Page:A View of the State of Ireland - 1809.djvu/361

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OF IRELAND.
63

all, were yee in my power to give, rather then Christ should starve.

At convenient age she professed virginity, and allured other noble Virgins to her fellowship, with whom she lived in her owne Monastery, untill the yeare of our Lord 500. and was buried at Downe, in the Tombe of S. Patricke, what Cambrensis reporteth of his own knowledge and sight, I will be bold to add hereunto.

Among her reliques, was found a concordance of the 4. Evangelists, seeming to bee written with no mortall hand, beautified with mysticall pictures in the margent, whose colours and workemanship, at the first blush were darke and unpleasant, but in the view wonderful liuely and artificiall. Senanus first a Souldiour, succeeded S. Patricke[1] in the See of Ardmagh, when he had beene certaine yeares a minor and doctour to the Campe. Brendan Abbot at the age of ten yeares, was of such incomparable holinesse, and thereto so wise and lettered, that his parents thinking themselves to have wonne the most notable fruite, that could ensue their marriage, by mutuall consent professed continencie. Hee flourished in the time of S. Bride, lived familiarly with Ercus the Bishop, and Finan the Abbot.

Madoc alias Edan of noble parentage, taken pri-

  1. An. Dom. 493.