on the point of death,) should be baptized by a laic in defect of a priest, and die immediately after that, such infant should not be excluded from the body of the faithful...... It is necessary," he adds, "that the word of the Lord should be thus understood, as far as any one is capable of understanding a divine mystery, that he must not only eat of the flesh, and drink of the blood of Christ with the mouth of his body, but likewise with the love and affection of the heart, to wit, by loving, and with a pure conscience gratefully believing that Christ became man for our salvation, was crucified, rose again, ascended into heaven, and, by imitating his ways and entering into all he suf fered, as far as his human nature suffered and divine grace deigned to endure, for this is to eat the flesh of Christ and drink his blood, truly and to salvation."* Donatus, it is to be remarked, is in this letter expressly styled Bishop of Dublin. He soon afterwards (on the 6th of May, 1074) died at an advanced age, and was buried in his own cathedral, in the upper part of the chancel, on the right hand side.

PATRICK.

[Succ. 1074, ob. 1084.]

After the conquest of Dublin and the adjacent country, by Gotred, King of Man, as mentioned in the "History of the County of Dublin," Patrick,

Usser. Sylloge, p. 73, &c.

styled in the Annals of the Four Masters, Gilla Patricianus, was, at the instance of Gotred, elected by the people of Dublin to succeed in this see, and was sent into England to receive consecration from Lanfranc, Archbishop of Canterbury, bearing with him the following recommendatory epistle:-" To Lanfranc, the venerable metropolitan of the Holy Church of Canterbury, the clergy and people of Dublin tender their bounden obedience. It is known unto your fatherhood, that the church of Dublin, the metropolis of Ireland, is bereft of her pastor and destitute of her ruler. Wherefore we have elected a priest called Patrick, a person whom we thoroughly know; one noble both by birth and morals, well imbued in apostolical and ecclesiastical discipline, in faith a Catholic, in the interpretation of the Scriptures wary, in the tenets of the church well versed, and whom we desire, without delay, to be ordained our bishop; that, under God, he may rule over us orderly, and profit us, and that we, under his government, may exercise a spiritual warfare, with security. Because the integrity of the ruler is the safety of the subject; and, where safety of obedience is, there is the sound form of doctrine." The copy of this epistle is preserved in an ancient book, in the Cotton Library, which formerly belonged to the church of Canterbury, whence Ussher has published it in his Sylloge,* together with the following form of Patrick's profession of obedience on being so conse

This letter is also the thirty-sixth among Lanfranc's letters, in D'Achery's edition of his works.

crated in St. Paul's church :-" Whoever is appointed to rule over others, ought not to think it unworthy if he also be placed in subjection to others; but ought rather to study, in all humility, to pay that obedience to his superiors which he expects, for God's sake, to receive from those that are subject to him. Wherefore, I, Patrick, having been elected bishop, to preside over Dublin, the metropolis of Ireland, do tender this instrument of my profession to you, most venerable father, Lanfranc, primate of the Britains, (Britanniarum, i. e. England and Scotland,) and Archbishop of the holy church of Canterbury, and do promise that I will obey you and your successors, in all things which appertain to the Christian religion."

The copies of the letters which Lanfranc sent by this bishop, to be delivered to the said Gotred, and to Turlough O'Brien, King of Ireland, are likewise preserved in Cardinal Baronius's Annals; while it is to be observed, that Lanfranc, not having sufficient experience in Irish affairs, styles not only Turlough, King of Ireland, as he really was, but also gives Gotred the same designation, who was only a ruler over Dublin and a small part of Leinster. The letters are as follow:-"Lanfranc, by the grace of God and not in respect to his own merits Archbishop of Canterbury, to Gotred, the renowned King of Ireland, greeting, with his benediction. We have honourably and with due respects received our venerable brother and fellow bishop, Patrick, (whom, most reverend son, your Excellency sent unto us for consecration,) and have invested him in the sacred function with all

due ceremonies, and the co-operating grace of the Holy Ghost, according to canonical institution, and have remitted him to his proper see, with our letters testimonial, pursuant to the practice of our predecessors. And, although he has related to us many good and commendable things concerning your glory, yet we think it not amiss to enforce your noble designs by our exhortations; for, as the fire is increased by the blowing of the wind, and shines more bright, so true virtue is improved and increased by well-merited praises. We therefore entreat you, in such manner as becomes a precious son of the Church to be intreated, that you will, with all sincerity of mind, preserve undefiled the true faith delivered by God and his holy apostles and the orthodox fathers; that you will exhibit to the world such good works as are agreeable to the faith, according to the extent of your abilities, and shew your greatness severe to the proud but affable to the humble. It is reported, that within your dominions there are men, who take to themselves wives too near a-kin by consanguinity or affinity; others, who forsake at pleasure such as are lawfully joined to them in holy matrimony; and some, who give their wives to others, and receive the wives of others in return by an abominable intercourse. These and other, if there are any other, enormities, you should order to be corrected, for God's sake and the good of your own soul, in the country of your dominion. You are to carry yourself, by the assistance of God, towards your subjects in such manner, that they, who are affected by virtue, may love virtue the

more, and such, as are wickedly disposed, may be restrained in the exercise of their vicious courses. For doing this you shall reign the longer on earth, in the enjoyment of temporal felicity, and, after this life, shall pass to a celestial kingdom, there to reign without end. I should have written to you more at large, but that you have with you the aforesaid prelate, educated from his boyhood in monastic institutions, eminently instructed in the knowledge of divine learning, and (as far as it has come to our knowledge) well graced with the ornaments of good works; you will attentively hearken unto him, (as he shall frequently speak to you concerning your soul,) hearing him to obey him as a spiritual father, in such things as appertain to God, doing as he declares to you, and treasuring his words in your breast; we then hope that by the mercy of God, neither yourself will perniciously go astray, nor permit your subjects to abide long in the obstinacy of wicked actions. The omnipotent Lord fortify you with the arm of virtue against the enemies of your soul and body, and, after a long life in this world, happily bring you to that which hath no end."

if

The archbishop's letter to King Turlough, runs thus: "Lanfranc, a sinner, and unworthy archbishop of the holy Church of Canterbury, to Turlough, the mighty king of Ireland, a blessing with our greeting and prayers. God bestoweth no greater mercies on earth, than when he promoteth to the government of souls or bodies, such as affect peace and work justice; and especially when he committeth