hey made a league and bond of mutual fraternity and kissed
in token of peace. They departed thereupon each on his own journey,
scil.:--Declan to Ireland and Patrick to Rome.

11. Declan was beginning mass one day in a church which lay in his road,
when there was sent him from heaven a little black bell, (which came) in
through the window of the church and remained on the altar before Declan.
Declan greatly rejoiced thereat and gave thanks and glory to Christ on
account of it, and it filled him with much courage to combat the error
and false teaching of heathendom. He gave the bell for safe keeping and
carriage, to Runan aforesaid, i.e. son of the king of Rome, and this is
its name in Ireland--"The Duibhin Declain," and it is from its colour it
derives its name, for its colour is black [dub]. There were manifested,
by grace of God and Declan's merits, many miracles through its agency and
it is still preserved in Declan's church.

12. When Declan and his holy companions arrived at the Sea of Icht
[English Channel] he failed, owing to lack of money, to find a ship, for
he did not have the amount demanded, and every ship was refused him on
that account. He therefore struck his bell and prayed to God for help in
this extremity. In a short time after this they saw coming towards them
on the crest of the waves an empty, sailless ship and no man therein.
Thereupon Declan said:--"Let us enter the ship in the name of Christ, and
He who has sent it to us will direct it skilfully to what harbour soever
He wishes we should go." At the word of Declan they entered in, and the
ship floated tranquilly and safely until it reached harbour in England.
Upon its abandonment by Declan and his disciples the ship turned back and
went again to the place from which it had come and the people who saw the
miracles and heard of them magnified the name of the Lord and Declan, and
the words of the prophet David were verified:--"Mirabilis Deus in Sanctis
Suis" [Psalm 67(68):36] (God is wonderful in His Saints).

13. After this Declan came to Ireland. Declan was wise like a serpent
and gentle like a dove and industrious like the bee, for as the bee
gathers honey and avoids the poisonous herbs so did Declan, for he
gathered the sweet sap of grace and Holy Scripture till he was filled
therewith. There were in Ireland before Patrick came thither four holy
bishops with their followers who evangelized and sowed the word of God
there; these are th