Blair Collection > Critical dissertations on the origin, antiquities, language, government, manners, and religion, of the antient Caledonians, their posterity the Picts, and the British and Irish Scots

2t8 Of the Weprn IJlands.
Of all St. Patric's difciples, excepting perhaps
Columba, Bridget had the good fortune of acquir-
ing the higheft reputation. Her miracles and pe-
regriniations, her immaculate chaftity, conltant
devotion, and high quality in point of birth, made
her very famous in Britain and Ireland. The ieveral
divifions of Britain concurred very zealoufly with
Ireland, the country that gave her birth, in treat-
ing her chara<fter with a mofl fuperflitious refpe(5t.
Through a courfe of ages fhe was thought a per-
fon of too much influence in heaven, and confe-
quendyoftoo much importance upon earth, to be
tamely relinquifhed to the inhabitants of Kildare,
who piqued themfelves upon the peculiar honor
of having her body interred in their ground. The
Irifliof Ulller challenged that honour to them-
felves. But the people of Britain v/ould never
cede a property fo invaluable : the Pids were
pofitive that her remains lay buired at Abernethy^
the capital of their dominions ; which Ne5lan the
Great, one of the moft illuftrious of their King's,
had confecrated and made over to her by a royal
and irrevocable donation*.
The Scots, after having annexed the Pidifh
territories to their own, paid a mofl extravagant
homage to the relics of Bridget in Abernethy \.
But the inhabitants of the Weftern ifles exceeded
all the admirers of this female faint, excepting
perhaps the nuns of Kildare^ in exprefling their
veneration for her. To Bridget the greateft num-
ber of their churches were dedicated : from Bridget
* See Innes in his Crit. EiTay, Append. Num. 1 1 .
t Boeth. Scot. Hift. lib. 9. Lefl. in Rege 47.
they