Below is a hymn attributed to Saint Sanctán (Santán), who, although he is described in the Martyrology of Oengus on his May 9 feast day as 'famous Bishop Sanctán', remains intriguingly obscure. Canon O'Hanlon's account of the saint, which can be read at the blog here records the traditions concerning his British origins and those of his brother Saint Matoc (Madog). The Preface to the hymn, preserved in the early eleventh-century Irish Liber Hymnorum, says that it was composed as Saint Sanctán was on a visit to his brother at the island which bore his name, Inis Matoc. The island's location has never been identified, although Canon O'Hanlon notes that an island in the lake of Templeport, County Leitrim had been suggested. He also notes that as the the Preface makes clear, up until the visit which inspired the hymn Saint Sanctán was 'completely ignorant of the Scottish language; but, that he miraculously obtained the gift of Irish metrical composition'. A most timely and useful miracle indeed! Below is the text of Saint Sanctán's hymn, with a tribute to the author appended, taken from the 1898 translation of The Irish Liber hymnorum by Bernard and Atkinson:
PREFACE TO ST. SANCTAN’S HYMN.
‘I beseech a wonderful king” Bishop Sanctan composed this hymn, and it was on his going to Clonard westward to Inis Matoc that he composed it; he was brother to Matoc, both of them being of British race, but Matoc came into Ireland earlier quam Bishop Sanctan. Causa autem haec est, to free it ab hostibus, and that his brother should be allowed (to come) to him in insulam; Scoticam uero linguam usque ad horam hanc non habuit sed deus ei tam cito eam donauit. Tempus autem dubitatur.
St. Sanctan’s Hymn.
I beseech a wonderful King of angels,
for it is a name that is mightiest;
to me (be) God for my rear, God on my left,
God for my van, God on my right!
God for my help,—holy call—
against each danger, Him I invoke!
a bridge of life let there be below me,
benediction of God the Father above me!
Let the lofty Trinity arouse us,
(each one) to whom a good death (?) is not (yet) certain!
Holy Spirit noble, strength of heaven,
God the Father, Mary’s mighty Son!
A great King who knows our offences
Lord over earth, without sin,—
to my soul for every black-sin
let never demons’ godlessness (?) visit me !
God with me, may He take away each toil!
may Christ draw up my pleadings,
may apostles come all around me,
may the Trinity of witness come to me!
May mercy come to me (on) earth,
from Christ let not (my) songs be hidden!
let not death in its death-wail reach me,
nor sudden death in disease befal me!
May no malignant thrust that stupefies and perplexes
reach me without permission of the Son of God!
May Christ save us from every bloody death,
from fire, from raging sea !
From every death-drink, that is unsafe
for my body, with many terrors!
may the Lord each hour come to me
against wind, against swift waters!
I shall utter the praises of Mary’s Son
who fights for good deeds,
(and) God of the elements will reply,
(for) my tongue (is) a lorica for battle.
In beseeching God from the heavens
may my body be incessantly laborious;
that I may not come to horrible hell
I beseech the King whom I have besought.
I beseech a wonderful King.
Bishop Sanctan ... a sage
soldier, angel famous pure-white,
may he make free my body on earth,
may he make holy my soul towards heaven !
May there be a prayer with thee for me, O Mary!
May heaven's King be merciful to us
against wound, danger and peril!
O Christ, on Thy protection (rest) we !
I beseech the King free, everlasting
Only Son of God, to watch over us;
may He protect me against sharp dangers,
He, the Child that was born in Bethlehem.
J.H. Bernard and R. Atkinson (eds. and trans.), The Irish Liber hymnorum, Vol. II (Henry Bradshaw Society, London, 1898), 47-48.
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