A history of the Highlands and of the Highland clans : with an ...

CO
HIsTOliy OR THE HIGHLAND'
Pictish territories, and evreii penetrated into tlie islands ol Urkuev.
spreading every-where the light of faith by instructing the people in
the truths of the Gospel. To keep up a succession of the teaihers ol
religion, he established monasteries in every district, and from tliese
issued, for many ages, Apostolic men to labour in that part of the vine-
yard of Christ. These monasteries or cells were long subject to the
Abbey of lona,
Conal, the fifth king of the Scots \:\ Argyle, the kinsman of St
Columba, and under whose auspices he entered on the work of conver-
sion, and to whon. it is said he was indebted for Hy, died in five
hundred and seventy-one. His successor Aidan went over to Hyona
in five hundred and seventy-four, and was there ordainid and inau-
gurated by the Abbot according to the ceremonial of the ILcr vitieus,
the cover of which is supposed to have been encrusted h itli chrystal.
F. Martene, a learned benedictine, says in his work, De Anliquis
EcclesicB Kilibus, that this inauguration of Aidan is the most ancient
account that, after all his researches, he had found as to the benediction,
or inauguration of kings. There can be no doubt, however, that the
ceremony was practised long before the time of Aidan.
St. Columba died on the 9th of June, five hundred and ninetv-seven,
after a glorious and well spent life, thirty-four years of vvhiith he had
devoted to the instruction of the nation he had coiivertea. His in-
fluence was very great with the neighbouring princes, and they often
applied to him for advice, and submitted to him their dift'erences
which he frequently settled by his authoritv. His nieniorv was long
held in reverence by the Scots and Caledonians.
To return to the history of the Picts, we have already observed that
little is known of Pictish history for more than a hundred years after
the Roman abdication ; but at the time of the accession of Bridei in
five hundred and fifty-six to the Pictish throne, some light is let in upon
that dark period of the Pictish annals. The reign of that prince was
distinguished by many warlike exploits, but above all by his conversion
and that of his people to Christianity, which indeed formed his greatest
glory. His chief contests were with the Scoto-Irish or Dalriads, whom
be defeated in five hundred and fifty-seven, and slew Gauran theii'
l^ing. Bridei died in the year five hundred and eighty-six, and for
several ages his successors carried on a petty system of warfare, partly
foreign and partly domestic. Passing over a domestic conflict, at Lin-
dores in six hundred and twenty-one, under Cineoch the son of Luthrin,
and the trifling battle of Ludo-Feirn in six hundred and sixty-three
among the Picts themselves, we must nevertheless notice the important
battle of Dun-Nechtan, fought in the year six hundred and eighty-five,
between the Picts under Bridei, the son of Bill, and the Saxons, under
•he Northumbrian Egfrid. Tiie Saxon king, it is said, attacked the Picts
without provocation, and against the advice of his co'jrt. Crossing the
Forth from Lothian, tiie Btrtikia of that age, he entered Stratherii
and penetrated through the defiles of the Pictisii kingdom, leaving fire and