ed: "I cannot do that thing until this time
to-morrow." "By my _debhro_," said Patrick, "in evil is thy power, and
not in good." Patrick blessed the plain before him, towards the four
points, and the snow immediately disappeared, without rain, without
sun, without wind, at Patrick's word. Darkness afterwards went over
the face of the earth, through the incantations of the druid. The
multitudes cried out thereat. Patrick said: "Expelli tenebras." The
druid answered: "I am not able to-day." Patrick prayed the Lord, and
blessed the plain, and the darkness was expelled, and the sun shone
out, and all gave thanks. They were for a long time contending thus
before the king--_i.e._, as Nero said to Simon and Peter--et ait rex ad
illos, "Libros vestros in aqua mittite, et ilium cujus libri illesi
evaserint adorabimus." Respondit Patricius: "Faciam ego"; et dixit
magus: "Nolo ego ad judicium ire aquae cum ipso; aquam etiam Deum
habet"; because he heard that it was through water Patrick used to
baptize. Et respondit rex: "Mittite igitur in igne"; et ait Patricius:
"Promptus sum;" at magus nolens dixit; "Hic homo versa vice in alternos
annos nunc aquam nunc ignem deum veneratur." "It is not this that
shall be done," said Patrick; "for since you say that it is the fire I
adore, go you, if you wish, into a house apart, and well closed, and a
student of my people along with you, and let my _casula_ be about you,
and your druidic tunic about my student (_mac cleirech_); and fire will
be applied to the house, that God may decide between you there." This
counsel was agreed to by the men of Erinn, including Laeghaire. The
house was then made, one-half of dry faggots, and the other half of
fresh materials. The druid was put into the fresh part, and Patrick's
_casula_ about him. Benen, however, was put into the dry part, with
the druid's tunic about him. The house was afterwards closed and
fastened on the outside, before the multitude, and fire was applied to
it. A great prodigy occurred there through Patrick's prayers. The
fresh part of the house was burned, as well as the druid under the
casula, and not a bit of the _casula_ was destroyed. The dry portion,
in which was Benen, however, was not burned, and God preserved Benen
under the druid's tunic, and the tunic was burned, so that it was
reduced to ashes. The king was greatly enraged against Patrick for the
killing of his druid. He arose, and would like to slay Patrick