Lawlor — Xotes on St. BernanVs Life of St. Malacky. 231 



years later he again came to Clairvaux with the intention of making a similar 

 request of Pope Eugenins III. A few days after his arrival he fell sick, and 

 a fortnight afterwards he died in the monastery. The incidents of these 

 three visits came under St. Bernard's own observation. The accuracy of what 

 he tells about them cannot be questioned. The purpose of the first visit was 

 no doubt to secure the support of the most powerful ecclesiastic in Europe 

 for the request which Malachy was about to make of Pope Innocent, who 

 owed to St. Bernard his establishment on the papal throne. But, however 

 that may be, it was inevitable that in familiar conversation between the two 

 saints, Bernard should be informed by Malachy of the object of his mission, 

 and of the affairs of the Irish Church. On these occasions we may also 

 assume that Malachy recounted to Bernard the incidents of his journeys and 

 of his sojourn at Eome. If these assumptions are correct, a considerable part 

 of the Life — about a sixth of the whole treatise' — is based on St. Bernard's 

 direct knowledge and St. Malachy's reports. And it must not be forgotten 

 that Malachy wrote several letters to his friend in the interval between his 

 second and third visits to Clairvaux. These letters, which are no longer 

 extant, doubtless added some particulars to the information conveyed by 

 oral communication. 



On the occasion of the second visit Malachy left four of his companions 

 in travel at Clairvaux, in order that they might be instructed in the Cistercian 

 rule.' From them Bernard may have acquired further knowledge of Malachy's 

 career. If, as is probable, they belonged to Malachy's community at Bangor, 

 much of what St. Bernard tells us about that monastery — its re-founding 

 — Malachy's elevation to the episcopate, and his work and miracles in the 

 district' — may have come from them. In particular, Christian, the future 

 abbot of Mellifont, who was apparently one of them,* may have told Bernard 

 of the miraculous cure of his brother Malchus, and of another miracle of 

 healing in which Malchus took some part.' Other, who came from Ireland 

 later on, doubtless contributed to his stores of knowledge.- 



But Bernard leaves us in no doubt as to the principal source of his 

 information. The Preface to the Life ends with the following words : — 



" Finally, you enjoin me to undertake this task, Abbot Congan, my 

 reverend brother and sweet friend, and with you also (as you write from 

 Ireland) all that Church of the saints to which you belong. I obey with a 

 will, the more so because you ask not panegyric but narrative ... At any rate 

 the truth of ray narrative is assured, since it has been communicated by you 



•§§19-31. -• Fifa, § 39. 



^ k^ 12-18, 31, 42, 53, 61-63, 68. ^ Bernard, Ep. 357, § 3. 



° Vita, §§ 14, 52. " lb., § 39. See also tienii. i iti, tratus. Mai., 5 1. 



[82'] 



