LIFE OF ST. PATRICK

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 19846, 21 May 1927, Page 13 (Supplement)

LIFE OF ST. PATRICK

EFFECT ON EUROPEAN CULTURE AN EARLY COPYRIGHT DECISION ’ J TRADITION records that Patrick, apostle of Ireland, died on March 17, in the year 461; hence, wherever Irishmen foregather, St. Patrick’s Day is one of celebration. A good deal is generally known of Patrick’s missionary journeys and preaching in Ireland; but there is an aspect of his work related to the general culture of Western Europe on which it is worth while to lay greater stress. His primary purpose was religious organisation, but at the same time he laid the foundations of a movement of scholarship and the making of beautiful books which flowed back through Britain and the Continent as far as Italy, influencing the thought and art of the Western nations for centuries. Study of the rather obscure documents shows that the events of his life prepared him step by step for just such a mission. He was born among the Britons, and therefore among Latin-speaking people who had long before been converted to Christianity. His father, whom he calls Calpurnius, son of Potitus, was a deeurion, a landowner and town councillor in a Roman town probably on the coast of Wales. But it is more than likely that this settlement was a colony from the opposite Irish coast, and that there was Sequent going and coming across the narrow sea between, since all these peoples had seagoing ships, trading back and forth and with Gaul and Spain. There were also piratical raids and naval expeditions. King Niall, who was at that time High King of Ireland, with his stronghold at Tara, made many expeditions across the sea, carrying away hostages from nine raided tribes. His last expedition, in which Niall himself met death, was about the year 405, and it is not unlikely that it was in this raid that Patrick was captured-and carried away into slavery, being then, as he says, a beardless youth of 16. Inspired by Dreams. After six years, inspired by a dream, he escaped, macro his way across Ireland to the cast coast and found a ship carrying a cargo of wolfhounds, which took him to some port in Gaul, perhaps Bordeaux. Gaul had recently been devastated by bands of Vandals, Suevcs and Alans, who later settled in Spain, and Patrick records that he and his companions spent four weeks passing through a desert. This probably brought him to. Northern Italy* where he escaped from his companions. It is probable that he spent the next few years on an island off the “eeasf. near Cannes, in the school of Honoratus, learning to road and write Latin and studying religion. Then, as his Confession relates, he went back to his home among the Britons. Here a second dream inspired in him the desire to lead a mission to Ireland. He went back to Gaul to prepare himself for it’, establishing himself at Auxerre, on the River Yonne, which flows into the Seine near Fontainebleau. There he was ordained by Bishop Amator, who shortly after died and was succeeded by Bishop Germanus. Since there was constant intercourse between Roman Britain and pagan Ireland, it is reasonable to suppose that there were already some groups of converts to Christianity in Ireland, probably on the coast opposite Wales; but they were not yet organised. Palladius, who was in Rome at this time, interested Pope Celestine in this small and remote community and, according to the contemporary chronicle of Prosper, was consecrated Bishop of the Irish in the year 431. Patrick wished-to join him and had actually set forth to take ship, perhaps at the mouth of the Seine, when he received tidings of the death of Palladius. Patrick immediately returned to Auxerre, where, in the year 432, he was consecrated Bishop by Germanus and was entrusted with the mission to Ireland. The ship that carried him and his companions seems to have followed the coast northward, landing in the inlet that was later called Strangford, “the fiord of Strang.” Here, tradition says, the missionary Bishop first preached in a barn, from the Irish name of which the Hill of Saul above Downpatrick is named. In the following year, 433, he decided to go to Tara, where Laegaire, Niall’s son, reigned as High King. Tradition records that when Patrick, approaching Tara on Easter Eve, lit the Paschal fire on the Hill of Slane, the Druids announced to the King: “-If that fire which we now see be not extinguished to-night, it will never be extinguished, but will eclipse our fires, and he that kindled it will overturn thy kingdom.” Victory Over the Druids. Although Laegaire did not accept the new teaching, but died in the faith of his fathers, the prophecy of the Druids was in due time fulfilled. Victory over the Druids probably originated the tradition that Patrick banished the serpents from Ireland. Patrick and his followers, receiving permission to travel freely through Ireland, built not only small stone churches but also schools, and in these Latin reading and writing were taught along with the Irish language. The students at these schools, who had inherited the tradition of a rich epic and lyric native literature, took naturally to the study of languages. And- they were eager to have books of their own. Finian, who founded the school at Moville, had a cherished copy of the Psalms. One of his pupils, Columba, a descendant of King Niall, secretly made a copy. Finian, discovering this, demanded the copy. Columba refused to give it up. The dispute was referred to an arbitrator, who gave one of the earliest recorded copyright decisions: “Unto every cow her calf; unto every book its copy.’’ But still Columba refused to surrender the copy. The quarrel developed into a conflict and Columba was exiled. With some of his adherents ho sailed to the island of lona, off the headland of Mull, in what is now Argyll, and established a religious house there. Columba, a man of ardent devotion, immediately undertook a series of missions to the mainland of Scotland, a work extending over thirtyfive years, which profoundly influenced the history of Northern Britain. When Columba died in 596 his life was written by his successor Adamnan, in excellent Latin. Tn it were recorded both the labours of the apostle of Scotland and the literary culture of these new settlements. Columba was celebrated as a writer of beautiful manuscripts. Study of the Classics. The study of Latin was not limited to religious writings. Terence, Virgil, Ovid and the Augustan poets were also read. Other tongues were added. Cummian of Durrow quotes Origen, Cyril and Pachomius in Greek. Camin commented on the Psalms and recorded Hebrew readings on the margins. Pagan Ireland had developed elaborate ornament applied to metal work like the Tara brooch. The scribes in the Irish schools early divined that this style of ornament, like interlaced wicker work, could be. used in decorating fine manuscripts. So they set to work lovingly to develop it, producing many beautiful manuscripts, of which the Book of Kells is the most famous. They also produced large numbers of Latin books for general use and distribution, thus becoming publishing centres. Meanwhile all Western Europe except Ireland had been overrun by invaders—Angles, Saxons, Lombards, Goths, Vandals, Huns. Learning and classical culture were largely wiped out. Then came a return wave of missions from Ireland, bringing something of the learning and culture that had been cherished there. Columbanus of Leinster went to France, where he worked for twenty years, founding religious schools at Luxeuil and Fontaines. •