bears the peculiar title of the 'Scuap Crabhaigh,' or 'the sweeping brush of devotion,' which Colgan had in his possession and meant to publish, though he never carried out his intention. The name was probably suggested by St. Luke xi. 25, where the soul from which the unclean spirit is gone forth is described as 'swept' ('scopis mundatam,' Vulg.)
The chief subject of interest connected with him is his correspondence with DNB lkpl|Alcuin}} [q. v.] Only one letter of the series has been preserved: it is from Alcuin to Colchu, and throws considerable light on Colchu's position in the literary world and the influence of the Irish on the continent in that age. It was published by Ussher and forms the eighteenth in his 'Sylloge Epistolarum.' The superscription is, 'To the blessed master and pious father Colchu, from the humble Levite Alcuin.' Alcuin calls him his holy father and speaks of himself as his son. The writer was at this time the preceptor and confidential adviser of Charlemagne, and he mentions Irish friends of Colchu as being with him in France. In reply to Colchu's desire for information on foreign affairs, he tells him of the progress of the church in Europe, lamenting at the same time the Saracen conquests in Asia and Africa respecting which he had previously written to him in detail. Alcuin in conclusion refers to certain presents which he sends Colchu from Charlemagne and himself. 'I have sent,' he says, 'fifty sicli of silver to the brethren, of the king's alms, and fifty of my own; thirty of the king's alms to the southern brethren of Baldhuninega, and thirty of my own; twenty sicli of the alms of the father of the family of Areida, and twenty of my own; and to every hermit three sicli of pure silver.' At the present value of silver this sum of two hundred or more siculi would be worth 10l. or 11l., but the value would be immensely greater at the early period of which we are treating.
The studies of Colchu were chiefly directed to the elucidation of the epistles of St. Paul, whom he accepted as his 'special master and patron in the spirit as well as in the letter,' and the story went that one day when returning with his books on his shoulder, St. Paul appeared in person, relieved him of the satchel, and bore it for him to his destination. An important theological discussion took place among the learned men of the school of Clonmacnoise; and the fathers of another establishment, with some others of high position and learning, took the opposite side to Colchu. The final decision was in his favour, his knowledge of the epistles of St. Paul giving him the advantage. It was after this, and no doubt in consequence of the ability of which he had given proof, that he was appointed to the responsible position of headmaster. It is to be regretted that we have no information as to the nature of the question under discussion. Colgan discusses the meaning of his name. Alcuin writes it Coelchu, which he interprets 'slight or thin hound.' Another form is Colga, which he thinks may be for Colg-cu, 'fierce hound.' The application of the name hound to an ecclesiastic was derived from secular usage, the word cu entering into the composition of the names of some of the most famous personages in Irish history and legend. His day is 20 Feb.
[Colgan's Acta Sanct. 20 Feb.; Petrie's Essay on the Round Towers, pp. 214-21; Annals of the Four Masters, i. 397; Ussher's Works, iv. 466; Reeves's Adamnan, p. 57, note; Lanigan's Eccl. Hist. iii. 207; Hallam's State of Europe during the Middle Ages, iii. 520; Stowe Missal in Royal Irish Academy; C. O'Conor's Dissertations on the History of Ireland, p. 219.]
COLCLOUGH, JOHN HENRY (1769–1798), Irish rebel, was descended from the old family of Colclough which had settled in Wexford in the time of Edward III. Owing to the importunity of his tenants he joined the insurrection of 1798, and acted as one of the leaders at the battle of New Ross. On the occupation of Wexford by the royalists he fled along with Bagenal Beauchamp Harvey [q. v.] to the Saltee Islands, where for some time he lay concealed in a cave. He was tried by court-martial and executed on Wexford Bridge on 28 June 1798.
[Madden's United Irishmen; Edward Hay's History of the Insurrection in Wexford in 1798, Dublin, 1803; Webb's Compendium of Irish Biography.]
COLDEN, CADWALLADER (1688–1776), botanist, author, and lieutenant-governor of New York, son of the Rev. Alexander Golden, was born at Dunse in Scotland, of which place his father was minister, on 17 Feb. 1688. He was educated at the university of Edinburgh, where he took the degree of M.D. in 1705, and then went to the state of Pennsylvania, where he practised his profession from 1708 to 1715. In the latter year he returned to England, where he published his first scientific work on 'Animal Secretions,' and after a short visit to Scotland he went back again to Pennsylvania in 1716. In 1718 he removed to New York, and in the following year commenced his official life, when he was appointed the first surveyor-general of the colony of New York and a master in chancery by Governor Hunter. In 1720 he was made a member of the king's council by Governor Burnet, and from
