Life of St. Declan of Ardmore and Life of St. Mochuda of Lismore by Anonymous
page 78 of 110 (70%)
page 78 of 110 (70%)
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monks, set out for the place indicated and there in the beginning he
built a small cell and Colman and he often afterwards exchanged visits. Colman had in the beginning--some time previous to Mochuda's advent--contemplated establishing himself at Rahen and he had left there two or three [bundles] of rods remarking to his disciples that another should come after him for whom and not for himself God had destined this place. It was with this material that Mochuda commenced to build his cell as Colman had foretold in the first instance. He erected later a great monastery in which he lived forty years and had eight hundred and eighty seven religious under his guidance and rule. Subsequent to Mochuda's foundation of Rahen his miracles and the marvels he wrought spread his fame far and wide through Ireland and through Britain, and multitudes came to him from various parts of those countries to give themselves to the service of God under his guidance. In the beginning he refused worldly gifts from others although his church was honoured and patronised by neighbouring kings and chieftains who offered him lands and cattle and money and many other things. Mochuda kept his monks employed in hard labour and in ploughing the ground for he wanted them to be always humble. Others, however, of the Saints of Erin did not force their monks to servile labour in this fashion. Mochuda was consecrated bishop by many saints and from time to time he visited his parish in Kerry, but as a rule he remained at Rahen with his monks, for it is monks he had with him not clerics. On a certain day in the (early) springtime there came to tempt him a druid who said to him:--"In the name of your God cause this apple-tree |
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