t is possible that Gilbert's
resignation of his office as legate was sent to Rome by Malachy.

[548] Cashel. See p. 65, note 4.

[549] Fleming in 1623 saw a mitre of Malachy at Clairvaux, which was
supposed to have been the one placed on his head by Innocent at
Orbiers, ten leagues away, his wooden drinking cup was preserved: it
was in a leathern case, adorned with Irish interlacings (_Irish
Ecclesiastical Record_, vii. 63).

[550] Cp. 2 Cor. i. 15.

[551] Gen. xxii. 18; xxvi. 4.

[552] Compare the passage concerning a brother who had been sent from
Clairvaux to Sweden in 1143, and had founded a daughter monastery
there: "The lord [St. Bernard] sent to his faithful servant learned
and discreet persons from the parts of Germany and England, by whom
the discipline of monastic religion founded in that kingdom increased
and bore worthy fruit among peoples who had indeed heard the name of
monk, but had never before seen a monk" (_V.P._ vii. 54). It was
literally true that no monastic communities had previously existed in
Sweden (C. H. Robinson, _Conversion of Europe_, p. 482 f. Cp.
Vacandard, ii. 416). But the passage before us cannot be construed as
an assertion that Ireland was in like case; for in Sec. 12 mention is
made of the "monks" of Bangor in the time of Congall. St. Bernard (or
Malachy, if the words are really his) must be taken to mean simply
that the so-called monks of the decadent contemporary Church of
Ireland were not monks in the true sense of the word. (Cp. Lett. iii.
Sec. 2). There is nothing to be said for the explanation suggested by
Lanigan (iv. 114) that the "nations" are nations other than the Irish,
who had no monks. For where were those nations to whom the Irish might
send colonies of monks? The fact is that the Latin word for "nations"
(_gentes_) may quite well mean here what it certainly means in Sec.
42, the Irish tribes.

[553] He left others in other Cistercian houses (Sec. 35).

[554] Cp. Letter i. Sec. 1.

[555] Ps. xc. 12.

[556] Gilla Crist Ua Condoirche was probably a native of the district
of Bangor (Sec. 14). He seems to have been one of the four who were left
by Malachy at Clairvaux; and, as is here stated, he was the first
abbot of Mellifont. He seems, however, to have proved not well suited
for the office, for he was sent back to Clairvaux for further
instruction (Letter iii. Sec. 3). Some of the Clairvaux brothers (if not
all of them) refused to remain in Ireland, and it i