Nennius, Prosper and Benin It is assumed above, on the authority of Ussher and Camden, that Nennius lived in the ninth century. But Mr. Gale, the last learned editor of his works, states that he flourished about the year 620, "Claruit Nennius anno post Christum, 620." Nennius himself relies on the most learned of the Scoto-Hibernians, in his narrative of Irish affairs and in his account of Saint Patrick, some of whose works he mentions by name :* a plain proof that the history of our pious missionary had not been invented by the British historian, but written prior to his time. St. Prosper, of Aquitain, a contemporary of Saint Patrick, speaking of Pope Celestine, uses the following remarkable expressions. "Ordinato Scotis episcopo, dum Romam insulam studet servare Catholicam, fecit etiam barbaram Christianam."-" Having ordained a bishop for the Scots, whilst he studied to preserve the Roman Island (Britain) Catholic, he also made the barbarous island (Ireland) Christain." It is evident that in this passage, Prosper did not allude to Palladius, who is mentioned as having been sent to this country, a little Nennius speaks of the " abjectoria" of Saint Patrick. Bayle classes these (which he styles abjectoria) amongst his works. Bishop Tirechan alludes to them, in the following terms :-" St. Patrick baptized men daily, and taught them letters and abjectoriæ." Nennius probably borrowed his account of the matter from Ultan's book-the source from which Tirechan had derived his information. He draws a parallel betwixt Moses and Saint Patrick, in nearly the very words of Tirochan.-See Usser. Brit. Eccl. Ant. p. 640, and Nenn. Hist, Brit. c. 59, 60, 61. apud Gale, p. 613. speak of Saint Patrick. before, by Pope Celestine, and as having failed in his efforts to convert the Irish nation. It is applicable only to Saint Patrick, for we have no account whatever, of any other successful missionary deputed, by Pope Celestine, to the kingdom of Ireland. Nennius's account of this matter corresponds exactly with that given by Prosper. From him we learn that Palladius had been sent by Celestine to convert the Scots, i. e. the Irish, but he was unsuccessful in his misssion, left Ireland (Hibernia), and came to Great Britain, where he died in the land of the Picts. Celestine having heard of his decease, deputed St. Patrick to complete the work which Palladius had merely commenced.* A life of the Irish apostle was written by his contemporary Patrick the younger, and another by Saint Benin or Benignus, about the end of the 5th century. The third life, (printed in the Tria. Thaum. and attributed by Colgan, to Benignus,) contains various passages which were used by Jocelyn in his biographical account of Patrick. That writer enumerates Benignus amongst the four authors from whom he borrowed the materials of his work. Nenn. p. 55, 56. Usser. Prim. p. 812,859. Objection against Saint Fiech's There is yet extant an Irish hymn, composed by Saint Fiech, bishop of Sletty, a contemporary of Saint Patrick, and a disciple of Saint Dubtach. A Latin translation of this work is annexed, by Colgan, to the original Irish, and neither Ussher, Ware, nor Harris have expressed any doubt of its authenticity. Dr. Ledwich, however, asserts that it is spurious, because the poet, he says, appeals to "old histories."* Now this is either a mere misrepresentation of the original téxt, or, rather, perhaps, a perversion of the Latin translation. Saint Patrick's nativity had taken place in a foreign country, long before the birth of Saint Fiech, who was an Irishman. The hymnist, therefore, in speaking of his family and his birth, of which he could have had no personal knowledge, refers to the narratives, reports, or stories, already circulated on these subjects. Not a word is said, in the hymn, concerning old histories, as is roundly asserted by Dr. Ledwich. The ancient Irish word, skelaiv, used, on this occa sion, by Fiech, may denote either oral or written narratives. The Latin translator of the hymn probably adopted the latter meaning, in his version, "Ut refertur in historiis." Dr. Ledwich, however, not content with this version, makes a bold addition to the text, and turns it into English, as if it had been written antiquis ⚫ Page 349, second edition, Hymn examined. historiis, old histories. The hymnist is thus represented as appealing to writings of indefinite antiquity, for the truth of facts which had taken place, about forty-four years, prior to the period of his own birth. He is then, by a kind of coup de main, prostrated in an instant, and dismissed from existence.* Various histories of Saint Patrick were written during the life of that holy man, and if it even were conceded that Fiech had appealed to other biographers, in support of any part of his statement, there would be nothing extraordinary or absurd in the matter. Yet on this circumstance alone, has Dr. Ledwich rejected his testimony, as spurious and unworthy of the smallest credit. Saint Aileran, who died in 664, was one of Saint Patrick's biographers. His work on the typical signification of the genealogy of Christ, is yet extant in Sedulius, who styles the writer, the wisest of the Scots. Ussher says this was the only monument of Aileran, remaining in his time. Probus, an author who, according to the learned Bollandus, lived in the seventh century, wrote a life of Saint Patrick which is yet extant. Dr. Milner remarks • Lynch's translation of Fiech's Hymn, in the Life of Saint Patrick, p.326. Probus speaks of Saint Patrick. that "those writers who, with Bishop Nicholson, bring Saint Patrick's biographer down to the tenth century, are presumed to be ignorant, that he is named among the respectable authors whose works were in the library of York Cathedral, in the eighth century, by the celebrated Alcuin.* Adamnan, who wrote in the seventh century, makes explicit mention (as we have already remarked,) of Saint Patrick. Cumian, also, abbot of Hy, who wrote about the year 648, speaks of him in distinct terms. Dr. Ledwicht adverts to these writers, and asks the following question:-"If," says he, "Saint Patrick - received his mission from Pope Celestine, his orders in the church of Rome, was graced with the archiepiscopal dignity, formed an hierarchy and established rites and ceremonies from Roman originals, as all his biographers boast, can the utmost stretch of human ingenuity assign a reason, why Cogitosus, Adamnan, Cumian and Bede have passed over these interesting particulars unnoticed?" Now, whatever negative argument against the episcopal dignity of Saint Patrick, may be deduced from the silence of Adamnan, Cumian and Bede, on that subject; surely their explicit mention of his name affords Milner's inquiry, additional note to page 94. See also de Pontif, and Sanct. Eborac. apud Gale, † Page 62. |