ON ST. AIDUS, BISHOP OF KILLARE IN IRELAND,
IN THE YEAR 589
PRELIMINARY COMMENTARY
Aidus, bishop of Killare in Ireland. (S.)
[1] Of the Lives of St. Aidus The history and Lives of St. Aidus [The name is written in Gaelic by some one way, by others another: Aid, Aidh, Aed, Aedh, Aod, Aodh, Ead, Eadh, Ed, Edh, Eth, etc.; in English sometimes in more recent times: Hugh; in Latin there is read at times Odo and among the more recent Hugo, but for the most part the Irish writers sew a Latin ending onto this or that Gaelic form. Of all these forms the ancient one is Aid, the old Aed, the recent Aod, the rest corrupt; and the aspirated forms are more recent than the rest. Therefore we have chosen the older and truer spelling Aid.], bishop of Killare [Ceall Air, otherwise Ceall Fair, now the parish of Killare, of the barony of Rathconrath, county Westmeath; where Colgan writes, Acta Sanctorum Hiberniae, p. 423, col. 2, note 31, that there are three springs and three churches. Cf. below, no. 20.], were treated a few years ago by Charles Plummer, a man most expert in the hagiographical monuments of Ireland Vitae Sanctorum Hiberniae, vol. I, pp. XXVI–XXVIII., in such a way that it is now enough for us to report his conclusions [Yet what G. T. Stokes wrote is still worth reading, St. Hugh of Rahue: his Church, his Life, and his Times, in The Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland, vol. XXVI (1896), pp. 325–35.]. Only a few things which the distinguished man judged foreign to his purpose we shall supply according to our small measure.
[2] the codices. No Life of St. Aidus written in Gaelic seems to have been preserved Plummer, work cited, p. XXVII; the same, Bethada Naem nErenn, vol. I, p. XI.. Three Latin Lives survive, which we edit Life I is BHL. 189; Life II hitherto unedited; Life III is BHL. 188.. The first of these is presented by a single [For it is scarcely worth noting that Life I is read, copied from the Salamanca codex itself, also in the codex of the Royal Library of Brussels 8936–8938, which was one of the Bollandist Collectanea, fols. 212–229v: "from the Irish ms. of the Seminary of Salamanca of the Society of Jesus." Cf. J. Van den Gheyn, Catalogue des manuscrits de la Bibliotheque Royale de Belgique, vol. V, p. 541, who numbers the leaves in his own way 201–218.] codex, formerly of Salamanca (= S), then Bollandist, now of the Royal Library of Brussels 7672–74, Life I. of parchment, written in two columns in the fourteenth century [The descriptions of the codices we have borrowed from Plummer, work cited, pp. IX–XXIII; cf. the same, On two Collections of Latin Lives of Irish Saints in the Bodleian Library, in Zeitschrift für celtische Philologie, vol. V (1905), pp. 429–54.]. Among the Lives of the saints of Ireland, fols. 108–109v, 119, 111, 113–114: the Life of St. Aidus son of Brecc. This, put into type by the labour of Charles De Smedt and Joseph De Backer, our predecessors, in the Acta Sanctorum Hiberniae ex codice Salmanticensi, cols. 332–359, we reprint from the codex inspected anew.
[3] Life II. The second Life is read in three codices:
R1 = the Oxford codex of the Bodleian Library Rawlinson B. 485, of parchment, in two columns, written before the middle of the thirteenth century, as it seems to the distinguished Falconer Madan. Lives of the saints of Ireland. Fols. 97v–103: the Life of St. Aidus, bishop, who is called Aedh mac Bric.
R2 = the Oxford codex of the Bodleian Library Rawlinson B. 505, of parchment, in two columns, of before the middle of the fourteenth century, copied from codex R1. Lives of the Saints of Ireland. Fols. 149v–154:
the Life of St. Aidus, bishop, who is called Aedh mac Bricii.
F = the Dublin codex of the library of the Friars Minor 33, of paper, copied in the year 1627 from codex R2. Lives of the Saints of Ireland. P. 165: the Life of St. Aidus, bishop, who is called Aedh mac Bricii.
The Life, hitherto unedited except for some sentences published by the distinguished C. Plummer Vitae Sanctorum Hiberniae, work cited, pp. 34–45, in the lower margin., we present from the codices R1 and R2 collated with each other. It is not worthwhile to inspect codex F.
[4] Life III. The third Life is presented by three codices:
M = the Dublin codex of Marsh's Library Z. 3. 1. 5, formerly V. 3. 4, of parchment, of the beginning, as it seems, of the fifteenth century, written in two columns. Lives of the saints of Ireland. Fols. 134–135 bis: the Life of St. Aed, bishop and confessor.
T = the Dublin codex of the library of the College of the Most Holy Trinity E. 3. 11, of parchment, written in two columns, of the same age, as it seems, as M. Lives of the saints of Ireland. Fol. 110v: Here begins the Life of St. Aed, bishop and confessor.
U = a codex in the library of the College of St. Patrick at Maynooth, of paper, of the seventeenth century, copied not very faithfully from an ancient parchment codex which had belonged to James Ussher [That this was codex M itself is the almost certain opinion of Charles Plummer, Miscellanea Hagiographica Hibernica, p. 178.]. Lives of the Saints of Ireland. Pp. 171–75.
It is almost certain that Colgan drew from codex M this Life, which he published entire in type in the Acta Sanctorum Hiberniae, pp. 418–22; he also edited excerpts in the Trias Thaumaturga, p. 460, ch. XXXIII, and p. 605, chs. XIX, XX. Lately, at length, the Life was reprinted with the greatest diligence by Charles Plummer, Vitae Sanctorum Hiberniae, vol. I, pp. 34–45, from codex M, collated with codex T. We have inspected codex M anew and collated it with codex T and with Colgan [Some places too were inspected for the sake of this edition by the distinguished Edward J. Gwynn, fellow of the College of the Most Holy Trinity, Dublin.]; for by this example it will be better perceived what credit is owed to the editions of Colgan. Codex U we have neglected, from which the distinguished Charles Plummer judges that absolutely no usefulness can be derived for a critical edition Work cited, p. 178.. In the codices M and T the single chapters are distinguished not by numbers but by a red letter; we have adopted Plummer's division into chapters.
[5] The three Lives compared with one another. The three Lives of St. Aidus, or more truly three recensions of the same Life, the distinguished C. Plummer compares with one another in roughly these words Vitae Sanctorum Hiberniae, vol. I, p. XXVII.. Such is often the agreement of the three Lives that all must be thought to have flowed from one and the same archetype [So he. We perceive no reason, however, why Lives II and III should not have flowed from Life I. But very acute would be he who settled the dispute.]. Nearest to this archetype is Life I, furthest Life III; and Life II is much more like Life I than Life III. In this third Life there are omitted entire chs. 19, 21–23, 33, 36, 39, 42–44, 49, 51, and in part chs. 11 and 13 of Life I; chapters 13, 15, 18 of the same Life I, which could have been either an offence or a difficulty, the writer of Life III revised; yet he added nothing except the first sentence of ch. 6, which is not read in Lives I and II. Life II scarcely differs from Life I, except that the style has been entirely reworked and accommodated to a homiletic manner; except that the writer of this recension R, after his fashion, struck out names here and there, and omitted the whole of ch. 18. Life I itself seems to be a farrago; for four times the same little narrative is sung over about the chariot of St. Aidus flying through the air [Chs. 11, 19, 36, 42. Four times also in Life II, chs. 7, 14, 30, 36; only once in Life III, ch. 7.]. But whether the most ancient recension was Latin or Gaelic, you would not easily decide [On Gaelic Lives turned into the Latin language see Plummer, work cited, pp. XI, XXII, XLIII, LIX, LXXVI.]. The age of that Life Colgan deduces Acta Sanctorum Hiberniae, p. 423, note 26. from the fact that the writer related that the monastery overthrown by the Danes in the year 1089 remained down to his own times Life III, ch. 31.. This is read only in Life III; and since it is missing in the first and second Life and is of the same kind as very many other additions of recension III [Cf. on that opinion of Colgan's what we noted among the annotations to Life I, ch. 46.], I rather think it is to be ascribed to carelessness rather than to age; unless, however, the venerable antiquity of that recension III is proved from elsewhere.
[6] What Colgan thought of Lives II and III. Colgan, moreover, expressed his opinion on the second and third Life in these words: "We have also another Life of this saint" (namely the one which is for us Life II, as is clear from what follows), "from the codex of Insula, or of the Island of the saints [That both codices now Rawlinson (R1 and R2) took their origin from the monastery of Inis na Naomh, or the Island of the Saints, in Lough Ree, the distinguished C. Plummer contends with most probable arguments, work cited, vol. I, p. XX.], more Latin indeed and fuller in some chapters, but written by a more recent pen; and it has mixed in certain things about a foetus emptied from the womb of a certain virgin Life II, ch. 11. and about St. Brigid healed of a headache by St. Aidus Ibid., ch. 13. Cf. below, nos. 19 and 20., which would require more examination than they bring usefulness. This one, therefore, which we give from the codex of Kilkenny [From this codex Colgan presents Life III. See Plummer, work cited, pp. XXVI, XIII–XIV.] so often praised, more recommended both by the age and the simplicity of its style, we have thought should be preferred. Its age is indicated both by the ancient words which it uses and which are not in use today, such as 'regnavit Hiberniam' Life III, ch. 1., that is, ruled it; 'culter' Ibid., ch. 4., that is, ploughshare; 'Christianitas' Ibid., ch. 20., that is, the faith of Christ; 'Scotice' Ibid., ch. 5., that is, in Irish, and similar things. And also because it says that certain monasteries of Ireland flourished in its time, which have not flourished for at least six hundred or seven hundred years and of which today scarcely traces exist See what we annotate at chs. 31 and 32 of Life I.. It also puts here and there the nominative case for the ablative (as they call it) taken absolutely [This the hagiographer borrowed from Gaelic grammar, nor is it so unusual, even in the Latin literature of the Irish.]. Whence the author of this Life seems to me to be entirely the same as the one of the Life of St. Maedoc, St. Cainnech, St. Comgall, St. Finnian, and of very many others in which similar expressions are found [These things are to be taken with a grain of salt, so that the same reviser may seem to be meant. Whether the writer of the archetype of the Lives of St. Aidus too was the same who committed all those monuments to writing, we confess that we do not know.]." Thus far Colgan.
[7] From what stock St. Aidus sprang, The pedigree of St. Aidus fits aptly with the age in which he is said to have lived. For it is read in the Book of Leinster that he was mac Bricc meic Cormaic meic Crimthaind meic Fiachach meic Neill Noighiallaicch [The Book of Leinster, p. 347, col. 2. With which agree the glossator of Marianus, below, no. 9, an annotation in the margin of fol. 134r of codex M of Life III, and the Genealogiae Regum et Sanctorum Hiberniae, ed. Walsh, p. 56. Nor does the opening of Life III disagree, which relates that St. Aidus sprang "of the nobler race of Ireland, that is, of the seed of Conn Cetcathach"; for this Conn ἐκατοντάμαχος is one of the forefathers of Niall, prince of all Ireland. Cf. the note to ch. 1 of Life III.], that is, son of Brecc (otherwise Brec, etc.), son of Cormac, son of Crimthann, son of Fiacha, son of Niall Naoighiallach (of the nine hostages). And this man ruled Ireland at the end of the fourth century after Christ [Of whom among the annotations to ch. 1 of Life I. The history of the family from which St. Aidus sprang was followed down to more recent times by G. T. Stokes, work cited, p. 326, note 4, and pp. 334–35.]. in what age he lived. And the death of our Aidus is recorded in the Annals of Ulster in the year 588 (correctly 589): Quies espuic Aedha filii Bricc The rest of Bishop Aed son of Brecc Annals of Ulster, vol. I, ed. W. M. Hennessy, p. 72., and in the year 594 (correctly 595): Vel hoc anno quies epscoip Aedha mic Bric Or in this year the rest of Bishop Aed son of Brec Ibid., p. 76.. For the old compiler of the Annals was uncertain under which year the death of the holy bishop was to be entered [This happens not rarely in the Annals of Ulster, since they have been gathered from various sources.]. The same is announced at the year 588 (correctly 589, as it seems) by the Annals which circulate under the name of Tigernach Ed. Wh. Stokes, in Revue Celtique, vol. XVII (1896), p. 158., by the Chronicle of Clonmacnoise [Or the Annals of Clonmacnoise; see Colgan, Acta Sanctorum Hiberniae, p. 423, col. 2, note 31. Of those Annals no copy has been preserved; but there exists an English translation, made in the year 1627, which we adduced above, p. 150, note 8.], by the Chronicon Scotorum Ed. W. M. Hennessy, p. 62. and by the Four Masters [Vol. I, p. 212. Add the Annals from cod. Titus A. XXV, ed. A. M. Freeman, in Revue Celtique, vol. XLI (1924), p. 321.]; from here assuredly flowed the note of time which was received into the martyrology of Donegal at 10 November See below, the Collection.. Ussher accepted the year 589 Britannicarum Ecclesiarum Antiquitates, 2nd ed., p. 533, col. 2., Colgan the year 588 [Acta Sanctorum Hiberniae, p. 832, col. 1: "588. St. Aidus or Aedus, son of Brec, bishop of Rath-aodha in Meath, died."]. And of these things thus far; for we do not wish to stir up a tragedy about a few years, where the Annals scarcely disagree among themselves.
[8] Some indicate the feast on one day, others on another, But inquiry has also been made about the feast day of St. Aidus Act. SS., Feb. vol. III, p. 718 F.. For Colgan testifies Acta Sanctorum Hiberniae, ibid. that there treat of St. Aidus "the Salisbury Martyrology of Richard Whitford [O'Hanlon invented an entirely new martyrology, Lives of the Irish Saints, vol. II, p. 730, when he supposes that the Salisbury one is other than Richard Whytford's farrago.], the Martyrology of Tallaght and the Martyrology of Donegal at 28 February"; to these is to be added "the calendar of the saints of Ireland of FitzSimon" [So Act. SS., Feb. work cited, ibid. But we do not read the name of Aidus in the copy put into type by Philip O'Sullivan Beare, Historiae Catholicae Iberniae Compendium, book IV, ch. XII; 1st ed., pp. 49–54; ed. M. Kelly, pp. 52–57.]. But neither copy of the martyrology of Donegal See above, p. 305. mentions St. Aidus on the day before the kalends of March. Prudently therefore our predecessors wrote that his feast is indicated on that day in the martyrology of Donegal "according to Colgan" Act. SS., Feb. work cited, ibid.. Nor was Richard Whytford to be adduced here; for that Aidus whom he received at 28 February The Martiloge in Englysshe, ed. F. Procter and E. S. Dewick, p. 34. is the abbot of Ferns, whose day of death in the Nova Legenda Anglie Ed. Horstman, vol. I, p. 22. and in another Life of him Plummer, Vitae Sanctorum Hiberniae, vol. I, p. LXXVI. was wrongly written as the day before the kalends of March instead of the day before the kalends of February. The martyrology of Tallaght Henry FitzSimon assuredly had as his authority, as also had those Fasti, made for the rest with the greatest carelessness, which Philip O'Sullivan Beare found and edited; for in these Aidus is entered on the day before the kalends of March Work cited, book IV, ch. XI; 1st ed., p. 45; ed. M. Kelly, p. 49.. But for what reason two feasts of the same saint were indicated in the calendar of Tallaght [You would better add: if ever it was indicated. For we grieve that the whole month of November has fallen out in the copies which survive. Shortly a new edition will come out, which the distinguished H. J. Lawlor and R. I. Best are preparing (Henry Bradshaw Society).] we have not yet been able to find out, nor perhaps is it to be made so much of [See, however, what we doubtfully conjecture about two holy Aiduses perhaps confused with each other, below, no. 20, and about namesakes, below, no. 16.]. Charles Plummer supposes that the one is the birthday, the other a commemoration of some dedication or translation Work cited, p. XXVI, note 4.. This is certain, by the very great consensus of the more recent writers, that the principal feast of St. Aidus is that which is kept on the fourth of the ides of November [Act. SS., ibid. O'Hanlon, work cited, vol. II, p. 730; although by a typesetter's error 23 was written for 28, the same, work cited, vol. VI, p. 611, note 1. Colgan stays in doubt, Acta Sanctorum Hiberniae, p. 423, col. 2, note 31; but he had promised that he would treat of him at 10 November, work cited, p. 268, col. 2, note 9.].
[9] most on the fourth of the ides of November, And on 10 November St. Aidus is mentioned both by Oengus, the most ancient of the Irish feast-writers [Below, in the Collection on the saints who are venerated in both Scotlands, no. 1. The "augmented Aengus" in whom Colgan writes that he read the name of St. Aidus, work cited, ibid., is nothing other than the codex of the Oengusian feast-book now preserved at Dublin in the library of the Friars Minor. This Wh. Stokes used in his edition, Félire Óengusso; see pp. XII–XIII.], and by Marianus Gorman Ibid., no. 2., and by the calendar of Cashel Colgan, work cited, ibid., of Drummond Below, Collection, no. 3., of Donegal For its critical edition see ibid., no. 4.. I pass over the more recent [Ibid., no. 3; add those Fasti in O'Sullivan Beare, work cited, 1st ed., p. 48; ed. M. Kelly, p. 51, where we have noted above, p. 313, that Eclus was wrongly written for Edus.]. The annotator of Marianus ascribes these words to the name of St. Aidus: Epscop, o Chill Air i Midhe ocus o Sliabh Liag i tTir Boghaine i cCenel cConaill. Do Chenel Fhiachach mic Neill do Stokes, Félire hûi Gormáin, p. 214.. In Latin: Bishop, of Ceall Air in Meath and of Sliabh Liag (or in the English form Slieve League) in Tir Boghaine in (the region called) Cenel Conaill [Of Slieve League we shall treat below, no. 17; of Killare, see above, p. 495, note 2.]. Of the stock of Fiacha son of Niall was he (Aidus). Colgan excerpted these words from the lost calendar of Cashel: "St. Aidus son of Bricius, of the stock of Fiacha son of Niall; and his mother was of the region of Muscraigethire See below, among the annotations to ch. 1 of Life I.. He is venerated at Killary, in western Meath, and at Sliebhlieg, in the valley of Senghlenn in Ulster" Colgan, place cited.. The elogium of the martyrology of Donegal we shall report below Collection, no. 4.. Add that in codex R2 of the other Latin Life of St. Aidus a hand of the seventeenth century noted that even then on 10 November his cult at Slieve League Of which cult below, no. 17. was most celebrated: "This most holy bishop Aidus son of Briccus is venerated and is celebrated at Sliabhalieghe (sic) with divine sacrifices and manifold thanksgivings on the tenth day of the month of November" Fol. 152, in the right margin.. By an older hand at the very threshold of the Life there was written in the same codex: 10 November. To all these is added the testimony of Colgan, who relates that in his time the feast of St. Aidus was kept at Slieve League on the fourth of the ides of November Work cited, p. 423, col. 2, note 31. See below, no. 17..
[10] It is to be regretted that the whole month of November has fallen out in the copies which survive of the martyrology of Tallaght; in which alone, since Aidus is recorded on the day before the kalends of March Above, no. 8., it would have been worthwhile to see whether he was announced again on the fourth of the ides of November too. As the matter now stands, which day seems to be his birthday. we have already noted Above, no. 9. that the one seems to have been the birthday, the other of some dedication or translation. If this is so, St. Aidus must be thought to have died on 10 November, as the Annals of the Four Masters expressly have [Annals of the Four Masters, edition cited, vol. I, p. 212, at the year 588 (correctly 589).], and his Life III itself Ch. 36.. The other Lives do not indicate the day of death in express words, although they were to be read aloud on the birthday of St. Aidus Life I, 52, at the end; Life II, 46, at the end.. But as for what is ascribed in the second recension of the martyrology of Donegal to 16 November: Aodh mac Bric do reir a bhethaidh is aniugh ata a fheil, ge nach do reir na bfelereadh The Martyrology of Donegal, edition cited, p. 310.; in Latin: Aodh mac Bric, according to his Life today is his feast, but not according to the calendars; I do not know from where it took its origin, unless from an error by which someone read 16 for 10. For we have already set out what was found in the Latin Lives, and we have nowhere found mention of any other Latin or Gaelic Life of St. Aidus.
[11] The persons of the Lives of St. Aidus. With the age in which St. Aidus is gathered from the Annals to have lived Above, no. 7. the things which are handed down about most of the persons of his Life are not in conflict. As concerns SS. Kiaran of Clonmacnoise († 549), Becc mac De († 553 or 558), Lasrean or Molaisse of Daimh Inis († 564 or 571), and King Diarmaid mac Cearbaill († 565 or 572), no question arises [That is the opinion of the distinguished Charles Plummer, Vitae Sanctorum Hiberniae, vol. I, p. XXVIII.]. St. Columba of Iona († 597) also, as all the Lives relate Life I, 52; Life II, 46; Life III, 36., outlived Aidus himself. Not so easily are certain other things explained. For how could the fame and the repute of sanctity of Aidus, scarcely emerged from boyhood, have been so great that St. Brigid, of Kildare as it seems († about 525), invoked him to relieve her headaches [Of the invocation of St. Aidus in those pains we shall treat more fully below, nos. 18–21.]? And another narrative, which is read in two Lives of St. Aidus Life I, 21; Life II, 16., about a codex of the Gospels sent down from heaven to Brigid and handed over to Aidus, does not lessen the difficulty, which our Bolland had felt Act. SS., Feb. vol. I, p. 117, col. 1. Cf. Plummer, place cited.. But of these things more elsewhere Below, nos. 18–20.. Nor does it seem to us to be explained with sufficient probability how St. Aidus could have been many years younger than St. Cainnech, that abbot, if we perceive anything, of Aghaboe, born in the year 516 or 527 [On the age of that Cainnech, see J. Lanigan, An Ecclesiastical History of Ireland, vol. II, p. 188, note 19; p. 202, note 67. James Gammack, in W. Smith and H. Wace, Dictionary of Christian Biography, vol. I, p. 382.], and than St. Brendan, abbot of Birr, who died in the year 571–573 Of whom A. P. F[orbes, Dictionary of Christian Biography, work cited, p. 335, col. 1.]; for Aidus, while still a boy and assigned to pasturing pigs, is related to have come upon these by chance in the woods, occupied with sacred letters and mingling conversations on divine things Life I, 2; II, 2; III, 2.. Nor is it easily to be believed that it is not that illustrious abbot of Aghaboe who is signified here, but some obscure disciple of Patrick or other [Of whom Colgan, Trias Thaumaturga, p. 139, col. 1, ch. 70; p. 179, col. 2, note 128; p. 267, col. 1. O'Hanlon, Lives of the Irish Saints, vol. I, pp. 409–410. J. Gamack, place cited, col. 1.]. Finally that king of Munster from whose seed Aidus foretold that three kings would arise Life I, 8–9; II and III, 5., Colgan judges was, in the roll of the royal stocks, Amhalghaidh son of Ennius, brother of that celebrated Oengus, king of Munster, to whom St. Patrick, when he baptized him,
transfixed the foot with the point of his staff [Acta Sanctorum Hiberniae, p. 422, note 13. See below what we annotate at chs. 8–9 of Life I.]. But this Oengus fell in battle in the year 490 [Annals of Ulster, vol. I, ed. W. M. Hennessy, p. 28, in the year 489 (correctly 490).]; Amhalghaidh therefore could scarcely have had dealings with Aidus, who died in the year 589, and who was already then of such great authority that he was sent by the king of the Southern Descendants of Niall to the king of Munster as an envoy to make a truce. That holy Riochus too, to whom Aidus is related to have gone Life I, 45; II, 39; III, 31., if he was really the son of St. Patrick's sister, could scarcely have survived so long into the sixth century; but that kinship of Riochus with Patrick has not undeservedly been called into question [J. H. Todd, Leabhar Imuinn. The Book of Hymns of the Ancient Church of Ireland (Dublin, 1855–69), pp. 114–16 (Irish Archaeological and Celtic Society). Cf. Plummer, Vitae Sanctorum Hiberniae, vol. I, p. XXVIII.]. To Colgan, however, it seems not improbable that St. Riochus, son of Patrick's sister, survived to the time of Aidus Work cited, p. 268, col. 1, and ibid., col. 2, note 7.; he, namely, thought it not at all to be wondered at that an Irish saint should live more than a hundred years, he who had long been accustomed to much larger numbers [Such as those which we shall presently adduce about St. Kiaran of Saighir, no. 12.]. But since in Ireland in those times no census was taken, sure arguments by which to settle the controversy are entirely lacking.
[12] Mentions of St. Aidus Of the mentions of St. Aidus which we have found in other hagiographical writings we must next treat. And first let us bring forward a monument of venerable antiquity, the Catalogue of the orders of the saints in Ireland according to different times, which seems to have been collected in the eighth century. For that Aedeus whose name is read in the second order of saints is none other than the illustrious bishop of Killare Acta Sanctorum Hiberniae ex codice Salmanticensi, edition cited, col. 162.; and the saints of this order are related in the same place to have flourished about the years 540–600. Our Aidus too Colgan numbers among the disciples of St. Finnian, abbot of Clonard ["St. Aidanus son of Brecc, bishop (whose Life you have at 28 Feb.)", Acta Sanctorum Hiberniae, p. 405, col. 2.]. in various hagiographical writings, Nor does anything stand in the way of Aidus having in fact learned letters in those most celebrated schools of St. Finnian; for he is said to have departed from among the living in the year 549 Annals of Ulster, vol. I, edition cited, p. 50, in the year 548 (correctly 549).. But although Colgan writes that he numbered no one among the disciples of St. Finnian except those whom either the Life of Finnian himself or their own Acts and other sure testimonies placed among them by express names Colgan, place cited, col. 1., yet from where he fished out this Aidus we have not yet found [Quite otherwise about the education of St. Aidus Life I, chs. 3–7, 19, and the parallel places.]. But as for a certain bishop Aidus being introduced in the Lives of St. Kiaran of Saighir [BHL. 4657, in Colgan, Acta Sanctorum Hiberniae, p. 459, col. 2, ch. XII, at the beginning; in Plummer, Vitae Sanctorum Hiberniae, vol. I, p. 221, ch. IX, at the end. In the other Latin Lives, BHL. 4658 and 4659, and in the first Gaelic Life, in Plummer, Bethada Naem nErenn, vol. I, p. 105, ch. VIII, §15, that bishop is not recorded, still less is mention made of the name of Aidus; but the second Gaelic version agrees with BHL. 4657, in Plummer, work cited, p. 116, ch. VII, §22. A third Gaelic Life, finally, was translated from BHL. 4657 into the Irish language; which S. H. O'Grady first edited, Silva Gadelica, vol. I, pp. 5–6, then D. B. Mulcahy, Beatha Naoimh Chiarain Saighre. Life of S. Kiaran (the Elder) of Seir (Dublin, 1895), p. 9, ch. VIII.], we do not wish to disentangle it. For, so that all who appear in the Acts of this Kiaran might become in some way contemporaries of Kiaran, the life of Kiaran himself was drawn out by the hagiographers to two hundred, three hundred, four hundred years Plummer, Vitae Sanctorum Hiberniae, vol. I, p. LIII, with note 5.. I rather think, however, that this was our Aidus. For bishop Aidus is introduced entreating St. Kiaran for Dimma, the leader, or, as other codices will have it, the petty king, of the region of Hua Fiachach The same, work cited, p. 220, ch. VIII, with note 9.. And he was a kinsman of Aidus of Killare, whether brother or paternal uncle is uncertain J. F. Shearman, Loca Patriciana, p. 296.. If this conjecture is true, those erred who thought that that bishop Aidus was other than the one of Killare [Cf. O'Hanlon, work cited, vol. V, p. 592, note 26; Colgan, Acta Sanctorum Hiberniae, p. 464, col. 2, note 20; the same, Trias Thaumaturga, p. 268, col. 2.].
[13] in the Life of St. Cainnech, We have just now seen that St. Cainnech of Aghaboe could not have been many years older than St. Aidus Above, no. 11.; you would rather believe him a contemporary. As regards the reckoning of times, nothing can be objected to the little narrative which we have excerpted from the Life of Cainnech. Of this there survive three recensions, which the distinguished Charles Plummer designated by the letters S, M, R [Work cited, pp. XLIII–XLIV. S from the Salamanca codex, BHL. 1519; M from the Dublin codex of Marsh's Library, BHL. 1520; R from the Oxford Rawlinson codices, unedited. The single codices we have described above, nos. 2–4.]; the same man shows that these three flowed from one source, to which S is nearest. It will be better, therefore, to put this recension into type, with at least the principal variants of the others set beneath, which we have borrowed from Plummer's edition [Work cited, pp. 162–63. We edit the place from the Salamanca codex inspected anew, fol. 115, col. 2–115v, col. 2; it is already read in C. De Smedt and J. De Backer, Acta Sanctorum Hiberniae ex codice Salmanticensi, cols. 376–77.]: "At another time the bishop Aidus son of Brecc went out to the king of Niall (regem N.) regem Hua Neill M. [This is the genitive of the name Niall; understand the king of the Southern Descendants of Niall. Cf. below, the note to ch. 1 of Life I.], Colman the Little, son of Dermicius [Colman Beag, for that is in Gaelic Colmanus Modicus, son of Diarmaid, died in the year 587 or 593. Plummer, work cited, p. XLV.], who dwelt in the Rossan Lake (in s. R.) in stagni insula Ros M; apud Loch Rossa R. [In Meath, as it seems, the same, work cited, vol. II, p. 339, col. 1, under the word Ros, Rosso Stagnum; which he judges was written for Loch Rossa. I for my part rather think that the hagiographer put into Latin as Stagnum Rossum the Gaelic name Loch Ruadh, now Lough Roe, on the border of the parishes of Rahan and Kilbride, and of the baronies of Ballycowan and Kilcoursey, in King's County. Cf. Hogan, Onomasticon Goedelicum, p. 503, col. 2, under the word Loch Rosso. But Lough Roe is so small today that I conjecture this with the greatest hesitation.]; and the bishop Aidus was fasting beside the lake against that king On fasts of this kind, Plummer, work cited, vol. I, pp. CXX–CXXI. for the cause of his religious reliose S; religiose M. [The copyist of the Salamanca codex, in writing "reliose", Plummer thinks was writing phonetically, as they say, work cited, vol. II, p. 384, col. 1, under the word religiosa. I for my part rather think that he excused in his mind a slip of the pen as if it had been a proper name, Reliose; which is the opinion of our predecessors C. De Smedt and J. De Backer, work cited, col. 376, note 8, and col. 971, under the word Reliosa (?). But assuredly from the parallel places we must correct the copyist's error. We do not, however, agree with the learned C. Plummer, who thinks that religiosa is taken here for a noun, as if you were to say a nun. It seems more probable that the hagiographer meant to signify that that sister of St. Aidus was so not by blood but in spirit; not carnal, but religious, that is spiritual. If this is so, this is not a noun, neither proper nor common, but an adjective.] sister, who had been carried off as plunder to the king (que-est) que ad regem in rapinam erat ut daretur viro M.. And St. Cainnech, sympathizing with the bishop, went on to his help. Hearing this, the king ordered his servants sui adds S but deleted. to close the forts strongly and [(suis servis-concludi et) omits M; (castella f. c. et) municipium suum obfirmari et R.] to hide the rafts carefully, lest Cainnech should go to the island (ne-iret) ne sancti insulam intrarent M.. But the Lord, wishing to help his saints, opened the doors ianuam insule M. and brought a raft out of the closed places. And on that raft nocte S. Cainnech sailed (et-navigavit) et viri sancti in illa rate navigaverunt M. to the island and sanctus Cainnicus adds M. rebuked that proud king and preached precepit M. to him that he should not offend the bishop Aidus. But the king despised both, but God honoured them. For statim adds M. that proud king, sitting, saw a fiery chariot with fiery horses and a terrible charioteer in it, having in his hand a flashing fuloreum previously S. sword, coming from the eastern part across the plain over the lake swiftly omits M. to the island; and he struck the king and would almost have divided so corrected in the margin; in the text divisit deleted S. him into modo previously S. two parts, had not Cainnech Kannechii previously S. prevented it with his staff; and immediately the king (et percussit-rex) et percutiens celeriter ante omnes regem statim M. died. Then Cainnech rogatus a regina et ab omnibus adds M. prayed to God and raised the king. And King Colman, raised from death, gave thanks, and promised to do everything whatever Cainnech should tell him, and left reddidit M. the bishop's Edi adds M. carried-off sister, and offered a place to St. Cainnech, and
in that place Cainnech ad tempus adds R. dwelt [(sancto-hab.) alia bona opera fecit. Et tunc omnes leti erant, gratias Deo agentes M.]."
It is wonderful how similar this little narrative is to the other liberations of captive men and women which are ascribed in very great number to St. Aidus in his Lives [Life I, 24; II, 19; III, 17. Life I, 31; II, 25; III, 23. Life I, 34; II, 28; III, 25. Life I, 37; II, 31; III, 27. Life I, 38; II, 32; III, 28. Especially to be compared is Life I, 31 and the parallel places with Life I, 34 and parallels.], where, however, in these places St. Cainnech does not appear. But it is customary for Irish hagiographers to delete the names of other saints, so that the one whose deeds they are pursuing may seem to shine more in solitude.
[14] in the Life of St. Ruadan, Among the deeds of St. Ruadan too, who lived in the sixth century Plummer, work cited, vol. I, p. LXXXVII., the person of our Aidus is introduced. This little narrative, however, is of such a kind that our Papebroch was afraid to report it Act. SS., Apr. vol. II, pp. 382 B, 386 D–E.; but in our age, after so many Acts of the saints of Ireland have been published, not much more agreeable to our ears, this will have nothing offensive, at least to those who are not wholly ignorant of Irish literature. Of St. Ruadan there are three Latin Lives, or rather three recensions of the same Life, which Charles Plummer distinguished threefold by almost the same letters as the Lives of St. Cainnech Work cited, pp. LXXXVI–LXXXVII.: BHL. 7349 a = S; BHL. 7349 b = MT; BHL. 7350 = R [T is the codex of the College of the Most Holy Trinity, Dublin; which we described with the others above, no. 4.]. There are added two Gaelic Lives Plummer, Bethada Naem nErenn, vol. I, p. XL., one in the Brussels codex 4190–4200 (= Br (in-Neill) so S. R, Br1, Br2, St.; in regione Midhi MT.), the other in the codex formerly of Stowe, now in Dublin of the Royal Irish Academy A. 4. 1 (= St). Add the same little narrative The same, work cited, p. 327, note 11. from the Brussels codex 2324–2340, fol. 161 (= Br [quod sonat Odo clamosus adds R; Eiccintach (innocens) Br1; Engach (clamosus) Br2, St.; (nomine O. E.) Eighmech M, Egmach T.]). We take the fable from the Salamanca codex, with at least the principal variants of the others added from Plummer's editions [Vitae Sanctorum Hiberniae, vol. II, p. 251; Bethada Naem nErenn, vol. I, pp. 327–28.]: "There was a certain most wicked man in the territory of the descendants of Niall (in-Neill) so S, R, Br1, Br2, St.; in regione Midhi MT. [Understand the Southern Descendants of Niall; see below, the note to ch. 1 of Life I.], named Odo Egmech [quod sonat Odo clamosus adds R; Eiccintach (innocens) Br1; Engach (clamosus) Br2, St.; (nomine O. E.) Eighmech M, Egmach T.], who offered his field to the holy Odo, bishop, son of Brecc (O. e. f. B.) episcopo Aedo filio Brich almost all the other codices., and he in turn promised the kingdom of heaven to that man (et ipse-promissit) ut sanctus pro eo ad Deum oraret R.. Afterwards, however, when that most wicked man had died, the holy Odo, bishop corrected from episcopo S., fought in the air against the demons for his soul [(postea-illius) postea ille homo mortuus est et demones eum secum rapuerunt. Sanctus autem episcopus Aedus, volens complere quod promisit in Deo, rogavit Christum et pro anima eius MT, and almost Br1, Br2, St.]. And when the demons had begun to overcome him and to carry the man away from him eo quod hominis peccata plus ponderabant quam bona facta adds R., he called St. Ruadan and Columba of the Church (et C. K.) there is no mention of St. Columba in Br2, St. to his help. When they had come to him, the demons having been conquered, they carried the man into the kingdom of heaven [(qui cumcelorum) sancti autem spiritualiter longe audierunt eum, et venerunt cicius ad eum simili modo quo ipse exivit; et ilico superaverunt demones et animam predicti hominis ad requiem deduxerunt. Misterium autem eius rei omnipotens Deus et ipsi sancti sciunt MT.] [These from the Salamanca codex inspected anew, fol. 108, cols. 1–2; the place was already edited by De Smedt and De Backer, work cited, cols. 330–31.]." What follows does not belong to St. Aidus and, which is not unusual for Irish and other hagiographers, is narrated otherwise about other saints too [Plummer, Bethada Naem nErenn, vol. II, p. 363, note to §§55–58; the same, Vitae Sanctorum Hiberniae, vol. I, p. 160, and in the places adduced there, note 5. Cf. below, no. 15.]. Something similar we read in the Lives of St. Aidus too Life I, 48; II, 42; III, 34., about a certain rich man of the common people to whom the bishop promised heaven in return for a field and a house; but the end answers badly to these beginnings. Yet, since the place, afterwards distinguished by St. Aidus with a church and an illustrious monastery, is called not the Cell of Aidus or the Church of Aidus or anything else of that kind, but the Fort of Aidus, in Gaelic Raith Aodha, today Rathugh Of which place below, in the note to ch. 48 of Life I., I rather think that it took its name not from St. Aidus but from its first lord, who had built there the Fort or Castle of Aidus; for we have already noted that Odo is sometimes written for Aidus Above, p. 495, note 1.. Whatever it is, certainly the village was afterwards called Raith Aedho mic Bricc Below, among the notes to ch. 48 of Life I..
[15] inserted with little diligence. From these things it appears that some things agree most aptly with the age of St. Aidus taken from the Annals, some are not a little at odds with it. However the matter stands, our medicine will profit little: for, for the most part, the reckoning of times and ages is held of no account in those Irish hagiographical writings, about which it is pleasant to recall those golden warnings of J. B. Fonson, our predecessor: "The first is that the Acts of the Irish saints are everywhere of doubtful credit and were written by writers not at all accurate and far later in age. The second is that in them there frequently occurs the narration of very similar things, which they ascribe to various saints, so that you do not know to whom they can safely be ascribed" Act. SS., Oct. vol. V, p. 643 F..
[16] Saints of the same name. Of the saints of the same name as this Aidus we shall touch on only a few things; for such is the fame of Aidus of Killare that he has feared nothing from them, but rather, if anything may be attained by conjecture in thick darkness, has been enlarged by another's praise. Thirty-three, covered under various hypocoristics, Colgan records in one place Acta Sanctorum Hiberniae, p. 210 (correctly 220)–221.. The same also writes elsewhere that "at the same time, in the same place" as the son of Brecc, "namely in Meath, and sprung from the same family of the O'Neills", there flourished "several saints of this name; as Aedus the great; Aedus the little, or the younger, son [Filii, Colgan. We have corrected the pedigree from the Genealogiae Regum et Sanctorum Hiberniae, ed. Paul Walsh, p. 49, no. 2.] of Fergus son of Fethlimidh son of Laoghaire, king of Ireland, son of Niall the Great; Aedus son of Guaire, grandson of the same Laoghaire; and Aedus the white, son of Lugaid, of the stock of Colman Crimthann son of Niall. All of whom flourished in the repute of sanctity in Meath at the same time; as also in the neighbourhood St. Aedus, of the royal line of Leinster, bishop of Kildare, who died in the year 638" Work cited, p. 412, note 2..
[17] Where St. Aidus lived. Of the single names of places which occur in the Acts of St. Aidus we shall speak briefly among the annotations. Here it is to be noted generally that he kept himself chiefly in Meath, or more exactly in the territory of the Southern Descendants of Niall Of whom below, among the annotations to ch. 1 of Life I., from whom he drew the origin of his father's family; how he had come forward as intercessor for his brother or paternal uncle, then ruling the lands of his nearer family, we have already seen Above, no. 12.. He lived also in Munster, the seat of his mother's tribe, and in Connacht and in Leinster [These we have borrowed from Plummer's commentary, Vitae Sanctorum Hiberniae, vol. I, p. XXVII, with note 2.]. But for what reason he went on to Slieve League, He is venerated at Slieve League. in county Donegal, still escapes Charles Plummer himself [G. T. Stokes conjectured, in The Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland, vol. XXVI (1896), p. 330, that St. Aidus was induced by the counsel and authority of St. Molaisse of Daimh Inis to withdraw into those farthest parts of Ireland, perhaps for the sake of spreading the faith. For this is the Molaisse who exhorted St. Columba of Iona to imitate the apostolic manner of life and to make for Scotland, as it is now called. Add that at that time Columba resided not far from Slieve League; of which matter we shall presently speak. That St. Aidus visited St. Molaisse is related by Life I, ch. 47; consult our annotations at this place, and the parallel places.], unless perhaps some little narrative from his Acts points here [Life I, 16; Lives II and III, 12, but in Life III the matter is narrated otherwise. More fully among the annotations to ch. 16 of Life I. Cf. our annotations to chs. 15 and 33 of Life I, and Plummer's own conjecture, which we adduce in the same place, about Druim Aird situated in county Donegal, indeed in the same barony of Banagh.]. Therefore, since there will be no more fitting opportunity of speaking about the traces of cult shown to St. Aidus on that Donegal promontory, we shall gather here what we have been able to find about Slieve League, in the parish of Glencolumkille, of the barony of Banagh. That is the present-day and English form of the Gaelic name Sliabh Liag, otherwise Sliabh Liacc or Sliabh Liac, which the ancient writers turned into Latin as the Mountain of the Stone or of the Stones [Plummer, work cited, vol. II, p. 332, col. 2, under the words Lapidis, Lapidum Mons.]. And this mountain rises sheer out of the Ocean
to almost two thousand feet, nor perhaps is any more splendid in the British islands [Its image is set out by The Parliamentary Gazetteer of Ireland, vol. III (Dublin, London and Edinburgh, 1846), p. 254, col. 1; O'Hanlon, Lives of the Irish Saints, vol. II, pp. 731–33.]. From there the Irish, sailing, once hoped that they would come to the Land of Promise and the Islands of the Blessed [See Plummer, work cited, vol. I, p. CLXXXIII, note 3, and vol. II, pp. 237–238 with note.]. About a thousand paces from the summit of the mountain are two springs and the ruined walls of a chapel Ordnance Survey of Ireland (One Inch), fol. 22., among huge stones in a vast solitude. One spring is sacred to St. Aidus, to whom the chapel too was dedicated [O'Hanlon, work cited, p. 732; on another chapel of St. Aidus not far away, see below, the note to chs. 15–16 of Life I.]. Its description and image you will find in John O'Hanlon Ibid.; certain traces of a cell are seen near the chapel Ibid., pp. 732–33.. The name of the saint the country people pronounce Aodh na Bricne, Aodh Mhac Briacna, or Breacan, Hughy Breaky, Hugh Mac Bracan, Bricknia Ibid., pp. 731–32, and p. 732, note 16.. That St. Aidus was venerated there is testified by the seventeenth-century annotation in codex R2 of Life II of St. Aidus, which we have adduced Above, no. 9., and by these words of Colgan: "He is venerated in… Slieb-lieg in Tirconnell, where there is a chapel sacred to him and a solemn pilgrimage Acta Sanctorum Hiberniae, p. 423, note 31.." Add the mention of this place in several ancient calendars, where St. Aidus is treated [Above, no. 9, and below in the collection on the saints who are venerated in both Scotlands.]. At the beginning, as it seems, of the nineteenth century or the close of the eighteenth, the throng of pilgrims who used to go there for the sake of a vow or of piety had not yet ceased [A letter of John O'Donovan, dated at Kill Chartaigh (today the parish of Kilcar, in the barony of Banagh), 20 October 1835, among the Letters containing Information relative to the Antiquities of the County of Donegal collected during the progress of the Ordnance Survey in 1835, pp. 216–17, in O'Hanlon, place cited.]. But on what day of the year this was then customarily done, the authors do not seem to have found out; but one may conjecture that 10 November was kept, which Colgan expressly indicates Place cited.. Today the throng of pilgrims has not yet deserted the sacred places, although that former pomp has long since come to rest. Traces of those who had visited the sacred place John O'Hanlon found in the year 1868, in the month of July Work cited, p. 733.; there were also certain stones which those offering prayers used to go round; they drank water three times from the sacred spring Ibid.. There is a report in the same region that at the time when St. Aidus founded a monastery on the summit of Slieve League, St. Columba of Iona had his seat not far from there, in the place to which he gave the name Glencolumkille, or the Valley of St. Columba Work cited, p. 732.. Nor does this conflict with the reckoning of times Cf. above, no. 11, and below, the annotations to ch. 52 of Life I..
[18] How he cured Brigid of a headache. Why St. Aidus was accustomed to be invoked especially by those suffering in the head, all his Lives set out at length Life I, ch. 17; Lives II and III, ch. 13.; for he is said to have taken that malady from a sick man by his prayers and received it upon himself [Nay rather, down to these times there flourishes the custom of invoking St. Aidus to relieve that disease; see below, the annotations to ch. 1 of Life I.]. How anciently the cure of that pain began to be sought from St. Aidus is shown, namely, by the little narrative which immediately follows in his first and second Life [In the third Life, the name of Brigid being suppressed, "a certain holy virgin" is introduced.], about St. Brigid having obtained the same benefit from St. Aidus. That Brigid was cured of a headache is narrated indeed by some Lives of this virgin, in Latin BHL. 1455 Act. SS., Feb. vol. I, p. 121., 1456 Colgan, Trias Thaumaturga, p. 529, col. 2, chs. 27–28., 1461 [Colgan, work cited, pp. 578–79; Act. SS., work cited, pp. 182–83; Acta Sanctorum Hiberniae ex codice Salmanticensi, cols. 58–60.], in Gaelic the Life from the Book of Lismore [Wh. Stokes, Lives of Saints from the Book of Lismore, pp. 41–42, lines 1383–1393.] and a fragment from the codex Rawlinson B. 512 Fols. 33–33v. Cf. Plummer, Vitae Sanctorum Hiberniae, vol. I, p. XXVIII, note 2.. This place, hitherto unedited and fuller than the others, we put into type from a transcript which the distinguished Charles Plummer in his kindness sent to us. In the Gaelic words we have changed absolutely nothing; but the Latin sentences, which are interspersed here and there, the copyist had copied out so barbarously and so foully that most had to be silently restored to correct writing. Ba trom for Brigit ind inbuith eter di Chaisc la cen 〈n〉-galar. “Ni bae son,” ar Mel. “In tan rigmai ni do aithrius ar cetchoggba 〈la〉 la firu Tethbae, regaid Brigit lenn cona ingenaib; ata lieg amrai la firu Midi .i. Aed mac Bric, dogenai do 〈fh〉 repaid siu.” (In Latin: Between the Sunday of the Resurrection and Low Sunday Brigid suffered in her head. "This must be otherwise," says Mel [On St. Mel, bishop, see Act. SS., work cited, pp. 778–782; Colgan, work cited, pp. 259–64; O'Hanlon, Lives of the Irish Saints, vol. II, pp. 360–67.]; "when we go to visit the first church erected by us in Fir Tethba This region was in western Meath, a province of Ireland., Brigid will come with us with her virgins; there is among the men of Meath a wonderful physician, Aed mac Bric, who will heal you.") In this place it is narrated in Latin how Brigid healed two virgins crippled in all their limbs and changed water into beer; which, since they do not pertain to the matter, we omit. Dia Fol. 33v, col. 1. luain min-chasc iarom luid Brigit ina carput, 7 a ingena ina coemtecht, 7 an da epscop Mel 7 Melcu, in Campum Midi docum lego; 7 co ndicsidis iarom in Campum Tethbae da athrius luic boe and do Mel 7 do Melcoin. (In Latin: On the day after Low Sunday Brigid set out in her chariot, accompanied by her virgins and the two bishops Mel and Melcu [On this holy bishop, see Act. SS., work cited, ibid.; Colgan, work cited, p. 364; O'Hanlon, work cited, pp. 367–68.], into the plain of Meath [The plain, namely, which extends in the province of Meath; cf. below, the note to ch. 40 of Life I.] to the physician; so that afterwards they might make for the plain of Tethba to visit a place which belonged to Mel and Melcu.) And on the third feria at night they turn aside to the house of a certain Leinsterman of the Descendants of Briuin Eolaig [Ui Briuin Eolaig, the distinguished Charles Plummer suspects, was wrongly written for Ui Briuin Chualann, on whom Hogan, Onomasticon Goedelicum, p. 663, col. 1, under the word Ui Briuin Chualand.]. He received them, and looking on them kindly fed St. Brigid with the bishops. Arces an fer maith hisin, 7 a aithech tige. (In Latin: That good man and his wife complained to Brigid.) The wife said: "As many as I have borne have died, except two daughters, who themselves too have been dumb from the day of their birth." She goes to the ford of Firgort The Gaelic name must have been Ath Firgoirt; a place otherwise unknown.. The holy Brigid falls in the middle of the ford, for I know not what cause, the horses being frightened … [The place is indistinct in the codex; should patrante be read? Three or four letters follow which could not be read. One may conjecture that the horses took fright so that St. Brigid fell from the chariot.] and her holy head, dashed against a stone, was wounded on the crown, and she reddened the waters with blood copiously shed. And the holy Brigid spoke to one of the dumb daughters: "Pour the water mixed with blood around your neck in the name of God." And so she did. And she said: "You have healed me; I give thanks to God." “Gair do siair,” ar Brigit frisin ingin slain. “Tairle, a fiur,” ol si. “Veniam dano,” ar a setig. “Am slan cia thiasiur An indistinct word.; ru slechtus i neis in charpuit; am slan iarom.” “Argib tra,” ar Brigit frisind ingin, “da fer tig 〈e〉; 7 a nadrubalt duib d' 〈sh〉 oer-clandaib, co mberid in lin cetna iterum.” Batir falti 〈g〉 issudiu. (These things are very disordered and depraved; they can doubtfully be translated: "Call your sister," says Brigid to the girl who had been healed. "Let her come," she says, "her sister." "If these things are so, I will come," says her companion. "Even if I come, I am healed. I prostrated myself behind the chariot and thereupon I was healed." Brigid said to the woman: "Receive your husband; and as many of your freeborn children as have died, so many will you beget anew." At which they rejoiced.) And that memorable stone often heals many. Nach cend co cend-galar suidigthir do, is 〈s〉 lan dudintai huath. Is andsin corrancatar frisin suid liag, fri Aed mac Bric, ar So the codex; should .i. be read? ind epscop. Cend na noeb ingine tetigit. (In Latin: Whatever aching head is applied to it (the stone), is drawn back from it sound. Then they came to the skilled physician, Aed mac Bric the bishop. He touched the head of the holy virgin.) And he addresses the virgin with such words: "By a physician, virgin, the vein of your head has been touched, who is quite better than I."
[19] Which Aidus Of all these narratives, then, BHL. 1455 and 1456 and the Gaelic Life from the Book of Lismore write that St. Brigid had recourse to a certain physician, but keep silent about the physician's name. BHL. 1461 relates that that physician was a bishop by the name of Eth; this is a form of the name Aid, and we perceive no reason why Colgan wrote that he was Etchaen, bishop of Clonfad Acta Sanctorum Hiberniae, p. 305.. But although it seems not to have happened by chance that
those things which we have recited from the Lives of St. Brigid are so similar to those which are read in the Lives of St. Aidus, it is to be noticed that those little narratives do not agree with each other exactly. For the Lives of Brigid relate that the holy virgin was unexpectedly cured by a certain accident, or more truly a prodigy, while she was making the journey to visit the physician; but all the Lives of Aidus narrate that Brigid, living far from the holy bishop, was freed from her pain by invoking his name, nor do they make any word about St. Aidus's proficiency in the art of medicine.
[20] What Brigid he helped. Yet this is not the only little narrative inserted in the Lives of St. Aidus which would be an indication of that singular connection with St. Brigid; for they relate that a book of the Gospels fell from heaven into the lap of Brigid, which she handed over to Aidus at his request Life I, ch. 21; Life II, ch. 16; Life III omits it.. There is added that of the three churches of Killare one is dedicated to St. Aidus, the rest to St. Brigid [Colgan, work cited, p. 423, col. 2, note 31; in this Colgan was deceived, that he writes that the parish church is dedicated to St. Aidus; in fact it is St. Brigid's, G. T. Stokes, in The Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland, vol. XXVI, p. 332, note 2.]; of the sacred springs almost the same is to be noted [These from Anthony Cogan, The Diocese of Meath, Ancient and Modern, vol. III (Dublin, 1870), p. 575, note: There were three sacred springs at Killare, one to St. Aidus, another to St. Brigid, the third, finally, as is most probable, to St. Cuman. Add that St. Aidus is still commonly called in those places "Bishop Hugh".]. But in all these things which are narrated of St. Brigid and St. Aidus a parachronism seems to lie hidden. For the virgin of Kildare died about the year 525 Annals of Ulster, vol. I, ed. W. M. Hennessy, pp. 40–42.; nor is it easily to be thought that already then the fame of St. Aidus, the bishop who died in the year 589, had spread widely Above, no. 7.. Assuredly this is one of the several things which, as Colgan writes of Life II of St. Aidus Work cited, p. 422, col. 1, note 1., "would require more examination than they bring usefulness [Almost the same things about this connection of Brigid with Aidus Bolland, Act. SS., Feb. vol. I, p. 117; cf. p. 183, col. 1, note b.]." Nor would you easily conjecture that it was some other one of the many holy Aiduses whom Brigid besought; for that our St. Aidus was invoked from remote antiquity to relieve pains of the head is demonstrated by the clear testimony of the hymn O rex, o rector regminis, of which we shall presently speak. It is hardly likely that some Brigid other than the most famous virgin of Kildare was understood in both places by the writers of the Lives of St. Aidus [Anthony Cogan notes, place cited, that St. Brigid of Kildare devoted herself among the sacred virgins not far from Killare and perhaps stayed for some time at Killare.]; assuredly if it were a question of another, they would signify it openly. And having diligently searched what we have found about the other holy Brigids, we have read of none that lived in the parts of Killare. The one who lived nearest, Brigid of Moin Miolain [Her feast is indicated on 9 March; see O'Hanlon, Lives of the Irish Saints, vol. III, p. 277.], was about thirty miles distant from Killare [Cf. Hogan, Onomasticon Goedelicum, p. 541, col. 2, under the word Moin Milain. See below, ch. 17 of Life I, with the note.]. But if some error has crept in, I rather think it arose from a confusion of names; so similar is Kildare to Killare This the distinguished Charles Plummer pointed out to us.. And of these conjectures we have said enough; lest we throw everything altogether into confusion by adducing that St. Aidus, of the royal line of Leinster, bishop of Kildare, who is related to have died in the year 638 Above, no. 16..
[21] A hymn on St. Aidus. The hymn which we have just mentioned is read in a codex formerly of Reichenau, now of the Karlsruhe library no. CCXXI, fol. 191. This part of the codex was copied at the end of the eighth century by a Franconian hand Alfred Holder, Die reichenauer Handschriften, vol. I (Leipzig, 1906), p. 504., from an exemplar, if we see anything, insular, as they say; assuredly the copyist of this part did not know Irish, who presents Moilrum for Moilruin Fol. 192. Holder, work cited, p. 505.. Glosses are written above by the same hand [Mone, Lateinische Hymnen des Mittelalters, vol. III (Freiburg i. B., 1855), p. 182.]. The hymn was first edited by F. J. Mone [Work cited, pp. 181–82. It was reprinted and discussed by Wm. Reeves, Hymnus Sancti Aidi, in Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy, vol. VII, pp. 91–96. But the Irish poem Aed oll fri andud nane, of which Mone had written to Reeves, ibid., p. 96, belongs to no saint, but to a certain prince Aidus, son of Diarmaid, in Leinster. Cf. Wh. Stokes and J. Strachan, Thesaurus Palaeohibernicus, vol. II, pp. XXXIV, 295. Add that the hymn "O rex, o rector regminis" was put into type again by G. T. Stokes, work cited, p. 333, note 1.], then by Wh. Stokes Lives of Saints from the Book of Lismore, p. 324., finally by O. B. Schlutter [An Irish-Latin Charm, in The American Journal of Philology, vol. XX (1899), pp. 71–74. Cf. H. d'Arbois de Jubainville, in Revue Celtique, vol. XXI (1900), pp. 267–68.]. We reprint it from the editions collated with one another.
O rex, o rector regminis, O cultor caeli carminis, O persecutor murmoris, O Deus alti agminis! [O king, O ruler of government, O cultivator of the song of heaven, O persecutor of murmuring, O God of the lofty host!]
Aido maic Bricc benevola [(Aido - benevola) Aido sanctus mech (above the line filio) Prich (above the line pater) benibula cod.; that Aido is the genitive singular of the name Aid Reeves perceived, p. 93; that is the ancient and best form of the genitive; that sanctus crept into the line from a gloss Mone saw; filio and pater explain mech and Prich, for maic and Bricc, in Latin filii and Breaci. Filio is a genitive singular form, fashioned on the pattern of the genitive singular Aido.] Posco pura [puro cod.; should puri be understood, a genitive singular form on the model of the Gaelic speech ending in -o? But it is more likely that this was wrongly written after posco.] precamina, Ut refrigerat [so the codex; rightly, as it seems, H. d'Arbois de Jubainville conjectured that this is a Latin form of the subjunctive fashioned on the model of the Gaelic subjunctive.] flumina Mei capitis calida. Of Aid son of Brecc I ask kindly, pure prayers, that he may cool the hot streams of my head.
Curat [so the codex; rightly, as it seems, H. d'Arbois de Jubainville conjectured that this is a Latin form of the subjunctive fashioned on the model of the Gaelic subjunctive.] caput cum crenibus renibus cod.; crenibus (for crinibus) Schlutter. Meis, atque caucalibus [so Schlutter; cum talibus cod., with the gloss cerebre written above. Cf. Schlutter, p. 73, and Stokes, p. 324, note 6.] Caucalia, that is the brain; see Schlutter, p. 73., Cum oculis et genibus understand genis., Cum auribus et naribus, May he heal my head with its hair, and the brain, with the eyes and cheeks, with the ears and nostrils,
Cum inclitis emantibus euntibus cod., with the gloss nervibus written above; Schlutter corrected it. Here there seem to be understood ἱμάντες or sinews; see Schlutter, pp. 73–74., Cum fistulis sonantibus That is the passage of the ear; see Schlutter, p. 74., Cum lingua atque dentibus, Cum lacrimarum fontibus. with the renowned sinews, with the sounding pipes, with the tongue and teeth, with the springs of tears.
Sanctus Aid altus adiuvat [so the codex; rightly, as it seems, H. d'Arbois de Jubainville conjectured that this is a Latin form of the subjunctive fashioned on the model of the Gaelic subjunctive.], Meum caput ut liberat [so the codex; rightly, as it seems, H. d'Arbois de Jubainville conjectured that this is a Latin form of the subjunctive fashioned on the model of the Gaelic subjunctive.], Ut hoc totum perseverat [so the codex; rightly, as it seems, H. d'Arbois de Jubainville conjectured that this is a Latin form of the subjunctive fashioned on the model of the Gaelic subjunctive.] Sanum atque vigilat [so the codex; rightly, as it seems, H. d'Arbois de Jubainville conjectured that this is a Latin form of the subjunctive fashioned on the model of the Gaelic subjunctive.]. May the lofty St. Aid help, that he may free my head, that it may all continue sound and be watchful.
It remains for us to notice that St. Aidus is not invoked in the ancient Irish incantation or charm for driving away pains of the head which begins: Oculus Issaiae [Stokes and Strachan, work cited, pp. 248–49. Cf. R. I. Best, The St. Gall Incantation against Headache, in Eriu, vol. VIII (1915), p. 100.].
[22] Relics. No relics of St. Aidus seem to survive [That his remains were once kept in the monastery which he had founded at Eanach Midhbreuin is read in Life I, ch. 44, and Life II, ch. 38. The parallel place in Life III has been cut out. And G. T. Stokes writes, work cited, p. 330, note 4: "The relics of St. Hugh seem to have been in the possession of Sir Richard Nagle sixty years ago, with other treasures of the Geoghegan clan… I wonder what has become of all these antiquities." But whether the learned man understands here bodily remains or other sacred things is not clear.], except his staff or crozier. A fragment of it, about nine inches long, was found not far from the town of Loughrea, county Galway, which is now kept in the premises of the Royal Irish Academy at Dublin. Whoever wishes to be taught its form, let him consult the antiquarians [George Coffey, Guide to the Celtic Antiquities of the Christian Period preserved in the National Museum, Dublin, p. 64; H. S. Crawford, A Descriptive List of Irish Shrines and Reliquaries, Part II, in The Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland, vol. LXIII (1923), p. 172, no. 22.]. Let us rather take up those things which are read in the codex of the fuller martyrology of Donegal, now in the Royal Library of Brussels marked 5095–5096 Of which above, p. 305., fol. 104v, about the staff of St. Aidus and other things belonging to him. Whether these were written by John Colgan we do not dare to determine with certainty; but that the writer was other than Michael O'Clery is not doubtful
[The place has already been edited in The Martyrology of Donegal, p. XLI; but in whose hand it was written the editors of the martyrology had not been able to find out.]. And it runs thus: Aodh mac Bric mic Corbmaic mic Cremhthuinn before correction Bric. mic Fiachach o bfuilitt Cinel Fiadhach i cCill Lair na Midhi do rugadh he. Ata a bhacholl miorbuiligh d'fionnbhruin, .i. pras go nairgedh buailte, ar fagail ag Piotar mac Eocagain. Ata Rath Aodha tempull porraisdi ann fos. As e fein do fuair an bhachall. Facit p..atanea [an abbreviation of two or three letters which we do not know how to resolve; the editors of the martyrology of Donegal read platanea, place cited, but doubtfully; perhaps you would better conjecture subitanea.] miracula in periuros. I cCill Lair fos ata tempull Aodha. Do tairrngir Patraic a ghein o Fhiachach ann tan tug 15 baile d'ferann timceall Chill Air dho iar mallacht chloch Usnech dho 〈co〉 nach gabat [so assuredly it must be read, with the word co added; it can almost be read in the codex chonach.] greim. In Latin: Aodh son of Brecc son of Cormac son of Creamthann son of Fiacha, from whom (Fiacha there sprang) the Ceneoil Fiachach (the Race of Fiacha) Cf. the annotations to chapter 1 of Life I, and above, no. 7., was born at Killare in Meath Cf. the same annotations, and above, p. 495, note 2.. His portentous staff, made of Finnbruin, that is of chased bronze and silver, is held by Peter Mac Eochagain [Which in the present-day English form would be written Mac Gaffigan, Gahagan, Gavagan, Gavigan, Gavacan, Gaffikan, Gaffikin, Gagan, etc. Padraig de Bhulbh (Patrick Woulfe), Sloinnte Gaedheal is Gall. Irish Names and Surnames, vol. II (Baile Atha Cliath, 1922), p. 84, col. 1, under the word Mac Eachagain. But the name of this very family, from which St. Aidus sprang, was once customarily written Mac Geoghegan, now, Mac being omitted, it is pronounced Geoghegan, G. T. Stokes, in The Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland, vol. XXVI (1896), p. 326, note 4. Of this family we have said a few things above, among the annotations to no. 7; cf. below, the note to ch. 1 of Life I.]. There still exists in that place the parish church of Raith Aodha See below, among the annotations to ch. 48 of Life I.. He himself (Peter) found the staff. It works p..tanea [an abbreviation of two or three letters which we do not know how to resolve; the editors of the martyrology of Donegal read platanea, place cited, but doubtfully; perhaps you would better conjecture subitanea.] miracles against perjurers [A kind of miracle in Ireland as very necessary so very frequent. Cf. Plummer, Vitae Sanctorum Hiberniae, vol. I, p. CV; on the custom of swearing on a staff, the same, work cited, p. CLXXVI.]. At Killare too there is a church of Aodh Cf. above, nos. 1 and 20.. Patrick foretold that he would be born of the blood of Fiacha, when fifteen townlands around Killare were given to him (Patrick), after he had cursed the stones of Uisneach, so that they should be fit for no business [On these see the Tripartite Life of St. Patrick, in Wh. Stokes, The Tripartite Life, vol. I, p. 80; in Colgan, Trias Thaumaturga, p. 131, col. 2, chs. 17–18; cf. the place of Jocelin in Colgan, work cited, p. 88, col. 2, no. 100. Nowhere is the name of Aidus read.]
I. THE FIRST LIFE OF ST. AIDUS
Aidus, bishop of Killare in Ireland. (S.)
BHL Number: 0189
From the codex formerly of Salamanca, now of Brussels, in the Royal Library 7672–7674. See Prelim. Comm., no. 2.
Here begins the Life of St. Aidus son of Brecc [The name of St. Aidus's father in the nominative case we read as Brec, Brecc, Breac, Brecht, Brech, Brichius, etc.; in the genitive in Gaelic Bric, Bricc. But, as is the custom of the Irish, the Gaelic and Latin forms are used indiscriminately; here Bricc, soon Briccii, where the Latin genitive inflection has been sewn onto the Gaelic genitive. But I rather think the name Brec originally signified a trout, a kind of fish; for we know that the ancient Irish were sometimes called by the names of animals. On conception through a fish see Plummer, Vitae Sanctorum Hiberniae, vol. I, p. CLVIII.].
[1] The race of Aidus. II, 1; III, 1. The holy bishop Aidus, who is called the son of Briccius, sprang from the descendants of Niall [Neill is the genitive of the name Niall. And this Niall, surnamed Naoighiallach (that is, of the nine hostages, or ἐννεαόμηρος), reigned over the whole island, as the Irish historians relate, in the years 379–405. Under the name Ui Neill, that is the Descendants of Niall, came his posterity in the paternal line. Their territories were divided in two: Ui Neill in Tuaiscirt or Ui Neill in Fochla (in Latin the Northern Descendants of Niall), and Ui Neill in Deiscirt (the Southern Descendants of Niall), E. MacNeill, Phases of Irish History, pp. 184–86; Hogan, Onomasticon Goedelicum, p. 677, col. 1, under the words Ui Neill and Ui Neill in Deiscirt. To the southern branch belonged the Cenel Fiachach, or the descendants of Fiacha son of Niall, from whom Aidus drew his paternal origin, Hogan, work cited, p. 220, col. 2, under the word Cenel Fiachach. On the pedigree of St. Aidus, cf. Prelim. Comm., no. 7. J. Lanigan conjectures, An Ecclesiastical History of Ireland, vol. II, p. 188, note 20, that Aidus was born in the territory of his father's family and brought up by his mother's kinsmen; which corresponds most aptly both to what will presently be narrated and to the customs of the Irish, of which we treated above, pp. 153–54. That Aidus was born at Killare is related by a document of not contemptible authority, as it seems, and collected in almost those very places, which we put into type above, Prelim. Comm., no. 22, from the Brussels codex 5095–5096. But with not weak arguments the distinguished G. T. Stokes contends, in The Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland, vol. XXVI, p. 327, note 5, that Aidus was born in the place called Rathugh (of which below among the annotations to ch. 48 of this Life I). For the very village of Rathugh and the estates which lie around it were held until the year 1641 or 1650 by the family of Mac Geoghegan, from which St. Aidus sprang, the same, ibid., p. 326, note 4, and p. 335, note 1. Someone might object that in ch. 48 we read that Aidus obtained that place from a lay lord; the matter would have been otherwise if he had entered into his own inheritance. But in this same Life, ch. 3, St. Aidus is related to have been kept from his father's goods, and in Life III, ch. 42, the lord of the fort is read to have been a kinsman of Aidus.]. And the mother of St. Aidius so the codex drew her origin from the race of the Munnenses so the codex [So almost always the copyist writes the name of the Momonenses or Mumonenses, who inhabited Momonia or Mumonia, a province of Ireland. For the rest, I should easily believe that the mother of St. Aidus sprang from the royal blood of the Munstermen; for in this place Life III adds that she too was "quite noble", and presently there will be narrated a prodigy performed by St. Aidus for the sake of the queen of the Munstermen, ch. 18.], from the race of Muscrige Thire [The tract called in Gaelic Muscraighe Tire seems to have comprised almost the whole of the baronies which are now Lower Ormond and Upper Ormond, in county Tipperary, Hogan, work cited, p. 554, col. 1, under the word Muscrige Tire.]. And when she was pregnant [That the hagiographer borrowed this foul little narrative from profane literature Heinrich Zimmer first noticed, in Göttingische gelehrte Anzeigen, 1891, pp. 168–70, who edited the parallel place there from the ancient epic tract On the deeds and times of Ailill Olom, or, as others have preferred to call the same, Cath Mucraimhe, that is On the battle of Mucraimhe. The distinguished H. d'Arbois de Jubainville added, in Revue Celtique, vol. XII (1891), pp. 395–96, another recension of the same from a likewise epic tract, Compert Conchobuir, that is On the conception of Conchobar, ed. Kuno Meyer, in Revue Celtique, vol. VI (1883), pp. 175–76. Charles Plummer finally added a third, Vitae Sanctorum Hiberniae, vol. I, p. CXL, note 2, which is another recension of the former little narrative, from the tract Coir Anmann, that is On the etymology of the names occurring in heroic narratives, ed. Wh. Stokes in Wh. Stokes und E. Windisch, Irische Texte, vol. III, p. 402, no. 273. Finally the same narrative from Cath Mucraimhe Seathrun Ceitinn (Geoffrey Keating) sets out in his own style quite at length, Foras Feasa ar Eirinn, vol. II, ed. P. S. Dinneen, pp. 272, 274. And in hagiographical writings similar things are read, as in the Latin Life of St. Lasrian or Molaisse, abbot of Daimh Inis, BHL. 4725, in Plummer, work cited, vol. II, pp. 131–32; in his Gaelic Life in S. H. O'Grady, Silva Gadelica, vol. I, pp. 18–19; in the Latin Life of St. Declan, BHL. 2116, in Plummer, work cited, p. 36; in his Gaelic Life, ed. P. Power, Life of St. Declan of Ardmore and Life of St. Mochuda of Lismore (London, 1914), p. 8 (= Irish Texts Society, vol. XVI). This is not the place for comparing those inept birth-fables with one another; especially since the distinguished Charles Plummer has treated this subject excellently, work cited, vol. I, p. LXVII, note 6; pp. CXXXII, CXXXIX–CXL, CLVII–CLVIII; the same, Bethada Naem nErenn, vol. II, p. 324, note on §5; p. 326, note on §16. Cf. W. G. Wood-Martin, Traces of the Elder Faiths of Ireland, vol. II, pp. 120–21; and on the stone of Ardmore, pp. 233–34, 243–44.] and near to childbirth, Prodigies at his birth. a certain prophet [To this prophet, or, as Life II preferred to interpret, one skilled in the stars, the part of the druid has devolved, whose person is introduced in this place both in the Lives of St. Lasrian and in most of the profane narratives which we adduced in note 5. I rather think the hagiographer had in mind that one, shall I say
a saint or a druid, Becc mac De, of whom below, p. 512, note 4; for in ch. 27, below, he seems to write that he has just now made mention of St. Becc mac De.] came near her house, who said to his companions sic cod.: "There is in this house a woman in labour. If the infant to which she is giving birth should be born tomorrow, in the morning hour, he will be great before God and men in all this island of Ireland [Note how ineptly some colour and appearance or other of Christian religion and piety is introduced into this wonderful prophecy. That other Lives of St. Aidus report these words of the prophet otherwise is to be made nothing of.]. Cf. Luke 1:15." And a certain girl, hearing this, reported all these things to the woman in labour. She, answering, said: "Unless he comes through my sides [So harshly did Life III also put into Latin the very words of the profane little narrative. Less rough is the phrase of Life II, which to avoid offence preferred to write: "Unless my soul should go out of my body." But piously and religiously, of course, the Lives of St. Lasrian attribute the whole deed to God.], he will not come out of my womb before tomorrow." Rising therefore corrected in the margin she went out of doors and sat upon a rock. And the Lord did this wonder [Of the Lord Life II is silent; if the others had done so, they would have displeased us less.]: for the head of the infant rested upon the rock and made a certain hollow in it after the likeness of an infant's head; and it remains to this day, and the water which is in that hollow heals every sickness sic cod. for everyone who believes [That prudent mention of faith, which is missing in Life II, Life III too inserts. Colgan annotates thus, Acta Sanctorum Hiberniae, p. 422, col. 2, note 5: "Today that stone with such a hollow is visited and frequented with great devotion of the people in the cemetery of the Church of Kill-air in Meath." Cf. what the distinguished P. Power relates about the birth-stone of St. Declan, work cited, p. 161, note 34; similar things about the birth-stone of St. Columba in Wm. Reeves, The Life of St. Columba by Adamnan, p. LXVIII, note f. But in this Colgan seems to have been deceived, that he writes that the stone is in the cemetery at Killare, unless indeed we believe that the same stone was seen both at Killare and at Rathugh. For it is certain that in the neighbourhood of the spring sacred to St. Aidus in the parish of Rathugh that stone still lies, whose description and image seek from G. T. Stokes, in The Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland, work cited, pp. 331–33; cf. John O'Donovan's still unedited letters on county Westmeath. In that parish, Stokes writes, ibid., p. 332, it was commonly believed even in his day that if anyone inserted his head in the one hollow of the stone, and his elbow in the other, smaller one, he would be cured of headache. The country people call it the sepulchral stone of St. Aidus, but there is no doubt that it is in fact the birth-stone. Perhaps Colgan confused the one place with the other because Rathugh is in the barony of Moycashel, Killare in the barony formerly called Moyashel, now Rathconrath, of the same county Westmeath.].
[2] As a youth he meets II, 2; III, 1–2. Now the holy bishop Aidus was nourished as a little boy in his mother's house in the land of the Munnenses sic cod. [Here Life III inserts a place about the holiness of the youth, whom however his parents wished to be a profane man and to lead a profane life.]. Then, when he had become a young man, seeking a herd of pigs Those pigs Life III everywhere passes over in silence. in the woods, he found St. Brendan of Birr On his age, Prelim. Comm., no. 11. See A. P. F[orbes, in W. Smith and H. Wace, Dictionary of Christian Biography, vol. I, pp. 334–35.] in some secret place writing scribens first hand; scribentem corrected by a later hand the gospel, Brendan of Birr and Cainnech and Cainnech [On his age, Prelim. Comm., ibid. See on this tutelary saint of the Kilkenny region Plummer, Vitae Sanctorum Hiberniae, vol. I, pp. XLIII–XLV; O'Hanlon, Lives of the Irish Saints, vol. X, pp. 134–69.] St. Aidus lately coming a corrupt place. … And while the saints were speaking and greeting one another, they saw a boy approaching. When Brendan saw him, he rose to meet him and received him with great joy. But Cainnech reproached sic cod. the saint of God for rising at the coming of a boy. To him Brendan said: "Do you not see what I see?" Cainnech answered: "No." Brendan said: "Why should I not rise? Behold, the angels of God are coming to us. For an army sic cod. of angels accompanies sic cod. him Life III adds a prophecy about St. Aidus as a future bishop.." And the boy said to them: "Have you seen a herd of pigs in these places?" Brendan said to him: "Go there, and there you will find the herd which you seek." And so he found it.
[3] His upbringing. II, 3; III, 3. Now this boy Aidus had been taught by no master, nor was he instructed in letters, nor was he formed by ecclesiastical rules up to one letter on an erasure the time of his adolescence; but he was nourished at his mother's among common That is lay, secular, worldly, profane. men living in rustic fashion Life III has sewn on another place about the holiness of the youth.. And when he had become an adolescent, he went on to his fatherland [Understand from Munster into Meath, into the region of Ui Fiachach, to which Aidus belonged by his father's stock. See Prelim. Comm., no. 7. Life III records "the region of Meath" in express words.], to hold his inheritance there. His brothers in no way corrected in the margin received him, nor did they give him his inheritance Cf. Life III, where the same things are narrated more fully.. Seeing this himself, He strives to obtain his father's inheritance; he carried off with him a certain girl [That she was the daughter "of a certain powerful man" is read in Life III. Note that seizures of this kind (athgabhail) were sanctioned by the Irish law of that age, so that he who was wrongfully withholding was compelled by force by the one to whom he owed it to return the thing. Nowhere else, however, does this law seem to have fallen on persons. Add that from the parallel place of Life III it is evident that the wrong done to him by his brothers displeased some of the kinsmen of St. Aidus.] from them, so that his brothers, afflicted by this injury, might give him his inheritance. And Aidus, returning with the carried-off girl and his other companions, came near the cell of the holy bishop Illundus [Cf. above, p. 314 A, under the word Illandus, and the places adduced there. The cell of St. Illand seems to have been in the place called Raith Liphthen or Raith Libhthen, of which we treated briefly there, in note 3; cf. on that village and the monastery of St. Illand, G. T. Stokes, in The Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland, vol. XXVI (1896), pp. 328–29, note 3; he testifies that he read in Colgan that at the beginning of the seventeenth century there was in that monastery a statue of St. Illand mitred. To these authors add Mervyn Archdall in the Monasticon Hibernicum, and Anthony Cogan, The Diocese of Meath, Ancient and Modern, vol. II (Dublin, 1867), p. 514, note. He supposes that Raith Liphthen was where there was afterwards a chapel called Rathline. This is the same as that Rathlihen of which above, p. 314, note 3. That Aidus and Illand were kinsmen G. T. Stokes notes, work cited, pp. 328–29.]. And when Illundus had seen before correction uenisset. him cum cod. a short distance away, and the angels of God with him, he said to his minister: "Go, but, at the persuasion of St. Illundus, renouncing riches and tell the young man who is on the road to turn aside to me for a little." And he, hearing, came humbly to the bishop Illundus. He said to him: "Why do you seek, son, your father's inheritance? Behold, you have a father to whom belong heaven and earth, who will give you an inheritance much greater and better in heaven and on earth. And do not seek the land of mortals by wrong, and send this girl back to her home. he attaches himself to the same holy bishop," And Aidus, answering, said: "Whatever you say to me, I am ready to do." So the girl was sent back. Aidus [Life III subjoins here a few things about the goods renounced by Aidus, and at the end of the chapter about studies of letters and scriptures.] remained with St. Illundus in his place, obedient to all his commands.
[4] and out of obedience undertakes the work of ploughing. II, 4; III, 4. And on another day in the margin, signs to make the minds of readers attentive. he said to the young man: "My son [Life III adds: "because the brothers are occupied in other things". But these, like other variants of the same kind, which the writer of that recension invented at his pleasure, it is scarcely worthwhile to list.], can you become a ploughman and put your hand to the plough?" He, answering, said: "Father, I can obey your every command." So he went to plough, and another boy with him, and put his hand to the plough.
[5] The lack of an ox is supplied by a miracle; II, 4; III, 4. Now one day there came to him one of those dwelling in a nearby place, asking him for an ox, which he reported was lacking in his plough. Then Aidus, pitying his needy brother, said to the boy going before the plough: "Stop for a little." And loosing one ox from the plough, Aidus gave it to the man asking. And Aidus himself ploughed with three oxen; the ox on one side before the letter t, the space of one letter on an erasure carried the yoke, and the power of God wonderfully sustained it on the other side Here Life III brings in, after its manner, a place of scripture..
[6] and likewise of a ploughshare. II, 4; III, 4. And one day in the lower margin: Nota de eius misericordia. in like manner one of those ploughing in the nearby places ran to Aidus, grieving because in his plough he did not have that iron by which the earth is cut, namely the coulter. And Aidus himself Likewise a place of scripture in Life II. gave the iron to the needy man; and
immediately he ploughed without a coulter, and by divine power he himself cut the earth without iron.
[7] At the instance of St. Illundus he withdraws from him, II, 4; III, 4. And the holy bishop Illundus in the margin, signs as at the beginning of ch. 4., seeing in spirit these miracles in the youth previously adolecenti., called him to himself and said to him: "O son, why have you done these such great miracles at a time still unripe previously in maturo.? For now one letter erased. you are ascending to the summit of virtues, when you have not yet begun the perfect work and the beginning of religion. But go in peace to your mother's land [For Aidus had been driven from his father's inheritance, or, if you prefer, had renounced his father's goods.], and there build yourself a cell. Cf. Ruth 1:8. For it is not fitting henceforth that you should live under the hand of a man but of God. and founds a monastery for himself." Then Aidus Companions are joined to St. Aidus only in Life III. went away and founded for himself a cell which is called Enach Midbren [above the letter d a dot by the corrector's hand, so that Midhbren is to be read.] [Enachmicbriuin, which Colgan testifies that he read in the Salamanca codex, Acta Sanctorum Hiberniae, p. 422, col. 2, note 10, and which he prefers to the other forms, we have nowhere found so written. There are in the tract formerly called Muscraighe Tire, of which above, p. 505, note 1, three places now called Annagh, the first in the parish of Dorrha, another in the parish of Kilbarron, the third in the parish of Lorrha, all in the barony of Lower Ormond. Add Annaghanerrig in the parish of Dorrha, and Annaghbeg in the parish of Dromineer, of the same barony. But I rather doubt whether J. Lanigan saw rightly, An Ecclesiastical History of Ireland, vol. II, pp. 188–89, note 22 (who argues at length about this place), that it could have been the town of Nenagh in the same barony. For the rest, he will confess that no easy business fell to us in inquiring who remembers that more than three hundred and sixty places in Ireland are called by this name, Hogan, work cited, p. 396, col. 2, under the word Enach. And that Enach Aedha, or Enach Eada, is the same as this Eanach Midhbreuin, and took its origin from the name of our Aidus, is not a bolder conjecture, Hogan, work cited, p. 397, col. 1, under the word Enach Aedha, and ibid., col. 2, under the word Enach Eada. It remains for us to record the opinion of Mervyn Archdall in the Monasticon Hibernicum, ed. Moran, vol. I (Dublin, 1873), p. 146. He writes that the monastery of Enachmidbrenin was afterwards called Kilbrenin (in this place he prefers Ussher, but in the Britannicarum Ecclesiarum Antiquitates I for my part have found nothing of this kind), now Strawhall (in the parish of Clondulane, of the barony of Condons and Clangibbon, county Cork, East Riding, Census of Ireland, 1901. General Topographical Index, p. 855; Archdall writes that the place is in the barony of Muskerry, place cited). There, Archdall writes, the ruined walls of the monastery were seen down to his own age, place cited, supported by the testimony of Charles Smith, The Ancient and Present State of the County and City of Cork, vol. I, p. 206, but which edition Archdall used we have not been able to find out; for Smith's work first came out at Dublin in the year 1750, afterwards at London in the year 1774.], and there he remained and did many miracles there in the margin, signs as at the beginning of ch. 4..
[8] About to ask peace from a king for his people, II, 5; III, 5. At another time the king of the Munnenses [In his dominion Aidus then was. Of the king's name this is Colgan's conjecture, Acta Sanctorum Hiberniae, p. 422, col. 2, note 13: "This king of Munster seems to be Amalgadius son of Ennius son of Alild, who was the brother of that celebrated Aengus, king of Munster, whose foot St. Patrick, while he was baptizing him, transfixed with the point of his staff. For this Amalgadius flourished about the year 523, as did St. Aedus, and of his seed three kings of Munster came forth." But see what we noted in Prelim. Comm., no. 11.] gathered his whole army into one. For the king himself wished to bring the Descendants of Niall [Namely those Southern ones from whom Aidus drew his origin, as is evident from what follows. See above, pp. 504–05, note 1.] under his power. And hearing this, the king of the Descendants of Niall was terrified; and he too, gathering before correction ggregans. an army, sent twice cod. but deleted once messengers to the bishop Aidus that he should ask peace for that year between his father's and his mother's people corrected in the margin. Then Aidus went to the king of the Munnenses to ask peace of him. He makes the journey in a chariot supported on one wheel. And it came to pass corrected above the line, while the saint was making the journey corrected in the margin, that one wheel of his chariot was broken, but the chariot before correction uirrus., wonderfully supported by the other wheel alone, ran without hindrance You will read of a similar prodigy below, ch. 49.. And when they had seen the chariot coming to them with one wheel, they marvelled greatly, and received the saint of God with great glory and honour. Psalm 8:6. But nevertheless the peace for which he asked he could in no way obtain from the king, The king is punished for the peace refused; he refusing and saying: "So great a host as I have gathered shall not be in vain for me." And when the saint of God had returned from the king unfavoured ["That is, without favour, or with favour not obtained." Colgan, work cited, p. 422, col. 2, note 12.], one of his (the king's) friends, who was dearer to him than all, died; and the earth opened and swallowed two most excellent horses of the king's chariot. Psalm 105:17.
[9] but repenting of the deed, II, 5; III, 5. Then the king, terrified with great fear, sent envoys after the man of God, that he should return to him, promising humbly to do whatever he should command him uississet cod.. And when St. Aidus had returned to the king, the king went out to meet sic cod. him, and prostrated himself before the horses' feet; and the chariot with the horses went over the king [Similar things from profane literature the distinguished Charles Plummer excerpted and compared with the deed of St. Aidus, Vitae Sanctorum Hiberniae, vol. I, p. CLXXXVIII, note.]. And again the king, rising, prostrated himself before the feet of the horses, and the chariot went over him, as he did this three times. And the saint said to the king: "Because three times you have humbly prostrated yourself before correction prostrasti te. [Life III reports only one prostration, and passes over in silence the king being trampled by the horses' hooves. Therefore the prophecy too has been somewhat changed, to correspond to what had been said above. And the writer pursued the rest in a briefer style.], he hears of the future glory of his race. there will be three kings of your race; and as many times as you had done this, so many kings there would be of your race." The king said to him: "Behold, you have the peace for this year which you asked." The saint answered him, saying: "I have asked the Lord, and he has given me not the peace of one year, but until the day of judgment; and your power over my people shall not be." Then the king said: "I ask you in the margin: De mortu (sic) r〈esusci〉tato., holy abbot, The saint raises the king's friend and one horse, to call back again from death the man most dear to me, whom you sent into death." And Aidus, praying and signing him with the sign of the cross, at once he rose, and asked pardon and rebuked the king's hardness severely. And the king again said: "I ask you, saint of God, to bring forth my two horses from the earth." The saint said to him: the other horse having been sunk in the waters. "One of them will return from the earth and the other will remain in the earth, and a pool of water will be over it, to be kept in testimony of power [That is, as it seems, as a memorial of the portent. The other Life: "in testimony of the power of God."]." And so it was done as the saint said, and it is there to the present day, which is called the Lake of Gabre [That is in Latin the Lake of the Horse. Now Lough Coura, in the parish and barony of Eglish, King's County, Hogan, work cited, p. 499, col. 1, under the word Loch Gabre. Or, as the distinguished C. Plummer supposes, work cited, vol. II, p. 333, under the word Loch Gabre, a lake dried up today whose name survives in the name of the place Lagore, in the parish and barony of Ratoath, county Meath. Cf. Hogan, ibid., under the word Loch Gabair, and below, p. 512, note 1. It is pleasant to report Colgan's annotations, work cited, p. 422, col. 2, note 14: "Here the author by a double argument indicates that he is very ancient; both because he shows that he flourished while the Irish commonly called their language Scottish and themselves Scots; and because only in the ancient Irish language, as also in the British, a horse was called 'Gabhar', but in the modern 'Each'. Lochgabhra, or as others Lochgabhair, is the same as the lake of the horse. And this lake lies in the region of Bregia in the territory of Meath, according to our historians."].
[10] For the reapers of Aidus One day in the margin: De pluui (the rest is cut away). [Here there is inserted in Life III a place which we noted is missing in the other recensions, Prelim. Comm., no. 5. The same prodigy which is narrated here, to omit others, St. Ailbe too is related to have performed, BHL. 197, in De Smedt and De Backer, Acta Sanctorum Hiberniae ex codice Salmanticensi, col. 241; and St. Columbanus, BHL. 1898, ed. B. Krusch, M.G., Scr. rer. merov., vol. IV, p. 78, no. 13.], when the household of St. Aidus were labouring at the harvest, a great rain came down from heaven. the rain spares them. II, 6; III, 6. When Aidus had seen this, he signed the air; and through the whole day the rain came down round about the corn on every side, but on the corn not even one drop fell, and the drops, scattered 〈here and there〉, seemed to avoid the corn, as if they had some fear.
[11] To a dead friend II, 7; III, 7. There was a certain rich man [in the margin, the same signs as at the beginning of chs. 4 and 6; in the lower margin: Quomodo currus eius in aera est levatus et quomodo mortuus est resucitus (sic).] in that land
of the Munnenses, who was a friend of the saint of God and very dear to him. He offered him many oblations and much land. To him St. Aidus promised that he himself would give him the sacrifice [That is, the Body of the Lord; cf. below, note 4, and p. 516, ch. 48 with note 7.] at the departure of his soul from his body. And at a certain time, when St. Aidus was in a distant lonquinqua cod. region, that rich man died. The saint, seeing this in spirit from afar, began to come to him swiftly. And while he was going on his way in a chariot, he came to certain woods of that region, nor was there a level road for the chariot That prodigy of the flying chariot Life III omitted.. Then Aidus said to the charioteer: he is carried through the air; "Bend your head into my lap, so that you see nothing." And when he did this, at once the chariot with its horses was lifted from the earth, and by the hands of angels it was carried through the air over a long space of lands, until it was set down in another region, where he himself wished. Cf. Psalm 90:12. And getting down from the chariot, he sent his minister to the house of the dead man, saying to him: "Go, and say to the dead man: shall I go there to him, or shall he come here to me?" So the boy went to the house of the dead man and said to him: "The bishop Aidus has sent me to you: shall he come here to previously an. you, or will you go out to him there? he raises him," And at once the dead man, rising and signing himself, answered him, saying: "Let him not come, wearied by a great journey, for my sake, but I will go to him." And saying this he went out to the place where the saint was standing. and at his request obtains that he die again. And when they had greeted one another, the saint said to him: "What do you wish? Will you remain in this present life, or will you return again to the place from which you came out Cf. below, ch. 48, at the end.?" He answered: "I ask you to permit me to go to the heavenly mansion which you have given me." Then, receiving the sacrifice Cf. above, note 1. from the hand of the bishop, he slept in peace.
[12] Water turned into wine. II, 8; III, 8. One day in the margin: 〈De conv〉ersione aque in vinum. the bishop Aidus came to certain holy virgins in that mother's region Understand in Muscraighe Tire; cf. above, p. 505, note 2.. And those virgins, receiving him with great joy into their hospice, gave him supper; but yet they grieved that they did not have anything of the best liquor. And Aidus, knowing this, pitying them said: "Bring me water from the spring." This, brought to him and blessed by him, was changed into the best wine [That best liquor, of which the hagiographer speaks above, seems to have been mead. This drink was more choice than beer, yet commoner than wine, which in Ireland was imported; see below, ch. 43.], and there was great refreshment for all those standing by and giving thanks to God. And this miracle of wine from water the bishop Aidus did three times.
[13] For a builder of ramparts II, 9; III, 9. On another day there came to St. Aidus a certain man [What the other recensions say beforehand about the excavated fort Life III has omitted, and begins abruptly: "A certain man having many animals before him on the road". And it has changed a few things in what follows so that the rest might fit aptly with that beginning.] whose craft was to dig the earth and to surround forts with walls. He said to the saint: "Abbot, do you know for me a man who needs his fort to be surrounded with walls?" Aidus said to him: "Go there to a certain friend of mine, and do your work with him, and you will receive your wages from him." So he went to that man, and with him dug the earth, and made a triple wall around his fort previously arccem., which is called Raith Bailb ["That is, the Fort of the Stammerer or of the Dumb," Life II rightly interprets. That fort Hogan supposes to have been either in Muscraighe Tire or not far from Lynally, in the barony of Ballycowan, King's County, work cited, p. 567, col. 1, under the word Raith Bailb; but he seems to have conjectured these things from the Lives of Aidus, on no authority. Forts in Ireland were sometimes surrounded by three walls or ramparts; see W. G. Wood-Martin, Traces of the Elder Faiths of Ireland, vol. I, pp. 318–320.]. When this labour was completed, for one leading off the herd received as wages, the wages were paid him, namely the fill of this fort previously arccis. with cattle, as much as it could hold; and this was the fitting wage for this work [To compare this with the customs of other peoples is not our business, but that of those who with set purpose collect the traces of antiquity of this kind.]. And this cattle the rich man gathered from his friends on every side, to fill the fort with cattle; and the rich man escorted him with his cattle on the road he wished as far as another people [That is, until he had passed beyond the borders of the region to which that rich man belonged.]. And when the rich man returned to his house, that man was left alone on the road with his herds twice cod. but deleted once. Then all his cattle fled from him here and there through the plains and woods, each animal going off to its own part; and they appeared to him nowhere, nor did even one of them remain. And when that wretched man was weeping and mourning greatly, he saw a chariot coming to him, in which was the bishop Aidus. To whom he said with a tearful voice: Aidus is at hand. "Behold, the wages of a great labour I have lost in one hour; for all the animals have gone back, each to the place from which it was led off." Then Aidus, pitying him, got down from the chariot and prayed to the Lord, and at once all those cattle by the power of God returned and corrected above the line were gathered into one place, with no one driving them, and not even one of them was missing, nor did they flee again from that man.
[14] For the horses On another day [in the lower margin: De duobus equis quos ipse dedit leprosis et de aliis (previously alii) duobus a Deo sibi collatis.], when St. Aidus was making a journey through the forest of Elo [In Gaelic Fidh Elo, now in English the Forest of Fercall; certain traces of it are preserved both by groves and by the names of places (Big Wood, Black Wood) near Lynally, of which above, note 8. This little chapter is much more meagre in Life III. On Lynally and the neighbouring places read G. T. Stokes, in The Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland, vol. XXVI (1896), pp. 320–21.], he found there two very wretched lepers, which he had given to lepers, II, 10; III, 10. who asked him for two horses, because they could scarcely walk on foot. Then St. Aidus gave them the two horses of his chariot. And he himself sat for a little, saying to his companions: "Let us wait previously exspectemus. meanwhile for two weary men coming after us." And after a little there came to them two men, saying: others are supplied. "Do you know where the bishop Aidus is? For we have come from far to offer him these horses." One of them said to them: "He it is who sits here." And they offered him two horses, still unbroken; and immediately they became gentle and tame under the chariot of the holy bishop.
[15] He helps an incontinent nun by a wonderful prodigy. II, 11; III, 11. One day in the lower margin: Quo 〈modo〉 partus in utero ad eius preces evanuit. when Aidus, making a journey, came to a place of other holy virgins, which is called Druimm previously aruimm. Ard [There are very many places of this name in Ireland. The distinguished C. Plummer supposes, work cited, vol. II, p. 325, under the word Druim Ard, that there is signified here Drumard in the parish of Inver, of the barony of Banagh, county Donegal, not far from Slieve League. But Hogan, after he seems to have passed over in silence a matter too entangled, Onomasticon Goedelicum, p. 357, col. 2, under the word Druim Ard, soon returns to the subject, ibid., under the word Druim nArd, and holds that this is the parish of Dromard, in the barony of Tireragh, county Sligo. But Colgan, Acta Sanctorum Hiberniae, p. 422, col. 2, note 15: "I do not know where this monastery is, unless it is that which is in the region of Leinster called Ibh Garcchon, and today is called Kill-aird." Cf. Hogan, work cited, p. 175, under the word Cell Aird. Lanigan finally, An Ecclesiastical History of Ireland, vol. II, p. 189, note 25, preferred Dromard in the parish of Killavinoge, of the barony of Ikerrin, county Tipperary. We do not wish to discharge the praetor's office in this dispute, lest we have to deny the action. Let him who thinks the matter clear consult the Census of Ireland, 1901. General Topographical Index, p. 395, under the word Dromard, and p. 408, under the word Drumard. See however what we presently notice in note 5.], and was received with great joy into the hospice. And St. Aidus, looking at the virgin who was ministering to him, saw that her womb, bearing a child, was swelling. And quickly he rose without food, so as to flee fuet cod.; ger supplied in the margin by the corrector. from that place. Then she confessed before all that she had sinned secretly, and did penance. And St. Aidus blessed her womb; and immediately the infant in her womb vanished as if it were not [This whole little narrative Life III shakes out as it could. A very similar prodigy St. Kiaran of
Saighir is said to have performed, and St. Brigid. In the Latin Lives of St. Kiaran: BHL. 4657, in Colgan, work cited, p. 459, col. 2, ch. 10; in Plummer, work cited, vol. I, p. 221; BHL. 4658, in De Smedt and De Backer, work cited, col. 808; in Act. SS., Mar. vol. I, p. 394 F; in Colgan, work cited, p. 467, col. 2, ch. 4. In BHL. 4659 the wonderful portent has been suppressed. But in the Gaelic Lives of Kiaran it is narrated at length, in Plummer, Bethada Naem nErenn, vol. I, p. 105, no. 12, and p. 116, no. 19; in another recension of the Gaelic Life, which more recent writers translated from BHL. 4657, it has been cut out, in D. B. Mulcahy, Betha Naoimh Chiarain Saighre. Life of S. Kiaran (the Elder) of Seir (Dublin, 1895), p. 8, ch. 7; in another it is read, in S. H. O'Grady, Silva Gadelica, vol. I, p. 5. From the Lives of St. Brigid it will be enough to adduce BHL. 1455, in Act. SS., Feb. vol. I, p. 133, no. 100; BHL. 1456, in Colgan, Trias Thaumaturga, p. 540, ch. 105; BHL. 1457, in Act. SS., Feb. work cited, p. 136, col. 2, no. 12, and in Colgan, work cited, pp. 519–20, ch. 10. Add the metrical Gaelic Life in Colgan, work cited, p. 516, no. 20. I omit to investigate the Lives of St. Ailbe, in which Colgan writes that he read a miracle of the same kind, Acta Sanctorum Hiberniae, p. 464, col. 1, at the foot. Of that prodigy Colgan argues, Trias Thaumaturga, p. 526, col. 2, note 12, and Acta Sanctorum Hiberniae, p. 464, col. 1, at the foot; and our Bolland, Act. SS., Feb. work cited, p. 137, col. 1, note c, who adduces a similar miracle from the Acts of Bl. Bernardine Realino.].
[16] At that time [in the lower margin: Quomodo duas (sic) puellas a latronibus decollatas resucitavit (sic).] three girls went out from the aforesaid virgins carrying three vessels on their shoulders, Three girls slaughtered by robbers, II, 12; III, 12 to bring milk from another place ["That they might bring the provision of milk to the virgins of Christ", Life II. There seems to be understood in this place a certain tribute of milk paid or to be paid to the nuns.]. And certain most wicked and cruel brigands, coming from the western part ut si possent adds cod., then deleted and corrected above the line seeing these girls on the road, cut their throats and carried their heads away with them [The Irish were accustomed to carry away with them the heads of those whom they had killed; cf. W. G. Wood-Martin, Traces of the Elder Faiths of Ireland, vol. I, p. 328.]. And St. Aidus, seeing this in spirit, rose swiftly from his place and ran to the bodies of the holy girls, and found the virgins weeping and mourning the girls, and he himself wept with them. Then Aidus, asked by the virgins, went after those brigands to seek the heads of the girls. And those brigands, by the divine previously dei no. will, were held fast in a certain nearby place, nor could they move a foot this way or that. And Aidus, looking at them, rebuked them. But they did penance, and asked him to let them go, he restores them to life. and he released them. And he himself returned with the heads. And since there was no water near to wash the heads, he signed the earth; and at once a spring burst forth from the earth, which, remaining there to this day, is called the Spring of the Girls [Without any trouble it could have been found both where this spring gushes forth and where lies the place called Druim Ard, these two little chapters of Life I of St. Aidus and the parallels having been compared, had not fortune wished to throw everything altogether into confusion. For there are two recensions of this little narrative, of which this Life I and Life II present one, Life III alone the other. In the first recension it is a question of three girls slaughtered from the monastery of Druim Ard, and the name of the spring is read as "the Spring of the Girls". And indeed the most diligent investigator of these things, the distinguished C. Plummer, Vitae Sanctorum Hiberniae, vol. I, p. XXVII, note 2, and vol. II, p. 338, col. 1, under the words Puellarum fons, writes that he found a spring called in Gaelic Tobur na mBan-Naomh, that is in Latin the Spring of the Holy Women, at the roots of the hill Slieve League (of which Prelim. Comm., no. 17), in the parish of Glencolumkille, of the barony of Banagh, county Donegal, on the western shore of Teelin bay; in the same place today too are seen the ruined walls of a chapel dedicated to St. Aidus mac Bric. And of the first recension thus far. But in the other, three men are said to have been beheaded by robbers, and the writer passes over the name of the spring in silence; but Colgan notices this, Acta Sanctorum Hiberniae, p. 423, col. 1, note 16: "There is near Kill-air in Meath a spring which is called Tobar-nabfear, that is the spring of the men. Whence, since this spring is said to have been drawn forth for washing the heads of these three men, it seems to be what is spoken of here." Since these things are so, Charles Plummer supposes that the same fable was narrated otherwise in the other place so that the name of a double spring might be explained, work cited, vol. I, ibid. I for my part rather think that the Slieve League recension was truer than the Killare one. For in order that the narrative might be accommodated to the name of the Killare spring, the mention of the monastery of Druim Ard was cut out; but this mention seems to have been made in the most ancient Life of St. Aidus, from the testimony of Life I, which is accustomed for the most part to report the names of places with the greatest diligence. If this conjecture is true, the opinion of Charles Plummer prevails, that the place called Druim Ard is situated in the barony of Banagh, county Donegal; see above, p. 509, note 1. Perhaps someone may object that it could scarcely have happened that robbers "coming from the western part" (so we read in Life I) should make an attack on the girls of a monastery situated in the barony of Banagh; for this tract lies along the Ocean, on the western shore of Ireland.]. And when St. Aidus had fittingly joined previously copullasset. the heads to their bodies, he said: "In the name of Jesus Christ, rise. Cf. Acts 3:6." And at once the girls rose as if from sleep, and taking their little milk vessels on their shoulders again, went on sound to their house.
[17] He takes another's headache upon himself. II, 13; III, 13. On another day [in the lower margin: Quomodo hominem a dolore capitis curavit et eunde (sic) dolorem in se ipsum sucepit (sic).] there came to St. Aidus a certain man who was greatly vexed with a pain of the head See Prelim. Comm., nos. 18–21., and said to him: "O saint of God, I am afflicted with an excessive pain of the head and it is intolerable previously intollerabilis. to me. I ask you to pray for me, that this pain may pass from me, if it is possible, or if impossible, that at least it may become more tolerable. Cf. Matthew 26:39." Aidus said to him: "Your pain can in no way go out from you unless it is transferred to me. Yet you will have a great reward for your pain if you endure it patiently." He answered: "O saint of God, this pain is beyond my strength." Then St. Aidus, full of charity, had pity; and Aidus took the pain of that man's head upon himself and patiently endured it, By invoking him pains of the head are healed, which St. Brigid also experienced. so as to free his neighbour from pain and to bear the cross of martyrdom for Christ. And therefore Nota in the left margin by the first hand, in the right margin by a later hand., as the experienced say, whoever is vexed with a pain of the head is healed by invoking the name of St. Aidus. For St. Brigid [Which Brigid this was we have tried to perceive above, Prelim. Comm., nos. 18–20.], when she was labouring with a most grievous pain of the head, invoking the name of the holy bishop Aidus, was at once healed of the pain of the head until the day of her death, as she used to say: "The invocation of the name of St. Aidus has healed me of the most grievous pains of my head."
[18] He obtains offspring for the queen of Ireland. III, 14. The queen of Tara, namely the wife of Dermicius sic cod. son of Kervall the great [This little narrative has been cut out in Life II, to avoid offence, as it seems; and in Life III with the same design much changed. That Diarmaid son of Fearghus Ceirrbheal was killed in the year 564 (correctly 565) the Annals of Ulster relate, vol. I, ed. W. M. Hennessy, p. 60, after he had ruled all Ireland from Tara his principal seat, according to the Four Masters, twenty years, Annals of the Four Masters, ed. O'Donovan, vol. I, p. 200. Cf. Genealogiae Regum et Sanctorum Hiberniae, ed. Walsh, p. 30, no. 6; and Colgan, Acta Sanctorum Hiberniae, p. 423, col. 1, note 17, who, besides Aidus Slaine, reckons fifteen other kings of Ireland sprung in the course of time from the seed of this Diarmaid.], was barren, who was sprung from the race of the Munnenses [And so from the same stock as the mother of St. Aidus, if we have conjectured rightly above, p. 505, note 1. Whence it is perceived for what reason the queen went to this saint rather than another. And the name of the queen herself Life III relates to have been Mughain, with which most of the ancient monuments of this foul history agree, which we list in the following annotation.]. And she asked St. Aidus to pray for her that the Lord might give her conception. Aidus, blessing her, said to her: "Behold, you will have in your womb and will bear a son, and he will be great. Cf. Matthew 1:23; Luke 1:15." So she gave birth to a lamb [From profane literature the hagiographer borrowed this whole little narrative, which in Gaelic is called Geineamhain Aedha Slaine, that is the Conception of Aidus Slaine. It is read at length in the Leabhar na hUidhri, the most ancient Gaelic codex, from which E. Windisch first brought it out, Ein mittelirisches Kunstgedicht über die Geburt des Königs Aed Slane, in Berichte über die Verhandlungen der königlich Sächsischen Gesellschaft der Wissenschaften, vol. XXXVI (1884), pp. 194–96; S. H. O'Grady edited it again, Silva Gadelica,
vol. I, pp. 82–84. Another, shorter recension has been preserved in the tract called Coir Anmann, of which above, p. 505, note 3, and edited by Wh. Stokes, in Wh. Stokes und E. Windisch, Irische Texte, vol. III, pp. 342, 344, no. 133. A third recension, finally, was written in verse by Flann of Monasterboice, of whom above, p. 163, no. 60, and edited by E. Windisch, Ein mittelirisches Kunstgedicht, place cited, pp. 196–200, and by S. H. O'Grady, work cited, p. 84. In the first and second recension that triple prodigy is ascribed to SS. Aidus and Finnian of Moville helping each other, but so ineptly and inelegantly that in the exemplar of each recension it is evident that only one holy bishop was recorded, Finnian, as it seems. In the third recension, finally, Finnian alone is introduced. Having compared all these one by one, the distinguished H. Zimmer concludes, in Göttingische gelehrte Anzeigen, 1891, vol. I, pp. 170–73, that in the most ancient recension it was a question of St. Finnian alone. However that matter stands, we suspect that in that heathen fable there is hinted a nefarious commerce with animals, cf. Plummer, Vitae Sanctorum Hiberniae, vol. I, p. CLVIII. And that the bishops, or the bishop let us say, were substituted for a druid or druids, the distinguished Alfred Nutt supposes in Kuno Meyer and Alfred Nutt, The Voyage of Bran, Son of Febal, to the Land of the Living, vol. II (London, 1897), p. 83. Cf. Plummer, work cited, p. CLXV and following.], as if to consecrate the womb of the barren woman; and again a fish of silver, which she gave away to churches and the poor [In the Gaelic recensions first a white lamb is born, then a silver salmon, whose fins the second recension relates were golden. From this silver and gold St. Finnian has caskets for relics made.]; and again she bore a son, who was called Aied Slani, and who was given by God through the prayers of St. Aidus.
[19] He is carried through the air with his chariot. II, 14. On another day [This chapter seems to be nothing else than another recension of part of ch. 11. Therefore Life III cut it out.], when the saint was making a journey in the territory of the Lagenses Their territory is what is called in English Leinster., he came to a forest which is called Fith Ihle [That is, the Wood of Ihle. One may conjecture that this is another name for the Wood of Elo, in Gaelic Fidh Elo, in English called the Forest of Fercall, near Lynally, in the barony of Ballycowan, King's County. See above, p. 508, note 11.]; and lest his journey be hindered by the roughness of the woods, he was lifted into the air in his chariot, and was transferred across the forest to another place. Cf. Psalm 90:11. So Nota in the margin in all things God accompanied him in all his ways (v. s.) after correction. And while he was the master of very many [This sentence too Life III omitted, although the writer had not touched the same subject before.], Infused knowledge. he himself, as the experienced say, was instructed neither by letters nor by a master, but by the Spirit of God.
[20] He restores consumed food entire. II, 15; III, 15. One day [in the lower margin: Quomodo eius precibus cena iam consumpta integra est reperta.] the holy bishop Aidus, walking, came to lodge with certain virgins, who themselves were friends of St. Kiaran, son of the craftsman [This is the surname of St. Kiaran of Cluain Meic Nois. That Kiaran was the patron of those nuns Life III relates; we judge it is to be understood: abbot.]. And these virgins had prepared a small pauulam cod. supper for Kiaran, namely a cooked sheep with a few loaves and a not large vessel of good liquor See p. 508, note 6. The list of foods Life III did not copy out.. But that supper prepared for another those virgins gave to the new guest, namely the holy bishop 〈Aidus〉. And when the supper was finished, they gave thanks to God. And Aidus, seeing those twice cod. virgins placed in great distress, because they expected the coming of Kiaran soon and corrected above the line had nothing of refreshment letters eb corrected on an erasure for him, Aidus said to them: "Gather collige cod. all these bones of the consumed sic cod. sheep, and put them where they were put sic cod. before; and carry this empty vessel and put it in the place where it was before." And when they had done this, at once that whole supper was found restored and entire, as if nothing had been tasted of it; and it was given to St. Kiaran.
[21] He receives Gospels sent down from heaven through St. Brigid. II, 16. At another time in the lower margin: De euuangelio sibi et beate Brigide celitus misso. St. Aidus went to St. Brigid [On this connection with Brigid, see Prelim. Comm., nos. 18–21. Life III omitted the chapter, not easily explained.] and said to her: "I do not have a gospel. Can you supply it to me corrected in the margin?" She answered: "This is not easy for me." Then St. Brigid, rising, stretched out her hands in prayer. And as they prayed together with one mind, a gospel was let down into the lap of St. Brigid, and she gave it into the lap of the bishop St. Aidus previously Aidii., giving thanks to God and praising and blessing the Lord.
[22] A house covered with snow in place of a roof. II, 17. At another time also [in the lower margin: De domo eius precibus miraculose (one letter on an erasure) diu nivibus tecta.] St. Aidus came to the house of other holy virgins This chapter too Life III cut out., on a day on which a great snow covered the face of the earth. And there was with these virgins a new house not yet roofed, but it was covered with snow as with a roof tecta cod.. They said to the saint of God: "Behold this house, which you see, is held bare under the snow. Yet from the top to the bottom the snow has covered it." Answering them sanctus (?) adds cod., then deleted; (q. r. s. a) previously q. r. a. s. the saint said: "This house quam adds cod., then deleted which, as in the margin by the first hand you see, is held bare under the snow, will be so roofed until this house, after long times, falls down from old age; such snow will not fail from it, and they will fall together from age." And so this wonder took place, that neither by fires lit in the house nor by the heat of the sun could it be melted corrected in the margin, but it endured for long times [A few things Life II seems to have added here by its own effort; which however are not improbable.].
[23] Aidus is rapt into heaven. II, 18; III, 16. In the same place of the aforesaid virgins [We grieve that every trace of this dwelling of nuns has been abolished in the course of time. For assuredly it belonged to a certain association of churches and monasteries which it is most probable were founded by St. Aidus; over which he certainly presided, whether by episcopal or abbatial authority I should say.] another miracle was done for St. Aidus. For in that place there is a certain rock [More minute is the care of Life III, which relates that this stone was placed before the door of the cell or monastery; it had remained, as it seems, in the same place, and the hagiographer had either seen or heard that it was there in his time. On other stones reproducing the form of a seat, see W. G. Wood-Martin, Traces of the Elder Faiths of Ireland, vol. II, pp. 251–56.], sitting upon which one day he was at once rapt to heavenly things in his body; and remaining there for some hours, he came down and sat again upon the same rock. Cf. 2 Corinthians 12:2 and 4. And that chasuble with which he was clothed and in which he was raised into heaven remains in that place to the present day in testimony of power [That is, as a memorial of the portent. Acutely Colgan, Acta Sanctorum Hiberniae, p. 423, col. 1, note 19: "This author," he says, "indicates not obscurely his antiquity, since there was scarcely any, or more truly no church in the territory of Meath which was not more than once, before six hundred years, despoiled of its sacred vessels and vestments and itself burned or laid waste in the continual conflicts of the Irish with the Normans." This indeed we judge holds of the most ancient Life of St. Aidus, the exemplar of all the Lives which survive; but of the age of these which we edit one must speak cautiously. Cf. Prelim. Comm., no. 5.].
[24] He raises a girl. II, 19; III, 17. There was a certain girl in the lower margin: De resuscitatione puelle a viro impudico rapta (sic). That she was a nun Life II supposes, not without likelihood. carried off by some shameless and unhappy man [He is called in Life III "a certain cruel soldier". Miles in an Irishman writing in Latin is the same as layman; for the word laech, which signifies a soldier, the Irish borrowed from the Latin "laicus".] who wished to have her as wife, and she was a familiar of the saint of God. And the man of God, knowing this, went after her and pursued that unhappy man. He, choosing some deserted place, and gathering there certain straw, returning found the girl dead. And as that wretched man was stupefied and much distressed, St. Aidus arrived, who rebuked him severely for this evil deed. Then that wretched man did penance, and was thereafter a faithful monk of the saint. And Aidus said to the girl: "Rise in the name of Jesus." Cf. Acts 3:6. And she at once rose as if from sleep. He transfers a huge rock by a prodigy; II, 20; III, 18. And they returned praising the Lord.
[25] Certain men That these were monks of St. Aidus Life III relates. made in the margin: De saxo. a ditch around the place of St. Aidus, and digging they found a huge rock in the ditch, which could not be put down by any force of very many. Seeing this, the saint commanded the rock to go down into another place, where it would harm no one. And at once the rock withdrew into another place, where it still remains and affords health from pain to everyone who believes [I rather think a trace of this rock could be found, if the country people around the monasteries of St. Aidus which once existed were diligently questioned. For it is wonderful how long in
Ireland the memory of those prodigious stones and springs is accustomed to be preserved.].
[26] and likewise There was in the same place in the lower margin: De translacione stagni in Conacciam (sic). a lake, which had in it an island [This lake, or more truly the place of this lake, perhaps a curious investigator may some day be able to find. Certainly it is other than that dried-up lake at Lagore, of which above, p. 507, note 7, if that really was the Lake of the Horse. For from the Lives of St. Aidus it is clear that the Lake of the Horse was full of water when the lake of which it is question here had already been sent into Connacht. But it is worthy of note that near Lagore, in a marshy region, there is a little hill which was once an island of the lake; on which not a few traces of antiquity have been dug up. Cf. Parliamentary Gazetteer of Ireland, vol. II, pp. 586–88, under the word Lagore. But that men lived on the island of the lake of Lagore down to the ninth century after Christ is read in John Cooke, Wakeman's Handbook of Irish Antiquities, 3rd ed. (Dublin, 1903), p. 256.], on which were most wicked men, whom St. Aidus wished to go into another region. the lake, II, 21; III, 19. But they refused to obey him, and resisting the saint they stayed there, exercising their malice. The saint said to them: "If you are unwilling to go out of the lake, let the lake go out from you; and if you are disobedient to me, this lake, in which you have confidence, will be obedient to me and will flee from you; and so you will go out unwilling." Then the lake one night deserted them; and they fled. And that lake went off [What Life II adds, that the lake set out from Munster into Connacht, I do not know where it drew from; why not from Meath, which seems to have been the principal dwelling of St. Aidus? But if, however, the lake really was transferred from Munster, it certainly had not been at Lagore, which is a place of Meath.] into the plain of the Connachtmen; and because it had been transferred at night, it is named by the word of Night [Understand "in the idiom of the land", as is read in Life II, or "Loch na hAidche", as in Life III, in Latin the Lake of the Night. Where this lake was the distinguished C. Plummer seems to have sought in vain, Vitae Sanctorum Hiberniae, vol. II, p. 333, col. 2, under the word Loch na h-Aidche. We suppose that it is one or other of the charming little lakes of which one is to the south of the house called Cloonahee House (in Gaelic Cluain na hAidhche, that is the Meadow of the Night), the other to the north, both in the parish of Clooncraff, of the barony and county of Roscommon. For John O'Donovan testifies in express words that one lake on that estate was called in Gaelic down to his own age Loch na hOidhche, that is the Lake of the Night, Annals of the Four Masters, vol. IV, pp. 1164–65, note g. But that the name of the southern lake is read as Lough Nahincha in the Ordnance Survey of Ireland (One Inch), fol. 78, seems to have arisen from an error of the cartographer, who wrote the same name twice; for the other lake of the same name is about two miles distant. Colgan, Acta Sanctorum Hiberniae, p. 423, col. 1, note 20, does not seem to have found out where the lake was, but he listed very many not dissimilar prodigies, to win credit for this one.].
[27] as a certain prophet had foretold. II, 21; III, 19. And there is also in this deed in the lower margin: De mirabili prophetia super translacione eiusdem stagni. something of the divine mercy not to be passed over. For it happened that that famed prophet of that time, namely Bec son of Deieth [He is the one whose name is mostly written Becc mac De, shall I say a saint or a druid, most famous for the divinations of a foreboding spirit. In Christian little narratives he seems to have been made from a druid into a saint, to play the parts which in pagan fables are proper to druids. Cf. above, ch. 1 with the note. He is venerated on 12 Oct. See O'Hanlon, Lives of the Irish Saints, vol. X, pp. 207–211; cf. Plummer, work cited, vol. I, p. CLXII, p. CLXXXVIII, note about the middle. And the name of the saint such as it is read here seems corrupted from "Becc, filius De, faith", that is in Latin "Becc son of De, prophet"; see Plummer, work cited, vol. II, p. 347, col. 2, under the word Bec(c) mac De.], had come into that part of the country to which on the following night the lake moved sic cod., correctly, as it seems [The Latin word iteravit which is read in the codex seems to declare the same as the Gaelic verb atherrgim (aith-air-reg-); and this presents a double sense, of repeating and of changing or moving. It is to be understood: "into that part of the country into which on the following night the lake was transferred." This is the opinion of the distinguished Charles Plummer, which he communicated to us by letter.]; and he said to the men of that land: "Beware lest any of your property be in this land on the following night. For on this night a lake will come into this land, at the command of the saint of God Aidus." And this was done through St. Aidus, lest on his account any wrong or hardship be done to anyone.
[82] He helps a poor debtor, II, 22; III, 20. One day in the lower margin: De liberacione pauperis a debito porcorum. there came to St. Aidus a certain man, who was being compelled by a certain magician [Or druid. In Life III the creditor and lord of that man is read to have been a druid, to whom a herd was owed. And the property of the druids seems generally to have come to the Christian clergy; see Plummer, work cited, vol. I, pp. CIII, CXLV.] to pay him a debt, namely a herd of pigs. And the wretched man, having nothing with which to pay, asked St. Aidus to ask certain days of grace for him from the magician. So Aidus went out to ask the magician, but the magician did not listen to him. Seeing this, the saint said: "Come, and I will pay you the debt for him." He came with him for a little, and paid red 〈di〉dit him a herd of pigs, and the magician received them with joy. and punishes the greedy creditor. For he led the most excellent herd with him to his house, and carefully shut the house upon them. And coming early on the next day, he found the house carefully shut, and when the house was opened he found nothing in it. And this was done by God [Life III adds: "Then he perceives that the magic art avails nothing against Christianity." This is a commonplace in Gaelic hagiographical writings; see Plummer, work cited, pp. XCIII, CLVIII, CLXV–CLXVII, and especially p. CLXVII, note 4.].
[92] A king refusing to hear the saint II, 23; III, 21. At another time in the lower margin: De pace inter duos reges formata. the king of Tethba [The tract which comprised the greatest part of the present-day county Longford and the southern part of county Westmeath. Hogan, Onomasticon Goedelicum, p. 633, col. 1, under the word Tethbe. But cf. the third map of Ireland which the distinguished E. MacNeill added to his work Celtic Ireland, "Eire do reir Leabhair na gCeart."] came with a great army to lay waste the peoples of Meath [That is, of the province of Meath, to which St. Aidus belonged by his father's lineage; although in some way the region of Tethba too seems to have belonged to Meath. But I rather think that the nearer family of St. Aidus is indicated here, say the Descendants of Fiacha, of whom above, p. 504, note 2. In Life III only one tribe seems to have been attacked.]. They asked the bishop Aidus to seek peace for them from their enemies. He at once went off to ask peace for them. Hearing this, the king of Tethba rose and said to his companions: "Rise, let us go, before the bishop Aidus previously Adus. comes. Matthew 26:46." And all going out, the horsemen went before to the river which divides the two peoples [This, if Hogan's opinion about the borders of Tethba pleases, could have been the river which is now called the Brosna. But if MacNeill came nearer the truth, I rather think it was the river Inny.]. And as they entered it, immediately their horses stood motionless in the river, is hindered by God. nor could they move a foot this way or that. Then St. Aidus came to the king and rebuked him, saying: "You wished to deceive me, as if I did not know your plan. Return into your region, lest something worse happen to you: for neither you nor your horses will be able to go out one letter erased further from this place. Cf. John 5:14." Then that king did penance, asking that his horses be loosed; and so he returned back favoured That is, having obtained what he had asked. See above, p. 507, note 4..
[30] The lack of calves is supplied. II, 24; III, 22. One day in the margin: De vitulis. when St. Aidus was walking on a journey, there came to him a certain twice cod. but deleted once afflicted man, mourning and saying to him: "Behold, I have ten cows, but their calves have been devoured by wolves, except one. I ask you to turn aside to my house to bless them, because they are much distracted by the loss of the calves and we are losing their fruit." Aidus said to him: "Gather the mud which clings to my staff, and carrying it with you, mixed with water, sprinkle the cows and the one calf." When that man had done this, at once all the cows ran to the calf, all loving it as one [For Life III expressly relates that the man cared for the milk and the cows, not the calves; and the words which are read here signify that: "We are losing their fruit", that is, the milk.].
[31] To save a guilty man from punishment, II, 25; III, 23. There were two brothers in the lower margin: Quomodo siccis pedibus intravit insulam. in the land of Connacht, and one of them rising against the other killed him. And he who killed his brother was led bound to the king of Niall [Understand to the king of the Southern Descendants of Niall; above, p. 504, note 2. Cf. Plummer, work cited, vol. II, p. 335, col. 2, under the word Mid(h)e; p. 337, col. 1, under the words Neil(l) Nepotes.], to be handed over to death. And the father and mother of both to St. Aidus
came very sad, saying: "Behold, we wretches have been bereaved of our two sons. For one of them killed the other, and the slayer himself has been led to the king to be killed [That whole history of fratricide Life III suppressed, and changed the rest to correspond to what had gone before.]." Hearing this, Aidus went with them to the king, to free the bound man. He walks upon the sea. Now the king was on an island of the lake of Lemdiu [Loch Lene, in the barony of Fore, county Westmeath, Hogan, Onomasticon Goedelicum, p. 501, col. 1, under the word Loch Lebind; Plummer, work cited, p. 332, col. 2, under the word Lebain. Plummer doubted, work cited, vol. I, p. 41, note 5, whether De Smedt and De Backer had read Lemdiu rightly, Acta Sanctorum Hiberniae ex codice Salmanticensi, col. 350. Most certainly, however, we read Lemdiu, fol. 111v, col. 2. By a new error and a new prodigy not unlike the miracles of St. Aidus himself, Hogan transferred the lake from Meath into Connacht, ibid., under the word Loch Lemdiu, judging, as it seems, that it is a question here of the Northern Descendants of Niall. But assuredly their king never had his seat on an island of Loch Lene, although the fratricide is related to have been committed in Connacht. Perhaps to escape this difficulty all the names of places except that of Connacht were suppressed in Life II. In Life III the name of Connacht does not appear, the king is called the king of Midhi, that is the king of Meath, who could have been the same as the king of the Southern Descendants of Niall. These things are to be compared with chapter 12 of the same Life III, where another little narrative seems to have been changed, the better to agree with the names of places of Meath; cf. the annotations at the place.], and Aidus, coming to the landing-place [That is, to the place on the bank where one was accustomed to embark to cross over to the island.], was not allowed sic cod. to enter the island. For there was an edict of the king that no one should bring him over to the island. And Aidus, knowing this, went to the island treading the water as if it were land, with dry feet. And the king, seeing such a miracle, could not resist, but freed the bound man for him.
[32] A murderer is punished. II, 26; III, 24. A certain cruel and unhappy man in the lower margin: Nota contra vindicantes proprias iniurias. slaughtered a man beside the chariot of St. Aidus. His charioteer, rebuking him, said to him: "May your hand perish and fall from you to the ground." Aidus said to him in the margin: Nota.: "You have done well for this wretched man; for in this hour he would have died, had you not, impatient, said this word. Cf. Deuteronomy 32:35. For when a man wishes to avenge his own injury, God does not wish to avenge it. Because, therefore, you have said this word of vengeance, God has given him a respite of this year; and when the year is completed, on this day, this unhappy man will die." Which was so fulfilled.
[33] A brooch thrown into the sea II, 27. A certain king in the lower margin: De spina per angelum de mari deducta. [This narrative Life III omitted. In Life II for "king" there is read "a certain petty king of the land".] entrusted a thorn [In this place a brooch is to be understood; for the Gaelic word delg signifies both a thorn and a brooch; cf. Du Cange, under the word sentis.] of gold and silver to a certain holy woman living beside the sea, who was a friend of St. Aidus. A certain man wished to do her an injury; who, finding this golden thorn of the king, snatched it and threw it into the sea [I rather think this belongs to the Donegal dwelling of St. Aidus, I mean Slieve League, of which Prelim. Comm., no. 17. For his other dwellings are not placed on the shore of the sea, but in the inner region. But nowhere is it read that this nun (we suppose she was such) lived near St. Aidus, still less in any of the monasteries of St. Aidus.]. Then that holy woman, greatly distressed because she was not able to return the king's thorn, an angel brings it back. came to St. Aidus, telling him her question [That is, difficulty or business; for the Irish word ceist signifies both a question and a difficulty.]. Then Aidus prayed to the Lord, and at once an angel of God brought that thorn from the great sea to St. Aidus, and he gave it to the woman.
[34] A demon suggesting evil counsel II, 28; III, 25. And on another day in the lower margin: Quomodo ostendit demonis speciem regi. the saint went to a certain king Baiethene ["To a certain petty king", Life II; "to the leader Baithenus", Life III. This is the name of a man, not of a place.], to free a handmaid from his hands [Again Life II writes "one virgin", whose writer seems everywhere to perceive nuns; in more words and, in our opinion at least, more truly Life III: "to free a certain free woman whom the leader was compelling to be a handmaid."]. But the king said that he would in no way let her go. Aidus said to him: "If you were to see the appearance of him one letter erased who persuades you and teaches previously dosentis (?). you in your ear the very word which you speak michi adds cod., you would let the handmaid go for me." He, answering, said to him: "If I see his appearance, I will let her go." The saint of God said to him: he sees and makes known; "You will not be able to bear the appearance of that enemy, if I show it to you." But the king said: "I will let the handmaid go for you, if you show me the face of the enemy." Then the saint signed them with the sign of the cross, and showed them the appearance of that ancient enemy. Cf. Revelation 12:9 and 20:2. Which indeed the king, seeing, and all who were with him, were greatly terrified and became as if dead, and were scarcely recalled rovocati cod. by the prayers of the saint. Cf. Matthew 28:4. And so he freed the handmaid.
[35] and likewise at another time II, 29; III, 26. One day [in the lower margin: De mulieribus abscondentibus pulmentum in adventu sanctorum.] in like manner, when St. Aidus had entered a house, he found women there making some pottage [In Life III St. Aidus enters "the house of a certain soldier" (that is, a lay man, as we saw above, p. 511, note 10), "in which there was a theft". The rest corresponds to what has gone before.]. They, seeing St. Aidus, secretly hid that food in a certain part of the house sic cod.. When it had been hidden, the lord of the house previously dominus. arrived, who rejoiced at the coming of the holy man. And when they had greeted one another, the lord of the house sic cod. saw St. Aidus frequently looking towards that part where the food was hidden; and he questioned him, saying: "O saint of God, why do you look anxiously towards that part of the house?" Aidus said to him: "Do not inquire." But, demons rejoicing over sin. when he insistently asked, the saint said to him: "The women made themselves some pottage, which they hid at our coming; and there are many demons licking it and playing in it." And he said: "Show me, that I may see them." The saint said to him: "Do not seek to corrected above the line see the appearances of demons." But when he importunately asked him, he showed him those horrible appearances. When he and those who were with him saw them, their faces were changed and they drew near sic cod. to death, and scarcely by the prayers of the saint did they recover sic cod. their former appearance.
[36] He is carried through the air with his chariot. II, 30. One day [in the lower margin: Quomodo trans saltus (l above the line) in curru fuerat elevatus.] when St. Aidus was lifted in his chariot with the horses across certain forests [Now for the third time the inept hagiographer narrates this. In Life III the place has been cut out.], he said to his charioteer: "Put your head in my lap, and do not open your eyes until I tell you." But the charioteer, hearing the tops of the trees of the leafy forest resounding against the wheels of the chariot, opened an eye for a little, and saw the unknown way; and at once his eye was struck with blindness. The saint said to him: "Why did you open your eye against my order?" Then Aidus blessed his eye, and it was healed.
[37] A king resisting the saint is struck with blindness. II, 31; III, 27. There was a certain king from the regions of the Munnenses ["A certain leader of Munster resisting the holy old man Edus in some matter", writes Life III, as if the bishop had already freed handmaids and captive women enough and more than enough.], who would not free a handmaid for the saint of God, but resisted him strongly. Then that king was suddenly struck with blindness. And he did penance and let the handmaid go, and offered many oblations and fields to the saint of God. And his eyes were opened.
[38] He restores a handmaid to liberty. II, 32; III, 28. He asked a handmaid, as was his custom, from a certain king; who refused to give her to him. For kings were always harsh to him, but by divine power they were compelled to obey him. And the saint, seeing that he could in no way obtain the liberation of the handmaid, said to her: "Daughter, follow me when I go out." As he went, the handmaid followed with half the crowd, and no one saw her going [On other miracles of this kind, Plummer, work cited, vol. I, pp. CLXIX–CLXX, CLXXVIII.].
[39] He makes known the delusions of a magician. II, 33. There was a certain unhappy man in the lower margin: Quomodo fallaciam magi demonstrabat. who by magic maica cod. art deluded certain foolish men, by whom he was seen to pass through the middle of a certain log. And when they had been signed by the saint of God, their eyes were opened, and they saw that deceiver passing, bent illum adds cod., then deleted, around the log. And he who had before deluded was deluded by all through the saint of God.
[40] Murderers punished by God. II, 34; III, 29. Also nine cruel men slaughtered the charioteer of the saint on the road which is called Sligi Assil [Slighe Assail, the royal road, as it is called in Life III, led westward from Tara, the principal seat of the king of all Ireland. See Plummer, work cited, vol. II, p. 340, col. 2, under the word Slige Assail; Hogan, work cited, p. 613, col. 1, under the word Slige Assil.]. And St. Aidus went off from there sad. He in another part of the plain of Meath [The name is omitted in Life III and therefore in the index of Plummer's work, vol. II, p. 353, col. 2.
For neither the plain of Midhi nor the region of Midhi, which the distinguished man mentions, place cited, belongs here. Here we judge there is understood the plain which extends in the province of Meath; cf. above, p. 502, note 5.] sitting, there came to him an angel of God, saying to him: "Had you not come quickly from that place of shed sic cod. blood, the earth would have swallowed those nine men, and a fiery tower would have been kindled in that same place, which would remain unquenchable sic cod. until the day of judgment. Cf. Matthew 19:22. Nevertheless those nine cruel men will perish by a most evil death on the ninth day [This is not the only one in the literature of the Celts who by a certain wonderful power removed enemies from among the living after nine days. It will be enough to adduce St. Cungar, Act. SS., Nov. vol. III, p. 406, no. 10, and Cael Crodha Cetguinech hua Nemnain, in the epic narrative entitled Acallamh na Senorach, ed. Wh. Stokes, in Wh. Stokes und E. Windisch, Irische Texte, vol. IV, 1, p. 7, line 212 and following.]."
[41] Aidus punishes girls washing their heads on Saturday evening. II, 35; III, 30. To certain girls puelliis (previously pelluis) cod.; corrected in the margin puellis. also in the lower margin: Quomodo punite sunt puelle die dominica capita lavantes. washing their heads on the night of the Lord's day [That is, on Saturday evening, or the night that comes between Saturday and the Lord's day. For in Ireland one had to cease from servile works already from the ninth hour of Saturday to the third of Monday, or even, as other codices will have it, to midday of that day. See Cain Domnaig The Law of the Lord's day, ed. J. G. O'Keeffe, in Eriu, vol. II (1905), p. 194, no. 6, with note 4. How harshly and strictly the Irish saints were accustomed to vindicate the observance of the Lord's day C. Plummer notices, with examples adduced, work cited, vol. I, p. CXXIII, with note 4.] Aidus said: "Girls, what do you wish to do?" "We are trying to wash our heads," they say. He said to them: "Do not do this, because it is the Lord's day In Life II: "It is the Sabbath, it is not lawful to work."." But they, not listening, washed their heads as they had begun. And rising in the morning, all their hair fell at once from their heads, no hair remaining [Similar prodigies C. Plummer has collected, work cited, p. CLXXXVII, note at the end of §1.]. Cf. Luke 6:2. Then the girls, weeping and mourning their hair, besought twice cod. but deleted once St. Aidus and did penance. And Aidus blessed water for them, saying: "Bear your disgrace today, and because it is the Lord's day, you ought not to wash yourselves on it (i. e.) in the margin by the first hand. Cf. 1 Corinthians 11:14–15." And on the next day, washing their heads, at once their heads were adorned with new and wonderful hair.
[42] The chariot is carried through the air. II, 36. And on another day in the lower margin: Quomodo transvectus est in aere ad liberandum innocentes., when St. Aidus was in his place in the territory of Niall The Southern, namely; see above, p. 504, note 2., he saw certain unhappy men laying waste that place in the territory of the Munnenses, namely Enach Mithbriun That was the first monastery of St. Aidus, above, p. 506, note 16.. And he said to the charioteer: "Yoke the chariot quickly, that we may go to free our place from the hands of the plunderers." Aidus, therefore, wishing to make the journey swiftly, said to the charioteer: "Bend your head under my chasuble, so that you see nothing." And at once the chariot with the horses was snatched up into the air [Now for the fourth time this is narrated. Life III suppressed what is found in chs. 42–44 of Life I.], and in the moment of one hour was led through the midst of the air from the territory of Niall to the aforesaid place in the territory of the Munnenses. The robbers made motionless and converted to penance. And he found there those unhappy men laying waste and snatching everything they could find there. And yet those two leaders who were over the others he found fixed to the earth, nor could they move foot or hand, like wooden images. And these wretches, when they saw St. Aidus, did penance, and all offered themselves to him as monks until the day of their death. And so St. Aidus returned into the territory of Niall.
[43] Mead ferments II, 37. After the death [in the margin by a later hand: Nota; in the lower margin: Quomodo liquor fermentatus est et in vinum mutatus.] of St. Aidus this miracle was done in his name. There was a certain monk of his, a faithful man and one who loved St. Aidus greatly, in that land of Munster. And this man was preparing a supper for a certain king of that people For a meal and provisions were owed as dues to a lord making a journey.. When it was all prepared, the liquor that was the material of the supper could in no way be made to ferment, as if it received no leaven. And that faithful man, seeing this, was constrained in great distress, because at the coming of the approaching king the liquor was not fermented. Then he greeted St. Aidus as if present, asking him to help him. And he ran swiftly to a cross near him, which is called the Cross of St. Aidus, where he had done a great miracle [Where this cross was has not become known to us. That custom, however, is to be noted, of setting up a cross where some prodigy was performed by a holy man. This, if you except the sentence put in the mouth of St. Brigid (above, ch. 17), seems to be the most ancient trace of the cult paid to St. Aidus.], and scraping the extreme part of that cross, he mixed it with the liquor, invoking the name of St. Aidus. and it is changed into wine. And at once the liquor in all the vessels, fermenting, flowed down onto the ground, and became the best wine [More truly you would say mead, if anything may be deduced from the usage of the brewers; for wine ferments in one way, beer or mead is brewed in another. But, as may be deduced from the marginal annotation and the parallel places, the prodigy seems to have lain in this too, that from the grains was made not indeed mead, but wine.].
[44] The relics of Aidus cannot be transferred II, 38. There was a faithful cleric in the lower margin: Quod reliquie eius transferri non poterant. in Enach Midbren who wished to carry the relics of St. Aidus from that place, lest they be among sinners [I rather think this belongs to the occupation by the Danes. No relics of St. Aidus seem to survive to this day, except the fragment of the crozier, of which Prelim. Comm., no. 22.]. Placing them on the back of his boy, without the others knowing, he went on to a nearby wood, and there through a certain necessity he set down that holy burden; returning to it, he could in no way move it. Cf. Wisdom 4:10. And an elder came to him, but not even the two of them could. Then they understood that this had been done against the will of the saint. And thinking of returning to the place, the boy this time found the holy burden light. And going back they put the relics in their former position until the end.
[45] The saint changes meat into other foods. II, 39; III, 31. One day St. Aidus came to St. Riocc [Life II adds that he was the nephew of St. Patrick. But see Prelim. Comm., no. 11.] of the island of Bofinne [In Gaelic Inis Bo Finde, in Latin the Island of the White Cow, now in English Inchbofin, an island in Lough Ree, in the parish of Noughaval, of the barony of Kilkenny West, county Westmeath. Life III adds: "For there is a famous monastery on that island, which is named from the name of the island." Where Colgan notices, Acta Sanctorum Hiberniae, p. 423, col. 2, note 26: "Here the author indicates that he flourished when this monastery was in flower; but the whole was deflowered and devastated in the year 1089 by the Danes." Cf. Annals of the Four Masters, ed. O'Donovan, vol. II, p. 936, and above, p. 511, note 8. But nowhere is it read that the monastery was so plundered that nothing remained; nay rather, if you believe Colgan, by the year 1089 the monastery which in the year 1015 the same Danes, coming out of Munster, had devastated ought long since to have been abolished, Annals of the Four Masters, work cited, p. 788.], whom St. Riocc received with great joy. And that day was a day of fasting, and in the Lenten season. And St. Riocc had no fare for his arrival (i. a.) twice cod. but deleted once except meat dishes. These St. Aidus received with humility, and blessed the meats on the tables, and they became loaves and fishes and a honeycomb. Cf. Luke 24:42.
[46] Food given by a miracle. II, 40; III, 32. At another time also in the lower margin: Quomodo eius precibus Deus fratres refecit. the holy bishop Aidus came to the saint of God Enoc of Drommo Rathe [Drommo Rathe is the genitive of the name Druim Rath; this place, which the authors relate is situated in western Meath, Hogan supposes, work cited, p. 368, col. 1, under the word Druim Raite, is the parish which is now called Drumraney, in the barony of Kilkenny West, county Westmeath. But the name of the saint some have handed down one way, others another: Enanus, Henanus, and by the hypocoristic Dynocus (that is Do-En-oc), whence Enoc. He is venerated on 19 Aug. and 18 Sept. Cf. O'Hanlon, Lives of the Irish Saints, vol. VIII, pp. 291–94; vol. IX, pp. 449–50.], who received him in brotherly charity, but nevertheless had nothing to give the holy guest except vegetables and water. And the bishop Aidus, seeing this in spirit, went off into the kitchen, in which he found nothing, and blessed it and said: "Let the cook [He is called "the minister of St. Henanus" and "minister" in Life III; in Life II: "who ought to minister to the brothers". On the office and various names of this monastic official Plummer has collected some things, work cited, vol. I, p. CXVIII, with notes 4, 5.] go and serve what foods he will, and refresh the brothers." He, entering the house [Understand into the hut where the food was kept; for an Irish monastery was nothing else than little huts built near one another, of which some were inhabited by single monks, others were for the refectory, the storerooms, the kitchen, another for the church
use was destined.], found it full of every kind of sweet foods, and served the brothers a good refreshment. And they praised and blessed the Lord.
[47] A huge log is transferred. II, 41; III, 33. At a certain time in the lower margin: Quomodo ingens lignum se proiecit in mare. the bishop Aidus went off to another holy man, namely Molasi of Dam Insy [Dam Insy is the genitive of the name Daimh Inis, in Latin the Island of the Oxen; now in English Devenish island, in lower Lough Erne, county Fermanagh. And Lasrean (or by the hypocoristic Molaisse) is the illustrious saint who is venerated on 12 Sept.; on whom J. G.ammack, in W. Smith and H. Wace, Dictionary of Christian Biography, vol. III, p. 625, under the word Laserian (1); O'Hanlon, work cited, vol. IX, pp. 298–311; Plummer, work cited, vol. I, p. LXXIV. Cf. Prelim. Comm., no. 11, and no. 17, note, where we report G. T. Stokes's conjecture about Lasrean's exhortations to Aidus.]. And when St. Aidus had entered that island, he found the brothers labouring there, cutting down the woods so that they might work the land of the island. Then St. Aidus said to St. Molasy: "What work shall I do with the brothers?" Now there was there a huge ancient log, which, lying on the ground, could in no way be moved by the brothers. And Molayssi said to him: "Your work is to put down this log." Then St. Aidus commanded the log to depart, and at once the huge log one letter erased raised itself, and flying in the likeness of a bird and laying the woods flat, threw itself into the lake. And the brothers, seeing this, praised and blessed the Lord.
[48] A place fit for founding a monastery, II, 42; III, 34. And Aidus fixed for himself in the lower margin: De loco sibi per angelum assignato. a place not far from a certain rich man of the common people That is, a layman; cf. above, p. 506, note 4., before he built the greater church which now exists [This Life I alone relates, nor has anything become known to us from it about the place where that greater church stood; see however below, note 8, where we argue about the parallel place in Life III.]. And there an angel of God said to him: "If you wish to remain in this place, there will be here a tumult of seculars and a modest gain of souls." And Aidus said: "Where is the place in which I ought to dwell?" The angel said: "The nearby place [It can be conjectured from these and the following sentences that the fort of that rich man was on the top of a hill in the place now called Kiltobber (that is: the Cell of the Spring), in the parish of Rathugh; its description seek from G. T. Stokes, in The Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland, vol. XXVI (1896), p. 331.] where that rich man of the common people is, this has been given to you by the Lord previously dominus.. For there many souls will go to heaven." And that rustic man of the common people heard from a certain magician [The magician has been removed from Life III and the little narrative a little changed.] that he would leave his house and possession to a cleric arriving, and therefore he ordered the doors to be carefully shut, lest St. Aidus enter the fort. he wonderfully claims it for himself against the owner's will But on another day, with no one seeing or knowing, St. Aidus came into the fort. When the lord of that place saw him, he could not stand in his sight, but fled to the other part. And at once on the road, struck with a grievous pain, he lay on the ground. St. Aidus, seeing this in spirit, said to his men: "Go and bring him to me." And when he had been brought, Aidus said to him: "Believe in God and do penance." And when he had believed, Aidus said to him again: "Choose for yourself what you wish: whether you will go now to the kingdom of heaven, or will remain in this life Cf. above, ch. 11, at the end.?" And he, choosing to go to heaven, having received the sacrifice ["The holy sacrifice", Life III; "the saving viaticum", Life II. That is, the Body of the Lord. Cf. above, p. 508, ch. 11, with notes 1 and 4.], died blessedly [Life III adds: "And in that fort the holy bishop established a monastery which is called by the name of St. Edus." That is Rath Aedha, or in Latin the Fort of Aidus. Plummer, work cited, vol. I, p. 44, note 16. Rath Aedha or Rath Aodha, or, as it is written in the English manner, Rathugh or Rahugh or Rahue, is a place in the parish of the same name, of the barony of Moycashel, county Westmeath. There are still seen there the traces of the monastery founded by St. Aidus, who is proved to be no other than ours by the Annals of Ulster, vol. I, ed. W. M. Hennessy, p. 368, at the year 858 (correctly 859), writing the name of the place in full Raith Aedho mic Bricc, that is the Fort of Aidus son of Brecc. But see above, Prelim. Comm., no. 14. The history of this place down to more recent times the distinguished G. T. Stokes has carried on, in The Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland, vol. XXVI (1896), pp. 325–35, here and there. Seek from him the description of the church, p. 331, and of the spring sacred to St. Aidus, which the neighbours still piously use, ibid. Of the stone which is visited in the same place we have spoken above, among the annotations to ch. 1 of this Life. Anthony Cogan notes that the memory of St. Aidus is still venerated there, The Diocese of Meath, Ancient and Modern, vol. III, p. 602; he also, ibid., thinks that the monastery which was built in that place by St. Aidus was plundered by the Danes and levelled to the ground.].
[49] He frees a man captured by pirates. II, 43. Certain of the Galls in the lower margin: Quomodo liberavit virum de manu Gallorum. [This little narrative Life III omitted. More fully Life II: "Certain pirates coming from the land of the Franks to Ireland." Which was not unusual in those times. But the Irish were also accustomed to call the Norman pirates Gall.] carried off a certain distinguished man of the race of Amolngith, named Finan [Life II omits the name of the tribe; this the distinguished C. Plummer doubtfully conjectured, work cited, vol. II, p. 314, col. 2, under the words Amolngith genus, to be the same which gave its name to the barony of Tirawley, in county Mayo.]. Aidus, seeing this in spirit, went out to free him. And one wheel being broken, the other wheel alone supported the chariot A similar prodigy is narrated above, ch. 8. from the eastern part of Meath as far as the sea. And there he found the Galls held back by the winds, who could never sail from the harbour until they let go Finan, who had been carried off by them.
[50] He makes a poisoned cistern wholesome. II, 44; III, 35. At a certain time in the land of the Munne〈n〉ses "In that region", Life III. a certain poi〈so〉ned cistern was found, from which smoke came out, which produced a deadly mortiferum cod. pestilence for men and beasts round about. Then that people asked St. Aidus in the margin by the first hand to help them. Cf. Revelation 9:2. And he [“Et perrexit vir Dei cum eis ad illum locum et benedixit in Dei nomine illam cysternam; et ab illa hora” etc., Life III.], blessing that smoke previously finnum., it never appeared there from that day; and the people gave thanks to God and to St. Aidus.
[51] The virtues of Aidus. II, 45. And no one in the lower margin: De eius virtut〈ibus〉. will be able to narrate [That this is a commonplace it is scarcely worthwhile to notice; in Life III it is omitted.] the charity of St. Aidus, his humility, patience, modesty, gentleness, fasting, abstinence and assiduity of prayer by day and night, and his other good things. For he fulfilled all the commandments of Christ.
[52] He leads a sinner dying with him into heaven. II, 46; III, 36. And St. Aidus promised in the lower margin: Quomodo latronem secum duxit in celum. to one of the brothers that he would accompany him to heaven. So at the hour of his departure Aidus said to him: "Prepare yourself to go with me on the heavenly way." But he being unwilling, a certain countryman, arriving, said to the saint: "Would that you would tell me to accompany you!" Aidus said to him: "If you wish, wash yourself A little less crudely: "Prepare yourself", Life III., and lay yourself in this little bed with me." And when he had done this, he died together with the saint On 10 November of the year 589. Cf. Prelim. Comm., nos. 7–10.. This St. Columba of the Church, seeing on the island of Ye Cf. Prelim. Comm., no. 1., said: "Firm is the work which the bishop Aidus aiaidus cod. is now doing. Behold, a sinner, and 〈not〉 deserving ["Deserving punishment", Life II; "not deserving", Life III. Cf. the little narrative from the Life of St. Ruadan which we edited in the Prelim. Comm., no. 14. Colgan tries to bring these things to exactness, Acta Sanctorum Hiberniae, p. 423, col. 2, note 30. This same fable Manus Hua Domhnaill (Manus O'Donnell) received into that huge Gaelic Life of St. Columba which he compiled in the year 1632, ed. A. O'Kelleher and G. Schoepperle, Betha Colaim Chille. Life of Columcille (Urbana, 1918), no. 248, pp. 250, 252; it had long since come out in Latin translation in Colgan, Trias Thaumaturga, p. 417, ch. 45.], he leads with him into heaven, and with no force of demons resisting." And St. Aidus, after Christ, with his thief, amid the choirs of angels singing sweet songs, today ["On the fourth of the ides of November", Life III. But it is clear that Lives I and II too were to be read aloud on the birthday of St. Aidus. Cf. Prelim. Comm., no. 10.] passed to heaven; where without sorrow he will rejoice for ever, our Lord Jesus Christ reigning with the Father and the Holy Spirit for ages of ages. Cf. Luke 23:43. Amen.
II. THE SECOND LIFE OF ST. AIDUS
Aidus, bishop of Killare in Ireland. (S.)
From the Oxford codices Rawlinson B. 485 (= R1) and 505 (= R2). Cf. Prelim. Comm., no. 3.
Here begins the Life of St. Aidus, bishop, who is called Aedh mac Bric [Aodh mac Bric meic Cormaic meic Crimhthaind meic Fiachach meic Neill Naoighiallaicch adds R2 in another hand.] [This Life follows Life I so closely in its footsteps that what we have annotated on that need not be repeated on this; it will be enough to indicate in the margin which place corresponds to which.].
[1] The race of Aidus. I, 1; III, 1. The holy bishop Aydus, who is called the son of Brichius Bricii R2., sprang from the Descendants of Neyll Neyl R2.. And his mother drew her origin from Muscraigi Tyri in Munster. When she was pregnant and near to childbirth, remaining in her house, a certain man skilled in the stars said of her (for he was on a journey and was approaching her house), Prodigies at his birth., who quasi R2., prophesying, said to his companions: "In this house there is a woman near to childbirth, who, if she should give birth at the morning hour of tomorrow's day diei R1., her offspring would be great before the God of heaven and men." Cf. Luke 1:15. A certain girl, a special friend of that woman, hearing these words, reported everything to the pregnant woman. She answered, saying: "Unless my soul should go out exigerit R2. of my body, the offspring will not come out of my womb before that time." The woman therefore rose and sat upon a rock, so that thus the birth might be delayed. 〈But when (c. a.) omit codd.〉 the infant was trying to come out, its head made a certain hollow in the stone. And the water illa R2. which remains in that hollow after rain is accustomed to heal various sicknesses.
[2] As a youth he meets He, nourished in his mother's house and become a young man, when he was seeking in the woods the herd of pigs assigned before correction deputatus R1. to him, Brendan of Birr and Cainnech. I, 2; III, 1–2. came to the place in which St. Brendan of Birr and St. Kynnecus Kynnicus R2. were. When before correction que R1. Brendan saw him coming, he rose to meet him and received him with joy. But Kynnecus rebuked Brendan because he showed so much honour to such a young man. Brendan answered him: "Why should I not rise for him, in whose company I have seen an army of angels?" And the boy, anxious about the pigs, said to the saints: "Have you seen a herd of pigs in these places?" Brendan answered him, saying: "Go there, and there you will find the herd which you seek." And as the man of God had said, so it came to pass.
[3] His upbringing. I, 3; III, 3. This boy, steeped in worldly vanities among worldly men, was taught no in illis R2. letters, formed by no ecclesiastical rules, up to the time of his adolescence fuit codd.. Having become an adolescent, therefore, he went on to his fatherland, to have his inheritance from the hands of his brothers. They, despising him, gave him nothing. He strives to obtain his father's inheritance; Knowing this with indignation, he went off carrying a certain girl away with him from them; for he thought that by this injury his brothers would the sooner satisfy him about the inheritance. And returning with the carried-off girl and his other companions, he came near the cell of the holy bishop Illand. This holy man, seeing holy angels in the young man's company, said to his minister: "Go and tell that young man who is on the road but, at the persuasion of Illundus, renouncing riches to turn aside to us for a little. For I have to speak with him." And when the minister told him these things, he came humbly to the bishop. He said to him: "Why do you seek, son, a paternal inheritance on earth? Behold, you have a father whose cum R1 and before correction R2. inheritance is heaven and earth, who will give you an incorporeal inheritance in heaven in return for giving up a corporeal one on earth. Do not therefore seek this earthly inheritance with injury, lest you lose the heavenly one. But also let this girl go free to her home." he attaches himself to the same holy bishop, And the young man, answering these words of the old man, said: "Whatever you say to me, father, I am ready to do." He sent the girl back, therefore, to her family, and he himself remained with the man of God, complying with his commands in all things.
[4] and out of obedience undertakes the work of ploughing. I, 4–7; III, 4. At a certain time also the elder said to the young man: "My son, can you plough the earth and put your hand to the plough?" He, answering, said: "My father, I can obey your every command." He went therefore to plough, and through the merit of holy obedience he became skilled and perfect in the art of ploughing. And one day there came to him from the neighbours a certain tiller of the land, The lack of an ox is supplied by a miracle, asking for one ox, which he reported was lacking in his plough. Then the young Aydus, sympathizing with the man, told the boy guiding the oxen at the plough to stop his step, until he should satisfy the man's request. So he loosed one ox from the yoke and gave it to the petitioner. And he himself ploughed with three oxen; for charity itself, for whose honour he gave the ox, ploughed in place of the ox. 1 Corinthians 13:7. For it bears all things, endures all things. At a certain other time a certain man came to him; and likewise of a ploughshare. he complained that he did not have in his plough the iron which we call the coulter sic codd.. And Aydus, for the love of him omits R2. who said: "Give to everyone who asks potenti codd. you", Luke 6:30. gave the iron of his plough to the man. And he himself without iron, the divine power working, ploughed the earth as before. And St. Yllandus, seeing these preludes of sanctity in the adolescent occupied in works of humility ccu above the line R1., summoned him, saying to him: "O son, At the instance of St. Illundus he withdraws from him what is it that you have done so many and so great miracles at a time still unripe? For you seem to ascend to the summit of virtues, when you have not yet begun the perfect work. Go therefore in peace to the land of your birth et adds codd., and there build yourself a cell, because it is not fitting that henceforth you should live under the hand of a man, but of God working in you." After this the holy young man went off to the land of his birth, and founds a monastery for himself. and built himself a cell which is called Enach Mydbren, and there remained for times so codd.; perhaps the word multa is to be supplied., and did many miracles.
[5] About to ask peace from a king for his people, I, 8–9; II, 5. At a certain other time, when he was there, it happened that the king of the Munstermen, having gathered a great army, attempted to invade vadere omits R2. the territory of Meath and of the Descendants of Neyl, to make them his tributaries. Hearing this, the king of that land, holding the business of the coming war in doubt, sent messengers to St. Aydus, that he should obtain for him truces treguas R2. of peace from the king of Munster for a year. Then St. Aydus went to the king of Munster, to have peace with him illis R2.. And it came to pass, while the son of peace was making the journey, He makes the journey in a chariot supported on one wheel. that one wheel of his chariot was broken. Wonderful too is what happened, because the chariot, supported by the other wheel alone, ran along the road without any hindrance. And when he came thus to the place near the army, they marvelled beyond measure, seeing the chariot going with one wheel. Because of their admiration, therefore, they received the man of God with great honour. And when he treated with the king about the business of peace, The king is punished for the peace refused, he could in no way obtain from him that he should not rush upon his enemies. For he said: "Since I have gathered this multitude into one, it will not return empty." The business of peace being frustrated, therefore, the man of God returned to his own. Cf. Isaiah 55:11. And behold, the wrath of God at once raged upon the proud king; for one of his dearer friends died, and the earth, opening itself, swallowed two horses which the king himself had under his chariot. Then the king, but repenting of the deed, terrified with no moderate fear, sent messengers after the man of God that he should return, promising that he would fulfil whatever he should command perciperet R1; pre corrected from per R2. him. And when the pious man had returned to the king, behold, made from a lion into a lamb, he prostrated himself before the feet of the horses of the holy man's chariot. And prostrating himself thus three times on the ground, three times the chariot of the man of God passed over him. he hears of the future glory of his race; Then the holy bishop Aydus said to the king: "Because three times you have humbly prostrated yourself, three kings will rise from your stock. And as many times as you had done this, so many kings there would be of your race." The king said to him: "Behold, you have the peace of this year which you asked." And the saint answered him: "I have asked the Lord, and he has given me not the peace of one year, but until the day of judgment, because your power over my people will not be henceforth." Then the king said to him: the saint raises the king's friend and one horse, "I ask you, holy man, to call back again from death my special friend, whom you sent into death morte R2.." Inclined therefore by his prayers, the pious father prayed to the almighty Lord; and the sign of the cross of Christ having been made over the dead man, he soon rose and, asking pardon of the man of God, rebuked the king's hardness. Then the king, seeing so great a miracle done at his first petition, turned to the second, saying: "I ask your piety besides, that as I have deserved to be heard before you in my first supplication, namely that you should raise my beloved friend, so also in raising my horses." the other horse having been sunk in the waters. The holy bishop Aydus said to him: "One of them will return to you alive; but the other not, but will remain in the earth, and a pool of many waters will be over it, in testimony of the power of God." And so it was done, as the saint said. For there is a pool there to this day, and it is called the pool of Gabre. Why is it called Loch Gabra? Because of the horse buried there under the earth.
[6] The rain spares the reapers of Aidus. I, 10; III, 6. At a certain autumn auptumali R1; auptumnali R2. time, when his household was labouring at the harvest, behold, a great rain came down, which hindered the reapers in common. When St. Aydus had seen this, he prayed
to God, who gives a willing rain to his own, and in his power signed the air with the sign of the cross; and not a drop of rain through the whole day fell upon his reapers, although round about them there was a great inundation of rain. Cf. Psalm 67:10.
[7] To a dead friend I, 11; III, 7. There was a certain rich man in that land where the man of God was dwelling, who gave the saint many goods and many lands. To this man St. Aydus promised that he himself would give him the sacrifice at the departure of his soul from his body. And it happened that St. Aydus was in a distant region when that rich man died (c. e. i. d.) c. i. e. d. R2.. When the man of God, the Spirit revealing it, knew this, he began to hasten to the place where the dead man was. And since he had to make the journey through certain groves, he could not hasten as he wished, because there omits R2. the horses with the chariot were hindered from the straight (a. r.) arcto R2. road. Seeing this, St. Aydus said to the charioteer: he is carried through the air; "Bend your head into my lap, lest you see anything that you would fear." And when the servant super codd. obeyed his master, at once the chariot with the horses was lifted from the earth into the air, and so by the hands of angels it was carried over many spaces of land terra R1., until they came to the desired region. Getting down therefore omits R2. from the chariot, the man omits R1. of God, like another Elijah, dispatched his minister to the house of the dead man, saying: "Go, and say to the dead man: shall he come to me, or I to him?" So the boy went to the house of the dead man and said to him: "The man of God, Aydus the bishop, has sent me to you, he raises him, asking: shall he come to you, or you to him?" And at once he who had been dead rose, and signing himself with the sign of the cross answered and said: "He ought not to labour to me, because he is wearied by a great journey for my sake, but I will come to him." And saying this he clothed himself, and came to the place where the wonderful prelate was standing. And when they had greeted each other, the saint said to him: "What do you wish now to choose? and at his request obtains that he die again. Do you prefer to remain again in this present life, or to return to omits R2. the place from which you came out?" He answered: "I ask you to permit me to go to the heavenly mansion which you have earned and given me." And then, receiving the saving viaticum from the hand of the man of God, he slept again in peace.
[8] Water turned into wine. I, 12; III, 8. At a certain time St. Aidus came to the community of certain virgins. They received the man of God with great devotion, grieving that they did not have a drink worthy of so great a guest. The pious father, perceiving this, sympathizing with their good will, said: "Bring me," he said, "water from the nearest spring." And when it had been brought and was blessed by him in the name 〈of God omit codd.〉, it was soon changed into the best wine. This wine given by God gladdened the hearts of those who drank and strengthened them in faith. Cf. Psalm 103:15. A similar miracle, namely of the changing of water into wine, St. Aydus the bishop worked now for the third time.
[9] For a builder of ramparts I, 13; III, 9. A certain ditcher of fields came at a certain time (q. t.) above the line R2. to him, asking him whether he knew anyone who wished to make a ditch fossa codd. around his house or fort. The bishop Aydus answered him: "Go to a certain special friend of mine in such a place, and do your craft faithfully for him, and you will receive your wages from him." So the man went to him and ditched his fort with a triple ditch, which today is called Raith mhBailb so codd., that is the Fort of the Stammerer Balbuticis R2. or of the Dumb. So great tanto R2. a labour being completed, therefore, the wages were paid him, for one leading off the herd received as wages, namely the fill of this fort with animals, as much as quantum R2. it could hold within the walls. A multitude of animals being gathered, the place was filled. And when the man had paid the price in full, he escorted him safe with his animals as far as the borders of another people. The man having been left there with the cattle, and the aforesaid rich man having returned to his own, behold, those animals run about here and there, and not even one remained with him. And while the wretched man mourned and did not know what to do, behold, he sees a certain chariot coming to him, Aidus is at hand. in which was the bishop Aydus. To whom he said with a tearful voice: "Behold, I have lost perfidi R1. the wages of my great labour; for all the animals have returned to their places, nor has even one in the margin R1. remained to me." Then the pious father, getting down from the chariot, prayed to God, and behold, all those animals returned, as if they were being led back by some sic codd. guide going before, nor was even one animal of all lacking.
[10] For the horses which he had given to lepers, I, 14; III, 10. At a certain other time, when the man of God was making a journey, there met him two lepers, who asked him for two 〈horses omit codd.〉 to carry them. Then the pious father gave them omits R2. the two horses of the chariot in which he himself was carried. And he himself, making a delay there for a time, said to his companions: "Let us wait here meanwhile, until two men who are seeking us come to us." others are supplied. And behold, after a little time two men come, who say to them: "Do you know the place where the holy bishop Aydus is now staying? For we have come from afar to give him these two horses." To them one of the household of the man of God answered: "Here is he whom you seek, before you." And they offered him two unbroken horses, which, as soon as they were fitted to the chariot of the man 〈of God omit codd.〉, became gentle and tame, 〈as omit codd.〉 if they had been accustomed before to bear the yoke.
[11] He helps an incontinent nun by a wonderful prodigy. I, 15; III, 11. One day St. Aydus came to the place of the virgins who lived at Drūym Ard Druymard R2.. They received the man of God with great devotion into their hospice. But the saint omits R2., looking at the virgin who was ministering to him, understood that she was carrying an infant in her womb. Then quickly he rose from that place, because there was no worthy fellowship of the light of grace with the darkness of guilt. Cf. 2 Corinthians 6:14. But she, conscious of her guilt, seeing vides R1. herself proved guilty of the crime by the testimony of the truth, confessed her sin before all, and did penance. When the man of God saw this, accepting acceptas R1. her penance, he blessed her womb iterum R2., and at once the infant omits R2. in the womb vanished as if it were not.
[12] Three girls slaughtered by robbers I, 16; III, 12. At that time girls from that community of nuns went to bring the provision annona R2. of milk to the virgins of Christ. And certain brigands, rising from their hiding-places, killed those girls and carried their heads away with them. The holy man, knowing this deed, the Spirit revealing it, went on to the place where the bodies of the girls lay, to be able valerent before correction R2. to bring back the heads of the girls to their bodies. And the brigands by the will of God had been so held fast in a certain place that they could not move a foot beyond that place. And the pious father, looking at those wretches so entangled irritos before correction R1; irrititos R2. by their sins, rebuked them for their cruel deed. And they, doing egentes R2. penance, asked him to permit them to go away. Cf. 1 Thessalonians 5:15. He, rendering good for evil, permitted them to go away freely. And he himself returned with the heads of the girls to the place where the bodies remained. And since there was no water near to wash the heads, he, impressing the sign of the cross on the ground, he restores them to life. at once a living spring burst forth from the earth, which to this day is called the Spring of the Girls. And after the heads had been sufficiently washed there, and he had fittingly joined them to their bodies, trusting in the omnipotence of the Saviour he said: "In the name of Jesus Christ, rise. Cf. Acts 3:6." And at once they rose as if from sleep, and taking up their vessels with the milk again, they came to their community, not without the wonder of all.
[13] He takes another's headache upon himself. I, 17; III, 13. At a certain other time there came omits R2. to him a certain man who was vehemently vexed with a pain of the head, and said to the man of God: "O saint of God, I am afflicted with an excessive pain of the head. I ask you therefore to pray God for me, that either this pain may pass from me, if it is possible, or at least that it may become more tolerable to me. Cf. Matthew 26:39." And the holy bishop said to him: "Your pain can in no way go out from you unless it is transferred into me. You will have a great reward for your pain if you endure it patiently." And he answered: "O saint of God, this pain is beyond my strength." Then the saint, pitying the sick man and taking his infirmity upon himself, patiently endured it. Whence, By invoking him pains of the head are healed, as the experienced report, for his patience in that grievous pain of the head he merited that whoever in pain of the head shall have invoked the Trinity in the name of St. Aydus will be healed. For St. Brigid, when omits R2. she was labouring with a most grievous pain of the head, invoking the name of the holy bishop Eydus so codd., which St. Brigid also experienced. was soon healed and to the end did not feel the same affliction. Which she herself used to assert with truthful attestation, saying: "The invocation of the name of St. Aydus (n. s. A) s. A. n. before correction R2. the bishop omits R2. has made me well from the most grievous pains of my head."
[14] He is carried through the air with his chariot. I, 19. On a certain occasion, when he was making a journey in the territory of Leinster, sitting in his chariot, he came to a certain grove which the horses could not pass because of its density. For lest sic codd. his way be hindered, the divine power, raising him in his chariot with
the horses on high, carried him 〈through omits R1; in R2.〉 the air to another place. Cf. Psalm 90:11. For so it frequently accompanied its servant on his ways. He, while he was the master of very many disciples, Infused knowledge. himself nevertheless, as the experienced report, neither learned letters nor had habuerit codd. a master on earth, but there was one within iustus R2. who taught him.
[15] He restores consumed food entire. I, 20; III, 15. St. Aydus the bishop too once came to the community of certain virgins, who had prepared a meal for St. Kiaran of Cluain, whose coming they expected that day. And the supper which they had prepared was one sheep with a few loaves 〈and a vessel omit codd.〉 of beer, not large. Then the virgins were placed in a strait, namely to whom they should give that meal, whether to the guest present, so noble, or to St. Kiaran, presently to arrive? But at the prompting of the spirit of sounder counsel, they gave that 〈which omit codd.〉 they had prepared for St. Kiaran to the bishop St. Aydus. And when the meal was finished and thanksgivings had been celebrated with devotion, the holy bishop said to the virgins: "Gather these bones of the sheep and put them in one place; and likewise put this little vessel, in which was that liquor which we drank, where it was before." And when all these things had been completed, at once that supper was found entire as before and untouched, as if nothing of it had been touched. From then on the food given from heaven was sufficient for refreshing St. Kiaran.
[16] He receives Gospels sent down from heaven through St. Brigid. I, 21. At a certain other time there were erat R1. together in one place the bishop St. Aydus and the virgin St. Brigid, conversing sic codd. about those things which are for the edification of souls. Among in R1. the other conversations of the spiritual life, the holy man said to her: "O Brigid, can numquam R2. you supply me a book of the gospels of Christ?" Cf. Ephesians 4:29. She answered: "This is not easy for me, but for God, to whom tibi R2. every word is possible. Cf. Luke 1:37." Then St. Brigid, spreading out her clean hands in prayer, prayed oravitque codd., and St. Aidus Aydus R2. together with her, and soon they obtained that for which they had prayed. Cf. 1 Timothy 2:8. For a gospel was let down from heaven into the lap of St. Brigid, and she gave it to St. Aidus Aydo R2., giving thanks sic codd., praising God for so great a gift.
[17] A house covered with snow in place of a roof. I, 22. At another time also the man of God came to the community of certain virgins, to adorn them with good manners and to strengthen them in faith by examples. There was also with them a certain house newly nova R1. made, but not yet roofed; yet, as a great snow fell, it seemed as if covered with a roof tota codd.. And they said to him: "Behold, this house which you see, father, is held bare under the snow, and yet appears as if roofed." The pious father answered them: "This house, which you see clothed with snow, will remain so for long times (p. t. l.) p. l. t. R2., until domus codd. the house itself falls down from age." And so it was done; for that house, roofed with snow, lasted for many times, nor by fires kindled there nor by the heat of the sun could that snow be melted.
[18] He is rapt into heaven. I, 23; III, 16. In the same place too another miracle was done through the man of God. For when one day he was standing on a certain rock contemplating heavenly things, he is soon rapt into heaven in his body, and remaining there for some hours horiis R2., afterwards he came down upon the same rock again. Cf. 2 Corinthians 12:2 and 4. And that chasuble with which he was clothed at his elevation into heaven still remains in the same place in testimony of that power.
[19] He raises a girl. I, 24; III, 17. There was a certain girl devoted to God and to the holy man Aydus, whom, because a man like qui codd. another Belial could not have her as wife, he presumed to carry off. When this came to the notice of the pious father omits R2., soon girding himself he hastened after him. And the ravisher, when he had come to deserted places and had busied himself gathering certain straw to build himself a dwelling, soon, returning sic codd., found the girl dead. The wretched man was stupefied within himself, and did not know where to turn sic codd.. And then unexpectedly there arrived super omits R2. the holy man, who, rebuking the sinner and convicting him with lively reasons, at length induced him to make satisfaction for so great a crime. For he made satisfaction in such a way that, all the nuns being disregarded, he was now a faithful monk of the holy man. And the prelate, turning to the girl now dead, said: "In the name of Jesus Christ, rise. Cf. Acts 3:6." And at once she rose as if from sleep. Whence a great miracle was done here in each sex, but more in the man, because he was raised in soul, and less in the woman, who was raised only in her own flesh. These three returned with joy, praising God in his works. Cf. Ecclesiasticus 39:19.
[20] He transfers a rock by a prodigy; I, 25; III, 18. Certain ditchers, digging around the place of the man of God, found a great rock in the ditch, which omits R2. they could by no art put down. And what the strength of the peoples could not do, the pure prayer of the holy prelate obtained. For, prayer having been offered first, he commanded the rock, great though it was, to transfer itself to another 〈place omit codd.〉, where it would harm no one henceforth. And at once, as if it were a sharer of reason, that great rock obeyed the command of the holy man, and transferred itself to another place; where it still remains and affords to the truly believing a remedy of health against many diseases.
[21] and likewise a lake, I, 26–27; III, 19. There was near the place of the dwelling of the man of God a certain lake, in which quod before correction R1. there was an island, which frequently afforded refuge to evildoers. And since there was no fitting fellowship of light with darkness, Cf. 2 Corinthians 6:14. he asked ragabat R1. the sons of darkness to depart from that place and seek a place of dwelling elsewhere. Cf. Psalm 25:8. But the servants of iniquity, reckoning the words of the holy prelate as ravings, dwelt in the same place with injury to God. Cf. Luke 24:11. And as they persisted in their malice, the man of God said further: "If you are unwilling volueritis R2. to withdraw from this place, the lake in which you trust will withdraw from you. And even if you are scitis R1. disobedient, yet this lake, in which you have confidence fiduciam R1., will be obedient to me and will flee from you. And so you will go omits R2. unwilling." And when they persisted in their malice, behold, that deep lake, like another Red Sea, left its place one night, so that it appeared there no more. Exodus 14 and 15. And as the ancients report fecerunt R1., this lake was miraculously translated at the prayers of the man of God from Munster to Connacht Connaceam R2.. And because it was translated at night, it is named by the word of Night in the idiom of the land. At this time, when the lake was being translated, as a certain prophet had foretold. it happened that a certain prophet, who was called Becc mac De, had come to those parts through which the lake was to be brought on the following night. He said to the men of that region: "Beware," he said, "lest any of your property be in this land on the following night. Habakkuk 2:3. For there will surely come a lake of many waters through these parts at the command of the holy bishop Aydus." And this revelation was made to that prophet, lest the inhabitants of that region should incur any hardship through the prayers of St. Aydus.
[22] He helps a poor debtor, I, 28; III, 20. At a certain other time there came to the man of God a certain debtor of a certain magician, from whom he was exacting a herd of pigs. And since he did not have the means of paying so great a debt, he asked St. Aydus to ask days of grace for him from the magician. The pious father, going out exigens R1. with him to the magician, obtained no days of grace. For whose son he was, his works, namely impiety, he practised exercederat R1; exerceat R2.. Cf. John 8:44. And when the son of true piety could not obtain any indulgence from the magician, he said to him: "Come with me, and I will pay you the debt for him." So the magician came with the man of God, and he gave him a herd of pigs. When he had received it, and punishes the greedy creditor. he returned with joy to his own; for he led with him a most excellent optimam codd. herd of pigs et cum-super eos before quo accepto-gregem porcorum R2 before correction. And when he had come to his house, he carefully shut his house aram, so codd. upon them. And when he came veniens codd. in the morning, he found the house carefully shut as he had left it, but he did not find the pigs. So therefore the art of kindness deluded the art of malignity, so that those pigs appeared nowhere.
[23] A king refusing to hear the saint I, 29; III, 21. At another time the prince of that land which is called Tedpha came with a great army to lay waste the territory of the Midenses Midencium R2.. Fearing his onset, they sent to the bishop Aydus, that he should ask him not to harm them. And while the son of peace was hastening to sow the word of peace between those peoples, Cf. Luke 10:6. the proud petty king, fearing lest the man of God hinder his attempt, said to his men: "Rise, let us go, before the bishop Aydus comes. Matthew 26:46." The others hastening to fulfil inpledum (in pluredum?) R1; in pledum R2. his command, many horsemen went before to the river he is hindered by God. which divides the two peoples, and, entering it, their horses stood motionless like stones, nor could they move themselves. Cf. John 5:14. Then St. Aydus came to the king and rebuked him, saying: "You wished to deceive me, as if I did not know your plan. Return into your land, lest something worse befall you; for neither you nor your horses will be able to go out further from this place." Then in
himself, troubled, he did penance, asking that his horses be loosed. And when this was done, he returned with his men into his own region.
[24] The lack of calves is supplied. I, 30; III, 22. One day, when the man of God was walking on a journey, there met him an unfortunate man fortunatus R2., who was sad and mourning exceedingly. And he blessed sic codd. his misfortune to the man of God: "Behold, I have ten cows, but their calves have been devoured by wolves, except one. I ask you therefore to turn aside to the house to bless them, because they are much distracted after 〈their calves omit codd.〉, and we are losing the use of their milk." The holy prelate said to him: "Gather the mud which sticks to my staff, and carrying it with you, mixing it with water, sprinkle your cows and the calf which you have." When that man before correction virum (?) R1. had done this, at once all the cows ran to that one surviving calf, as if it were their own, loving it most tenderly omits R2..
[25] There were ferunt R2. two brothers in the land of Connacht, of whom one, at the instigation instincti R1. of the devil, killed the other. To save a guilty man from punishment, I, 31; III, 23. And when the slayer had been led to the king to be punished sic codd., their parents came to the holy prelate antistem R2. Aydus, alleging alligantes R1. their misery and saying: "Behold, we wretches have been bereaved of our two sons. For one killed the other, and the slayer himself has been led to the king to be killed. Help, therefore, our misery." The pious father, inclined by their prayers, went on to the king to free the bound man. And the king was then (t. e.) twice R1. on a certain island, He walks upon the sea. who had commanded his men by no means nequam R1; nunquam R2. to permit the bishop Aydus to enter. The holy man, understanding above the line R2. this too, in the name of him who walked with dry feet upon the waves of the sea in the margin R2., went up upon the waters, and so came to the island with dry feet. Cf. Matthew 14:25. And the king, seeing so great a miracle performed through the man of God, could resist no longer, but granted him the man.
[26] A murderer is punished. I, 32; III, 24. A certain cruel and unhappy man killed a man beside the chariot of the holy bishop Aydus. His charioteer, rebuking him, said to him: "May your hand perish and fall from you to the ground." St. Aydus said to him: "You have done well for this wretched man. For in this hour he would have died, had you not said this omits R2. word with impatience. For when 〈a man omit codd.〉 wishes to avenge his injury, God does not wish to avenge it. Cf. Deuteronomy 32:35. Because, therefore, you said this word for the sake of vengeance, God has given him a respite of one year. Whence, the year being completed, that unhappy man will die." All of which was fulfilled as the prophet of God had foretold pre above the line R2..
[27] A brooch thrown into the sea I, 33. A certain petty king of the land gave to a certain holy woman a certain golden instrument, which they call a spintrum, to keep, and this a corrupt place. man lived near him something erased R1. before correction habitabant R2.. When someone of ill will, wishing to do her damage, searching her household goods, and finding that (a. i.) ut aliud R2. instrument among other things, threw it into the sea, so that she might be crushed. Then she, placed in distress, hastened to St. Aydus, an angel brings it back. telling narras R1. him what had been done. Then the man of God prayed to God, and at once an angel of the Lord carried that golden instrument from the depth of the sea to the bishop, which he gave to the woman.
[28] A demon suggesting evil counsel I, 34; III, 25. At another time also the man of God came to a certain petty king, to free from his hands a virgin whom he held captive. But the king did not grant her, saying that he would in no way let her go. The saint said to him: "If you were to see the face of him who suggests sugerentis R2. this evil to you and teaches you in your ear the word which you speak, you would quickly let the girl go for me." And the king, answering, said: "If I see his appearance, I will let her go at once." The saint said to him: "You will not be able to bear his face for its foulness, if it were shown to you. he sees and makes known;" The king then said: "I will let the handmaid go for you, if you show me the face of that enemy inimici illius R2.." Then the saint signed them with the sign of the cross and showed them the appearance of the ancient enemy. Cf. Revelation 12:9 and 20:2. When twice R2. all saw it, they were greatly terrified and became as if dead, and were scarcely comforted by the prayers of the holy man. Cf. Matthew 28:4. And so the king, troubled, let the handmaid go free.
[29] and likewise at another time I, 35; III, 26. In like manner, when the holy prelate Aydus entered the house of a certain man, behold, women were preparing pottage for themselves. They, seeing that men had come upon them unexpectedly, hid the pottage in a certain corner of the house. Then the father of the household, arriving, rejoiced greatly at the coming of so great a guest into his house. And when the man of God looked most intently at the place where the pottage was hidden, the host said to him: "O saint of God, what do you see so anxiously in that part of the house?" The saint said to him: "Do not inquire." But when he insistently asked, demons rejoicing over sin. the prelate said to him: "The women made themselves pottage, which they hid at our coming. And now there are many demons licking it and playing in it." Then the host said: "Show me, if you please, where they are, that I may see them." And the saint said: "Do not seek to see the appearances of demons, because they are too dire." But when he importunately pressed him that he might be able to see, he showed him those horrible appearances. When the man saw them with his household, their face was changed and they almost died, had they not been supported by the prayers of the man of God.
[30] He is carried through the air with his chariot. I, 36. At a certain other time, when St. Aydus was lifted in his chariot with the horses across certain forests, he said to the driver of the horses: "Put your head in my lap, and do not open your eyes until I tell you." When the charioteer had done this, hearing the sound of the leaves of the trees resounding against the chariot, he opened an eye for wonder, and at once lost his sight. The saint said to him: "Why did you open your eye against my command?" And then, giving the sign of the saving salutis fere R2. cross over the eye, it was at once healed.
[31] A king resisting the saint is struck with blindness. I, 37; III, 27. There was a certain petty king in the land of Munster who would not volebat R2. free a handmaid for the saint of God. And when he trusted thus in his own power and did not have God before his eyes, struck by divine vengeance he lost the light of his eyes. And because vexation is wont to give understanding for the amendment of a fault, he did penance penitentia R1. for his guilt and let the handmaid go free, and gave many oblations and fields to the holy prelate antisti codd.. Cf. Isaiah 28:19. And because God is readier to have mercy than to condemn, his eyes were opened.
[32] He restores a handmaid to liberty. I, 38; III, 28. From a certain other king in like manner he asked that a handmaid be released to liberty, but he did not obtain it. For kings were always harsh to him, but by divine power they were compelled to obey him. And the man of God, seeing that he could voluisset codd. in no way obtain her, said to her: "Daughter, follow me when I go out of the house." And when the man of God went out of the house, no one saw her going with him.
[33] The delusions of a magician There was a certain unhappy man who by magic art deluded men, he makes known. I, 39. so that he seemed to pass through the middle before correction dimidium, after correction midium R2. of a tree. But when they had been signed by the man of God with the sign of the cross, their eyes were opened, and they saw the deceitful man bent around the log and not able [valentem written after the rest in a space left, by the same hand as it seems, but in smaller letters in R1; omits R2.] to pass through. And he who before deluded other aliquos R2. men was himself afterwards deluded by others.
[34] Murderers punished by God. I, 40; III, 29. Certain evildoers killed the charioteer of the holy prelate on a certain road which is called Assal. And the saint went off sad on his way as far as another part of the plain which is called the plain of the Midenses; and as he sat there, an angel of the Lord came to him, saying to him: "Had you not come quickly from the place of the shed blood, the earth would have swallowed those nine men who killed your minister, and a fiery tower would have been kindled in that same place, which would endure unquenchable sic codd. until the day of judgment. Cf. Matthew 19:22. Nevertheless those nine cruel men will perish by a most evil death on the ninth day."
[35] Aidus punishes girls washing their heads on Saturday evening. I, 41; III, 30. On the night of the Lord's day the man sanctus adds R2. of God, seeing certain women washing their heads, rebuked them, saying: "It is the Sabbath, it is not lawful to work." The women, therefore, despising the commands of the holy father, washed their heads as they had begun. But rising from sleep in the morning, all the hairs of their heads fell, so that no hair remained. Then the girls, weeping and mourning their hair, asked the holy prelate to help them in this misery. Cf. Luke 6:2. The merciful father, seeing them return to contrition of heart over the transgression which they had committed, blessed water for them, saying: "Bear your disgrace ignorantiam codd. today, and because it is the Lord's day it is not lawful for you to wash your heads with this water." Cf. 1 Corinthians 11:14–15. And when on the next day they had washed their heads with that water, behold, their eorum codd. heads were wonderfully clothed and adorned with new hair.
[36] The chariot is carried through the air. I, 42. At another time, when the man of God was in the northern part of the province, which was then called the land of the Descendants of Neyl, he saw in spirit certain malefactors forefactores codd. laying waste a church which he
presided over in the land of Munster, whose name was Enach Mithbren. And he ordered the charioteer to prepare the chariot quickly for the journey. And when they had mounted the chariot, the saint said to the boy: "Bend your head under my cowl, and do not look at anything." Then the chariot with the horses is snatched up into the air, and in the moment of one hour they came to the desired place. And then, the Lord working through his saint, The robbers made motionless and converted to penance. the two leaders of the satanic crowd who had laid waste the place of the holy man stuck to the earth; nor could they move foot or hand any more than stone or wooden images. And these, thus suspended in mind and body, when they saw the man of God coming to them, asked pardon, and offered themselves and their goods et se sua R1.. And peace having been made with those whom they had injured there before, they were restored to their health. And the holy man himself returned so codd., the word est omitted again to the territory of the Descendants of Neyl, to his own place.
[37] Mead After the death of the holy prelate Aydus this miracle was done in his name (factum - nomine) est in e. n. factum R2.. There was a certain faithful man in the land of Munster, ferments I, 43. who loved the holy bishop Aydus greatly in his life. He prepared a supper for the petty king of that land where he lived. The liquor, then, having been prepared for the feast, could by no art be made to ferment. Seeing this, the father of the household was much troubled within himself, not knowing what answer to make at the coming of so great a guest drawing near. Then, the Spirit prompting him, he hastened to the Cross of the holy bishop Aydus, which was in a nearby place, where the man of God had before done a great miracle. And there, praying devoutly to God and his saint, and scraping the wood of that cross and carrying it with him, invoking the holy bishop Aydus, he mixed it with the liquor. and it is changed into wine. And as soon as it touched tetegit R2. the vessels, the liquor in all the vessels, fermenting, flowed down onto the ground. And what is more wonderful, it became the best wine.
[38] The relics of Aidus cannot be transferred. I, 44. There was a certain faithful cleric at the church of the holy man Dei R2. which is called Enach Mydbren, who wished to transfer (t. v.) tusferre velut (sic) R2. the relics of St. Aydus from that place, lest they be there among sinners. Carrying therefore the holy pledge of these relics with him, without the others knowing, he placed them on the shoulders of a certain boy and went on to a nearby wood, where, compelled by a certain necessity, he set down the sacred burden. Cf. Wisdom 4:10. Returning, therefore, to the place, he could in no way move them. Then, another aliquo R2. having been summoned, not even the two of them could move them. From this miracle, therefore, they perceived that the translation of his bones from his place was against the will of the saint himself. Counsel having been taken, therefore, the same boy carried those sacred bones as a light burden as far as their first place.
[39] The saint changes meat into other foods. I, 45; III, 31. At a certain time this holy man came to visit St. Riocus, who was the nephew of St. Patrick. For he was the son of his sister. He received him with great joy into his hospice. And since it was the Lenten season, having no other food which he could set before his guests, he set meat before them. Titus 1:15. For he believed all things clean to the clean. These foods, therefore, St. Aydus, receiving them with thanksgiving, blessed, and from the meats there were made fishes pissces R2. and loaves pane R2. and a honeycomb. Cf. Luke 24:42.
[40] Food given by a miracle. I, 46; III, 32. At another time St. Aydus came to Dynocus of Dromma Rathe (D. D. R.) Dynotum Droma Rathe R2., who received him with devotion devote R2.. But since sic cod. he had nothing of food to set before so great a guest except water and vegetables, he grieved beyond measure. The holy bishop Aydus, seeing these things, entered the kitchen, empty though it was, and blessed it in the name of the bountiful Godhead. And returning to the brothers he said: "Let him rise who ought to minister to the brothers, and bring the foods which the Lord ei adds R1. has bestowed on them." And the minister, entering the place, found the kitchen full of every kind of food. Refreshed by these, the brothers praised laudaverunt R2. God and honoured their saint.
[41] A huge log At a certain other time this saint went on to visit St. Molassius Malachium R1; Molassius R2., abbot of Dam Ynis Damh Ynis R2.. For so is the place called where he himself was staying. he transfers by his command. I, 47; III, 33. And when he had entered the island which was so called, he found the brothers occupied in various labours, namely tearing up eullentes codd. brambles and great trees, so as thus to make the land fit for the tillers. Then St. Aydus, desiring to be a sharer of those labouring, said to the abbot: "What work shall I do with the brothers?" And Molasius so codd. said to him: "Your work will be to put down this great log." Now there was there a huge log lying on the ground, which could in no way be removed by the brothers. Then Aydus commanded the log in the name of the Lord to depart. And at once, raising itself on high like a bird flying, and laying the woods flat before it, it threw itself into the nearby lake. And the brothers, seeing this miracle, blessed God in his works. Cf. Ecclesiasticus 39:19.
[42] A place fit for founding a monastery, I, 48; III, 34. This most blessed Aydus, wishing to enlarge the worship of God, proposed to erect a church in a certain place. And an angel of the Lord said to him: "If you wish to remain in this place, there will be here a tumult of seculars and a modest gain of souls." Then the saint said to the angel: "And where is the place in which I may dwell?" And the angel to him: "That place in which this rich man, your neighbour, dwells has been given to you by your God. For from that place many souls will pass previously mirabunt R1, the letter g above the line to heaven." The rich man too heard from a certain magician that he would leave his house and possession to a certain cleric arriving, and therefore he ordered the doors of his court to be carefully shut, lest St. Aydus should enter his house. But for him to whom man was trying to shut the gates, he wonderfully claims it for himself against the owner's will. God was striving to open them. For on one of the days, with no one knowing or seeing, St. Aydus himself entered the fort. When the host saw him entering, he fled as from the face of a tiger igris codd. devouring all things. But because he could not go or flee from the face of him who rules all things, at once on the road by which he fled, touched by the hand of the All-powerful, he fell 〈into omit codd.〉 a grave infirmity of the flesh. The man of God, understanding this in spirit, said to his men: "Go and bring that sick man to me." And when he had been brought, the saint said to him: "Believe, man, in God and do penance for your sins." And when the man had done this fully, the saint said to him again: "Choose for yourself now what you wish: whether you may go now to the kingdom of heaven, or may live further here with your own?" Cf. Luke 10:42. And he, choosing with Mary the best part, having received the saving viaticum, died blessed sanctus R2..
[43] He frees a man captured by pirates. I, 49. Certain pirates, coming from the land of the Franks to Ireland, carried off a certain distinguished man, Finan. For this hoc codd. liberation too the holy man, mounting his chariot, hastened. And because many hindrances meet those who hasten too much, behold, one wheel of his chariot was broken. But where human power could not afford help, the divine was at hand. For the other wheel alone supported the chariot, until the man of God came to the sea, where he found the pirates held back by unfavourable winds, who could never withdraw from the harbour until they let go Finan.
[44] He makes a poisoned cistern wholesome. I, 50; III, 35. At a certain time in the land of the Momonientes Momoniensium R2. a certain poisoned cistern was found, from which a pestilential pistifer R1. smoke came out, which brought a pestilence upon men and beasts round about. Then that people unanimously asked sic codd. St. Aydus to free them from this danger. Cf. Revelation 9:2. Inclined by their prayers, placing the sign of the cross over the cistern, that harmful smoke appeared nowhere.
[45] The virtues of Aidus. I, 51. But we are not sufficient to commit fully to parchment the good works and miracles of this holy prelate. For no one will be able to narrate his perfect charity, his wonderful humility, his untiring patience, his modest gentleness, his rigid abstinence, his assiduity of prayer. For the hands and the paper of the writer will fail sooner than his miracles and deeds.
[46] He leads a sinner dying with him into heaven. I, 52; III, 36. And this saint promised to one of the brothers that they would go together with him to the heavenly joys. Whence at the hour of the departure of the man 〈of God Dei or sancti has fallen out of both codices.〉 to heaven he said to him: "Prepare yourself, brother, that according to the agreement made you may go with me to heaven." But he resisting and protesting that he was unprepared, a certain countryman said to the saint: "Would," he said (s. u. d.) s. d. u. codd., "that you would tell me to go thus with you to heaven!" The saint said to him: "If you wish, wash yourself and lay yourself with me in this bed." And when he had done this, he died together with the saint. Which St. Columba, seeing in spirit, having dwelt so codd., read habitans. on the island of I in the ocean, said: "Firm is the work which the holy bishop Aydus has now done. Behold, now a sinner deserving punishment he leads with him to heaven by his merits and prayers." And St. Aydus, after Christ, 〈with omit codd.〉 his thief, today passed to heaven, where without sorrow he will reign for ever. Cf. Luke 23:43.
Here ends the Life of St. Aydus, bishop (explicit - episcopi) omits R2.. By whose merits may the fault [a place in R1 very indistinct; culpa was read by our friend T. R. Gambier Parry, one of the keepers of the Bodleian Library.] of the scribe be blotted out [(deleatur - scriptoris) cuius meritis deleatur dolor capitis scriptoris huius vite R2. Cf. Prelim. Comm., nos. 18–19.].
III. THE THIRD LIFE OF ST. AIDUS
Aidus, bishop of Killare in Ireland. (S.)
BHL Number: 0188
From the Dublin codex of Marsh's Library Z. 3. 1. 5 (= M), collated with the codex of Trinity College E. 3. 11 (= T) and with Colgan's edition. Cf. Preliminary Commentary, no. 4.
Here begins the Life of St. Edus Aidi here Colg., but for the most part Aed-. , bishop and confessor [Aedh mac Bric meic Cormaic meic Cri 〈m〉 thaind meic Fiachach meic Neill Naig 〈h〉 iallaigh adds M in another hand.]
[Scarcely anything remains that would seem to deserve explanation; for nearly everything that needed saying we have already annotated at the place in Life I that corresponds to each chapter of this recension. We therefore judge it sufficient here to note in the margin the numbers of the chapters of the first and second Lives where the same things are narrated.]
[1] Aidus's lineage. I, 1; II, 1. The most blessed bishop Edus, son omits Colg. of Bricht Bricc T; Briccii Colg. , sprang from the nobler stock of Ireland Hibernia T. (that is, from the seed of Cuind Cetcathaidh Chedchati T; (C. C.) Conni Kedchathaigh Colg. [This is the genitive of the name Cond or Conn, surnamed Cetchathach, that is, ἑκατοντάμαχος, or one who alone could withstand the onset of a hundred men; the surname is commonly understood and translated "of the hundred battles", but wrongly, as Plummer shows, Vitae Sanctorum Hiberniae, vol. II, p. 353, col. 1, under Cond Cetchatach. Some say that he ruled Ireland in the second century after Christ for thirty-five years, others for twenty; see Colgan, Acta Sanctorum Hiberniae, p. 422, col. 2, note 4.] , who reigned over Ireland at Tara in omits Colg. the greatest peace and the utmost fruitfulness caritate T. for twenty years). The mother of bishop Edus, however, came from Munster Memonia here and throughout T; Momonia Colg. , that is, from the region of Muscray Tire (M. T.) Muscrigae-Thiri Colg. , and she was herself etiam Colg. of quite noble birth. And when she mater eius Colg. was near her delivery of St. Edus, a certain quia T. prophet came past her house, Prodigies at his birth. and he said to his companions: "There is a woman of this house with child, whose time to bring forth has come. If, then, the infant she has in her womb should be born tomorrow at the morning hour, he would be great before God and men, in heaven and on earth; and his name and memory would remain throughout all Ireland for ever." Cf. Luke 1:15. A certain girl, hearing this, came at once illico T. and reported it to her mistress, who was then beginning to give birth pariture T. . She said: "Truly ultra Colg. , unless he comes veniet Colg. through my sides, he shall not go forth from thus M, T, Colg. my womb until that hour comes." And she sat illa adds T. down upon super (vel supra?) T; supra Colg. a rock, and remained sitting on it until the morning hour, against the pains of childbirth. This great wonder God worked at the birth of the infant St. Edus: for when his mother was exhausted at the morning hour, the infant's head fell upon super (vel supra?) T. the rock (s. p. c.) c. supra p.Colg. , and made a hollow in it (i. e.) omits Colg. in the likeness of a head; and to this day that stone remains thus hollowed, and the water that is omits Colg. in that hollow heals the infirmities of all who believe accedentium Colg. .
And having received the washing of baptism, St. Edus was brought up in secular dress in Munster Mumonia Colg. , in his mother's region, from his omits Colg. infancy infancia (the first i corrected above the line) T. until the age of youth. For his parents wished him to be a layman in his way of life; but the blessed boy Edus, divine grace breathing in him, kept himself unspotted in soul and body from unlawful omits T. worldly deeds. Cf. James 1:28.
[2] As a youth he meets Brendan of Birr and Cainnech. I, 2; II, 2. One day the blessed boy Edus, walking alone in the wilderness, found inven M; inuenit T, Colg. in a certain secret little cell on a remote island two holy elder et adds T. abbots, namely Brendan of Birr and Cainnech [(B. B. et K.) Brandanum Birra et Kannicum T; S. Brandanum Birrae et Cainnicum Colg.] , reading the Gospel in the shade of the trees; and as they talked together, the saints saw the boy drawing near to them (s. p.) se appropinquantem Colg. corrected above the line T. . When St. Brendan Brand- Colg., and so below. saw him, he rose to meet him and received him with joy. But St. Cainnech Kannicus T, and so henceforth; Cainnicus Colg. rebuked blessed Brendan because he had risen at the coming of an unknown boy (i. p.) p. i. Colg. . St. Brendan said to him: "Do you not see, Cainnech, what I see with him?" St. beatus T. Cainnech Cannicus Colg. said: "Truly I see nothing (n. e.) first written twice M. with him." Brendan said: "Behold, he is full of the grace of the Holy Spirit, and a host of angels accompanies him on every side; although today he is a boy in the world, yet he will be a holy bishop and a great pillar of the Church." Afterwards the saints and the blessed boy Edus blessed one another [That is, they greeted one another or bade one another farewell. For in Gaelic "to bless" is the same as to say hail and farewell.] , and he omits Colg. went back (r. e.) e. r. Colg. from them with joy.
[3] His upbringing. I, 3; II, 3. The blessed boy Edus was taught edoctus Colg. by no master in the liberal art in his boyhood, nor instructed in letters, nor polished in ecclesiastical rules, until the time of his adolescence adolencie before correction M. ; but, as we said above, he was nourished by the grace of God among common thus M, T. folk, unspotted corrected above the line M; omits Colg. in body and soul, in Munster Mumonia Colg. . When, therefore, he was a young man, he went to his own homeland, the region of Meath Mediae Colg. , He strives to obtain his paternal inheritance; to seek a share of his paternal omits Colg. inheritance. But his brothers gave him no share; for immediately after their father's death, while the boy himself was staying in a foreign country, they had divided it among themselves. But this displeased his kinsmen omits Colg. . Seeing this, the blessed youth Edus carried off with him to Munster thus M; Mumoniam Colg. a certain girl, the daughter of a certain powerful man, so that his brothers, distressed by this injury, might give him his inheritance in exchange for that girl. Having carried off the girl, Edus came with his companions past the monastery of the holy bishop Ilundus Illand-, and so henceforth Colg. , who, having left the world, governed monks. And the holy elder omits Colg. bishop Ilundus, seeing Edus outside, set at a distance from the crowd, and omits Colg. the angels of God with him, said to one of his disciples: "Go, but at the persuasion of St. Illundus, renouncing riches, and tell that young man who is apart on the road itinere T, Colg. to turn aside to me for a little." Blessed Edus, hearing the messenger of the saint of God, came humbly to the bishop. And he said to him omits T. : "Why, son, do you seek by force an earthly paternal inheritance in the margin M; (h. p.) p. h. T. (fili-terrenam) filii parvam haereditatem paternam per vim terrenam Colg. ? For behold, you have a Father whose inheritance is heaven and earth and all creatures; who will give you an inheritance far greater and better in heaven. Do not, then, seek by injury the land of mortals mortalem Colg. , but let this girl go free to her parents, and put your neck under the yoke of Christ." Blessed Edus answered him, saying: "Whatever quaecumque Colg. you tell me, he attaches himself to the same holy bishop, father, I omits Colg. am ready (s. p.) p. s. Colg. to do." And then the girl was sent back to her home; and everything that blessed Edus had in the world he left with a willing mind, and he himself stayed with St. beato Colg. Ilundus in his monastery, obedient to all his commands, and diligently (a. e. a). assidue apud eum T; (a. e. a.) omits Colg. learning discens T. letters and the Scriptures with him.
[4] and out of obedience he undertakes the work of ploughing. I, 4–7; II, 4. On another day his holy master said to blessed Edus (sanctus - dixit) suus sanctus d. b. Aedo Colg. : "Son, since the brothers are occupied with other omits Colg. matters, go and plough for us these days." The blessed boy Edus answered: "I will be obedient to your every command." One day someone came to him, reporting that one ox was lacking to him (d. s.) s. d. Colg. for his plough (i. a.) iaratro T. . The want of an ox is supplied by a miracle, Then blessed Edus, taking pity on the needy man, said to the boy who went before the plough: "Stop reciste T. for a while, brother." While he waited, the dutiful Edus (p. E.) beatus Aedus Colg. unyoked an ox from his own plough and gave it to the needy man. He himself thereafter omits Colg. ploughed with three oxen; and an ox bore the yoke on one side, and on omits M, T. the other side the divine power wonderfully upheld sustentabat Colg. and drew the yoke. and likewise of the ploughshare. In like manner St. Edus gave his coulter to another needy (a. i.) ii indigen corrected in the margin T. man (sanctus - homini) alteri hom. ind. S. Aedus Colg. ; and he afterwards began to plough without a coulter, but the divine power cleft the earth before him. The holy bishop Ilundus, seeing such great miracles worked through blessed Edus his pupil, At the instance of St. Illundus he withdraws from him said to him: "O omits Colg. son, you work great miracles; therefore you ought to be a master, and not a disciple. Go, then, to your mother's region, and build there a cell in the honour of Christ." St. Edus answered, and founds a monastery for himself. saying: "I must do, father, whatever you command." Then blessed Edus set out with certain disciples assigned to him (d. s.) s. d. T. ,
and founded a monastery which is called Enach Eanach Colg. Midbreuin; and he stayed there a long time, and worked great miracles. Cf. Ruth 1:8.
[5] About to ask the king for peace for his own people, I, 8–9; II, 5. Once omits Colg. the king of Munster Mumoniae Colg. gathered a great army, wishing to bring the Uí Néill under his rule. Hearing this, the king of the Uí Néill was terrified perteritus T. ; and gathering an army himself, he sent St. Edus to ask peace for that year between his mother's people and his father's people (rogaret-gentem) i. m. et p. g. interrogaret Colg. . the journey is made in a chariot borne up on one wheel. But as St. Edus was going to the camp of the men of Munster thus M; Memon-T; Mumon-Colg. , a wheel of his chariot broke on the level road; and the chariot ran on its other wheel without hindrance beneath the saint of God, borne up by the divine will (n. d.) d. n. Colg. . The crowds, greatly (h. v.) v. h. Colg. wondering at this, received recipiebant Colg. the saint of God with glory and honour; but even so he could not (a r. n. p.) n. p. a r. T. obtain peace from the king. Ps. 8:6. And as St. Edus was returning from the king without thanks, The king is punished for refusing peace, but repents of the deed. immediately the king's dear counsellor died, and the earth swallowed up two of his horses. Then the king, struck with fear, called St. Edus back, and going out to meet the saint, he prostrated himself three times on the ground before the man of God. And the holy man said to the king: "Three kings shall be of your seed." The king said to him: "You have, father, peace for this year." "Always," said the saint, "I shall have habeo Colg. peace from you, because your power shall not grow greater (m. c.) magis crescet Colg. ." And St. Edus, asked by the king and his omits Colg. people, raised that man and one horse to life; but the other horse he left in the earth, and he filled that place (i. l.) l. i. Colg. with a pool of water, which in Irish is called Loch Gabre (L. G.) Lochgabhra Colg. , but in Latin latin T. the Pool of the Horse edi M; egni T; equi Colg. . Then the name of Christ was magnified by many through St. Edus (nomen-est) nomen Aedi magnificatum est et nomen Christi per S. Aedum Colg. .
[6] Having gone into Meath, Aidus is ordained bishop. After this the most holy Edus (s. E.) S. Aedus Colg. was called to the region of Meath [thus M, unless Midhi is to be read, the place being indistinct; Midhi T; Midiae Colg.] , his homeland, and was ordained bishop; and at times he still dwelt conservabatur Colg. in Munster Mumonia Colg. , and he built cells and monasteries in both regions. One day, when the holy bishop had many reapers, Rain spares the saint's reapers. I, 10; II, 6. a great rain came down upon supra Colg. the land; but not one drop of rain fell on the crop of St. Edus (in - Edi) super segetem Aedi Colg. , and the drops scattered here and there seemed to avoid devitare T. the crop, as though they had some fear. And omits Colg. those who saw this miracle magnified the grace of Christ with Edus.
[7] He raises a dead friend to life I, 11; II, 7. A certain rich man in Munster Mumonia Colg. was a dear friend to the holy bishop, and offered optulit T. him many offerings and land. To him the holy pontiff Edus promised promisit T, Colg. , at his request, to give the sacrifice (Edus - sacrificium) Aedus, ipso rogante Dominicum sacrificium Colg. when the end of his life arrived veniente T. . But that rich man died while St. Edus was far away from him. St. episcopus adds T. Edus, seeing audiens Colg. this in the spirit, began to come to him swiftly, and sent his servant ahead of him, saying to him: "Go quickly to the dead man, and say in his ear: Shall I go there, or will he come to me?" And at once, at the voice of the pontiff's messenger, the dead man rose up whole, and at his request he obtains that he may die again. and signing himself, he came to St. Edus the bishop; and the saint said to him: "Do you wish to remain still in this life, or to go now to heaven?" He, choosing then to depart to heaven et adds T; (ille - celum) omits Colg. , received the Lord's communion from the hand of the holy omits Colg. bishop Edus, and fell asleep there in peace.
[8] Water turned into wine. I, 12; II, 8. When St. Edus the bishop came to a cell of holy virgins, they received him with great joy (c. g. m.) c. m. g. Colg. . Those vero adds Colg. virgins, preparing supper for the holy bishop, could then in no way find any other drink for him but water. And the pontiff said to them: "Bring us water from a pure spring [In the other recensions one reads "from the nearest spring". Perhaps that ought to have been restored here too. I do not know, however, whether this variant too does not yield a sense; for since the Irish took over the word "uisge", which once meant water, for a liquor made of barley (in fuller form "uisge beatha", which the Scots pronounce "usquebaugh"; in English the Gaelic name is written "whisky"), in order to signify water itself they added the adjective "glan", that is, pure or unmixed. See P. S. Dinneen, Focloir Gaedhilge agus Bearla. An Irish-English Dictionary (Dublin, 1904), p. 367, col. 1, under Glan-uisce (Irish Texts Society).] ." And when St. Edus the prelate episcopus Colg. blessed the water, sweet and strong (e. f.) omits Colg. wine was made from it. And the holy pontiff episcopus Colg. , giving thanks Deo adds Colg. , was filled with that wine together with his people, and the holy virgins with theirs eis Colg. . And three times the grace of God through St. Edus the bishop changed water into wine convertitur Colg. .
[9] When a herd scatters in flight, I, 13; II, 9. A certain man had many animals before him on the road, and by some chance they took fright and fled from him; and he could not non Colg. gather them. While the poor man was weeping, the kindly bishop Edus came along the road; and the man said to him tearfully: "Lord bishop, I have lost my animals for no reason." Then blessed Edus the bishop, taking pity on him, the saint stands by the herdsman. got down to the ground and omits Colg. prayed orans M, T; oravit Plummer. to God; whereupon that man's cattle came back to him from different places, and not even one (s. de) quidem ex Colg. of them was missing. Afterwards that man, blessing Deum et adds Colg. the holy bishop, went away with his cattle tamed.
[10] For the horses he had given to lepers, others are sent to him. I, 14; II, 10. Once, as he was making a journey, the holy bishop Edus found two lepers on the road, and gave them corrected above the line M; omits T. , when they asked alms elemosinam T. , the two horses of his chariot. And when his disciples rebuked the bishop for this (e. p. h. i.) p. h. i. episcopus Colg. , he said: "Let us wait here for certain men who are coming far (v. l.) l. v. Colg. behind me, bringing me two good horses." And when those men offered the horses to the holy bishop, his own discipuli adds Colg. people marvelled at his charity and his prophecy, giving thanks to Christ Deo Colg. .
[11] When the holy bishop came to the monastery of holy virgins A nun's penance I, 15; II, 11. which is called Druim Drum T. Ard, he was received by them with great joy. Looking upon them, the man of God knew cogitavit Colg. that one of them had then fallen into sin. Then she, knowing that the holy bishop knew cognovit Colg. her sin, confessed her fault before all and did penance.
[12] Three men whose throats were cut by robbers I, 16; II, 12. Certain robbers beheaded three men on the road by which St. Edus the bishop was going that day; but those robbers were held back by the divine will, and could not (sunt et nec) ut nec Colg. move potuerint Colg. from there until the holy bishop came to them. And when the holy pontiff rebuked them, they repented in their hearts; and the man of God released them by his word. And the holy man, wishing to wash the heads of the slain of their blood, found no water nearby. Then, when he blessed the face thus M, T; fontem Colg. of the earth et adds T. , a clear spring burst forth, which remains there to this day. The most holy bishop Edus (E. e.) episcopus Edus T. , joining autem adds Colg. the heads of those slain men omits Colg. to their bodies, he restores them to life. said to them in a loud voice before all: "In the name of my Lord Jesus Christ, rise up now (m. s.) s. m. Colg. to us." Whereupon at the bishop's S. Episcopi Colg. word they rose up joyful and whole, blessing Christ and their pontiff.
[13] He takes another man's headache upon himself. I, 17; II, 13. A certain man who suffered great maximum T. pain of the head in capite Colg. came to St. Edus, saying: "O saint of God, I am sorely afflicted with pain of the head et adds Colg. ; pray for me." The pontiff said to him: "In no way can this pain go out of you unless it comes upon me (in me) omits T. ; but you will have a great reward if you endure it patiently." He answered: "Lord, the pain is beyond my omits Colg. strength." St. tunc adds T. Edus said: "Let the pain of your head, O man, come into my head." And at once the pain went down into the head of the holy pontiff, and that man went away whole, giving thanks. So the servant of Christ took omits T; sanctus adds Colg. another's pain upon himself, [By the invocation of him pains of the head are healed, as a certain virgin also experienced.] so that per Christum adds Colg. he might help his neighbour, and so that after correction M. he might endure tolleraret T. martyrdom for Christ. And many afterwards twice M, but once deleted. , on invoking the name of St. Edus [At the invocation of the name of St. Edus the bishop men are healed of infirmity of the head, as here (p… T) in the margin M, T.] , are healed of pain of the head, as was proved in this matter
(p. e.) probatur T. : a certain holy virgin who had excessive pain of the head in capite Colg. invoked the name of St. Edus while placed far from him, and at once she was made whole of the pain of the head until her death.
[14] The queen of the king of Tara, that is, of Diarmait son of Cearball (f. C.) filia Cerbaill T. , Mugain by name (Diarmadanomine Diermitij fili Kerualli, cui nomen erat Mughaind Colg. , who was sprung (e. o.) o. e. T. from Munster, was barren and had no offspring; He obtains offspring for the barren queen of Ireland. I, 18. and she et rog. T; que omits Colg. asked St. Edus that she might have a son. And the saint said to her: "You shall have, lady queen, a son who will be a glorious king." And she bore a son, namely Aedh Aedum Colg. Slane, who was a great king (r. m.) m. r. Colg. of Tara, born through the prayer of St. Edus the bishop.
[15] He restores consumed food whole. I, 20; II, 15. Blessed Edus the bishop came to certain holy virgins who were (sanctas-erant) virgines beatas quae fuerant Colg. under the care of St. Kyaranus Ker- T, and so below; Kier- Colg., and so below. the abbot. Those virgins had tunc adds T; habuerunt Colg. a supper prepared for blessed Kyaranus, their patron, which they gave to St. Edus the bishop. But the bishop, knowing that the virgins were in a strait, since St. Kyaranus was near, said dicit Colg. to them: "Set out the vessels vasa T. of your food and drink just as sicuti Colg. they were fuerant T, Colg. before, and they will be full in the same way." And so they were found. And the supper, restored est adds Colg. by domino adds Colg. God through the grace of St. Edus episcopi et adds Colg. , was given again to St. beato Colg. Kyaranus by the blessed virgins.
[16] He is caught up into heaven. I, 23; II, 18. Once the holy elder Edus came to the cell of other virgins, and sat upon supra Colg. a rock before the door of the cell. And the holy bishop was caught up into heaven before them all, and after two hours he was let down upon the same rock; and omits Colg. all of them greatly (v. u. i.) u. i. v. Colg. marvelled. But the chasuble thus M, T; casula Colg., Plummer. omits T. which the blessed pontiff then left in that cell at the virgins' request remains there to this day with great honour.
[17] He raises a girl to life. I, 24; II, 19. A certain cruel soldier carried off a certain virgin (v. q. r.) r. q. v. Colg. , wishing to have her as in adds Colg. his wife; but when she arrived at that man's house, the virgin at once died. Hearing this, St. Edus went to him, rebuking him illum Colg. for his audacity; and he for vero Colg. his part did penance, and offered optulit T. himself to the bishop to take the monastic habit, and afterwards he was a faithful monk under the bishop's eius Colg. care. And St. Edus the bishop said to the dead virgin (v. m.) m. v. Colg. : "Rise, daughter, and come with us to your cell." She at once rose from death; and all rejoiced together in Christ with her (in-illa) cum illa cum Christo Colg. .
[18] He moves a boulder by a wonder; I, 25; II, 20. Once, when the brothers were digging around the monastery of St. Edus episcopi adds Colg. , they found a boulder which could not be moved from its place by any force. Seeing this, St. Edus commanded the boulder saxa T. before the brothers to go down into another place; and at once at the word of the holy Aedi adds Colg. bishop the boulder went down into ad Colg. another place. And St. Edus blessed it (q. s. E.) et S. Aedus illud Colg. , and health is given by God domino Colg. to certain people beside it through the blessing of the holy bishop.
[19] There were very wicked passim Colg. robbers on an island in the middle of a lake, and likewise a lake, I, 26–27; II, 21. who did much harm to the region omits Colg. round about. And the holy bishop Edus omits Colg. wished to drive them out from there, and could not. He said to them: "This illud Colg. lake shall be obedient to me." And the following night that lake went out of its place into the region of the Connachta Connactorum T; Connachtorum Colg. , and stood there in a certain plain; as a certain prophet had foretold. and it is called in Irish Loch na hAidche (L. na hA.) Lochna hIche T; Lochna hoidhche Colg. , that is, the Lake of the Night, because it arrived there in the night. For thus a certain prophet named Becc Beggus-Mac-de Colg. had said: "A lake of water will come here by night because of the command of the holy omits T. bishop Edus."
[20] He stands by a poor debtor, I, 28; II, 22. A certain man was being compelled by his lord, a certain magician, to pay his debt, namely a herd of swine. And he came to St. Edus, so that he might ask a respite for him from his lord. But the magician would not grant this omits T. . The holy bishop said to him: "I will pay you the debt for him. and punishes the greedy creditor." And that magician, receiving the swine from the holy pontiff, went away rejoicing to his suam adds Colg. house, and shut the sty upon the swine. But in the morning he found the sty shut, but the swine not at all. Then he perceived sensit T. that the magic miagia Colg. art avails nothing nichil T. against Christianity.
[21] A king refusing to hear the saint I, 29; II, 23. Once the leader of Tedbe Theaffae Colg. came to lay waste a certain quendam T. people in the region of Meath Midiae Colg. ; and St. Edus (s. E.) E. s. T. was asked omits M, T. by the inhabitants of that istius Colg. people to go out to meet him and omits T. to seek peace from him. Hearing this, the leader said to his army: "Let us go swiftly before the bishop St. Edus omits Colg. comes to us. is hindered by heaven" The man of God, knowing this, made the sign against them [Understand that the saint made the sign of the cross against the enemies; about which the other recensions are silent.] . But as they were entering a certain river on the border of that people and of the region of Tedbe Theaffae Colg. , their horses stood motionless in the ford until the holy bishop came to them (pervenit-episcopus) ad eos s. e. p. Colg. . He said to them: "Go back, good men, lest something worse befall thus M, T, Colg. you, for neither you nor your horses will be able to go further (l. i.) i. l. Colg. from here. Cf. John 5:14." Then they, doing penance, were released, and returned empty-handed to their own suam T; suos Colg. , glorifying the holiness of the most blessed bishop Edus (E. e.) e. E. T. .
[22] The want of calves is supplied I, 30; II, 24. As the holy elder omits Colg. Edus was walking on the road, a certain sorrowful man met him, saying: "Lord omits Colg. , I have ten cows vaccas T. ; and behold, just now all their calves have been devoured by wolves lupis T, Colg. , except one." The holy bishop said to him: "Gather the mud that clings to my staff. And having mixed it with water, sprinkle with it the cows and the living calf. If you do this, the cows will love it greatly and will give their milk." And so it was done. At which that man rejoiced greatly with his household gaudebat Colg. , because they grieved dolebat Colg. not for the calves, but for the mothers and their milk.
[23] To save a condemned man from punishment, he walks upon the sea. I, 31; II, 25. The parents of an only son came (venerunt) ne corrected above the line T. to St. Edus, asking him that after correction M. he would seek the release of that only eorum adds Colg. son, whom the king of Meath Midiae Colg. was holding in chains in order to destroy him. And the holy elder went with them to the island of the lake of Lebayn Lebuin T; Lebein Colg. , where the king was; but the holy bishop was not allowed onto ad Colg. the island. For there was (erat enim) quia erat Colg. an edict from the king that the man of God should not be brought onto ad Colg. the island. Knowing this, St. Edus trod the water as though it were dry land, and omits T. walked with dry suis Colg. feet onto the island to the king. The king, seeing a very great miracle done before him omits M, T. , gave the prisoner to the holy pontiff. The servant of God, blessing the king, gave him back free to God [something has fallen out in the codices; (l. D.) liberum suis parentibus Deo et S. Aedo Colg.] , who gave thanks.
[24] A murderer is punished. I, 32; II, 26. Once a cruel and unhappy man cut the throat of another beside St. Edus. The holy bishop's charioteer said to him: "May your hand perish and fall from you, because you have not shown honour to the saint of God." And the holy bishop Edus said: "You have spoken well to this wretched man (h. m. h.) homini misero Colg. ; for in this hour he would have died had you not spoken this word. For when man wishes (h. v.) v. h. Colg. to take vengeance, God (v. D.) iudicare Dominus Colg. does not wish it. Therefore now, because you have said this, God has given him omits Colg. a respite of this year in which to repent; but when this year (h. a.) a. h. T. is completed, on this day (i. h. d.) hoc die Colg. he will die." Cf. Deut. 32:35. And so it came to pass.
[25] He sees and reveals a demon suggesting evil counsel. I, 34; II, 28. The blessed old man Edus the bishop omits Colg. went to the leader Baithenus to set free a certain free woman whom the leader was compelling to be ipsius adds Colg. his bondwoman. The proud leader said to him: "In no way will I let her go." The holy man said to him: "If you saw the one who is persuading you omits Colg. to this, you would let her go at once." The leader said: "Truly, I will let her go if I see him." The saint said: "You will not be able to bear the terror of his face." But when the leader pressed his demand earnestly (g. p.) p. g. Colg. , the saint que omits Colg. signed him and his men. At once a demon omits Colg. appeared before them illos T; (a. e.) coram eis Colg. , and they omnes adds Colg. were terrified and became as if dead; and scarcely by the prayers
of the holy bishop viri Colg. were they called back to life (ad-sunt) revocati sunt ad V. Colg. . Cf. Matt. 28:4. And omits T. so he freed that woman from servitude.
[26] and likewise on another occasion demons rejoicing over a sin. I, 35; II, 29. St. Edus the bishop entered the house of a certain soldier omits Colg. in which there was stolen goods; and the master iam (?) T. of the house rejoiced (d. g. e.) gaudebat Colg. at the holy old man's coming. As they talked together, that soldier saw (i. m. v.) v. m. i. Colg. St. Edus constantly looking into the corner where the stolen goods were; and when he asked the man of God why he kept looking at in adds Colg. that place, he said to him: "Do not inquire, son." When that soldier begged with great entreaty, the saint said to him: "Stolen goods are there, and omits Colg. demons upon them, licking cumbentes Colg. them omits Colg.. and playing over them." He said: "Show them to me, lord bishop (i. d. e.) d. e. i. Colg. ." The saint said: "Do not wish to see the foul thetros T. demons." But when he kept insisting troublesomely, the man of God showed illi T. him the demons (postulans-demones) omits Colg. ; and when he saw vidisset Colg. the forms of the demons, he came near to death; and scarcely by the prayer orationibus Colg. of the saint did he regain thus M. life.
[27] A king resisting the saint is struck with blindness. I, 37; II, 31. A certain leader of Munster Momonia Colg. , resisting the holy sancta adds Colg. old man Edus in some matter, suddenly omits Colg. lost the light of his eyes and was made factus Colg. blind. Afterwards, doing penance, he offered optulit T. great offerings and fields to St. Edus; and at once, when the man of God after correction M; omits T. prayed for him (o. v. D. p. e.) v. D. o. p. e. Colg. , his eyes were opened corrected above the line T. and he recovered reperit T. his sight.
[28] A bondwoman restored to freedom. I, 38; II, 32. The holy old man Edus's omits Colg. care was greatly for freeing men from prisons and from unjust servitude. He asked of a certain king for a young girl whom he was condemning out of spite et inique Colg. , but the king refused to let her go. For kings were harsh and rough towards St. Edus, but by the divine will they were compelled to do his will. And the saint .s. adds T. said to that omits Colg. young girl, who was then present before correction presente M; presente T. : "Follow us, daughter." She at this word followed the saint of God. But no one of the king's army saw her following the saint of God (sed-Dei) omits Colg. through the midst of the crowds. And the holy Dei Colg. man, coming out of the camp, sent her free to her own suos Colg. . At this the king with the others suis Colg. marvelled greatly.
[29] Murderers are punished by heaven. I, 40; II, 34. Men full of malice, meeting St. Edus on the royal road which is called Slighe Slige T. Assail (S. A.) Sligeassuil Colg. , killed one of his household, whom he loved, as he passed before him. And the holy man, leaving that road, came away from there sorrowful in cum Colg. great grief, and stood in another part of the plain; and behold (e. e.) twice M. , an angel of the Lord appeared there ei Colg. , saying to him omits Colg. : "Had you not come here thus from that place, the earth would have swallowed up all of them (o. i.) i. o. T. before you omits Colg. ; and a fire would have been kindled on that very spot which would have remained unquenchable extinguibilis before correction M. until ad T. the day of judgement iudiciicii M. as a sign of vengeance; yet they will perish quickly (c. p.) p. c. Colg. by a most wretched death." And so it befell contingit M (first hand), T. all of them.
[30] He punishes women washing their heads on Saturday evening. I, 41; II, 35. When certain women (q. m.) m. q. T. wished to wash their heads on the night of the Lord's day, St. Edus said to them: "What do you wish to do?" They say to him: "We wish to wash our heads." The saint said to them: "Do not do it, because it is the night of the Lord's day." They, not obeying the holy beato T. bishop, washed their heads. Cf. Luke 6:2. But rising in the morning, all the hair comma T. fell from their heads. Seeing this they wept, and came sorrowful to St. Edus, and did penance before him (e. c. e.) c. eo eg. Colg. . The holy pontiff blessed them, saying: "Bear your disgrace ignominiam T, Colg. today; and tomorrow, when you wash, your heads will be covered with new and wonderful hair commis T. . Cf. 1 Cor. 11:14–15." And so it came to pass.
[31] St. Edus the bishop (E. e.) e. E. T. came to the island of Bo Finde Bofindhe (thus) M; Bofinne T; Bofinde Colg. , The saint changes meat into other foods. I, 45; II, 39. that is, of the White Cow vaccae Colg. , which is in Loch Righ Ri T; Righe Colg. . St. Ryoch Rioc T; Riocc Colg. , abbot of that place, received him with honour. For there is a famous monastery on that island, which is named from the name of the island. And that abbot (i. a.) omits Colg. set a great supper of meat before the holy bishop. But blessed Edus the bishop would not noluit Colg. eat commedere T. meat, and he blessed that meat; and from it einde before correction M. were made loaves and fish pisses T. and honey. Cf. Luke 24:42. And seeing this miracle they ate them with the bishop, giving thanks to Christ.
[32] Food given by a miracle. I, 46; II, 40. St. Edus the bishop visited St. Henanus Enanum T, and so henceforth. the hermit, who lived in omits T. the place where there is now a famous monastery in his honour, which is called Druim Drum T. Raith; and the most blessed Henanus (b. H.) B. Henanus Colg. asked St. Edus to take a charitable meal with him; but omits Colg. he had nothing except vegetables and water. Seeing this, the holy pontiff, smiling, said to St. Henanus's servant: "Go, brother, serve us food sufficiently." And that brother minister T. , going back to offer quodam T. some vegetable olus T. , found his kitchen full of every kind of food. All, seeing and hearing this omits T. , gave glory to God, saying: "God is wonderful in his saints. Ps. 67:36."
[33] A huge log is moved at his command. I, 47; II, 41. The holy old man Edus (s. E.) omits Colg. the bishop went away to visit the most blessed Lasreanus (b. L.) S. Lazrenum Colg. , who governed many monks on an island set in Lough Erne Erneo Colg. , which the Irish name Daimh Hynis (D. H.) Damhinis Colg. , that is, the Island of the Oxen bovium first hand M; (Daimhboum) Bohinnis, id est bovinam insulam T. . And St. Edus found the blessed father Lasreanus Lazreanum Colg. and his brothers working outdoors, and he said to them: "What work shall I do for you (o. a. v.) vobis operis faciam Colg. ?" St. Lasreanus said to him: "Your work is to move this log from its place." That log was very great and old in the ground. Then St. Edus (s. E.) E. s. T. in the name of Christ commanded the log to depart descenderet Colg. from its place et adds Colg. . That huge log at once statim Colg.; (lignum-ilico) ilico illud ingens l. T. was lifted up in the likeness similitudine M. of a bird, and leaping across, threw (t. p.) prosiliens provexit Colg. itself into the sea. And seeing this miracle, they gave praise to God.
[34] A place fit for founding a monastery, I, 48; II, 42. When St. Edus began to build edifficare T. a monastery in a certain place, an angel of the Lord said to him: "You ought not to build a cell here." St. Edus said: "Where, then, ought omits Colg. I?" The angel answered: "That man's fort has been given to you by the Lord; there now through (i. p.) itaque a Colg. you many souls will go to heaven." Hearing this, that rich man, that is, the lord of that istius Colg. fort, was greatly displeased ipsi Colg. ; and he swore that he would never give his fort to St. Edus. One day, when the holy bishop entered that fort, that man fled from his fort so as not to see the holy omits Colg. pontiff. against the will of its lord, he wonderfully claims it for himself. And at once he was struck with a grave sickness, even unto death. St. Edus said to his men: "Bring him to me." And when he had been brought, the saint said to him: "Trust in the Lord and do penance." Then that rich man offered that fort with its agris adds Colg. lands to God Domino Colg. and to St. Edus. Whereupon St. Edus said: "Choose now either to be here (m. h.) h. m. Colg. alive and whole (v. et s.) s. et v. Colg. from this sickness usque adds Colg. for a time, or to depart now to heaven." He, choosing to go at once to heaven, received cepit T; dominici corporis et sanguinis adds Colg. the holy sacrifice from the pontiff, and died there happily. And in that fort the holy bishop established instruit Colg. a monastery, which is called nominatur Colg. after the name of St. Edus.
[35] He makes a poisoned pit wholesome. I, 50; II, 44. A poisoned pit appeared in that region through a cleft in the earth (p. h. t.) pariatum terra M, T. , and a smoke came out of it which caused a deadly plague to men and beasts. Then the inhabitants of that istius Colg. region asked St. Edus the bishop to help them against that ista Colg. pestilence. Cf. Rev. 9:2. And the man of God went with them to that istum Colg. place, and blessed that pit (i. c.) cisternam illam Colg. in the name of God; and from that hour the smoke vanished from it, and afterwards it did no (n. p.) p. n. Colg. harm. At this there was omits Colg. great joy among that people, who rejoiced in God through his saint.
[36] He leads a sinner who dies with him into heaven. I, 52; II, 46, Once the most blessed bishop Edus (b. e. E.) S. Aedus Colg. promised one brother, who asked him to go with him together into heaven (i. i. c.) in celum ire Colg. , that he should come with him to the kingdom of Christ. And when the day came for the most holy beatissimi Colg. bishop Edus (e. E.) E. e. T. to depart from this world, he said to the brother: "Prepare yourself, brother, to depart with me to heaven." But he then omits Colg. did not wish to depart from this world. A certain peasant, arriving at that very illa Colg. hour to visit the holy old man Edus the bishop, said to him: "Would that you would say to me, holy bishop: Come with me into paradise paradisum T, Colg. ." The pastor of the Church, St. Edus (ecclesie-Edus) s. eccl. p. Edus T. the bishop, said to him: "Prepare yourself, good man, and lie down with me in this bed." The man did so, and with a joyful mind he died (h. o.) o. h. T. happily in that hour (f. i. h.) i. h. f. Colg. together with the most blessed bishop Edus. St. Columba Cylle Chille T; Kille Colg. , seeing this in the spirit on the island of Hya Hia T. , said to his brothers: "Our brother, the holy old man Edus the bishop (sanctus-episcopus) Aedus et sanctus episcopus Colg. , has just done a great and steadfast work. For behold, he is leading with him into ad Colg. heaven a sinner and one who did not deserve it, and no power of the demons is able to resist him. Cf. Luke 23:43." And the most blessed pontiff Edus (p. E.) Aedus episcopus Colg. , with his peasant (s. r.) r. s. Plummer. , after the example of Christ with his thief, departed to heaven amid the choirs of angels singing sweet songs, on the fourth of the Ides of November, our Lord Deo adds T. Jesus Christ reigning (regnante-Christo ubi regnat dominus noster Iesus Christus Colg. , to whom be magnificence from every creature, with the same eo before correction M; eodem omits Colg. God the Father and the Holy Spirit, who lives and reigns without end for all ages of ages. Amen.
Conclusion. Here ends the Life of St. Edus, bishop and confessor (explicit-confessoris) omits Colg. .