whole island. Nor ceased the light to increase and
to prevail, even until it had restored to its former fiery state all
Hibernia. Then was the heart of the saint filled with joy, and his
heart with exultation, giving thanks for all these things which had
been shown unto him: and he understood in the greatness of this fiery
ardor of the Christian faith the devotion and the zeal of religion,
wherewith those islanders burned. By the fiery mountains he understood
the men who would be holy in their miracles and their virtues, eminent
in their preachings and their examples; by the lessening of the light,
the decrease of holiness; by the darkness that covered the land, the
infidelity which would prevail therein; by the intervals of delay, the
distances of the succeeding times. But the people think the period of
darkness was that in which Gurmundus and Turgesius, heathen princes of
Norwegia, conquered and ruled in Hibernia; and in those days, the
saints, like coals covered with ashes, lay hidden in caves and dens
from the face of the wicked, who pursued them like sheep unto the
slaughter. Whence it happened that differing rites and new sacraments,
which were contrary to the ecclesiastical institutes, were introduced
into the church by many prelates who were ignorant of the divine law.
But the light first arising from the north, and after long conflict
exterminating the darkness, those people assert to be Saint Malachy,
who presided first in Dunum, afterward in Ardmachia, and reduced the
island unto the Christian law. On the other hand, the people of
Britain ascribe this light to their coming, for that then the church
seemed under their rule to be advanced unto a better state; and that
then religion seemed to be planted and propagated, and the sacraments
of the church and the institutes of the Christian law to be observed
with more regular observance. But I propose not the end of this
contention, neither do I prevent it, thinking that the discussion and
the decision thereof should be left unto the divine judgment.

CHAPTER CLXXVI.

_The Answer of Saint Patrick to Secundinus._

And oftentimes the Saint Secundinus sat in the assembly of the holy
men, conversing together of the acts and the virtues of Saint Patrick.
And when one of them affirmed that Patrick was the most holy of all
living men, Secundinus answered, "Verily, he would be the most holy,
had he not too little of that brotherly charity which it becometh h