180 



shall be attested on the four Evangelists, before taking the commu- 

 nion, and afterwards the credibility shall be left to the judge."* Con- 

 secrated articles were also frequently tendered to be sworn upon judi- 

 cially, such as the sacred bell of S. Nennius,"t- and other like objects 

 of popular veneration. 



SECTION III. 



Morals and Religion. 



It has been already suggested,;]: that there were some dawnings 

 of Christianity in Ireland long before the fifth century, and without 

 doubt, several believers in its sacred truths did exist there, previous to 

 the arrival of Saint Patrick in the island. Prosper says, Palladius was 

 sent " ad Scotos in Christum credentes," where by " Scotos " he 

 clearly means the inhabitants of Ireland, as when he next mentions 

 the mission, he talks in the true spirit of Roman vanity, of its glorious 

 effects on the "barbaram insulam," in opposition with the "Roma- 

 nam insulam," (Britain.) Some even record the names of four holy 

 bishops as exercising Christian duties over the Irish people, previous to 

 the arrival of Palladius ; — Ailbe of Emly, Declan of Ardmore, I bar 

 of Begery, and Kiaran of Saigir ; but this is contradicted by the pas- 

 sage below from Prosper, and by the most credible biography of these 

 individuals. Ailbe could not be a bishop in the course of nature, 



* Ware's Antiquities, fo. 152, 



t " Cymbalum seu campana Nennii appellatur, ***** per quod, in veritate 

 asserenda sacramentum illius tactu, indigenae aliique vicini solent jurare." — Acta Sancto- 

 rum, p. 114. 



J Ante, p. 90. 



