ey were alive and
well. When people saw this remarkable miracle they all gave glory and
praise to God. The fame of Declan thereupon spread throughout Erin and
the king rejoiced for restoration of his hostages.

29. After this the people of Cashel besought Bishop Declan to bless
their city and banish the plague from them and to intercede with God for
those stricken with sickness who could not escape from its toils. 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 to the meat--what kind it
was and whence procured. They replied: "Our master ordered us to kill
a