INTRODUCTION TO THE CONFESSION
§ introduction-to-the-confession›
[Those who desire notes, exegetical and critical, on the Latin text are referred to the edition of the Libri Sancti Patricii, published by the Royal Irish Academy in 1905 (Proceedings , xxv. C. 7), and to the revised critical text, published in 1918 by the S. P.C.K.]
THE title Confession as applied to the first of St. Patrick's writings, in the cognate MSS. C, F3, F4, must have been suggested by his own words in cc. 61, 62, " I shall briefly set forth the words of my confession." ..." This is my confession before I die." But confession has not here any penitential association ; it is an open and thankful acknowledgment of the goodness of God. The verb confiteor is thus used in cc. 3, 4, 5, as frequently in the Vulgate Psalter : " I thank him who hath enabled me in all things, because he did not hinder me from the journey on which I had resolved, and from my labour which I had learnt from Christ my Lord (c. 30)." As addressed to men, the Confession is an Apologia pro vita sua. But in Patrick's mind his life was summed up in one fact, viz., his mission work in Ireland, and that not in its details, but in its net spiritual result. He wrote with two classes of readers in his mind : his " kinsfolk ' in Britain, who for the most part opposed and depreciated him, and his " sons " in Ireland. For these latter the Confession was intended as "a legacy," "to strengthen and confirm their faith " (cc. 14, 47). Patrick probably never felt himself at home in Ireland ; he was " bound in the Spirit ' to remain there till his death, and he was faithful unto death to the charge laid upon him by God ; but his mind was often in Britain as he was writing (see, e.g., Conf. 42 : 1 Those of our race who are born there " ).
The earliest title of the two tracts — Confession and Letter— is that found in the Book of Armagh, Libri Sancti Patricii. Liber is also found in the colophon of C F3 F4. B has, Incipit vita beati Patricii. This is perhaps suggested by Vita IV, 16, in which Conf. 16 is cited as in libro quern de uita et conversatione ejus ipse conscripsit. Another title is Libri Epistolarum, found in Vita III, IV, Trip.
[As far as possible, in the quotations from the Bible, which are printed in italics, the rendering of the English Version of 1611 has been followed, except in O.T. Apocrypha, in which the Douay Version of 1609 has been used.]
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1. I, Patrick the sinner, am the most illiterate and the least of all the faithful, and contemptible in the eyes of very many.
My father was Calpurnius, a deacon, one of the sons of Potitus, a presbyter, who belonged to the village of Banavem Taberniae. Now he had a small farm hard by, where I was taken captive.
I was then about sixteen years of age. I knew not the true God ; and I went into captivity to Ireland with many thousands of persons, according to our deserts, because we departed away from God, and kept not his commandments, and were not obedient to our priests, who used to admonish us for our salvation. And the Lord poured upon us the fury of his anger,'1 and scattered us amongst many heathen, even unto the ends of the earth,2 where now my littleness may be seen amongst men of another nation.
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2. And there the Lord opened the understanding* of my unbelief that, even though late, I might call my faults to remembrance, and that I might turn with all my heart 4 to the Lord my God, who regarded my low estate* and pitied the youth of my ignorance, and kept me before I knew him, and before I had discernment or could distinguish between good and evil, and protected me and comforted me as a father does his son.
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3. Wherefore then I cannot keep silence — nor would it be fitting — concerning such great benefits and such great grace as the Lord hath vouchsafed to bestow on me in the land of my captivity ; because this is what we can render unto him, namely, that after we have been chastened, and have come to the knowledge of God, we shall exalt and praise his wondrous works1 before every nation which is under the whole heaven.2
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4. Because there is no other God, nor was there ever any in times past, nor shall there be hereafter, except God the Father unbegotten, without beginning, from whom all things take their beginning, holding all things [*. e., Almighty], as we say, and his Son Jesus Christ, whom we affirm verily to have always existed with the Father before the creation of the world, with the Father after the manner of a spiritual existence, begotten ineffably before the beginning of anything. And by him were made things visible and invisible.9 He was made man ; and having overcome death, he was received up into heaven to the Father. And he gave to him all power above every name of things in heaven and things in earth and things under the earth ; and let every tongue confess to him that Jesus Christ is Lord and God 4 in whom we believe. And we look for his coming soon to be ; he the Judge of the quick and the dead, who will render to every man according to his deeds.5 And he shed on us abundantly the Holy Ghost,* the gift and earnest of immortality, who makes those who believe and obey to become children of God the Father and joint heirs with Christ,7 whom we confess and adore as one God in the Trinity of the Holy Name.
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5. For he himself hath said through the prophet, Call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver thee, and thou shall glorify me.1 And again he saith, // is honourable to reveal and confess the works of God?'
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6. Nevertheless, although I am faulty in many things, I wish my brethen and kinsfolk to know what manner of man I am, and that they may be able to understand the desire of my soul.
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7. I am not ignorant of the testimony of my Lord,3 who witnesseth in the Psalm, Thou shalt destroy them that speak a lie.* And again he saith, The mouth that belieth killeth the soul.5 And the same Lord saith in the Gospel, The idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgement?
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8. Wherefore then I ought exceedingly, with fear and trembling? to dread this sentence in that day when no one will be able to absent himself or hide, but when all of us, without exception, shall have to give account of even the smallest sins before the judgement seat of the Lord Christ.*
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9. On this account I had long since thought of writing ; but 1 hesitated until now ; for I feared lest I should fall under the censure of men's tongues, and because I have not studied as have others, who in the most approved fashion have drunk in both law and the Holy Scriptures alike, and have never changed their speech from their infancy, but rather have been always rendering it more perfect. For my speech and language is translated into a tongue not my own, as can be easily proved from the savour of my writing, in what fashion I have been taught and am learned in speech ; for, saith the wise man, By the tongue will be discovered understanding and knowledge and the teaching of truth.9
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10. But what avails an excuse, no matter how true, especially when accompanied by presumption? since now I myself, in mine old age, earnestly desire that which in youth I did not acquire ; because my sins prevented me from mastering what I had read through before. But who gives me credence even if I should repeat the statement that I made at the outset ?
When a youth, nay, almost a boy, I went into captivity in language [as well as in person] before I knew what I should earnestly desire, or what I ought to shun. And so to-day I blush and am exceedingly afraid to lay bare my lack of education ; because I am unable to make my meaning plain in a few words to the learned ; for as the Spirit yearns, the [human] disposition displays the souls of men and their understandings.
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11. But if I had had [only] the same privileges as others, nevertheless I would not keep silence on account of the reward.1 And if perchance it seems to not a few that I am thrusting myself forward in this matter with my want of knowledge and my slow tongue? yet it is written, The tongue of the stammerers shall quickly learn to speak peace? How much rather should we earnestly desire so to do, who are, he saith, the epistle of Christ for salvation unto the ends of the earth f although not a learned one, yet ministered most powerfully, written in your hearts, not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God.5 And again the Spirit witnesseth, And husbandry [lit. rusticity] was ordained by the Most High.*
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12. Whence I who was at first illiterate, an exile, unlearned verily, who know not how to provide for the future — but this I do know most surely, that before 1 was afflicted 7 I was like a stone lying in the deep mire ; and he that is mighty 8
came, and in his mercy lifted me up, and verily raised me aloft and placed me on the top of the wall. And therefore I ought to cry aloud that I may also render somewhat to the Lord x for his benefits which are so great both here and in eternity, the value of which the mind of men cannot estimate.
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13. Wherefore then be ye astonied, ye that fear God, both small and great,2 and ye clever sirs, ye rhetoricians, hear therefore and search it out. Who was it that called up me, fool though I be, out of the midst of those who seem to.be wise and skilled in the law, and powerful in word 3 and in everything ? And me, moreover, the abhorred of this world, did he inspire beyond others — if such I were — only that with reverence and godly fear 4 and unblameably 5 I should faithfully be of service to the nation to whom the love of Christ conveyed me, and presented me, as long as I live, if I should be worthy ; in fine, that I should with humility and in truth diligently do them service.
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14. And so it is proper that according to the rule of faith* in the Trinity, I should define doctrine, and make known the gift of God and everlasting consolation,1 without being held back 8 by danger, and spread everywhere the name of God without fear, confidently ; so that even after my decease 9 I may leave a legacy to my brethren and sons whom I baptized in the Lord, many thousands of persons.
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15. And I was not worthy, nor such an one, as that the Lord should grant this to his poor servant, after calamities and such great difficulties, after a life of slavery, after many years ; that he should bestow on me so great grace towards that nation, a thing that formerly, in my youth, I never hoped for nor thought of.
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16. Now, after I came to Ireland, tending flocks was my
daily occupation ; and constantly I used to pray in the day time. Love of God and the fear of him increased more and more, and faith grew, and the spirit was moved, so that in one day [I would say] as many as a hundred prayers, and at night nearly as many, so that I used to stay even in the woods and on the mountain [to this end]. And before daybreak I used to be roused to prayer, in snow, in frost, in rain ; and 1 felt no hurt ; nor was there any sluggishness in me — as I now see, because then the spirit was fervent 1 within me.
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17. And there verily one night I heard in my sleep a voice saying to me, "Thou fastest to good purpose, thou who art soon to go to thy fatherland." And again, after a very short time, I heard the answer [of God] saying to me, " Lo, thy ship is ready." And it was not near at hand, but was distant perhaps two hundred miles. And I had never been there, nor did I know any one there. And thereupon I shortly took to flight, and left the man with whom I had been for six years, and I came in the strength of God who prospered my way for good, and I met with nothing to alarm me until I reached that ship.
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18. And on the very day that I arrived, the ship left its moorings, and I said that I had to [or must] sail thence with them ; but the shipmaster was annoyed, and replied roughly and angrily, " On no account seek to go with us."
When I heard this, I parted from them to go to the hut where I was lodging, and on the way I began to pray, and before I had finished my prayer, I heard one of them shouting loudly after me, "Come quickly, for these men are calling thee ; " and straightway I returned to them.
And they began to say to me, " Come, for we receive thee in good faith ; make friends with us in any way thou desirest." And so on that day I refused to be intimate with them [lit. suck their breasts], because of the fear of
God ; but nevertheless I hoped that some of them would come into the faith of Jesus Christ, for they were heathen ; and on this account I continued with them : and forthwith we set sail.
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19. And after three days we reached land, and journeyed for twenty-eight days through a desert ; and food failed them, and hunger overcame them. And one day the shipmaster began to say to me, " How is this, O Christian ? thou sayest that thy God is great and almighty ; wherefore then canst thou not pray for us, for we are in danger of starvation? Hardly shall we ever see a human being again."
Then said I plainly to them, "Turn in good faith and with all your heart to 1 the Lord my God, to whom nothing is impossible, that this day he may send you food in your journey until ye be satisfied, for he has abundance everywhere."
And, by the help of God, so it came to pass. Lo, a herd of swine appeared in the way before our eyes, and they killed many of them ; and in that place they remained two nights; and they were well refreshed, and their dogs were sated, for many of them had fainted and were left half dead 2 by the way.
And after this they rendered hearty thanks to God, and I became honourable in their eyes ; and from that day on they had food in abundance. Moreover, they found wild honey, and gave me a piece of it? And one of them said, " This is offered in sacrifice" 4 Thanks be to God, I tasted none of it.
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20. Now on that same night, when I was sleeping, Satan assailed me mightily, in such sort as I shall remember as long as 1 an in this body.5 And he fell upon me as it were a huge rock, and I had no power over my limbs. But
whence did it occur to me — to my ignorant mind — to call upon Helias ? And on this I saw the sun rise in the heaven, and while I was shouting " Helias " with all my might, lo, the splendour of that sun fell upon me, and straightway shook all weight from off me. And I believe that I was helped by Christ my Lord, and that his Spirit was even then calling aloud on my behalf. And I trust that it will be so in the day of my trouble,'1 as he saith in the Gospel, In that day, the Lord testifieth, it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you.2
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21. And, again, after many years, I went into captivity once more. And so on that first night I remained with them. Now I heard the answer of God saying to me, "For two months thou shalt be with them." And so it came to pass. On the sixtieth night after, the Lord delivered me out of their hands.
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22. Moreover, he provided for us on our journey food and fire and dry quarters every day, until on the fourteenth day we reached human habitations. As I stated above, for twenty-eight days we journeyed through a desert ; and on the night on which we reached human habitations, we had in truth no food left.
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23. And again, after a few years, I was in Britain with my kindred, who received me as a son, and in good faith besought me that at all events now, after the great tribulations which I had undergone, I would not depart from them anywhither.
And there verily / saw in the night visions 3 a man whose name was Victoricus coming as it were from Ireland with countless letters. And he gave me one of them, and I read the beginning of the letter, which was entitled, " The Voice of the Irish"; and while I was reading aloud the beginning of the letter, I thought that at that very moment I heard the voice of them who lived beside the Wood of
Foclut which is nigh unto the western sea. And thus they cried, as with one mouth, "We beseech thee, holy youth, to come and walk among us once more."
And I was exceedingly broken in heart,1 and could read no further. And so I awoke. Thanks be to God, that after very many years the Lord granted to them according to their cry.
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24. And another night, whether within me or beside me, / cannot tell, God knoweth? in most admirable words which 1 heard and could not understand, except that at the end of the prayer he thus affirmed, " He who laid down his life for thee,3 he it is who speaketh in thee." And so I awoke, rejoicing.
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25. And another time I saw him praying within me, and I was as it were within my body; and I heard [One praying] over me, that is, over the inner man ;4 and there he was praying mightily with groanings. And meanwhile I was astonied, and was marvelling and thinking who it could be that was praying within me; but at the end of the prayer he affirmed that he was the Spirit. And so I awoke, and I remembered how the Apostle saith, The Spirit helpeth the infirmities of our prayer, for we know not what we should pray for as we ought ; but the Spirit himself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered, which cannot be expressed in words.5 And again, The Lord our Advocate* maketh intercession for us.1
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26. And when I was assailed by not a few of my elders, who came and [urged] my sins against my laborious episcopate— certainly on that day / was sore thrust at that 1 might fall8 both here and in eternity. But the Lord graciously spared the stranger and sojourner for his name's sake; and he helped me exceedingly when I was thus
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trampled on, so that I did not come badly into disgrace and reproach. I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge^ as sin.
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27. After the lapse of thirty years they found, as an occasion 2 against me, a matter which I had confessed before I was a deacon. Because of anxiety, with sorrowful mind, I disclosed to my dearest friend things that I had done in my youth one day, nay, in one hour, because I had not yet overcome. / cannot tell, God knoweth? if I was then fifteen years old ; and I did not believe in the living God, nor had I since my infancy ; but I remained in death and in unbelief until I had been chastened exceedingly, and humbled in truth by hunger and nakedness, and that daily.
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28. Contrariwise, I did not proceed to Ireland of my own accord until I was nearly worn out. But this was rather well for me, because thus I was amended by the Lord. And he fitted me, so that I should to-day be something which was once far from me, that I should care for, and be busy about, the salvation of others, whereas then I did not even think about myself.
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29. And so on that day on which I was rejected* by the aforesaid persons whom I have mentioned, in that night / saw in the night visions : 5 — There was a writing void of honour over against my face. And meanwhile I heard the answer of God saying to me, " We have seen with anger the face of the person designated (the name being expressed)." Nor did he say thus, "Thou hast seen with anger," but, " We have seen with anger," as if in that matter he had joined himself [with me]. As he said, He that toucheth you is as he that toucheth the apple of mine eye.6
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30. Therefore I thank him who hath enabled me 7 in all things, because he did not hinder me from the journey on
which I had resolved, and from my labour which I had learnt from Christ my Lord ; but rather I felt in myself no little virtue proceeding from him,1 and my faith has been approved 2 in the sight of God and of men.3
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31. Wherefore then / say boldly* that my conscience does not blame me either here or hereafter. God is my witness that I have not lied in the matters that I have stated to you.
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32. But rather I am grieved for my dearest friend that we should have merited to hear such an answer as that ; a man to whom I had even entrusted my soul ! And I ascertained from not a few of the brethren before that contention — it was at a time when I was not present, nor was I in Britain, nor will the story originate with me — that he too had fought for me in my absence. Even he himself had said to me with his own lips, "Lo,*thou art to be raised to the rank of bishop ; " of which I was not worthy. But how did it occur to him afterwards to put me to shame publicly before every one, good and bad, in respect of an [office] which before that he had of his own accord and gladly conceded [to me], and the Lord too, who is greater than all ? 5
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33. I have said enough. Nevertheless I ought not to hide the gift of God which he bestowed upon us in the land of my captivity ; because then I earnestly sought him, and there I found him, and he kept me from all iniquities— this is my belief — because of his indwelling Spirit* who hath worked in me until this day. Boldly again [am I speaking]. But God knoweth if man had said this to me — perchance I would have held my peace for the love of Christ.
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34. Hence therefore I render unwearied thanks to my
God who kept me faithful in the day of my temptation,1 so that to-day I can confidently offer to him a sacrifice, as a living victim,2 my soul to Christ my Lord who saved me out of all my troubles* so that I may say, Who am I} 0 Lord* or what is my calling, that thou hast worked together with me with such divine power ? so that to-day among the heathen I should steadfastly exult, and magnify thy name wherever I may be ; and that not only in prosperity, but also in troubles, so that whatever may happen to me, whether good or bad, I ought to receive it with an equal mind, and ever render thanks to God who shewed me that I might trust him endlessly, as one that cannot be doubted ; and who heard me, so that I, ignorant as I am, and in the last days,5 should be bold to undertake this work so holy and so wonderful ; so that I might imitate in some degree those of whom the Lord long ago foretold, when foreshewing that his Gospel would be for a witness unto all nations before the end 6 of the world. And accordingly, as we see, this has been so fulfilled. Behold, we are witnesses that the Gospel has been preached to the limit beyond which no man dwells.
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35. Now it were a tedious task to declare particularly 7 the whole of my toil, or even partially [or, and in all its parts]. I shall briefly say in what manner the most righteous God often delivered me from slavery and from twelve perils whereby my soul was endangered, besides many plots and things which I am not able to express in words.* Nor shall I weary my readers. But I have as my voucher God who knoweth all things even before they come to pass, as the answer of God frequently warned me, the poor, unlearned orphan.
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36. Whence came to me this wisdom, which was not in
me, I who neither knew the number of my days,1 nor cared for God ? Whence afterwards came to me that gift so great, so salutary, the knowledge and love of God, but only that I might part with fatherland and kindred ?
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37. And many gifts were proffered me with weeping and tears. And I displeased them, and also, against my wish, not a few of my elders ; but, God being my guide, in no way did I consent or yield to them. It was not. any grace in me, but God who overcometh in me ; and he withstood them all, so that I came to the heathen Irish to preach the Gospel, and to endure insults from unbelievers, so as to hear the reproach of my going abroad,* and [endure] many persecutions even unto bonds? and that I should give up my free condition for the profit of others. And if I should be worthy, I am ready [to give] even my life for his name's sake 4 unhesitatingly and very gladly ; and there I desire to spend it even unto death, if the Lord would grant it to me.
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38. Because I am a debtor exceedingly to God, who granted me such great grace that many peoples through me should be regenerated to God and afterwards confirmed, and that clergy should everywhere be ordained for them for a people newly come to belief, which the Lord took from the ends of the earth, as he had in times past promised through his prophets : The Gentiles shall come unto thee from the ends of the earth, and shall say, As our fathers have got for themselves false idols, and there is no profit in them.5 And again, / have set thee to be a light of the Gentiles, that thou shouldest be for salvation unto the ends of the earth.6
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39. And there I wish to wait for his promise 7 who verily never disappoints. As he promises in the Gospel, They shall come from the east and west and from the south and from the north, and shall sit down with Abraham and Isaac
and Jacob ; 1 as we believe that believers will come from all parts of the world.
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40. For that reason therefore, we ought to fish well and diligently, as the Lord forewarns and teaches, saying, Come ye after me, and I will make you to become fishers of men? And again he saith through the prophets, Behold I send •fishers and many hunters, saith God,3 and so forth.
Wherefore then, it was exceedingly necessary that we should spread our nets so that a great multitude 4 and a throng should be taken for God, and that everywhere there should be clergy to baptize and exhort a people poor and needy, as the Lord in the Gospel warns and teaches, saying, Go ye therefore now and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost : teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you : and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.5 And again he saith, Go ye therefore into all the world, and preach the Gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.* And again, This Gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations : and then shall the end come.1
And in like manner the Lord, foreshewing by the prophet, saith, And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith the Lord, 1 will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh : and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams : and on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit ; and they shall prophesy.* And Hosea saith, / will call them my people, which were not my people ; and her one that hath obtained mercy which had not obtained mercy. And it shall come to pass, that in the place
where it was said, Ye are not my people ; there shall they be called the children of the living God.1
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41. Wherefore then in Ireland they who never had the knowledge of God, but until now only worshipped idols and abominations — how has there been lately prepared a people 2 of the Lord, and they are called children of God ? Sons and daughters of Scottic chieftains are seen to become monks and virgins of Christ.
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42. In especial there was one blessed lady of Scottic birth, of noble rank, most beautiful, grown up, whom I baptized ; and after a few days she came to us for a certain cause. She disclosed to us that she had been warned by an angel of God, and that he counselled her to become a virgin of Christ, and live closer to God. Thanks be to God, six days after, most admirably and eagerly she seized on that which all virgins of God do in like manner ; not with the consent of their fathers ; but they endure persecution and lying reproaches from their kindred; and nevertheless their number increases more and more — and as for those of our race who are born there, we know not the number of them — besides widows and continent persons.
But the women who are kept in slavery suffer especially ; they constantly endure even unto terrors and threats. But the Lord gave grace to many of his handmaidens, for although they are forbidden, they earnestly follow the example [set them].
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43. Wherefore then, even if I should wish to part with them, and thus proceeding to Britain — and glad and ready I was to do so — as to my fatherland and kindred, and not that only, but to go as far as Gaul in order to visit the brethren and to behold the face of the saints of my Lord — God knoweth that I used to desire it exceedingly — yet / am bound in the Spirit, Who witnesseth to me 3 that if I should do this, he would note me as guilty ; and I fear to lose the
labour which I began ; and yet not I, but Christ the Lord who commanded me to come and be with them for the remainder of my life, if the Lord will, and if he should keep me from every evil way, so that I may not sin in his sight.
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44. Now I hope that I ought to do this ; but I do not trust myself as long as I am in the body of this death,1 because he is strong who daily endeavours to turn me away from the faith, and from that chastity of unfeigned religion which I have purposed to keep to the end of my life for Christ my Lord. But the flesh, the enemy, is ever dragging us unto death, that is, to enticements to do that which is forbidden. And / know in part 2 wherein I have not led a perfect life as have other believers ; but I confess to my Lord, and I do not blush in his presence, for I lie not : — From the time that I knew him, from my youth, there grew in me the love of God and the fear of him ; and unto this hour, the Lord being gracious to me, I have kept the faith.9
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45. Let who will laugh and insult, I shall not be silent nor conceal the signs and wonders which were shewn to me by the Lord many years before they came to pass ; since he knoweth all things even before the world began*
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46. Wherefore then I ought without ceasing to render thanks to God who oftentimes pardoned my folly and carelessness — and that not in one place only — so that he be not exceedingly wroth with me, to whom I have been given as a fellow-labourer ; and yet I did not quickly yield in accordance with what had been shewn to me, and as the Spirit brought to my remembrance.5 And the Lord shewed mercy upon me thousands of times? because he saw in me that I was ready, but that I did not know through these [revelations] what I should do about my position,
because many were forbidding this embassage. Moreover they used to talk amongst themselves behind my back and say, "Why does this fellow thrust himself into danger amongst hostile people who know not God f"1 They did not say this out of malice ; but it did not seem meet in their eyes, on account of my illiteracy, as I myself witness that I have understood. And I did not quickly recognize the grace that was then in me. Now that seems meet in mine eyes which I ought to have done before.
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47. Now therefore, I have frankly disclosed to my brethren and fellow-servants who have believed me, for what reason I told you before, and foretell you 2 to strengthen and confirm your faith. Would that you, too, would imitate greater things, and do things of more consequence ! This will be my glory, for a wise son is the glory of his father?
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48. You know, and God also, in what manner I have lived from my youth with you, in the faith of truth and in sincerity of heart. Moreover, as regards those heathen amongst whom I dwell, I have kept faith with them, and will keep it. God knoweth I have defrauded none * of them, nor do I think of doing it, for the sake of God and his Church, lest I should raise persecution against them and all of us, and lest through me the name of the Lord should be blasphemed ; for it is written, Woe to the man through whom the name of the Lord is blasphemed.5
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49. But though I be rude in all things,6 nevertheless I have endeavoured in some sort to keep myself, both for the Christian brethren, and the virgins of Christ, and the devout women 7 who used of their own accord to present me with their little gifts, and would cast of their ornaments upon the altar ; and I returned them again to them. And they were scandalized at my doing so. But I did it on account
of the hope of immortality, so as to keep myself warily in all things ; for this reason, namely, that the heathen might receive me and the ministry of my service on any grounds, and that I should not, even in the smallest matter, give occasion to the unbelievers to defame or disparage.
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50. Perchance then, when I baptized so many thousands of men, I hoped from any one of them even as much as the half of a scruple. Tell me and 1 shall restore it to you.1 Or when the Lord ordained clergy everywhere by means of my mediocrity, and I imparted my service to them for nothing, if I demanded from one of them even the price of my shoe; tell it against me and I shall restore you x more.
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51. 7 spent for you2 that they might receive me; and both amongst you and wherever I journeyed for your sake, through many perils, even to outlying regions beyond which no man dwelt, and where never had any one come to baptize, or ordain clergy, or confirm the people, I have, by the bounty of the Lord, initiated everything, carefully and very gladly, for your salvation.
52
52. On occasion, I used to give presents to the kings, besides the hire that I gave to their sons who accompany me ; and nevertheless they seized me with my companions. And on that day they most eagerly desired to kill me ; but my time had not yet come. And everything they found with us they plundered, and me myself they bound with irons. And on the fourteenth day the Lord delivered me from their power; and whatever was ours was restored to us for the sake of God and the near friends 3 whom we had provided beforehand.
53
53. Moreover, ye know by proof how much I paid to those who were judges throughout all the districts which I more frequently visited; for I reckon that I distributed to them not less than the price of fifteen men, so that ye might enjoy me, and I might ever enjoy you in God. I
do not regret it, nor is it enough for me. Still / spend and will spend more.1 The Lord is mighty to grant to me afterwards to be myself spent for your souls.1
54
54. Behold, / call God] or a record upon my soul2 that I lie not ; 3 nor would I write to you that there may be an occasion for flattering words or covetousness,* nor that I hope for honour from any of you. Sufficient to me is the honour which is not seen as yet, but is believed on in the heart. And faithful is he that promised ; 5 never does he lie.
55
55. But I see that already in this present world* I am exalted above measure by the Lord. And I was not worthy nor such a one as that he should grant this to me ; since I know most surely that poverty and affliction become me better than delights and riches. But Christ the Lord, too, was poor for our sakes. I indeed am wretched and unfortunate ; and though I should wish for wealth, now I have it not ; nor do I judge mine own self ; 7 for daily I expect either slaughter, or to be defrauded, or reduced to slavery, or an unfair attack of some kind. But none of these things move me,8 on account of the promises of heaven, because I have cast myself into the hands of God Almighty, for he rules everywhere, as saith the prophet, Cast thy care upon God, and he shall sustain thee.Q
56
56. Behold now / commit the keeping of my soul to my most faithful 10 God, for whom I am an ambassador n in my ignoble state, only because he accepteth no man's person, and chose me for this duty that I should be one of his least ministers.
57
57. Wherefore then, I shall render unto him for all his benefits 12 towards me. But what shall I say, or what shall I promise to my Lord ? For I am only worth what he him-
self has given to me. But he trieth the hearts and reins,1 [and knoweth] that enough, and more than enough, do I desire, and was ready, that he should grant me to drink of his cup,2 as he granted to others also who love him.
58
58. On which account let it not happen to me from my God that I should ever part with his people which he purchased 3 in the ends of the earth. I pray God to give me perseverance, and to vouchsafe that I bear to him faithful witness, until my passing hence, for the sake of my God.
59
59. And if I ever imitated anything good for the sake of my God whom I love, I pray him to grant to me that I may shed my blood with those strangers and captives for his name's sake, even though I should lack burial itself, or that in most wretched fashion my corpse be divided limb by limb to dogs and wild beasts, or that the fowls of the air eat it. Most surely I deem that if this should happen to me, I have gained my soul as well as my body, because without any doubt we shall rise on that day in the clear shining of the sun, that is, in the glory of Christ Jesus our Redeemer, as sons of the living God* and joint heirs with Christ ,5 and conformed to his image 6 that will be ; since of him and through him and in him 7 we shall reign.
60
60. For that sun which we behold, by the command of God rises daily for our sakes ; but it will never reign, nor will its splendour endure; but all those who worship it shall — wretched men — come badly to punishment. We, on the other hand, who believe in and worship the true sun, Christ — who will never perish, nor will any one who doeth his will;8 but he will abide for ever, as Christ will abide for ever,9 who reigneth with God the Father Almighty and with the Holy Spirit, before the worlds, and now, and for ever and ever. Amen.
61
61. Lo, again and again I shall briefly set forth the words of my confession : / testify in truth and in exultation of heart before God and his holy angels,1 that I never had any cause except the Gospel and his promises for ever returning to that nation from whence previously I scarcely escaped.
62
62. But I pray those who believe in and fear God, whosoever shall have vouchsafed to look upon and receive this writing which Patrick the sinner, unlearned verily, composed in Ireland, that no one ever say it was my ignorance that did whatever trifling matter I did, or proved, in accordance with God's good pleasure; but judge ye, and let it be most truly believed that it was the gift of God. And this is my confession before I die.
C. I. Patrick. His full name, in Roman style, was probably Patricias Magonus Sucatus (Bury, St. Patrick, p. 23). The fourth name, Cothirthiacus, added by Tifechan, is simply a Latinization of Cothraige, or Coithrige, which is the Irish form of Patrick (see Bury, St. Patrick, pp. 268, 291). An earlier form is Qatrige, Quadriga. This suggested a derivation from quattuor: "Many were they whom he served, Cothraige (servant) of a fourfold household" (IJymn Genair Patraicc]\ "Cothirthiacus, because he was a slave in the houses of four magicians" (Tirechdn). The name Magonus is attested by Tirech^n. Sucat (Hymn Genair Patraicc) seems to have been the name by which he was familiarly known in his own home, "his name from his parents" (Vit. Trip., i. 17). A note on the Hymn, quoted Vit. Trip., ii. 413, explains Sucat as Deus Belli, uel, Fortis belli. It is spelt Sochet by Muirchu, and Succetus by Tirechan.
"Patrick the sinner" recurs in Conf. 62, Letter I. Peccator is a self-depreciatory epithet, almost conventional ; cf. Dionysius Exiguus.
Illiterate. It is difficult to find an English equivalent for rusticus (here, and c. 12) and rusticitas (46), which will combine the meaning "illiterate" with a suggestion of the primary signification, "rural, rustic." St. Patrick plays upon the double meaning in c. II, where he quotes Ecclus. vii. 16 ("And husbandry (nisticatid) was ordained by the Most High "), as a divine intimation that illiteracy is not a fatal disqualification in a bishop.
Calpurnitts. Calpornus is the spelling in A, Calpornius or Calpurnius is found in the other MSS., Cualfarnus in Muirchu. He belonged socially to the class of decuriones (see note on Letter, 10).
Muirchu repeats, without comment, the account here given of the ecclesiastical standing of Calpurnius and Potitus. But Marianus Scotus, in his Chronicle s.a. 394, and Vit. Trip., i. 9, make Calpurnius a presbyter and Potitus a deacon ; so also the Preface B to the Hymn of St. Sechnall. On the other hand, the Hymn Genair Patraicc suppresses the clerical status of the father and grandfather: "Son of Calpurn, son of Potid, grandson of deacon Odisse." The reading here of R, Calpurnium diaconum quondam is possibly intended to suggest that Calpurnius had ceased to be a deacon before his marriage. Jocelin (Vita vi. i), on the other hand, represents his ordination as having taken place after the birth of his children.
There is, however, nothing surprising in St. Patrick's statement. The general practice of the primitive Church, still continued in the East, permitted the secular clergy — presbyters and deacons — to marry
no
before their ordination, and this was the custom at Milan until the eleventh century. The Council of Trullo, 692, enforced celibacy, or at least continence, on bishops. In the West, the Council of Elvira in Spain, A.D. 305, tried to enforce celibacy on all men in Holy Orders ; but there is plenty of evidence that the standard of strictness varied very much in different countries. Rules which were with difficulty enforced in Spain might well be relaxed, or non-existent, in Britain.
The name of St. Patrick's great-grandfather, Odissus, is inserted here in the margin of A.
The name of Patrick's mother was Concessa (so Muirchu ; Vita iv. I, etc.). Marianus Scotus adds that she was a sister of St. Martin of Tours, "a kinswoman of Martin's "( Vit. Trip., i. 9). " Lupait and Tigris were his two sisters" (Preface B to Hymn of St. Sechhall).
Banaveni Jafamia. The first part of this name is spelt Bannavem in A and Muirchu (B). The second half is Taburnise in P, and Thaburinde in Muirchu.
The first point on which we can be certain about Patrick's birthplace is that it was in Great Britain. See c. 23, "And again, after a few years, I was in Britain with my kindred" ; and c. 43, "Proceeding to Britain ... as to my fatherland and kindred." Muirchu says emphatically that Patrick "was of the British race and born in Britain."
As to the name of his native place, Prof. Bury (St. Patrick, p. 323), says, "that Bannaventa is the name there can, I think, be no doubt." No satisfactory explanation, however, has been given of the ending bernia or btirnice, or burinde. The suggestion that it is a contraction for Britannia is inadmissible. Patrick always speaks of Britannia, not Britannia. I cannot help thinking that Lanigan was right in supposing that Banavem (or Bonaven, as he spells it) might represent a Celtic place-name, river's mouth (Todd, St. Patrick, p. 357) ; and that tabernia is connected with taberna, a tavern. It is not a fatal objection to this theory that it is inconceivable that a Celtic town should have only one taberna in it.
In what part of Great Britain was this town ? Muirchu supplies one clear piece of evidence : it was " not far distant from our sea," z. e. the Iiish Channel. This seems fatal to the claims for Daventry, in Northamptonshire. He adds, "We have ascertained repeatedly that this place is unquestionably Ventre." Probus, however, read in his copy of Muirchu, Nentrice provincia for Ventre. These variants Ventre and Nentrice are not very remote in appearance from Nemthur, which is the name as given in the Hymn Genair Patraicc : "Patrick was born in Nemthur ; this is what is related in stories." An ancient note on this line identifies Nemthur with Alcluith or Ail-Cluade, the Rock of Clyde, i. e. Dumbarton on the Clyde ; and with this agrees the Preface (B) to the H>mn of St. Sechnall, "As to Patrick, his origin was of the Britons of Her-cluaide.
Coroticus was the ruler of Alcluith ; and in the Letter (c. 2) Patrick speaks of the soldiers of Coroticus as his fellow-citizens (cf. c. II, " My own know me not"). This point cannot be pressed (see note in loc.} ; but the expression is at least not unfavourable to the identification of
Patrick's birth-place with Dumbarton or some place in the neighbourhood (Killpatrick, see reff. in Hogan's ed. of Muirchu). On the other hand, Prof. Bury, while maintaining that Coroticus "represented th • Roman defence of North Britain" (op. cit., p. 314), thinks it unlikely that the Roman civil organization, implied in the title dectirio, had reached so far north; and he places "Bannaventa" "perhaps in the regions of the lower Severn " (op. cit., p. 17). In his Preface, he states on the authority of Prof. Rhys, that there are three places named Ban wen in Glamorganshire. The "South Wales" theory, however, would never have been heard of had not Coroticus been identified with "Caredig, who, in the fifth century, held and gave his name (still surviving in Cardigan) to that region" (Gwynn, Book of Armagh, p. xc.); and then the language of the Letter, quoted above, was supposed to prove that Patrick and Coroticus belonged to the same district. Prof. Bury (op. cit., p. 315) thinks the view which identifies Coroticus with Caredig as now hardly worth mentioning. This is not the only case in historical criticism in which a superstructure appears an attractive residence after the foundations of it have been dug up. In view of the fact that the evidence as to the condition of Strathclyde in the fifth century is obscure and conflicting, I am still disposed to think that the case against Dumbarton is not proven.
/ knew not the true God. The "marvellous light" which accompanies and follows conversion always makes the time before it seem darkness. It would be unreasonable to accept literally Patrick's selfdepreciatory statements made here and elsewhere. If the seed of eternal life had not been already sown in him, servitude in a heathen land could not have produced in him the flower of holiness. The prayers which he repeated in the land of his captivity so fervently, and with an ever deepening sense of their meaning, must have been learnt at home ; and it is probable that he had begun the rudiments of other learning as well in his father's house ; for his language in c. 10 (" My sins prevented me from mastering what I had read through before ") seems to imply that his education had been interrupted by his captivity.
To Ireland, "Hiberione." The form Hiberio is also found in Conf. 1 6, 23, 28, 41, 62 ; Letter I, 5, 10, 12. The form Hiberia occurs in Letter 16. The Irish are Hiberionaces, Conf. 23 ; Hiberna g-enles, 37.
C. 4. The wording of this creed passage is borrowed unmistakably from the Commentary on the Apocalypse by Victorious of Pettau in Upper Pannonia, who was martyred in the Diocletian persecution (see Bigne, Bibl. Vet. Pair, iii., p. 4180). Patrick's dependence on this now little-known author was demonstrated in 1894 by Kattenbusch in Das Apostolische Symbol ii. , p. 212 f. See also a review by Haussleiter in Gottingische gele hrte Anzeige for 1898. For this information, which I have verified, I am indebted to Mr. M. Esposito's note in the Journal of Theological Studies, July, 1918. Dr. F. R. Montgomery Hitchcock has noted some less striking parallels between this chapter and the teaching of Irenseus (Hermathena xiv., 1907, pp. 168 ft'.).
C. 9. St. Patrick means that his Latin style — at no time, probably, very polished — had been rendered more uncouth by his long residence
in Ireland and use of the Irish language, "a tongue not my own." Cf. c. i, " Men of another nation."
C. 10. For as the spirit yearns, etc. The meaning of this obscure sentence seems to be that, though the Divine Spirit, working on the human disposition, causes it to display the soul and understanding of a man, it displays the soul, etc., as it actually is; no amount of piety will make Patrick appear other than illiterate and unable to express himself.
C. ii. Not a few. The unnamed opponents who are mentioned again in cc. 26, 37.
C. 13. Clever sirs. This is Prof. Bury's rendering, domini cati, However, dominicati (one word) might be "lordly," as I rendered it in my first ed.
C. 14. The rule of faith. The phrase mensura fidei (Rom. xii. 3) is used by Victorious of Pettau, from whom Patrick took it, in the sense of regulafidei.
Many thousands of persons. The same claim is made in identical terms in c. 50. Cf. c. 42, and Letter, cc. 2, 12, 16.
C. 16. Flocks, "pecora." The word connotes sheep rather than pigs; but Tirechdn (fol. 9, r° b) says that Miliuc "porcarium possuit eum"; and similarly Muirchu (ii. 15) tells how when Patrick was "minding his swine," the angel helped him to find them when they were lost.
€.17. Thy ship is ready. Tirechan adds, Rise and walk. Tirechdn says that Patrick served Miliuc for seven years.
The man, i. e. Miliucc (Muirchu) ; Miliuc-maccu-Boin (Tirechan).
Prospered my way for good, "qui viam meam ad bonum dirigebat." The Bollandist ed., following the Tripartite Life (i. 22), takes bonum here as a place-name, i. e. Boandum, the river Boyne. There is no specification in the other Lives of the place where Patrick embarked.
C. 18. I had to sail: "ut haberem navigare." This is an example of the use of habeo found in Low Latin to express the future tense, e.g. in the Athanasian Creed, resurgere habent = "will rise again." Dr. F. R. Montgomery Hitchcock quotes two instances of this use of habere from Irenseus (Irenaus of Lugdunum, p. 353). On the other hand, Probus ( Vita v. 4) took haberem here in the usual sense, referring it to the passage-money, and interpolated non into the text. Probus attributes the wroth of the ship-master to the fact that Patrick admitted that he had not wherewith to pay the fare.
Suck their breasts. The context seems to imply that this indicates the sailors' method of "making friends," some heathenish custom with which Patrick refused to comply "because of the fear of God." - Prof. Bury, in a note kindly communicated to me, says, " I take sugere mammellas to be an interesting piece of evidence for a primitive ceremony of adoption. It is the custom among some peoples, in adopting children, to go through the form of a mock birth (see J. G. Frazer, Golden Bought ed. 2, i. 21). In some cases, the child to be adopted is placed under the gown or dress of the adoptive mother, and has to creep out —a make-believe birth. The existence of such ceremonies justifies us in supposing that the phrase sugere mammellas arose out of a make-
«
believe suckling, and meant ' to be adopted by ' ... It may mean no more than ' I refused to enter into a close intimacy with them.' '
C. 19. We reached land. Gaul ; not Britain, as Muirchu (i. i) says. Muirchu expected the divine promise of c. 17 to be fulfilled at once, and misunderstood c. 23, " And again, after a few years, I was in Britain." Patrick had not been in Britain since his captivity. See next note.
Their dogs. The cargo of the ship was of dogs. Prof. Bury (St. Patrick, p. 341) notes that "Celtic hounds were highly valued in the south [of Europe]. . . . Mr. Olden (History of the Church of Ireland, pp. 1 6, 1 8) acutely suggests that Patrick, so long the servant of an Irish chieftain, had become skilled in the management of wolf-hounds, and that this consideration may have determined the traders to take him on board. . . . The cargo of dogs seems to support the conclusion that it was to Gaul, not to Britain, that the traders sailed. They might have landed at either Nantes or Bordeaux." That it was Bordeaux is indicated by Probus (Brotgalum, i.e. Bortgalum, from the Irish Bordgal).
Thanks be to God. Deo gratias was a favourite expression of St. Patrick's; it occurs twice in the Dicta Patricii, and in Conf. 19, 23, 42 ; Letter 17. Gratias or gratiam ago occurs in cc. 30, 34, 46. See also the story told by Muirchu (i. 24) about Patrick's reiterated grazacham, i e. gratias agamus. Muirchu and Vita iii. (16) say that Patrick on this occasion abstained from all the food, not merely from the honey.
C. 20. And he fell upon me. I have adopted Mr. M. Esposito's correction of my former rendering, "And there fell upon me."
Helias. By the time that Patrick came to write his account of this nightmare, he had learnt that Helios was a [Greek] name for the sun; and the coincidence of his shouting Helias with the rising of the sun seemed due to a divine suggestion to his ignorant mind of a supposed connexion between the two words. The same contrast between Christ, the true sun, and the sun in the heavens, is found in c. 60. So Probus, "Cum trina voce invocasset Christum solem verum." On the other hand, Helias can only mean Elijah; and Muirchu and the other ancient Lives, with the exception of Probus, state that Patrick invoked this Old Testament Saint. Sun worship was so prevalent in Europe at this time, that possibly the Greek name for the sun would be known to persons who had even less Greek than had Patrick.
C. 21. Tbis second captivity refers to the period during which Patrick was with the traders after they landed in France. The "many years " are the six years that had elapsed since the Irish pirates tore him from his home. The appearance of the swine seems to have occurred on the twenty-eighth day after the landing ; and Patrick was with the sailors, from the day they left Ireland, for ninety-three days in all. Prof. Bury (St. Patrick, p. 294) " believes that the sentence is a parenthetical reference to his lifework in Ireland, considered as a second captivity." This explanation seems far fetched.
C. 22. Dry quarters: possibly, "d:y weather."
C. 23. The "few years" that elapsed between his escape from the traders and his return to Britain were probably spent at Lerins.
•
Muirchu (i. 5) states that Patrick was now thirty years of age (see note). This is probably a precarious inference from c. 27.
In Britain: "in Britanniis." The plural form Britannia, which St. Patrick always uses (see cc. 32, 43), has reference to the provinces into which the country was divided by the Romans, viz. Britannia Prima, Britannia Secunda, Maxima Cieesariensis, Flavia Caesariensis and Valentia.
Victorious, in all likelihood, was one of Patrick's Gallic friends with whom he may have discussed projects of missionary work in Ireland. He was transformed in later years into Patrick's guardian angel (see Muirchu i. I, 7 ; ii. 5, 15 ; Tirechan, passim}.
The Wood of Foclut, Fochtti. The Wood of Fochlad or Fochlath included the townlands of Crosspatrick and Donaghmore in the parish of Killala, in the barony of Tirawley, Co. Mayo. According to Prof. Bury (St. Patrick, p. 335), the wood was not confined to north-western Mayo, but extended southward to Murrisk.
The words which St. Patrick heard were amplified in later times. Tirechan (fol. ii r° a) says, "He heard the voices of children crying with great outcry in the wombs of their mothers, and saying, Come, holy Patrick, to save us (Veni, sancte Patrici, salvos nos facere). This is the version of the words as given in the third antiphon appended to the Hymn of St. Sechnall. On the other hand, Muirchu (i. 7) represents the angel Victoricus as saying, "The boys and girls of the Wood of Fochlath are calling thee."
In my first edition of the Libri S. 'Patricii, I rendered the words, ' We beseech thee, holy youth, to come hither and walk among us." Dr. Gwynn, whom I consulted on the point, was so convinced that the scene of Patrick's captivity was in Co. Antrim, not in Co. Mayo, that he thought et adhuc might be taken as a careless writing of adhitc et. This may have been the reading in Muirchu's copy of the Confession ; for the title of chapter 7 of Book i. of his Life has ut veniret adhuc. In Dr. Gwynn's edition of the Book of Armagh, p. Ixxxiii. he renders it moreover. On the other hand, in Conf. 21 it means once more. See Dr. Gwynn's note, op. cit., p. cclxxxix. f.
C. 26. Assailed, "temptauit." Patrick uses tenipto rather in the sense of assail than of induce to sin. So in c. 20, Satan "tempted" him by throwing huge rocks on him. This attack seems to have been made after Patrick had laboured some time in Ireland as bishop. It may have been on his visit to Rome, when he was "approved in the Catholic faith " (Ann. Ult. sub. an. 441). See Bury, op. cit., p. 367. But see Introd. p. 17
C. 27. The thirty years had elapsed since the fault — whatever it was —had been committed. Patrick may mean that thirty years had passed since the confession of the fault ; but this does not seem so probable.
Against me: "me adversus." The transposition of prepositions is a common characteristic of Low Latin. See Krusch, lonce Vila Sanctorum, p. 58.
C. 29. The aforesaid persons : i. e. those to whom St. Patrick refers in c. 26, "not a few of my elders."
C. 29. A writing void of honour over against my face; "Scripturn.
erat contra faciem meam sine honore." Contra here means over again stt as in Dan. v. 5 (a passage which Patrick possibly had in his mind), " The fingers . . . wrote over against the candlestick," " Manus hominis sctibentis contra candelabrum." A characteristic feature of St. Patrick's visions was, that in them his own body is not that which sees, but is itself one of the things seen.
The key to the understanding of this vision, and to the translation of the description of it, must be sought in the whole context. The opening words of c. 32 prove that the divine utterance in this chapter was directed against Patrick's false friend ; and c. 30 indicates that it involved a vindication of Patrick's character. But Patrick is satisfied with the divine approval of himself ; and, consistently with his practice of "naming no names," he will not be betrayed here into a disclosure which would cause bitterness to others. If we suppose, by way of illustration, his false friend's name to have been Germanus, what Patrick heard was, "We have seen with anger the face of Germanus." Germanus is "the person designated" in c. 27 as "My dearest friend." In the " answer of God " his name was expressed, " laid bare," mtdato nomine. The attack in writing over against Patrick's face was more than counterbalanced by the wrathful regard of God against the face of his friend. This explanation seems more satisfactory than that of Dr.
Gw) nn (op. cit., p. Ixxxv. ), who takes designati as nom. pi. rather than gen. sing., and nudato nomine and sine honore as mutually explanatory :—
" He saw his own face, with a writing set against it, in which his episcopal
style was withheld from him." This is quite likely. But Dr. Gwynn's
rendering of the words heard is rather unnatural : " We have seen the
face with displeasure; [we who have been] designated by name stript [of
the title of Bishop]."
C. 32. That contention: " dissensionem." An allusion to Acts xv. 39,
the sharp contention between two friends, Paul and Barnabas. But the
other reading, defensionem, might be an echo of 2 Tim. iv. 16, "At my
first defence no one took my part." The rest of the verse has been
quoted by Patrick at the end of c. 26.
C. 33. If man had said this. "This" refers to "the answer of
God," cf. cc. 29, 32. "Man" is emphatic: If it were merely man,
and not God, that thus rebuked my old friend, I should not have
disclosed the fact at all.
C. 34. Offer ... a living victim. This verse (Rom. xii. i) is also
quoted in the Hymn of St. Sechnall, x., "Quam [carnem] ut hostiam
placentem uivam offert Domino."
The limit beyond which no man dwells, " usque ubi nemo ultra est."
Cf. c. 51, "usque ad exteras partes ubi nemo ultra erat." When
Patrick looked westward from Croaghpatrick he little dreamt that there
were men beyond the Atlantic Ocean.
C. 35. Unlearned: " idiotam." This emendation of the meaningless
idea tamen of the MSS. implies a reference to Acts iv. 13, "homines
sine litteris et idiotae."
C. 37. My free condition : " ingenuitatem meam." Cf. Letter, IO,
"Ingenuus fui secundum carnem" . . . uendidi , , ^ nqbilitatem.
meam.
C. 38. Confirmed: "consummarentur." This verb consummare is also used of the rite of Confirmation in c. 51. But in Letter, 2, the word is confirmare, which may be an indication that the Letter was written at a later date than the Confession.
C. 40. We ought to fish . . . spread cur nets. This passage may have been in St. Sechnall's mind when he wrote (iv.) :
"Dominus ilium elegit ut doceret barbaras Nationes ut piscaret per doctrinse retia."
Muirchu, though familiar with the Confession, is probably thinking of the hymn, when he says (i. 7), " Victorious . . . visited him . . . saying that the time had arrived for him to go, and with the Gospel net fish for the wild and savage tribes to whom the Lord had sent him to teach them."
C. 41. The words Filii Scottorum et filia regulorum nionachi et virgines Chris ti occur again in Letter, 12.
C. 42. One blessed lady. The incident to which reference is here made reminds us of other conversions of young women of noble birth in the ministry of St. Patrick. The story of the death of Moneisen, the Saxon lady, in Muirchu (i. 27), and that of Ethne and Fedelm, daughters of King Loigaire, in Tirechan (fol. 12, r°.), have in common the feature of death following what we should call a hasty baptism. The language used here suggests that this benedicta Scotta was no longer alive when Patrick wrote.
She seized on that, etc. : "arripuitillud." This apparently refers to the vow of perpetual virginity. Cf. Matt, xi, 12, " Regnum cselorum uim patitur : et uiolenti rapiunt illud," where the O.L. has diripiunt for rapiunt.
This benedicta Scotta may perhaps be identified with Cinnu or Cymnia, daughter of Echaid or Echu, son of Crimthan. Her father had desired that she should marry the son of Cormac, son of Coirbre, son of Niall ; but allowed her to take the veil. Patrick entrusted her to Cechtumbar, abbess of Druimm-Dubain ( Vit. Trip., i. 177).
Our race. People of British origin, but born in Ireland. Patrick here speaks as if he were writing in Britain for Britons.
C. 43. As far as Gaul. These words, expressing the utmost limits of Patrick's longings, seem to imply that his travels on the Continent had not extended further than Gaul. Even if he had visited Italy, Gaul was his spiritual home.
C. 44. Chastity. Cf. Hymn of St. Sechnall, x., " Kastam qui custodit carnem ob atnorem Domini."
/ have not led a perfect life. Ctr. Hymn of St. Sechnall, i., " Perfectamque propter vitam sequatur apostolis."
C. 50. A scruple: "scriptula" = scriptulum = scrupulum, the twenty-fourth part of an ounce, the smallest division of anything ; possibly here used of the screpal or sical, an ancient Celtic silver coin weighing twenty-four grains (Joyce, Social History of Ancient Ireland^ ii., p. 381).
C- 53- I paid to those who were judges. For iudicabant, the cognate MSS. CF3F4 read indicabaut^ " those who shewed the way." Tirechan
(fol. IO v°£) fixes this incident as taking place on Patrick's journey to the Wood of Fochlath in the company of Endeus and his brothers : " Patrick moreover expended the value of fifteen souls of men [slaves], as he states in his writing, of silver and of gold, that no action of bad men should hinder them on their right road as they traversed the whole of Ireland." Patrick was eager to reach his goal as quickly as possible, to keep Easter at the Wood of Fochlath. The local authorities had it in their power to delay his progress ; it was not a question of getting guides, but facilities.
C. 56. Chose me: " elegit me." There is a reference here and in Letter, 6, to John xv. 16, 19, " Ego elegi vos." St. Sechnall's Hymn (iv. ), says of Patrick, " Dominus ilium elegit ut doceret barbaras nationes," etc.
C. 58 Bear to him faithful -witness: " Reddam testimonium fidele. " The reading \ine\ testem fidelem is supported by the Hymn of St. Sechnall, xix., " Testis Domini fidelis in lege catholica " ; but it involves an unnatural use of redder e.
C. 60. The contrast emphasised in this chapter and in c. 20, between the material sun and Christ, the true sun, is a polemical thrust at the worship of Mithra, the Persian sun-god, whose cult was popular all over the Roman Empire during the first four or five centuries of our era.
[Notes from the foot of the pages. In front of each group is the page number of the printed book.]
[Page 31] Isa. xlii. 25. 2 Acts xiii. 47. 3 Luke xxiv. 45. 4 Joel ii. 12. 5 Luke i. 48.
[Page 32] Ps. Ixxxix. 5. • Acts ii. 5. ' Col. i. 16. * Phil. ii. 9-11 ' Rom. ii. 6. • Tit. iii. 5, 6. T Rom. viii. 16, 17.
[Page 33] 1 Ps. 1. 15, » Tob, xii. 7. » 2 Tim. i. 8. Ps. v, 6. B Wisd. i. n. » Matt. xii. 36. 7 Eph, vi. 5. • Rom, xiv, 10, 12. • Ecclus. iv. 29,
[Page 34] 1 Ps. cxix. 112. z Exod. iv. 10. 3 Isa. xxxii. 4. 4 2 Cor. iii. 2 ; A cts xiii. 47. 6 2 Cor. iii. 3. 6 Ecclus. vii. 16. 7 Ps. cxix. 67. 8 Luke i. 49.
[Page 35] Ps. cxvi. 12. 2 Rev. xix. 5. 3 Acts vii. 22. 4 Heb. xii. 28. 6 I Thess. ii. 10. 6 Rom. xii. 3. 7 2 Thess. ii. 16. 8 Phil. ii. 15. 9 2 Pet. i. 15.
[Page 36] 1 Acts xviii, 25.
[Page 37] 1 Joel ii. 12. * Luke x, 30. 8 Luke xxiv. 42, 4 I Cor. x. 28. * 2 Pet i. 13.
[Page 38] 1 Ps. 1. 15. 2 Matt. x. 20. 3 Dan. vii. 13.
[Page 39] 1 Ps. cix. 1 6. 2 2 Cor. xii. 2. 1 John x. n. 4 Eph. iii. 16. 6 Rom. viii. 26. 6 I John ii. I. 7 Rom. viii. 34. 8 Ps. cxviii. 13.
[Page 40] 1 2 Tim. iv. 1 6. 2 Dan. vi. 5. 3 2 Cor. xii. 2. 4 Ps. cxviii. 22. 6 Dan. vii. 13. 6 Zech. ii. 8. ' i Tim. i. 12.
[Page 41] 1 Mark v. 29, 30. 2 I Pet. i. 7. » 2 Cor. viii. 21. 1 Acts ii. 29. 6 John x. 29. • Rom. viii. n.
[Page 42] 1 Ps. xcv. 8. * Rom. xii. I. 3 Ps. xxxiv. 6. 4 2 Sam. vii. 1 8. 6 Acts ii. 17. 6 Matt. xxiv. 14 7 Acts xxi. 19. 8 Rom. viii. 26.
[Page 43] 1 Ps. xxxix. 4. 2 Ecclus. xxix. 29. 3 2 Tim. ii. 9. 4 3 John 7. 6 Jer. xvi. 19. 6 Acts xiii. 47. ' Acts i. 4.
[Page 44] 1 Matt. viii. II. 2 Matt. iv. 19. 3 Jer. xvi. 16. 4 Luke v. 6. 5 Matt, xxviii. 19, 2O. ' Mark xvi. 15, 16. 7 Matt. xxiv. 14. 8 Acts ii. 17, 18.
[Page 45] 1 Rom. ix. 25, 26. * Luke i. 17. 3 Acts xx. 22, 23.
[Page 46] 1 2 Pet. i. 13 ; Rom. vii. 24. * I Cor. xiii. 9. 3 2 Tim. iv. 7. 4 2 Tim. i. 9. 6 John xiv. 26. 6 Exod. xx. 6.
[Page 47] 1 2 Thess. i. 8. * 2 Cor. xiii. 2. 8 Prov. x. I. 1 2 Cor. vii. 2. 6 Matt, xviii. 7 j Rom. ii. 24. 6 2 Cor. xi. 6. 7 Acts xiii. 350.
[Page 48] 1 I Sam. xii. 3. 2 2 Cor. xii. 15. * Acts x. 24.
[Page 49] 1 2 Cor. xii. 15 2 2 Cor. i. 23. 8 Gal. i. 20. 1 i Thess. ii. 5. 6 Heb. x. 23. ' Gal. i. 4. 7 i Cor. iv. 3. 8 Acts xx. 24. 9 Ps. Iv. 22. 10 i Pet. iv. 19. ll Eph. vi. 20. 12 Ps. cxvi. 12,
[Page 50] Ps. vii. 9. * Matt. xx. 22. 8 Isa. xliii. 21. Rom. ix. 26. » Rom. viii. 17. ' Rom. viiL 29. Rom. xi. 36. ' i John ii. 17. 9 Ps. Ixxxix. 36.
[Page 51] 1 i Tim. v. 21.