230 Proceedings of the Royal Irish Acadetnt/. 



Gaul. The writing is addressed to his Irish converts, and certainly 

 suggests that they were likely to come in contact with persons who 

 would detract from his merits. 



On the other hand, Patrick speaks as if he were the only bishop in 

 Ireland: Hiherione constitutuni episcopumme esse fateor (Ei^. 1); and 

 claims to have ordained clergy everywhere — ubique — Conf. 38, 40, 50. 

 He reckons his converts by thousands, countless numbers, Conf. 14, 

 38, 42, 50, Epp. 12, 16, and refers to his constant journeyings through 

 the country (Conf. 51, 53). His was, indeed, a lahoriosus episcopatus 

 (Conf. 26) ; and the incident which called forth the Epistola was, no 

 doubt, only one of the twelve perils whereby his life had been 

 imperilled (Conf. 35). He refers to one other narrow escape from 

 death at the hands of the heathen Irish (Conf. 52) ; and at the moment 

 of writing the Confessio he declares : Daily I expect either slaughter or 

 to he defrauded, or he reduced to slavery, or an unfair attach of some hind ; 

 and lie even prays for martyrdom. / pray Sim to grant to me that I 

 may shed my hlood with those strangers and captives for His naine^s sahe 

 (Conf. 55, 59). A man who can look on life so, will go far. 



The only date in St. Patrick's history about which there is ever 

 likely to be a general agreement amongst scholars is the year in which 

 he died. Professor Bury has a long discussion in The English Historical 

 Review, 1902, p. 239, sqq., of the statement by Ti'rechan, A passione 

 autem Christi colleguntur anni cccc xxx ui usque ad mortem Patricii 

 (Book of Armagh, fol. 9, r°, b). Professor Bury proves that Ti'rechan 

 considered a.d. 29 as the year of the Passion, and emends Ti'rechan's 

 text by reading xxxiii for xxxui. This would make a.d. 461 the 

 year of St. Patrick's death; and this is supported by the "TJltonian 

 Annals." 



Biblical Text used by St. Patrick. 



The number and wide range of quotations from the Holy Scrip- 

 tures, direct and indirect, that are to be found in these two short 

 tracts, give us reason to suspect that St. Patrick's rusticitas was not 

 quite so great as his modesty represents it to have been. Rude in 

 speech he certainly was, hut not in hnowledge of the Bible. Our purpose, 

 however, at present is not to discuss St. Patrick's educational (qualifica- 

 tions, bnt to sum up, as succinctly as possible, the evidence supplied 

 by his Scriptural citations and allusions as to the character of the 

 Biblical text used by him. 



