Patrick G. Cox's Blog
March 17, 2017
Magnus Patricius aka St Patrick
I began writing this book almost 11 years ago. The research for it has taken me on a fascinating journey into the the 5th Century. Magnus (also Magonus or Maewyn) Sucatus Patricius left us two (and quite possibly more now lost) written documents, his 'Confessio' or Declaration, and a letter titled Letter to the Soldiers of Coroticus. In these he tells us a great deal, and leaves perhps more unsaid. The earliest 'biography' we have of him was written by a monk in Armagh some 600 years after the saints death, and, unfortunately, contains some rather fanciful embellishments. Muirchan's purpose in writing it was to 'prove' the superiority of the claim of his monastery over all others as the 'prime' establishment. It had the secondary purpose of establishing the monastic life as superior to the system of diocesan bishoprics then existing in parallel.
To get beyond all the accumulated mythology, claims and counter claims about him, I needed to understand the sort of society that existed in Ireland and in Britain during his lifetime, and that took me on a fascinating journey. While Roman authority collapsed progressively in Britain and western Europe, the society they left behind underwent changes, in some places radical, in others, more a simple transition to a new set of rulers. Interestingly, in southern Europe, one of the important manifestations of this change was the manner in which tradesmen and workers found themselves progressively reduced to what would become serfdom or peasantry. Large and powerful landowners consolidated their wealth and power, swallowing smaller estates and turning their owners into vassals, thus laying the foundation for what would become the feudal system. Many of these families were able to lay claim to bishoprics, and to the right to decide who would be appointed, usually a younger son, thus guaranteeing their control of parts of the Church. By the time of Gregory the Great, this situation was well established.
A key event in 407 AD was a particularly severe winter during which the Rhine froze along most of it's length. That paralysed the Roman naval patrol, and allowed the mass movement of the Goths, Franks, Saxons and others across this natural barrier, and brought a period of upheaval and conflict to an already disturbed region. The Goths seized their opportunity and colonised south western Gaul and North and Eastern Spain, the Franks seized what is today Normandy and Northern France and others moved into Italy, the Alpine areas and Belgium. Interestingly, they did not destroy the Roman cities, they simply moved into them and adapted themselves. The exception was Britain. First the tribal leaders reasserted themselves. Some hired Saxon and Angle mercenaries, who then brought their families, and eventually realised their employers were powerless to stop them simply taking control.
London ceased to be a major centre of occupation around 430 AD, and other cities in the east had largely been abandoned by then as well. The turning point was 409 AD when the last Legions were withdrawn. In 410 AD when the Emperor sent his tax officials, they were sent packing without the money. In fact, no 'new' coins appear to have been sent to Britannia after 401 AD, and by 410 AD most people were using barter for trade.
Even more interesting was the situation in Ireland. The Irish (Scotti) had no central authority except in war. The 'High King' was simply a war leader elected by the various tribal 'kings' who all exercised their own rights and laws in their territories. Overall the 'Law of the Brehon' formed the basis of all activity, and the interesting part of this is that this legal system made no provision for the release of a slave, for 'manumission' or for a slave to buy freedom. Female slaves had a higher value than males. A male slave without desirable skills, was valued below that of a good wolf hound. Escape was almost impossible without assistance, yet some managed it, St Patrick being, perhaps, the most obvious example.
Woven into all this history is a wealth of legend and 'local stories' about the saint. Some of these began to make sense once one understood the life, lifestyle and the impact that would have on health and development of a sixteen year old subjected to abuse and poor diet. Behind many of these 'stories' lays a gem of fact, and a great deal of that emerges when reading the learned studies of such Patrician luminaries as Archbishop George Simms and Msgr Liam de Paor.
By the time I sat down to write the book, I found that my admiration of the saint had become something more. I am in awe of him. If it is given to me to meet one person in the next life whom I admire, it will be Magnus Sucatus, called Patricius.
To get beyond all the accumulated mythology, claims and counter claims about him, I needed to understand the sort of society that existed in Ireland and in Britain during his lifetime, and that took me on a fascinating journey. While Roman authority collapsed progressively in Britain and western Europe, the society they left behind underwent changes, in some places radical, in others, more a simple transition to a new set of rulers. Interestingly, in southern Europe, one of the important manifestations of this change was the manner in which tradesmen and workers found themselves progressively reduced to what would become serfdom or peasantry. Large and powerful landowners consolidated their wealth and power, swallowing smaller estates and turning their owners into vassals, thus laying the foundation for what would become the feudal system. Many of these families were able to lay claim to bishoprics, and to the right to decide who would be appointed, usually a younger son, thus guaranteeing their control of parts of the Church. By the time of Gregory the Great, this situation was well established.
A key event in 407 AD was a particularly severe winter during which the Rhine froze along most of it's length. That paralysed the Roman naval patrol, and allowed the mass movement of the Goths, Franks, Saxons and others across this natural barrier, and brought a period of upheaval and conflict to an already disturbed region. The Goths seized their opportunity and colonised south western Gaul and North and Eastern Spain, the Franks seized what is today Normandy and Northern France and others moved into Italy, the Alpine areas and Belgium. Interestingly, they did not destroy the Roman cities, they simply moved into them and adapted themselves. The exception was Britain. First the tribal leaders reasserted themselves. Some hired Saxon and Angle mercenaries, who then brought their families, and eventually realised their employers were powerless to stop them simply taking control.
London ceased to be a major centre of occupation around 430 AD, and other cities in the east had largely been abandoned by then as well. The turning point was 409 AD when the last Legions were withdrawn. In 410 AD when the Emperor sent his tax officials, they were sent packing without the money. In fact, no 'new' coins appear to have been sent to Britannia after 401 AD, and by 410 AD most people were using barter for trade.
Even more interesting was the situation in Ireland. The Irish (Scotti) had no central authority except in war. The 'High King' was simply a war leader elected by the various tribal 'kings' who all exercised their own rights and laws in their territories. Overall the 'Law of the Brehon' formed the basis of all activity, and the interesting part of this is that this legal system made no provision for the release of a slave, for 'manumission' or for a slave to buy freedom. Female slaves had a higher value than males. A male slave without desirable skills, was valued below that of a good wolf hound. Escape was almost impossible without assistance, yet some managed it, St Patrick being, perhaps, the most obvious example.
Woven into all this history is a wealth of legend and 'local stories' about the saint. Some of these began to make sense once one understood the life, lifestyle and the impact that would have on health and development of a sixteen year old subjected to abuse and poor diet. Behind many of these 'stories' lays a gem of fact, and a great deal of that emerges when reading the learned studies of such Patrician luminaries as Archbishop George Simms and Msgr Liam de Paor.
By the time I sat down to write the book, I found that my admiration of the saint had become something more. I am in awe of him. If it is given to me to meet one person in the next life whom I admire, it will be Magnus Sucatus, called Patricius.
