s, mostly employed in Christian Confidence and Prayer, made
him so signally the Favourite of Heaven, that from those cloudy Dawnings,
he in Process of Time became a learned Doctor, a sanctified Missioner, a
venerable Prelate, an eminent Primate, a national Apostle, and the bright
Instructor of Kings! Such were the fruitful Rewards of uninterrupted
unshaken Devotion, Piety, and Zeal! From this Time he formed the steady
Resolution of converting the _Irish_; and, the better to accomplish the
heavenly Task, he undertook a laborious Journey to foreign Countries, to
enrich his Mind with Learning and Experience.

He continued abroad thirty-five Years, pursuing his Studies under the
Direction principally of his Mother's Uncle, St. _Martin_, Bishop of
_Tours_, who had ordained him Deacon; and after his Death, partly with St.
_German_, Bishop of _Auxerre_, (who ordained him a Priest, and called his
Name _Magonius_, which was the third Name he was known by,) partly among a
Colony of _Hermits_ and _Monks_, in some Islands of the _Tuscan_ Sea; and
he employed a good Part of the Time in the City of _Rome_, among the
Canons Regular of the _Lateran_ Church: At length, having his Soul
thoroughly tempered with religious Virtue, enlightened with the true
Evangelical Faith, and his Understanding enlarged by the most profitable
and edifying Studies, he arrived in _Ireland_ about the 60th Year of his
Age; and in the Year of our Lord 432, landed in the County of _Wicklow_,
where he began his Ministry, by the Conversion of _Sinel_, a great Man in
that Country, the Grandson of _Finchad_, who ought to be remembered, as he
was the first Fruits of St. _Patrick_'s Mission in _Ireland_; he was the
8th in lineal Descent from _Cormac_, King of _Leinster_, and came
afterwards to be enumerated among the Saints of _Ireland_.

From this Country he sailed to an Island on the Coast of the County of
_Dublin_, called after him _Inis Phadring_, and by the _English_, _Holm
Patrick_ at this Day, where he and his faithful Companions rested after
their Fatigues. From _Inis Phadring_, he sailed Northward to that Part of
_Ulster_ called _Ulidia_, and put in at _Inbherslaying_ Bay. When he and
his Fellow Labourers landed, _Dichu_, the Son of _Trichem_, Lord of the
County, being informed that they were Pirates, came out with armed Men in
order to kill them: But being struck with the venerable Appearance of St.
_Patrick_, he gave him Audience, and listened attentively t