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46 SCOTTISH ANNALS
corrected from their ancient error, and nearly all who were
free from the dominion of the monks of lona and ; persuaded
them to observe the lawful time of Easter.
And after celebrating the canonical Easter in Ireland,
when he had returned to his island, and preached most persistently
to his monastery the catholic observance of the time
of Easter, and yet could not accomplish what he attempted,
it happened that he departed from the world before the cycle
of the year was completed : the divine grace manifestly disposing
that the man most zealous for unity and peace should
be removed to eternal life before the Easter time returned
when he would have been compelled to have more grievous
strife with them who refused to follow him to the truth. 1
The same man wrote a book upon the Holy Places, most
useful to many readers ; its author by instruction and dictation
was Arcwulf, bishop of Gaul, who for the sake of the
holy places had gone to Jerusalem, and after traversing all
the land of promise had visited Damascus also, Constantinople,
Alexandria, and many islands of the sea. And returning
by ship to his own land he was carried by the violence
and after many
of a storm to the western shores of Britain ;
things came to the said servant of Christ, Adamnan and
;
there he was found to be a man learned in the Scriptures and
acquainted with the holy places, and was most gladly received
by him, and more gladly heard insomuch that ;
everything
worthy of mention that he testified he had seen in holy
places, [Adamnan] took care immediately to commit it all
to writing.
And he made a work useful to many, as I have said and
;
especially to those who, separated a long way from these
1 Cf. in the letter of abbot Ceolfrid to Nechtan, king of the Picts ; Bede,
"
H.E., V, 21, i, 344 : But do not imagine that I pursue this so far as to
judge that those who have this tonsure are to be damned, if they have
favoured catholic unity in faith and works : nay, I profess confidently that
very many among them have been holy men and worthy of God ; and among
these is Adamnan, chief abbot and priest of the Columbite monks. When
he was sent to king Aldfrid as legate of his nation, and wished to see our
monastery also, [Wearmouth and Jarrow,] and showed in his customs and
words wonderful prudence and humility and . .
religion.
." Ceolfrid argued
with him about his bearing the Celtic tonsure, i, 345: "These things I
said to Adamnan at that time ; and he proved how much he had profited by
seeing the statutes of our churches when he returned to Scotland [Ireland],
and afterwards corrected by his preaching many multitudes of that nation
to the catholic observance of the time of Easter. Nevertheless those monks
who dwelt in the island of lona, and over whom he was placed in the special
office of ruler, he was not yet able to bring over to the way
of the better
statute. The tonsure also he would have remembered to amend, if he had
had so much authority."