Minor of Kilkenny, written before the year 1350, I find
the two following catalogues of the bishops of Ireland.
"The second of them is as follows:

In addition to the eleven lists now given to the reader, two others will be found at Articles XXXIX. and XXI. of this appendix; and some further illustrations of the subject in Artt. 17, 18, 20, 24, 25 and 48.

ence to the

When Tarquin the Proud would take Gabii by Note on the subtlety and craft, he intimated the plan of reducing damage ac the place to his son's messenger by striking off the state influtallest poppyheads in his garden; a suggestion Irish episcowhich has been put in practice in regard to the pate. Church of Ireland also by her enemies. Rome and England in the first instance reduced her hundreds of bishoprics to the forty or so mentioned in the previous lists; and the precious Church legislation of these modern times has packed up the forty, like worthless remnants of old goods belonging to some cast stock, into some ten parcels, to be superintended (if not rather, in the necessity of the case, to be over

Consecration by the hand of a single prelate com

the early

Irish Christians.

looked) in the lump, by ten individuals, as though each one of those large episcopal districts, with its widely scattered flock, were too contemptible to occupy the entire care and attention of a whole person to itself.

No. X.

ON THE MODE OF ORDAINING BISHOPS IN USE AMONG THE ANCIENT
IRISH.

It would appear from the evidence of the most ancient and respectable authorities which we can bring to bear on the subject of episcopal mon among ordination among the old Irish Christians, that it was a general practice with them to have their prelates consecrated by a single bishop, instead of by three, as was usual in other parts of the Church. This circumstance, with others not unworthy of our attention, is set forth in an interesting light in the following extract from the Life of St. Kentegern, bishop of Glasgow, by John of Tinmuth, a writer who flourished in A.D. 1366. (See Ussher's Brit. Ec. Ant. cap. 15; Jocelin, in Pinkerton's Vita Antique, p. 223, Lond. 1789; and MS. E. 3, 8, fol. 160, Lib. T.C.D.)

Instance of

this prac. tice in the case of St. Kentegern,

"Now when S. Kentegern, residing in the place aforesaid, was very eminently distinguished for his great abundance of spiritual gifts, the king and clergy of the Cambrian territory, with the other Christians there, of Glasgow; though they were but very few in number, came together

first bishop

by divine direction; and having held a consultation as to the best means of improving the condition of the Church, which had by this time been well nigh utterly destroyed, they all by unanimous agreement came to S. Kentegern, and elected him for pastor and bishop of their souls; while he for his part, offered much opposition to the proceeding, and suggested many difficulties. For he was objecting against their election, that a youthful age like his was not well adapted to the office. But they silenced this objection by referring to the sedate gravity, [as] of hoary hairs, which marked his demeanour, and the abundance of wisdom and knowledge which he possessed.

ceived con

Accordingly they set about inthroning him; and who rehaving sent over for one bishop from Ireland, according to secration to the usual custom of the Britons and Scots of that time, from one they caused him to be consecrated for their pontiff (i. e. Irish bishop. bishop.) It had become the practice in Britain, in the consecration of pontiffs, merely to anoint their heads by pouring on the sacred chrism, with invocation of the Holy Ghost, and the benediction, and imposition of hands; a mode of performing the rite which these foolish people used to say that they had adopted on the authority of the divine law, and from the tradition of the apostles. But although the way of consecration used among the Britons may seem to be less in accordance with the J. Tinsacred canons, it is not however convicted of destroy-logy for this ing thereby the energy and effect of the divine mystery, irregulaor of the episcopal office. And as these islanders, dwel- rity; ling in a place that lies beyond the very world's end, had after the outbursting of the pagan invasion, become ignorant of the canons, the judgment of the Church, feeling compassion for their condition, admits their apology thus not allowed far. But in these times she does by no means allow of by him to any person's presuming upon a rite of such a form, with- apply generally in all out grave censure. St. Kentegern however, although he cases.

VOL. III.

L

muth's apo

Account of

life, &c., at Glasgow.

was consecrated in this manner, yet afterwards fully complied with all that could be deemed necessary for the completing or correcting of the ceremony; of which by and by.

"His Cathedral seat he fixed in the aforesaid town of Kentegern's Deschu, interpreted illustrious family,' which is now called Glaschu. And there he gathered round him a very numerous family, illustrious and beloved of God, consisting of servants of the Lord, who followed a life of continence, and regulated themselves according to the model of the primitive Church under the apostles, abstaining from private property, and giving their attenLimits of his tion to holy discipline and the service of God. And his episcopal diocese extended as far as to the bounds of the Cambrian realm, i. e. from that famous wall formerly built by the Britons from sea to sea for a defence against their enemies, to the river Forth and the Scottish channel.*

diocese.

Character of

Their way

of life, &c.

"This man of God then had collected a large number his disciples. of disciples, whom he instructed in the sacred contents of the Divine Law, and educated them by precept and example for a life of holiness; having purposed to appoint certain of them to be his fellow-labourers in the Lord's harvest. These all were emulous with a godly emulation to imitate his life and doctrine, accustoming themselves to fastings and holy watchings, giving their earnest attention to psalms and prayers, and meditations upon lessons from the Word of God; contenting themselves with a middling sort of diet and raiment; and employing themselves at certain times and hours in manual labour. And while after the custom of the primitive Church under the apostles and their successors,

* The Cambrian realm here spoken of is not of course Wales; but the country inhabited by the northern Cambri or Cumbri, ( Cumberland men,) the extent of which in St. Kentegern's time is above described.