Olden — The Paten of Gourdon. 789 



■differently called Assach, Eite, and Essu, and Tassacli, Bite, and 

 Essu. 



Tassacli as we have seen administered the Holy Communion to 

 )5t. Patrick when he was dying, and after his death he was the artist 

 who covered the Bachall Isa, or Staff of Jesus, that is, he encased 

 in metal work the simple staff, or wooden crook, which St. Patrick 

 carried as an emblem of his dignity, and which became so famous after- 

 wards. He evidently stood in an intimate relation with the saint, 

 and he is described in high style as follows in the Calendar of 

 Aengus : — 



Tlie Hoyal bishop Tassach 



Gave, when he came, the Body of Christ, 



The truly strong king, 



At the communion to Patrick. 



IS^OTE Added in the Press. 



There are numerous instances of patens which form the covers of 

 Chalices. Two of this kind are at St. Audeon's Church, Dublin, and 

 others at Celbridge Church. 



With regard to the cross in relief, on the Gourdon paten, it may 

 be mentioned that a paten with a raised design is figured in 

 " Antiquitates Manniae," published by the Manx Society, London, 

 1868, p. 107. The centre is occupied by a face, supposed to represent 

 St. Lupus, Bishop of Troyes ; while round the circular margin is the 

 inscription — sancte-lupe-oea-peo-nobis. The writer of the paper, 

 Rev. E. Barnwell, assigns this paten to the early part of the fifteenth 

 century. 



There were also patens inlaid with jewels. We read in the 

 " Liber Pontif." that Pope Sergius (a.d. 687-701) gave to the Vatican 

 Basilica " patinam auream majorem habentem gemmas albas et in 

 medio ex hyacintho et smaragdo crucem." — Smith, Diet. Antiq. 



END OF SEE. III., VOL. III. 



