One Sunday Patrick was in a cold, damp place, when great rain fell on the earth, but it rained not in the spot where Patrick was, sicut in concha et vellere Gideoni accederat. It was a custom with Patrick to place the cross of Christ over himself one hundred times each day and night; and he would go aside from his path, even though the cross were one thousand paces away, provided that he saw it or knew it to be in his vicinity; whether he was in a chariot or on a horse, he would proceed to each cross. One day Patrick omitted to visit a cross which was on his way, but he knew not that it was there. His charioteer said to him in the evening: "You left a cross which was on your way to-day without visiting." Patrick left his guest-house and his dinner, and went back to the cross. When Patrick was praying at the cross, "This is a sepulchre," said Patrick; "who was buried here?" A voice answered out of the sepulchre: "I am a poor pagan," it said, "and I was buried here; whilst living, I was injuring my soul until I died; and I was buried here afterwards." "What was the reason," asked Patrick, "that the sign of Christianity—i.e., the cross—was placed over thy grave?" "This," answered the voice: "a certain woman that was in foreign lands, and her son was buried here in this country in her absence; and she came from foreign lands, and placed this cross over my grave. She thought it was over the grave of her son it was placed; for she was not able through grief to recognize her son's grave." "This is the reason that I missed the cross," said Patrick—"i.e., its being over the grave of a pagan." The cross was afterwards raised by Patrick over the Christian's grave.
One time Patrick's charioteer wanted his horses; he could not find them, owing to the darkness of the night. Patrick lifted up his hand; his five fingers illuminated all the place as if they were five torches, and the horses were immediately found.
Patrick went across the Muaidh to Hy-Amhalghaidh; the twelve sons of Amhalgaidh, son of Fiachra, son of Eochaidh, came to meet him, viz., Aengus, Fergus, Fedhlimidh, Enna Crom, Enna Cullom, Connac, Cairbre, Echui Dianimh, Oena, Eoghan Coir, Dubchonall, Ailill of the rough face. The sons of Amhalghaidh were disputing about the sovereignty: twenty-four tribes (i.e., old tribes) that were in the country; and they objected that they would not admit any man asking over them with an additional [nick] name. Aengus then imposed additional names upon his brothers. This Aengus was the proudest of Amhalghaidh's sons. Laeghaire, son of Niall, son of Eochaidh, King of Tara, and his brother Eoghan, son of Niall, decided the dispute. The sons of Amhalghaidh went to Tara in twelve chariots, sicut in libris Patricii inventus, quod exirent in judicium tamen vii fratres de eis. They were welcomed by the king at Tara. Aengus was foster-son to Laeghaire. He got a special welcome there. Aengus prayed the door-keepers that they would not admit Conall, the son of his brother—i.e., the son of Enna Crom—into the fort; for Aengus feared his wisdom in arguing his right. Aengus obtained this request from the door-keepers. As Conall was outside the lis, he heard the sound of Patrick's bell from Tobar-Patrick at the fort. Conall went to him and saluted him. "O cleric!" said he, "do you know this expression which I have in commemoration—i.e., 'Hibernenses omnes clamant ad te pueri,' etc.—which two girls uttered in their mother's womb in our country?" "I am he whom that refers to," said Patrick; "and I heard it when I was in the islands of the Tyrrhene Sea, et nescivi utrum in meam vel extra locuta sunt verba, et ibo tecum in regionem tuam baptizare, docere, evangelizare." Interrogat autem Patricius qua causa venit Conall, and Conall related the reason to Patrick, and he said that he was not allowed to enter Tara; to whom Patrick said: "Go in now, as the doors are open; and go to my faithful friend, Eoghan Mac Neill, who will assist you, if you lay hold, secretly, of the finger next his little finger, which is always a sign between us." And so it was done.
"Welcome," said Eoghan. "What is Patrick's wish?" Conall said: "That you assist me." Conall afterwards observed: "If it is according to youth precedence in a king's house or land is to be given, I am the youngest; if according to mother's age, Enna Cromm is the oldest." To which Laeghaire replied: "Honor to the senior, truly," said he, "and converse with the learned; but if jewels and treasures are given to any one, however, I will not deprive him of them." They came away, and Patrick with them, and Patrick gave his chariot to Conall, so that it was the thirteenth charlot. They went their way afterwards, and there was not good-will with Aengus for his brother's son and for Patrick. He told his two brothers—viz., Fergus and Fedhlimidh—to kill Patrick and Conall, as he had agreed on parting Laeghaire, after Laeghaire had instigated him thereto. They went northwards towards their country. The place which Aengus had fixed upon for the fratricide was in Corann. Fergus simulated sleep. His brothers refused what they had promised. "We will not kill the innocent," said they, "and will not commit murder upon our brother." Aengus went towards him (Patrick) to kill him, accompanied by two bands and two druids—-viz., Reon and Rechred, of the race of Faelan the warrior. It is not more than a mile from the place whence Patrick saw the enemies, from the cross to the west of Cross-Patrick, to Cill-Forclann. Reon said that the ground would swallow Patrick on the place where he would see him. This was related to Patrick. "It is I who shall see him first," said Patrick. When Patrick saw him, the ground swallowed him up. "I will believe," said he, "if I am rescued." The ground flung him up until he was above the winds, and he fell down half alive. He believed, and was baptized. Rechred was also lifted up and let down until his head was broken against the rock, and fire from heaven burned him. The druid's rock is there. There is a church there. Cross-Patrick is its name, to the east of Coill-Fochlaidh. Telach-na-Druadh is the name of the place where the pagans were, to the west of Cross-Patrick. Glas-Conaigh is between them. Aengus said: "I will believe if my sister is resuscitated"—i.e., Feidelm, daughter of Amhalgaidh, who died long before.
One time a blind man went to meet Patrick; he went in haste with the desire of being healed. One of Patrick's people laughed at him. "My debroth," said Patrick, "it would be fit that you were the blind person." The blind man was healed, and the hale was made blind, quod utrimque factum est. Mignae is the name of the person who was blinded; and he is the second man of Patrick's people who remained in Disert-Patrick, which is near the well at Cross-Patrick, and Donnmall was the other. Ruan, son of Cucnamha, Amhalgaidh's charioteer, that was healed there. Roi-Ruain is the name of the place where the blind was healed, and it belonged to Patrick afterwards. He met two bacachs in Ochtar-Caerthin. They complained to him of their infirmity, for they found it difficult to proceed through mountain or plain. What more shall I say? They were healed. He went to Domhnach-Mor, where Bishop Mucna is. He went afterwards to Cross-Patrick, where Aedh Fota, son of Eochaidh, son of Oengus, came to him; and he healed him from lameness at the fountain to the west of Cross-Patrick; and he (Aedh) presented to him a plot of land there, where he founded a residence, and he left two of his family there—viz., Teloc and Nemnall. Enna saw the druids (magi) wishing to kill Patrick, and he said to his son Conall, "Go and protect Patrick, that the magi may not kill him." Patrick perceived them, and ethereal fire burned them, to the number of nine.
He then founded Cill-Alaidh, and he left an illustrious man of his family there—i.e., Bishop Muiredhach. Patrick baptized women—viz., Crebriu and Lesru, the two daughters of Glerann, son of Cummen. It was they that called upon Patrick from their mother's womb when he was in the islands of the Tyrrhene Sea. They are patronesses of Cill-Forglainn, in Hy-Amhalghaidh or Tirawley, to the west of Muaidh.
He went to Forrach-mac-Amalghaidh. Seven sons of Amalgaidh believed, including Enna and the king. It was then he baptized the pregnant woman and her offspring, and resuscitated another. Patrick and Conall went to the grave where the dead pregnant woman was, by the lower road to Cill-Alaidh. Aengus, however, went by the upper road. They reached the grave, and Patrick resuscitated the woman, and her son in her womb; and both were baptized in the well Aen-adharcae (from the little hillock of land that is near it the well was named). Being resuscitated, she preached to the multitudes of the pains of hell and the rewards of heaven, and with tears prayed her brother that he would believe for God and Patrick, which was done, and he was baptized. And in that day twelve thousand were baptized in the well of Aen-adharcae, ut dicitur: "On one day were baptized six great thousands, with the seven sons of Amhalgaidh. This was the number." Twelve thousand, truly, that believed for Patrick in Ui-Amhalghadha, and of those of Caille-Fochladh. And Patrick left Magister Manchen with them. He went southwards to the ford of Loch-Daela. The place was the property of Aengus. Patrick intended to found a residence for himself there. Aengus came quickly when he saw him (Patrick), for it was not from his heart that he believed when he was baptized and confessed the faith. "My debroth," said Patrick, "'twere right that thy houses should not be exalted, nor thy descendants after thee. Thy successors shall be seldom just, and there shall be fratricide through it."
He went to the east, to Lec-finn, where Patrick made the cross in the stone over Cill-mor-uachtair-Muaidh, to the west. But Lia-na-manach is its name at this day—i.e. Cruimther Monach's, or Olcan's church; but there was no church there at that time. And he baptized Eochaidh, son of Nathi, son of Fiachra, and resuscitated his wife Echtra, at Ath-Echtra, the little stream at the very door of Cill-mor. And Echtra's grave is on the margin of the ford. It is a sign of knowledge with them in their history to remember this grave. He (Patrick) sent Bishop Olcan to build where the church is to-day. Thus he came with an axe on his back, and Patrick told him that he should put up at the place where the axe would fall off his back; quod factum est where Cill-mor-uachtair-Muaidh is. He went afterwards to the north, to Lec-Balbeni, where he found and blessed the sons of Amhalgaidh; and he went out of the country from [the western] Bertlacha to the eastern Bertlacha, and passed it eastwards to the estuary of the Muaidh, towards the mouth of the sea. A young woman was drowned there before him; and he blessed the place, and said that no person should be drowned there for evermore. Patrick prophesied that the eastern Bertlacha should be with him, as it is in their history; and in the day of war the king of that region will be victorious, if true to Patrick. It was there, at the stream, the Gregraighe flung stones at Patrick and his people. "My debroth," said Patrick, "you shall be beaten in every conflict in which you may be; and you shall be subject to insult and contumely in every assembly in which you may be." "Arise, O Conall!" said Patrick, "that you may assume the bachall." Conall said, "If it please thee, I shall do so." "That shall not be," said Patrick; "but I will support thy valor, and will give comarbs to thy race, and thou shall be the Conall Sciath-bachall. The palm of laics and clerics shall be from thee; and every one of thy descendants in whose shield the sign of my bachall shall be will not be subdued."
All this Patrick did to him. He went eastwards into the territory of Hy-Fiachrach, by the sea. A water opposed his passage—i.e., there was an unusually large rock in it—and he cursed it. On the water there is a place, Buaile-Patrick is its name—i.e., a little mound—with a cross there, where Patrick rested a short time. Then the holy bishop, Bron of Caisel-Irra, and the holy Mac Rime of Cill-Corcaraidhe; and there he wrote an alphabet for him; and I have heard from another that in the said place he gave a tooth from his jaw to Bishop Bron, for he was dear to Patrick. Immediately on coming from the west, across the Muaidh, into Gregraighe, he met three virulent druids at Rath-Righbhaird, who were able to do nothing to him; and he said that there never would be wanting of this people a man of such magical knowledge.
Mac Erca, the son of Draighen, who is in Cill-roe-mor, in the territory of Hy-Amhalgadha. Patrick baptized the seven sons of Draighen, and he selected of them Mac Erca, and gave him to Bishop Bron to be fostered; for it would not be easy to take him far away, in consequence of the love of his father for him.