n the hearth of the royal house in Al-Cluaid.
Patrick and his nurse went. Then it was that the angel came, and said
to Patrick: "Pray, and it will not be necessary for you to perform that
work." Patrick prayed. The angel afterwards cleaned the hearth. Then
Patrick said: "Though all the firewood in Britain were burned in that
fireplace, there would be no ashes of it on the morrow." And this,
indeed, is fulfilled yet. Another time, the King of Britain's steward
went to demand tribute of curds and butter from Patrick's nurse; and
she had nothing that she would give for the rent. Then it was that
Patrick made curds and butter of the snow, and they were taken to the
king; and the moment they were exhibited to the king, afterwards they
changed into the nature of snow again. The king thereupon forgave the
rent to Patrick for ever.

The cause of Patrick's coming to Erinn was as follows: The seven sons
of Fechtmad--viz., the seven sons of the King of Britain--were on a
naval expedition, and they went to plunder in Armoric-Letha; and a
number of the Britons of Srath-Cluaidh were on a visit with their
kinsmen, the Britons of Armoric-Letha, and Calpurn, son of Potit,
Patrick's father, and his mother--_i.e._, Conches, daughter of Ocbas of
the Galls--_i.e._, of the Franks--were killed in the slaughter in
Armorica. Patrick and his two sisters--viz., Lupait and Tigris--were
taken prisoners, moreover, in that slaughter. The seven sons of
Fechtmad went afterwards on the sea, having with them Patrick and his
two sisters in captivity. The way they went was around Erinn,
northwards, until they landed in the north; and they sold Patrick to
Miliuc, son of Buan--_i.e._, to the King of Dal-Araidhe. They sold his
sisters in Conaille-Muirthemhne. And they did not know this. Four
persons, truly, that purchased him. One of them was Miliuc. It was
from this that he received the name that is Cothraige, for the reason
that he served four families. He had, indeed, four names. . .

[Here a leaf is missing from both the Bodleian and British Museum MSS.
of the Tripartite Life, the contents of which would fill eight pages of
similar size to the foregoing.]

When Patrick had completed his sixtieth year, and had learned
knowledge, his auxiliary angel, Victor (for he was of assistance to him
when he [Patrick] was in bondage with Miliuc, and regarding everything
besides which he might wish), went to him, and said to him: "You are
commanded