Page:The most ancient lives of Saint Patrick - O'Leary.djvu/132

 went after him to keep him, as one presented him to another. He blessed them afterwards, and prophesied that distinguished chiefs and clerics should be of them, and that they should have possessions outside their territory, because they went forth out of their own country after him. Patrick used to come every day from the east, from Ard-Phadraig, and Mochta used to come from the west, from Lughmadh, that they might converse together every day at Leac-Moctae. One day the angel placed an epistle between them. Patrick read the epistle, and what was in it was: "Mochta, the devoted, the believing, let him be in the place he has taken." Patrick goes, by the order of his king, to smooth Macha, and he assigned the twelve lepers left in Ard-Phadraig to Mochta, and their food used to be given to them each night by Mochta. Patrick went afterwards to the macha, by order of the angel, to a place where Rath-Daire is this day. There was a certain prosperous and venerable person there. Daire was his name&mdash;i.e., Daire, son of Finchad, son of Eogan, son of Niallan. Patrick asked for a site for his regles from him. Daire answered: "What place do you desire?" "In this great hillock below," says Patrick, where Ardmacha is to-day. "I will not give it," said Daire, "but I will give you a site for your regles in the strong rath below," where the ferta are to-day. Patrick founded a church there, and remained a long time. One day two steeds of Daire's were brought to him, to his regles, for the relig was grassy. Patrick became very angry. The horses died at once. His servant told this to Daire, saying: "That Christian," said he, "killed your steeds, because they ate the grass that was in his regles." Daire was angry at this, and ordered his servants to plunder the cleric, and expel him from his place&mdash;i.e., the ferta. A colic