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Giraldus Cambrensis telleth, that in saint Pa|triks Giral. Camb. time
florished saint Bride the virgine, and saint Colme, which two, with the same Patrike, were buried in Downe
(as in the Scotish historie ye maie find) and (as the same Giraldus saith) their three bo|dies were
found there shortlie after the conquest. Sir Iohn Conweie being president
of Ulster, in viewing the sepulture, testified to haue séene thrée Sir Iohn Conweie
pre|sident of [...]lster. S. Colme. principall iewels, which were then translated, as ho|nourable monuments
woorthie to be preserued. Of saint Colme it is doubted in what age he liued. Bri|get, otherwise called
Bride, was base daughter to one Dubtactius, a capteine in Leinster, who percei|uing the mother with child,
sold hir secretlie (fearing the gealousie of his wife) to an Irish Peet, reseruing to himselfe the fruit of
hir wombe. She was there de|liuered
Péet, that is, Magus in Latine, or (as we may say) a magician or soothsaier in English.
A [...]
[...]om. 439 of this Briget, whome the Péet trained vp in learning, and vertuous
education, and at length brought hir home to hir father.
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4 The damsell
also was instructed in the faith by saint Patrike, that preached then in those quarters, whervpon she became
so religious and ripe in iudge|ment, that not onlie the multitude of people, but also a whole synod of
bishops assembled néere to Dub|lin The estimatiõ wherein she was had. to heare
hir aduise in weightie causes, such esti|mation they had of hir. One fact of hir being yet a child, made hir famous. The king of Leinster had giuen to hir father Dubtactius as
a token of his good The king of Leinster. liking towards him for his valiant
seruice, a rich sword, the furniture whereof was garnished with manie costlie iewels. And as it chanced, the
damsell visiting the sicke neighbours diuerslie distressed for want of necessarie reliefe (hir father being
a sterne man, and his ladie a cruell shrew) she could deuise no other shift to helpe to reléeue the want of
those poore and needie people, but to impart the same iewels of that idle
swoord among them. This matter was hei|noussie taken, and being brought to the kings eares, it chanced that
shortlie after he came to a banket in hir fathers house, and calling the maid afore him that was not yet
past nine yeres of age, he asked hir how she durst presume to deface the gift of a king in such wise as she
had doon his? She answered that the same was bestowed vpon a better king than he was, whom (quoth she)
finding in such extremitie, I would haue giuen all that my father hath, and all that you haue, ye a your selues too & all, were yée in my power to giue, rather than
Christ should starue. She professed virginitie, and allured other noble yoong damsels vnto hir fellowship,
with whome she continued in She profes|sed virginitie. hir owne monasterie, where
she was first professed, vntill the yeare of our Lord 500, and then departing this life, shee was buried in
Downe in saint Pa|triks
An. Dom. 500. Briget depar|ted this life. toome.
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Giraldus Cambrensis reporteth of his owne know|ledge, that among other monuments of hirs, there
was found a concordance of the foure euangelsts, A
cõcordance of the foure euangelists. séeming to be written with no mortall hand, beauti|fied with
mysticall pictures in the margent, the co|lours and cunning workemanship whereof at the first blush appeared
darke and nothing delectable, but in the héedfull view of the diligent beholder verie liuelie and
woonderfull artificiall. Cenanus that was first a souldier, succéeded saint Patrike in the see of C [...]nanus first a man of war, and after a bishop. [...]bbat Bren|dan. Armagh, after he had certeine yeares followed the warres. Brendan abbat at
the age of ten yeares was of such incomparable holinesse (as they saie) and therwith so wise and learned,
that his father and mo|ther, thinking themselues to haue gained the most worthie fruit that might insue of
their mariage, by mutuall consent professed continencie, and abando|ned matrimoniall companie. He flourished
in the daies of saint Briget, and liued in fanuliar societie with saint Arons the bishop, and Fintan the
abbat.