Life of S. Magnenn of Kilmainham

Magnenn, and Toa, and Librén, and Cobthach, were the four Sons of Aedh son of Colgan son of Tuathal son of Felim son of Colla fó chrich. Which bishop [Magnenn] was, from Shannon to benn Edair [the Hill of Howth], a tower of piety; and in his own time a vessel of selection and of sanctity: one that from his seven years completed had never uttered a falsehood, and that (for fear lest he should see the guardian devil of her) had never looked a woman in the face.

It was once upon a time that Magnenn went upon a visit to the house of his companion and of his friend, i.e. to the place where Loman of lock Uair [lough Owel] was, in Meath; and in that town was one that also was his friend, and had been his bearer. The condition in which now he beheld him was with a great running from both his eyes. The holy cleric was startled to see his friend, and he uttered thus: “Deo gratias (i.e. to God be thanks for that), pitiable, O my friend, is thine eyes’ plight: they [as it were] mocking at the world, while the world mocks at them I thirty years to this present time it is since I have seen thee; and hadst thou but till to-day done as [then] I counselled thee, thou hadst made good thy share of the Heavenly City’s amenity [which is great indeed]: for the bird which in the Heavenly City hath the least, and that the most discordant voice, yields more delight than the whole Earth’s good things.” The other answered: “friend, I throw myself on thy protection!" Magnenn took on him for God’s sake to protect him, and said to him: “that which thou wouldst take ill to be done to thyself, do not to another; and though thou be in thy latter time, yet will God take thee to Him [i.e. accept thee].” Magnenn the bishop and Loman of loch Uair make pact together then, either on other bestows his benediction, and they take leave.

At which time also Magnenn preached to Dermot son of Fergus, to the king of Ireland; and when Loman of loch Uair heard the tokens of the Day of Doom and the rigorous judgments of the Triune God, in the king’s presence and the people’s he broke out and wept aloud. When the king’s people for their part heard that delivery: the saintly cleric’s austere verdicts and stern enunciations, in the king’s presence a score and ten of them severed themselves from the false world [i.e. embraced the religious life]. Thenceforth the king too, Dermot son of Fergus, looked to his own peace with God, and to Magnenn assigned great dues and ‘alms’ [i.e. endowments] as: a screpall on every hose; for every chieftain’s daughter that should take a husband, an ounce of gold or (should his stewards choose it rather) such raiment as they [i.e. chieftain’s daughters] should have had on them [at the wedding]. Of the gold which he had in tribute of the men from over-seas the king conferred on him the making of a pastoral staff likewise, and of a crozier. At this period Magnenn’s preaching by lock Uair was notable, as was also his consideration with the king of Ireland; and on Dermot he pronounced a benediction, saying to him: “misericordia domini super filios vestros (i.e. God’s mercy be on thyself and on thy sons).”

It was once when Magnenn went to the house of Finnian of magk bile: [as they met] they saluted one another, and when they heard the vesper-bell went abroad at vcspertide on the Sunday. [On the way] they bared their hearts to God and, there as they were, they witnessed a linen altar-cloth that with an undulating [i.e. fluttering] motion was just come down out of the firmament. Said bishop Magnenn: “pick up that, Finnian.” “Never say it, holy bishop,” Finnian answered: “thyself art be whom such doth best befit, nor is the thing a likely one for me to have.” Magnenn the bishop said “I swear by the angels that, until from God I have just such another, I will not lift it.” A second time they look up to God, and between them crave yet another altar-cloth [and it was vouchsafed them]: a miracle by which God’s name was magnified; while they, for their devotion’s efficacity that was so great, vented joyful cries of exultation. Now these same linen cloths are in being still.

It was once on a time that the king of Ireland’s steward came to require rent of Magnenn’s nurse, in whose bosom he (being then just three years old) lay the while; and that which was his lawful due the steward took not, but a thing to which he had no right at all, that was what be demanded. Magnenn’s nurse (he being as aforesaid in her bosom) wept with a loud cry, and straightway the power of one leg, of one arm and of an eye, departed from the steward. He vociferated, saying: “I saw a dream but lately; as though I had been guilty in the matter of a ‘lamb of compassion;’ which lamb I now deem that child thou hast to be, and, wouldst thou in his name procure me succour of God now, never again henceforth would I lift thy rent on thee.” The nurse looked on the little boy, and said: “dear son, misery should by rights have comfort.” When the child heard his nurse’s words, upwards to God on high he raised his eyes and both his hands; then speedily and on the instant the steward is relieved. Indoors there is a clamour, and among them all it is reported that Magnenn is a holy child. These then were the first miracles of Magnenn.

Once upon a time Magnenn had a ram sheep that accompanied him, and when they walked the ram would carry Magnenn’s book of prayers; but a certain bad man came to Magnenn and stole the ram. Magnenn with his thrice nine clerics followed the trail to the robber’s house; by various relics, and by Magnenn’s hand, the marauder denies that he is guilty in the matter of the ram, which [at the very instant] partially was in a hole of the earth beneath the robber’s house, cut up, while another portion of the same was in his belly, eaten. For the holy cleric God worked a manifest miracle then, so that in the hole where he was the ram spoke to them. Magnenn and his thrice nine look up to God and thank Him that He had multiplied His miracles. As for the thief: from his eye was taken its sight, and their vigour from his legs and arms, and in his entire body a mighty perturbation wrought; and with a loud voice he cried: “woe is me that am a sinner I and, O Magnenn, I adjure thee by God that thou deprive me not of Heaven besides!" Magnenn, when he heard the sinner do an act of penitence, conceived for him an affection and compassion; he made vehement prayer to God, and in virtue of supplication won of Him that the blind man’s eyes [i.e. sight] should return to him, and he be set in his place again [i.e. restored as he was before]. By this miracle God’s name and Magnenn’s were magnified, et reliqua.

Yet another time that Magnenn, being on a circuit of devotion, came to the house of Molasius of Leighlin (that was son of Cairell son of Muiredach Redneck): now Molasius was so that in his body were thirty diseases, and he (for devotion’s sake) penned in a narrow hovel. Moreover he was thus: spread out in form of a cross, with his mouth to the ground and he weeping vehemently, the earth under him being wet with his tears of penitence. Magnenn said: “I adjure thee by God, and tell me wherefore thou askedst of Rim that in thy body there must be three score and ten diseases.” Molasius answered: “I will declare it, holy bishop: my [spiritual] condition is revealed to me as being such that my sinfulness like a flame pervades my body; therefore I am fain to have my purgatory here, and ‘on the yonder side’ [i.e. beyond the grave] to find the life eternal. Knowest thou, Magnenn, how the grain of wheat uses to be before it be sown in the earth: that it must needs be threshed and beaten? even in like wise it is that, or ever I be laid into the grave, I would have my body to be threshed by these infirmities; and to God be thanks for it that, how near soever death be to me now, thou art come my way before I die. For God’s love, lay me out becomingly; perform thou the order of my sepulture and burial.” Accordingly Magnenn [when the time came] carried out the order of those obsequies, which made the third most exalted burial that was done in Ireland: Patrick in dún dá leth nglas [Downpatrick]; Mochuda in Ráithín of O Suanaigh [Raheen, near Tullamore]; and Molasius, that by holy bishop Magnenn was buried [at Leighlin].

It was once upon a time that bishop Magnenn went to the place where Finnchua of brI gobhann [near Mitchelstown] was, and him be craved to have go with him on a visit to Arran where Enda of Arran was, and to which there was resort of Ireland’s and indeed of all Europe’s saints, where too mórphopa pápa had been (?). So Magnenn proceeded into Arran, made friends with its saints, and then, after achieving victory of penitence and of pilgrimage, with the thrice nine holy clerics that were his companions came away out of it again. One night [on their travel], hard by Garmna, they were without meat; and to Magnenn his people said: “holy cleric, pity it is for us that this night we are not in Tallaght where we might have to-night’s sufficiency, and we so sharp set.” Magnenn answered: “young men, never say it! seeing that God succours both poor and rich, and that neither is His ability greater to relieve us in any other place than it is to help us where we are.” Not long then they were there when they heard baying and cry of a hound having in frqnt of him a deer which, whenever he was come close to the holy clerics, fetched a desperate sudden leap and so, right before them, broke his neck. Magnenn said: “Deo gratias; temperately eat, and to your Maker render thanks that ye are so comfortably conditioned.” His people did so, and [the refection ended] carried off their several remnants of the flesh. In this fashion they tramped on until fastingtide came, and to Magnenn a man of his familia said then: “I adjure thee that thou impart to us the doctrine and admonitions of fasting [i e preach to us on its theory and practice].” He made answer: “fast ing profits nought when [independently of thine own will] meat is withheld from thee so that thou canst not have it; nor [is there virtue in] a fast based on vanity and pride, which then should be the motives of your abstention; neither is one held to observe the fast from meat any more than that of the lips [i.e. tern perance of speech] and abstinence from all faults in general. I tell you also, miserable beings, that for the evil which a man does actually God impleads him not more straitly than he indites him for the good which, when he might have done it, he neglected and performed it not. Woe to him too that [unconcernedly] sees evil wrought, and knows not fear of Him that for ever and for ever is the Lord!”

It was of another time that Magnenn went on a visit to the place where Maelruain of Tallaght was, whom he found thus just emerging out of a well of water after chanting of the psalter s three times fifty psalms in it. Through humility Maelruain saluted the sacred bishop, made him great welcome and gave him the kiss of peace, saying: “my friend, take heed to me” He reached his hand across him and from the hem of the hair integument that he wore next his skin plucked a strong fibula, with which he dealt himself a blow in the breast on the gospel side. Out of the pin’s place issued not blood but merely a little pinkish fluid; and the motive of this ordeal was to announce to bishop Magnenn that in Maelruain’s body pride existed not. Magnenn replied: “I see that; and why I [for my part] am come is to have exhortation of thee, to crave that to thee I may make confession, and to be purged of all my sins and guiltiness.” Maelruain said: “in God’s name I adjure thee that forthwith thou make thy confession,” Magnenn began: “thrice I say to thee ‘have mercy on me!’ I tell thee (he went on) that from the day in which I took holy orders never have I suffered the canonical hours to run [unobserved] the one into another; and I tell thee that from the day in which I was baptised never have I violated my purity, my chastity; neither from the time when I was tailed ‘priest’ have I been even for one day without [saying] Mass.” Maelruain asked now: “holy bishop, in performance of corporal labour doest thou any handiwork at all?" Magnenn answered: “nor work nor labour do I; neither indeed (respect to my day being had) is it incumbent on me to perform any such.” Maelruain cried: “alas for that! I have never heard confession of a man but [with his own hands] laboured for his body [i.e. to supply his own corporal requirements].” Magnenn rejoined: “then, holy cleric, yield me reverence.” Maelruain assented: “I will indeed.” “I tell thee farther that upon any man that ever came to me [to confess] I never laid penance (how severe soever) but on mine own body I would inflict one more severe than it: thus once on a time came to me the king of Saxons’ son to confess and to seek devotional tuition, of whom I enquired: ‘doest thou any handiwork?’ he said that he did not; but I affirmed that I would not infringe God’s law, and the injunction that he gave to Adam when he enjoined him to feed himself by his hand’s and by his body’s labour, and with his sweat. Alas then that my peregrination and my visit [hither] must be even like to his!” But Maelruain returned: “by no means: rather shall sages and ancient books have preserved to the World’s end thy journey hither and the miracles that yet shall proceed from thee, as being both very excellent.” Magnenn the bishop craved: “instruct me for God’s sake!” to whom Maelruain: “in His name I say to thee: weep for the sin of friends and of neighbours [as though it were thine]; on God set all thy thoughts, nor dwell at all whether on friend or comrade, on gold or silver, or on the specious World’s false show, but thy confessions and thine heart place all in God; on Mary—Mother of Glory—meditate; on the great (i.e. the twelve major) prophets, together with John the Baptist, ponder; as on the lesser prophets with Habacuc. Think on the fourfold Evangel, on the twelve Apostles, and on the eleven disciples that He had for followers; on the band of youths that the King Eternal has for a house­hold retinue: the token of said retinue being a cross of gold in their foreheads, and on their backs a cross of silver. Meditate moreover on the nine angelic orders, on bliss of the Heavenly City’s glory; so shall great privileges appertain to thy succession’s [i.e. successors’] see, and yonder thou shalt win the glory everlasting. This then is my counsel to thee, holy bishop. Farther yet: to thy successors’ see great prerogatives shall belong, and in Ireland thy fire shall be the third on which privilege [of sanctity] shall be conferred, i.e. the fire of the elder Lianan of Kinvarra, the lively and perennial fire that is in Inishmurray [in Sligo bay] and bishop Magnenn’s fire in Kilmainham. Thou too art the one that to thine own monks, and to such as from Shannon to the [eastern] sea accomplish thy prescriptions, shalt beside Patrick and Ireland’s other saints be their final judge.”

Then the two cemented friendship: to them that [in the future] should transgress their behests they bequeathed a curse, and eke to be killed with keenest weapons and thrust into the hell of Malemantus, of Salemas and of Beelzebub: the chief commanders that in Hell are the least merciful [i.e. the most ruthless]; their souls [with their bodies] to be lodged in the nethermost tier of Hell’s pit.

Magnenn the bishop had also here three petitions [granted him] of God: plenty and honour and worldly wealth to be theirs that should favour his clergy and his representative after him; while to them that should persecute his precinct and his own peculiar see he left three legacies: a life short and transient, blotting out of their posterity, and the Earth not to yield them her fruit. To them too that being under Magnenn’s safeguard despair of his protection, woe! for of God he procures for them any rightful petition that they ask of him, and, on this hither side [of the grave], length of life with fruitfulness of land; on the yonder side, presence [i.e. fruition] of eternal glory. He obtained also that, by whomsoever bishop Magnenn should be held dear, the same should be beloved of men.

Here now are some of bishop Magnenn’s perfections: whensoever he came to a refectory or to drink a draught, before ever he tasted his meal or that which he should consume he would make five meditations: the first of them being how he was born originally, and in how mean estate he came from his mother’s womb; the second, how in time he should escape out of his death-extremity; the third, how the soul is rapt away to look on Hell; the fourth again, how it goes to contemplate the Heavenly City that it may shun being taken back again, whereby its self-distrust [i.e. humility and solicitude] is all the greater; the fifth, how the sinners’ cairn [i.e. the edifice of their ambition, how high soever piled) is in a trifling while afterwards abased. He used to tell his monks that for the Holy Spirit they ought in their inmost parts to leave a passage free: one into which they should not admit secular [i.e. material] sustenance. Thrice at a time he was wont to say that the World is a mere mass of deception. “Look to it, my beloved people,” he said, “and take heed thereto: if ye spurn God’s commandments, how shall ye making your petitions to Him look up to Him? or how shall God hearken to your cry and earnest prayer?"

It was of a time that bishop Magnenn went to the place where S. Moling was: a meal of victual was served to them and, conformably to precept, sanctified with benediction. Said a man of his familia: “to-day [as we came hither] we marked a cross and a fresh grave, but what is buried there we know not.” Magnenn enquired: “in what spot saw ye that?" The other answered: “on an acclivity that is in the side of berna na gaoithe [Wind-gap].” The bishop said: “I have never seen a cross but I would thrice make genuflection to it;" his meal, after it was blessed and all, he left therefore and (his thrice nine holy clerics in his company) went his ways till he came to berna na gaoithe, where for a long space he was in contemplation of the cross and of the grave; nor spoke to any, but to the cross bent the knee three times. His people questioned him, what made him to be silent; he never answered them; a three hours’ spell he continued so, then in a voice mild and gentle said: “I charge thee tell me who is laid in that grave; and what the reason that I never saw the cross, and I after passing close beside it.” The miserable being [tenant of the tomb] answering him said: “I will tell thee that, holy bishop, even though from thine interpellation I gain no relief. I am a heathen, and never was it feasible to do evil but I did it; the weak I harried, I sought to curry favour with the strong; on the feeble churches I exercised persecution, and incurred excommunication by bell and candle with malediction of the iighteous; I had death without penitence, and all philosophers. [i.e. learned] of the world could not recite the one half of my torment [which indeed could not be shewn] unless that Almighty God should tell it. Wherefore it is, holy bishop, that the guardian angel thou hadst with thee suffered thee not to see me [i.e. my cross and grave]; and by God I adjure thee now, holy bishop, pray for me and bestow on me thy mercy!” thereupon Magnenn looked up to God, but his guardian angel said to him: “rouse not God’s wrath, neither any more idly waste thy time.” Magnenn made a genuflection, and by the same path returned back to the place where Moling was; and the meal which Magnenn had blessed, neither Moling nor his congregation had tasted of it until he thus was come again. Magnenn said: “this is strange, holy cleric; what is the reason that this meat was not consumed?" The other answered: “we were not worthy that we should eat it after that it was blessed by thee.” “Holy one, never say it! for though all Ireland’s saints had blessed it, yet wert thou good enough for it, and thee it would have become to eat it.”

They ratify their concord and their amity, and with his thrice nine bishop Magnenn goes away. But that night it befell him to lose his way, he fell to supplicate instantly to the end be might be freed from that wandering up and down, and [very soon] found himself in a mansion where was a great company of riotous people. He said: “alas for this! bad as it was to stray, the crowd is worse: such is its loathliness, and such its ribald words.” He enquired then whether near at hand there were any decent place, and it was told him that hard by was a poor widow of but small account; he repaired to the place where the widow was, and she testified her joy at the company of saints that she saw draw towards her. The clerics salute her and make a pitch on the premises, Magnenn greatly eulogising the decency and quietness. “Well for one that is in the life of poverty in which thou art,” said he, “so long as it be not a poverty suffered against the grain [lit, a poverty of ‘unwill’ or of ‘disinclination’], for in the Church such meets with no approval, since him that practises it it leads into sin and [later] lamentation.”

On the morrow Magnenn rose; all the Saturday he and his thrice nine walked; when the Sunday’s [anterior] limit came the holy bishop happened to be on an open plain, and there they pitch for that night. Throughout which same cold and wet night much rain and harsh wind variably veering were their lot; but bishop Magnenn planted his four-square pastoral staff [to stand] over them, round about it again each man of them planted his own crook-headed staff, over his company of clerics the holy bishop raised [and spread] his four-cornered hood, and for that band wrought manifest prodigy: for great as was the night’s tempest and foul weather, and every pool and hollow brimmed, yet upon the saints fell no drop of the storm. On the Monday they rose; those wonders were patent which he had performed for the saints, and [the noise of] these miracles pervaded the whole of Ireland.

Of Magnenn’s characteristics was the manner of his carrying himself in regard to riches, for he never accepted either gold or silver or any metal that is denominated moneta; and a Culdee that was in Kilmainham bore this great testimony of him, saying: “Magnenn the wonder-worker, that never sinned with woman; Magnenn the sage, whose use and wont it was to weep.” Farther: in preaching he never uttered any one word a second time [in the same discourse]; he never left a sermon [after him anywhere] but some one or other he had ‘brought to faith’ [i.e. converted]; nor ever sat at king’s shoulder or at chiefs (purposing thus to eschew acquiring of a high mind), and honour of kings and of mighty lords he would contemn greatly, saying: “alas for him to whom, when once he hath renounced the World, honours con­ferred by the powerful yield any satisfaction."

After this it was that from benn Edair came a robber, who stole the leper woman of Kilmainham’s cow (for the lepress was so that she had a cow that was in milk always, and used sufficiently to supply the poor, the needy and the palsied); now she had cognisance of the robber, and proceeded (crying aloud as she went) to the place where with his gathering of saints and clerics bishop Magnenn was; to whom all she related bitterly how she was plundered in the matter of her single cow, whereby she too was herself fallen into leanness and emaciation. At this tale holy bishop Magnenn and his knot of clerics were angered exceedingly: the bells in the place, great and small, are rung; and against the robber they with bell, with cursing and with malediction, pronounce excommunication. After this [for a long time] the holy bishops uttered not, but was silent: without a stir whether of foot, of hand, or of any one of his organs; then he spoke softly and said that, though he had essayed to pronounce a benediction on the robber, the magnitude of his displeasure at him was such [that he could not compass it]; and neither saint nor other righteous man obtained of Magnenn that he should afford the thief a prayer or even one sigh of compassion. They said: “O righteous one, wherefore doest thou this?" He answered: “I will tell you: for the greatness of mine incensement it is, and for the weightiness of my severity; and because that I am fain to rouse God’s anger to increasing of the everlasting torment yonderside: in the place where from no friend may help be had; in the place where, when once the soul falls into Malemantus’ clutch in Hell’s pit’s nethermost, nor saint nor just man may any more gain his petition [for relief of the condemned irrevocably].

“On them that shall violate my prerogatives and my monks’ rights I lay three heavy sentences: that their eyes be closed to the world that they have loved [i.e. may they be blinded], and the Heavenly City shut against them so that it be not in their power to win it; to them, the actual violators, I bequeath death by weapon’s point; and to their successors after them a niggard yield of fruits, as David in the psalter says: semen impiorum peribit.

“Of God I entreat that, on the day when the twelve regal thrones shall be set on Mount Sion, on the day when the four streams of fire shall gird the mountain round about, and on the day when the three peoples shall be there: Heaven’s people, and Earth’s, and Hell’s [i.e. angels, men, devils], they that shall have outraged me be found guilty of death in Hell. But as for them that shall have magnified and fostered me [and my successors], may it (with Christ’s leave) be myself that, by Patrick’s side, shall sit in judgment on them.”

Bishop Magnenn said moreover: “woe to him (according as the [sacred] records and writings set forth the tokens of the fifteen days preceding Doom) that in that day is not [found] true, faithful, steadfast, mild and gentle and of good report; without frown nor sternness of God’s Son bent on him as he comes joyfully to meet [and to resume] his body. But to Lucifer’s ‘folk that for enhancement of their torment come that day to meet their false bodies, misery I for thus likewise say the scriptures: that such shall then be bald, murky of hue, hairless and toothless; and though his father and his mother or his wedded wife were on either side of one, yet would he never look on them; but tremble all over there, with his heed fixed only on his sins arrayed in front of him. Of which crew of Lucifer’s no individual may filch himself in among Jesus’ people; but they must all be huddled in a grimy gang apart.”

A prophecy of bishop Magnenn’s was: that a time should come when there should be daughters flippant and tart, devoid of obedience to their mothers; when they of low estate should make much murmuring, and seniors lack reverent cherishing; when there should be impious laymen and prelates both, perverted wicked judges, disrespect to elders; soil barren of fruits, weather deranged and intemperate seasons; women given up to witchcraft, churches unfrequented, deceitful hearts and perfidy on the increase; a time when God’s commandments should be violated, and Doomsday’s tokens occur every year.

It was once on a time when bishop Magnenn went on an excursion to Athlone: he sat on the [river’s] strand, and when a certain leper saw the holy bishop ‘from him’ [i.e. some way off as yet] with an exceeding great cry he cried out and said to him: “bear my complaint, and entreat the mighty Lord for me!” The holy bishop hearing that laid his heart bare to God, looked up overhead, and his compassion yearned on the unclean; he desired water, washed the leper’s hands and feet [and he was whole].

Of that holy bishop’s perfection was this too: that he never entered into any place where war or conflict was but mercifulness and pity would [efficaciously] attend that which he said, and, before he departed, the parties would be at peace. Lovingly he would say to them: “that which is spent ye have had; that which ye have given away ye have yet; that which ye have hoarded up ye have lost; and that in respect of which ye have unbecomingly denied any is [even now] avenged on you.” So soon then as the tuatlta and the tribes would hear that, straightway they used to make peace, and he would go on to say that such was the third thing with which God was best pleased in the world [the three being] love to Himselfward, giving of copious alms, and maintenance of peace.

An urchin of his familia—one that was just seven years old—said to him: “holy bishop, how must we practise piety?" [the answer was]: “early tierce and long none; meat so much as may suffice a little boy; sleep as it were of a captive cast for death; often meditation on God; not to suffer one canonical hour to run into the other without having [duly] meditated on it; much prayer every night: as though that night should be one’s last, and his own final end, to be determined by his state then [lit. ‘on the head of that’], were the being without limit without cessation in the life eternal yonder, in fruition of endless existence, and free of all care. Whosoever now shall [by his ill course of life] make these behests to be of none effect shall abandon [i.e. forego, be deprived of] three things: monument, son [i.e. male issue], praise [i.e. posthumous renown].”

A habit that bishop Magnenn had: which was that never was any for three hours in his company but he would reveal what spirit were in him, and would understand speedily whether it were good angel or bad that accompanied any man’s body [i.e. person].

He studied fervently with Ireland’s twelve apostles, whose names were these: two Finnians, two Colmans, Kieran, Cainnech [S. Canice], Comghall, two Brendans, Ruadhán, Nindidh, Mobhí son of Nadfraech; and these [I say] are the twelve archsaints that together with Patrick were in Ireland, being also (along with bishop Magnenn) preceptors in devotion and in exhortation. Who all blessed him in every increment of piety that they could think of.

It was another time that on a devotional tour Magnenn went to the place where Mochuta of Raheen was, and Mochuta enquired: “how art thou, my friend?" “I am not as I have been; and shall be not as I am, and shall yet go to nothing. I tell thee, Mochuta, that I have seen an ancient man requiring of his sons to be virtuous, and sure his own members nor his senses he never disciplined from the world’s evil ways.”

Hard upon which Mochuta questioned him: “in the case of such as, being in orders, break their vows, what shall we do?" Magnenn answered: “by leave of God’s angel I will tell thee: I affirm that whatsoever priest violates his orders or his chastity, the same is toward God guilty of death thereby; and whatsoever woman shall indulge but one ordained man’s propensity, I hold it to be the same as though she had not shunned an individual man in all three portions of the world: the reason of this being that it is proper to a priest [i.e. one of his attributes] to walk in the honour of his orders in all three parts of the world [i.e. to keep himself intact in all peregrinations however distant]. Or again [I take her guilt to be] as though she had ten thousand husbands, and ten hundred .supra milk: the reason of which is that they be ten thousand legions of angels which accompany the body of every priest that is chaste; and this is caused by the fact that he, even as Jesus, is in everlasting supplication [i.e. intercession] on the angelic altar. Woe to him too to whom after a priest such woman shall become a prize: for to be familiar with her and to know her is a [thrusting of the] head into mire; and a renunciation of baptism, of faith, of piety; a pact with Lucifer, with Dathan and with Abiron; with Pluto and with Beelzebub; with Malemantus, with the swart sow, and with the chief captains of Hell’s host” And these were bishop Magnenn’s testifyings anent concubinage of women and of priests.

Mochuta said: “tell us, holy bishop, how must pilgrimage be made?" “There be three species under [i.e according to] which one, when he leaves his country, enters on a journey of pilgrimage; and but one cause for which of God he wins the Heavenly Kingdom, all which is as thus; when of his heart and mind and of veritable zeal one breaks with the world’s vices [and becomes a pilgrim], then in such wise he attains unerringly to God; but when he goes on a pilgrimage indeed, the while his mind dwells [at home] on his children, on his wife or on his land, and he prefers them to God: then is his peregrination in vain, nor, saving displacement of body [i.e. locomotion] and idle toil, has he any profit of the same; for to have gone abroad out of his own natural patrimony is but small gain to any unless thereafter he shall [be found to] have made the pilgrimage efficaciously. Also when faithful Abraham went forth out of his own peculiar fatherland the Lord gave him counsel, which was this: ‘henceforth reck no more of thy land and soil, neither be thy mind bent to return again to it.’ And this is the guardian angel’s counsel to every man that may make pilgrimage: not to repeat, by act whether of hands, of feet, of body, the ethics which in the land where he has been [hitherto] were his [and to expiate which he is a wanderer now]; for by the standard of proficiency in morals and in virtuous practice it is that God rates every individual of the human race. Again: such and such performs a pilgrimage [virtually] when (himself [i.e. his person] abiding still among his family) he finds his heart vehemently incline to pilgrimage, but (though he find it so) feebleness, or poverty, or burden of household care suffers him not to perform it [actually]; which [inward motion or intention] then is to him the same as though [in the body] he visited the tombstones of Peter and of Paul, and Christ’s sepulchre: supposing it to be thither he were bound and that the flesh [with its infirmities] hindered him, which then should assume the soul’s responsibility for the pilgrimage left unmade; [lastly] every Christian is bound to be subject to the rule of Church, for with the Lord thüt judges equitably contrition is imputed for devoutness. This then is the problem which in the way of conversation and for friendship’s sake thou didst propound to me [lit. ‘askedst of me’].”

Magnenn said: “knowest thou, Mochuta, at what time comes the roth rámhach [‘the Rowing Wheel’] prognosticating the Perverter’s advent in Ireland?" “Thus Antichrist shall come: as one that is mighty and wise, yet foolish: foolish namely as towards God, but wise to work out his own proper detriment; one whose mother (for he is a daughter’s progeny by her father) is a sister of his own; one whose entire face is but one flat surface, and he having on each foot six toes; and the manner of him is besides that he is a judge violent and black [i.e. pitiless and unjust] having in his forehead a light grey tuft; out of all metals he makes gold [i.e. transmutes them] and raises up the dead. In whose time mercy shall not be until that Eli come and Enoch . . . [caetera desiderantur].”


SOURCE:

Silva Gadelica (I-XXXI). ed. Standish Hayes O'Grady. Reprint of the 1892 ed. New York, Lemma Pub. Corp., 1970.


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