A FREE COLONY OF LUNATICS. 57 



The origin of this unique institution is derived, according to the 

 legend, from the daughter of an Irish king, named Dymphne, who, 

 about the end of the sixth or the beginning of the seventh century, 

 took refuge at Gheel, with her confessor, to escape the incestuous 

 solicitations of her father. The king pursued his daughter and found 

 her, by keeping track of the coins the fugitives had paid out. The 

 confessor was assassinated by the soldiers, and Dymphne was decapi- 

 tated by her father himself. Dymphne in time became a saint, but 

 how her chastity made her the patron of lunatics is not explained. 

 Her memory has been preserved at Gheel through all the centuries 

 that have elapsed. The well is shown where she went to draw water, 

 and the house whose mistress gave the king the clews by which he 

 found his daughter ; a chapel was erected in honor of this virgin, 

 and as a memorial of the circumstances under which she perished ; 

 and a large church consecrated to St. Dymphne was built some cent- 

 uries ago. These circumstances have made Gheel a center of pil- 

 grimages, and the resort of the insane from a period very far back. 

 The unfortunates were lodged on their arrival in a building appertain- 

 ing to the church, called the invalid-chamber, which still exists. They 

 stayed there nine days, attending the religious services and prayers 

 for their cure through the intercession of the murdered virgin. Some- 

 times they stayed another nine days. It was hard to send them away 

 uncured ; but other unfortunates would be there waiting for their 

 turn, and there was not room for all. Rather than dismiss them sum- 

 marily, they were put in the care of some family who would undertake 

 to bring them to the special services every day. At first the patients 

 were kept in the immediate neighborhood of the church, or within its 

 parish jurisdiction ; but they became in time too many for that, and 

 were scattered over the neighboring villages. A service of public 

 administration was gradually organized, the history of which, and of 

 the modifications it has undergone, would be interesting if we had 

 room to give it. 



The earliest recorded regulation is of 1676, and directs that the 

 proper officers shall order all persons having charge of the insane to bind 

 them hand and foot, so that they can not harm any one, and that they 

 shall prevent their going into the parish church of St. Armand, under 

 penalty of a fine of six florins. In 1747 ordinances were passed that 

 no insane person in fetters should go into the church of St. Armand 

 or St. Dymphne unless accompanied by his nourricier ; that no lunatic 

 should be bound without the previous knowledge and permission of 

 the reverend collegiate dean or of the bailiff ; and that Catholic nour- 

 riciers should invite the clergy to examine into the mental condition 

 of their patients, to ascertain whether they were fit to receive the 

 sacraments. In 1754 a new ordinance, declaring that the lunatics had 

 too much libei'ty and could not be distinguished from rational persons, 

 directed the nourriciers to keep them secure, by fetters, or by shutting 



