Page:The most ancient lives of Saint Patrick - O'Leary.djvu/295

 the wood is hewed down, and smoothed, and shaped to repair the wheel. Nevertheless they long time labored with useless toil, for still did the wheel appear broken as before; and ever and anon as they endeavored to repair it, yet still, as touched of heaven, again did it fall in twain. Then the man of God well knowing that this could not uncausedly happen, enquired of the grove, and unto whom it belonged; and he was told that it had been consecrated unto the infernal spirits. Wherefore, knowing the divine will, and agreeing with the sentence of heaven, he raised his left hand, and cursed the grove. Wonderful was the event! Forthwith, like the fig-tree in the Gospel, it withered; nor from that time was it ever fit unto any use, save only to be hewed down and cast into the fire.

A certain prince and his people, which dwelled in a place called Nadese, within the country of Momonia, appointed a day and an hour whereon they might meet in the presence of Saint Patrick to deliberate concerning the erection of churches. And the saint came at the fixed time, and he waited during the whole day until the evening, but no man, at least no man thereunto deputed, came to meet him. And in this manner did they oftentimes deceive the servant of God. Nevertheless the Holy Spirit dwelling in Patrick concealed not from these men the reward of their presumption delivered through his mouth; for when on another evening they came, he said openly unto them, "