Texts
Vita sanctae Brigitae (Cogitosus)
Incoming data
Early Latin Life of St Brigit, possibly the earliest of its kind to survive. BHL 1457.
Manuscript witnesses
Text
Angers, Bibliothèque municipale, MS 123
Extracts.
Text
ff. 81a–87b
Text
Mons, Bibliothèque Centrale de l'Université, MS 847 1963/2139
Fragment. Olim Nivelles, Bibliothèque d'Alphonse Wins, MS 4.
ff. 25r*–26r*
Text
Paris, Bibliothèque nationale de France, MS lat. 2999
Breaks off due to damage done to the manuscript.
ff. 36r*–40v
Text
ff. 1a–5b
Text
Salisbury, Cathedral Library, MS 221
Olim Oxford, Bodleian Library, MS Fell 4 (previously Fell 3).
ff. 108a–116b
Sources
Primary sources Text editions and/or modern translations – in whole or in part – along with publications containing additions and corrections, if known. Diplomatic editions, facsimiles and digital image reproductions of the manuscripts are not always listed here but may be found in entries for the relevant manuscripts. For historical purposes, early editions, transcriptions and translations are not excluded, even if their reliability does not meet modern standards.
[ed.] [tr.] Hochegger, Karina, “Untersuchungen zu den ältesten Vitae sanctae Brigidae”, MPhil thesis, Universität Wien, Philologisch-Kulturwissenschaftliche Fakultät, 2009.
abstract:
This thesis shall provide a comprehensive and detailed analysis of the two oldest Lives of saint Brigid of Kildare, the “Life by Cogitosus” and the so-called “Vita prima”. It will also illustrate the most important findings concerning the intentions of the presumed authors in writing these Lives. Dating of the Life by Cogitosus to the third quarter of the 7th century appears to be appropriate based on the reference that Muirchú makes to Cogitosus and his work. Cogitosus was likely an intellectual member within Kildare’s monastic society and he would have been able to write. His political aim in creating a Life of saint Brigid and establishing her as one of the main saints was to strengthen both the influence and power of the monastic centre and its parochia. The Life contains accounts of miracles describing the beauty and greatness of the church of Kildare, the sepulture of Brigid and her bishop Conleth, and the wonders that supposedly took place after Brigid’s death. This would inspire believers from across Ireland to make pilgrimages to Kildare. The reason for establishing the Life may have been the competition between the two main churches of Ireland during the 7th century, Kildare and Armagh. Both of them wanted to spread their power and their parochia. There is no proof of a direct relationship between Cogitosus and the Uí Dúnlainge, the ruling dynasty of Leinster at that time. But it is clear that the expansion of the sphere of control of Kildare was on behalf of the governance of Leinster. There are compositional and structural aspects which support McCone’s theory that the Vita prima came after the Life by Cogitosus, in the middle of the 8th century. This is because passages from the Life by Cogitosus can be found at the end of Vita prima and because of the friendly relationship between Patrick and Brigid, the two main saints of Armagh and Kildare. Despite the efforts of Vita prima’s author to create a thorough account of Brigid’s travels, there can be found inconsistencies throughout this Life. The author also neglected Kildare, and emphasized Brigid as a nomad saint; he intended to establish a national saint in Brigid by compiling miraculous stories in order to illustrate her nationwide political-ecclesiastic influence.
(source: Abstract)
E-theses Universität Wien: <link>
Edition, with translation into German, introduction and commentary
[ed.] Bollandus, Ioannes, and Godefridus Henschenius, Acta sanctorum quotquot toto orbe coluntur, vel a catholicis scriptoribus celebrantur, 68 vols, vol. 3: Februarius I, Antwerp: Ioannes Meursius, 1658.
Google Books: <link>
135–141 ‘Vita II S. Brigidae’, reprinted in PL 72, cols 775-790
[ed.] Colgan, John, Triadis Thaumaturgæ seu divorum Patricii, Columbæ et Brigidæ, trium veteris et maioris Scotiæ, seu Hiberniæ sanctorum insulae communium patronorum acta, Louvain: apud Cornelium Coenestenium, 1647.
comments: The title page reads in full (normalised spellng): Triadis Thaumaturgæ, seu divorum Patricii, Columbæ, et Brigidæ, trium veteris et majoris Scotiæ, seu Hiberniæ, Sanctorum insulæ, communium patronorum acta, a variis, iisque pervetustis ac Sanctis, authoribus Scripta, ac studio R.P.F. Joannis Colgani, in conventu F.F. Minor. Hibernor, Stritior, Observ., Lovanii, S. Theologiæ Lectoris Jubilati, ex variis bibliothecis collecta, scholiis et commentariis illustrata, et pluribus appendicibus aucta; complectitur tomus secundus sacrarum ejusdem insulæ antiquitatum, nunc primum in lucem prodiens.
[ed.] Canisius, Hendricus, Antiquae lectionis, 6 vols, vol. 5: Bipartitus: in quo L. vetera monumenta, nunquam visa, Pauculis exceptis, Ingoldstadt, 1604.
623–641 (part 2) First printed edition.
[tr.] Freeman, Philip, Two lives of Saint Brigid, Dublin: Four Courts Press, 2024.
abstract:
St Brigid is the earliest and best-known of the female saints of Ireland. In the generation after St Patrick, she established a monastery for men and women at Kildare which became one of the most powerful and influential centres of the Church in early Ireland.The stories of Brigid’s life and deeds survive in several early sources, but the most important are two Latin Lives written a century or more after her death. The first was composed by a churchman named Cogitosus and tells of her many miracles of healing and helping the poor. The second source, known as the Vita Prima, continues the tradition with more tales of marvellous deeds and journeys throughout the island. Both Latin sources are a treasure house of information not just about the legends of Brigid but also about daily life, the role of women, and the spread of Christianity in Ireland.This book for the first time presents together an English translation of both the Life of Brigid by Cogitosus and the Vita Prima, along with the Latin text of both, carefully edited from the best medieval manuscripts. With an Introduction by Professor Freeman, this book makes these fascinating stories of St Brigid accessible to general readers, students and scholars.
[tr.] Connolly, Seán, and J.-M. Picard, “Cogitosus’ Life of St Brigit: content and value”, The Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland 117 (1987): 5–27.
comments: Introduction (Connolly) and English translation (Connolly and Picard, pp. 11–27).
11–27 Translation
Secondary sources (select)
Connolly, Seán, and J.-M. Picard, “Cogitosus’ Life of St Brigit: content and value”, The Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland 117 (1987): 5–27.
comments: Introduction (Connolly) and English translation (Connolly and Picard, pp. 11–27).
Kenney, James F., “Chapter V: The monastic churches: II. The churches of the sixth to ninth centuries; general treatises”, in: James F. Kenney, The sources for the early history of Ireland: an introduction and guide. Volume 1: ecclesiastical, Revised ed., 11, New York: Octagon, 1966. 372–485.
359–360 [id. 147.]
Bray, Dorothy Ann, “Ireland's other Apostle: Cogitosus' St Brigit”, Cambrian Medieval Celtic Studies 59 (Summer, 2010): 55–70.
Esposito, Mario, “On the earliest Latin life of St. Brigid of Kildare”, Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy 30 C (1912–1913): 307–326.
comments: March 1912
Internet Archive: <link>
McCone, Kim R., “Brigit in the seventh century: a saint with three lives?”, Peritia 1 (1982): 107–145.
