of Patrick were ruined and uninhabitable. Either at Tara,
or some other of the royal residences, Adamnan on this
visit procured the passing of a law, (A.D. 684,) forbidding
women to accompany an army to battle, or to engage
personally in the conflict. The mild maternal genius of
Christianity is faithfully exhibited in such a law, which
consummates the glory of the worthy successor of Columbkill.
It is curious here to observe that it was not until
another hundred years had past--not till the beginning
of the ninth century--that the clergy were "exempt" from
military service. So slow and patient is the process by
which Christianity infuses itself into the social life
of a converted people!

The long reign of FINNACTA, the hospitable, who may, for
his many other virtues, be called also the pious, was
rendered farther remarkable in the annals of the country
by the formal abandonment of the special tax, so long
levied upon, and so long and desperately resisted by,
the men of Leinster. The all-powerful intercessor in this
case was Saint Moling, of the royal house of Leinster,
and Bishop of Fernamore (now Ferns). In the early part
of his reign Finnacta seems not to have been disposed to
collect this invidious tax by force; but, yielding to
other motives, he afterwards took a different view of
his duty, and marched into Leinster to compel its payment.
Here the holy Prelate of Ferns met him, and related a
Vision in which he had been instructed to demand the
abolition of the impost. The abolition, he contended,
should not be simply a suspension, but final and for