Mochuda son of Finall was of the Ciarraige Luachra by race, of the Úi Ferba to speak precisely. He came on pilgrimage from the south to Leth Cuinn, and settled in Rahen. There was a large body of monks with him labouring and praying, seven hundred and ten in number, and every third man of them held converse with angels.
Great help to the company of monks was the holy pilgrim who came over the sea, Constantine son of Fergus, king of Alba. He bartered the goods of the earth for pilgrimage to gain heaven, and he rendered his monastic duty like any other monk engaged in the service of God. It was he who marked out the church of Rahen, and dug [the mound of] it, and cultivated Constantine's Plot to the south of Rahen, and Magh Constantin (Constantine's Plain) on the bank of the Brosny at Ath Maighne.
Great was his refection and allowance (lit. what satisfied him); to wit the refection of a hundred would satisfy him, and the leavings of Mochuda were given to him. Mochuda sained his mouth, and then he did not consume more than any other monk, and his strength was not diminished, though his allowance was diminished. Great was the profit of his lowly service to the monks, (for) the strength of a hundred was in him. He begged Mochuda to allow him to go to his own country, Alba, to visit his clan and kindred. He allowed him to go. He returned. All the time he was in the East (i. e. in Alba) his portion of food was reserved for him, and (on his return) it was set down before him on a hide all mixed together, pottage, and milk and corn; and some of it had gone wormy. Then he took his apron and girt it to him with both hands, till he succeeded in consuming it all. Then the leavings of the clerk were given to him, and he ate them all steadily and nicely. The hospitaller was watching him, to see that he did not leave any of his refection uneaten.
‘Now to the forest with thee,’ said Mochuda on the morrow, ‘and wreak thy wrath on it. Why didst thou put upon me to go to communion as I did at the beginning of last night? There never came to me before in the way of difficulty anything that I could compare to it. Every previous difficulty that overtook me,’ said he, ‘I threw it from me by main force. Every good that I had I made perpetual.’ He went to the forest after this, and levelled it.
Another time he was in the trench doing his work. {folio 266b} The clerks were at refection, and he was forgotten. He was angry at this, and sent a shovelful of earth from the trench through the skylight of the refectory, so that some of it fell into the trencher (and) cup of every monk indoors. Mochuda went to see him afterwards; and streams of sweat were running down him through the intensity of the labour. Mochuda put his palm on his (Constantine's) forehead and then on his own. ‘Well, O clerk,’ said Constantine, ‘'tis the sweat ot his own crown which heals421 every one. Ugh! you ve spoilt it,’ said Mochuda, ‘for the very dew of your grave would have healed, if this had not been said.’
The clerks of Úi Neill were assembled once upon a time on Moylena, and fasted there, that there might be revealed to them (the doer of) a murder which had been committed in the land. This was revealed to them through a certain virgin, Cainle,422 daughter of Diarmait. Afterwards Mochuda took the clerks with him to Rahen, and regaled them all there, to wit, the congregation of Finnian (Clonard) with their abbot, Colman mac húi Telluib; the congregation of Columcille (Durrow) and the congregation of Ciaran (Clonmacnois) with their abbot, Cronan Derg (the Red) mac hú Laicti. Then envy and jealousy of Mochuda took possession of the clerks there, for the number of the monks, the excellence of the monastery, Rahen, for the richness of their food and clothing, and for the excellence of the clerk himself; for he was a man with the grace of God.
The refection-bell was rung at Mochuda's afterwards, and he went into the refectory. The abbots were saying one to another: ‘Why is the refection-bell ringing now?’ said they, ‘for we have consumed what food there was in the place.’ ‘It is for boastfulness,’ said they, ‘that he does this; or because of the excessive amount of food which he has.’ A messenger was sent from them to find out whether there was food for them. The messenger set forth; it was Manchin, vice-abbot of Clonmacnois. Manchin went into the refectory, and sees the food made ready for them. ‘What is the matter, Manchin?’ said Mochuda. ‘I left my knife on the table,’ said Manchin. ‘Indeed,’ said Mochuda, ‘What then is that there?’ said he,423 ‘nay, it is to spy upon us424 thou art come. May hunger be the portion of thee and of thy successor for ever.’
The vice-abbot returned to the clerks, and told what he had seen and heard; and the clerks were filled with envy and jealousy of Mochuda, and they said to him: ‘Quit the residence in which thou art, said they, and leave Leth Cuinn (Conn's Half, i. e. North
The abbots thereupon proceeded to the king, Blathmac son of Aed Slaine, and made formal complaint to him against Mochuda. He came with them to Clonard, and this was the conclusion which they came to there, to expel Mochuda. And this was one of the three crooked counsels of Leth Cuinn, and it was in Clonard that all three of them were planned; whence was said:
So that defect of counsel was left (as a legacy) to Clonard ever after.
- 1] The three crooked counsels
2] Of the clan of Conn I will impugn:425
3] The banishing of Columcille across the brine,
4] The cutting short the life of Ciaran;- 5] Mochuda and his leper band
6] Expelled from fair Rahen;
7] An encampment by them against Conn's clans
8] Came to the seed of Muolom.
The clerks went afterwards and the kings with them, to wit Blathmac and Diarmait, two sons of Aed Slaine and joint kings of Erin, and arrived in front of the church. Diarmait was then a young stripling. ‘Go for us, O Constantine,’ said Mochuda, ‘and ask the kings to grant us a respite of a year, in which we need not move from here.’ Constantine went towards them, with his smiting club in his hand, and his rug about him. ‘Who is this?’ said the youths. ‘This is Constantine the pilgrim,’ said they. ‘Well, young men,’ said he, ‘I have come from the clerk to ask a boon of you, that there may be granted to him a respite of a year, in which he need not move, and to me also on account of my pilgrimage, and of my service to the Lord.’ ‘It is best to grant it,’ said Diarmait. ‘It shall be granted,’ said Blathmac.
Thereupon they dispersed. At the end of a year afterwards the same clerks betake themselves (to Rahen), and they reached the front of the church. ‘Go for us, O Constantine,’ said Mochuda, ‘to ask for another year in which we need not move.’ He went as before. ‘Here is the same churl,’ said they all; ‘he shall have no greeting this time.’ ‘That is a bad prayer, {folio 267b} young men,’ said Constantine, ‘for we were once in the same prosperity in which ye are, and we bartered it all for the Lord's sake. Seven men were under my power, every man of them a king, and every man with gold and
That day year they come back again, both laymen and clerks, and reach the front of the church. ‘Go, Constantine,’ said Mochuda, ‘to the kings, and ask them for a respite of a year for us.’ ‘I doubt they will not grant it,’ said Constantine. He went towards them. ‘Here comes the same churl towards you,’ said they; ‘do not address him at all, (else) his wrath will fall upon you.’427 The servants betake themselves to ribald treatment of him, pelting him with clods.428 He took no notice of this, and came to the kings. ‘Will ye grant a respite of a year to Mochuda?’ said he. ‘Be off, churl,’ said they, ‘thou shalt have no greeting.’ Thereupon he stretched out his two arms (lit. fork) and seized the necks of the two kings in his two hands. ‘Will ye grant,’ said he, ‘the boon which I ask? If it be not granted, each429 of you shall be grey with the brain of the other.’ ‘We will grant it undoubtedly,’ said they. The respite was given him, but he took it without (uttering) any blessing.
Alas! Constantine died after this; and in the week preceding his death, as the hours were being recited in the church, Mochuda saw Satan (coming) towards Constantine. ‘What brought thee here?’ said Mochuda. ‘This monk belongs to me,’ said he, ‘for the world is on his conscience.’ ‘Methinks, 'tis but little,’ said Mochuda. ‘There is vengeance due for it, though it be little,’ said he. ‘Well then, O clerk,’ said Mochuda (to Constantine), ‘make thy confession.’430 ‘I will confess, lord,’ said Constantine, ‘that there is nought of the world on my conscience, except that I keep thinking that I should like the stone on which thou recitest thy pater noster,431 to be laid across my face432 (in burial).’ ‘That shall be,’ indeed, said Mochuda. ‘Be off, Satan, into the standing stone to the south of the church, and do no harm there to any one, except to those come to attack the church. ’
The sons of Aed Slaine came (again) afterwards with rage and fury, pride and arrogance, and the clerks (with them); and they had been greatly stirred up by the outlaws of Úi Neill. This was natural, for they would not find where to stable their horses among
Lots were cast between the congregations of Finnian and Ciaran and Columcille, to find out which (bishop433) of them should go with Diarmait. The lot fell on the family of Clonmacnois; they cast lots upon (the monasteries of) their diocese, and the lot fell on the family of Cell Achid Drumfata (Killeigh). They cast lots between their churches, and the lot fell on the family of Cluain Congusa in Cinel Ardgair. ‘I will go,’ said the abbot (erenagh), ‘to expel him.’
Diarmait and the clerk approached, and a great company with them. Diarmait went and rested his elbow on the door-post of the church in which Mochuda was. ‘Come inside into the church,’ said the clerk. ‘I have come far enough,’ said Diarmait. ‘Art thou come to expel me?’ said Mochuda. ‘That is what I was sent for indeed,’ said Diarmait. ‘If thou art in a hurry to do it for them (?),’ said Mochuda, ‘I am ready,’ said he, ‘(to come) with you.’ ‘I could not,’434 said Diarmait, ‘I will never expel thee till doom, for the greatness of thy sanctity and honour; and I repent that I ever came at all.’ ‘Mayest thou have honour and distinction therefor,’ said Mochuda, ‘in heaven and earth, and power and kingship and sovereignty over Erin till doom, unless thou oppose my successor. Thy face shall not be turned back before thine enemies, because thou didst turn back before me. But the youths will revile thee, when thou art gone forth, they will call thee Diarmait Ruanaid; but it will turn to an evident honour to thee and to thy seed, and the kingship shall descend from thee continually.’
Diarmait turned (and went) out then; and Blathmac began reviling him: ‘redly (ruanaid) comest thou from the clerk’ said he; {folio 268b} that is, royally. This was afterwards the style which every one gave him, Diarmait Ruanaid. ‘Go yourselves,’ said Blathmac to the clerks, ‘and expel Mochuda; for it is against you that he is contesting the land.’ ‘We will not go,’ said they, ‘unless thou come with us.’ ‘I will go with you,’ said the king. They set out all together against him, laymen and clerks, to the place where Mochuda was.
Then the abbot of Cluain Congusa went towards him, to expel him, for on him the lot had fallen to do it. ‘Wilt thou expel me?’ said Mochuda. ‘I will, for thou shalt be no longer in the abbot's chair,’ said the clerk. ‘Then thou shalt have neither heaven nor
‘Carry him off,’ said the vice-abbot of Clonmacnois, ‘do not delay the woody-worded churl in the church.’ ‘Thou shalt have neither heaven nor earth’, said Mochuda, ‘and cold and hunger shall carry thee off, and shall carry off thy successor time after time.’ ‘It is a grievous pity what ye are doing,’ said the prior of Burrow. ‘Thou shalt be prior and abbot in thy cell continually,’ said Mochuda. ‘Drag him down,’ said the437 abbot of Durrow. ‘The disaffection of thy congregation on thee for ever, and on thy successor continually, and in every assembly let there ever be some finger to point at him (with scorn).’ He turned to the family of Clonard, and cursed some of them, and blessed others.
Blathmac himself then approached, and Cronan Derg (the Red), successor of Ciaran. ‘Wherefore are ye come?’ said Mochuda. ‘To expel thee,’ said Blathmac. ‘Thou shalt not,’ said Mochuda. ‘Thou shalt no longer occupy the abbot's chair,’ said he. ‘Then I will expel thee from the throne on which thou art, and I will take heaven and earth from thee, and no king or royal heir shall ever come of thee, and thy children and race shall be servants till doom to the youth who has gone out (i.e. Diarmait).’
Thereupon438 he turned to Cronan and said to him: ‘Inhuman art thou to me,’ said he, ‘in the meanness of these thine actions, and of thy connexion with the company of Ciaran; that it may become a byword among them: "A Munsterman expelled a Munsterman"; that is, that all the more (for Mochuda's expulsion) they will have an abbot from Munster.’
{folio 269a} ‘But no Munsterman will ever have prosperity in his abbey, save only one from Munster who shall take it to avenge on Leth Cuinn my expulsion. Connaught (will be) under Ara (?) and the Úi Neill without royalty of princes, but will be under the wretched rule of strangers for a time (?). Cluain without labour or rule after the destruction of its elders, wherein will be a fierce concert of all men who till its lands (?) without abundance (?) of co-operation in teaching, without silence in accordance with their order, but elders without fellowship in belief, but association in folly439 all this time, till the white chafer shall come who shall effect it afterwards; and the
‘Sudden death carry thee off, and thy seed after thee, and the hand which was stretched out against me,’ said he, ‘may its evil case be plain to all.’ Which was afterwards fulfilled. ‘Every abbot then that succeeds thee, whatever kind of affliction shall seize him after entering on the abbacy, may it not depart from him till his death.’ ‘A man of a red spear (i. e. a murderer) in thy place,’ said Cronan, ‘and sudden death carry off some of them.’ He also bequeathed other threats (lit. words) to him. ‘Thy monastery shall be mine now,’ said Cronan.441 ‘No,’ said Mochuda, ‘but Rahen of Mochuda, and Mochuda of Rahen will be the phrase there.’
They then expel him, and (he and his monks) go round the graves and cemeteries. ‘Alas! lord,’ said one of his monks to Mochuda, ‘my foot is diseased, I cannot go with thee.’ ‘Remain here then,’ said Mochuda. ‘Nay,’ said Colman mac húi Tell'uib, abbot of Clonard, ‘we will not have a spark from thee442 in our midst.’ ‘Arise,’ said Mochuda, ‘and put thy foot on yonder stone.’ And when the monk put his foot on it, he was healed at once; and this is 'Mochuda's Flagstone' in Rahen. The disease then went into Colman's foot at Mochuda's command, and he said that the disease of gout would be continually in Clonard.
The dead arose from the ground, all who had died in his (Mochuda's){folio 269b} time, to go with him. ‘So,’ said Colman, the stammering monk, seizing Mochuda's foot, ‘thou didst promise us,’ said he, ‘that thy resurrection should be among us; say then whether we shall come with thee, or whether we shall remain here.’ ‘Remain here,’ said Mochuda, ‘for there are not two resurrections in the Gospel;’ ‘and I will come on the Judgement Day with all my monks to the cross of Constantine in front of the church, and together we will go to the assize of doom.’
Then Mochuda went forth with this great train, eight hundred and forty in number. Many mighty works and miracles did he on his way to the Deisi; and the king of the Deisi, Maelochtraig son of Dinertach, gave his body and soul to him, and allowed any one of the Deisi who chose to do so, to join him. He settled afterwards in Dun Seinm on the river Nem.443 ‘I will be here continually,’ said he, ‘till I go from Nem to Nem.’444 ‘What art thou marking out, O clerk?’ said a nun who was there, named Caimell, to him. ‘It
Mochuda died that day year. Cronan went into Munster to his diocese, that is Ciaran's successor; and from there he went to Lismore, to ask remission for his race from the words (i.e. curses) which Mochuda had left upon them. He found Molua the Leper there (as Mochuda's successor). On the morrow he began to ask remission of Molua. ‘If Mochuda comes again in the body,’ said he, ask remission of him. ‘Till he come, we will not grant remission in his place.’.
Cronan went on northward after this towards Clonmacnois. He went in a ship on the Shannon. He saw a boat and several other boats pursuing it. All who were in the (first) boat were sunk and killed; except one of them who swam to the ship in which Cronan was, and Cronan seized him by the head. But one of the pursuers aimed a blow at him and cut off his head, and Cronan's hand with it. Cronan went to the bank and landed, and said to his attendants: ‘Wait here,’ said he, ‘that I may sleep.’ They waited for him a long time to see if he would rise. So Cronan died there through the word of Mochuda, as he prophesied to him; and he prophesied that one of his (Mochuda's) race (i.e. a Munsterman) should take the abbacy in Cluain, and that there should be decay in Church and State in his time. And all these things have been fulfilled, are being fulfilled, and will be fulfilled.
Mochuda with his convent, seven and seven score and seven hundred (847), and every third man of them held converse with angels. One day Mochuda with this convent about him went in a great procession round the Angels' Cemetery in Rahen praying, &c.447
{folio 270b}Mochuda sang (this).Et reliqua.
Mochuda of Rahen with his convent, this was their number, seven, and seven score, and seven hundred, and every third man among them conversed with angels. They were one day in a circle around the cemetery in Rahen praying. While Mochuda was there he saw the demon in the midst of them. Mochuda asked him:
‘Well, clerk,’ said the devil to Mochuda, ‘let me go; for I dare not mount upwards into the air, because of the breaths of the saints and their prayers; for I never experienced heavier or more acute pain in hell than the breaths and prayers of the saints.’ Mochuda then allowed the devil to depart for the pitifulness of the plea which he recited in the presence of the saints. The devil thereupon departed from their presence, and did not come to them again. Et reliqua.
Mochuda of Rahen was carving one evening for his convent and for his guests there. Now whenever his hands happened to touch any of the food, he would rub his hands {folio 271b} on his shoes which he wore daily. One night then Mochuda said: ‘Great is this authority in which I am,’ said he, ‘seven and seven score and seven hundred in this convent in which I am, and every third man of them has converse with angels, and I am abbot and head over all of them, and yet I am the worst of them all. And this is no road to heaven for me, and I will not remain like this any longer, but will seek a ship that is leaving Ireland, and will not be two nights in one place, but I will be in penance throughout the length of the great world.’
In this wise he spent the night; and the next day he escaped to the place where Comgall was, Tech Teille (Tehelly). When they saw one another, Mochuda and Comgall, they blessed one another. Sit down, said Comgall to him. I would rather not, said Mochuda, for I am in a hurry; there is a ship about to sail, said he, and I must go in her. Not so, said Comgall, for God will cause the ship to remain here to-night. So Mochuda sat down, and his shoes were taken off him, and as they were taken off Comgall said: ‘Come out, O devil,’ said he, ‘from the shoe; thou shalt not carry off any more the spoil which thou didst find.’ At hearing this the devil leaped out of the shoe, and as he departed he said: ‘It was lucky for thee, thy falling in with Comgall, O Mochuda, for I would not have allowed thee
So Mochuda continued to reside without wandering through the power of God and of Comgall. THE END.450
- 1] It is good for a clerk to reside in one place
2] And attend the (canonical) hours.
3] It is mocking devils that put
4] The spirit of restlessness in a man.