[368] “Taceo de me quem novo locutionis genere equum emissarium susurrant, uxorem et filios habentem, propter partem familiæ meæ de Francia recollectam.”—Gerberti Epist. Sect. I. No. XI.—Gerbert’s reputation for sanctity is not such as to render scandalous the suspicion that the family thus gathered around him might afford legitimate occasion for gossip, notwithstanding his abbacy and the fact that he had been bred in a convent.
[369] Ita ut clerici (quod non absque dolore cordis fateor) impudici, bilingues, ebrii, turpis lucri cupidi, habentes fidem, et ut verius dicam, infidelitatem, in conscientia impura, non probati in bona, sed in malo opere præsciti ministrantes, et innumera crimina habentes, sacro ministerio adsciscantur.—Gildæ de Excid. Britan. Pt. III. cap. 23—Cf. cap. 1, 2, 3.
[370] “Unius uxoris virum.” Quid ita apud nos quoque contemnitur, quasi non audiretur, vel idem dicere et virum uxorum?... Sed quid erit, ubi nec pater nec filius mali genitoris exemplo pravatus conspicitur castus?—Gildæ loc. cit.
[371] Modern criticism has raised doubts as to the existence of St. Patrick. Whether they are well-grounded or not is a matter of little importance here, as we are concerned only with the institutions bearing his name, which institutions undoubtedly did exist. Meanwhile I may add that few remote events appear to rest on better authority than the conversion of the Gaeidhil, about the year 438, by a person known to his contemporaries as Patraic, or Patricius; and the name of Cain Patraic applied to the secular code attributed to him, dates from a very high antiquity.—See Senchus Mor, Hancock’s Ed. Vol. I. Dublin, 1865.
[372] Synod. S. Patricii c. 9, 17 (Haddan & Stubbs II. 328-9)—Synod. II. S. Patricii c. 17, 21 (Ibid. 335-6).
[373] Præfat. Gildæ de Pœnitent. cap. 1 (Martene Thesaur. IV. 7).
[374] Lib. de Remed. Peccat. cap. de Fornicat. (Martene IV. 23).—Cf. Synod. Aquilon. Britan. cap. 1 (Ibid. p. 9).
[375] In this long course of penance, three months were to be spent in solitary confinement, with bread and water at night; then eighteen months in fasting on bread and water; then bread and water three days in the week for five years and three months; then bread and water on Fridays for the remaining three years.—Gratian. Dist. LXXXII. c. 5.
[376] Arbedoc et Haelhucar Lib. XXXVIII. cap. 7 (D’Achery I. 500).
[377] Haddan & Stubbs, Councils of Great Britain, I. 112.