CHAPTER IV.

1127

18. (12). It happened after some years that the city354was destroyed by the king of the northern part of Ireland;355forout of the northallevil breaks forth.356And perhaps that evil was good for those who used it well. For who knows that God did not wish to destroy by such a scourge the ancient evils of His people? By a necessity so dire Malachy was compelled, and he retired with a crowd of his disciples. Nor was his retirement spent in idleness. It gave opportunity for building the monastery of Iveragh,357Malachy going there with hisbrothers, in number one hundred and twenty.358There King Cormac met him. He it was who at a former time driven out of his kingdom, under the care of Malachy by the mercy of God received consolation;359and that place was in his kingdom. The king rejoiced to see Malachy, placing at the disposal of him and those who were with him himself and all that he had—as one who was neither ungrateful nor unmindful of a benefit. Many beasts were immediately brought for the use of the brothers; much gold and silver was also supplied, with regal munificence, for the expense of the buildings. He himself alsowas coming in and going out with them,360busy and ready to serve—in attire a king, but in mind a disciple of Malachy. And the Lordblessedthat placeforMalachy'ssake,361and in a short time he was made great in goods, possessions and persons. And there, as it were beginning anew, the burden of law and discipline which he laid on others he bore with greater zeal himself, their bishop and teacher. Himself,in the order of his course,362did duty as cook, himself served the brothers while they sat at meat.363Among the brothers who succeeded one anotherin singing or reading in church he did not suffer himself to be passed over, but strenuously fulfilled the office in his place as one of them. He not only shared but took the lead in [the life] of holy poverty, being especially zealous for itmore abundantly than they all.364

[321]Connor: see below. It is clear that after Malachy's consecration it was the see of a diocese which included Bangor (§ 15) and Down, the present Downpatrick (§ 31). The inference is highly probable that it included the whole district which constituted the "parish [i.e.diocese] of Connor," according to the decree of the Synod of Rathbreasail in 1110 (Keating, iii. 303: see above p. xli), that is to say, roughly, the present united dioceses of Down, Connor and Dromore. It would seem that Malachy was its first bishop.[322]Here, again, St. Bernard implies that a long period elapsed between Malachy's return from Lismore and his consecration; for the reason given in § 12 for his recall is inconsistent with the supposition that he had already been elected to a bishopric which Cellach and Imar wished him to accept. They desired to have him with them at Armagh. He must have been "elected" either while he was at Armagh or after he went to Bangor.[323]Imar.[324]Cellach. See § 19, where Cellach and his predecessors are called metropolitans.[325]Tricesimo ferme aetatis suae anno.A.F.M.record under the year 1124 that "Mael Maedoc Ua Morgair sat in the bishopric of Connor." This agrees with the date of his consecration as given here. See p. 128, note 1. He was consecrated bishop by Cellach (§ 19).We have seen (p. 20, note 3) that Malachy probably went to Lismore late in 1121. He spent several years there, and, according to St. Bernard, another long period at Armagh and Bangor before his consecration in 1124. This must be pronounced impossible. The most probable solution of the chronological difficulty is that through ignorance of Irish ecclesiastical affairs St. Bernard misunderstood the information supplied to him, and thus separated Malachy's tenure of the abbacy of Bangor from his episcopate, though the two were in reality conterminous. For the significance of Malachy's recall to the North, see Introduction, p. liii. f.; and for a fuller discussion,R.I.A., xxxv. 250-254.[326]Cp. Giraldus,Top.iii. 19: "It is wonderful that this nation should remain to this day so ignorant of the rudiments of Christianity. For it is a most filthy race, a race sunk in vice, a race more ignorant than all other nations of the rudiments of the faith."[327]For the statements in the preceding sentences, see Additional Note A.[328]St. Aug.,De Civ. Dei, xiv. 9. 2. Cp. Ignatius,Pol.2;Hero1. It may be noted that most of the MSS. of the Latin version of the Ignatian Epistles are Burgundian, and that among them is a Clairvaux MS. of the 12th century. Lightfoot,Ign. and Pol., i. 119.[329]John x. 11-13.[330]Compare St. Bernard's words to Pope Eugenius III. about his Roman subjects (De Cons., iv. 6): "I know where thou dwellest, unbelievers and subverters are with thee. They are wolves, not sheep; of such, however, thou art shepherd. Consideration is good, if by it thou mayest perhaps discover means, if it can be done, to convert them, lest they subvert thee. Why do we doubt that they can be turned again into sheep, who were once sheep and could be turned into wolves?"[331]Ps. li. 17.[332]Cant. iii. 2; cp. Ps. lix. 6, 14; Luke xiv. 21.[333]Luke vi. 35.[334]Luke xii. 42.[335]Acts ix. 16.[336]Isa. i. 4 (vg.).[337]Cp. 2 Pet. ii. 7 f.[338]2 Cor xi. 27.[339]Ps. cxx. 6, 7 (vg.).[340]2 Tim. iv. 2.[341]1 Cor. iv. 13.[342]Rom. xii. 21.[343]Acts xii. 16.[344]Matt. vii. 8; Luke xi. 10.[345]John xiv. 6.[346]Ps. cxviii. 15, 16.[347]Isa. i. 20.[348]Ezek. ii. 5, etc.[349]Lev. xxvi. 23 (vg.).[350]Basilicae.[351]Plebes.[352]See Additional Note A.[353]1 Pet. ii. 10, combined with Hos. ii. 24.[354]The city was Bangor, though St. Bernard may have taken it to be Connor. The word city (civitas), which he no doubt found in his authority, might be applied, like its Irish equivalent,cathair, to either place: but to St. Bernard it would naturally suggest an episcopal see. Connor was within the suzerainty of the king of the northern part of Ireland, Bangor was outside it. See next note.[355]Conor O'Loughlin, who is called king of the north of Ireland in the Annals (s.a. 1136). He succeeded his father Donnell as king of Ailech (Grenan Ely, co. Donegal, the residence of the kings of the northern Ui Neill) in 1121, and the next year he invaded the northern part of Ulaid, the district in which Bangor is situated. He invaded Magh Cobha (Iveagh, co. Down) and Bregha (Meath), with the help of the Dal Araide (the district round Connor, co. Antrim) in 1128. He finally subdued Ulaid in 1130, and "plundered the country as far as the east of Ard [i.e.the baronies of the Ards, in which lies Bangor], both lay and ecclesiastical property." He was murdered on May 25, 1136 (A.U.,A.L.C.). It has been supposed that the expedition of 1130 was the occasion of the destruction of Bangor mentioned in the text. But St. Bernard places it, and the consequent departure of Malachy to the south, before the death of Cellach in 1129 (§ 19), and we have found reason to believe that Malachy was at Lismore in 1127 (p. 21, n. 3). Though no raid by Conor in that year is referred to in the Annals, that fact cannot be regarded as proof that none took place.[356]Jer. i. 14.[357]Ibracense.That this monastery was in Iveragh, a barony in the county of Kerry, north of the estuary of the Kenmare River, and in Cormac Mac Carthy's kingdom of Desmond, was apparently first suggested by Lanigan (iv. 92). The identification is almost certainly correct. It is more difficult to determine the part of the barony in which the monastery was situated. O'Hanlon suggested Church Island, near Cahirciveen, where there are some ecclesiastical remains, traditionally known half a century ago as "the monastery" (R.I.A.xv. 107). But these appear to be of much earlier date than the twelfth century. More plausible is the conjecture of the Rev. Denis O'Donoghue, that the site is on another Church Island, in Lough Currane, near Waterville. On it are the ruins of a church which, in the opinion of Mr. P. J. Lynch, was built in the twelfth century (J.R.S.A.I.xxx. 159 f.). Malachy seems to have spent some time at Lismore before going to Iveragh.[358]This sentence seems to imply that Malachy brought with him the Bangor community, or the greater part of it, and made a new home for it in Iveragh. If so the inference is obvious that up to 1127 Malachy resided at Bangor, and was still abbot.[359]See §§ 9, 10.[360]Acts ix. 28 (inexact quotation).[361]Gen. xxx. 27.[362]Luke i. 8.[363]Cp. Luke xii. 37; xxii. 27.[364]Cp. 1 Cor. xv. 10; 2 Cor. xi. 23.

[322]Here, again, St. Bernard implies that a long period elapsed between Malachy's return from Lismore and his consecration; for the reason given in § 12 for his recall is inconsistent with the supposition that he had already been elected to a bishopric which Cellach and Imar wished him to accept. They desired to have him with them at Armagh. He must have been "elected" either while he was at Armagh or after he went to Bangor.

[323]Imar.

[324]Cellach. See § 19, where Cellach and his predecessors are called metropolitans.

[325]Tricesimo ferme aetatis suae anno.A.F.M.record under the year 1124 that "Mael Maedoc Ua Morgair sat in the bishopric of Connor." This agrees with the date of his consecration as given here. See p. 128, note 1. He was consecrated bishop by Cellach (§ 19).We have seen (p. 20, note 3) that Malachy probably went to Lismore late in 1121. He spent several years there, and, according to St. Bernard, another long period at Armagh and Bangor before his consecration in 1124. This must be pronounced impossible. The most probable solution of the chronological difficulty is that through ignorance of Irish ecclesiastical affairs St. Bernard misunderstood the information supplied to him, and thus separated Malachy's tenure of the abbacy of Bangor from his episcopate, though the two were in reality conterminous. For the significance of Malachy's recall to the North, see Introduction, p. liii. f.; and for a fuller discussion,R.I.A., xxxv. 250-254.

We have seen (p. 20, note 3) that Malachy probably went to Lismore late in 1121. He spent several years there, and, according to St. Bernard, another long period at Armagh and Bangor before his consecration in 1124. This must be pronounced impossible. The most probable solution of the chronological difficulty is that through ignorance of Irish ecclesiastical affairs St. Bernard misunderstood the information supplied to him, and thus separated Malachy's tenure of the abbacy of Bangor from his episcopate, though the two were in reality conterminous. For the significance of Malachy's recall to the North, see Introduction, p. liii. f.; and for a fuller discussion,R.I.A., xxxv. 250-254.

[326]Cp. Giraldus,Top.iii. 19: "It is wonderful that this nation should remain to this day so ignorant of the rudiments of Christianity. For it is a most filthy race, a race sunk in vice, a race more ignorant than all other nations of the rudiments of the faith."

[327]For the statements in the preceding sentences, see Additional Note A.

[328]St. Aug.,De Civ. Dei, xiv. 9. 2. Cp. Ignatius,Pol.2;Hero1. It may be noted that most of the MSS. of the Latin version of the Ignatian Epistles are Burgundian, and that among them is a Clairvaux MS. of the 12th century. Lightfoot,Ign. and Pol., i. 119.

[329]John x. 11-13.

[330]Compare St. Bernard's words to Pope Eugenius III. about his Roman subjects (De Cons., iv. 6): "I know where thou dwellest, unbelievers and subverters are with thee. They are wolves, not sheep; of such, however, thou art shepherd. Consideration is good, if by it thou mayest perhaps discover means, if it can be done, to convert them, lest they subvert thee. Why do we doubt that they can be turned again into sheep, who were once sheep and could be turned into wolves?"

[331]Ps. li. 17.

[332]Cant. iii. 2; cp. Ps. lix. 6, 14; Luke xiv. 21.

[333]Luke vi. 35.

[334]Luke xii. 42.

[335]Acts ix. 16.

[336]Isa. i. 4 (vg.).

[337]Cp. 2 Pet. ii. 7 f.

[338]2 Cor xi. 27.

[339]Ps. cxx. 6, 7 (vg.).

[340]2 Tim. iv. 2.

[341]1 Cor. iv. 13.

[342]Rom. xii. 21.

[343]Acts xii. 16.

[344]Matt. vii. 8; Luke xi. 10.

[345]John xiv. 6.

[346]Ps. cxviii. 15, 16.

[347]Isa. i. 20.

[348]Ezek. ii. 5, etc.

[349]Lev. xxvi. 23 (vg.).

[350]Basilicae.

[351]Plebes.

[352]See Additional Note A.

[353]1 Pet. ii. 10, combined with Hos. ii. 24.

[354]The city was Bangor, though St. Bernard may have taken it to be Connor. The word city (civitas), which he no doubt found in his authority, might be applied, like its Irish equivalent,cathair, to either place: but to St. Bernard it would naturally suggest an episcopal see. Connor was within the suzerainty of the king of the northern part of Ireland, Bangor was outside it. See next note.

[355]Conor O'Loughlin, who is called king of the north of Ireland in the Annals (s.a. 1136). He succeeded his father Donnell as king of Ailech (Grenan Ely, co. Donegal, the residence of the kings of the northern Ui Neill) in 1121, and the next year he invaded the northern part of Ulaid, the district in which Bangor is situated. He invaded Magh Cobha (Iveagh, co. Down) and Bregha (Meath), with the help of the Dal Araide (the district round Connor, co. Antrim) in 1128. He finally subdued Ulaid in 1130, and "plundered the country as far as the east of Ard [i.e.the baronies of the Ards, in which lies Bangor], both lay and ecclesiastical property." He was murdered on May 25, 1136 (A.U.,A.L.C.). It has been supposed that the expedition of 1130 was the occasion of the destruction of Bangor mentioned in the text. But St. Bernard places it, and the consequent departure of Malachy to the south, before the death of Cellach in 1129 (§ 19), and we have found reason to believe that Malachy was at Lismore in 1127 (p. 21, n. 3). Though no raid by Conor in that year is referred to in the Annals, that fact cannot be regarded as proof that none took place.

[356]Jer. i. 14.

[357]Ibracense.That this monastery was in Iveragh, a barony in the county of Kerry, north of the estuary of the Kenmare River, and in Cormac Mac Carthy's kingdom of Desmond, was apparently first suggested by Lanigan (iv. 92). The identification is almost certainly correct. It is more difficult to determine the part of the barony in which the monastery was situated. O'Hanlon suggested Church Island, near Cahirciveen, where there are some ecclesiastical remains, traditionally known half a century ago as "the monastery" (R.I.A.xv. 107). But these appear to be of much earlier date than the twelfth century. More plausible is the conjecture of the Rev. Denis O'Donoghue, that the site is on another Church Island, in Lough Currane, near Waterville. On it are the ruins of a church which, in the opinion of Mr. P. J. Lynch, was built in the twelfth century (J.R.S.A.I.xxx. 159 f.). Malachy seems to have spent some time at Lismore before going to Iveragh.

[358]This sentence seems to imply that Malachy brought with him the Bangor community, or the greater part of it, and made a new home for it in Iveragh. If so the inference is obvious that up to 1127 Malachy resided at Bangor, and was still abbot.

[359]See §§ 9, 10.

[360]Acts ix. 28 (inexact quotation).

[361]Gen. xxx. 27.

[362]Luke i. 8.

[363]Cp. Luke xii. 37; xxii. 27.

[364]Cp. 1 Cor. xv. 10; 2 Cor. xi. 23.

Being made Archbishop of Armagh, he suffers many troubles. Peace being made, from being Archbishop of Armagh he becomes Bishop of Down.

1129

19. (12). Meanwhile365it happened that Archbishop Cellach366fell sick: he it was who ordained Malachy deacon, presbyter and bishop: and knowing that he was dying he made a sort of testament367to the effect that Malachy ought to succeed him,368because none seemed worthier to be bishop of the first see. This he gave in charge to those who were present, this he commanded to the absent, this to the two kings of Munster369and to the magnates of the land he specially enjoined by the authority of St. Patrick.370For from reverence and honour for him, as the apostle of that nation, who had converted the whole country to the faith, that see where he presided in life and rests in death371has been held in so great veneration by all from the beginning, that not merely bishops and priests, and those who are of the clergy, but also all kings and princes are subjectto the metropolitan372in all obedience, and he himself alone presides over all. But a very evil custom had developed, by the devilish ambition of certain powerful persons, that the holy see373should be held by hereditary succession. For they suffered none to be bishops but those who were of their own tribe and family. And for no short time had the execrable succession lasted, for fifteen generations (as I may call them)374had already passed in this wickedness. And to such a point hadan evil and adulterous375generation376established for itself this distorted right, rather this unrighteousness worthy of punishment by any sort of death, that although at times clerics failed of that blood, yet bishops never. In a word there had been already eight before Cellach, married men, and without orders, albeit men of letters.377Hence, throughout the whole of Ireland, all that subversion of ecclesiastical discipline, that weakening of censure, that abandonment of religion of which we havespoken already; hence everywhere that substitution of raging barbarism for Christian meekness—yea, a sort of paganism brought in under the name of Christianity. For—a thing unheard of from the very beginning of the Christian faith—bishops were transferred and multiplied, without order or reason, at the will of the metropolitan, so that one bishopric was not content with one bishop, but nearly every single church had its bishop.378No wonder; for how could the members of so diseased a head be sound?

1132

20. Cellach, greatly grieving for these and other like evils of his people—for he was a good and devout man—took all care to have Malachy as his successor, because he believed that by him this evilly rooted succession might be torn up,379since he was dear to all, and one whom all were zealous to imitate,and the Lord was with him.380Nor was he deceived of his hope; for when he died Malachy was put into occupation in his room. But not soon nor easily. For behold there is one of the evil seed to seize the place—Murtough by name.381For five years, relying on the secular power,382this manfastened himself upon the church, not a bishop but a tyrant. For the wishes of the devout had rather supported the claim of Malachy. At last they urged him to undertake the burden according to the ordinance of Cellach. But he, who shunned every high office as nothing else than his downfall,383thought that he had found good ground of excuse, because at that time it was impossible that he should have a peaceful entry. All were eager for so holy a work and pressed him; especially the two bishops, Malchus384and Gilbert,385of whomthe former was the elder386of Lismore mentioned above, the second he who is said to have been the first to exercise the office of legate of the Apostolic See throughout the whole of Ireland. These, when three years had now passed in this presumption of Murtough and dissimulation of Malachy,387tolerating no longer the adultery of the church and the dishonour of Christ, called together the bishops and princes of the land,388and came, in one spirit, to Malachy, prepared to use force. But he refused at first; pleading the difficulty of the project, the numbers, strength and ambition of that noble stock, urging that it was a great venture for him, a poor man and of no account, to oppose himself to men so many, so great, of such sort, so deeply rooted, who now for well-nigh two hundred years hadheldasby hereditary right the sanctuary of God,389and now also had taken possession of it before him; that they could not be rooted out, not even at the cost of human life; that it was not to his advantage thatman's blood should be shed390on his account; and lastly, that he was joined to another spouse391whomit wasnotlawful for him to put away.392

21. (14). But when they persisted eagerly in the contrary opinion, and cried out that theword had comeforth from the Lord,393and moreover ordered him with all authority to undertake the burden, and threatened him with an anathema, he said, "You are leading me to death, but I obey in the hope of martyrdom; yet on this condition, that if, as you expect, the enterprise has good success, and God frees hisheritagefromthose that are destroyingit,394all being then at length completed, and the church395at peace, it may be lawful for me to return to my former spouse and friend, poverty,396from which I am carried off, and to put in my place there another, if then one is found fit for it." Note, reader, the courage of the man and the purity of his purpose who, for Christ's name, neither sought honour nor dreaded death. What could be purer or what braver than this purpose, that after exposing himself to peril and labour he should yield to another the fruit—peace and security itself in the place of authority? And this he does, retaining for himself according to agreement a free return to poverty when peace and freedom are restored to the church. When they gave the pledge, at length he assented to their will; or rather to the will of God, who, he remembered, had long foreshown to him this occurrence, at the fulfilment of which he was now grieved. For indeed when Cellach was already ailing there appeared to Malachy—far away and ignorant [of Cellach's condition]—a woman of great stature and reverend mien. When he inquired who she was, the answer was given that she was the wife of Cellach.397And she gave him a pastoral staff which she held in her hand, and thendisappeared. A few days later, Cellach, when he was dying, sent his staff to Malachy, indicating that he should succeed him: and when he saw it he recognized that it was the same which he had seen [in vision]. It was the remembrance of this vision which specially put Malachy in fear, lest if he still refused he might seem toresistthe Divinewill, which he had ignored long enough.398But he did not enter the city as long as that intruder lived, lest by such act it should happen that any one of those should die to whom he came rather to minister life. Thus for two years (for so long the other survived), living outside the town, he strenuously performed the episcopal office throughout the whole province.399

1134, Sept. 17

22. (15). When that person, then, had been removed by sudden death,400again one Niall [Nigellus] (in truthnigerrimus, very black)401quickly took possession of the see. And in appointing him as his successor, Murtough, while he was still alive,made provision for his life:402he was going forth to be damned, but in the person of Niall he would go on adding to the works of damnation.403For he also wasof the damned race, a relative of Murtough.404But the king405and the bishops and faithful of the land nevertheless came together that they might bring in Malachy. And lo, there was anassembly of the wicked406to oppose them.407A certain man of the sons of Belial, ready formischief, mighty in iniquity,408whoknew the placewhere they had decidedto come together,409gathered many with him and secretly seized a neighbouring high hill opposite to it, intending, when they were engaged with other things, suddenly to rush upon them unawares andmurder the innocent.410For they had agreed to butcher the king also with the bishop, that there might be none toavenge the righteous blood.411The plan became known to Malachy, and he entered the church, which was close by, and lifted up his hands inprayer to the Lord. Lo, there cameclouds and darkness,412yea alsodark waters and thick clouds of the skies413changed the day into night,414lightnings and thunderings415andan horrible spirit of tempests416presaged the last day,and allthe elementsthreatenedspeedydeath.417

23. But that you may know, reader, that it was the prayer of Malachy that roused the elements, the tempest fell upon thosewho sought his life,418thedark whirlwind419enveloped only those who had made readythe works of darkness.420Finally, he who was the leader of so great wickedness was struck by a thunderbolt and perished with three others, companions in death as they had been partners in crime; and the next day their bodies were found half-burnt and putrid, clinging to the branches of trees, each where the wind421had lifted him up and cast him down.422Three others also were found half dead; the rest were all scattered in every direction. But, as for those who were with Malachy, though they were close to the place, the stormtouched them not at all, neither troubled them.423In that fact we find fresh proof of the truth of that saying,The prayer of the righteous pierceth the heavens.424It is also a new example of the ancient miracle, by which in former times, when all Egypt was in darkness, Israel alone remained in light, as the Scripture says,Wheresoever Israel was there was light.425In this connexion occurs to me also what holy Elijahdid, at one time bringing clouds and rain from the ends of the earth,426at another, calling down fire from heaven on the revilers.427And now in like mannerGod is glorified in428His servant Malachy.

24. (16). In the thirty-eighth year of his age,429the usurper having been driven out, the poor man, Malachy, entered Armagh, pontiff and metropolitan of all Ireland. But when the king and the others who had brought him in returned home,430he remainedin the hand of God;431and there remained for himwithout fightings, within fears.432For, lo, the viperous brood, raging and crying out that it was disinherited, aroused itself in full strength, within and without,against the Lord and against His Anointed.433Moreover, Niall, seeing that flight was inevitable,434took with him certain insignia of that see, to wit, the copy of the Gospels, which had belonged to blessed Patrick,435and the staff covered with gold andadorned with most costly gems, which they call "the staff of Jesus," because the Lord himself (as report affirms) held it in His hands and fashioned it;436which are deemed of the highest honour and sanctity in that nation. They are, in fact, very well known and celebrated among the tribes, and so revered by all, that he who is once seen to have them is held by thefoolish and unwisepeople437to be their bishop. That man—a vagabond438and anotherSatan—went to and fro in the land and walked up and down in it,439bearing round the holy insignia; and, displaying them everywhere, he was for their sake everywhere received, by them winning the minds of all to himself, and withdrawing as many as he could from Malachy. These things did he.

25. But there was a certain prince, of the more powerful of the unrighteous race,440whom the king before he left the city, had compelled to swear that he would maintain peace with the bishop, taking from him, moreover, many hostages. Notwithstanding this, when the king left he entered the city, and tookcounselwith his kinsmen and friendshow they might takethe holy manby subtlety and kill him; but they feared the people;441and having conspired to slay Malachy442they fixed a place and day, and a traitorgave them a sign.443On that very day, when the prelate was now celebrating the solemnity of Vespers in the church with the whole of the clergy and a multitude of the people, that worthless man sent him a message inwords of peace with subtlety,444asking him that he would deign to come down to him, so that he might make peace. The bystanders answered that he should rather come to the bishop, and that the church was a more suitable place for establishing peace; for they foresaw guile. The messengers replied that this was not safefor the prince; that he feared for his head, and that he did not trust himself to the crowds who, some days before, had nearly killed him for the bishop's sake. As they were contending in this way, these saying that he should go, those that he should not go, the bishop, desiring peace and not afraid to die, said, "Brethren, let me imitate my Master.445I am a Christian to no purpose if I do notfollowChrist.446Perhaps by humility I shall bend the tyrant; if not, yet I shall conquer by rendering, a shepherd to a sheep, a priest to a layman, that duty which he owed to me. You also, as far as in me lies, I shall edify not a little by such an example. For what if I should chance to be killed?I refuse not to die,447in order that from me you may have an example of life. It behoves a bishop, as the prince of bishops says, notto be lord over the clergy, but to become an example to the flock448—no other example449truly than that which we have received from Himwho humbled himself and became obedient unto death.450Who will give me [the opportunity] to leave this [example] to [my] sons, sealed with my blood? Try, at any rate, whether your priest has worthily learnt from Christ not to fear death for Christ." And he arose and went his way, all weeping, and praying that he would not so greatly desire to die for Christ that he should leave desolate so great a flock of Christ.

26. (17). But as for him,setting his whole hopein the Lord,451he went with all speed accompanied only by three disciples who wereready to die with him.452When he crossed the threshold453of the house and suddenly cameinto the midst of the armed men—himself protected by theshield of faith454—thecountenancesof them allfell,455fordread fell upon them,456so that the bishop could say,Mine enemies which trouble me became weak and fell.457Thisword is true.458You might see the victim standing, the slaughterers surrounding him on all sides, with weapons in their hands; and there was none to sacrifice him. You might suppose their arms were benumbed; for there was none to stretch out a hand. For even that one also, who seemed to be the head of the evil, rose up, not to assail him but to show him reverence. Where is the sign, O man, which you had given for the death of the pontiff? This is a sign rather of honour than death; this postpones, it does not hasten death. Wonderful result! They offer peace who had prepared slaughter. He cannot refuse it who had sought it at the risk of life. Therefore peace was made—a peace so firm that from that day the priest found his foe not merely appeased, but obedient, devoted.459When they heard this, all the faithful rejoiced, not only becausethe innocent blood was saved in that day,460but because by the merits of Malachy the souls of many wrongdoers escaped to salvation. And fear took hold on all that were round about when they heard how God had laid low, with sudden power, those two of His enemies who seemed most ferocious and powerfulin their generation:461I refer to him with whom we are now concerned, and the other of whom I spoke above.462For in awonderful manner Hetook themboth—one terribly punished in the body,463the other mercifully changed in heart464—in the devices that they had imagined.465

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