n them. Patrick read the
epistle, and what was in it was: "Mochta, the devoted, the believing, let
him be in the place he has taken." Patrick goes, by the order of his
king, to smooth Macha, and he assigned the twelve lepers left in
Ard-Phadraig to Mochta, and their food used to be given to them each
night by Mochta. Patrick went afterwards to the _macha_, by order of the
angel, to a place where Rath-Daire is this day. There was a certain
prosperous and venerable person there. Daire was his name--_i.e._,
Daire, son of Finchad, son of Eogan, son of Niallan. Patrick asked for a
site for his _regles_ from him. Daire answered: "What place do you
desire?" "In this great hillock below," says Patrick, where Ardmacha is
to-day. "I will not give it," said Daire, "but I will give you a site
for your _regles_ in the strong rath below," where the _ferta_ are
to-day. Patrick founded a church there, and remained a long time. One
day two steeds of Daire's were brought to him, to his _regles_, for the
_relig_ was grassy. Patrick became very angry. The horses died at once.
His servant told this to Daire, saying: "That Christian," said he,
"killed your steeds, because they ate the grass that was in his
_regles_." Daire was angry at this, and ordered his servants to plunder
the cleric, and expel him from his place--_i.e._, the _ferta_. A colic
seized on Daire immediately, so that death was near him. His wife
recalled the plunder of Patrick, and told Daire that the cause of his
death was the attack on Patrick. She sent messengers to beg prayer-water
for Daire from Patrick. Patrick said: "Only for what the woman has done,
there would never be any resurrection from death for Daire." Patrick
blessed the water, and gave it to the servants, with orders to have it
sprinkled over the horses and over Daire. They did so, and immediately
they all returned from death. A brazen caldron was brought to Patrick as
an offering from Daire. "_Deo gratias_," said Patrick. Daire asked his
servants what Patrick said. They answered, "_Gratzicum_." "This is
little reward for a good offering and a good caldron," said Daire. He
ordered his cauldron to be brought to him. "_Deo gratias_," said
Patrick. Daire asked what Patrick said when they were bringing the
caldron from him. The servants answered: "It was the same thing he said
when we were bringing it away from him--_Gratzicum_." "This is a good
word with them, this _Gratzicum_," said