244 



The opinion herein-before hazarded, as to the use of chariots in 

 Ireland at a much earher period, is considerably strengthened in this. 

 Jocelin, after saying that Saint Patrick used to walk on his mission 

 even to the age of 55, adds, that thenceforward, according to an 

 ancient custom of the country, he used a chariot in his progresses.* 

 His charioteer is even named. -f* And in the synod attributed to him, 

 one of the canons prohibits a clergyman's travelling from town to 

 town, with a female in the same vehicle.;]: Cogitosus repeatedly 

 speaks of the car of Brigid, (" currus Brigida^,") "and how'' Bri- 

 gida, ut conventionem plebis visitaret, curru sedens equis binis vehe- 

 batur;" and defines " habenis," "jugo," " rotis," &c. Animosus 

 also, in his Life of Saint Brigid, gives a very distinct description of 

 the chariot of Bishop Conlian.§ Adamnan speaks of Saint Columba's 

 chariot and charioteer,i| and furnishes in another place, evidence of 

 such vehicles being used in battle, where, speaking of the engagement 

 at Monamoire, in Ulster, he records the escape of Echod Laib in his 

 chariot,** a proposition which Tigernach confirms, by stating chariots 

 as in use in battle in A. D. 500. 



That glass was not unknown, would appear from Saint Patrick's 



• " fixtunc currus vehiculo, more illim regionis illo in tempore auueto ob difficultatem iti- 

 neris, in praedicatione utebatur." — Vita S. Patricii, c. 185. 



■f "Odrani, qui aurigam viri Dei (Patricii) agebat." — Acta Sanctorum, p. 371. 



j " Monachus et virgo • • * • ju mjo curru a vUla in villain non discurrant." — 

 Spelman's Concilia, vol. 1. p. 52. 



§ " Conlianus Episcopus, « * « ♦ qui habebat cellam in australi parte campi 

 Liffei, venit in curru ad S. Brigidam. • • « • Auriga vero illius, jungens currum, rose- 

 tag oblitus est ponere contra rotas, &c." — Trias Thaum. p. 552. 



il Vita Columb. lib. 2. c. 43. 

 *• "De rage Cruthniorum qui Echodus Laib vocabatur, quemadmodum rictus currui inse- 

 dcns evaserit." — Vila Columb. lib. 1. c. 7. 



