Lawi.ok — Nnfcf< 0)1 Sf. B(;ni(tr(Vs Lifi'. of Hi. Malmlni. 243 



to Eome and back, allowing a <lay each for four sea voyages, and a week for 

 delays at York and Cairngarrocii, a month for two \'i.sits to Clairvaux,' and a 

 month at Rome,- occnpicd a little over forty weeks. Frmn Bangor to York 

 two weeks and three days. From York to Clairvaux, five weeks and four days. 

 From Clairvaux to Martigny, two weeks and one day. From Clairvaux to 

 Home, seven weeks ami two days. From l^angor to Dover (third journey), 

 counting delays at Soulseat and Gisbuvn, and the visit to King David,' seven 

 weeks ; or longer, since there were hindrances to the passage through England.* 

 From tlip French coast to Clairvaux, two weeks and four days. 



?>. The CimoxoLoriy of Malacuv's Life. 



St. Bernard's Life of St. Malachy supplies only one a.d. date. It is that 

 of the death of Malachy, which is said to have taken place on 2nd November, 

 1148.° In tiiis St. Bernard is in exact agreement with the Four Masters. 

 But he adds that Malachy was then in his fifty-fourth year," while the 

 Masters affirm that he had passed his fifty-fourth year. This discrepancy is 

 sufficient to prOve that St. Bernard's Life and the Annals are independent 

 authorities. But the discrepancy is there, and we must endeavour to 

 ascertain which of our authorities is correct. From the Annals we should 

 infer that Malachy was born before 2nd Xovember, 1094: from St. Bernard 

 that he was born after that day. Which of these inferences is the more 

 probable ? 



Let us turn to another dated incident. In the Vitu, § 16, he is said to 

 have been consecrated bishop when he was just entering his thirtieth year. 

 The Masters put his consecration under 1124. These statements are consistent 

 if his twenty-ninth birthday was near the end of 112o or in 1124, and if his 

 fifty-fourth year was not completed in November, 114S. But if he was over 

 fifty-four on 2nd November, 1148, lie was over thirty on the corresponding 

 day of 1124, and liis twenty-ninth birthday was before November, 1123. 

 Thus we are warranted in accepting St. Bernard's statement rather than that 

 of the Masters concerning his age at the time of his death. 



We can now determine approximately the date of the saint's birth. He 



' The periods of his stay there can only be conjectured. But on his first journey he 

 remained long enough to become so enamoured of Clairvaux and its abbot that he formed 

 the plan of abandoning his work in Ireland and spending the rest of his life in the 

 famou.s monastciy. On his retiu'n from Rome some time must have been occupied in 

 making arrangements for the introduction of tlie Cistercian Order into Ireland, and in 

 phacing some of liis companions at suitable places for instruction. 



- Vihi, § US. ■■' thirl., §§ (i8. (i!l. < .ScriH . i in tiaux. Mai.. J 1. 



■■■ § 7o. '• § 74. 



