Page:Biographia Hibernica volume 2.djvu/148

. . . - 144 PATRICK FLEMING, A learned ecclesiastic, was the son of Captain Garret Fleming, nearly related to the Lords of Slane, and was born in the county of Louth, April 17th, 1569. His sober deportment in his youth, and his attachment to lite rature, induced his parents to dedicate him to the church; on which account, at thirteen years of age, he was sent to Flanders, and put under the care of Christopher Cusach, his uncle by the mother's side, who was president of the colleges of Douay, Tournay, and other seminaries founded in that country for the education of Irish youth in the principles of the catholic faith. Mr. Fleming, having honourably completed his studies of humanity at Douay, removed to the college of St. Anthony of Padua, at Lou vaine, where, on the 17th of March, 1617, he took the probationary habit of St. Francis, from Anthony Hickey, then superior of this college; and on the same day the year following, he renounced the world, and dedicated himself to the Franciscan order; on which occasion, ac cording to a custom then usual, he relinquished his baptismal name of Christopher, and assumed that of Patrick. In 1623, being then well instructed in philoso phical and theological studies, he removed to Rome, in company with Hugh Mac Caghwell, then definiter-gene ral of the Franciscan order, and soon after titular bishop of Armagh. The life of this learned ecclesiastic he wrote after his death, in 1626. At Paris, on his way to Rome, he fell into an intimate acquaintance with Hugh Ward, whom he prevailed upon to collect materials, and digest the history of the Irish saints; and these papers after his death became of great use to John Colgan. In his travels through Italy, and when he arrived at Rome, he diligently made collections for the history of the Irish saints, and by letters to Hugh Ward, urged him to perseverance in the same course. He was made lecturer on philo sophy at the Irish college of St. Isidore, at Rome, and diligently prosecuted his own private studies. From 1.