Uses of the Round Towers of Ireland, fyc. 161 



prscconem vt Angelum lucis, cum ea qua decuit reuerentia & honore, Isetus excepit : eiusque doctrinaj 

 aures & animum acoomodans, per eum in mysterijs fidei instructus, salutari lauacro regenerates, & 

 familiar Christi aggregatus est. Vir Dei suam ei impertiit benedictionem dicens ; semini tuo semen 

 fratrum tuorum inseruiet : iureque hsereditario obtentum in posteros tuos a patre in filium hoc 

 sanctum transibit patrimonium, vt meos successores venerentur, honoraria clientela respiciant, ac 

 tueantur patrocinio. In loco isto, vbi erat aula sua, Conallus jecit Deo & S. Patricio Ecclesiae ex- 

 truendee fundamentum, quod pedibus eiusLX. pedum erat: ipse vero aulam suam ad alium vicinum 

 locum transtulit. Eique tune dixit Patricius ; quicumque ex tua posteritate ausu teinerario ausus 



fuerit aliquid contra hanc Ecclesiam attentare, eius regimen neque fselix, neque diuturnum erit." 



Part ii. c. v. Trias Thaum. pp. 129, 130. 



These churches, in their general form, preserve very nearly that of the Ro- 

 man basilica, and they are even called by this name in the oldest writers ; but 

 they never present the conched semicircular absis at the east end, which is so 

 usual a feature in the Roman churches, and the smaller churches are only sim- 

 ple oblong quadrangles. In addition to this quadrangle, the larger churches 

 present a second oblong of smaller dimensions, extending to the east, and con- 

 stituting the chancel or sanctuary, in which the altar was placed, and which is 

 connected with the nave by a triumphal arch of semicircular form. These 

 churches have rarely more than a single entrance, which is placed in the cen- 

 tre of the west end ; and they are very imperfectly lighted by small windows 

 splaying inwards, which do not appear to have been ever glazed. The chancel 

 is always better lighted than the nave, and usually has two and sometimes three 

 windows, of which one is always placed in the centre of the east wall, and 

 another in the south wall ; the windows in the nave are also usually placed 

 in the south wall, and, excepting in the larger churches, rarely exceed two in 

 number. The windows are frequently triangular-headed, but more usually 

 arched semicircularly, while the doorway, on the contrary, is almost univer- 

 sally covered by a horizontal lintel, consisting of a single stone. In all cases 

 the sides of the doorways and windows incline, like the doorways in the 

 oldest remains of Cyclopean buildings, to which they bear a singularly striking 

 resemblance. The doorways seldom present any architectural decorations 

 beyond a mere flat architrave, or band, but are most usually plain ; and the 

 windows still more rarely exhibit ornaments of any kind. The walls of these 

 churches are always perpendicular, and generally formed of very large polygonal 

 stones carefully adjusted to each other, both on the inner and outer faces, while 



VOL. XX. Y 



