The Project Gutenberg eBook of Charta Sancti Patricii, by Saint Patrick of Ireland

In nomine Domini nostri Jesu Christi. Ego Patricius humilis servunculus Dei, anno incarnationis ejusdem quadringentesimo vigesimo quinto, in Hiberniam a sanctissimo papa Cœlestino legatus, Dei gratia Hibernicos ad viam veritatis converti. Et cum eos in fide catholica solidassem, tandem in Britanniam sum reversus, ac, ut credo, duce Deo, _qui vita est et via_ (_Joan._ XIV, 6), incidi in insulam _Ynswytryn_, in qua inveni locum sanctum ac vetustum, a Deo electum et sanctificatum, in honore intemeratæ Virginis Dei genitricis Marias. Ibique reperi quosdam fratres rudimentis catholicæ fidei imbutos, et piæ conversationis, qui successerunt discipulis sanctorum Phagani et Diruviani, quorum nomina, pro vitæ meritis, veraciter credo scripta in cœlis (_Philip_. IV, 3). Et quia in memoria æterna erunt justi (_Psal_. CXI, 7), cum eosdem fratres tenere dilexissem, eorum nomina scripto meo redigere volui, quæ sunt: Brumban, Hyregaan, Bremwal, Wencreth, Bantommeweng, Adelwolred, Loyor, Wellias, Breden, Swelwes, Hinloernus, et alius Hyn. Hi cum essent nobilibus orti natalibus, nobilitatem suam fidei operibus ornare cupientes, eremiticam vitam ducere elegerunt. Et quoniam inveni eos humiles ac quietos, elegi potius cum illis abjectus esse, magis quam in regalibus curiis habitare (_Psal_. LXXXIII, 11). Sed quia omnium nostrum _erat cor unum et anima una_ (_Act_. IV, 32), elegimus omnes simul habitare, comedere et bibere pariter, et in eadem domo dormire. Sicque me licet invitum sibi prætulerunt. _Non enim dignus eram solvere corrigiam calceamentorum_ (_Marc_. I, 7) eorum.

Et cum vitam monasticam ita duceremus juxta normam probabilium Patrum, ostenderunt mihi præfati fratres scripta sanctorum Phagani et Diruviani, in quibus continebatur, quod duodecim discipuli sanctorum Philippi et Jacobi, ipsam vetustam ecclesiam construxerunt in honore prælibatæ Advocatricis nostræ, per doctrinamentum beati archangeli Gabrielis. Insuper et quod Dominus eamdem ecclesiam cœlitus in honore suæ Matris dedicaverat, et quod tres reges pagani, ipsis duodecim ad eorum sustenementum duodecim portiones terræ dederunt; nec non et in scriptis recentioribus inveni, quod sancti Phaganus et Diruvianus perquisierant ab Eleutherio papa, qui eos miserat, triginta annos indulgentiæ. Et ego frater Patricius a piæ memoriæ Cœlestino papa duodecim annos tempore meo acquisivi.

Post multum vero temporis, assumpto mecum Wellia confratre meo, per condensitatem silvæ cum magna difficultate conscendimus cacumen montis qui eminet in eadem insula. Quo cum pervenissemus, apparuit oratorium unum vetustum et fere dirutum, habile tamen devotioni Christianæ, et (prout mihi videbatur) a Deo electum. Quod cum ingressi essemus, tanta odoris suavitate replebamur, ut in paradisi amœnitate positos nos crederemus. Egredientes igitur et reingredientes, locumque diligentius perscrutantes, invenimus volumen unum in quo scripti erant Actus apostolorum, pariter cum actis et gestis sanctorum Phagani et Diruviani, ex magna parte consumptum; in cujus tamen fine voluminis invenimus scripturam quæ dicebat quod prædicti Phaganus et Diruvianus, per revelationem Domini nostri Jesu Christi idem oratorium ædificaverunt in honore sancti Michaelis archangeli, quatenus ibi ab hominibus haberet honorem, qui homines in perpetuos honores, jubente Deo, est introducturus. At cum delectaret nos illa scriptura, nitebamur eam ad finem legere. Dicebat enim eadem scriptura quod venerandi Phaganus et Diruvianus moram ibi fecerunt per novem annos, et quod ipsi etiam perquisierant triginta annorum indulgentiam omnibus Christicolis locum ipsum ad honorem beati Michaelis pia voluntate visitantibus. Invento ergo tanto divinæ bonitatis thesauro, ego et frater Wellias tribus mensibus jejunavimus, orationibus vacantes et vigiliis, dæmonibusque et belluis multiformiter apparentibus imperantes. Quadam autem nocte cum me sopori dedissem, apparuit mihi Dominus Jesus in visa dicens: Patrici serve meus, scias me elegisse locum istum ad honorem nominis mei, et ut hic honoranter invocent adjutorium archangeli mei Michaelis. Et hoc tibi signum et fratribus tuis, quatenus et ipsi credant: brachium tuum sinistrum arescet, donec quæ vidisti annuntiaveris fratribus qui in cella sunt inferiori, et denuo hic redieris. Et factum est ita.

Ab illo die statuimus duos fratres in perpetuum ibi, nisi pastores futuri ob justam causam aliter decreverint. Arnulpho autem et Ogmar Hibernicis fratribus qui mecum venerant de Hibernia, pro eo quod ad exhortationem meam apud dictum humiliter oratorium manere cœperunt, præsentem paginam commisi, aliam similem in arca sanctæ Mariæ retinens, in monumentum posteris. Et ego frater Patricius per consilium fratrum meorum, omnibus qui silvam ex omni parte præfati montis (_Psal_. LXXIII, 6) in securi et ascia, pia intentione dejecerint, ut facilior paretur aditus Christianis, ecclesiam beatæ perpetuæque Virginis pie visitantibus, centum dies veniæ concedo.

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The Project Gutenberg eBook of Charta Sancti Patricii

CHARTA S. PATRICII.

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