186 



Saint Patrick next founded a church in Dubhn, and when Ireland 

 seemed inspired with the true faith, he appears to have even extended 

 his labours to the neighbouring coasts of Scotland and England, and 

 to the Isle of Man. — (See Jocehn, Vita S. Patricii, c. 92 ; Usher's 

 Index Chron. p. 518; Ware's Bishops, p. 20, &c. &c.) Hence the 

 Chronicon Manniee, while it frequently mentions the isle and church 

 of Saint Patrick in Man, expressly says, that according to all tradi- 

 tions, he was the first who preached the catholic faith in that island.* 

 His labours terminated, only with his life, which, according to all 

 accounts, was prolonged to nearly the close of the sixth century, when 

 " in senectute bona migravit ad Dominum, ubi nunc laitatur in 

 ssecula sseculorum."-]- 



Matthew of Westminster, in his " Flores Historiarum," reiterates 

 this sketch in all its passages. 



There are, however, two controversial questions respecting the Apos- 

 tle of Ireland, which, in deference to the present question, it is thought 

 necessary to notice, each is fortunately upheld by a solitary authority, 

 and when such a secession occurs from all who have ever thought or 

 written before on the subject, it might be enough to state the singular 

 heresy ; the matter, however, may not be deemed unworthy of a 

 more particular consideration. Doctor Ledwich, as the greater unbe- 

 liever, comes first under consideration. — He ventures to doubt the 

 existence of Saint Patrick altogether, because, as he says, no author 

 previous to the ninth century mentions the saint ; but while even the 



mus et praecipuus esse videtur. • * * * » Nostris autem lemporibus et nostrornm 

 opera, nobilis thesaurus ab Armachia Dubliniam est translatus.'' — Top. Hib, Dist. 3. c. 34. 

 and see post, Period 4. sect. 3. 



* " Beatus Patricius primus fidem catbolicam predicasse fertur Mannensibus." — Antiq. 

 Celt. Norman, p. 43. 



t Nennii, Hist. Brit. p. 60. 



