Mr. TurnbuU on Saint Bathan. 195 



come down to us. Written, however, as these biographies 

 were, for a rude and superstitious people, the authors of them 

 have narrated rather the marvels than the sober realities of 

 their subjects, and have striven more to excite the admiration 

 of their contemporaries, than to meet the stern requirements 

 of a future age for historical accuracy. 



Baithen was the son of Brendan, the son of Fergus, the son 

 of Conal Gulban, the son of Niall of the nine hostages.^ He 

 was born in Ireland, (then called Scotia,) according to Tigh- 

 ernac in the year 536. He seems also to have been named 

 Conin'' or Cominus,'' though it may not be altogether free 

 from doubt whether Conin was not his brother."^ He had a 

 brother named Cobthach® of whom little more is known ex- 

 cept that he was one of Columba's followers to lona. That 

 he became no way famous, appears from an ancient Irish poem 

 which says : — 



" Brennan of happy career left none 

 Save Baoithan of goodly deeds. "f 



Brenden (father of Baithen) was brother of Fedhlimidh who 

 was father of St. Columba, and therefore Columba and Baithen 

 were cousins german. Through their fathers they were of 

 the Royal race of the northern HyNeill or reigning family 

 of Ireland. Columba, however, was 15 or 16 years older than 

 Baithen, having been born in 520 or 521. From his infancy 

 Columba felt a strong affection for Baithen, and brought him 

 up and educated him.^ " Reverendus pater Abbas Baithi- 

 " nus ab infantia sua in verbo Dei et discipuli (moribus) ab 

 *^ abbate prseclarissimo Columba diligenter instructus est" and 

 hence Baithen is frequently mentioned as the " Alumnus" of 

 Columba. Notker calls him " familiarissimus discipulus."^ 

 Baithen repaid this kindness of Columba by becoming his 

 most devoted follower and zealous friend. For the first 27 

 years of his life, however, there is no history of him extant. 

 It was when Baithen had attained this age (a. d. 563) that 

 Columba left his native land and devoted himself to the con- 

 version of the heathen population in Scotland. Like his great 

 master, he went accompanied by twelve disciples, whose names 

 have all been preserved, and first on that list of noble men is 



a Ordnance surrey of Londonderry. 



b Adamnan's life of Columba, edited by Reeves, p. 245. 



c Acta Sanctorum. 



d Boece Lib. 9, fol. 166, § 70. Ussheri primor. 



e Adam. p. 245. 



f Reeves's Adam. p. 245. 



g Acta S.S. 



h Ussheri primor, p. 701. 



