Page:The most ancient lives of Saint Patrick - O'Leary.djvu/93

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he was baptized and confessed the faith. "My debroth," said Patrick, "'twere right that thy houses should not be exalted, nor thy descendants after thee. Thy successors shall be seldom just, and there shall be fratricide through it."

He went to the east, to Lec-finn, where Patrick made the cross in the stone over Cill-mor-uachtair-Muaidh, to the west. But Lia-na-manach is its name at this day—i.e. Cruimther Monach's, or Olcan's church; but there was no church there at that time. And he baptized Eochaidh, son of Nathi, son of Fiachra, and resuscitated his wife Echtra, at Ath-Echtra, the little stream at the very door of Cill-mor. And Echtra's grave is on the margin of the ford. It is a sign of knowledge with them in their history to remember this grave. He (Patrick) sent Bishop Olcan to build where the church is to-day. Thus he came with an axe on his back, and Patrick told him that he should put up at the place where the axe would fall off his back; quod factum est where Cill-mor-uachtair-Muaidh is. He went afterwards to the north, to Lec-Balbeni, where he found and blessed the sons of Amhalgaidh; and he went out of the country from [the western] Bertlacha to the eastern Bertlacha, and passed it eastwards to the estuary of the Muaidh, towards the mouth of the sea. A young woman was drowned there before him; and he blessed the place, and said that no person should be drowned there for evermore. Patrick prophesied that the eastern Bertlacha should be with him, as it is in their history; and in the day of war the king of that region will be victorious, if true to Patrick. It was there, at the stream, the Gregraighe flung stones at Patrick and his people. "My debroth," said Patrick, "you shall be beaten in every conflict in