Page:The most ancient lives of Saint Patrick - O'Leary.djvu/142

 owards Cenel-Cairbre, is unfruitful, through Patrick's word; Finn-glas, at the martyr-house of Druim-Cain, and Druim-Cruachni; the taking of his kingship from Laeghaire, from Cairbre, from Fiacha, from Maine; the grant of his kingship to Eoghan, to Conall, to Crimthann, to Conall Erball; the smiths making the bells&mdash;i.e., Mac Cecht, and Cuana, and Mac Tail; the artificers making the dishes and reliquaries and the altar chalices&mdash;viz., Tassach, and Essa, and Bitiu; the nuns making the altar-cloths&mdash;viz., Cochnass, and Tigris, and Lupait, and Darerca.

After these great miracles, however, the day of Patrick's death and of his going to heaven approached. What he began to do was to go to Armagh, that it might be there his resurrection would be. The angel Victor came to him. What he said to Patrick was: "It is not there thy resurrection has been decreed; go back to the place from whence you came (i.e., to the Sabhall), for it is there God has decreed that you shall die&mdash;not in Macha. God has granted thee," said the angel, "that thy dignity and rule, thy devotion and teaching, shall be in Ard-Macha, as if thou thyself wert alive there."

The angel left advice with Patrick as to how he would be buried, saying: "Let two young, active oxen be brought," said he, "of the herds of Conall, from Finnabndir&mdash;i.e., from Clochar; and let your body be placed in a wagon after them; and what way soever these young oxen go by themselves, and the place where they will stop, let it be there your interment shall be; and let there be a man's cubit in your grave, that your remains be not taken out of it." It was so done after his death. The oxen carried him to the place where to-day is Dun-da-leth-glas; and he was buried there with all honor and respect. And for a