70 FOUETH PERIOD. A. D. 590 TO 1049.
and handsome, incessantly active, and had a sonorous and farreaching voice, rolling forth the Psalms of David, every syllable distinctly uttered. He could discern the signs of the weather. Adamnan ascribes to him an angelic countenance, a prophetic fore-knowledge and miracles as great as those performed by Christ, such as changing water into wine for the celebration of the eucharist, when no wine could be obtained, changing bitter fruit into sweet, drawing water from a rock, calming the storm at sea, and curing many diseases. His biography, instead of giving solid facts, teems with fabulous legends, which are told with childlike credulity. O'DonnelPs biography goes still fur ther. Even the pastoral staff of Columba, left accidentally upon the shore of lona, was transported across the sea by his prayers to meet its disconsolate owner when he landed somewhere in Ireland.1
Columba died beside the altar in the church while engaged in his midnight devotions. Several poems are ascribed to him — one in praise of the natural beauties of his chosen island, and a monastic rule similar to that of St. Benedict ; but the " regula ac prcecepta" of Columba, of which Wilfrid spoke at the synod of Whitby, probably mean discipline or observance rather than a written rule.2
The church establishment of Columba at lona belongs to the second or monastic period of the Irish church, of which it formed an integral part. It consisted of one hundred and fifty persons under the monastic rule. At the head of it stood a presbyter-abbot, who ruled over the whole province, and even the bishops, although the episcopal function of ordination was recognized.3 The monks were a family of brethren living in eomrnon. They were divided into three classes: the seniors, who attended to the religious services, instruction, and the tran-
1 Montalembert's delineation of Columba' s character assumes, apparently, the truth of these biographies, and is more eloquent than true. See Skene,' II. 145.
2 On the regula Columbani, see Ebrard, 147 sqq. 8Bede, H. K, III. 4; V. 9.
I 18. ST. COLUMBA AND THE MONASTERY OF IONA. 71
scribing of the Scriptures; the middle-aged, who were the work ing brethren, devoted to agriculture, the tending of the cattle, and domestic labor; and the youth, who were alumni under in struction. The dress consisted of a white tunica or under gar ment, and a Camilla or outer garment and hood made of wool. Their food was bread, milk, eggs, fish, and on Sundays and fes tivals mutton or beef. The doctrinal views and ecclesiastical customs as to the observance of leister and the tonsure were the same as among the Britons and the Irish in distinction from the Roman system introduced by Augustin among the Saxons.1
The monastery of lona, says Bede, held for a long time the pre-eminence over the monasteries and churches of the Picts and Northern Scots. Columba's successors, he adds, were distin guished for their continency, their love of God, and strict atten tion to their rules of discipline, although they followed " uncer tain cycles in their computation of the great festival (Easter), because they were so far away from the rest of the world, and had none to supply them with the synodical decrees on the pas chal observance; wherefore they only practised such works of piety and chastity as they could learn from the prophetical, evangelical, and apostolical writings. This manner of keeping Easter continued among them for a hundred and fifty years, till the year of our Lord's incarnation 71 5." 2
Adamnan (d. 704), the ninth successor of Columba, in conse quence of a visit to the Saxons, conformed his observance of Easter to the Roman Church ; but his brethren refused to follow him in this change. After his death, the community of lona became divided on the Easter question, until the Columban monks, who adhered to the old custom, were by royal command expelled (715). With this expulsion terminates the primacy of lona in the kingdom of the Picts.
The monastic church was broken up or subordinated to the hierarchy of the secular clergy.
1 For a very full account of the economy and constitution of lona, see Reeves, Introduction to Life of Saint Columba, pp. c.-cxxxii. 2 H. E. III. 4.