It  is  clear,  however,  both  from  the  Scholiast's  preface,
and  from  intrinsic  evidence  that  this  St.  Colman  was
a  Ferlegind,  or  Professor,  in  the  School  of  Cork  in  the  year
A.D.  664.  At  that  period,  as  is  well  known,  a  terrible  pesti-
lence devastated  Ireland ;  it  likewise  extended  to  England,
and  probably  to  many  parts  of  the  Continent  also.  It  carried
off  nearly  half  the  population  of  Ireland — kings,  saints,  and
people — without  distinction.  A  panic  spread  through  all  the
land,  and  all  classes,  who  could  do  so,  sought  to  fly  from  the
plague ;  but  their  flight  was  vain,  for  go  where  they  would


488  THE  SCHOOLS  OF  DESMOND,

the  plague  overtook  them,  and  claimed  its  victims.  An  idea,
however,  had  gone  abroad  that  the  pestilence  could  not
extend  nine  vraves  beyond  the  shore  of  Erin,  and  hence  we
find  that  there  was  a  rush  to  such  of  the  islands  on  the  coast
as  were  supposed  to  be  outside  the  infected  area.
Colman  and  his  scholars  took  the  very  prudent  resolution
of  leaving  their  monastery  by  the  marshes  of  Cork,  and
making  their  way  to  one  of  the  islands  on  the  coast,  the
name  of  which  unfortunately  is  not  given.  But  like  a  good
and  holy  man,  he  put  more  faith  in  God's  protection  and
blessing  than  in  mere  sanitary  precautions.  So  he  invited
the  school  to  help  him  in  composing  this  hymn  as  a  lorica  or
coat  of  mail  against  the  pestilence,  and  all  other  dangers
temporal  and  spiritual.  It  seems,  too,  that  it  was  recited
during  the  vo_vage,  and  no  doubt  filled  the  fugitives  with
hope  and  confidence  in  God's  fatherly  love.
