of the light-house stood the residence of a Roman officer
named Calphurnius, who had the supervision of the fire in the tower,
amongst the more costly and ornamented houses than the others, where
the free-and-easy life and customs of the Romans found a last refuge.
He lived there attended by domestic and military servants. He had
fought under the Imperial flag and attained the rank of a Decurion (p.
354). . . .

"Forgetfulness of God, disobedience to His laws, which are also the
best laws of human society, led to the ruin both of the colony of
Bononia and of St. Patrick's family. One day a mutiny, from which the
servants of Calphurnius could not have kept aloof, broke out amongst
the soldiers in the camp, just at the time when pirates, who had come
from different parts of the Irish coast and formed themselves into a
fleet so as to plunder the towns on the sea coast of Gaul with greater
security, took advantage of the dissensions amongst the inhabitants of
Boulogne and besieged the town. Fine furniture, carpets, and valuable
garments, vessels of gold and silver, arms and instruments of every
kind, everything that they could seize in the houses, in the town, in
the camp, in the rural dwellings close by, in the stables, in the ox
stalls, in the sheep pens: horses, cows, pigs, cattle and sheep were
carried off and placed on board the ships. Those who attempted any
resistance were put to death, whilst others, undergoing the fate of
domestic animals, were sold into slavery. Amongst the defenders of the
colony who perished were Calphurnius, his wife, and many of his
household. St. Patrick was numbered amongst the captives. The corsairs,
having set sail, landed him in Ireland, where they sold him to a small
chieftain in Ulster named Milcho" ("La Legende Celtique," par le
Vicomte Hersart de la Villemarque, Membre de 1'Institut Paris, 1864,
Librarie Academique. Dedier et Cie., Librarie Editeurs, 35 Quai des
Augustines).

There is a constant tradition that St. Patrick was a native of
Boulogne, and that tradition is expressed in the Celtic Legend just
quoted. Even the present "Guide Book" of that town (Merridew's, 1905)
volunteers the following information, which, although erroneous as to
dates, is interesting as referring to St. Patrick's connection with the
city: "About the year 249 St. Patrick arrived in Morinia, and for some
time resided at Boulogne" (p. 10). Feather Malbrancq, in his "History
of the Morini," quotes the "Chr