of Brittany employed himself to the utmost of his power in repairing Churches which had been ruind. He was a Prince magnificent in his gifts, sedulous in the worship of God, modest, averse from flattery, a valiant soldier on foot, yet more valiant on hors-back, and very skilfull in condu∣cting an army. For which vertues and endow∣ments his fame was spread through far distant regions.
4. Being so worthy a Prince, it is not altogether unlikely that this is the same Ambrosius mention'd by Eugypius in the life of S. Severin, who writes thus. Odoacer King of the Erul•• having subdued Italy wrote kind and familiar letters to S. Severin, desiring him to ask of him whatsoever he pleased. This he did in consideration that the same holy Bishop had fore∣told him that he should raign there. The Holy man encouraged with so kind an offer, requested him to free from banishment a certain person call'd Ambrosius, who had been thereto condem∣ned by the said King. Which passage being cited by Baronius, he thus adds, As concerning this Ambrosius, my opinion is that he is the same who afterward going into Brittany, with great courage attempted, and in some degree effected the freeing of that Island from the oppres∣sion of the barbarous Saxons. Thus writes the learned Cardinal, though he erroneously places the beginning of Odoacers raign in Italy too late.
5. Severall years pass'd, after the Election of Ambrosius, either in peace, or not consi∣derable war between the Brittains and Saxons: The occurrents of which time is thus descri∣b'd by S. Beda: The Brittains, under the conduct of Ambrosius Aurelianus a modest Prince, and who alone of the Roman race had remain'd after the slaughter made by the Saxons, in which his parents who had worn the Regall Purple were slain, provoking at last that Victorious Nation to combat, gave them an overthrow: And from that time now the Brittains, and now the Saxons gott the better in small encounters, till at last new forces of strangers arriving the Saxons gott possession of the whole Island.
6. During this lesse disturbed time it was that S. Patrick, many years before return'd out of Ireland, dyed in his solitary retreat at Glastenbury, as already hath been declared before the proper time, because wee would not too distractedly sett down the Gests of that glorious Apostolicall Saint. Concerning whom thus wee read in the antiquities of Glastenbury: In these days after the death of Vor••igern, Aurelius Ambrosius raigned ••ver the Brittains: And the Saxons grew strong, multiplying exceedingly. Then it was that S. Patrick the Apostle of Ireland, and first Abbot in the Isle Avallonia, after he had sufficiently instructed the foresaid Brethren in Regular Disciplines, and competently enrich'd that Monastery with posses∣sions procured from Kings and Princes, at last yeilded to nature in the thirty ninth year after his return to the said Island: And was buried in the Old Church on the right hand of the Altar by direction of an Angell, a great flame likewise in the sight of all breaking forth in the same place.
7. The Irish Writers eagerly contend against this and other Brittish testimonies concer∣ning S. Patrick's being buried in Brittany: confidently affirming that his Body reposes in the Church of Downpatrick in Ireland: Whose assertion likewise seems to be con∣firm'd by S. Bernard▪ who in the life of S. Malachias a Holy Irish Bishop writes that S. Patricks body rests in the See of Armagh: accom∣panied with those of S. Colombanus and S. Bri∣gide. But this controversy may be commo∣diously enough composed, as many of the like nature have been, by replying, that some considerable Relicks of his Sacred Body have been requested by the Irish from the Brittains and deposited at Down: Which Relicks have after by mistake been reputed his entire Body: a world of examples of the like errour being exstant in Ecclesiasticall History.