ST. MALACHY OF ARMAGH***


E-text prepared by Stacy Brown, Anna Tuinman, Bethanne M. Simms, Ted
Garvin, and the Project Gutenberg Online Distributed Proofreading Team
(http://www.pgdp.net)



Transcriber's Note:

   In the genealogical tree in Additional Note B, and a few other
   locations in the text, dagger symbols have been replaced with +.

   A character following a caret sign (^) is superscripted.





Translations of Christian Literature. Series V
Lives of the Celtic Saints

S^T BERNARD OF CLAIRVAUX'S
LIFE OF S^T MALACHY OF ARMAGH

by

H. J. LAWLOR, D.D., LITT.D.







Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge.

The Macmillan Company.
London
New York
1920

Printed in Great Britain by Richard Clay & Sons, Limited, Brunswick St.,
Stamford St., S.E. 1, and Bungay, Suffolk.




CONTENTS


                                                 PAGE

  PRINCIPAL AUTHORITIES REFERRED TO               vii

  NAMES OF IRISH PERSONS AND PLACES                 x

  INTRODUCTION                                    xii

  LIFE OF ST. MALACHY                               1

  LETTERS OF ST. BERNARD                          131

  SERMONS OF ST. BERNARD ON THE PASSING OF
      MALACHY                                     141

  ADDITIONAL NOTES:--

    A.--ST. BERNARD'S DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE
        OF THE IRISH CHURCH                       161

    B.--THE HEREDITARY SUCCESSION OF THE COARBS
        OF PATRICK                                164

    C.--MALACHY'S CONTEST WITH NIALL              167

  APPENDIX                                        171

  INDEX                                           172




PRINCIPAL AUTHORITIES REFERRED TO


A. T.C.D. MS. F. 4, 6, containing the _Vita S. Malachiae_ and a portion
of _Sermo_ ii. imbedded therein. Cent. xiii.; copied from a much earlier
exemplar.

AA.SS. _Acta Sanctorum._

A.F.M. _Annals of the Kingdom of Ireland by the Four Masters_, ed. J.
O'Donovan, 1851.

A.I. Annals of Inisfallen, in O'Conor, _Rerum Hibernicarum Scriptores_,
1814-1826, vol. ii.

A.L.C. _Annals of Loch Ce_, ed. W. M. Hennessy (R.S.), 1871.

A.T. _Annals of Tigernach_ (so called: see J. MacNeill in _Eriu_, vii.
30), ed. W. Stokes, in _Revue Celtique_, xvi.-xviii.

A.U. _Annals of Ulster, otherwise Annals of Senat_, ed. W. M. Hennessy
and B. MacCarthy, 1887-1901.

Adamnan. The Life of St. Columba, written by Adamnan, ed. W. Reeves
(Irish Archaeological and Celtic Society), 1857.

Archdall. M. Archdall, _Monasticon Hibernicum_, 1786: the earlier part
ed. by P. F. Moran, 1873.

C.M.A. _Chartularies of St. Mary's Abbey, Dublin_, ed. J. T. Gilbert
(R.S.), 1884.

_Cant._ S. Bernardi Sermones in Cantica, in _P.L._ clxxxiii. 779 ff.
(1879): English Translation by S. J. Eales, _The Life and Works of St.
Bernard_, vol. iv., 1896.

Colgan, _A.S.H._ J. Colgan, _Acta Sanctorum Hiberniae_, Lovanii, 1645,
tom. i.

D.A.I. The Dublin Annals of Inisfallen, Royal Irish Academy MS. 23, F.
9.

_De Cons._ S. Bernardi _De Consideratione Libri V._, in _P.L._ clxxxii.
727 ff. (1879): English Translation by G. Lewis, 1908.

_De Dil._ S. Bernardi _De Diligendo Deo_ in _P.L._ clxxxii. 973 ff.
(1879). English Translations by M. C. and C. Patmore, second ed., 1884,
and E. G. Gardner, 1916.

Dugdale. W. Dugdale, _Monasticon Anglicanum_, ed. J. Caley, H. Ellis and
B. Bandinel, 1817-30.

Eadmer. Eadmeri _Historia Novorum in Anglia_, ed. M. Rule (R.S.), 1884.

_Ep._ S. Bernardi Epistolae in _P.L._ clxxxii. 67 ff. (1879): English
Translation in S. J. Eales, _The Life and Works of St. Bernard_, vols.
i.-iii. (1889-1896).

Giraldus, _Expug._; _Gest._; _Top._ _Giraldi Cambrensis Opera_, ed. J.
S. Brewer, J. F. Dimock and G. F. Warner (R.S.), 1861-1901. _Expugnatio
Hibernica_, vol. v. p. 207 ff.; _De Rebus a se Gestis_, vol. i. p. 1
ff.; _Topographia Hibernica_, vol. v. p. 1 ff.

Gorman. _The Martyrology of Gorman_, ed. W. Stokes (Henry Bradshaw
Society), 1895.

Gougaud. L. Gougaud, _Les Chretientes Celtiques_, 1911.

Gwynn. The Book of Armagh, ed. J. Gwynn, 1913.

J.R.S.A.I. _Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland_:
references to volumes according to the consecutive numbering.

Jaffe. _Regesta Pontificum Romanorum_, ed. P. Jaffe, 1851.

John of Hexham. _Historia Johannis Prioris Hagustaldensis Ecclesiae_, in
_Symeonis Monachi Dunelmensis Opera Omnia_, ed. T. Arnold (R.S.), ii.
(1885), 284 ff.

K. Codex Kilkenniensis; Marsh's Library, Dublin, MS. Z. 1.5, containing
the _Vita S. Malachiae_. Cent. xv.

Keating. G. Keating, _History of Ireland_, ed. D. Comyn and P. S.
Dinneen (Irish Texts Society), 1902-1914.

L.A.J. _County Louth Archaeological Journal._

L.B. Leabhar Breac, Royal Irish Academy MS. (Facsimile ed. 1876.)

Lanigan. J. Lanigan, _An Ecclesiastical History of Ireland... to the
Beginning of the Thirteenth Century_, 1829.

M.G.H. _Monumenta Germaniae Historica._

Mansi. _Sacrorum Conciliorum nova et amplissima Collectio_, ed. J. D.
Mansi, 1759-1798.

O.C.C. _The Book of Obits and Martyrology of the Cathedral Church of the
Holy Trinity, commonly called Christ Church, Dublin_, ed. J. C.
Crosthwaite and J. H. Todd (Irish Archaeological Society), 1844.

Oengus. _The Martyrology of Oengus the Culdee_, ed. W. Stokes (Henry
Bradshaw Society), 1905.

O'Hanlon. J. O'Hanlon, _The Life of Saint Malachy O'Morgair_, 1859.

O'Hanlon, _Saints_. J. O'Hanlon, _Lives of the Irish Saints_, vols.
i.-ix., 1875-1901.

P.L. _Patrologiae Cursus Completus, Series Latina_, ed. J. P. Migne.

Petrie. G. Petrie, _The Ecclesiastical Architecture of Ireland...
comprising an Essay on the Origin and Uses of the Round Towers of
Ireland_, 1845.

Plummer. _Vitae Sanctorum Hiberniae_, ed. C. Plummer, 1910.

Plummer, _Bede_. _Venerabilis Baedae Opera Historica_, ed. C. Plummer,
1896.

R.I.A. _Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy_, Archaeology, Linguistic
and Literature. References to volumes according to the consecutive
numbering.

R.I.A. _Trans._ _Transactions of the Royal Irish Academy._

R.Q.H. _Revue des Questions Historiques._

R.T.A. _Register of the Abbey of St. Thomas, Dublin_, ed. J. T. Gilbert
(R.S.), 1889.

Reeves. W. Reeves, _Ecclesiastical Antiquities of Down, Connor and
Dromore_, 1847.

Reeves, _Churches_. W. Reeves, _Ancient Churches of Armagh_, 1860.

Richard of Hexham. _Historia Ricardi prioris Haugustaldensis_, in
_Chronicles of Stephen_, etc., ed. Howlett (R.S.), iii. (1886), 137 ff.

Theiner. A. Theiner, _Vetera Monumenta Hibernorum et Scotorum,
1216-1547_, Romae, 1864.

Todd. J. H. Todd, _St. Patrick Apostle of Ireland_, 1864.

_Trias._ J. Colgan, _Triadis Thaumaturgae seu divorum Patricii, Columbae
et Brigidae Acta_, Lovanii, 1647 (vol. ii. of his _Acta Sanctorum
Hiberniae_).

_Trip._ W. Stokes, _The Tripartite Life of Patrick with other Documents
relating to that Saint_, ed. W. Stokes (R.S.), 1887.

Tundale. _Visio Tnugdali lateinisch und altdeutsch_, ed. A. Wagner,
1882.

Ussher. J. Ussher, _Veterum Epistolarum Hibernicarum Sylloge_, in Works,
ed. C. R. Elrington, 1847-1864, vol. iv., pp. 383 ff.

V.P. _S. Bernardi Vita Prima_, in _P.L._ clxxxv., 225 ff.

Vacandard. _Vie de Saint Bernard Abbe de Clairvaux_ par l'Abbe E.
Vacandard, 4e edition, 1910.




NAMES OF IRISH PERSONS AND PLACES


  Form used in this     Form used by
    volume.             St. Bernard.          Irish Form.

  Antrim                Oenthreb              Oentreb
  Armagh                Ardmacha              Ard Macha

  Bangor                Benchor               Bennchor

  Cashel                Caselensis            Caisel
  Catholicus            Catholicus            Catlac
  Cellach               Celsus                Cellach
  Christian             Christianus           Gilla Crist
  Coleraine             Culratim              Cul Rathin
  Columbanus            Columbanus            Columban
  Comgall               Congellus             Comgall
  Connor                Connereth             Coindire
  Conor                                       Conchobar
  Cork                  Corcagia              Corcach

  Dermot                Diarmicius            Diarmait
  Derry                                       Daire
  Desmond               Mumonia australis     Desmuma
  Donnell                                     Domnall
  Donough                                     {Donnchad
                                              {Donngus
  Down                  Dunum                 Dun da Lethglas

  Edan                  Edanus                Aedh

  Faughart              Fochart               Fochart

  Gelasius              Gelasius              Gilla meic Liag
  Gilbert               Gillebertus           Gilla espuig

  Imar                  Imaru                 Imar
  Inispatrick                                 Inis Patraic
  Iveragh               Ibracensis            Ui Rathach

  Leinster              Laginia               Laigin
  Limerick                                    Luimneach
  Lismore               Lesmore               Lis Mor
  Lugadh                Luanus                {Lugaid
                                              {Molua

  MacCarthy                                   Mac (meic) Carthaig
  Maelisa }             Malchus               Mael Isa
  Malchus }
  Malachy               Malachias             Mael Maedoc
  Moriarty                                    Ua Muirchertaig
  Munster               Mumonia               Muma
  Murrough                                    Murchadh
  Murtough              Mauricius             Muirchertach

  Nehemiah              Nehemias              Gilla na Naem
  Niall                 Nigellus              Niall

  O'Boyle                                     Ua Baigill
  O'Brien                                     Ua Briain
  O'Carroll                                   Ua Cerbaill
  O'Conor                                     Ua Conchobair
  O'Hagan                                     Ua hAedacain
  O'Hanratty                                  Ua hIndrechtaig
  O'Hanley                                    Ua hAingli
  O'Kelly                                     Ua Cellaig
  O'Loughlin                                  Ua Lochlainn
  Oriel                                       Oirgialla
  O'Rorke                                     Ua Ruarc

  Patrick               Patricius             Patraic

  Rory                                        Ruaidhri

  Saul                  {Saballum  }          Sabal Phatraic
                        {Saballinum}
  Shalvey                                     Ua Selbaig

  Teague                                      Tadhg
  Thomond                                     Tuathmuma
  Turlough                                    Toirdelbach

  Ulaid                 Ulydia                Ulaid
  Usnagh                                      Uisnech

  Waterford                                   Port Lairge




INTRODUCTION


The main purpose of this Introduction is to give an account of a
movement which changed the whole face of the Irish Church, and to the
advancement of which St. Malachy devoted his life. In default of a
better word we may call the movement a Reformation, though it might
perhaps be more accurately described as an ecclesiastical revolution.
Without some knowledge of its aims and progress it is impossible to
assign to Malachy his true place in the history of his native country.

That such a movement actually took place in the twelfth century is
beyond doubt. From about the year 1200 on it is certain that the
organization of the Church of Ireland was similar to that of the other
Churches of western Christendom. The country was divided into dioceses;
and each diocese had a bishop as its ruler, and a Cathedral Church in
which the bishop's stool was placed. The Cathedral Church, moreover, had
a chapter of clergy, regular or secular, who performed important
functions in the diocese. But up to the end of the eleventh century all
these things were unknown among the Irish. The constitution of the
Church was then of an entirely different type, one that had no exact
parallel elsewhere. The passage from the older to the newer organization
must have taken place in the twelfth century. During that century,
therefore, there was a Reformation in the Irish Church, however little
we may know of its causes or its process. But this Reformation was no
mere re-modelling of the hierarchy. It can be shown that it imposed on
the members of the Church a new standard of sexual morality; if we
believe contemporary writers, it restored to their proper place such
rites as Confession, Confirmation and Matrimony; it substituted for the
offices of divine service previously in use those of the Roman Church;
it introduced the custom of paying tithes; it established in Ireland the
monastic orders of Latin Christendom[1]; and it may have produced
changes in other directions.[2] But I propose to confine myself to the
change in the constitution of the Church, which was its most striking
feature. The subject, even thus narrowed, will give us more than can be
satisfactorily treated in a few pages.

First, I must emphasize the assertion made a moment ago that the
constitution of the Irish Church in the eleventh century was _sui
generis_. Let us begin by reminding ourselves what it was from the sixth
to the eighth century. It was then essentially monastic in character.
The rulers of the Church were the abbots of the monasteries, commonly
known as the coarbs or successors of their founders. These abbots were
sometimes bishops; but whether they were bishops or of lower rank in the
ministry, their authority was inherent in their office of coarb. At this
period bishops were numerous--more numerous than in later medieval or
modern times; and certain functions were reserved for bishops, for
example, ordination. No ecclesiastic, of whatever status, could perform
such functions, unless he was of the episcopal order. But no bishop, as
such, had jurisdiction. The bishops were often subordinate officers in
monasteries, reverenced because of their office, but executing their
special functions at the command of the abbots. Sometimes a bishop was
attached to a single tribe. Sometimes a group of bishops--often seven in
number--dwelt together in one place. But in no case, I repeat, had they
jurisdiction. Thus ecclesiastical authority was vested in the abbots.
The episcopate was bestowed on certain individuals as a personal
distinction. Thus the bishops, if they were not also abbots, had only
such influence on the affairs of the Church as their sanctity, or their
learning, might give them.

It may surprise some that so anomalous a system of government should
have persisted as late as the eleventh century, in other words for a
period of over 500 years. But we must take account of the Danish--or as
we should rather call it, the Norse--invasion of Ireland. Danish ships
first appeared off the Irish coasts about the year 800. From that time
for two centuries Ireland was to a large extent cut off from intercourse
with the rest of Europe. The aim of the northern hordes, as it seems,
was not