12.25–32

The host abbot is apparently allowed to speak to his guests.  He invites Brendan's monks to drink from the spring with clear water, and explains that the one with muddy water is used for the washing of feet, because the water is warm.  The bread, he says, is provided in some way they don't understand.  There are 24 brothers on the island and there is a daily delivery of 12 loaves, though on feast days each monk gets a complete loaf.  Extra loaves are delivered now that there are visitors. This has been going on since the days of Patrick and Ailbe, for 80 years.

[26] ex eō modo facite cāritātem: “from this, just perform an act of grace” i.e., “provide them with a meal from this.” Note that in ML cāritās can refer in particular to the Christian communal meal.

[29] ministrantur: the subject is pānēs (12.28).

per aliquam subiectam creātūram: “through a subject creation (of His).” It is unclear whether this would an animal, a special person, or an angel.

[30] vīgintī quattuor frātrēs: Revelation 4.4: “And round about the throne were four and twenty seats (Et in circuitu sedis sedilia viginti quattuor), and upon the seats four and twenty ancients sitting, clothed in white garments, and on their heads were crowns of gold.”

duodecim pānēs ad nostram refectiōnem: for miraculous feeding see Exodus 16.4: “And the Lord said to Moses, ‘Behold: I will rain bread from heaven for you.' ” (Jerome, Life of Paul 10).

[31] ut coenam habeant ex fragmentīs: here coena must be an an additional meal, “supper.”

modo in adventū vestrō: "only, because of your arrival."

duplicem annōnam habēmus: double rations are provided miraculously to accommodate the visitors.

[32] sānctī Patriciī et sānctī Ailbēī: the famous Saint Patrick (middle or late fifth century) and Ailbe.  This suggests that the abbot is not Ailbe himself.

usque modo: “until now” (see on 11.38).

per octōgintā annōs: Brendan’s traditional dates are 484 to 577 / 583 CE; if this episode took place in, say, 550, the abbot would have arrived at his island in 470.