Page:The most ancient lives of Saint Patrick - O'Leary.djvu/70

 and who drove Patrick's people into the river Sele, wherefore Patrick called him the enemy of God, and said to him, "Thy seed shall serve thy brother's seed," and there shall not be salmon in that river, through Patrick's malediction. Patrick went afterwards to Conall, the son of Niall, whose residence was where Donagh-Patrick is this day, who received him with great joy; and Patrick baptized him, and confirmed his royal seat for ever. And Patrick said to him: "Thy brother's seed shall serve thy seed for ever; and strive to exercise charity towards my successors after me, and the sons of thy sons, that they may be perpetual subjects to my sons of faith." Then it was that Conall measured a church for God and Patrick, sixty feet in extent; and Patrick said: "Whichsoever of your race diminishes this church shall not have a long reign, and he shall not be prosperous." They went early on Sunday morning to Rath-Airthir, Cinaed and Dubhdaleithe, the two sons of Cerbhall, son of Maelodhra, son of Aedh-Slaine, when they saw a young man lying down&mdash;i.e., the son of Bresal. One of them plunged a sword into him, and then throttled him. The murderer then went past Tailten, up, on his straight road, and the other went to Domnach-Patrick. It was then that Patrick blessed that part of the plain of Tailte, so that dead bodies are never borne off from it. [A few lines of the MS. at this place are damaged.]

The Pasch being therefore finished, on the next day Patrick came to vadum duarum forcarum (Ath-da-laarg, near Kells; county Meath), and founded a church there, and left the three brothers there with their sister, viz., Cathaceus, and Cathurus, and Catnean; and Catnea, the sister, who used to milk the deer. He went afterwards to Dr