme appointed expected the arriuall of the new guest whome he tooke vp of the shoare and brought her weake and faint to the lodging where he fed her carefully to whome after his comming to the monastery in the euening the Saint sayd Gods blessing haue you my child for tending so carefully the strange guest who will make no long delay in her pilgrimage but will returne back to her natiue soyle after three dayes abode What the saint pronounced the euent showed to be true for the Crane after three dayes charitable entertaynement winded her selfe gently vp into the ayre in presence of her officious ministre and after kept her course directly towardes Ireland 4. On a certaine tyme many presents were layd in the street that leadeth to the Saints monastery to be blessed of him as he passed by wher poynting at the guift of a rich man and naming the party he sayd The mercy of God accompanieth the bestower
purer times of christianity let them examine it let them search it point vs out what they shall find in it to couÌ„tenance their cause or to aduance their religion but sure I am they will shrincke from such a disquisition as would turne to their notable preiudice and open confusion by discouering the fondnes and nouelty of their religion For nothing will occure heere but quires of sacred virgins cap. 17. § 2. and cap. 18. § 4. and troupes of holy monkes ibid. c. 13. § 5. cap. 12. § 3. They will admire at the frequent mention of holy Vayles cap. 10. § 1. c. 13. § 5. and Ecclesiasticall tonsure cap. 4. § 1. Holy water cap. 16. § 5. Vessels of holy oyles cap. 15. § 4. Hallowed fire cap. 5. § 2. The signe of the Crosse cap. 18. § 2. alibi sound very harshly in Protestants eares Our wiuing Ghospellers hold no commerce or society with a contineÌ„t and chast Monke cap. 20. § 3. cap. 22. § 1. The refined Ritualists of Geneua will neuer acknowledge our glorious Prelate walking in the maiesty of a Romaine Pallium These delicate reformers wil neuer challenge a religious consumed with fasts and weakned with hayre-cloath cap. 1. § 7. cap. 20. § 3. as a disciple of their sensuall Palenesse comming of long standing in cold water cap. 20. § 3. a thing neuer practised by our tender â—olifidians Short and broken sleepes taken all alone on a hard flint cap. 20. § 3. seeme strange and absurd in the Theology of our libidinous Ministers who lie immersed in beds of downe not alone but embracing their sweet harts with greater deuotion then euer any Genua Bible This rigid tenor of life sauoureth much of Martin and German those austere old men whome S. Patricke glorieth to haue been his masters instructors c. 3. § 1. This child of grace glorieth to haue had so worthy educators whose liues if any list to peruse he shal quickly discerne how far they were from impressing in his hart any thing that relisheth to Lutheranisme or Caluinisme But what need I run so far into these proportionles parales WheÌ„ as the monasteries our glorious Apostle erected the Churches he fouÌ„ded the Cloisters he gouerned the Bishops he coÌ„secrated the Priests he ordained the Virgins he vayled the pennance he preached the mortificatioÌ„ he exersiced the progeny froÌ„ him descended proclaime to the world that he aduaÌ„ced no other colors of religioÌ„ theÌ„ those vnder which Christs militant spouse the Catholike Roman Church marcheth at this present day And though the whole body of the reformed religioÌ„ lyeth a bleeding at al her veynes and had been long since buryed in the cenders of obliuioÌ„ did it receaue no more support from the teÌ„poral sword then it doth froÌ„ the sword of the spirit being so deeply lanced cruelly wounded by the irresistable weapons wherwith Ekius Castro Bellarminus Baronius FeuardeÌ„tius Becanus Cano Stapleton Panagaroll other valiant chaÌ„pions of the Catholike cause haue copiously stored the Arsenals of their famous writings yet wil I here to remoue all ambiguity in behalfe of S. Partrick furnish the scrip of your memoryes with fiue most bright stons taken vp out of the torrent of our glorious Apostles life wherwith if you charge the sling of your tongues the weakest among you shal be able to encounter cast downe any temerarious Goliah-harted protestant that should vndertake to renew the lost field or to recouer the gayned breach or to breath life a new into these fiue for exaÌ„ples sake death-sicke members of the fift Ghospell Euery King teÌ„porall Prince is head of the Church within his own dominions and signeories The holy SacrameÌ„t of the Eucharist is but a bare type naked figure no religious worship is to be exhibited to the sacred reliques of Saints the Masse deserueth not the honour or name of a sacrifyce it being but a phantastical stage-show fraught with ridiculous gesticulatioÌ„s sole naked fayth is able to traÌ„port vs to the hauen of interminable happines What is this the symbole that Patricke hath planted with infatigable paynes roborated with stupendious miracles Is this the forme of belief that hath ingendred in our worthy Ancestors such contempt of sublunar felicity such detestation of sensuall blandishments such thirst of heauenly beatitudes Why then did Patrike seeke and accept of his mission from the Roman chaire c. 3. § 2. 4 Why did he procure her priuiledges and indults c. 17. § 2 Why did he not misprize the title of Apostle the office of Legat the Pallium of Bishop she bestowed of him c. 17. § 33 Where doth he treate with Kinges touching the vndergoing this care of preaching Or where is the least mentioÌ„ to be fouÌ„d that he was emploied by them in this charge We find in this volume c. 10 § 2. 4. that he reuoked to life enspirited againe the dead bodyes of Kinges but neuer that he entituled them heads of the Church surely he was no lesse faythful in designing of these liuing vnder one supreme and soueraigne Pastour then he was fortunate in reuiuing them By S. Patrickes verdict then not Kings but Bishops are gouernors of the Church Presidents of fayth The moderne sect masters depriue you of the substaÌ„ce and substitute but a bare shadow of Christs body in the holy Eucharist But more liberall is Patricke who confidently teacheth q the bloud body of our spouse to be shrouded vnder these visible symbols c. 6. § 6. c. 16. § 5. and stileth it a diuine Viaticum c. 10. § 2. These pure Gospellers daigne not scarce the honor of sepulture to sacred bodies of whose cinders S. Patrick deliuereth magnificent eulogies prophecieth gloriously c. 12 § 5. and brought himselfe froÌ„ Rome reliques of the Apostles Martyrs togeather with a sheet died with our Sauiours bloud causing theÌ„ to be shrined sumptuously worshiped religiously c. 17. § 3. Calum Luthers progeny are so incensed against the holy sacrifice of masse that they are not only coÌ„tent to abrogat the vse therof but they would haue the very name obliterated But S. Patrike was a most earnest establisher of the Masse by the coÌ„fessioÌ„ of protestants theÌ„selues so that with the bare instrumeÌ„ts used in that misterious oblatioÌ„ he wrought stupeÌ„dious signes c. 11. § 2. deliuered many honorable encomioms of it Now as for saluatioÌ„ attained by sole fayth the Proto-patriark of the fift gospell is so serious to establish this wicked Theorem that in fauour of it he shameth not to discard canonicall Scripture thinking perchance that himselfe being the Apostle of a god goddes Bacbus Venus might by authority down waigh ouer the Apostle of Iesus Christ. S. Patricke was so farre from allowing of this exoticall and vnchristian paradoxe the sluce to all flagitiousnesse that he tearmeth with S. Iames Fayth that is not animated by good workee a dead and life-lesse fayth nay no fayth
Lord hath elected to be King will runne suddainly into my lappe They being called Euchodius ran vnto the Saint who kissing him sayd to his father This is he that shall suruiue and shal be King after you and his children shal raigne after him Al which fell out to be true according to the Saints prophecy 3. Domnaldus the sonne of Aydo being yet but a child was by his Nurses brought to S. Columbe who asked them Whose sonne is this you haue brought me They tould him he was Dōnaldus whome they brought to the end he might be inriched with his blessing whome when the Saint had blessed he presently adioyned This child shall ouerliue all his brethren and shall become a famous King neyther shal he euer be deliuered into the handes of his ennemyes but shall in his old age dye a quiet peacecible death in his own house Al which was fullfilled according to the Saints prophecy At the same tyme and in the same place he went to visit Scandalanus the sonne of Colmanus being then detayned prisonner by King Aydus whom when the Saint had blessed he sayd Sonne be not heauy but rather reioyce and be of good comfort King Aydus whose captiue you are will depart this life before you and after your banishment for a little tyme you shal be King in your owne country for thirty yeares then shal you againe be chased out of your kingdome and shall liue in exile for a few dayes which dayes being expired the people will proclaime you King againe ouer whome you shall beare rule for three shorte tymes All this was accomplished in forme and manner as the Saint had prophecyed for after thirty yeares reigne he was driuen out of the kingdome for a certaine space being after recalled by the people he reigned not three years as he thought but three months only and then dyed without delay Two country men brought their sonnes to the Saint in the I le of Hoy to the one he told his sonne should dye the same week and to the other that his sonne should liue to see his nephewes and that he should after a good old age be buryed in the same Iland 4. One of the Saints Monkes named Berachius being to sayle to the Iland of Ethica came to the Saint to craue his blessing to whome the Saint sayd Beware my sonne you hould not your direct course of Ethica by sayling along the wide seas but rather take your course winding about the little Iles fearing that otherwyse you should not escape by reason of the terrour of a monstruous prodigie Berachus receauing the Saints blessing departed and so getting into the ship regarding but little the Saintes admonition he sayled directly through the broad seas loe he and they that were with him saw a mighty huge Whale like to a bigge mountaine to rise vp ouer the waters whose sight strucke a great terrour into their mindes whereupon the marriners strucke downe their sayle and turning backe againe hardly could they escape that danger arising from the tempestuous agitation of the VVhale the they called to mind the Saints propheticall prediction not without admiration Bathaneus being to passe the same morning to the prementioned I le the Saint admonished him of the Whale to whome Bathaneus answered I and the beast are vnder Godes power then the Saint sayd Goe in peace thy faith in Christ will preserue thee from this danger So Bathaneus tooke the Saints benediction launced out from the hauen after sayling forth a good space into the sea he and his companions saw the VVhale which put them all in great feare only Bathaneus without any terrour lifting vp his handes blessed the seas the VVhale and loe in the selfe same moment the VVhale sunke downe vnder the waues and neuer after appeared to them The saint prophecyed of a certaine wicked man who had committed fratricide likewise incest with his owne mother that he should be slaine by his ennemyes which happened true within few daies How S. Columbe saw a citty in Italy to be strucken with thunder and admonished Cailtanus and two other Monkes of their emminent death CHAP. III. AS one of the Saints Monks named Lugbeus came vpon a tyme to the saint he could not looke vpon his face being couered ouer with a marueilous rednes whereat conceauing great feare he ran away whome the saint called backe asking him what was the cause of his running away he answeared because I was in great feare And within a little while dealing with the saint more confidently he made bould to aske of the saint whether any fearefull vision had beene manifested to him the saint then answeared A terrible vengeance hath beene now exercised in a remote part of the world VVhat vengeance was it Or in what country did it happen The Saint replyed A sulphurous flame was powred downe at this houre vpon a citty of the Romane dominion within the marches of Italy whereby three thousand men besides women and children were almost consumed and before this present yeare be expired there wil come marchants out of france who will tell you the same newes At a placed called Camprio-Regionis Lugbeus found a french pilot of whome he learned al the Saint had foretould him 2. Vpon a certaine very colde winter daye the saint sorrowed much and wept exceedingly His familiar seruant Diarmitius asked him the cause of his sorrow who receaued this answere O my little child I do not sorrow at this present without cause seeing how Laifranus toyleth my Monkes already weary in the building of a great house which disgusteth me much A wonder to be spoken in the selfe same moment Laifranus liuing in the monastery of the Oken-field being forced in a manner by coaction and inflamed as it were with fire interiourly commanded the Monkes to cease from the worke some recreation of meate to be prepared gaue them leaue to rest not only for that day but also so long as the hard season coutinued The saint hearing in spirit these comfortable words spoken by Laifranus forbere to weep reioyced exceedingly tould the brethren there present al what passed and withall gaue his benediction to Laifranus 3. As the saint sat one day vpon the top of an high mountaine hanging ouer the monastery turning to his familiar seruant Diarmitius he sayd I marueile what it is that stayes a shippe comming out of Ireland which carryeth in it a wise man who for a certaine sinne whereinto he hath falne doth bitter pennance Within a little while the familiar Brother looking towardes the South he saw the sayles of the shippe approaching to the hauen and showed it to the Saint who sayd Rise in hast and let vs go meet the proselite whose true pennance Christ hath regarded Fechnaus comming a shoare fell downe prostrate and weeping bitterly vpon his knees he confessed his sinnes in presence of all the company The Saint out of compassion weeping with him sayd Rise
my sonne and be of good cheare for your sinnes are forgiuen you because it is written A contrite and humble hart God wil not despise who afterwardes being very louingly intertained of the Saint he sent him to Bathaneus liuing at a place called Lungefield Another tyme the Saint sent two monkes for one of his Monks named Cailtanus biding him to repaire in al hast to him Cailtanus vnderstanding of the Saintes pleasure came speedily in company with the Mōkes that went for him VVhen the Saint saw Cailtanus he spoke to him in manner following O Cailtanus you haue done very well in hastning to me so obediently rest you a little Louing you as a friend I inuited you to come that you might finish the course of your mortall life heere with me in true obedience for before this weeke come to an end you shall render your soule in peace to God Then Cailtanus with thankes to God kissed the saint and to receauing his benediction went to the guest roome the night following he sickned and according the saints word departed the selfe same weeke to a better life 4. On a certayne Sunday some cryed from the further side of the often mentioned sea The Saint hearing the cry sayd to the brethren Goe in all hast and bring the pilgrimes that come frō a farre Country they went as the saint appointed them and brought them to his presence whom when he had saluted he began to question with them concerning their iourney they tould him they came to seiourne with him for that yeare to whome the saint replyed You may not liue with me a yeare as you desire vnlesse you tye your selues to the obseruance of the monasticall vowes The eldest made answere Truely we had no such intention hetherto notwithstanding we will embrace your counsell inspired by God as we beleeue To be short they followed the Saint deuoutly into the oratory and there on their knees obliged themselues to the monasticall vowes Then the saint conuerting his speach to the brothers there present sayd These two proselites exhibiting thēselues a liuing hoste to God and accomplishing in a few dayes the course of Christian perfection shall yield vp their soules to Christ before this present month run to an end and so it fell out for both of them fell sicke one after another and departed to a better life within the tearme prophecyed and perfixed by the saint How S. Columbe foretould the baptisme of a certain Pagan knew by diuine reuelation the death of two Irish noble men and by prayer obtained the life of Diarmitius his familiar seruant CHAP. IIII. WHILST the saint for the space of some few dayes remayned in Ireland being at a place bordering on the sea he struck the earth with his staffe saying to the Monkes that were with him Behould my little children a certaine Gentil who al his life tyme followed the good instincts and propensions of nature shall this day be baptized dye and be buryed in this place and loe within the space as it were of an houre a shippe strucke into the same hauen in whose foredecke sate an ancient Pagan named Geone whome two young men lifted vp between them brought him to the saints presence the old man ēbraced presently the Christiā doctrin the saint preached to him by an interpreter at whose handes he receaued the grace of regeneration Immediatly after the receipt of holy baptisme he gaue vp his ghost and was buryed in the same place by the Saints companions 2. During the Saints aboade in the foresayd region he went one Sunday to a neighbour monastery named Trioint and seeing the same day a certaine Priest celebrating the holy misteryes of the Eucharist whome the Monkes made choise of for that purpose for that they deemed him a man of a very holy and religious life he suddainly pronounced this fearefull sentence Cleane and vncleane thinges are now mingled togeather to wit the cleane misteryes of the sacred oblation handled by an vncleane man who hideth in his conscience some enormious sinne the party of whō he had spoken in this kind confessed his sinne before all the company which with great astonishement admired in the Saint this stupendious knowledge penetrating euen to the secrets of mens harts 3. Another time the Saint being in the Iland of Hoy he called to him two of his Monkes named Lugbeus and Silnanus and sayd to them sayle ouer into the I le of Malea and neere the sea banke seeke out the theefe Ertus who lurketh there expecting in the night tyme to get ouer to the little I le where our sea-calues breed to steale some away and bring them home to his house They did accordingly and found the theefe in the place premonstrated whome they brought to the saint as he had commanded The saint seeing him sayd Wherefore dost thou trespasse against the diuine commandement in stealing away other mens goods so often when thou art driuen to any necessity come to vs and we will releeue thy wantes And with this he appointed that some weathers should be kild and giuen to the miserable theef that he might not return home to his house with empty handes Within a short tyme the saint knew by reuelation that the theeues death drew neere he sent him therefore a fat Cow seauen measures of corne which were spent at his funerailles In like manner the saint foresaw and foretould the death of a Scottish poet named Coronanus 4. It happened another tyme in the same Iland of Hoy as the saint was at his booke reading that he cast out deep and sorrowfull sighes Lugbeus who was present began to demande the cause of his suddaine griefe the Saint made this answere In Scotland two noble men of the bloud royal haue kild one another at a place not farre distant from the Monastery of Cellarois in the Prouince of the Magdeni and the eight day hence there will come one out of Ireland who wil report the truth of al this The man whose comming the Saint foresaw came on the presaged day and among many other newes reported that Colmancanus and Romanus had slaine one another After this Lugbeus the souldier of Christ getting the Saint at his leasure sayd to him I beseech you let me know how in what manner these propheticall reuelations are manifested to you whether you know them by an intuition of your eyes or by the help of your ears or after some strange manner vnknowne of to other men The Saint answered I cannot acquaint you with any thing touching this subtile matter you inquire after vnlesse you first take an othe on your knees neuer to speake of this obscure sacrament all the dayes of my life Lugbeus swore as the saint would haue him then the saint spoke as followeth There are some albeit they be but few in number that by Godes speciall grace clearely contemplate with one single aspect and in one momēt the compasse of the whole world the heauens the sea and
death and dyed The Saint saw the Angells and Diuells fighting about the possession of his soule At last the Angells preuayled and conducted the soule to the ioyes of Paradise All this the saint tould one of his Monkes charging him not to reueale it all the dayes of his life Whilest the Saint liued in Leinster to be trayned vp in wisedom learning it fortuned that a wicked man a cruell persecutor of the good pursued in a certain place a yong Damsell who fled from him she by chance espyed her brother an old man who was master to S. Columbe to whome she made all haste possible for rescue The old man called on S. Columbe to the end that they might both iointly defend her from the cruell persecutors hands who came no sooner to the place but in their eyes he slue her without regarding them any whit whereat the good old monke was so grieued and strucke with anguish that turning to S. Columbe he sayd How long o holy youth Columbe will God the iust iudge suffer this wickednesse ioyned with our dishonour to passe vnpunished The Saint pronounced this iust though dreadfull sentence against the flagitious murderer The selfe same houre that the maydens soule shal ascend vp to heauen his soule shall descend downe to hell And loe without delay the wicked man fell downe dead The report of this fearefull and suddaine vltion was blowen ouer many Churches of Scotland to the great honour and veneration of the holy Deacon 2. A certaine pilgrime came to seiourne with the Saint in the I le of Hoy for some monethes to whome the Saint sayd This day a certaine cleargie man of your prouince whose name I know not is now a carrying betweene the Angels to heauen The brother hearing this began to muse with himselfe and to call to mind the mans name so after a litle while he sayd to the saint I know a seruant of Christ named Diarmitius who built him a little monastery in the selfe same territory wherein I kept my residence It is the selfe same party you name answered the Saint whome the celestiall spirits bring to the ioyes of Paradise Neyther is it negligently to be obserued how that the glorious Saint kept from the notice of men many secrets that were reuealed to him and this for two reasons as himselfe signifyed to a few of his monks First to auoyde ostentation and selfe esteeme secondly to auoyd the molestation that the multitudes would put him in inquiring after seuerall affaires and matters 3. Another tyme the saint sought in the woodes a solitary place vnfrequented by men commodious for the exercise of holy prayer whē he began to pray suddenly he saw an vgly and deformed army of Diuells to fight against him with Iron spits who intended as the Saint knew by the inward illustration of the holy Ghost to assaile his monastery to kill with their pointed stakes many of his monkes But he albeit all alone tooke S. Pauls armour and fought couragiously against the whole host of his infernal aduersaries and so the conflict continued for the most part of the day neither could they ouercome him nor yet he driue them out of his Ile vntill the Angells came to his helpe whose terrour made the Diuels depart After their departure the saint prophecyed how they would inuade the monasteryes of Ethica and inflict pestilent diseases on the inhabitants wherof many would dye Within two dayes likewise the saint foretould how Bathaneus by the help of prayers and fasts preserued his monastery from their inuasion in so much that none dyed but one 4. In the middle region of Ireland liued a certaine Smith a man much addicted to almes deeds and other good workes when this vertuous Artizan came to the finall period of his mortall life the Saint spoke to a few that were about him in this manner The Smith did not labour in vaine who with the labour of his handes hath purchased euerlasting rewardes his soule is now carryed by the Angels to the ioyes of the heauenly Country Another tyme did he see the soule of a poore but very holy woman comming in company of the Angells to meete her husbands soule at his decease and this he made knowne to one of his Monkes named Genereus a Saxon by birth How S. Columbe knowing by reuelation of the death of S. Brendan and S. Columbanus the Bishop sayd masse in honour of them and how a certaine Monke saw him conuersing with the Angels CHAP II. ANother tyme likewise whilest the saint siued in the I le of Hoy in the morning very earely he called vpon his familiar tender Diarmitius and sayd to him Let the sacred misteryes of the Eucharist be made ready in all haste for this day is the deposition of S. Brendan Why quoth Diarmitius doe you command such solemnityes of masses to be made ready this day seeing none came out of Ireland that might bring vs newes of that holy mans death Goe sayd the Saint and obey my word for this last night I saw the heauens open and quires of Angels descending downe to meet S. Brendans soule with whose bright and incomparable splendour the compasse of al the world was enlightned and illustrated 2. Another day also as the monkes put themselues in a readinesse for the seueral works of the monastery the saint cōmanded them to rest that day to make ready the furniture of the sacred oblation and their portions to be encreased as on Sunday For sayd he albeit I be altogether vnworthy yet must I this day celebrate the sacred mysteryes of the Eucharist in honour of that soule which this night hath been carryed among the holy quires of Angells to the interminable ioyes of Paradise These things being spoken the Religious obeyed very promptly and all thinges for the celebrating of the diuine seruice were prepared After they went with their holy Abbot to the Church where after singing part of the office they came to the Hymne where mention is made of S. Martin The Saint sayd to the singers This day you must sing of Columbanus the Bishoppe Then all the Monkes who were present vnderstood Columbanus the Bishop of Leynster S. Columbs deare friend to be translated to a better life Within a few dayes there came out of Leynster who reported that he departed the self same night that his death was reuealed to the Saint 3. Another tyme when the Saint sate writing in his cell his face was suddenly altered he pronounced this voyce from his pure breast Helpe helpe two brothers who stood at the doore to wit Colgus and Lugneus demanded the cause of that suddaine voice To whome the venerable Abbot made this answeare I commanded an Angel of our Lord who stood with you to succour one of the brothers falling downe from the toppe of a great house that is now building in the monastery of the Oaken-field The Saint added further Very admirable and scarce ineffable is the