Now were the Irish through the helpe of the Scots and Picts, arch-pirats of the narrow seas, and used to sacke litle vveake villages scattered along the shore, and for want of other prey, to bring the Inhabitants home Captives, with others also was taken this Patricius,[1] a ladde of sixteene yeares olde, being then a student of secular learning,[2] and became the Villaine of an Irish Lord called Mackbiam, from whom after sixe yeares hee redeemed himselfe with a peece of gold which hee found in a clod of earth, newly turned up by the swyne hee kept the time of his Banishment (as affliction commonly maketh men religious.) This vvith the regard of his former education, printed in him such remorse and humility, that being from thenceforth utterly weaned from the world, hee betooke himselfe to contemplation, ever lamenting the lacke of grace and truth in that Land, vvherefore not despairing, but that in continuance, some good might bee vvrought upon them, hee learned their tongue perfectly, and alluring one companion with him for his excercises, he departed thence into France, ever casting backe his eye to the conversion of Ireland, vvhose babes yet unborn, seemed to him in his dream (from out their mothers vvombes) to call for Christendome. In this purpose he sought out Martinus his Vncle, by vvhose meanes the yong man entred under the government of Germanus then Bishop of Antisiodore, vvhose scholler and familiar he
