being frequently written by illiterate persons, through the confusion
and obscurity of the style, is by most people neither liked nor
understood, but is held in weariness and contempt. Charity therefore
urging us, we will endeavor, by reducing them to order, to collect what
are confused, when collected to compose them into a volume, and, when
composed, to season them, if not with all the excellence of our
language, at least with some of its elegance. To this our endeavor the
instruction of the threefold instrument which is described to belong to
the candlestick of the tabernacle giveth aid; for we find therein the
tongs, the extinguisher, and the oil-cruse, which we must properly use,
if, in describing the lives of the saints, who shone in their
conversation and example like the candlestick before the Lord, we
should labor to clear away the superfluous, extinguish the false, and
illuminate the obscure, which, though by the devotion we have toward
St. Patrick we are bound to do, yet are we thereto enjoined by the
commands of the most reverend Thomas, Archbishop of Armagh and Primate
of all Ireland, and of Malachy, the Bishop of Down; and to these are
added the request of John de Courcy, the most illustrious Prince of
Ulidia, who is known to be the most especial admirer and honorer of St.
Patrick, and whom we think it most becoming to obey. But if any snake
in the way, or serpent in the path, watching our steps, shall rashly
accuse us herein of presumption, and shall attack our hand with viper
tooth, yet do we, with the blessed Paul, collect the vine-twigs for the
fire, and cast the viper into the flame. Wherefore, in describing the
saints that sleep, which were the branches of the true vine, so that
the minds of the faithful may be inflamed toward the love and belief of
Christ, we little regard the tongue of the scorner and of the
slanderer; for if we are to be judged of such, with the apostle setting
them at small account, we commit all to the divine judgment.