soner with the King of Temore,[1] and kept in his court with diverse yong-men his schoole-fellowes, openly adjured the King to suffer him and them to depart and serve God as they were accustomed, which being now sundred and distrayned of libertie they had partly discontinued, immediately they were dismissed: he died Bishop of Femes, and laide the foundation of that Burrogh. Molingus the successor of S. Madoc being Bishop tooke himselfe to voluntary labour, & with his owne hands, drived a running spring to his Monastery, enduring that travaile dayly after prayer and study, eight yeares together. Fintan the Abbot was had in such veneration, that whereas Colm King of Leinster, kept prisoner Cormak the Kings sonne of Kensill: He went boldly with 12. of his Disciples through the presse of the Souldiours, and in sight of the King, rescued the young Prince, for the Irish in no wayes are outragious against holy men. I remember, Cambrensis writeth himselfe, merrily to have objected to Morris then Archbishop of Cashell, that Ireland in so many hundred yeares had not brought forth one Martyr. The Bishop answered pleasantly, (but alluding to the late murther of Thomas of Canterbury,) Our people (quoth he) notwithstanding their other enormities yet have ever more spared the bloode of Saints, marry now we are delivered to such a nation, that is well acquainted with making Martyrs, heneeforwards I trust this complaint shall cease.
- ↑ An. Dom. 496.
