42.  On another occasion there approached a foreign fleet towards Declan’s city and this was their design—­to destroy and to plunder it of persons and of cattle, because they (the foreigners) were people hostile to the faith.  Many members of the community ran with great haste to tell Declan of the fleet which threatened the town and to request him to beg the assistance of God against the invaders.  Declan knew the man amongst his own disciples who was holiest and most abounding in grace, scil., Ultan, already mentioned, and him he ordered to pray to God against the fleet.  Ultan had pity on the Christian people and he went instantly, at the command of Declan, in front of the fleet and he held his left hand against it, and, on the spot, the sea swallowed them like sacks full of lead, and the drowned sailors were changed into large rocks which stand not far from the mouth of the haven where they are visible (standing) high out of the sea from that time till now.  All Christians who witnessed this rejoiced and were glad and they gave great praise and glory to God and to Declan their own patron who caused the working of this miracle and of many other miracles besides.  Next there arose a contention between Ultan and Declan concerning this miracle, for Ultan attributed it to Declan and Declan credited it to Ultan; and it has become a proverb since in Ireland when people hear of danger or jeopardy:—­“The left hand of Ultan against you (the danger).”  Ultan became, after the death of Declan, a miracle-working abbot of many other holy monks.

43.  The holy and glorious archbishop, i.e.  Patrick, sent one of his own followers to Declan with power and authority (delegation) from the archbishop.  And proceeding through the southern part of Decies he was drowned in a river [the Lickey] there, two miles from the city of Declan.  When Declan heard this he was grieved and he said:  “Indeed it grieves me that a servant of God and of Patrick who sent him to visit me, having travelled all over Ireland, should be drowned in a river of my own territory.  Get my chariot for me that I may go in haste to see his corpse, so that Patrick may come to hear of the worry and the grief I have undergone because of his disciple’s death.”  The body had been recovered before the arrival of Declan by others who were close at hand and it had been placed on a bier to be carried to Ciaran for interment.  Declan however met them on the way, when he ordered the body to be laid down on the ground.  They supposed he was about to recite the Office for the Dead.  He (Declan) advanced to the place where the bier was and lifted the sheet covering the face.  It (the face) looked dark and deformed as is usual in the case of the drowned.  He prayed to God and shed tears, but no one heard aught of what he said.  After this he commanded:—­“In the name of the Trinity, in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost whose religious yoke I bear myself, arise to us for God has given your