No More Learning

Article i. — Edited by Rev. Dr. Keliy,
p. xxi. The Franciscan copy writes Cec-
54I. I mAC CoLbi\aint).
King's County, collected during the Pro- gress of the Ordnance Survey in 1838," vol. i. , Mr. O'Donovan's Letter, dated Tullamore,
Article II. —St. Magnus, Earl of the Orkney Islands, and
Martyr, in Scotland. [Eleventh and Twelfth Centuries. ] It seems doubtful, whether the present holy Martyr had any further relations with Ire- land, than such as resulted from the circumstance, that Irish missionaries are credited, with having first introduced Christianity, among the pagans who
'
The feast of St. Colman Eala, Abbot January 2nd, 1838, pp. 93, 94.
of Lann Eala, occurs, at the 26th ber.
"
Septem-
' " of Lann-Ela Tethghal, Bishop
3 . See
(Ly- nally) died on the loth of April. "—Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the Four Masters," vol. i. , pp. 308, 309, 310, 311. See A. D.
Parliamentary Gazetteer of Ire- land," vol. il. , p. 712.
* Now called Fircal, which was a paro-
chial union, or an ecclesiastical benefice, in
the baronies of Eglish, Ballyboy and Bally-
cowan, in the Kmg's County, and in the
709.
* See also Rev. A.
Diocese of Meath, Leinster. See Hid. ,
p.
Ixxiv. , pp. 617, 618.
' See Dr. O'Donovan's " Annals of the
Four Masters," vol. i. , pp. 308 to 311. '"See Rev. A. Cogan's "Diocese of Meath, Ancient and Modem," vol. i. , chap.
i. ,p. 6.
" In a note, Dr. Todd " The more says,
rccenthand adds here, in Roman characters ;
'17 sancti apud Marianum, qui non haben- tur in Romano. '"
" Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
104. , 105.
' There we read, Cecjdt ©^^rP t-io—nn
624.
317.
5 The Parish of Lynally is found, on the
"Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for the
King's County," sheets 16, 17, 24, 25.
Glebe is shown, on sheet 16.
nally
Ly-
' One of them has been broken into, from
the top, and the masonry is exposed. This
i» one of those moats, which tradition states to have been places of retreat, in times of danger, and which, as being found in the
neighbourhood of English Castles, Dr.
O'Donovan considered it to be of Anglo- ©aUa
Norman erection. See " Letters containing Common Place Book P'. , which formerly be- InXormation relative to the Antiquities of the longed to the Ordnance Survey Office.
" Diocese of Meath, Ancient and Modem," vol. ii. , chap,
; n. 'Oomtidlt vn&c A. ox>. a. x>.
Cogan's
176 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [April i6.
inhabited the Orkney Islands, and that he had landed here, probably, firing the predatory encroachments of the Norwegian King, Magnus, surnamed Barelegs, on our Irish shores. According to Dempster, Saints Brandan '
and Machutes, also called Maclovius,' were the first Apostles of the Orkney Islands. 3 Whatever may be thought of his descent, which does not appear to have been Irish ; it may be supposed, that the influences, which formed the education and manners of St. Magnus, had been largely, if not chiefly, derived from our Island, as the ecclesiastics of Orkney were recruited from such a source, and the monuments and records remaining afiirm such a con- clusion. Somemistakeshavetobecorrected,inreferencetothisholyperson. « TheBreviaryofAberdeen5 moststrangelycallsSt. Magnus"Apostleofthe Orkneys, and of the Hebrides," for which there is no warrant ; Camerarius has him as a Bishop ; Molanus makes him a Martyr, in Dacia; by Calesinius and Ferrarius, the latter topographical mistake is converted into Denmark, which is scarcely less absurd. The Magnus Helga Saga,* the substance of which is taken from a certain Rodbert,' who wrote in 1130,' was composed, in the fourteenth century,^ and it has a special account of this saint. The Orkneyinga Saga,"° written in the middle of the thirteenth century, condenses the foregoing account. The Heimskringla also corroborates the principal historic statements of those authorities. Hunter," Lesley," and King '3 have noticesofthisholyanddistinguishedman. TheBollandistshavepublished his Acts. '* The Life of St. Magnus, Earl of the Orkneys, has been issued, also, by Pinkerton. 's St. Munnus, as we find him called, or Magnus, Bishop and Martyr, is among the entries, in the Kalendar of David Camerarius,"' at the i6th of April. He was a Scot, by race, according to Thomas Dempster. ''
same date,
''See"ActaSanctorum,"tomusii. , Ap- rilis xvi. De Sancto Magno, Comite In- sularum Orcadum in Scotia. A commentary, in six sections, precedes the Kpitome Vitae ex Lectionibus Breviarii AberJoiiensis, in six chapters, pp. 438, 439. These are fol- lowed by Hymns and Prayers proper to his Feast, at pp. 440, 441.
'5 See "Vit:e Antiquae Sanctorum Sco-
tias," pp. 387 to 433.
"*Thus: "16 Die. Sanctus Man—nus sine
the Rev. Alban
have accounts of this Saint. The parents of St. Magnus were Erlind,"' Earl of
Bishop Challenor,'^
Butler,=9
Article ii. —' The Irish Saint, who is venerated on the i6th of May, is probably meant. Owing to his celebrated trans- Atlan- tic voyage, he is usually called St. Brendan the Navigator.
'
Probably meant for a bishop of that
name, venerated in France, at the 15th of
November.
3 See
"
Historia Ecclesiastica GentisSco-
torum," tomus ii. , lib. xii. , num. 855, p.
454.
5 Printed at Edinburgh, A. D. 1509. p. 236.
« As for instance, that of Rev. Alban
Butler, who considers him to have been a
bishop, whereas he was always a laic. Forbes'
'Published at Hafnia, A. D. 1 7S0.
' He seems to have been a monk.
' He quotes the narrative of a man, who
was present at the murder of St. Magnus, and who commuuicated particulars to the writer.
» It seems to exhibit the character of a
Panygeric, prepared for the day, when the Feast ofSt. Magnus was held.
"' Published at Hafnia, A. D. 1 780, in 4to. Ex
MSS. Legati Arna-Magna. 'ani cum versione Latina, varietate Lectionum et Indicibus,
'? See "Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis
Scotorum," tomus ii. , lib. xii. , num. 855,
Chronologico, Reali et Pliilologico, edidit Jonas Johnaeus Isl.
'» See " Lives of the Fathers, Martyrs, and other principal Saints," vol. iv. , April xvi.
=° See " Lives of the Saints," vol. iv. ,
April 16, pp. 211 to 217.
"' He was son to Thorfinn and Inge-
biorge ; the former being the son of Sigurd, whom King Olaus converted to Christianity, together with all his people, and the latter was daughter of Finn Arnac. A daughter of Thorfinn and of Ingebiorge married Pau- lus, the father of Haquin.
"' In " De Viris Illustribus Scotiae. " ""
In DescriptioScotiae. "
'3 In his Scottish Calendar, and at this
and Rev. S. "° Baring-Gould
Magnus Episcopus et Martyr. " Bishop
"
Kalendars of Scottish Saints,
p. 454.
'* "
See "Britannia Sancta, Part i. , April 16, p. 228.
April i6. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 177
Orkney, and his mother was named Thora. '' Three other children '3 were the result of this marriage. ^'* St. Magnus seems to have been of Norwegian extraction ;"5 and, his father Erlender had] a brother, named Paul, who was married to the daughter of Earl Hako and Ragnhilda, daughter to King MagnustheGood. '^ ThisPaulhadoneson,namedHaco,"7whoclaimeda supremacy in the Orkney Islands over his uncle, Erlender, and over his cousins,butwhichtheywereunwillingtoadmit. ^* Thisripenedintoafeud, which caused a division among the Orkney people. Some took part with Erlender and his sons, while others sided with Haco. His uncles were of opinion, that the best course to be adopted was to send Haco into Norway, where King Olaf the Quiet then reigned. '' However, Haco did not long remain with him, but the exile sought an asylum with Ingi Steinkielson, who was the ruling monarch of Sweden. 3° This latter potentate was a staunch Christian,3' who did his utmost to root out the followers of the old Thor and Odin worship from his dominions. Here, Haco had a field, for the gratifi- cation of his turbulent disposition. Soon, however, Magnus III. ,3' son of Olave, came to ascend^the Norwegian throne ;33 and, while the father and
" She was daughter to Sumarlid Ospak, whose mother was Thordisu, the daughter of Hallus Sidensis. Thorsdisu had a brother, called Egill, who was father of Thorgerda, the mother of St. Johannes, Episcopus Holensis.
»' These were named Erlind, Cecilia and Gunnhildis. ThelattermarriedKolus,and their son was known as Rognvaldus Ka- lius.
'* The reader will find an account of this family, under A. D. 1064, in the "Orkney- inga Saga sive Historia Orcadensium, a prima Orcadum per Norvegos occupatione ad exitum Seculi Duodecimi. Saga Hins Helga Magnusar Eyia Jarls sive Vita Sancti Magni Insulanun Comitis. " See pp. 90 to93-
"
"5 See Bishop Challenor's Britamjm
Sancta," Part i. , April i6, p. 228.
Nationis extitere, eorvmque memorabilibus
Bellis late varieque per Oibem gestis. Opera Olai Magni Gothi Fratris eiusdem autoris
ac eiiam Archiepiscopi Vpsalensis in lucem edita," lib. xviii. , cap. xiiii. , pp. 587 to 589. Romae, 1554, fol. "Tliis work contains many curious initial letters, and quaint engravings, illustrating the costumes and current legends of the ancient Swedes.
" Some laudatory notices of him will be
seen, in that Basle edition of the " Historia
Olai Magni Gothi Archiepiscopi Vpsalensis, de Gentium Septrionalium uariis conditiotii-
bus statibusue et de morum, rituum, super* stitionum, exercitiorum, regiminis, discip- linx, uictu^que, mirabili diversitate.
Item
de bellis, structuris, instrumentisque mirabi- libus. Item de mineris metallicis et uariis
aniinalium generibus, in ilUs regionibus de-
gentium. Opusomnibuscujuscunquecon-
ditionis hominibus usui futurum re- magno
" See Rev. S.
the Saints," vol. iv. , April 16, p. 212.
•' Called Hikon, in ihe Northern Sagas.
•• A detailed statement of these trans-
actions will be met with, in that sequel to
Baring-Gould's
" Lives of
the "Orkneyinga Saga," already quoted.
(quas apud quaerendas et legendas Lectori reliquit) qui- bus uelut exemplis et testimoniis uix cre-
See " of Hinum Sagan
denda et obscura illustrantur, ne probantur
ab aliis longius petendse sint, suis ubique locis inseruimus," lib. viii. , cap. xxxvii. , p. 329. Basilas, 1567, fol.
'' Heis said to have from A. D. reigned,
1093, to A. D. 1 103. See S. A. Dunham's
" of Denmark, Sweden and Nor- History
way," vol. ii. . Book ii. , chap, ii. , pp. 265 to 267.
33 The wholehistory of King MagnusBare- foot is very fully set forth by ThormodTorfaeus, one of the most learned and judicious of the northern historians, in his celebrated work :
" Historia Rerum Norvegicarum," in Qua- tuorTomos Divisa. In qua, prater Norvegiae
descriptibnem, Primordia Gentis, Inslituta, Mores, Incrementa j et imprimis Heroum ac Regum, tam ante qvam post Monarchiam institutam, successiones, eorumque domi
Helga Magnuse Eya Jarle," cap. I to 6, pp. 432 to 451.
'' His rule over Norway is computed, from
A. D. 1069 to 1093. See the particulars of
his in S. A. Dunham's " of reign, History
Denmark, Sweden and Norway," vol. ii. ,
Book ii. , This forms ii. , chap, pp. 264, 265.
one of the historic series, in the " Cabinet
Cyclopedia," conducted by Rev. Dionysius Lardner, LL. D. , F. R. S. , L. and E. , M. R. I. A. , &c. London, 1839, 1840, l2mo.
* He is reckoned to have been the one hundredth and twentieth King, and to have ascended the throne, A. D. 1086. Thepar- culars of his life will be found, in "Historia Joannis Magni, Gothi Sedis Apostolicae Le- gati Sveciae et Gotiae Primatis ac Archiepis- copi Vpsalensis, De Omnibvs Gotliorvm Svonvmqve Kegibvs qui unquam ab Initio
rum cognitione delectationeque refertum, expressis figuris pictis illustratum. Historias multas admirandas avtor alios
178 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS [April i6.
uncle of Hako were rulers in the Orkneys, the young warrior returned to Norway. There,heceasednottourgeKingMagnusagainsthisuncleand
cousins,intheOrkneys. But,whileHakosupposedtheresultoftheirdepo- sition should be the rise of his own ascendancy, Magnus had other ambitious
purposes. He lent a ready ear to the advice of equipping a fleet, to plunder the coasts of Scotland and of England. During the earlier years of his life, our St. Magnus of the Orkneys was distinguished for his virtues. His piety,
afiability, modesty, gravity and chastity were adniired. 3* As Magnus grew up, he fell into some excesses ;35 for, he lived the life of a young Norse chief of the period. But, as reverses are often known to chasten and reform, so it happened with this young prince. In the year 1096,3^ 1097, or 1098, Mag- nus, styled 01aveson,37 King of Norway,3^ otherwise called Magnus Barefoot, or Barelegs,3' came to the Orkneys, it is said, in consequence of a vision he had, and a warning from St. 01ave,+° to leave Norway, and never to see it more. He then gave immediate orders, to prepare a fleet of 160 ships. He soon subdued the Orkney Islands,''' and established his rule over the inha- bitants. '*^ He seized on the two Earls, Erlender and Paul, whom he sent as exiles to Norway. •s Instead of installing Haco, in their place, he destined the Orkneys for his own son Sigurd. The Vi-King 44 took measures accord- ingly, to have guarantees for the people's submission. He obliged Magnus and his brother Erlind to accompany him on this expedition. Their cousin Haco,likewise,formedoneofthecrew. Apredatorycruise,alongthewest coast of Scotland, was the object of their leader. The Hebrides were fear- fullyharriedbyhim. 'ts Theinhabitantsfledforsafety,inalldirections,some into Scotland-fiord,''* others south to Cantire,"" and many into Ireland,'** which was deemed the most reliable asylum for the fugitives. These events
juxta ac foris gesta ; cumque vincinis gentibus
commercia ; Genealogia item, Chronologia,
et quaecunque ad Regni Norvegici illustra-
tates Celto-Normanicse. "
" The account of this expedition to the
Orkneys is given, in Thormod Torfaeus'
" Historia Rerum &c. , Norvegicarum,"
tomus iii. , lib. vii. , cap. iv. , pp. 419 to 424. *' The "Orkneyinga Saga "places this
event, under A. D. 1095. See pp. 108, 109.
tionem ex Archivis spectant, singula
Regiis et optimis, qvEe haberi potuerant, Meni- branis, aliisque fide dignissimis Authoribus eruta, luci publicoe exponutur," tomus iii. , lib. vi. , cap. iv. to cap. xii. , and lib. vii. , cap. i. to cap. ix. , pp. 3S7 to 446. Published at
4*
signification of a warrior, and to have merged into the secondary meaning of a
Hafnioe, a. d. 171 i, fol.
3* See Bishop Challenor's " Britannia pirate. For a learned dissertation on the pri-
Sancta," Part i. , April 16, p. 228.
35 See "Les Petits Bollandistes, Vies de
mitive and received acceptation of this title, the reader is referred to the " Sagan of Gunn- laugi Ormstungu ok Skalld-Rafni, sive
Saints," tome iv. , xvi=. Jour d'Avril, p. 415.
36 gee the "History of Denmark, Sweden Gunnlaugi Vermilingvis et Rafnis Poetae
and Norway," by S. A. Dunham, vol. ii. . Vita. " ExManuscriptisLegatiMagn;eani, Book ii. , chap, ii. , p. 265. Annotationes uberiores. De Vocibus Vi- 37 He was the son of Harold-Hard- kingr et Viking, pp. 268 to 306. Hafniae,
raade.
^ Our Irish Annals call him, sometimes,
1775, 4to.
••5 A Poem, composed by the Scald Bjorn
Maghnus, King of Lochlann, and the
Islands, and, sometimes, King of Den-
mark. leson's
39 He is said to have been so called, be- cause he adopted the short kirtle or kilt, whichwasthepeculiardressofthewesternand northern'Highlandersin Scotland, and which seemed so strange to the Northmen he com- manded.
*° He had caused this royal martyr's tomb to be opened, so that he miglit ascertain the state of preservation, in which St, Olave's re- lics might be found.
<' See " Chronicon Mannire," at A. n. logS,
" '^ p. 10, in Rev. James Johnstone's Antiqui-
This word is said to have the original
Cripple-hand, gives an account of this expe- dition, and it is quoted, in Snorro Stur-
"
Heimskringia," Saga xi. , cap. 9.
'^ This was the sea, between the northern
Hebrides and the mainland of Scotl—and.
'" So states^Biorn Cripple-hand
:
' ' South of Cantire the
Scared by our swords in blood dyed
red.
And our brave champion onward
goes
To meet in Man the Norsemen's
foes. "
See"TheHeimskringia; or. Chronicle
people fled,
April i6. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 179
are said to have occurred, during the reign of Duncan over Scotland. 'ts Mag- nus Olaveson now sailed to lona, called Eyna-Helgo, by Snorro, and there
the King guaranteed peace and security to the community, and to all the in-
habitants. At this time, DomhnaIl,3° the forty-first Abbot in succession to
St. Columba,5' was in charge of the church. The king merely had the " temp-
lum Kolombae" opened, but he did not enter it; and, afterwards, he de-
creed, that no person should dare to go within that sacred edifice, the doors
of which he closed immediately, as a token of reverence. This mandate was
subsequently obeyed. 5= Magnus then sailed to Islay and Cantyre, which he
subdued ; and, afterwards, he committed predatory devastations, both on
theIrishandScottishcoasts. 53 Hisunwillingservitor,theOrkneyanMagnus,
was obliged to accompany him, through scenes of violence, which were most
revolting to his feelings ; and, it seems probable, in this manner, that he landed on our Irish northern shore, during some one or other of these ma-
rauding expeditions. Having reduced the Western Isles, Magnus III. sailed to the Island of Man, or St. Patrick's Island, where he landed, and then he pro-
ceeded to Sand-wath, where a great battle had been lately fought, between the Manks themselves,s* and where many dead bodies yet lay unburied. Magnus was pleased with the appearance of this Island, and he determined to reside in it.
He erected there some fortresses, which afterwards bore his name. 55 Thenheresolved,onmakingaraiduponWales. OfftheIslandof Anglesea, he encountered the Norman Earls, Hugh of Chester. si^ and Hugh
- of Shrewsbury,57 invaders of that country. s^ A desperate engagement took place. 59 When St. Magnus was asked to join in the encounter, he refused to comply, saying he would not injure those who did not injure him. So long as the battle lasted, he was engaged calmly reciting the Psalter, in the hold of the vessel, whither he had been sent by Magnus Barefoot, who charged him with cowardice. *° In fine, after a desperate struggle, the Welsh were beaten, and Hugh, Earl of Chester, their chief, was slain. The Earl of Shrewsbury,itisstated,waskilledbyanarrow. *^ Afterwards,KingMagnus raised great contributions in Wales, but leaving it, he returned to Man. *' He soon resolved on sailing northwards, by Scotland, over which country King Malcolm III. reigned, at that time. Magnus Barefoot conquered Cantyre, where he had a skiff drawn over the strand,*^ and holding the tiller, he sat in the stem-sheets, having shipped the rudder. **
of the Kings of Norway," Translated from the Icelandic of Snorro Sturleson, with a Preliminary Dissertation, by Samuel Laing, Esq. , vol. iii. , Saga xi. , pp. 130, 131. Lon-
don, 1844, 8vo.
*» According to Rev. Alban Butler.
5° See Kcv. Dr. Reeves' Adamnan's "Life
of St. Columba," Appendix. Additional Notes (O), pp. 400 to 402.
5' His feast occurs, at the 9th ofJune.
and he was so fat, that he could scarcely stand, according to Odericus Vitalis.
s' He is also called Hugh de Montgo-
mery.