Whereupon the king gave it to him.

20. Declan next returned to Ait-mBreasail where, in a haven at the
north side, were the shipping and boats of the island, plying thither
and backwards. The people of the island hid all their boats not
willing that Declan should settle there; they dreaded greatly that if
Declan came to dwell there they themselves should be expelled.
Whereupon his disciples addressed Declan:--"Father," said they, "Many
things are required (scil.: from the mainland) and we must often go
by boat to this island and there will be (crossing) more frequently
when you have gone to heaven and we pray thee to abandon the place or
else to obtain from God that the sea recede from the land so that it
can be entered dry shod, for Christ has said:--'Whatsoever you shall
ask of the Father in my name He will give it to you' [John 15:16];
the place cannot be easily inhabited unless the sea recede from it
and on that account you cannot establish your city in it." Declan
answered them and said:--"How can I abandon the place ordained by God
and in which He has promised that my burial and resurrection shall
be? As to the alleged inconvenience of dwelling therein, do you wish
me to pray to God (for things) contrary to His will--to deprive the
sea of its natural domain? Nevertheless in compliance with your
request I shall pray to God and whatever thing be God's will, let it
be done." Declan's community thereupon rose up and said:--"Father,
take your crosier as Moses took the rod [Exodus 14:16] and strike the
sea therewith and God will thus show His will to you." His disciples
prayed therefore to him because they were tried and holy men. They
put Declan's crosier in his hand and he struck the water in the name
of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost and made the sign
of the cross over the water and immediately, by command and
permission of God, the sea commenced to move out from its accustomed