EITHENE
369
EITHNE
vember, 1563, he began to teach it in January, 1564.
Duke Albert V of Bavaria chose him as councillor,
appointed him provost of the collegiate church of
Moosburg, and shortly afterwards of the collegiate
church of Altotting and the cathedral church of Pas-
sau. In 1563 and 1564 he took part in the politico-
religious conferences at the imperial court of Vienna;
in 1566 Duke Albert sent him to Pope Pius V to advo-
cate the appointment of Prince Ernest as Prince-
Bishop of Freising, and in 156S-9 he was imperial
court chaplain at Vienna. In 1570 he was appointed
superintendent of the Ihiiversity of Ingolstadt, and
henceforth he turned his whole attention to the ad-
vancement of the university.
Just at this time the friction between the lay pro- fessors and the Jesuits, which dated from the time when the latter began to hold professorial chairs at the university in 1556, threatened to become serious. In 1568 Eisengrein and Peter Canisius had peacefully settled certain differences between the two factions, but when in 1571 Duke .\lbert decided to put the pcedagogium and the philosophical course into the hands of the Jesuits, the other professors loudly pro- tested. By his tact Eisengrein succeeded in tempo- rarily reconciling the non-Jesuit professors to the new arrangement. Soon, however, hostilities began anew, and in order to put an end to these quarrels, the Jesuits transferred the Pwdagogium and philosophical course to Munich in 1573. It seems that the Jesuits were indispensable to the University of Ingolstadt, for two years later they were urgently requested by the university to return, and in 1576 they again went to Ingolstadt. In the settlement of the differences between the Jesuit and non-Jesuit professors, Eisen- grein always had the welfare of the university at heart. He publicly acknowledged the great efficiency of the Jesuits as educators in an oration which he de- livered before the professors and students of the uni- versity on 19 February, 1571, and he was pleased to see their influence gradually increase at Ingolstadt. There were indeed, some differences between Eisen- grein and the Jesuits in 1572, but the estrangement was only temjiorary, as is apparent from the fact that he bequeathed 100 florins to the Jesuit library.
The greatest service which Eisengrein rendered the University of Ingolstadt was his organization of its library. It was owing to his efforts that the valuable private libraries of John Egolph, Bishop of Augsburg, Thaddeus Eck, chancellor of Duke Albert, and Ru- dolph Clenek, professor of theology at Ingolstadt, were added to the university library. Eisengrein's activities were not confined to the university. By numerous controversial sermons, some of which are masterpieces of oratory, he contributed not a little to the suppression of Lutheranism in Bavaria. Many of his sermons were published separately and collectively in German and Latin during his lifetime. Some have been edited by Brischar in "Die kath. Kanzelredner Deutschlands (Schaffhausen, 1867-70), I, 434-545. He is also the author of a frequently reprinted history of the shrine of the Blessed Virgin at Altotting (In- golstadt, 1571) and a few other works of minor im- portance.
Pfleger. Martin Eisengrein in Erlauteruntjen und Ergdn- zuTigen zii Jan-^sens Gesch. des deut^chen Volkes (Freiburg im Br., 1908), VI, fasc. 2 and 3: Idem, Martin Eisengrein und die Universitat Ingolstadt in H istorisch-politische Blatter (Munich, 1904), CXXXIV. 70.5-23. 785-811; Koeolt. Bagerisches Ge- lehrten-Lexikon (Landshut, 1795), I, 195-201; R.Kss, Die Con- vertiten seit der Reformation (Freiburg im Br.. 1866), I, 364-412.
Michael Ott.
Eithene, S.vint. styled "daughter of Baite", with her sister .Sodelbia, are commemorated in the Irish calendars under 20 March. They were daughters of Aidh, son of Caibre, King of Leinster, who flourished about the middle of the sixth century. The desig- nation "daughters of Baite" usually coupled with v.— 24
their names would seem not to refer to any title of
their father, but might be more correctly interpreted
as the "children of Divine or ardent love". This
interpretation is further strengthened by an account
of a vision, accorded the two virgins, in which it is
related that Christ in the form of an infant rested
in their arms. In one of the legends contained in
the "Acts" of St. Moling, Bishop of Ferns, it is told
that Eithene and her sister were visited by this
venerable saint. The abode of St. Eithene, called
Tech-Ingen-Bciithe, or the "House of the daughters
of Baite" lay near Swords, in the present Barony of
Nethercross, County Dublin. This saint is also
venerated at Killnais, the former name of a townland
in the same locality.
CoLGAN. Acta Sanctorum Hibemice (Louvain, 1645); Ledbhnr Breach: O'Donovan, Annals of the Four Masters: O'Currt. Lectures (Dublin, 1860); Tono, St. Patrick (Celtic Scotland) (London, 1864); Skene. Ordnance Survey Letters; Martyrology of Donegal; Kalendar of Drummond.
J. B. CULLEN.
Eithne, Saint, styled "of the golden hair", is commemorated in the Irish martyrologies under the 11th of January. She was daughter of Leoghaire, Ard-Righ, or Hy-Sovereign of Ireland at the time of St. Patrick's first visit, as a missionary, to the court of Tara (433). According to the prevailing custom of those days the children of kings and princes were frequently placed, at an early age, in charge of the family of some of the chieftains who coveted the honour of guardianship of the royal offspring. Hence it is assumed that Eithne and her younger sister were fostered close to Cruachan Magh Ai, the dwelling-place, or royal residence, of the Gaelic kings of Connaught. However the brief story of the saint 's life centres in the one scene, which took place beside the brook of Clebach, Coimty Ros- common, and is described in the "Acts" of the national apostle of Ireland.
On his way to the royal abode, during his mission to the western province, it is told that St. Patrick and his disciples camped one evening close to the Well of Clebach. On the following day the clerics rose at dawn to chant the Divine Office, and prepare for the mystic sacrifice. It would appear that the two royal princesses were accustomed to visit the same fountain in the early morn, and on this occasion were surprised at the appearance of the strange com- pany who were in possession of the place. They were not, however, dismayed, and Eithne, the elder of the sisters, accosted Patrick and his companions, asking who they were and whence they came. Whereupon the apostle said — "It were better for you to confess your faith in our true God than ask about our race." Then, at their request, St. Patrick unfolded to them the doctrines of Christianity, which, under the influence of Divine grace, they accepted with heart and soul. Having baptized them, the saint placed on their brows the veil of virginity.
Then, it is related, Eithne and her sister asked "to see the face of Christ, the Son of the true God", but Patrick said: "You cannot see the face of Christ unless you ta.ste death, and receive the Sacrifice". Whereupon they besought him to give them the Sacrifice that they might see their Spouse, the Son of God. So, by the brink of the fountain, the Sacrifice was offered, and having received their First Com- mimion, Eithne and her sister, in an ecstasy of rap- ture, swooned away and died. When the days of mourning were ended both were laid side by side, close by the scene of their death, where afterwards a church was raised over the grave.
CoLOAN, Acta Sanctorum Hibernite (Louvain, 1645); Tripar- tite Life of St. Patrick: Book of Armagh; Manners and Customs of the Ancient Irish; Healt, Life of St. Patrick (Dublin, 1895).
J. B. CUIXEN.
