bishops received by Ussher, Fleury, Pagi, and other learned authorities, appears to be contrary to the fact. For the letter in question, which in the old editions of Gregory's works (where it is marked as Ep. 36 of the second Book of the Register,) has the heading, Gregory to all the bishops in Ireland, appears to have received this title without any proper authority; and accordingly, in the Benedictine Edition (where it is Ep. 51, ib.) the heading is altered to the following form, Gregory to all bishops, on the subject of the Three Chapters. That this inscription, however, is essentially nonsensical, will appear even from a perusal of the letter itself. But The Istrian the conjecture of some that the bishops to whom more likely it was in reality addressed were those of Istria, to be inseems probable enough. The circumstances re- St. Gregory ferred to in it do not agree with those of the Irish Christians of that age; for they to whom it was written were suffering persecution, as it seems, about the controversy then going on, whereas none of our ancient documents make the least allusion even to its existence in Ireland. "Whatever opinion St. Columbanus entertained concerning the Three Chapters was formed by him in consequence, not of what he had heard or seen in Ireland, but of the ferment that agitated the north of Italy, relatively to this controversy;" at least, so says Dr. Lanigan, and appa tended by What the were. rently with reason. (See his Eccl. Hist., ii. 293.) What the Three Chapters were, we are informed in the following words of the Fifth General Council (Collat. 8,) "We anathematize the aforesaid Three Chapters, that is, Theodore of Mopsuestia with his impious writings, and the ungodly compositions of Theodoret, and the ungodly letter that goes under the name of Ibas, and all who defend them," &c. (Vid. Opp. S. Greg., Reg. Ep. Lib. ii. Ind. x. coll. 614, 615, not. d. Jus. Primatiale Armacanum asser tum per H. A. M. T. H. P. 1728, pp. 124, nn. 207-209, &c. &c.) The Epistle of St. Co lumbanus No. II. ST. COLUMBANUS'S FAMOUS EPISTLE TO POPE BONIFACE IV., ON THE N.B.-The following valuable relic of antiquity is undoubtedly one of the most important to P. Boni- records in existence, connected with the circumface IV., never before stances of the Irish Church at the time when it Englished. was written, or we might perhaps say, with those of any period of its early history. Yet it has never, I suppose, been read in an English translation; a circumstance, after all, not so much why, sug to be wondered at, seeing that the Latin is in a reason some places so exceedingly difficult and obscure gested. that it is quite impossible to determine the sense of the writer with any degree of certainty. This arises from the freedom of speech, volubility of expression, and highly figurative language made use of by Columbanus in those places, into which he also introduces many words of impure Latinity, common perhaps in his day, but not occurring in the compositions of more classical writers. However, as I have given copious extracts from this epistle, and yet not all that may be interesting to the general student, (for the whole will repay a perusal,) I have thought it as well to give the document in this place in full, especially as there are some passages which are, or may appear, favourable to the enemies of our ancient ecclesiastical independence; and it is as well to avoid all appearance of dealing unfairly with such a record, or setting forth a garbled view of the sentiments which it contains. of render adopted, The passages which are difficult of transla- The system tion, and for that reason obscure or ambiguous in ing some any degree, I have rendered as nearly as I could parts here from conjecture, where able to do no better. explained. Such passages I have enclosed in brackets, with asterisks [thus*]. They might have been left out altogether (for the reader will easily see that they are neither very interesting nor of much The open to Boniface. importance to the general subject,) but that it seemed likely to prove more satisfactory that nothing, so far as was possible, should be omitted from such a document. The words inclosed in simple brackets [thus] have been inserted in the usual manner, to complete the sense, and as being for the most part implied in the original. And the marginal references to the Scripture texts alluded to in the letter will be found to exhibit, in an interesting light, the writer's general acquaintance with the sacred Word of God, and his mode of applying its contents in a controversy such as that herein referred to. The Epistle itself is as follows: "To the most honoured head of all the Churches of ing address all Europe, that eminently exalted prelate, that pastor of pastors, that most reverend watchman, that specially beloved pope [who at present fills the office]; to [a personage] the most dignified one the most lowly [here] presumes to write; to him of highest rank one that is feast of all; a rustic to an accomplished citizen; a stammerer to a master of eloquence; the last to him who is first; a stranger to the homeborn; a poor humble_individual to the mighty potentate; [yea] strange [as it may be] to tell-a thing unprecedented a 'rara avis;' [it is] poor Palumbust [that presumes to write] to Father Boniface. An objec tion to the writing of "Which of our ["grave seniors"] will vouchsafe to lend an ear? Who is there among them that] will not at once exclaim, What presumptuous, talkative being ↑ Vid. p. 307, note, sup. the part of is this that ventures, uninvited, to write in such a strain?' any such -What [criticising spirit*] will refrain from breaking letter on out immediately into that old expression of reproof, which St. Columthe Hebrew that was adoing a wrong to his brother banus antimade use of in reply to Moses, viz., Who made thee a cipated. ruler or a judge over us?' Ex. ii. 14. "In answer to such an objector I would first observe, His apology that it is no presumption [to adopt a course like this,] for such inwhere it is plain that a necessity exists, for the sake of terference. promoting the edification of the Church. And if he cavils at the person, [who offers these suggestions] let him consider, not, who I am that speak, but [rather,] what it is that I have to say. For why shall a Christian from another land observe silence, on a subject which has now for this long time past been affording matter of declamation to Arians nearer home? For better are the Prov. xxvii. wounds of a friend than the kisses of deceit from an enemy. Others, exulting [over the mischief,] are detracting in secret. I with pain and sorrow shall give utterance to my observations in a public form; not however on the advantages which attract unprincipled peace-makers, but on the evils of the unhappy schism [at present existIng in the Church.] 6. truth. It is not then from vanity or self-opinion that I, poor His motive, humble being of the very meanest condition, presume a godly zeal thus to address myself to persons of such exalted rank. for the For it is in sorrow rather than in self-esteem, that I feel myself obliged to express to you, in such a tone of the deepest humility as befits me, that the name of God is Rom. ii. 24. blasphemed among the Gentiles through you, contending [as you are] on both sides. For I am pained, I confess, at the infamy [that attaches] to the chair of St. Peter. I know to be sure that the matter is one rather too high for me, and that at the very outset I shall, as they say, expose my face to the coals. But then, what [signifies] to me a face before men, where a necessity exists for |