saintly abbot cried out, "To-day you must sing for the holy bishop Columbanus;" and thus they became informed of his death.

Another visitor of St. Columba's was Aidan, a very religious man, who had lived twelve years with St. Brendan of Clonfert. On the day before his arrival, the saint said to the brethren, "We intend to fast to-morrow as usual, because it will be Wednesday; but, in consequence of the arrival of a stranger, the fast will be broken." The event verified the prediction. Aidan did arrive; and St. Columba's dispensation with so holy an ordinance, observed even by the whole Irish Church, establishes his claim to great prudence and discretion. ^[4]

We shall mention but one more of those visitors, Cronan, a Munster bishop, who, on the occasion, through humility, did all that he could to prevent its being known that he belonged to the episcopal order. Not having yet understood that he did, Columba desired him on the Sunday to celebrate Mass, "Christi corpus ex more, conficere." He did so; and when he came to the division of the consecrated host, he called upon Columba to join him as a priest in breaking the Lord's bread, "Ut simul quasi duo presbyteri, Dominicum panem frangerent." Coming up to the altar, and looking him in the face, the saint said, "Christ bless you brother; do you alone break it, according to the episcopal rite, for now we know you are a bishop. Why have you hitherto endeavored to conceal yourself, so as not to let us pay you that veneration which we owe to you?" ^[5]

That Columba was held in the highest veneration, as well by the clergy and people as by the monarchs of his time, both in Ireland and Britain, is too well known to require proof. A very remarkable instance of it occurs in his having been the person applied to for inaugurating, or, as his biographers express it, ordaining, Aidan, king of the British Scots, after the death of Conall; with which request, by the way, he complied not, until after being commanded by an angel, preferring much that Eugene, Aidan's brother, should sway the sceptre. He subsequently became very friendly towards the latter; and for his sake chiefly it was that he assisted at the assembly of Drumceat in Ireland, some differences between him and Aidus, the supreme monarch of the green isle, being to be adjusted therein. This was the last of the several visits with which our saint favored the land of his birth, and it is referred to the year 590. He was accompanied by some of his monks, together with his royal friend; and having, after a stormy passage, entered Lough Foyle, and landed near the mouth of the river Roe, they proceeded to Drumceat, to meet the states-general of the kingdom. Aidus, at first rather insolent and disrespectful towards St. Columba, changed his tone altogether when he found that he came only to establish peace between him and the king of the British Scots. The respective claims of the royal opponents were simply these: Aidan, the Scottish monarch, asserting a hereditary right to the sovereignty of Dalrieda in Antrim, demanded that the inhabitants of that territory should be relieved from the tribute paid by the other Irish principalities to the supreme monarch; while, on the other hand, Aidus, contended that, as the aforesaid territory formed a part of his realm, it could not be exempt from the subsidy required from the several states of the kingdom by him and his successors in the monarchy. The decision of the matter being at length referred to St. Columba, he, feeling unwilling to pronounce upon it, advised that it should be submitted to St. Colman, a person deeply skilled in civil as well as ecclesiastical lore. St. Colman decided for Aidus; but, to heal the dissensions which had arisen, he proposed that a solemn covenant should be entered into between him and Aidan to render mutual assistance, the one to the other, against any enemy who might invade their respective dominions. This proposal was received with joy, and being entered into, gave general satisfaction.

Another subject of no small national importance was subsequently discussed. The bards had incurred the displeasure of Aidus, and several leading members of the national council, being as it was said, a proud and venal order, who bestowed praise on, or loaded with censure, the nobles and other great men, not according to merit, but just as they were prompted by passion or interest. Their fate seemed decided—their proscription was about to be determined on, until our saintly abbot, who, at the same time that he protested against such an abuse, still loved, like a true patriot, the institutions of his country, claimed toleration for "the sons of song;" and pleaded their cause so successfully, that the assembly contented itself with limiting their number, and obliging them thenceforward to observe certain regulations. The assembly being dissolved, our good St. Columba prepared to leave Drumceat; but, before he set out, his pity for the sufferings of Scanlan, prince of Ossory, detained in prison by Aidus for some political cause, induced him to petition for his release. Though disposed to receive favorably any request from such a holy man, the fears, or perhaps the prejudices, of the monarch against the unfortunate prince prevented his acquiescence: so, perceiving that further interference would not avail, Columba consoled the royal captive with the assurance that he should survive his imperial master, and be restored to, and govern for many years, his native princedom.

From Drumceat, St. Columba proceeded to transact business far more to his mind, and according to his spirit, the visitation of his monasteries. The number which he visited on this occasion we cannot ascertain, to that of Derry, as lying within a short distance of Drumceat, he undoubtedly went; as also to that of Durrough, his favorite, then governed for him by Lasrean. In this latter he remained even for some months, arranging various disciplinary matters; during which time he visited Alitherus, abbot of Clonmacnois, who, with his whole community, and the people of the surrounding country, received him with all manner of respect and veneration. Having accomplished the business which brought him to Ireland, the saint set out for his adopted country, and, making the northern part of Ulster his way, had an interview with St. Comgall of Bangor, and another with Conall, bishop of Coleraine. ^[6] Taking shipping soon after, he sailed for Hy, where he landed in safety.

[1] St. Matt. ch. xvii, ver. 19

[2] Adamnan, Book 2, ch. 5.

[3] Ibid. Book 3, ch. 12.

[4] Wednesdays and Fridays were fast-days formerly throughout Ireland.

[5] Adamnan, Book 1, ch. 44.

[6] In the infancy of the Irish Church it was usual to appoint bishops over small districts, so that the number of Irish sees were then very numerous.

CHAPTER IV.

LAST YEARS OF ST. COLUMBA—HIS SAINTLY DEATH.

NOT small, we may suppose, was the joy of the community at Hy on beholding once more in the midst of them their dear father in Christ; nor was his own less. It must, indeed, have been consoling to him to find himself once more in the calm seclusion of his cloister, after the noisy world whence he had just emerged. To hear again the vesper peal and matin toll in the still midnight—to view "at golden prime" (if, indeed, he looked upon) the angelic features of "those meek ones,"