Standish O'Grady; selected essays and passages

IRISH POLITICS AND POLITICAL HISTORY 261
Christians and the great English Reformers. " Be of
good cheer, Master Ridley ; we will this day light a fire
in England which the world will never quench," and to
a task greater than theirs I summon you. Paganism is
dead and gone this many a day, slain here by a man as brave
and good as ever trod the earth. Consider in what spirit
he wrought, the son of Calpurn here too on this Irish
soil. These are his words—sealed by deeds :
" I beseech Him to grant me that with these proselytes
and captives I may pour out my blood for His name, even
if my body should be denied burial and be miserably
torn limb from Hmb by dogs or fierce beasts, or though the
birds of the air should devour it."
And again :
" I daily expect either death or some treachery or
slavery."
And once more, and touching the principles on which
he expended his money, and he seems to have been
rich—rich enough to have hired little armies for the
defence of his proselytes, of noble birth, too, and high
connections.
" For although I have baptized so many thousand
men, did I expect even half a screpall (scruple) from them ?
Tell me, and I will restore it to you. Or, when the Lord
ordained clergy through my humble ministry and services,
did I not confer the grace without reward ? If I have
asked of any even the value of my shoe, tell me and I will
repay ;
I rather spent for you as far as I was able."
And so around and after this man arose the Irish nation
like the moon-stirred tides of the sea, or as in the Greek