The Most Ancient Lives of Saint Patrick/The Life and Acts of St. Patrick/Chapter 36

Of the Death of Milcho.

But Saint Patrick, confiding his affairs to his beloved Dichu, set forward to visit Milcho, his former master, even his tormentor; for so had he long intended in his mind, that by his preaching he might truly convert unto the infancy of the Christian faith him now grown old in his evil days. And Milcho, this man of envious heart, this minister of death feared lest the preaching of Patrick should penetrate a breast of stone, and that by his clear and fiery eloquence, or by some irresistible miracle, he should be compelled to believe. Therefore held he it as base and shameful to submit unto the doctrine of one who had formerly been his servant, and to be bound unto the unused worship of the Creator rather than his accustomed idolatry. So when he heard that the priest of the Most High was approaching, this child of perdition gathered together all his substance, and cast it into the fire; and then, throwing himself on the flames, made himself an holocaust for the infernal demons. And the holy prelate, beholding from a neighboring mountain the deadly end of this wicked prince, saw his soul, in the form of a fiery serpent, plunged into hell; when, contemplating the infinite depths of the judgments of God, with heavy tears and sighs uttered he these words: "Of this king, who, lest he should believe in the Creator of heaven and earth, hath thus doubly damned himself, the posterity shall not inherit his kingdom, but shall be bound in servitude that never may be loosed." And all this came to pass even according to the word of the man of God, for none of his race ascended after him to the throne of his kingdom; but in a short time all his generation quickly perished; from the face of the earth by the sword or by famine, or by captivity and the lowest servitude. Thus visiteth the Lord the sins of the fathers on their children; and thus is put the axe unto the tree of death, lest it should bring forth branches of iniquity. Yet as God is able of stones to raise up sons unto Abraham, and to produce from thorns roses, the two daughters of Milcho were, by the inspiration of the Lord and by the preaching of Patrick, converted unto the faith. And each, after they were purified by the healing water, was called Emeria; and they lived a holy and religious life, and after their deaths they were buried in the place which is called Cluainbroin, and, as Patrick had long before prophesied, were celebrated for many miracles. Then the saint returned unto the house of Dichu, where he abided not a few days, and by preaching the Christian faith, and by working signs and miracles, he profited much people.