The word _pater_, which, as we have already shown, is one of those that
make the whole world kin, was the source of _patria_ (the father-land),
and of far too many words in all tongues to recount. _Patres Conscripti_
was the title of the senators, and the _patricii_, the privileged class
of old Rome, were so called as descendants from the original thirty
_patres_. _Patricius_ (the noble) was as a title given half in jest to
the young Roman-British Calpurnius, who was stolen by Irish pirates in
his youth, and when ransomed, returned again to be the apostle of his
captors, and left a name passionately revered in that warm-hearted land.
The earlier Irish, however, were far too respectful to their apostle to
call themselves by his name, but were all Mael-Patraic, the shaveling,
or pupil of Patrick, or Giolla-Patraic, the servant of Patrick. This
latter, passing to Scotland with the mission of St. Columba, turned into
the Gospatric, or Cospatrick, the boy (gossoon or _garçon_) of Patrick,
Earls of Galloway; and in both countries the surname Gilpatrick, or
Kilpatrick, has arisen from it.
Afterwards these nations left off the humble prefix, and came to calling
themselves Phadrig in Ireland, Patrick in Scotland; the former so
universally as to render Pat and Paddy the national soubriquet. Latterly
a bold attempt has been made in Ireland to unite Patrick and Peter as
the same, so as to have both patron saints at once, but the Irish will
hardly persuade any one to accept it but themselves. The Scotch Pate, or
Patie, is frequent, though less national; and the feminine, Patricia,
seems to be a Scottish invention. The fame of the curious cave, called
St. Patrick’s Purgatory, brought pilgrims from all quarters, and
Patrice, Patrizio, and Patricio, all are known in France, Italy, and
Spain, the latter the most frequently. Even Russia has Patrikij.
Paternus (the fatherly) was the Latin name of two Keltic saints, one
Armorican, the other of Avranches, where he is popularly called Saint
Pari.[83]