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'f
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS
jfirsft I3ap of 3ulj>.
ARTICLE L—ST. RUMOLD, APOSTLE AND BISHOP OF MECHLIN, BELGIUM.
[EIGHTH CENTURY. }
CHAPTER I.
INTRODUCTION—ANCIENT AND MODERN WRITERS OF ST. RUMOLD's ACTS—NATIVITY AND PARENTAGE OF ST. RUMOLD—HIS BIRTH THE FRUIT OF PRAYER—HIS EARLY PIETY—ANGELIC COMMUNICATIONS—ST. RUMOLD DEVOTES HIMSELF TO A LIFE OF CELIBACY—ON THE DEATH OF GUALAFER, HE IS NOMINATED AND ELECTED ARCHBISHOP OF DUBLIN—REMARKS ON THE DUBIOUS CHARACTER OF THESE STATEMENTS.
personages and heroes, most honoured in the esteem of
men for success and fame on the theatre of this world, are CELEBRATED acquired
covered with the glare of renown in laboured chronicles, sublime song, or
elegant panegyric. But, how seldom do right and justice direct their aims, or how does it so frequently happen, that disinterestedness and self-denial are found wanting in a career of ambition, while men are aspiring to human grandeur ! In describing the life and virtues of every great saint, when reliablematerialsarefurnishedforthepurpose; wearenotobligedtoborrow- false rhetorical colouring, when seeking the production of a truthful por- traiture. The more simple and exact a biographer's narrative becomes in such case, the more his reader feels charmed and edified ; because fidelity to the etching of a noble subject brings the thought and heart of man into gene- rous relations with all that is morally sublime and illustrious. Patient and unobtrusive perseverance, in the pursuit of God's work from early youth to manhood's prime, deserves our admiration and praise, since the Almighty usually deigns to reward it with an unfading crown. In difficult missionary enterprise, the sweat and labour of a true Christian toiler serve to refresh the soul. Scanty fare and poor raiment adequately supply the saint's temporal wants. Privation may attend upon his course, although Providence guide his steps and watch over his sleeping and waking moments. For the truly heroic, martyrdom frequently looms in prospect, and waits at the close of his suffering yet glorious life. Whatever may be the despair and fear of a criminal, at the approach of a violent death j it has no terrors, but it has even peculiar con- solations, for the holy martyr. He loves to tread in the footsteps of his Divine Master. The great ones of earth feel solicitous to attain temporal honours
Vol. VII. —No. i. a
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
[July i.
and rewards, which they hope to preserve to life's closing scene ; but, God's true servants rather court neglect, practise poverty of spirit, endure reproach, persecutions and even death itself, when duty demands the sacrifice. All the wealth and fame this world can bestow are poor as compared with their rewards. Animated by such generous sentiments, great saints have embraced the Cross, and have formed noble resolutions, in quitting friends and native country, cherished associations and material comforts, rather than prove recreant to the inspirations of Divine Grace.
Some Acts of this unpublished
1
are
byJohnDomoyns. Thiswasdedicatedbyhimtothesenateandpeopleof
Mechlin. It is comprised in Twenty-nine Chapters ; having eight additional
chapters, regarding the Relics and Feasts, instituted in honour of our saint,
after his death. The Mass and Office of St. Rumold are also appended to
in
A short Life of St. Rumold had been written by Theodoric, Abbot of the monasteryofSt. TrudoorSt. Tron. 2 HebelongedtotheOrderofSt. Bene- dict, and to the Congregation of Cluny, and he was living in the year 1 100. 3 This sketch is comprised in Ten Chapters,4 and it has been published by O'Sheerin. s Another and a more important Life of our saint has been written
it.
6
There are several valuable notes succeeding, which purport to have been
holyprelate
yet remaining
Manuscript.
written by Fathers Ward and O'Sheerin. 7 These Acts of St. Rumold have been
published by FatherThomasO'Sheerin,oras his namehas been Latinized Sirinus,
with emendations and addition's, from the posthumous papers of Father Hugh Ward. He belonged to the Congregation of the Brothers Minors, and he had
formerly been professor in Louvain University.
8
This work he dedicated to
theArchbishopofMechlin,AndrewCreusen. Sirinlikewiseprefixessome
introductory remarks for the general reader. 9 A summary of our saint's Life
precedes the two principal Acts of St. Rumold, which follow in the publica-
tion of O'Sheerin, with certain eulogies regarding him, taken from different
Martyrologiesandfromothersources. 10 Theremainderofthisvaluablework
is made of a historical dissertation on St. Rumold's 11 This is
up country.
Article i. —Chapter i. —' Among rum, Institorum et Navigantium, Acta
these are, MS. Bibl. Keg. 13 A x. Ff. 55 b, 61 b, vel. 4to. xii. cent. MSS. C. C. C. Cant. 9. PP- 53-58, vel. fol. xi. cent. MS. Arundel, Brit. Mus. 91, Ff. 194 b. 197, vel. fol. xii. cent.
3
This is a mere panegyrical discourse, which had been pronounced on the festival of our saint.
"
Rev. Dr. Lanigan's Ecclesiastical
History of Ireland," vol. hi. , cap. xix. , sect. xv. , n. 169, p. 199.
4 It omits many circumstances relative to the history of St. Rumold, such, for instance, ai his having been a bishop, although this is universally allowed.
Martyrium, Liturgia Antiqua, et Patiia, &c. Per R. P. F. Hugonem Vardaeum Hibernum, &c. Opus Posthvmvm nunc recens a V. A. P. F. Thoma Sirino ejusdem Ordinis et Collegii Lectore Jubilato recognitum et in nonnullis suppletum," &c, &c. This work is chiefly quoted in the subsequent pages* under the abridged title, or as referring to Vita S. Rumoldi, authore Theodorico, as also to the Vita S. Rumoldi, authore Domyn- s io.
» Concerning Father Ward, Colgan and others, who had laboured at the task of pub-
lishing Acts of Irish Saints, have interesting notices.
10
It would appear, that this work was not accessible to Dr. Lanigan, who relates, that he had not been able to meet with the Acts of St. Rumold, written by Hugh Ward, a
s See '"Sancti
Archiepiscopi Duhliniends, Mechliniensium
Apostoli," «C Vita S. Rumoldi, authore Theodorico, pp. 1 to 11.
Rymoldi Martyris inclyti
See ibid. Vita S. Rumoldi, authore learned Irish Franciscan of Louvain, and
Domynsio, pp. 12 to 53.
7 See ihd. , pp. 53 to 87.
This work is intituled: "Sancti Rv-
moldi Martyris inclyti, Archiepiscopi Dvb- hniensis Mechliniensium Apostoli, Advocati sterihum Conjugum, Agricolarum, Piscato-
which were published after his death, by his confrere Sirin, in 1662.
" Regarding his nativity in Ireland, Theodoric is very explicit ; although he calls the saint's country Scotia, still we are told,
that it was the Island Scotia, separated by-
July i. ]
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
demonstratively proved to have been Ireland, in opposition to the assertions of some persons, who had called him a native of Scotland. Evidence is furnished from various Martyrologies, and from ancient records to establish the claimofIrelandforthehonourofhisbirth. ThislearnedDisquisitionshows a wonderful amount of research the industrious 12 There are
by compiler.
likewise some metrical fragments and inscriptions written by Father Hugh
1
Ward, and arranged by his editor Sirinus. * It shall be our endeavour, to
condense the more important matters contained in this work, so far as they bear on St. Rumold's history. We shall refer particularly to portions of the work, on which our statements are chiefly grounded.
Notices of this illustrious saint be found in 1* Molanus,xs may Lippeloo,
16 1 18 Miraeus, Baillet, ? and Surius.
The tract called the " Life of —
St. Rumold,"
and — in the published enlarged
1
edition of Surius, ? at the ist of
so far as it goes is apparently rather exact. The Bollandists have likewise given his Acts. These have reference to his Feast, which is placed at the ist of July. One of the Jesuit Fathers, John Baptist Soller, published a fine large folio volume of Acts relating to our saint, in over 200 pages, double columns,
21
and adorned with various engravings.
The Jesuit Father Stephen White commemorates him at this date, and classes
22 In the
for an office of St. Rumold, at the 3rd of July; and these have been incor-
porated with the offices of the Irish clergy, as found in the supplement to
most of their Breviaries printed in Ireland. 2 3 Other Lessons 2 * of St. Rumold's
office, at the ist of July, have been compiled by Bishop De Burgo, jn his "OfficiaPropriaSanctorumHiberniae. "2* Totheseareaddedaprayer,proper
him the among
martyrs.
Bre\iary
of St. Lateran are Lessons John
the sea from Britain, and the Island in which there are no serpents. To make the matter yet plainer, he refers to the well-known words
"
Hsec ilia est Scotia, teste Solino, olim inhumana, incolaruin ritu aspero, alias ita pabulosa, ut
x? See " Les Vies des Saints," tome ii. ,
pp. 25, 26.
18 See "De Probatis Sanctorum Vitis,"
tomus iv. , i. Julii, pp. 24 to 27.
*9 Issued at Cologne, A. D. 1618.
20 See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus i. , I
of Solinus' description of Ireland.
pecua interdum, nisi a pascuis arceantur, in Julii. De Sancto Rumoldo Episcopo . et
periculum a—gat saties. Illic nullus anguis, avis rara. " Vita S. Rumoldi, cap. 2,
p. 2. 12
See ibid. Dissertatio Ilistorica de Sancti
Rumoldi Patria, quam Hiberniam esse
Scriptorum consensu demonstratur, in twelve sections, and some of these are
subdivided into several additional pp. 88 to 387.
13
Articles,
See ibid. Metricoe Inscriptiones aliquot Imaginum personas Sanctas, aut Beatas Ec- clesiie vel Historicis, aut alias illustres repre-
sentantium, aliaqu6 Fragmenta Poetica, ex pluribus qu? e olim florente setate lusit
R. P. Fr. Hugo Vardseus, parergi loco et ne excidant hie adjecta, pp. 388 to 398. The last page of this work has an ingenious arrangement of words in six columns, and it is headed : Ad Reverendiss. Patrem Fr.
Benignum a Genua Seraphicae Ordinis S. P. N. Francisci Ministrum Generalem Serio- ludrica.
14 See " Vitse Sanctorum," tomus hi. , pp. 13 to 27.
"
Dr. Lanigan's "Ecclesiastical History of
Ireland," vol. iii. , chap, xix. , sect, xv. , n.
169, p. 199.
*5 See Die Prima In Festo S. Julii.
15 See "Natales Sanctorum
Belgii," pp.
Rumoldi, pp. 63 to 68. 16" 26"
136, 137.
See Fasti Belgici et Burgundici," pp. See vol. i. , Archbishops of Dublin,"
3SSto36i. P- 305.
2°
It appeared at Antwerp, a. d. 17 18.
MartyreMechlinisein Belgio, pp. 169 to 266. 21 "
It is intituled
Episcopi etMartyris Mechliniensium," Col- legit, digessit, illustravit, Joannes Baptista SolleriusSocietatisJesuTheologus. Many valuable historic documents are contained in this volume.
22 To this he refers with some of degree
triumph, in refuting the statements of Giral- dus Cambrensis, that Ireland furnished the Church with no martyrs. See " Apologia pro Hibernia," cap. ii. , p. 15. See also cap. iv. , p-37.
23 See ex. gr. Richard Coyne's Dublin edition, printed 1844, of " Breviarum Ro- manum," Supplementum ad Partem ^Esti- vam, pp. cexx. , cexxi.
24 These consist in great part of silly fables,
according to Dr. Lanigan. Some of these may be seen in Harris' account of St.
Rumold at
Bishops of Dublin. " See Rev.
:
July
Acta S. Rumoldi
as also in the works of
Bishop Challoner,
2 7 Rev. Alban 28 Rev. Dr. Butler,
7 ?
Lanigan, JohnD'Alton,3°
and Forbes. 31 Bishop
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
[July
for this saint. The Lessons of Bishop De Burgo are much less correct, how- ever, than those of the office, which is now read in Ireland.
Some particulars regarding St. Rumold are to be found in Harris' Ware,36
The constant tradition of the church of Mechlin,3* and the testimony of
every older writer, who has treated regarding this saint, make St. Rumold an
Irishman. 33 Rumold is said to have been the son of David, 3 * a king amongst
the Scots. 3s Again, it has been asserted, that this David had been King of
Dublin. However, the name of —David which has been given to St. Rumold's
even as resolved
DathiorNathi cannotbefoundinthelistofIrishmonarchs,soastocorre-
father the —
by foreign biographer
by
Irish writers into
Davi,
spondwiththegenerationprevioustoo—ursaint'sbirth. Norcanitevenbe found,inalistoftheKingsin—Leinster towhichprovinceRumold'sfather is thought to have belonged so as to agree with St. Rumold's chrono- logy. 36 Aconjectural statement has been advanced,3? which if accepted might be assigned probably as the paternal genealogy for our saint. Thus, perchance, Rumold was son to David, son of Cormac, son to Falbei, son of Eochod Clithfir, son to Columb, son of Cormac Camshron, son to David, son ofCrimthann, King of Leinster, &c. It is stated, in a Life of St. Rumold, that his father David, being a man of virtue and of exalted birth, was anxious to procure a partner, possessed of like advantages. He had heard much regarding the fame and virtues of Cecilia, a daughter to the King of Sicily. This lady he espoused, with her father's consent, and their nuptials were celebrated with great pomp. The people of his own nation testified extraordinary joy, on the happy occasion. 38 Another writer 3 ? states, that his queen was Csecilia, daughter to a King of Cashel. However, Theodoric and the Lateran Breviary omit altogether the names of St. Rumold's parents. These authorities merely state, that he was of the royal house of Ireland, and by right of succession heir to a throne/ An ancient writer of his Acts ^ declares, that as he had no knowledge regarding the parents and ancestors of St. Rumold, so should he not refer further to them, while it must be unneces-
2* See M Britannia Sancta," part ii. , pp.
See Lives of the Fathers, Martyrs, and other principal Saints," vol. vii. , July i.
29 See "Ecclesiastical History of Ire-
land," vol. hi. , chap, arix. , sect, xv. , pp. 197 to 201.
3° See «• Memoirs of the Archbishops of Dublin," pp. ,21 to 23.
31 See "Kalendars of Scottish Saints," P- 442-
33 The Martyrology of Mechlin states, that St. Rumold had been Archbishop of Dublin ; and hence, as well as from other documents, Molanus justly argued against some persons, who—taking advantage of the n—ame Scotia as being the country of his birth strove to make him a native of the present Scotland.
"
Ecclesiastical ry of Ireland," vol. iii. , chap, xix. ,
sect, xv. , n. 169, p. 200.
3* Molanus says, that old documents of the
church of Mechlin make him son of a King David, which name is supposed, by Rev.
Dr. Lanigan to be meant for Dathy. By persons writing in Latin, this Irish name has been sometimes changed into David,
35 According to the Life of St. Rumold, by Domyns.
36 The most probable conjecture, which Ward or O'Sheerin can form is, that per-
haps, David or Nathy, the father of Senach, was also the father of St. Rumold. To escape a difficulty which occurs in the Life of our saint, that his father had been without children, this is supposed referable to St. Rumold's mother alone. By her, or by any other woman, it is thought he had nolegiti- mate offspring, excepting our saint,
37 See Annotationes, p. 78.
3« See vita S. Rumoldi, cap. i. , auctore
39 See De " Officia Sanc- Burgo's propria
torum Hibernix," Noct. ii. , Lect. iv,, p. 65. <° See Rev. Dr. Lanigan's "Ecclesiastical
History of Ireland," vol. iii. , chap, xix. , sect, xv. , n. 171, p. 201.
« See Theodoric's Vita S. Rumoldi, cap. 2, p. 2.