Declan seeing the people's faith prayed to God and signed with the
sign of Redemption the four points of the compass. As he concluded,
there was verified the saying of Christ to His disciples when leaving
them and going to heaven:--"Super aegros imponent manus et bene
habebunt" [Mark 16:18] ("I shall place my hands on the sick and they
shall be healed"). Soon as Declan had made the sign of the cross
each one who was ill became well and not alone were these restored to
health but (all the sick) of the whole region round about in
whatsoever place there were persons ailing. Moreover the plague was
banished from every place and all rejoiced greatly thereat as well as
on account of the resurrection of the dead men we have narrated. The
king thereupon ordered tribute and honour to Declan and his
successors from himself and from every king who should hold Cashel
ever after. Upon this the glorious bishop Declan blessed Aongus
together with his city and people and returned back to his own place.

30. One night Declan was a guest at the house of a wealthy man who
dwelt in the southern part of Magh Femhin; this is the kind of person
his host was, scil.:--a pagan who rejected the true faith, and his
name was Dercan. He resolved to amuse himself at the Christians'
expense; accordingly he ordered his servants to kill a dog secretly,
to cut off its head and feet and to bury them in the earth and then
to cook the flesh properly and to set it before Declan and his
company as their meal. Moreover he directed that the dog should be
so fat that his flesh might pass as mutton. When, in due course, it
was cooked, the flesh, together with bread and other food, was laid
before Declan and his following. At that moment Declan had fallen
asleep but he was aroused by his disciples that he might bless their
meal. He observed to them:--"Indeed I see, connected with this meat,
the ministry of the devil." Whereupon he questioned the waiters as