5

NOTES. 297
following words:— " Sed et illud noti est taceridum quod a!iquando
de tali incomparabili vocis ejus Sublevatione juxta Brudaei
regis manitionem, accidisse traditnr. Nam ipsesanctus cura
paucis fratribus extra Regis munitionem dum Ttspertinale's Dei
laudes ex more celebraret, quidam Magi ad eos propius accedentes
ia quantum poterant prohibcre conabantur, ne de ore ipsorutn-
divinae laudis sonus inter Gentiles andiretur. Quo comperto
sanctus quadragesimum, et quartum Psalmum decantare
caspit. Miruraque in modum ita vox ejus in acre eodem memento
instjir alicujus formidabiiis tonitrui elevata est, ut et rex
et populus intolerabili essent pavore perterriti." i.e. " Nor must
I omit to mention that incomparable elevation of his voice, which
is said to have happened near the castle of King Brudi. For
when the saint, with a few of his brethren, according to custom,
was celebrating the
evening praises of God, certain Magi ap.
preaching near to them, did every thing in their power to prevent
the Gentiles from hearing the sound of the divine praisn
which proceeded from their mouths. Which being known, the
saint began to sing the fortieth and fourth psalm. And his
voice was, in a wonderful manner, in that very moment, elevated
into the air, like a formidable clap of thunder, so that the king
and the people were struck with intolerable fear." Messingham,
in his life of the same saint, lib. 1. ch. IS. p. 168, gives us a similar
instance in these words,— " Eodem in tempore vir vene.
randus quandam a Eroickano it/ago Scoticam postulavit servam,
humanitatis miseratione liberandam—i. e. " At the same time
the venerable man (St. Columba) demanded from Broichanus tha
magician, a certain Scottish maid-servant, whom, from motives
of pity and humanity, he intended to set at liberty." It is worthy
of remark, that St. Columba converted and baptized Brudi
in 565, at which time the Magi or Druids before-mentioned were
found at his court—a clear proof that the Romans did not completely
extirpate the Druids in Britain, as generally imagined.
Merlin the mid, commonly called Merlinus Caledonius, an
inhabitant of Alcluid, and unquestionably a Druid, ilourished
about 570. The English Merlin, or Merlin the Magician, aU*