Columba's Relations with Ireland — Continued

COLUMBA'S RELATIONS WITH IRELAND — CONTINUED. Cordial intercourse of Columba with the Irish princes.— Prophecy upon the future of their sons. — Domnall, the king's son, obtains the privilege of dying in his bed. — Columba visits the Irish monasteries. — Popular enthusiasm. — Vocation of the young idiot afterwards known as St. Ernan. — Solicitude of Columba for the distant monasteries and monks. — He protects them from excessive labors and accidents. — He exercises authority over laymen. — Baithen, his cousin-german and principal assistant. The respect shown to both in an assembly of learned men.

Cordial In the national parliament of Drumceitt whicn between*^^*^ saved the bards, and where all the ecclesiastical chiefs of the Irish nation, along with their princes and provincial kings, were assembled, Columba, already invested by his apostolical labors with great power and authority, found himself surrounded by public homage, and tokens of universal confidence. To all the kings, whose kinsman and friend he was, he preached peace, concord, the pardon of affronts, and the recall of exiles, many of whom had found shelter in the island monastery which owed its existence to his own exile.^*^^ Nevertheless, it was not without trouble that he obtained from the supreme monarch the freedom of a young priace, named Scaiidlan, son of the chief of Ossory, whom Aedh detained in prison, in con-/tempt of his sworn faith, and of an agreement to which Co- Pro hecies ^'^'^^'*^ himself had been a witness. The noble abbot went to the prisoner in his dungeon, blessed him, and predicted to him that he should be twice exiled, but that he should survive his oppressor, and reign for thirty years in his paternal domain. The king yielded on this point, but with a bad grace; he feared the influence of the illustrious exile, and had seen him return to Ireland with dissatisfaction. His eldest son had publicly ridiculed the monks of lona, and had thus drawn upon himself the curse of Columba, which brought misfortune, for he was afterwards dethroned and assassinated. But the king's second son Domnall, who was still young, took openly the part of the Abbot of lona, who predicted for him not only a long and glorious

'^« Adamnan, 1. 11, 13.

reign, but the rare privilege of dying in his bed, on the condition of receiving the Holy Communion every eight days, and of keeping at least one in seven of his promises i*^''— a somewhat satirical limit, which betrays either the old contradictory spirit of the converted Niall, or the recollection of his own legitimate resentment against certain princes. His prophecy, extremely improbable as it was, in a country where all the princes perished on the battle-field or by a violent death, was nevertheless fulfilled. Domnall, who was the third successor of his father, following after two other kings who were destroyed by their enemies, had a long and prosperous reign; be gained numerous victories, marching to battle under a banner blessed by St. Columba, and died, after an illness of eighteen months, in his bed, or, as Columba specified, with a precision which marks the rareness of the occurrence, on his down-bed.^^^ His father, although reconciled to Columba, did not escape the common law. The groat abbot bestowed upon him his monastic cowl, promising that it should always be to him as an impenetrable cuirass. After this, he never went into battle without putting on his friend's cowl above his armor. But one day when he had forgotten it, he was killed in a combat with the King of Lagenia or Leinster.i'^9 Columba had previously warned him against waging war with the people of Leinster, which was the country of his mother, and which he loved with that impassioned clan or family aff'ection which is so distinctive a feature in his character. The Lagenians had not lost the opportunity of working upon this sentiment; for one day, when he was at his Abbey of Durrow, upon their boundary, a numerous assembly of all ages, from children to old men, came to him, and, surrounding him, pleaded with such animation their kindred with his mother, that they obtained from him the promise, or prophecy, that no king should ever be able to overcome them, so long as they fought for a just cause.^^*^

There is no doubt that, after the assembly of He visits Drumceitt, Columba made many journeys to Ire- lllonasteland. The direction of the various monasteries "eswhich he had founded there before his voluntary exile, and

'" Irish MS. quoted by Reeves, p. 38.

"*^ " Super plumatiunculara." — Adamn.vn, i. 15. Compare c. 10. '^' Lynch, Cambrensis Eversus, with Kelly's notes, 17, ID. — O'Donnell, book i. c. CO.

"" " Id prolixe afHicteque allegata cognatione flagitantcs." — O'Donxell, loc. cit. Compare Keeves, p. 2'il. of which he had kept the government in his own hands, must have led him often back; but after that assembly, his visits were always made notable by miracles of healing, prophecy, or revelation, and still more by the tender solicitude of his paternal heart. Sometimes, towards the decline of his life, while traversing a hill}^ or marshy country, he travelled in a car, as St. Patrick had done; but the care with which his biographers note this fact, proves that formerly the greater part of his journeys had been made on foot.i'i He did not limit himself to communities of which he was the superior or founder; he loved to visit other monastic sanctuaries also, such as that of Clonmacnoise, whose importance has already been pointed out.i"^ And on such occasions the crowding and eagerness of the monks to pay their homage to the holy and beloved old man was redoubled; they left their outdoor work, and, crossing the earthen intrenchraent, which like the vallum of Roman camps, enclosed the Celtic monasteries, came to meet him, chanting hymns. When they came up to him, they prostrated themselves on the ground at his feet, ere they embraced him; and in order to shelter him from the crowd during the solemn processions which were made in his honor, a rampart of branches was carried like a dais by four men, who surrounded him, treading with equal steps.^'^^ An ancient author even goes so far as to say, that on the occasion of his return and prolonged stay in his native country, he was invested with a sort of general supremacy over all the religious of Ireland, both monks and nuns.^"^ Vocation of During the journey from Durrrow to Clonmac- Itterwards "^^^^^i Columba made a halt at one of his own monasknown as tories, whoro a poor little scholar, '' of thick speech, st.Ernan. ^^^ ^^qj j^q^q heavy aspoct," whom his superiors employed in the meanest services, glided into the crowd, and stealthily approaching the great abbot, touched the end of his robe behind him, as the Canaanitish woman touched the robe of our Lord. Columba, perceiving it, stopped,

1-1 (ipej. loca aspera et inaquosa.... Pergunt sic tota die per loca aspera, coenosa et saxosa." — O'Donnell, book iii. c. 17. Compare Adam- NAX, ii. 43.

"- See ante, p. 716.

¹⁷³ " Undique ab agellulis monasterio vicinis... congregati... egressi... vallum nionasterii, unanimes pergunt.... Quamdam de lignis pyramidem erga sanctum deambulantem constringentes... ne sanctus senior fratrum multitudinis constipatione molestaretur." — Adamnan, i. 3.

'''* Vita S. Farannani Confcssoris, loth February, c. 3, in Colgan, Ada SS. Ilibernics, p.' 377. This author, who wrote only in the thirteenth century, cannot be considered of great authority. turned round, and, taking the child by the neck, kissed him. " Away, away, little fool! " cried all the spectators. '' Patience, my brethren," said Columba: then turning to the boy, who trembled with fear, " My son," he said, " open thy mouth and show me thy tongue." The child obeyed, with increasing timidity. The abbot made the sign of the cross upon his tongue, and added, " This child, who appears to you so contemptible, let no one henceforward despise him. He shall grow every day in wisdom and virtue; he shall be reckoned with the greatest among you; God will give to this tongue, which I have just blessed, the gift of eloquence and true doctrine." ^'^ The boy grew to manhood, and became celebrated in the churches of Scotland and Ireland, where he was venerated under the name of St. Ernan. He himself told this prophecy, so well justified by the event, to a contemporary of Adamnan, who has preserved all the details for us.

These journeys, however, were not necessary to x^^^j^pr p^re prove Columba's solicitude for the monks who filled of columba his monasteries. He showed the same care when taut monks distant as when at hand, by the help of that mirac- t^de™""*^' ulous foresight which came to the assistance of his paternal anxiety in all their spiritual and temporal necessities. One day, after his return from Ireland, he was heard to stop suddenly short in the correspondence or transcription in which he had been engaged in his little cell in lona, and cry with all his strength, "Help, help! " This cry was addressed to the guardian angel of the community, and the appeal was made on behalf of a man who had fallen from the top of the round tower which was then being built at Durrow, in the centre of Ireland — so great was his confidence in what he himself called the indescribable and lightningspeed of the flight of angels; and greater still was his trust

i-a '« Valde despectus vultu et habitu... cervicem pueri tenet, ipsunique trahens ante faciera suam statuit. Omnibus diecntibus.... Dimittc, ditnitte, quare hunc infelicein et injuriosum retines puerum.... Sinite, fratres, hunc.... O fill, aperi os et porrige linguam... cum ingenti treniore. ... In hac vcstra congregatione grandis est futurus et lingua ejus salubri et doctrina et eloquentia a Deo donabitur. Hie erat eminens... postea per omnes Scotiae ecclesias famosus ct valde notissinms: qui lia;c omnia supra scripta verba Segineo abbatl de se prophetata enarravit, meo decessore Failbco intcntius audiente... cujus revelationc et ego ipse cognovi luce eadeni quae enarravi." — Adamnav, i. 3. St. Ernan died in 635. M. de la Viiiemarque bas cited tbis incident in his Legends Celtique, as a type of the initiation of the children of barbarians into intellectual life by means of the monasteries.

72 ST. COLUMBA,

in their protection.^'^ Another time, at lona, in a day of chilly fog, such as occurs often in that sombre climate, he was suddenly seen to burst into tears. When asked the reason of his distress, he answered, '' Dear son, it is not without reason that I weep. At this very hour I see my dear monks of Durrow condemned by their abbot to exhaust themselves in this dreary weather building the great round tower of the monastery, and the sight overwhelms me." The same day, and at the same hour, as was afterwards ascertained, Laisran, the abbot of Durrow, felt within himself something like an internal flame, which reawakened in his heart a sentiment of pity for his monks. He immediately commanded them to leave their work, to warm themselves, and take some food, and even forbade them to resume their building until the weather had improved. This same Laisran afterwards came to deserve the name of Consoler of the Monks, so much had he been imbued by Columba with that supernatural charity which, in monastic life, as in every other Christian existence, is at once a light and a flame, ardens et lucens}"''^ Authority Columba not Only retained his superior jurisdicover^thiT"^^ tion over the monasteries which he had founded in laymen. Ireland, or which had been admitted to the privileges of his foundations, but he also exercised a spiritual authorit}', which it is difficult to explain, over various laymen of his native island. On one occasion, he is known to have sent his cousin, friend, and principal disciple to the centre of Ireland, to Drum-Cuill, to pronounce sentence of excommunication against a certain family, whose crime, however, is not specified. This disciple Avas Baithen, whom we have seen to be one of Columba's companions from the moment of his exile, and who warned his superior against the fumes '"^ " In tuguriolo suo scribens.... Auxiliare, auxiliare.... Duo fratrcs adjanuum sancti... causam talis subtae vocis interrogant.... Angelo qui nunc inter vos stabat, jussi.... Valde mirabilis et pene indicibilis est angelici violatus pernicitas, fulgure ut aestimo, celeritati paritas." — Adamnan, iii. 15.

'" "Quanta animi teneritudine... et quam mirabili divinitus infusa3 scientiae dono... non secus ac si oculis praesentes essent, intuebatur." —O'DoNNELL, ii. 65. "Quadara brumali et valde frigida die, niagno molestatus marore, flevit.... Non immerito, filiole, ego hac in hora contristor, meos videns monachos quos Laisrannus nunc gravi fatigatos labors in alicujus majoris domus fabrica raolestat... eodeni momento hora; Laisrannus... quasi quadam pyra intrinsecus succensus." — Adamnan. i. 29. Compare book iii. c. 15 for a similar incident relating to the same Monastery of Durrow and its round tower. Abbot Laisran was a near relative of Columba, and became his third successor at lona. of pride, at the time when the bards began to express their enthusiastic gratitude. The gentle Baithen, when he had arrived at the appointed place, after having passed the whole night in prayer under an oak, said to his companions, *' No, I will not excommunicate this family before making sure that it will not repent. I give it a year's respite, and during the year the fate of this tree shall be a warning to it." Some time after the tree was struck by lightning; but we are not informed if the family thus warned was brought to repentance.

Baithen was a man of tender soul, of whom we would fain speak at greater length, if it were not needful to circumscribe the wide and confused records of Celtic hagiography. Columba compared him to St. John the Evangelist; he said that his beloved disciple resembled him who was blie beloved disciple of Christ, by his exquisite purity, his penetrating simplicity, and his love of perfection.!''^ And Columba was not alone in doing justice to the man who, after having been his chief lieutenant in his work, was to become his first successor. One day in an assembly of learned monks, probably held in Ire-

1 1 -n- ±. ¹ 11- 1-n Testimony

land, i^intan, a very learned and very wise man,!'^ totheciuirand also one of the twelve companions of Columba's boTufrom exile, w^as questioned upon the qualities of Baithen. ^lyff"^' " Know," he answered^ '• that there is no one on this i^amed side of the Alps who is equal to him in knowledge of the Scriptures, and in the greatness of his learning." " What! " said his questioners — *^ not even his master, Columba? " " I do not compare the disciple with the master," answered Fintan. " Columba is not to be compared with philosophers and learned men, but wnth patriarchs, prophets, and apostles. The Holy Ghost reigns in him; he has been cho-

¹⁷⁹ u Nolo hac vice banc familiam excoramunicare donee sciam an ad pocnitentiara convertatur, an non.... Dicebat quod ... in innocentia sincerissima et in simplicitate prudentissima, et in disciplina rigoris perfectorum opcrum non dissimiles fuerunt."— Act. SS. Bolland., vol. ii. June, p. 2.';8. Let us add what these Actes relate of his incessant fervor in prayer "Cum iter aliquod faceret aut alioquin alloqueretur... manus suas sub vestimento suo ad orandum Deum menti alacri interim dirigebat.... Inter duas particulas ori appositas, siniul inter duo sorbiliuncula... et quod difficilius est, tempore metendi cum manipulum in terra coUectum porturet ad ccrviccm, alterna brachia ad coelum extendens, Tonantem interpellabat." — Ibid., p. 237.

"^ So much so, that the Bollandists suppose this Fintan, described as filius Lappani in the Acts of St. Baithen, to bo the same as the Fintan, Jilius Aidi, of Adamnan, book ii. c. 32. Compare Keeves, p. 14^.

VOL. IL 7 sen by God for the good of all. He is a sage among all sages, a king among kings, an anchorite with anchorites, a monk of monks; and in order to bring himself to the level even of laymen, he knows how to be poor of heart among the poor; ^^'^ thanks to the apostolic charity which inspires him, he can rejoice with the joyful, and weep with the unfortunate. And amid all the gifts which God's generosity has lavished on him, the true humility of Christ is so royally rooted in his soul, that it seems to have been born with him." It is added that all the learned hearers assented unanimously to this enthusiastic eulogium.