And the boy Patrick grew up precious in the sight of the Lord, in the old age of wisdom, and in the ripeness of virtue. And the number of his merits multiplied beyond the number of his years; the affluence of all holy charities overflowed in the breast of the boy, and all the virtues met together made their dwelling in his youthful body. Entering, therefore, and going forward in the slippery paths of youth, he held his feet from falling, and the garment that nature had woven for him, unknowing of a stain, he preserved whole, abiding a virgin in the flesh and in the spirit. And although the divine unction had taught him above all, the fit time being now come, he was sent from his parents to be instructed in sacred learning. Therefore he applied his mind to the study of letters, but chiefly to psalms and to hymns and to spiritual songs, and retaining them in his memory, and continually singing them to the Lord; so that even from the flower of his first youth he was daily wont to sing devoutly unto God the whole psaltery, and from the vial of his most pure heart to pour forth the odor of many prayers. Thus wearing out his tender body in fastings, in many watchings, and in the pious exercise of holy labors, he offered up himself a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God; and thus passing his days in the flesh, against the flesh, and above the flesh, in his conversation he represented an angel.
CHAPTER XIII.
How Saint Patrick was Carried into Ireland.
As, according to the testimony of Holy Writ, the furnace tries gold and the fire of tribulation proves the just, so did the hour of his trial draw near to Patrick, that he might the more provedly receive the crown of life. For when the illustrious boy had perlustrated three lustres, already attaining his sixteenth year, he was, with many of his countrymen, seized by the pirates who were ravaging those borders, and was made captive and carried into Ireland, and was there sold as a slave to a certain pagan prince named Milcho, who reigned in the northern part of the island, even at the same age in which Joseph is recorded to have been sold into Egypt. But Joseph, being sold as a slave, and being after his humiliation exalted, received power and dominion over all Egypt. Patrick, after his servitude and his affliction, obtained the primacy of the especial and spiritual dominion of Ireland. Joseph refreshed with corn the Egyptians oppressed by famine; Patrick, in process of time, fed with the salutary food of the Christian faith the Irish perishing under idolatry. To each was affliction sent for the profit of his soul, as is the flail to the grain, the furnace to the gold, the file to the iron, the wine-press to the grape, and the oil-press to the olive. Therefore it was that Patrick, at the command of the forementioned prince, was appointed to the care of the swine, and under his care the herd became fruitful and exceedingly multiplied. From whence it may well be learned that as the master's substance is often increased and improved by the attention of a diligent and fortunate servant or steward, so, on the other hand, is it reduced and injured under an idle or unprosperous hand. But the holy youth, heartily embracing in his soul the judgments of the Lord, made of his necessity a virtue, and, having in his office of a swineherd obtained solitude, worked out his own salvation. For he abode in the mountains, and in the woods, and in the caves of the wilderness, and having leisure for prayer, and knowing how kind was the Lord, freely and more freely did he pour forth the incense of his supplications in the presence of the Most High; and an hundred times in the day and an hundred times in the night did he on his bended knees adore his Creator, and often did he pray for a long time fasting, and, nourishing himself with the roots of herbs and with the lightest food, did he mortify his members which were stretched upon the earth. Nor him could heat, nor cold, nor snow, nor hail, nor ice, nor any other inclemency of the air compel from his spiritual exercises. Therefore went he forward daily increasing and confirming himself more strong in the faith and love of Christ Jesus; and the more weak and infirm he appeared, so much the steadier and more powerful was he in fulfilling the commands of the Lord.
CHAPTER XIV.
Of Milcho's Dream, and of its Interpretation.
And Milcho beheld a vision in the night; and behold, Patrick entered his palace as all on fire, and the flames issuing from his mouth, and from his nose, and from his eyes, and from his ears, seemed to burn him. But Milcho repelled from himself the flaming hair of the boy, nor did it prevail to touch him any nearer; but the flame, being spread, turned aside to the right, and, catching on his two little daughters who were lying in one bed, burned them even to ashes; then the south wind, blowing strongly, dispersed their ashes over many parts of Ireland. And Milcho, awaking, meditated with himself on his couch what prodigy might this remote vision portend. On the morrow, Patrick being called before him, he declared unto him his dream, entreating and abjuring him that if he knew he would unfold its interpretation. And Patrick, being filled with the grace of the Holy Spirit, answered unto Milcho: "The fire which thou sawest to issue from me is the faith of the Holy Trinity, with which I am entirely illumined, and which I shall endeavor to preach unto thee; but my speech will find in thee no place, for thou wilt, in the blindness of thine heart, repel from thee the light of the divine grace, and thou wilt die in the darkness of thy unbelief; but thy daughters shall at my preaching believe in the true God, and, all the days of their lives serving God in holiness and in justice, shall, in a pious end, rest in the Lord; and their ashes, that is, their relics, the Lord revealing them and making of them signs, shall be carried into many places through Ireland, and shall give the blessing of health to many who are infirm; and thy dream is true, and its interpretation is true, and all shall be fulfilled in due time." Thus having said, Patrick departed to his accustomed labor; and all these things happened unto Milcho and unto his daughters even as Patrick had foretold.