The Most Ancient Lives of Saint Patrick/The Life and Acts of St. Patrick/Chapter 149

Of the Cloaks which fell from Heaven.

And that he might the more entirely profit unto God by their conversation and their example, the saint was used to seek the society of holy men, and to join himself unto them in the most strict friendship. For, as Solomon witnesseth, as iron is sharpened by iron, so are the lives of holy men by conversation and by example enflamed into a firm faith, and more fervent love of God; the which how acceptable is it to the Lord, vouchsafed he to show by the token of an evident miracle. Therefore on a certain day, when Saint Patrick and a venerable man named Vinnocus sate together, they conferred of God and of things pertaining unto God; and they spake of garments which by their works of mercy had been distributed among the poor; when behold, a cloak sent from Heaven fell among them, even as the present eulogy of the Divine gift and the promise of future reward. And the saint rejoiced in the Lord, and what had happened each ascribed to the merit of the other. And Patrick averred that it was sent unto Vinnocus, who had for the Lord renounced all the things of this world: and Vinnocus insisted it to have been sent unto Patrick, who though possessing all things retained nothing, but clothing many which were poor and naked, left himself naked for the sake of the Lord. Then from these holy men thus friendlily disputing, suddenly the cloak disappeared; and in the stead thereof the Lord sent down by an angel two cloaks, one truly unto each, that even in charity they might no longer contend.