of Ireland first saw the light of day on Wednesday, April 5th; not on
Wednesday, April 5th, 372, as Usher imagined, for, as Ware points out,
April 5th did not fall on Wednesday, 372, but on Wednesday, 373. There
is overwhelming evidence to prove that St. Patrick died in the year
493, having attained the 120th year of his age. Usher, Ware, the
Tripartite Life, the "Vita Secunda," the "Vita Quarta," the "Leabhar
Braec," the "Annals of the Four Masters," the "Annals of Innisfail,"
the "Book of Howth," the "Annals of Tigernasch," the "Chronicon
Scotorum," the "Annals of Boyle," Marianus Scotus, Nennius, Geraldus
Cambrensis, Florence of Worcester, and Roger of Wendover all maintain
this. The year of the Saint's birth may, therefore, be accurately
obtained by subtracting 120 from 493, the date of his death. This
process will show that St. Patrick was born in 373, and captured in the
very year of King Niall's raid into Armorica, 388, when the Saint had
attained his fifteenth year.

The great age of the Saint at the time of his death, although
marvellous, is not incredible. In Chambers' "Book of Days," quoted by.
Father Bullen Morris, instances are given of 2,003 centenarians, 17 of
whom lived 150 years. Father Montalto, a Jesuit, who was born in 1689,
was present at the Church of the Gensu at Rome in the 125th year of his
age, when Pius VII. re-established the Society of Jesus. In 1881 the
photograph of Gabriel Salivar was sent to the Vatican as the oldest
inhabitant of the world. It was proved on convincing evidence that he
had reached 150 years. Thomas Parr, as is well known, attained the age
of 152 years and nine months before he bade adieu to the world.



ST. PATRICK AFTER HIS CAPTIVITY RETURNS TO (GAUL) HIS NATIVE COUNTRY.