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THE LIVES
OF
THE BRITISH SAINTS
The Saints of Wales and Cornwall and
SUCH Irish Saints as have Dedications
IN Britain
By
S. BARING-GOULD, M.A.,
AND
JOHN FISHER, B.D.
^
In Four Volumes
VOL. IV.
London :
The Honourable Society of Cymmrodorion
New Stone Buildings, 64, Chancery Lane
1913
5
A. -1-5 (o3f L
Publishers' Note
The Honourable Society of Cymmrodorion, in
issuing the fourth and last volume of The Lives
of the British Saints, desire to express their thanks to
those subscribers who by their contributions enabled
the Council to carry the undertaking to a satisfactory
conclusion. Some of the further support hoped for on
the production of the first volume, is still required to
meet the heavy expense incurred in the publication
of the complete work, and the favourable recep-
tion accorded to the Lives by the Home and Foreign
Press, justifies the further appeal which is now made,
for additional subscriptions. To the joint authors,
the Society and the subscribers are most deeply
indebted for many years of ungrudging and unre-
munerated labour. For the Society, E. Vincent Evans,
Secretary, and Editor of Transactions.
Contents of Volume IV
s.
s.
s.
s.
s.
s.
The Lives —
S. Nectan — S. Ystyffan . . . . . . . ' i
List of Illustrations ....... iv
APPENDIX
Genealogies of the Welsh Saints —
{a) Bonked y Seint ....... 369
(fe) Bonhed Seint Kymry . . . . . .371
Asaph {Vita Sancti Assaph) ..... 373
Beuno ......... 374
Cawrdaf (Cywydd Cawrda Sunt) ..... 374
Collen (Buchedd Collen) ...... 375
Curig (Appended to Bucked Ciric) .... 378
Cybi (Vita S. Kebii) ....... 379
„ (Teulu Cybi Sani and Y Saitk Gefnder Sant) . . 383
S. Cyndeyrn or Kentigern (Grants by Maelgwn Gwynedd) . 384
S. Cynhafal (Cywydd Cynkafal Sani) .... 386
S. Deiniol (Tke Life of S. Deiniol) . .■< . . . 387
„ (Cywydd i Ddeiniel Bangor) .... 393
S. Doged (Owdl S. Doget) ....... 393
S. Dwynwen (Cywydd i Ddwynwen) ..... 395
S. Dyfnog (Cywydd i Ddyfnog) . . . . . " . 396
S. Gwenfrewi or Winefred (Buchedd Gwenfrewi) . . . 397
S. Gwyndaf Hen (His "Sayings ") . . . . . 424
S. leuan Gwas Padrig (Bucked Jeiian Guas Badric) . . 425
S. Llawddog or Lleuddad (Biiched Leudoc St.) . . . 426
(Cywydd i Lowddog) . . . 428
S. Llonio (Owdl Llonio Sant) ...... 429
S. Llwchaiarn (Cywydd Llwckaiam) . . . . .431
S. Mechell (Malo) (Cywydd i Fechell Sant) . . . 432
S. Mordeyrn (Cywydd i Fordeyrn) ..... 433
S. Mwrog (Cywydd i Fwrrog Sant) ..... 435
The 20,000 Saints of Bardsey (Cywydd i'r Ugain Mil Saint) 436
,, (Cywydd Arall i'r Ugain Mil Saint) . . 437
Addenda et Corrigenda ........ 439
Index ............ 445
List of Subscribers ......... 475
111
List of Illustrations
PAGE
S. Noyala. From Statue at Noyal-Pontivy ..... facing 14
Reliquary at Llanidan. Photo by Wm. Marriott Dodson . . „ 16
Tomb of S. Non at Dirinon. From " Archcsologia Cambrensis " . ,, 22
S. Non's Chapel, (a) S.-W. angle ; (b) Remains of Masonry . ,, 24
S. Pabo. From Slab at Llanbabo. Photo by Wm. Marriott Dodson ,, 38
S. Patrick. From Window at S. Neot . ■ . . . ■ ,, 7°'
S. Paul of Leon. Group of Crosses at Ploudalmezou . . .,,&<>
S. Paul of Leon. From Statue at Lampaul-Guimiliau . . . ,, 86
S. Petroc. (a) From Statue at S. Petroc Minor; (b) From Rood
Screen at Lew Trenchard ... ....,, 102
S. Pompaea delivered to be educated. From her Shrine at Langoat . ,, lo6'
S. Pompaea, leaving Britain with S. Tudwal. Froyn her Shrine . ,, 108
S. Rhychwyn. From Sixteenth Century Glass in Llanrhychwyn
Church. Photo by Wm. Marriott Dodson ....,, 114
Tomb of S. Ronan at Locronan. ......,, 122
S. Samson, (a) Camp and Cave at Stackpole ; (b) Cave at Stackpole „ 150.
S. Samson, (a) Sailing towards Armorica ; (6) Presiding at the
Council of Prelates . . . . . . . ,, i60'
S. Sidwell. From Statue at S. Sidwell's Church, Exeter . . ,, 174
S. Seiriol. From Fifteenth Century Glass at Penmon . . . ,, 178
S. Sannan. From Modern Glass in Llansannan Church {from original
drawing by Mr. H. Gustave Hitler) ...... 192
S. Teilo. From Fifteenth Century Glass at Plogonnec, Finistire . ,, 240
S Tyrnog. From Modern Glass at Llandyrnog. (Drawing by A. C.R.) „ 260
S. Thegonnec. From Statue at S. Thigonnec . . . • ,, 262
CapelTrillo, Llandrillo-yn-Rhos. Photo by Wm. Marriott Dodson . „ 264
S. Twrog. From Window at Maentwrog Church. Photo by Win. Marriott
Dodson ............ 280
S. TyssiUo. From Statue at S. Suliac ......,, 302
S. Ursula, [a) The Inscription of Clematius, Cologne ; (6) The Trea-
sury of the bones of S. Ursula and her Companions, Cologne . . ,,314
S. Winwaloe. From Statue at Kernuz .....,, 362
IV
LIVES OF THE BRITISH SAINTS
Vol. iv.
S. NECTAN, Bishop, Martyr
A REPUTED son of Brychan, according to the lists given by William
of Worcester and Leland. His great foundation was at Hartland,
Devon ; but he had other churches, at Wellcombe, where is his Holy
Well, at Poundstock, where he has been displaced to make room for
S. Neot, and at Ashcombe, in Devon. He had a chapel at Trethevy
in Tintagel, and another at S. Winnow, which has been restored, and
is still in use. Anciently there must have been one at Launceston,
for a Nectan fair is there held on his day. There was also one at
S. Newlyn.
The account of the Martyrdom oi S. Nectan is in an extract from
his Legend at Hartland, made by William of Worcester. He was
fallen upon by robbers, at Nova Villa, i.e., New Stoke, where now
stands the church ; and his head was struck off. After which, he took
up his head and carried it for the space of a stadium, a little over
600 feet, to the spring near which he had dwelt in his cabin, and then
he placed it on a stone, which long remained dyed with his blood.
Nectan, or Nechtan, is not a Welsh name, nor even, originally, an
Irish name, but is Pictish.^ Nectan does not occur among the sons
of Brychan given by the Welsh authorities.
The late Rev. R. S. Hawker, of Morwenstow, related, as a legend
picked up by him there, that when Morwenna was dying, her brother
Nectan came to minister to her, and she bade him bear her to the cliff,
and turn her head so that with her dying eyes she might look towards
Wales. But Mr. Hawker was a man of hvely imagination, and the
story may be merely hen trovato.
William of Worcester says that Nectan's day is June 17. This is
also Nectan's day in the Exeter Calendar, in the Altemps Martyrology
of the thirteenth century, and in a Norwich Martyrology of the fifteenth
century [Cotton MS. Julius, B. vii). Curiously enough, the Irish
Martyrologies give " The Sons of Nectan " on the same day. They
are said to have been of Drumbric, but in what part of Ireland is not
1 In Welsh it assumes the form Neithon, and occurs in Bede as Naiton.
VOL. IV.
1 B
2 Lives of the British Saints
known, nor are their names recorded. Wilson, in his Martyrology,
1640, gives February 14, and for this he must have had some authority,
as on this day a fair is held at S. Nectan's Chapel, in S. Winnow. The
feast at Hartland and at S. Winnow is on June 17.
S. Nectan's Well is at Stoke, near Hartland Church.
A tradition exists at S. Winnow that S. Nectan hved at Coombe, a
ruined farm near S. Nectan's Chapel, and that he was martyred at
Tollgate, some distance off.
S. Nighton's (Nectan's) Keive is a waterfall at Trethevy where was
his chapel.
S. Nectan is represented on the tower of Hartland Church, and in
the west panel of the Churchyard cross, as a Bishop.
Nicolas Roscarrock says : " The Life of S. Nectane at the end of a
booke very auntiently in the library of Martine Collidge in Oxford,
which my learned and laborious friend Mr. Camden haveing took a
briefe note of which he imparted to me, and when I importuned to gett
me a coppie of the life at lardge which by report was not very longe, hee
found att the second search that it was imbezled, being cutt out of the
booke and carried away. ... I have besides a manuscript that
telleth me that the day of his feast is the i8th of May, and that he was
a Martyr and buryed att the monastery of Hartland . . . and sonne
to S. Brachan or Brechanus a great name of Wales, and this note
following which I received off Mr. Cam:'.en my fore-named friende,
and necessary I thinke to bee layde downe." Then come the usual
Life names of the children of Brechanus. The MS. was probably the
same as that consulted by William of Worcester. Roscarrock adds
that a bone of S. Nectan was reserved as a relic in Waltham Abbey.
S. NEFFEI, Confessor
Neffei was, according to the late lists, a son of Brychan by his
third wife, Proistri, a Spaniard. He and his broth ers-german,
Pasgen and Pabiali, are said to have left this country and gone to
Spain, where they became " saints and principals." ^ But the authori-
ties are late.
Neffei is, no doubt, a misreading of the Dettu, or Dedyu, of the
Cognatio, given as the name of a son of Clydwyn, son of Brychan. In
1 Peniarth MS. 178 (sixteenth century), p. 21 ; Myv. Arch., pp. 419, 428 ;
lolo MSS., pp. Ill, 119, 140.
S. Nefydd
fact, Hugh Thomas (d. 1741), the Breconshire herald, makes him, as
Nevith, a son of Clydwyn, and adds that he " was King of Brecknock
and had issue a son called Tudor ... he went with Pasgen who was
the son of St. Dingad and Pabiel or Pabien to Spain where they were
aU Saints." 1
S. NEFYDD, Confessor
There is considerable confusion respecting the Brychan saint of this
name. It is given in the lolo documents — our sole authority — as the
name of — (i) a son of Brychan ; (2) a son of Rhun Dremradd ab
Brychan ; (3) a son of Nefydd Ail ab Rhun Dremrudd ; and (4) a
daughter of Brychan.
As son of Brychan he is said to have founded the church of Llan-
nefydd, Denbighshire, and afterwards to have become a bishop in the
North, where he was slain by the pagan Saxons and the Picts. ^
The Cognatio knows nothing of a Nefydd as related to the Brychan
family ; and the lolo notices say nothing of either Nefydd ab Rhun
or his son, beyond giving the former a brother, Andras, and the latter
a son, Tewdwr Brycheiniog.^ Nefydd is a well-attested man's name,
the best known being Nefydd Hardd, who lived in the twelfth century.
Bishop Forbes identifies him with Neveth, who was killed by the
Picts and Scots and is esteemed a martyr. " The ecclesiastical dis-
trict of Neuyth (Nevay), now united to Essie, near Meigle, lies within
the old Pictish territory. Perhaps S. Neveth was buried at Neuyth." *
Skene also brings Nefydd ab Rhun up North, where he was bishop, and
thinks his name is probably preserved in Rosneveth, now Rosneath.^
Llannefydd Church has been dedicated for centuries to the Blessed
Virgin, with festival on her Nativity, September 8 (in Lhuyd, " Gwyl
Vair Dhiwaetha "). The name is usually spelt in early documents
Llan-yfydd, -ufydd, or some similar form, which Leland " and others
have, properly enough, rendered " fanum obedientiae." Ufydd, or
"■ Harleian MS. 4,181, f. 720;. ^ lolo MSS., pp. iii, 119, 120, 140.
^ Pp. 121, 140. * Kalendars of Scottish Saints, 1872, p. 420.
s Celtic Scotland, 1887, ii, p. 36.
" Itin., V, p. 62. In Willis-Edwards, S. Asaph, i8oi, i, p. 383, the church is
given as dedicated to S. Efydd. Edward Lhuyd, in his notes on the parish (1699),
says, " There are stones on end, etc., by the churchyard wall, which are called
Bedd iFrymder, with a circular dike about them. He [Frymder] was a saint
according to the inhabitants." Ffrymden's grave is also mentioned in Peniarth
MS. 267, and Llanstephan MS. 18. -
4- Lives of the British Saints
Ufudd, meaning " obedient, humble," is the present-day local pronun-
ciation of the second part of the name, and it may possibly be regarded
as a Christian name derived from an adjective, like Afan from Amandus.
However, in support of Nefydd it may be mentioned that we find two
other supposed sons of Brychan in the neighbourhood, Cynbryd at
Llanddulas, and Cynfran at Llysfaen ; and the disappearance of the
initial n might well be due to that letter being the final one in Llan
and Ffynnon, just as Llanidan, with its Ffynnon Idan, in Anglesey,
has resulted in the confusion there of Aidan with Nidan, the proper
patron.
Ffynnon Ufj^dd, a small bath at the bottom of a field below the
village, is now in a dilapidated and uncared-for condition. Huw
Lhfon informs us in a cywydd written in 1604, when the stone-work
round the well was reconstructed by the Vicar, Evan Morris, that cures
were effected by bathing in it three Fridays in succession. 1
For Nefydd as a daughter of Brychan see S. Hunydd. ^ Theophilus
Jones,^ and others, make her also patron of Llannefydd.
S. NEFYN, see S. NYFAIN.
S. NEOT, Hermit, Confessor
The material available for the Life of this saint has been collected
by the Rev. G. C. Gorham, Fellow of Queen's College, Cambridge, in
his History and Antiquities oj Eynesbury and S. Neot's in Huntingdon-
shire, London, 1820, in the Appendix, pp. 249-63.
In Asser's Acts of King Alfred a reference occurs to the " Life of the
holy father Neot " (ut in Vita Sci Patris Neoti legitur), showing that
there was a contemporary biography of the saint, written between 877
and 893, unless the passage be an interpolation.
This, however, no longer exists, but to this probably reference is made
in an Anglo-Saxon Life of the saint, composed in the eleventh century.
" He was in youth, thus the Book saith, set to biblical lore," and
again, " It is said in writing that this saint went to Glastonbury."
Eight MS. Lives of Neot exist ; but these may be reduced to four ;
three being merely abstracts, and one a copy.
^ The poem occurs in a seventeenth century MS. of Welsh Poetry, at f. 1246,
at S. Beuno's (Jesuit) College.
2 iii, p. 285. ' Breconshire, ed. 1898, p. 31.
S. ISeot 5
1. The Anglo-Saxon Life, MS. Cotton Vespasian, D. xiv, a tract of
twelve pages. The scene is laid in the West of England, and no men-
tion is made of the translation of the body into Huntingdonshire.
It was probably a Homily for the Church and College of Priests at S.
Neot's, Cornwall. It omits all the miracles attributed to the saint in
the other Lives, but has in it one legend not in the rest. But it con-
tains the strange anachronism, common to the other Lives, which
asserts that Neot, who died about 877, was ordained by Elpheg, Bishop
of Winchester (936-51). It has been printed by Gorham, pp. 256-61.
2. A second Life in the Bodleian Library, Bodley 535, a MS. cf the
twelfth century. It omits the legendary tales, respecting the saint'i
residence in Cornwall. A copy of this Life was seen in 1538 by Leland
in the library of S. Neot's Priory,'^ and another fell into his hands at
Croyland.^ The prologue begins : " Incipit prologus de vita Sli Neoti
presbyteri et confessaris " ; and the Life begins : " Scs igitur Neotus
fecunde Britanie que nunc Anglia dtf." It has been very inaccurately
printed by Whitaker, in his Life of S. Neot, London, i8og, pp. 339-65 ;
and extracts by Gorham, in his Appendix, pp. 261-3, also an account
of the Translation, pp. 266-70.
In Corpus Christi College, Cambridge, MS. Parker 161, is a thirteenth
century abridgment of this Life.
3. A third Life, MS. Cotton Claudius, A. v, written at the close of
the thirteenth or early in the fourteenth century. The prologue
begins : " Incipit plogus in vitam Sancti Neoti abbatis " ; and the Life
begins : " Diis aut. noster jhc. xpc." It is from this Life that the
fabulous tales respecting S. Neot's residence in Cornwall are derived.
It has been printed by Mabillon, from a MS. formerly at Bee, in Acta
SS. 0. s. B. saec. iv, 2, pp. 324-36 ; and by the Bollandists, Acta SS.
Jul. vii, pp. 319-29.
From this Life, John of Tynemouth composed his biography, which
is printed in Capgrave's Nova Legenda Anglice.
4. A metrical Life, Magdalen College, Oxford, MS. 53, a composition
of the fourteenth century, based on the third Life. It has been very
incorrectly published by Whitaker in his Life of S. Neot, pp. 317-38.
Considerable obscurity hangs over the birth-place and parentage of
S. Neot. His biographers make contradictory statements upon these
points. The father of Neot is variously stated to have been King of
the East Angles, ^ King of the West Angles (West Saxons ?) and of
Kent,* and Tetrarch of Kent;^ but they agree in the name of the father,
1 Leland, De Script., C, cxiii. ^ Leland, Itin., iv, app. pp. 1-2.
' MS. Bodley 535. * MS. Cotton Claudius, A.v and John of Tynemouth.
^ Mabillon and Acta SS.
6 Lives of the British Saints
though giving it in various forms as Fidulf, Eldulf, Edulph and
Adulph, which are all variations of Ethelwulf, who was the father of
King Athelstan (illegitimate, d. 854), and of King Ethelbald (858-
60), Ethelbert (860-6), Ethelred (866-71), and Alfred (871-901).
We may suspect that he was an illegitimate son of Ethelwulf."-:
In early life he had some inducements to enter the army, but he was
a little man, far below the average height, and that probably weighed
on him in his abandonment of a mihtary profession, in which he would
incur ridicule, and his adoption of the religious life.^ He retired to
Glastonbury, where he assumed the monastic habit.
There he became eminent for his literary attainments, as well as
for his piety and modesty of demeanour ; and he delighted in spending
the night in prayer in the church.
Having been admitted to Holy Orders he was made sacristan of the
abbey ; but at last, yearning for the solitary life, he abandoned Glas-
tonbury, accompanied by an attendant, named Bari, and sought refuge
in Cornwall. He probably went first to S. German's, where he may
have rested awhile and instituted inquiries as to where he could find a
suitable retreat. Thence he would take the road to Liskeard, and
perhaps he made his first lodgment at Menhenniot (Maen-hen-Neot).
the Old Stone of Neot. This, however, can only be matter of conjec-
ture. From thence by a very ancient road leading from Liskeard to
Bodmin and Wadebridge, along which at intervals are prehistoric
camps, he travelled till he dropped down on an exquisitely beautiful
valley, through which dances a crystal stream that flows out of Dozmare
Pool on the great moors to the North. Behind rose furzy downs to the
height of nine hundred feet, crowned by an earthwork, and before was
Goonzion, over which climbed the ancient track, past a quadrangular
camp, probably of Roman construction.
The valley was dense with wood, " a very fair place," says the author
of the Anglo-Saxon Life, a sweet sunny valley, sheltered from cold
blasts, and there, on the steep slope of granite and turf and moss, bask-
ing in the full sun, Neot planted himself for the rest of his days. The
Saxon name for the place was Hamstoke, the pasture under the stockade
on the heights above, where Enghsh soldiery had been kept to overawe
the Britons of West Wales.
Hard by in a dell, where was level lush sward, a clear spring gushed
1 " Non de matrimonio natus," Roger of Wendover, Flores Hislonar., and
Matt. Westmonast., ad an. 837.
2 To this day, at S. Neot's, Cornwall, the people speak of him as " our little
S. Neot," and show a stone on which he had to mount to throw the key into the
lock so as to open the church door. " Aspectu angelicus, sed corpcrJ? brevitate
alter Zacheus." John of Tynemouth.
S. Neot J
forth irom under the oak-clothed hill, and here Neot constructed his
fi,sh-pond. Upon the • rock where was his oratory, there he set up a
cross as his preaching station. A tall shaft, covered with Celtic inter-
laced work, remains in the churchyard, and can hardly be later than
the time of the saint.
Here Neot remained for seven years, and then departed on pilgrim-
age to Rome to obtain the Pope's blessing and counsel respecting some
scruples that had arisen in his mind as to the expediency of changing
hi ; eremitical life; The Pope dissuaded him from solitary devotion,
and exhorted him to return to Cornwall, and to " scatter the Word of
God among the people." ^
In compliance with this paternal advice, Neot again sought his Corn-
ish valley, and founded there a College of Clergy, gathered about him-
some religious brethren, and became their Abbot.
It can hardly be supposed that, when he arrived at Hamstoke, Neot
can have been able to speak or understand the British tongue, and he
must have confined his ministrations to the handful of English soldiers
in the fort. But he had found on the spot a British hermit named
Guerir, and though Guerir retired and left the place clear for the-
Saxon eremite, it is possible enough that thiJs did not take place till
Neot had resolved on turning his hermitage into a monastery. The
seven years may have sufficed to enable Neot to acquire the tongue of
the natives, perhaps assisted by Guerir, and now he energetically set
to work to declare the whole covenant of God to the natives in their
own tongue. Local tradition, fondly clung to still, tells how they one
and all made excuse, alleging that the crows came down in such
flights on their fields as to destroy the prospect of crops, and that
accordingly they could not spare the time from watching their fields-
to attendance on his. discourses.
Then Neot summoned the crows to him and empounded them in the
old Roman camp on Goonzion Down, and bade them remain there
during the time of Divine worship and instruction. And they obeyed.^
Perhaps it was at the period when Alfred was at Exeter that he found
time to visit his half-brother. The Danes had possession of Exeter,,
but when the winter of 876-7 was over, Alfred collected forces and
hastened into Devonshire and besieged the city, and sent his fleet to
watch the mouth of the Exe to prevent transports laden with troops
and provisions entering the river and relieving the garrison.
1 MS. Bodl. 535 ; MS. Cott. Claudius, A. v.
2 The entrenchment is no-w called " Cro-w Pound." The woman at S. Neot who
told the story to the writer said : " Some people doubt that this was so. But S.
Neot was a very holy man. There is Crow Pound, and there on the opposite side-
of the valley is the Rookery."
8 Lives of the British Saints
The Danes in Exeter were reduced to the greatest extremity ; and
as no help appeared, they were obhged to sue for permission to make
a conditional retreat. They gave him hostages, and swore many
oaths beside. Early in August, 877, they left Exeter, and retreated
northward. It was probably now that Alfred found opportunity to
pay a hasty visit to Neot. He had been to the place before according
to Asser, who relates how that Alfred had been afflicted by a very
troublesome malady since his childhood, " but once . . . when he
was on a visit to Cornwall for the sake of hunting, and had turned out
of the road to pray in a certain chapel, in which rests the body of S.
Guerir, and now also S. Neot rests there," he prayed to be delivered
cf this infirmity, and his petition was soon after granted.
But now that he came to see Neot, the latter took occasion to rebuke
him. " When he was a youth," says Asser, " influenced by youthful
feelings, he would not listen to the petitions which his subjects made
to him lor help in their necessities, or for relief from oppressors ; but
repulsed them and paid no heed to their requests. This gave much
annoyance to the holy man Neot, who was his relative, and who often
foretold to him that he would suffer great adversity on this account ;
but Alfred neither attended to the reproof of the man of God, nor gave
heed to his prediction."
When Alfred visited Neot, the latter renewed his reproofs, and a
long lecture is supplied out of the imagination of the late Latin
biographer, and of the earlier Anglo-Saxon writer.
Probably, owing to the difficulties and distresses of the times, it had
been quite out of Alfred's power to relieve those who had appealed to
him. Neot must have known that, and have only exhcrted him to
refuse the petitions in a more gentle and courteous manner.
The well-known story of Alfred and the cakes was taken into A Ijred's
Lije by Asser, who was a contemporary ; he quotes from the Vita Sti
Neoti, already written. Asser's Lije reaches only to 887, before the
death of Alfred, but it is not possible to admit that this story stood in
the original of Asser's Lije. It was ingrafted into it at a later
period.
According to the advice of Neot, Alfred is said to have sent contribu-
tions to restore the Enghsh school at Rome, which had been founded
by Ina, King of the West Saxons.
The death of Neot must have taken place before 878, and the victory
of Ethandune, for, the night previous to the battle, Alfred dreamt that
Neot appeared to him in shining apparel and promised him victory,
and that during the battle, he encouraged his men by assuring them
that the little man was actually engaged fighting for them.
S. Neot 9
S. Neot was buried in the church that bears his name in Cornwall,
but the body was stolen.
About the year 974, Earl Alric, a powerful noble in Huntingdon-
shire, and his Countess Ethelfleda, founded a priory at Eynesbury
subordinate to Ely. But a patron saint was wanting to give popularity
and to bring money to the new foundation. What made the Earl and
his Countess think of Neot we do not know, but it was resolved to
obtain possession of his body. The management of the theft was com-
mitted to the guardian of the shrine, who was heavily bribed to
decamp with the sacred deposit trusted to him. He absconded from
Hamstoke on S. Andrew's Day, November 30, and he reached Eynes-
bury on December 7.
When the inhabitants of Hamstoke, or Neotstoke as it was now
called, found that the body of their saint had been carried off, their
rage was excessive. But the sanction to the theft had been previously
obtained from Brithriod, Abbot of Ely, Ethelwold, Bishop of Win-
chester, and King Edgar, so that the poor Cornish men had no chance.
They sent an armed band into Huntingdonshire to forcibly bring back
their treasure, but Edgar despatched troops " to drive the Cornish men
out of the village, and to put them to the sword in case of resistance."
A more scandalous story of robbery can hardly be found, only to be
exceeded in shamelessness by some of the " Inventions " of sacred
relics.
It remains to add some of the legends that have attached themselves
to the story of S. Neot.
He is said to have been so diminutive in stature that to say Mass he
was constrained to stand on an iron stool at the altar, and this stool
was long preserved at Glastonbury.
As he was too small a man to be able to reach the lock of the Abbey,
the lock complacently descended to a position suitable to his conveni-
ence. As Mr. Whitaker remarks, " In the soberer style of truth, the
lock was lowered in consequence of S. Neot's distress. . . . Thus,
what was left, as a consequence of a little alteration made, and a
memorial of a little event in the life of the saint, was shaped by the
plastic imagination of devotees into the memorial of a miracle that had
never been wrought."
His pond was stocked with fish as food for the saint, but on condition
that he took only one for his daily meal. The stock consisted of but
two for ever, like a guinea in a fairy purse. It happened, however,
that Neot fell ill, and his servant Bari, in his eagerness to please his
master, cooked the two, boiling one and frying the other. Great was
the consternation of the saint, and he ordered the fish to be thrown
I o Lives of the British Saints
back into the tank. \"\'hen this was done, the boiled and grilled fish
revived and sported unconcernedly in the water, and when the proper
meal was prepared, the saint on tasting it was immediately restored to
health. The story is common to several Celtic saints.
At another time S. Neot was praying at his well, when a hunted deer
sought protection at his side. On the arrival of the hounds the saint
reproved them, and none dare approach, and the huntsman, affected
by the miracle, renounced the world, and hung up his bugle in the
monastery church of Bodmin.
Again, oxen belonging to the saint had been stolen, and wild deer
came of their own accord to replace them. When the thieves beheld
S. Neot ploughing with his stags, they were conscience-stricken, and
returned the cattle they had carried off.
There is a well-preserved window of the fifteenth century in the
Church that contains the legend of S. Neot in a series of subjects, and^
a tablet with the story of S. Neot in rhyming couplets of the seventeenth
century. The Holy Well has been restored.
His festival is on July 31, but curiously enough Whytford gives
July 8. At S. Neot's the feast is kept on the last Sunday in July.
S. NEWLYNA, Virgin, Martyr
The Church of Newlyn, in Cornwall, is described in the Exeter
Episcopal Registers as that Stae Neuline (Bronescombe, 1263). Bishop
Bronescombe dedicated it, on reconstruction, on September 28, 1259,
as Ecclesia Stae Niwelinae. It is similarly described by Bishop Quivil,
1283 ; Bishop Bytton, 1309 ; Bishop Grandisson, 1332, 1349, ^tc,
and by Bishop Stafford, 1400.
Newlyn is the same as the Breton Noualen, Latinized into Noyala.
Unhappily, there is extant no Life of this saint. This is greatly to be
deplored, as it would perhaps throw a flood of light on early Cornish
history, if the conjecture we offer, and which shall be mentioned pre-
sently, be accepted.
All known of S. Newlyna is from tradition, which asserts that she was
a virgin from Cornwall, who crossed into Armorica, along with her
nurse or foster-mother, and arrived at Bignan, in Morbihan, where she
was put to death by a local chieftain named Nizam, who cut off her
head. She is, in fact, a Breton replica of S. Winefred. When she wa
beheaded, she rose, took up her head in her hands and carried it as far •
S. Newlyna 1 1
as Noyal-Pontiv}', full thirty miles. As shall be shown presently, this
fable springs from a very simple source.
Pontivy possesses a chapel dedicated to the saint, and the local story
there is that she was beheaded on a stone which is shown near it. In
this chapel there was a juhe, or rood-screen, on which her legend was
depicted. This was wantonly destroyed in 1684, by order of the Vicar-
General of Vannes, because it obstructed a full view of a gaudy reredos,
in the debased style of the period. This tasteless construction has been
swept away, and the paintings that formerly decorated the screen have
been reproduced in stained glass in the parish church, and on the walh
of the chapel. In the chapel is the Holy Well.
The inscriptions that were under the paintings on the juhe were,
happily, copied by the cure into the parish register at the time of the
destruction. They are as follows : —
1. Comment Sent Noial en son commencement hantait I'eglise et
donnant lomone aulx pauvres pour I'amour de Dieu.
2. Comment Sant Noyale et sa nourice passa la mer sur une feille,.
et vindrent en Bretagne.
3. Comment un tirant nomme Nezin par auctorite cuida tant faire
a Saincte Noyale renonce a la loy de Dieu at estre son epouse.
4. Le dit Nezin cruel et plespute que la Ste vierge a luy ne s'etait
accorde en lieu qu'on appelle le Bezen la fit decoller et autres de sa
compagnie.
5. Du dit Bezen Sainte Noyale porta sa teste, vint a Noyal, I'ange
de Dieu si la conduit avesque sa nourice.
6. Sainte Noyale et sa nourice se reposa a la fontaine et picqua son -
bordon d'ont sortit une fresne. Dessus sur une pierre faict sa prieres
la merche y est encore entiers.
7. Sainte Noyale en ce mesme lieu si trepassa et alia a Dieu, auquel
lieu s'entens estait desert pour le temps.
The parish church, which has an early tower and spire, was mainly
built in 1420, and was well restored in 1888, when the stained glass win-
dow was erected, which not only gives the subjects from the destroyed ■
screen, but fills out the story from current tradition. This is the
series.
1. S. Noalhuen distributes her patrimony among the poor in Britain,
before crossing the sea.
2. The saint traverses the channel on a branch of a tree. (The
ancient representation made her cross like S. Bega and S. Hia on a.
leaf.)
3. S. Noalhuen is solicited in marriage by the chieftain, Nezin, but.
refuses, him, sayiijgrthait she had dedicated her virginity to Christ..
1 2 Lives of the British Saints
4. S. Noalhuen and her nurse kneel in prayer on a rock, and pray to
be granted the grace of perseverance.
5. The tyrant in a rage has Noalhuen decapitated. Local tradition
has it that the saint occupied a desolate spot in the parish that now
bears her name, but vexed by the pursuit of Nezin, she withdrew to
Brignan, seven leagues distant, and to a place called Le Bezon in that
parish. Nezin, hearing of her flight, pursued her, renewed his solicita-
tions, was again repulsed, and decapitated her there.
6. S. Noalhuen rose up, took her head in her hands and returned
to her old haunt, attended by her nurse.
7. Arrived there, she and her nurse knelt on a stone, still pointed
-out, as bearing the impress of her elbows and knees. She planted her
staff, and it became a tree.
8. Whilst on her way back, she heard a girl address her mother
nidely ; this so shocked her that she resolved on departing to a more
solitary spot.
g. She accordingly pursued her course, till she came to the edge of a
vast forest, near a stream, and there she died.
10. Above her tomb a chapel was erected. Nizan or Nezin, full of
wrath, resolved on its destruction, by damming up the stream. But
the dyke burst, swept him away, and he was drowned.
It will be seen how that, by misplacing one picture, the story of her
wanderings with her head in her hands may have originated. She
fled from her pursuer, and the flight has been transferred to the period
subsequent to her decapitation. To the present day a strong feeling
exists at Noyal against a girl of that parish seeking a husband in
Nezin, where the tyrant and murderer is said to have lived.
A cantique in Bret en is sung at the Pardon at Noyal- Pontivy to a
popular melody. It contains the legend run into verse.
The explanation of the story suggested is this. But it must be taken
as a mere conjecture.
Noyal- Pontivy is a very large parish, in fact, before 1790 it was the
largest in the diocese of Vannes, comprising, around Noyala, five trejs,
or villages, each with its church. But at S. Geran (Geraint) was the
minihi, or Sanctuary, whereby the tribe was recruited, and this indi-
cates that the original centre of the district was not at Noyala but at
S. Geran.
We know, from the Life of S. Leonore, that the British colonists who
came over regarded themselves at first as still under the rule of their
native princes in Britain. Now Geraint, prince of Domnonia, has left
his traces here, at S. Geran, and at Le Palais in Belle He. This prob-
ably means that when the colonists from Domnonia settled on the Blavet
S. Newlyna 1 3
and about the Morbihan, they set apart a certain portion of the land
as dominium, demesne for their native prince. Such a demesne, may-
be, was Noyala-Pontivy, with its ecclesiastical centre and minihi at
S. Geran. The whole of this district bears to this day traces of having
been visited, and settled by the Domnonian royal family. At Guemene
is the martyrium of Selyf or Solomon, son of Geraint ; Gildas, Geraint's
grandson, is represented all along the Blavet and at Cleguerec. Cen-
nydd, the son of Gildas, is also much to the fore there.
After the death of Geraint, and his son Selyf, who occupied the
domain at Noyala ? We do not know.
Now from the Acts of S. Cybi, son of Selyf, we know that an attempt
was made to raise him to the throne, but it failed. Constantine, whom
Gildas attacked with such malignant hate, established himself as
King of Cornwall, and Cybi was obliged to fly.
If Newlyna were sister to Cybi, the same cause may have induced
her to depart as well. It is significant that her foundation in Cornwall
adjoins that presumedly of Cybi, at Cubert (later dedicated to S.
Cuthbert), and that of his friend Elian, whom we may with some
confidence equate with S. Allen. She could not go with Cybi to
Ireland on a visit to S. Enda at Aran, and she resolved to take refuge
on the royal dominium in Letavia. Possibly enough, she carried off
with her two princes of the royal blood to save them from the fate
that had befallen two of the same family whom Constantine had
murdered.
Having reached the royal demesne, Noyala attempted to establish
herself there. But a steward, Nizan, either acting in his own interest,
or that of Constantine, murdered her and the two princes.
These latter are called in Breton the Dredenau, and their chapel is
close to the river. According to the local legend, their bodies were
thrown into a marsh, and found by a pig, which was mauling them,
when they were recovered and given decent burial.^
Such is a suggested explanation of the story. Documentary evi-
dence is wanting, as the Acts of S. Noyala, or Noualen, are lost. The
Welsh have not preserved the Pedigree of the descendants of Selyf
because they had no territorial or clan rights in Wales, and all Cornish
records are lost.
Nicolas Roscarrock has a different version of the story. He says : —
" S. Nuline or Newline (April 27) virgin martyr of Cornwall, was daugh-
ter of a King who in contempt of Christian religion martyred her with
his own hands."
^ See on the SS. Dredenau, vol. ii, pp. 357-8.
14 Lives of the British Saints
S. Newlyn is patroness of the parish of Newlyn East, and probably
had at one time a chapel at Newlyn West, by Penzance, where, it may
be, she took ship for Armorica.
' In the diocese of Vannes she is patroness of two parishes. Her
martyrdcm caused the centre of the parish of Geraint to be ransferred
from S. Geran, which sanii to be a mere trej, to where is now the parish
■church, where her b:dy was preserved. And the erection of a castle
at Pontivy, in the eleventh century, caused the population to gravitate
about that, and to form there a town. It is now supposed that
Pontivy takes its name fro n Iv)^ a monk of Lindisfarne ; but it is far
more likely that it had there a chapel of S. Divy or David who was — if
the suggestion put forward above be allowed — the first cousin of S.
Noyala. She is also patroness of two parishes in the diocese of Rennes,
and of one in that of S. Brieuc.
The Feast at Newlyn is on November 8. The Pardon of Noyala in
Brittany is on July 6. In the Church of Noyal-Pontivy she is repre-
sented as a maiden holding her head in her hands. She appears in
the Missal of Vannes of 1457, and the Breviary of Vannes of 1660, on
July 6.
Nicolas Roscarrock, as we have seen, gives as her day April 27.
He gives the following curious note : "In Newlin is a chapel of S.
Nectan and yard belonging to it, and four stones on a mount or hill at
the north-west corner where the crosses and reliques of S. Peran, S.
Crantocke, S. Cuthbert and S. Newlan were wont to be placed in Roga-
tion Week at which time they used to meete ther, and had a sermond
made to the people, and the last was preached by the person Grand in
Queen Marie's tyme, as I have been creditably informed by a priest
who had been an eye witness. The one of these four stones ben taken
from thence and turned into a cheese presse about the year 1580 by a
gentlewoman named Mistress Burlace, was in the night tyme carryed
back by one, willed so by after her death or by some thing assuming
her personage, and remaineth on thike hill wher it ded."
S. NIDAN, Priest, Confessor
NiDAN, the son of Gwrfyw ab Pasgen ab Urien Rheged, was Peri-
glawr or Confessor to the monastery of Penmon.^ He was the founder
of the church of Llanidan, in Anglesey.
>■ Peniavth MS. 45 ; Hafod MS. 16 ; Cardiff MS. 5 (as Idan) ; Myv. Arch.,
pp. 416, 428 ; Cambro-Brlt. Saints, p. 268 ; lolo MSS., pp. 106, 127. For the
dropping of the initial n, cf. lisan and Nissien.
S. NOYALA.
From Status at Noyal-Pontivy.
S. Nidan
15
The old church, one of the largest in the Island, which consisted of
nave and side aisle and chancel, has long since been abandoned and
allowed to fall into ruin, and a new church erected in a more conveni-
ent spot, near Bryn Siencyn. But two bays of the West end retain
their roof, and are kept in repair, as well as the North and South
porches. The latter has a stoup for holy water that remains perpetu-
ally replenished in a manner that is not easily explained. All the
■church and churchyard is dry, yet there must be a spring beneath the
south porch from which the water rises through capillary attraction to
the stoup. The latter may be emptied, but speedily fills again. The
level of the water in it is not always the same, at times drops fall from
it ; and the entire porch is covered with an overgrowth of ivy and moss
and weed. The churchyard around is still in use, and the roofed
portion of the church serves as a mortuary chapel.
In the roofed part is preserved a curious stone reliquary, resembling
a small stone coffin, with a coved lid of the same stone, which is placed
on an oak buffet against one of the walls. It is of a fine grained sand-
stone, and measures 26 inches long, 14 inches broad, and about 18
inches high. The front is open, to enable the relics to be seen. It was
discovered, containing some pieces of bone, about the year 1700, under
the altar, some two feet down, where probably it had been concealed
at the Reformation. It is probably of the fourteenth century, and is
apparently unique in Britain, as is also the phenomenon of the ever-
filling stoup. 1
Nidan is known in Scotland, whither he is said to have gone with S.
Kentigern, as one of the 665 monks who accompanied him from Llan-
•elwy, and he made a foundation at Midmar. " The neighbouring parish
to his in Anglesey is Llanfinen ; and it is curious that not far from
Midmar is Lumphanan, afterwards said to be dedicated to S. Vincent,
but primarily to S. Finan, for the name is only a corrupted form of
Llanfinan, while Midmar is not far from Glengarden, which is dedicated
to S. Mungo (Kentigern), so that we have here a group of Celtic dedica-
tions in the heart of Aberdeenshire." ^ Nidan, it should be mentioned,
was related to S. Kentigern, his father, Gwrfyw, being that ; aint's first
cousin.
S. Nidan is entered in the Martyrology of Aberdeen on November 3,
1 It is described and illustrated in Arch. Camb., 1870, pp. 129-34; cf. ibid.,
1863, p. 260.
^ Forbes, Kalendars of Scottish SS., 1872, p. 420 ; Skene, Celtic Scotland, 1887,
ii, p. 193. Llanidan and Llanffinan are not adjoining parishes, though not
far apart. Owing to their, propinquity some have supposed the former church
to be- dedicated to S. Aidan of Lindisfarne. But Aidan's festival falls on August
31. See further, iii,' p. 19.
1 6 Lives of the British Saints
but on September 30 in the Welsh calendars in Peniarth MSS. 186,
187, and 219, the lolo MSS., Additional MS. 14, 882, and Prymers of
1618 and 1633.
The Saint is locally supposed to have lived at Cadair Idan in the
parish. Hendre Idan is also in the parish. His holy well, Ffynnon
Idan, is at Plas Llanidan, about 200 yards from the old church. It is
built over, and has steps to go down into it.
S. NINNOCHA, Virgin, Abbess.
The authority for the Life of this taint is a Vita in the Cartulary of
Quimperle, edited by P. de Berthou, Paris, i8g6, from the original MS.
in the possession of Lord Beaumont, at Carlton Towers.
This Life was recomposed from an original written in rude style,
" Vitam Sanctae Ninnocse in quodam Hbello rustico stilo digestam
reperientes, maluimus potius incomposite materiel rectam simpU-
citatam in scribendo servare quam plus justo minus eam emendando
seriem narrationis depravare."
This Life had already been printed in the Acta SS. Boll. Jun. i,
pp. 407-1 1 . It had, moreover, been used by the author of the Chronicle
of S. Brieuc, and by Albert le Grand, and by Lobineau. ^
The Vita is of httle historical value, as it abounds in anachronism?,,
some of which, however, may be only apparent, and due to our ignor-
ance of the history of the times.
Ninnoc was a daughter of Brychan of Brycheiniog, and akin to Gur-
thiern,! nown also as Gunthiern, and is possibly the same as Gwynllyw.
If a daughter of Brychan she was his sister-in-law. -
Brychan married a wife Meneduc, " ex genere Scotorum, fihaip
Constantini regis, ex stripe Juliani Csesaris."
This is certainly an astounding statement. The writer lived so late
that he means Scots by Scoti and not Irish ; for the Scots had Kings
of the name of Constantine, but never the Irish. As to the stock of
Julian Caesar, the writer would make Julian precede Constantine, if he
does not intend, what is more probable, Julius Caesar.
But may not this be an amphfication by the redactor, and the Con-
^ Le Grand, Vies des Saints de Bretagne, ed. 1901, pp. 270-3 ; Lobineau, Vies
des Saints de Bretagne, ed. 1836, i, pp. 55-60.
' " Quidam vir nobilis fuit in Combronensia regione, Brochan nomine, ex
genere Gurthierni, rex honorabilis valde in totam Britanniam."
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S. Nmnocha i 7
stantine, who was the father of Meneduc, may have been Constantine
(Cystennin) Gorneu ? S. Cybi's age can be fixed with some degree of
nearness, as dying c. 554 ; he was grandson of Geraint, who was grand-
son of Cystennin Gorneu. Allowing thirty-three years for a generation,
that would be about right for the period of Brychan and Ninnoc.
That Brychan ever had a wife of the name of Meneduc we do not
know.
According to the author of the Vita, Brychan had fourteen sons.
This statement shows an acquaintance with the Welsh traditions, which
indeed, by counting in his grandsons, give him considerably more. The
sons of Brj'chan, our author goes on to relate, " dispersi sunt per
regiones multas in exihum." Of course, he adds that this dispersion
was due to their desire to preach the Gospel everywhere, and does not
allude to a compulsory expulsion, due to the Brychan family, as Irish,
being driven out of Brycheiniog.
Brychan and his wife were very angry at losing all their sons, and
he vowed to give tithes if another child were granted him. But tithes
did not come into consideration until later. Brychan, moreover, went
into a mountain and built an altar there, and fasted forty days and as
many nights during Lent, and then returned to his wife, and procreated
Ninnoc.
When the child was born, one Columcille happened to be at
the court of Brecknock and baptized the child. This is, of course,
absurd. Columcille never did visit Wales, and he lived over a century
later. What the redactor found in the original text was that an Irish
Abbot (Scottomm abbas) of the name of Colum was there and baptized
the babe, and he jumped to the conclusion that this was the renowned
Columcille. There are some twenty saints of this name, beside Colum-
cille, commemorated in the Irish Martyrologies. Ninnoc was held at
the font by a kinsman of Brychan, named Gurgentelu Ilfin, and by his
wife Gwennargant, and the child was given as a baptismal name that of
Gwengustle.
The Welsh know of no Gwengustle as daughter of Brychan ; but there
was a daughter Gwen, of Talgarth, and a daughter Tudhistil, of whose
name there are various corruptions, Tangwystl among others. But the
relationship to Brychan must not be pressed too closely, as all that is
meant by " children of Brychan " is that they were of his blood, and
inherited tribal rights in Brycheiniog.
Gwengustle was fostered by Gurgentelu and his wife, till such time
as she reached a marriageable age, when her father designed to dispose
of her to a son of a King of the Scots.
Now, it fell out that at this time Germanus had arrived in Bry-
VOL. IV. c
1 8 Lives of the British Saints
cheiniog, sent thither by S. Patrick. This has shocked the BoUandists
and other critics who have assumed that Germanus of Auxerre is
meant. But this was Germanus, the disciple, perhaps the nephew, of
Patrick, who later became Bishop of Man.
Moved by his exhortations, Gwengustle resolved on leading a virginal
life, and as she remained constant in her determination, Brychan con-
sented to let her depart for Llydaw. She departed in seven vessels,
taking with her her foster-parents and two bishops, Morhedrus and
Gurgallonus, and two others unnamed, together with " Magna turba
tarn presbyterorum quam diaconorum, necnon et sanctimonialium
virginum atque utriusque sexus hominum."
Now this migration to Brittany, and not to Cornwall, whither most
of the Brychan family had gone, is significant. If we are right in our
surmise, Germanus came from Western Brittany, and if he moved
Gwengustle to migrate, it is not at all improbable that he recommended
her to go to his native country. Moreover, Gunthiern, if the same as
Gwynllyw, ^\■hich is doubtful, was there already, perhaps ; and he was
her brother-in-law. Moreover, -where she came ashore was in the
district where Gunthiern had settled.
The boats arrived at Poull Ilfin in Broweroc. At this time Weroc was
Count of the British in those parts, the present department of Morbihan
(500-50). She at once sent a deputation to ask his permission to
settle, and he granted them Ploemeur, near Lorient, where they
formed a plebs, and Gwengustle a monastery for her women, and the
men who were ecclesiastics, cne also for themselves.
Three years later, Weroc was hunting in this district, when a stag he
was chasing fled for refuge to the church, and sank there exhausted at
the feet of the saint. When Weroc arrived, the Bishops — all four —
and the clergy and nuns were singing lustily the Psalter, and in the
midst lay the fatigued and frightened stag. Weroc spared the beast,
and made a handsome donation to the saint.
Then follows an episode that is a fraudulent interpolation. The
redactor makes Weroc summon a council under S. Turiaf, Archbishop
of Dol, and in this council signs, seals and delivers a deed of donation of
land to S. Ninnoc. There was no archbishopric of Dol till the ninth
century, and S. Turiaf lived in the eighth century. Moreover, Weroc
called Judual, Count of Rennes, to witness it, and Judual was not
restored till after Weroc was dead, and this precious deed of donation
was drawn up, says the redactor, in the year 458 ! Judual was not
restored till 555.
The Life ends abruptly with this forged donation. There is no ac-
count of any further events in thehfe of the saint, and not a word about
S. Nmnoc6a 1 9
her death. This is pretty clear proof that the editor had an incom-
plete MS. Vita before him, which he manipulated in his own way.
Where it abruptly concluded there he tacked on the spurious title-
deed ; but he did not venture to complete the story of her life.
The name by which she is generally known, Ninnoc or Ninnocha, is .
not a Christian name ; it means Little Nun. The termination oc is
in Irish apphed to men, and ait or at to women. But her true name was
Gwengustle.i She was probably called Ninnat, incorrectly changed
when the name Latinized to Ninnoca. Apparently she is known at
Scaer as S. Candida or S. Gwen, though there is no record of a grant of
land being made to her there. In the parish of Tourch, near Scaer, is a
chapel to S. Candida, in the hamlet of Locundu, formerly LocungufE.
In 1619 the dedication is given to Sainte Vengu. Vengu is an inter-
mediate form of Guenguff, white and gentle.^ Gwengustle became
Guengu, then Vengu, and this name was replaced by a later partial
equivalent, Candida, after 1619. At Scaer is her fountain, a large
brimming well that pours forth abundance of water, and which supplies
the town by a conduit. It is built up on one side, and carved stones lie
scattered about where an overplus supplies a tank in which the
women do their household washing.
- The Church of Scaer, a modern vulgar imitation Norman erection,
contains a statue of the saint as an abbess holding a book in her left
hand.
At Ploemeur, in the chapel of the Priory of S. Ninnoc, is a statue of
her as an abbess, in long floating robes, and with a stag at her feet.
She is invoked by mothers in maladies of children.
Albert le Grand gives as her day June 4, as also Lobineau. At
Scaer the Patronal Feast is held on the first Sunday in August. The
Pardon at Ploemeur is on the second Sunday in May.
It is remarkable that in Ireland S. Ninne, a virgin, receives a cult
on June 3, the day befare Ninnoc. Of her no recird remains.
A Ninoch is invoked in the Dunkeld Litany among the virgins and
widows.
1 There is a virgin whose name ends in oc in the Irish Martyrologies, Sporoc
or Sproc, daughter of Colum, venerated on June 30 ; and in the Book of Leinster,
fol. 3Soa, " Coemgen mo Comloga Coemoc soror."
2 Bulletin de laSoc. archeol. de FinisUre.T. xx, 1893 — Article by the Vicomte
de Villiers du Terrage on the Parish of Tourch. Hugh Thomas, the Breconshire
herald, who gives some particulars respecting her in Hmleian iWS. 4,181, fol. -ya,
from Albert le Grand, mentions her as Nenoc.
2 0 Lives of the British Saints
S. NISSIEN, see S. ISAN
S. NOE, Confessor
A SAINT of this name (also as Nvvy) had a chapel formerly in the
parish of Skenfrith, in Monmouthshire. It formed, with the small
manor of Blackbrook, in which it was situated, part of the possessions
of Dore Abbey, and was served by the monks of that Abbey. The
chapel has long been a ruin, but the site can te traced a few hundred
yards to the east of Blackbrook (house). '^
The chapel and bridge of S. Xoe occur on a seventeenth century
map of Skenfrith parish ; and there was also a well there under his
invocation.
Noe or Noy as a man's name is not altogether rare. It is best
known in the name of Noe ab Arthur, the eighth century King of
Dyfed ; and it also occurs as Nougoy, Nougui, Nogui, etc., in pedigrees
and charters. These latter forms stand for what would now be written
Nywy ; and the e of Noe is, no doubt, a survival of the Old-Celtic long
e, now wy.'^
It may be mentioned that in the Skenfrith Noe or Noy there is just
a possibility that we may have S. Tenoi's name, with the familiar to- or
ty- dropped, as in Llansoy and Foy.
S. NOETHON, Confessor
NoETHON, Noethan, or Nwj'thon, was a son of Gildas.^ In the late
documents printed in the lolo MSS. he is said to have been a " saint,"
i.e. monk, of Llantwit, and also, apparently, of Llancarfan ; and in
one document therein he is the father of Cynddilig, Teilo Fyrwallt,
1 Col. Bradney, History of MonmoiUhshive, 1907, i, pp. 63-4. Sir Richard
Morgan, the Judge, in his will of 1546, left 55. for the repair of S. Noe's Chapel.
It is called Llannoyth in Speed's map, 1610.
^ Owen's Pembrokeshire, i, pp. 246-7 ; ii, pp. 201-2.
2 Peniarth MS. 45 ; Hafod MS. 16 ; Cardiff MS. 5 (1527) ; Cambro-British
Saints, p. 268 ; Myv. Arch., pp. 416, 426, 428; lolo MSS. ,p^. 102, 117, 137. The
Welsh saintly pedigrees favour the form Noethon or Noethan. The name is the
same as that borne by a Pictish King, who began to reign in 706, under the Gaelic
form Nechtan, becoming Neithon or Nwython in Welsh, and is given as Naiton
by Bede, Hist. Ecdes., v, 21. Though Nectan and Noethan represent the same
name, their pedigrees and festivals prevent our identifying the two saints
noticed in this volume.
S. Noethon
2 I
andRhun. Heisusually coupled with his brother, S. Gwynog. There
were formerly chapels of Gwynog and Noethon near the church of
Llangwm Dinmael, in Denbiglishire, but they have long since been
converted into a mill and a kiln respectively. This appears to have
been his only dedication, at any rate in Wales.
The festival of SS. Gwynog and Noethon is given on October 22 in
the Calendars in Peniarth MSS. 27, 186, 187, 219, Jesus College MS.
141, Mostyn MS. 88, Llanstephan MS. 117, Additional MS. 14, 882,
and the Prymer of 1546 ; on the 23rd in those in the lolo MSS., and
the Prymers of 1618 and 1633 ; and on the 24th in that in Peniarth MS.
172.
Noethon is identified by Bishop Forbes with Nethan, who was
venerated at Cambusnethan. " This district was a Welsh or Cymric
colony, the neighbouring parish of Cambuslang being dedicated to S.
Cadoc." ^ Cadoc was certainly in this district, where he is said to
have restored Caw to life, which may mean no more than that the old
chief was baptized, when at an advanced age, and so entered on a
regenerate life.
The day of S. Nethan in the Aberdeen Martyrology is given on Octo-
ber 26. Nicolas Roscarrock says, " Saint Naithan whom I finde in a
British Calendar placed on the 23 of October." He also conjec-
tures that the S. Neightan or Negton who received a certain amount of
veneration in Cornwall was this Naithan, but it seems more probable
that Neightan is only another form for Nectan of Hartland, a reputed
son of Brychan.
Noethon does not appear to have gone to his father Gildas in Brit-
tany ; at least, he has left no trace of his presence there.
In the story of Culhwch and Olwen a Nwython is given as father of
Run, Llwydeu, and Kyledyr Wyllt, and is said to have been killed by
Gwyn ab Nudd, and to have had his heart taken out and forced to be
eaten by his last named son.^ His sons Run and Kyndelic are men-
tioned by Geoffrey of Monmouth as having been among the men of
rank that were summoned by King Arthur to his coronation at Caer-
leon. ^
A chieftain or warrior named Nwython (once with his son Neim) is
mentioned in the Books oj Aneirin and Taliessin.^ It would not be
possible to identify either of these with the son of Gildas.
' Kalendars of Scottish Saints, 1872, p. 420.
^ Mabinogion, ed. Rhys and Evans, pp. 109, 134, 141.
3 Bruts, ed. Rhys and Evans, p. 200.
* Skene, Four Ancient Books, ii, pp. 86, 91, 103, 193.
2 2 Lives of the British Saints
S. NON, Widow
NoN, sometimes styled Bendigaid, or the Blessed, was the daughter
of Cynyr of Caer Gawch, in Menevia, by Anna, the daughter of Gwrthe-
fyr Fendigaid.i Cynyr is said to have been regulus of a district which
afterwards became called Pebydiog, or Dewisland. He was father also
of SS. Gwen, Banhadlen, and Gwestlan or Guistlianus, bishop of Old
Menevia.
What is known of S. Non is to be found, almost entirely, in the Life
of S. David by Rhygyfarch, and in the Lives based upon it. Her
legend is said to have existed in 1281 in the service book of her church at
Altamon, but nothing is now known of it. There is a mystery written
in Breton, Buhez Santes Nonn, which was for many years acted on her
festival at Dirinon. A MS. of it, of about 1400, was found there and
published at Paris in 1837 by the Abbe Sionnet. An account and
abstract of it was published in the ArchcBologia Cambrensis for 1857-8 ;
and it was re-edited, with a French translation, by E. Ernault in the
Revue Celtique for 1887.2 It consists of three parts — the Life of S.
Non ; the miracles wrought at her tomb ; and the life and death of
S. David. It is taken from Rhygyfarch's Life, with some additions
from Geoffrey of Monmouth.
The legend which relates the circumstances attending S. David's
birth has been already told,^ and need not be repeated here. It is
quite possible that the story of her seduction by Sant is founded on a
misapprehension. The mediaeval biographer, finding that she was
called Non, assumed that she was a nun, and he presents the outrage
accordingly as being doubly odious. Rhygyfarch says that she \\ as of
1 Peniarih MSS. 12, 16, 45 ; Hafod MS. 16 ; Myv. Arch., pp. 415, 423, 428 ;
Cambro-British Saints, p. 26s ; lolo MSS., passim. She is sometimes called Nun ;
in the Latin Lives of S. David, Nonna and Nonnita. The latter form occurs, as
the Goidelic genitive of a man's name, on an inscribed stone in Tregoney church-
wall, Cornwall, and in the name Eglwys Nynyd, Nonnita's or the Nuns' Church
(or Convent) , now a farm-house, about a mile from Margam Abbey. With the
last-named may be compared Llanlleianau, in Llanbadrig, Anglesey. Nonna
was a name borne by several women, notably, the mother of S. Gregory Nazian-
zen. Nonnitus was a man's name, and there was a sixth century Irish bishop,
Ninnidh or Nennidius. Evidently the names Capel (Maes) Nonni, Maes Nonni,
and Castell Nonni, in Llanllwni parish, do not involve a saint's name. Accord-
ing to Breton tradition Non's true name was Melaria, in which we detect the Welsh
Meleri, which the Cognatio gives as the name of S. David's paternal grandmother.
^ viii, pp. 230-301, 405-gi.
^ ii, pp. 288-92. There is a persistent tradition at Llannon, Cardiganshire,
that S. David was born there. The church of Caermorfa, in which Gildas endea-
voured to preach before the pregnant Non (ii, p. 290), is claimed to have been
located there, on Morfa Esgob ; and David, it is said, in after years, apportioned
the Morfa among the poor fishermen of the place. Moreover, as a child, he used
to walk to school every day to Hen Fynyw, a distance of about five miles.
w
K
•W
H
g
o
g
H
<
O
o
o
aS". Non 2 3
singular innocence of soul, and that she had no other children. i But
■Irish authorities represent her as mother as well of Magna, mother of S.
Setna,- and of Mor, mother of S. Eltin.s It is accordingly quite prob-
able that she was the wife of Sant, and that it was not till after her
husband's death that she retired from the world.
Non's sister, S. Gwen (Wenn), was wife of Selyf, Duke of CornwaU,
who lived at Gallewick, " between the Tamar and the Lynher." *
It was, apparently, clue to this relationship, that Non was induced
to settle in Cornwall. There her principal foundation was at Altarnon,
an important parish, covering over 11,200 acres, with Church, Holy Well
and Sanctuary. The Holy \^'ell supplied a tank, into which persons
who were insane were precipitated, with the idea that this would cure
them. Drainage has drawn the water away, and all traces of the spring
have disappeared, and the tank hr.s been filled in. Another church
bearing her name is Bradstone, in Devon, by the Tamar. Another is
Pelynt, where is her Holy Well. Boyton Church is supposed to be
dedicated to the Holy Name {Nomen), but more probably had an earlier
dedication to Non. The Holy Name is a comparatively modern intro-
duction into the Calendar. The festival was not brought in till between
1420 and 1500. In 1530 Pope Clement VII conceded to the Franciscan
Order the use of an office for the Holy Name, but it was not till 172 1
that Innocent XIII extended the observance to the whole Latin
Church.
Boyton had a church long before the introduction of the Holy Name
into England as a festival. It is marked in the Taxation of Nicolas IV
(1288-91). The village Feast is in the second week in August, and the
Day of the Holy Name is August 7 in the Salisbury and York Calendars.
The day, however, appointed for commemoration by the Franciscans
was January 14.
At Grampound is a chapel of S. Non, also a Holy Well ; and a Holy
Well bearing her name at Portscatho in S. Gerrans.
William of Worcester, copying from the Calendar of S. Michael's
Mount, says, " S. Nonnita, mother of S. David, lies in the church of
Altarnon, where S. David was born." Dewi certainly was not born
there, and her body reposes at Dirinon, near Brest, in Finistere, where
is a chapel that contains her tomb, with a recumbent figure on it, and
where also is her Holy Well. Her tomb is one of the most beautiful,
^ Cambro-Bntish Saints, p. 119.
2 Colgan, Acta SS. Hibern., Vita 2.da Sti Senani, p. 540, rede 536 ; De Sedonia
Episcopo, pp. 572-3-
3 Shearman, Loca Patriciana, Tab. vi. Ogygia, p. 330.
1 Vita S. Kebii in Cambro-Bntish Saints, p. 183.
24 Lives of the British Saints
as well as remarkable, sepulchral monuments in Lower Brittany.'-
At Dirinon is shown the rock on which she was wont to kneel in prayer,
till she had left therein the impress of her knees. In Brittany she
appears to have been held in greater veneration than her son.
The dedications toS. Non in Wales are Llanerchaeron and Llannon (a
chapel under Llansantffraid, replacing an earlier one in ruins), in Cardi-
ganshire ; and Llannon, in Carmarthenshire. There were chapels, now
extinct, called Llannon, under Llanbadarn y Garreg (Cregrina), in
Radnorshire, and Ilston in Glamorganshire. There is also a ruined
chapel of hers, a httle to the south of S. David's, on the edge of the
cliffs." Near it is her Holy Well, of which Fenton wrote : " The fame
this consecrated spring had obtained is incredible, and still is resorted
to for many complaints. In my infancy, as was the general usage with
respect to children at that time, I was often dipped in it, and offerings,
however trifling, even of a farthing or a pin, were made after each
ablution, and the bottom of the well shone with votive brass. The
spring, like most others in this district, is of a most excellent quality,
is reported to ebb and flow, and to be of wondrous efficacy in com-
plaints of the eye." ^
The Non dedications in Wales, as elsewhere, are generally in the
immediate neighbourhood of David churches.
The following tercet occurs among the " Sayings of the Wise " * : —
Hast thou heard the saying uttered by Non ?
The mother of Dewi Sant was she —
" There is no madness like contention "
(Nid ynfyd ond ymryson).
Dafydd ab Gwilym, in the fourteenth century, and other mediaeval
Welsh bards, frequently allude to her personal beauty ; ^ and Lewis
Glyn Cothi notes her posthumous miracles.^
' For a description and illustration see Arch. Camb., 1857, pp. 249-50. In
Brittany her name occurs in Lennon, a parish of Finist^re, in Lannon (Bannalec),
and in Crec'h Nonn (Begard). Nonn is a stream-name in Cart, de Redon ; so also
in Abernon, near S. David's.
^ See ii, pp. 291-2, and Arch. Camb., 1898, pp. 345-8.
" Pembrokeshire, ed. 1811, p. 112 ; ed. 1903, p. 63. Browne Willis, in his
Survey of S. David's, 1717, p. 53, says, " Some old simple People go still to . . .
offer Pins, Pebbles, etc., at this Well." One of the streets of S. David's is called
Nun Street. There is a Ffynnon Non near Llannon Chapel, Cardiganshire.
« lolo MSS., p. 258.
5 Barddoniaeth, ed. 1789, pp. 15, 17, 515. Sion Phylip (d. 1620), in a " Cywydd
i ferch," says,
" Dy lun irfryd len eurfron,
Dy liw un wedd a delw Non."
* Poetical Works, 1837, p. 320.
S. NON'S CHAPEL, S. DAVID'S.
South-west angle.
S. NON'S CHAPEL, S. DAVID'S.
Remains of rude stone masonry.
S. Nuvien 2 5
In Brittany another Non is venerated, an Irish bishop, at Penmarc'h ;
but she is patroness of Lagona-Laoulas in the diocese of Quimper.
In Wales S. Non was venerated on March 3, against wlrich day her
name is entered in a number of the early Welsh Calendars. Her festival
used to be observed with great solemnity at S. David's. 1' The Feast
at Altarnon is on June 25, as also at Pelynt. But according to Wil-
liam of Worcester her day was observed at Launceston on July 3.
In the Tavistock Calendar, according to Wilham of Worcester, there
was an entry on June 15, " Sanctus Nin, Martyr." One suspects a
threefold blunder, either of Wilham, or of his editor Nasmith, Sanctus
for Sancta, Martyr for Matrona, and Jun. xv for Jun. xxv.
S. NUDD
The lolo MSS. documents include two men of this name among
the Welsh saints ; but they are the sole authority, and, as often, quite
untrustworthy.
I. Nudd, son of Ceidio ab Athrwys, of the line of Coel, and brother
of Gwenddoleu and Cof, who, with him, were " saints " of Llantwit.-
Of Nudd we know nothing, but Gwenddoleu was a chieftain who fell at
the battle of Arderydd, in 573.
II. Nudd Hael, son of Senyllt ab Cedig ab Dyfnwal Hen,^ celebrated
in the Triads as one of " the Three Bounteous Ones of the Isle of Bri-
tain." He was one of the Men of the North, with whom he invaded
Arfon to avenge the death of Elidyr Mwynfawr.*
A stone discovered near Yarrow Kirk, in Selkirkshire, which cer-
tainly commemorates members of the families of persons (perhaps one
person) called Nudus and Liberalis, and seems as old as the sixth
century, has reasonably been supposed to be his family monument. =
" Nudd, a saint of Cor Illtyd, and a King," is credited with having
founded the church of Llysfronydd, or Lisworney, subject to Llantwit,
now usually given as dedicated to S. Tydfil. Several persons of the
name, including a bishop, occur in the Book oj Llan Ddv.
S. NUVIEN, Confessor
In the Book of Llan Ddv mention is made of " villam Sancti Nuvien
cum ecclesia," ^ and, further on, " Ecclesia Mamouric id est Lann
1 Willis, S. David's, p. 36. ^ pp 106, 128. ' Pp. 113, 138-9.
* Laws of Hywel Dda, ed. Aneurin Owen, fol., p. 50.
^ Mr. Egerton Phillimore in Bye-Gones, 1889-90, p. 483 ; Sir J. Rhys, Origin of
the Englyn, 1905. PP- lo-n- '^ Pp- 31. 43. 9°-
2 6 Lives of the British Saints
Uvien." ^ We believe that we are perfectly justified in identifying
Lann Uvien with the Ecclesia Sancti Nuvien. Lann Uvien has beeii
queried to be Llangoven," in Monmouthshire, but for no reason, we
beheve, than merely the similarity in name. We have no doubt what-
ever that it was the chapel at Crick, some nine miles to the south of
Llangoven. Mamouric means Meurig's Place, the Meurig in question
being, in all probabiUty, the Morgan wg King of the name, whose father.
King Tewdrig, was buried at Mathern, in the immediate neighbour-
hood of Crick ; and among the places mentioned in the boundary of
Mathern are " Aper Pull Muric " and " Aper Pull Neuynn " ; ^ but
the latter need not necessarily be translated " the mouth of the Hunger
Pill," as it has been.*
The remains of the old chapel of S. Nuvien, Nyveyn, or Nyfain, are
still to be seen, converted into a barn, in the yard of the old manor-
house of Crick, an old house which is to-day almost in its original
state. 5 At the east end of the chapel are two square windows, with a
good rose window between. It appears to have been at one time
attached to Caerwent, for in an inspeximus of 1336, recording the grant
of the advowson of Caerwent, we read, " cum Capellis de Lannayre,
Dynan, et Sancti Nyveyn {al. Niveyn), eidem Ecclesie annexis." ^
In the Valor of 1535," however, the church of Mathern is described as
" The Parish Church of Matherne, Trikke and Rulston." Rulston is
Runston, and Trikke must be a mispelling of Crick, which is situated
just within the border of the old parish of Runston.
S. NWYTHON, see S. NOETHON
S. NYFAIN, Matron
This saint, whose name is spelt Nyuein and Nyuen in the two versions
of the Cognatio, Drynwin in Jesus College MS. 20, and Nefyn in the
later genealogies," was a daughter of Brychan Brycheiniog, and the wife
of Cynfarch Gul ab Meirchion, by whom she became the mother of
1 P. 206. There are other instances of the disappearance of initial « due to
Llan coming before the name.
2 Ibid., p. 375. 3 ji^i^ _ pp 142-3. 4 Ibid., p. 369.
5 Arch. Camb., 1909, pp. 113-4. « WiUis, Llandajf, 1719, pp. 163-7.
' iv, p. 373-
" Peniavth MS. 74, p. 86 ; Myv. Arch., pp. 419, 42S ; lolo MSS., pp, iii 120
.40.
S. Onbrit 2 7
Urien Rheged, Efrddyl (wife of Elidyr Gosgorddfawr), and Lleuddun
Luyddog. Urien and Efrddyl were twins, according to a Triad, wherein
they are called one of the " Tri Aur (Gwyn) Dorllwyth " of the Isle of
Britain. 1
The church of Nefyn, or Nevin, in Carnarvonshire, has been sup
posed, but wrongly we believe, to be dedicated to her. The Church
was anciently called Llanfair yn Nefyn, with its festival on August 15,2'
and fairs were held, Old Style, on March 24 and August 14, the eves of
two festivals of the B.V.M. No churches are known to us as having
been dedicated to her, nor is her festival day entered in any of the Welsh
Calendars.
She is not to be confounded with the Monmouthshire male saint,,
Nuvien, or Nyveyn.
S. NYNNIAW, Bishop, Confessor
The authority for Nynniaw as a Welsh Saint is a solitary entry in
the lolo MSS?, where he is stated to have been a saint and bishop,
and King of Gwent and Garthmathrin, whose church is in the North.
By Nynniaw, saint and bishop, who founded a church in the North, is
clearly intended the great S. Ninian, who is incidentally mentioned, as
Nynias, by Bede * as having been instrumental in converting the
Southern Picts, between the Grampians and the Forth. He was a
Brython of royal blood, born somewhere on the Solway Firth. The
church he founded was Candida Casa, or Whithern, in Wigtonshire^.
which, on hearing of the death, about the year 400, of S. Martin of
Tours, he dedicated to that saint, of whom he was a great admirer.
Ninian is popularly known in Scotland as Ringan, and in Ireland as
Monenn, with the endearing prefix. He is commemorated on Septem-
ber 16. There is nothing to show that he ever was in Wales.
S. ONBRIT
In two bulls of Pope Honorius II to Bishop Urban of Llandaff is,
mentioned Merthir Onbrit as among the possessions of the Church of
1 Cardiff MS. 6 ; Myv. Arch., p. 392.
2 Willis, Bangor, p. 275 ; Cambrian Register, iii (1818), p. 225. ,
^ P. 136. '^ Hist. Eccl., iii, 4.
2 8 Lives of the British Saints
Llandaff.i Nothing seems to be now known of Onbrit, but it is clear
that a saint is intended, as Merthyr would only be used in that colloca-
tion. Petra Onnbrit is named in the boundary of the grant of Tull
(Toll) Coit by Elfin, son of Guidgen, to Bishop Berthguin,^ in the time
of King Ithel ab Morgan. Twll Coed was also called Bella Aqua, i.e.
Fairwater, Llandaff ; and, no doubt, Merthir Onbrit was in the
immediate neighbourhood.
S. OSWAEL
In a list of the sons of Cunedda Wledig that has unaccountably been
incorporated into one Achau'r Saint document printed in the lolo
MSS.^ is found his son Oswael, whom, it is to be presumed, we are to
reckon among the Welsh saints ; but there is no reason whatever to
justify us in so doing. His name occurs earliest as Osmail, later Ismael
(in the Vita S. Carantoci) and Oswael, but more regularly Ysfael.
There is no church found dedicated to him ; but he has left his name
to Mais Osmeliaun, in Anglesey, now probably represented by Llan-
/aes. Later antiquaries have mixed him up with S. Oswald, and
wrongly made Osweilion to be the district round Croes Oswallt, or
Oswestry. *
Curiously enough, S. Oswald is patron of a church, Lantec in ancient
Goelo, now in Cotes du Nord. He is represented in the church as a
chubby boy crowned and sceptred. He has replaced some Celtic saint
of a similar name, but hardly Oswael, son of Cunedda, as this latter
belongs to an earlier age than the British saints of Armorica. Most
probably he takes the place of Usyllt, the father of S. Teilo.
S. OUDOCEUS, Bishop, Confessor
The only authority for the Life of this saint is a Vita in the Book
oj Llan Dclv that was written or recomposed in or about 1150, but the
Life was probably based on pre-existing material used as lections on
^ Book of Llan Ddv, pp. 32, 43.
2 Ibid., p. 189. One of the laity signing the grant was named Aironbrit.
^ P. 122. For early Usts of Cunedda's .sons see Y Cymmrodor.is., p. 183, and
Cambro-British Saints, pp. loo-i. ■> See Q-mev\'s Pembrokeshire, i, p. 296.
*S'. Oiidoceus 2 9
the feast of the saint. It is printed in the Liber Landavensis, edited by
'^'^ • J. Rees, Llandovery, 1840, pp. 123-32 ; more correctly in the Book
oj Llan Ddv, ed. Evans and Rhys, Oxford, 1893, pp. 130-9. An epi-
tome, very meagre, in Capgrave's Nova Legenda Anglim. Also in Acta.
SS. Boll, 2 JuHi, i, p. 320, from Capgrave.
Oudoceus 1 was the son of Budic, a refugee prince of Armorican
Cornugallia, but born after his return to Brittany. The eariy history
of Armorican Cornugalha is most obscure. We know that this por-
tion of the Western peninsula had been colonized from Britain, at an
eariy period. We hear of a king, Grallo, who ruled there about 470 to
505. Then there would appear to have ensued a fresh inroad of im-
migrants from Britain, under a chief called Jan or John Reith, which is
translated as Lex.^ It would seem that these new colonists set up
their own prince and expelled the family of Grallo.
The Cartulary of Landevennec ^ gives the order differently. After
Grallo it inserts Daniel Dremrud " Alammanis rex fuit." Then comes
Budic with his brother Maxenri, then Jan Reith. " Hue rediens
Marchel interfecit et paternum consulatum recuperavit." Then
Daniel Unna, followed by Gradlon Flam and Concar Cheroenoc, and
then Budic Mur. The Cartulary of Quimper * follows this with only a
verbal addition to the effect. " Budic et Maxentii duo fratres ; ho rum
primus rediens ab Alamannia, interfecit Marcell et paternum con-
sulatum recuperavit." In the Cartulary of Quimperle is also a
reproduction of the same list.^
Out of these contradictions it is not possible to arrive at any conclu-
^ Oudoceus is Oudoce (with old e = modern Welsh wy) with a Latin termina-
tion. In the Cartulary appended to the Vita S. Cadoci,^ 61, he occurs under a
later form, Eudoce Episcopus. The name appears in Welsh as Oudocui, later
Euddogwy, as in Lann Oudocui, later becoming Llan Euddogwy, which is now
cut down to Llan-dogo (on the Wye).
^ " Quidam nobilis apud transmarinos (Britannos) exstitit, cui cognomen erat
Lex vel Regula ; vir quidam genere regius, terra, familiis, opibusque admodum
opulentus. Qui quoniam juxta divinum prseceptum leges utrique sexui con-
venienter aptabat, Lex vel Regula nominabatur. Is post desolationem Frixionum
et Corsoldi ducis, nostram adiens desertam Cornugalliam (parata) classe mare cum
maximo apparatu transmisit, regnum accepit, habitavit, excoluit. Post ejus
decessum Daniel filius ejus regnum tenuit ; cui successit filius Budic." Vita
S. Melons, Analecta Boll., T. v, 1886, p. 166. In another Life ; " Multi autem
credentes, secularibus negociis abrenunciantes . . . et Deo adherentes . . ..
virtutum effulsere ovantes. De quorum coUegio quondam, antiqua ut didicimus
relatione, fuit vir Christianissimus Johannes nomine, nobilis, ortus Britannorum
genere, quem Dominus de ultra marinis partibus ductu angelico in Cornubiam.
disposuit transmeare. ... Et expletis annis vits suje, regnavit filius ejus
Daniel pro eo." Lect. of Brev. Maclov., 1537, f. 277.
^ Ed. De la Borderie, Rennes, 1888, p. 172.
* Printed in Bulletin de la Commission diocSsaine, Quimper, 1901, p. 35.
5 Ed. L. Maitre et Berthou, Paris, 1896, p. 51.
30 Lives of the British Saints
sion with an approach to confidence. . We may perhaps accept M. de
la Borderie's opinion as we lack sufficient evidence to form any other,
but it is a conjecture, and nothing more. He supposes that Grallo left
no direct heir, and that Jan Reith came over and seized on the princi-
pality and transmitted it to his son Budic. Budic left two sons, Mehau
and Rivold. Mehau was murdered by his brother, who also dispatched
his nephew Melor.
On the death of Rivold, ambassadors from Cornubia or Cornugallia
went to South Wales, where was living Budic, of the house of Grallo,
who had been driven from Cornubia by the invaders.
The Life of S. Oudoceus informs us that Budic was the son of a cer-
tain Cybrdan, who had been expelled from his principality of Cornu-
gallia, and he " came with his fleet to the region of Demetia (Dyfed) in
the time of Aircol La whir, who was King thereof." ^ Budic, who must
have been young when he fled to Dyfed, married there Anauved,
daughter of Ensic,^ and sister of S. Teilo, and by her had two sons,
Ismael and Tyfai, who both entered religion. Ismael became a disciple
of S. David, and Tyfai, having been accidentally killed, is esteemed a
martyr. Whilst Budic resided in Dyfed, deputies from Cornubia
arrived to announce to him that the usurping king was dead and that
the people were ready to welcome him.^ Budic collected vessels and
embarked, with his family of retainers and doubtless a number of
Welsh adventurers who hoped to get something in the new land.
Where Budic landed we do not know. The date of his arrival was
about the year 545. Soon after Anauved became a mother again, of
a son who was named Oudoceus.
Now some time previously, before Budic had heard of the change of
aspect of affairs in Brittany, his brother-in-law, Teilo, had exacted from
him a solemn promise, that, if he became again a father, he would give
this child to the Church. As De la Borderie says, " L'eveque semble
avoir voulu confisquer a son profit toute la lignee de sa soeur
Anaumed." *
1 Aircol La whir, according to the BooU of Llan Ddv, was son of Tryfun, and was
King of Dyfed. The early pedigrees (circa tenth century) in Harleian MS. 3,859
give him as a son of Triphun map Clotri, of the line of Constantius and Helen,
and as father of Giiortcpir, whowas the father of Cincar, etc. Y Cymmj'odor.ix,
p. 171.
2 In the original, " Anauued, daughter of Ensic, whose mother was Guenhaf,
daughter of Liuonui, from which Anaumed" [sic), etc. The correcter form of
Ensic's name is Usyllt.
^ " Missis legatis ad eum de nativa sua regione Cornugallia ut sine mora cum
tota sua familia et auxilio Brittannorum ad recipiendum regnum Armoricae
.gentis veniret, defuncto rege eorum ilium volebant recipere natum de regali
progenie." Book of Llan Ddv, p. 130. « Hist, de Bretagne, i, p. 435.
S. Oucloceus 3 I
Possibly Budic might have found it convenient to forget his promise,
but Teilo came to his territories, met him and insisted on his observance
of the vow.
^ About a couple of years after Budic had gone to Cornubia the terrible
Yellow Plague broke out in Wales, 547 ; and Teilo, who thought that
the better part of valour was discretion, fled to Armorica, and remained
there nearly eight years. Budic's hesitation about surrendering his
son was overcome when his wife presented him with a fourth, Tewdrig.
Then, knowing what was certain to ensue after his death, if he left
two brothers to contend for the sovereignty, he readily enough allowed
Teho to remove Oudoceus from the land, and thus secure him from
being murdered, as had been Meliau by his brother Rivold.
Before proceeding to the further life of Oudoceus, it may be as well
to relate what followed in Brittany.
Budic can hardly have lived beyond 570, and Tewdrig was born
about 550. Budic was concerned about the future of his son, and he
accordingly entered into an arrangement with MacHau, Bishop of
Vannes, and Count of Broweroc, by which each engaged to defend and
protect the other's children, in the event of one of them dying, and
this alliance was sealed by an oath.
No sooner, however, was Budic dead, than Macliau entered Cornubia
and expelled Tewdrig, who remained for long a wanderer. However,
he did not lose courage, and in 577, having collected a body of followers,
he swooped down on the Bishop, killed him and his son James, and
recovered possession of Cornubia. ^
Oudoceus was born about 545 or 546, when his father Budic returned
to Cornugallia or Cornubia in Brittany, and in 556, when Teilo with his
refugees from the Yellow Plague went back to Wales, Oudoceus
accompanied him.
We do not know the date of the death of Teilo ; accordingly not that
of Oudoceus's succession to the abbacy and bishopric ; but he can
hardly have been under thirty-five when elected into the room of his
uncle. That would be in 580.
He does not seem to have revisited Brittany. His brother Tewdrig
was prince then in Cornubia, and Oudoceus maj' have thought it
inadvisable to appear in his territories, lest Tewdrig, who was his junior
by a few years, should misunderstand his purpose in returning, and
have his throat cut. But doubtless he sent some of Teilo's disciples
to the foundations made by that saint in Armorica, to see to their wel-
fare and maintenance in good discipline. He had, moreover, plenty to
1 Gres;. Turon., Hist. Franc, iv, c. 16.
3 2 Lives of the British Saints
occupy him in Wales. He was particularly interested in assuring his
hold over Penally and Llandeilo Fawr. We are informed that he
visited them and met with an unpleasant experience on his way back.
He had gone there relic-hunting. Returning from a visit to S. David's
with some rehcs, he went to Llandeilo Fawr, where he collected " rehcs
of the disciples of S. Teilo his maternal uncle, and these he placed in a
suitable coffer." ^ From Llandeilo Fawr he went on to Penallt in
Cydweli, his " family bearing the rehcs reverently, the holy cross going
before, and singing psalms." Then certain men rushed down on them
from the rocks shouting, " Shall these clerics get away, laden with
gold and silver, and, with so to speak, the treasure of Saints Dewi and
Teilo ? Let us catch them, and enrich ourselves with the great store
of gold and silver metal." ^
The legend as a matter of course makes the men become rigid and
blind, tih restored by the prayer of S. Oudoceus. What really took place
was probably this. Oudoceus had nothing to do with S. David, and
never went to his shrine at all, but he did desire to get hold of the body
of his uncle that was preserved at Llandeilo Fawr ; and, at the same
time, he carried off all the gold and revenue he could coUect in that
place andPenallt. Themcn of Penallt, and probably those also of Llan-
deilo Fawr, did not relish this ; the prosperity of their churches de-
pended on the possession of relics of their founder ; as little were they
pleased to be despoiled of the treasure in metal, and to have to pay dues,
and probably arrears, to the representatives of Teilo. A disturbance
ensued, but a compromise was effected.
Another story told of S. Oudoceus is, that, when he was thirsty one
day, passing some women who were washing butter, he asked for a
draught of water. They answered, laughing, that they had no vessel
from which he could drink. Then he took a pat of butter, moulded it
into the shape of a bell, filled it at the spring, and drank out of it. And,
lo ! it was converted into a golden bell ; and so it remained in the
Church of Llandaff till it was melted up by the Commissioners of
Henry VHI.
Einion, King of Glywysing (roughly, modern Glamorganshire) , was
hunting one day, and the stag took refuge under the cloak of S. Oudo-
ceus. The saint seized the occasion to beg the prince to make him a
^ " Quod sibi placuit de sacris reliquiis sumpsit . . . et secum attulit, et de
loco sue proprio Lan Teliau maur sumpsit secum de reliquiis discipulorum Sancti
Teliaui matruelis sui." Book of LI an Ddv, p. 135.
^ " Nunquid clerici isti onerati auro et argento et ut sic dicamus thesauro
sanctorum Deui et Teliaui de manibus nostris evadant ? Immo capientur, et
ablatis illis omnibus rebus suis ditemur multo pondere metalli auri et argenti."
Ibid.
S. Ottdoceus 3 3
grant of that bit of land, on the Wye, now represented by the parish of
Llandogo, which the stag had encompassed in the day's hunt. The
possessions of the abbey of Teilo beyond the Towy created friction.
Cadwgan, the king, determined to drive Oudoceus out of them, and
Oudoceus, unable to resist by force of arms, cursed his territory, and
from that time forth the jurisdiction over Penally, Llandeilo Fawr,
and Llanddowror seems to have ceased, ^ though the biographer pre-
tends that Cadwgan was brought to his knees and obliged to make
restitution.
In the time of Oudoceus began the ravages of the Saxons in Gwent.
In 577 the fatal battle of Deorham had cut off the Britons of Wales from
those in Devon and Cornwall, and it had left the Severn Valley and
those of the Wye and Usk open to be entered and ravaged at any time.
The Hwiccas had settled in the rich land of Gloucestershire and
Worcestershire, and as they stretched their limbs, they laid hold of
ever more and more soil and wrenched it from the Britons. They
crossed the Wye, laid Ewyas waste, and devastated the valleys of
the Dore and of the Worm.^ A slice of what is now Herefordshire
was lost to the British.
One day, when Oudoceus was wrapt in devotion, sobbing and crying,
a monk ran to him with the announcement that some beams that had
been cut for his buildings, and had been left where hewn, in the wood,
were being carried off. Oudoceus jumped up, seized a hatchet, and
ran off to the banks of the Wye to see after his beams, and found that
the depredator was none other than Gildas the historian, who was just
then spending some time in retreat on the Isle of Echni (the Flat
Holm) in the Bristol Channel, and who wanted timber for his own
buildings.
Oudoceus shouted to him, as he rowed away with the beams, to come
back and restore or apologize, but Gildas turned a deaf ear to entreaty
and objurgation, and Oudoceus in a rage brought down his axe on a
mass of stone hard by with such force as to split it, and the split re-
mained as witness to the same till the time when the biographer wrote.
Unhappily for him, the story is chronologically impossible. Gildas
1 " Volens (rex) sanctum virum cum sua familia expellere de patria sua ultra
Tyui, et sanctus Oudoceus reliquit patriam illius sub maledictione, et ab illo
tempore remansit parrochia dividente Tyui duos episcopatus sicut dividebat
duo regna." Book of Llan Ddv, p. 133.
" " In tempore suo venerunt tribulationes et vastationes Saxonum in dextra-
lem Britanniam, et maxima in confinium episcopatus sui, in tantum quod vi
supervenientis gentis Saxonicae parrochiam suam a Mochros supra ripam Guy ex
ilia parte usque ad rivulum Dor, ex ista parte et usque ad Gurmuy [the Worm],
et ad ostium Taratyr [the stream by Dindor] in Guy flumine. Et factis his
vastationibus ex utraque parte super parrochiam episcopatus." Ibid., pp. 133-4-
VOL. IV. D
34 Lives of the British Saints
died in 570, and Oudoceus was not bishop till 580. All we can conclude
from the story is, that the remembrance of Gildas as a masterful and
unscrupulous man lingered on. The story may be true so far that it
belonged to an earher period, and to Teilo, and later on attached
itself to Oudoceus.
Meurig, the King of Morganwg, had committed murder. The case
was gross, for he and Cynuetu, whom he slew, had come before Oudo-
ceus and had sworn over relics to keep peace and friendship together.
\'ery soon after, Meurig killed Cynuetu. Thereupon, Oudoceus called
together the three abbots of most consequence in the district, Concen,
Abbot of Llancarfan, Catgen, Abbot of Llantwit, and Sulgen, Abbot
of Llandough, and hurled a curse upon the King and all his family,
and cut off his land by interdict from Baptism and Communion, for
the space of two years and more.^
The statement is open to grave objection. It is the earliest known
incidence of an interdict on a land and its innocent people. No such a
far-reaching interdict was known in the Western Church till the
eleventh century at the earliest. Excommunications there were, and
censures, but the monstrous iniquity of a general interdict was re-
served for popes to commit. Almost, if not the first instance is that
of Hadrian IV, in 1155, who put Rome under an interdict because a
Cardinal had been mortally wounded in a popular tumult ; but Louis
VI had been threatened with one earlier in the same century, for
laying his hands on Church property. Alexander III, in 1180, placed
Scotland under an interdict. It is true that in the Life of S. Eligius,
d.c. 659, written at the close of the seventh century, that saint is
said to have interdicted the celebration of Divine Service in a cer-
tain church, because the priest thereof had refused obedience to his
commands ; but that was a different thing to an interdict on a
whole people.
The Celtic abbots and bishops were free enough with their curses,
but they never sank quite to such a depth as to involve the innocent
with the guilty in excommunication.
Meurig was brought to penance and to pay for remission by making
over four " villas " to the see of Llandaff.
Morgan, another King of Morganwg, had appeared at Llandaff, with
his uncle Frioc, to take oath that they would live together in amity.
Nevertheless, Morgan treacherously slew his uncle. Another synod
was called, and he was put to penance, and obhged to release the mon-
asteries of Llancarfan, Llantwit and Llandough from all royal services
before he could obtain absolution. ^
1 Book of Llan Ddv, p. 147. 2 Ibid., pp. 152-4.
S. Oudoceus 3 5
Guidnerth of Gwent had basely murdered his brother. This was a
practice so common, and recognized as a matter of course, that he was
surprised to find that Oudoceus regarded it in a serious light. Oudoceus
excommunicated him for three years, and afterwards bade him leave
Britain, and remain for a year in exile in Armorica.^
Tlie Book oj Llan Ddv bears abundant testimony to the brutal
savagery and the unbridled lust that prevailed in the sixth century. If
Teilo and Oudoceus and his successors made the princes and other
delinquents pay heavily for absolution, it was because through their
pockets their consciences could be reached, and the truth impressed
upon them that murder and adultery were sins against God as well as
man. There can be very little doubt that Oudoceus was a strong man,
and that his politic act in bringing the three great abbots of the three
monasteries of Morganwg to act with him, paved the way to the supre-
macy of the abbey of Llandaff, and the formation of the episcopal
diocese with episcopal rule over Morganwg. Oudoceus died on July 2,
at Llandogo, which he had chosen as his retreat, near the close of his
life.
The year in which he died is not known ; it seventy years old, then
the date was about 615.
Into the Life of Oudoceus was thrust a statement, absolutely desti-
tute of foundation, that he had gone to Canterbury and had tendered
his submission to S. Augustine, and had received consecration from his
hands. ^ As Rees well says, " The legend, for it deserves no better
name, is so contrary to authentic histoiy, and inconsistent with the
state of the Welsh Church for two centuries after the time of Oudoceus,
that it does not require a serious refutation." ^
Oudoceus managed to extend the patrimony of the Church of S.
Teilo into Brecknock, and to extend it in Monmouthshire. The grants
recorded in the Book of Llan Ddv as made to him must not be accepted
without caution. In one it is said that he had lost Lann Cyngualan,
in Gower, from the time of the Yellow Plague till that of Athrwys,
son of Meurig.* Oudoceus did not come to Wales till the plague was
over. But perhaps we may read this as a loss of this estate to the
Church of Llandaff from 547, not to Oudoceus personally.
S. Oudoceus has found his way into many English Calendars. He is
in that of the Sarum Missal, that of York, and that of Hereford. He is
' Book of Llan Ddv, pp. 180-1.
2 "Missus est sanctus Oudoceus cum clericis suis predictis Merchui et
Elguoret et Gunnbiu, cum legatis trium abbatum et regis et principum ad Doro-
borensem civitatem ad beatum Archiepiscopum ubi sacratus est." Ibid., p. 132,
' Rees, Essay on the Welsh Saints, p. 274. ' Book of Llan Ddv, p. 144.
36 Lives of the British Saints
in the Oxford Calendar ; in that of Canterbury. Cathedral, circa 1050
in the Exeter Calendar of the end of the twelfth century., Harl. MS. 863
in the S. Alban's Calendar of the twelfth century, MS. Reg. 2 A. x
in that of Hyde, of the middle of the eleventh century ; in an Ely
Calendar of the thirteenth century, Harl. MS. 547 ; in the Tewkesbury
Abbey Calendar, circa 1250, MS. Reg. 8. C. ^di ; in the Reading
Abbey Calendar, 1220-46, Cotton MS. Vesp. E. v ; and many others.
This liberal admission into the English Calendars is entirely due to the
fable of his having submitted to be consecrated at Canterbury. The
one Welsh Calendar in which he is inserted is that in Allwydd Paradwys,
1670.
The only church that regards S. Oudoceus as patron, beside the
Cathedral Church of Llandaff, where he shares the honour with SS.
Dyfrig and Teilo and SS. Peter and Paul, is Llaneuddogwy, now Llan-
dogo, in Monmouthshire.^ It is on the Wye, a little below Monmouth,
and was the place granted to him by King Einion, after whom it was
occasionally called Llaneinion.
He was succeeded as Bishop of Llandaff by Berthwyn.
The shrine of S. Oudoceus at Llandaff, as also those of SS. Dyfrig and
Teilo, were stripped about the year 1540. The mitred head and an arm
of each of the saints' statues, all of silver, got into the possession of
one of the canons, but he had to surrender them (about 1557)-^
S. OWAIN
The various documents printed in the lolo MSS. are alone respon-
sible for saints of this name. They mention three.
(i) Owain, sometimes called Owain Finddu, or the Black-lipped,
the son of Macsen Wledig (the Emperor Maximus) by Elen Luyddog,
of Carnarvon.^ .He had as brothers, Ednyfed, Peblig, and Cystennin,
and is said to have been the father of S. Madog. No churches are
mentioned as being dedicated to him.
Triads of the Third (or latest) Series assert that, after the departure
1 Willis, Llandaff, 1719, append., p. 9, wrongly gives it as dedicated to " S.
Dochoe, Nov. 25." " Fontem Sancti Eudaci " is mentioned in a document circa
1 190 as being in the parish of Dixton, by Monmouth, and falling into the Wye at
Hadnock.
2 Arch. Camb., 1887, pp. 226, 229, 233; Cardiff Records, 1898, i, p. 376.
Leland, Collect., 1774, i, p. 104, says, " Cranium S. Odothei apud LLandaf."
3 igig MSS., pp. 113, 138. The pedigrees in Jesus College MS. 20 make him
father of Nor, and son of Maximianus, i.e. Maximus.
S. Pabai 3 7
of the Romans, he was elected by national convention to be supreme
ruler of Britain. - Under him, it is said, Britain was restored to a state
of independence, and the annual tribute, which had been paid to
the Romans since the days of Julius Csesar, was discontinued.'^
He is buried at Dinas Ffaraon, now known as Dinas Emrys, near
Beddgelert, having been slain by a Goidelic giant named Eurnach or
Urnach, on whom Owain at the same time inflicted a deadly
wound.'-
(2) Owain, son of Urien Rheged, who is said to have been the founder
of the church and castle of Aberllychwr, or Loughor, in Glamorgan-
shire ; but he was a distinguished warrior and hero of Romance
lather than a saint.
According to the " Stanzas of the Warriors' Graves " he was buried
at Llanmorfael, i.e. Loughor, a church said to 'have been originally
founded by the mythical Bran Fendigaid.* He was the father of S.
Kentigem.
(3) Owain, son of the tenth century Glamorgan King, Morgan Hen,
who " built the church and castle at Ystrad Owen (in Glamorgan),
where he and his wife were buried." * The church is regarded as being
dedicated to a S. Owain ; and Browne WiUis gives August 14 as the
parish feast. °
Not one of the three has any title to be included among the Welsh
Saints.
It may be well to mention that there is no relationship whatever
between the Welsh name Owain or Owen and that of S. Ouen or Owen
(from Audoenus), the seventh century bishop and patron of Rouen, who
has several dedications in England, and is commemorated on August
24. No doubt WiUis meant him, but made a mistake in the date.
S. PABAI, Confessor
This saint was a son of Brychan. In the two Cognatio versions his
name is spelt Papay, and in Jesus College MS. 20, Papai, but in the
later hsts, Pabal, Pabiali, and Ffabiah. He, and his two brothers,
Neffei and Pasgen, were sons of Brychan by his Spanish wife Proistri.
^ Myv. Arch., pp. 402-4.
2 lolo MSS., p. 81 ; Greal, 1805, p. 18 ; Sir J. Rhys, Celtic Folklore, pp. 564-5.
2 lolo MSS., p. 38. ■• Ibid., pp. 14, 221.
6 Llandaff, 1719, append., p. i ; Parock. Anglic, 1733, p. 178,
3 8 Lives of the British Saints
The three went to Spain, where they became " Saints and principals "
(penrheithian).'^
S. PABO, King, Confessor
Pabo was the son of Arthwys ab Mar ab Ceneu ab Coel, and one of
the Men of the North. ^ He is usually called Pabo Post Prydain (Pry-
dyn), i.e. Pabo the Pillar or Bulwark of Pictland, which implies that
he was a great war " prop " to his countrymen in North Britain.^ In
the Old- Welsh genealogies in Harleian MS. 3,859 his pedigree is given
in an incorrect form, Pappo Post Priten map Ceneu map Coylhen.*
He was brother to Eliffer Gosgorddfawr, Ceidio, and Cynfelyn, and
father of Dunawd, Cerwydd, Sawyl Bcnisel (also Benuchel), and Ard-
dun Benasgell.
" He was a King in the North, and was driven from his country by
the Gwyddyl Ffichti (Pictish Goidels) and came to Wales, where he
received lands (in Powys) from Cyngen Deyrnllwg, the son of Cadell
Deyrnllwg, and his son Brochwel Ysgj^throg." ^ Topographically,
however, he is entirely associated with Gwynedd. He founded the
Church of Llanbabo, subject to Llanddeusant, in Anglesey, and there is
a Llanbabo near Llyn Padarn, in Carnarvonshire, and near Conway,
in the parish of Llangystenin, are Pabo hamlet, Hill, and Station.
He has been supposed to be " the oldest of the saints of Anglesey,'' ^
where he is traditionally called " King Pabo." He is buried there at
1 Peniarth MS. 178 (sixteenth century), p. 21. ; lolo MSS., pp. iii, iig,
140 ; Myv. Arch., pp. 419, 425, 428 ; Dwnn, Heraldic Visitations of Wales, ii.
P, M-
^ Bonedd Gwyr y Gogledd ; Myv. Arch., p. 428 ; lolo MSS., p. 105. On p. 125
of the last named work, Gwenasedd, mother of S. Asaph, is wrongly stated to have
been his wife instead of his son Sawyl's. Pabo is a rare name ; it occurs also in
the pedigree of the mythical Beli Mawr as given in Peniarth MS. 131, p. 77. Sir
J. Rhys, Arthurian Legend, -p. 298, derives, palaeographically, the name Palomydes
from Pabo. Pabu enters into several Breton place-names, such as Lan-babu, Tre-
babu, etc. It is a name given by the Bretons to S. Tudwal. The parishioners
of Llanbabo were formerly generally called " Gwyr Pabo."
' The epithet " Post Prydein "is given also by Llywarch Hen to Urien Rheged
(Skene, Four Ancient Books, ii, p. 268 ; Myv. Arch., p. 85), and by Llygad Gwr
to Gruffydd ab Madog (Myv. Arch., p. 238). For references to the similar epithet,
" Post Cad Ynys Prydain," see ii, p. 383.
* y Cymmrodor, ix, pp. 174, 179.
5 lolo MSS., pp. 126-7. He is said to have been granted the site of Llanbabo
by Cadwallon Lawhir.
" Myv. Arch,, p. 428.
S. PABO.
From slab at Llanhabo,
[Photo by Wm, Marriott Dodson.)
S. Pad am 3 9
Llanbabo, where is a large sculptured slab, with his figure and the leg-
end, in Lombardic capitals, " HIC lACET PABO POST PRVD . . ." i
The church is an unpretending little structure, of the fourteenth
century, situated on a lonely ridge. Lewis Morris wrote, " There is a
tradition at Llanbabo that Pabo and a son and daughter of his were
buried in that churchyard, over against certain faces cut in stones to
be seen to this day in the south wall of that church, and against one
of these faces Pabo's tombstone was by accident discovered in Charles
ILs time, as I was informed in 1730, or thereabouts." ^ It was found
by the sexton, about six feet down, in digging a grave. The slab is
now set upright against the south wall inside the church, by the font.
The effigy is of about the middle of the fourteenth century, when the
church was rebuilt. The head is crowned with a simple circlet and
three fleurs-de-Hs, and in the right hand is a sceptre. The sculptor
who designedand executed it appears to have also sculptured S. lestyn
in Llaniestyn church, in the same island. Pabo himself lived during
parts of the fifth and sixth centuries, for his son Dunawd, according
to the Annates Camhrice, died in 595.
A tradition states, in the following lines, that he and his queen were
buried at Llanerchymedd, which is not far distant from Llanbabo —
Yn Llanerch'medd ym Mondo
Y claddwyd Brenin Pabo,
A'r frenhines deg ei gwedd,
Yn Llanerch'medd mae hono.'
Pabo's festival is November g, which occurs in the calendars in the
lolo MSS., the Welsh Prymers of 1618 and 1633, Allwydd Paradwys
(1670), and in a number of Welsh almanacks of the eighteenth century.
S. PADARN, Abbot, Bishop, Confessor
The main authority for the Life of S. Paternus or Padarn is a Vita
in the Cotton MS. Vespasian A. xiv (early thirteenth century), pub-
hshed by Rees in the Cambro-British Saints, pp. 188-97. This had
1 Arch. Camb., 1861, pp. 299-300 ; 1874, pp. 110-2; 1908, pp. 95-8 ; West-
wood, Lapidavium Wallics, 1876-9, p. 193 ; where there are illustrations of the slab.
2 Celtic Remains, pp. 339-41 ; Angharad Llwyd, Hist, of Anglesey, 1833, p.
216. The effigy is also referred to in the Morris Letters, ed. J. H. Davies, 1907-9,
i, p. 286 ; ii, pp. 91, 93. 101-2.
3 The last part of the first Une is sometimes given as " ym Mon, do," ; and for
the last line is substituted, " Ym mynwent Eglwys Ceidio," a chapel subject to
Llanerchymedd .
40 Lives of the British Sai7i.ts
been seen by John of Tynemouth, who condensed it {Cotton MS.
Tiberius E. i), and his version was printed in Capgrave's Nova Legenda
AnglicB (ed. 1901, ii, pp. 274-9), and repubhshed by the Bollandists,
Acta SS., April 15, ii, pp. 379-82. Fragments more or less extended
of this Life passed into the Breviaries of Treguier, S. Malo, etc. There
is also a Life in the Breviary of Leon, 1516, but it is late, and confounds
Paternus of Vannes with his namesake of Avranches.
]\L de la Borderie in his Saint Paterne, sa legende et son histoire,
Vannes, 1892, made an attempt to analyse the Life, with partial suc-
cess. Mgr. L. Duchesne's Saint Paterne, eveque de Vannes, in the
Revue Celtique, 1893, is a further contribution.
The Vita was originally composed in Wales, and contains a good
amount of genuine historical tradition ; but this fell into the hands
of an ecclesiastic of Vannes, who altered and adapted it for polemical
purposes. In many an instance a knowledge of the localities where a
saint passed his life is the best possible commentary on the documentary
record. We trust by this means to clear up one of the main difficulties
encountered by students of the Life of S. Padarn.
It will be well, first of all, to give a summary of his legend before
proceeding to its critical examination.
Padarn was born in Armorica, and was the son of Petran and Guean,
and was of noble race. Petran abandoned his wife and child that he
might go to Britain to embrace the religious life. But from Britain
he went on to Ireland, there to complete his monastic training.
Padarn remained with his mother.
One day, she had laid in the window the cloth intended as a garment
for her boy, when an eagle swooped down, carried it off, and lined his
nest with it. At the end of a twelvemonth, the cloth was recovered
uninjured, and was put to the use for which it was oiiginally intended.
Years passed, and then Padarn resolved on going in quest of his father.
He departed to Britain with a large company of monks. The names
of three other leaders of companies, who were his cousins, were Hetinlau,
Catman, and Titechon. In the Breviary of S. Malo they are given as
Tinlatu, Cathinam, and Techo. In the Legendarium of Treguier they
are Cuilan, Cathinan, and Techocho.
The companies reached Britain, and Padarn settled with his party
in Mauritana, where he became the head of a monastery containing 847
monks. After having organized it, he departed for Ireland, where he
found his father, but was quite unable to induce him to return to his
■wife and domestic duties.
In Ireland two Kings were at this time engaged in warfare — quite
an ordinary condition of affairs — and Padarn succeeded in reconciling
S. Padarn 4 1
them. That accomphshed, Padarn returned to his monastery in
Britain, which he found in a iiourishing condition, and augmented by
tlie arrival of a monk named Nimannauc, who had crossed over from
Letavia on a floating rock.
Padarn now founded a number of churches in Ceretica, and confided
them to his disciples Samson, Guinnius, Guipper and Nimannauc.
The peace of his community was speedily disturbed by Maelgwn
Gwynedd, who made war on Deheubarth, and arrived with a large
army at the mouth of the Clarach. To find an excuse for pillaging the
property of Padarn, Maelgwn left with him a number of hampers,
which, he said, contained his treasure. On his return he demanded
them back, when they were found to be filled with moss and gravel
only. Padarn vowed that he had not meddled with the contents, and
demanded of Maelgwn that he and his two stewards, who had placed
the hampers in his custody, should undergo the ordeal of plunging their
hands in boiling water. The stewards scalded their hands and arms,
but those of Padarn were unhurt. Maelgwn was struck with blind-
ness, and only recovered his sight at the intercession of the Saint. He
then made a grant of land to Padarn between the rivers Retiaul
(Rheidol) and Clarach.
Soon after, an angel bade S. David take with him Padarn and Teilo
and go to Jerusalem. The three accordingly visited the holy city,
where they were consecrated by the Archbishop ; and Padarn received
from him a present of a choral cope and a staff. On their return the
three divided Britain into three dioceses between them.
The tunic was the occasion of a dispute with " a certain tyr annus,
named Arthur," who demanded that it should be given to him. As
this was refused he stormed and threatened, when the earth swallowed
him up to the chin. Only on his making humble apology was he
released from his unpleasant and humiliating situation.^
Caradog Freichfras, in those' days, extended his kingdom beyond
Britain into Letavia. Then the Armoricans came to him, beseeching
him to induce Padarn to return to them. On his visiting Britain,
Caradog accordingly went to Padarn, and requested him to accompany
him to Letavia, and become there the rehgious instructor of the people.
NowPadam had spent twenty-one years in Wales, and had ruled
over three churches. The first had formerly been called the Plain of
Heli,but after he had settled there it became the metropohs of Padarn ;
the second, further inland, was called Agam's Cross, ^ where he had
1 The story was probably associated with the place-name Llys Arthur, in the
parish of Llanbadarn.
2 This has been identified with Llangorwen. Owen's PembrohesJiire. ii, p. 449.
42 Lives of the British Saints
overcome Maelgwn's stewards, ^ Graban and Terillan ; and the third
where was his place of sohtary retreat. He had spent seven years in
each. Caradog induced Padarn to accompany him, and this with the
undertaking that, whilst he was absent, none should interfere with his
foundations in Wales. Padarn then bade farewell to his monks, and
accompanied Caradog into Letavia, " ubi multa a falsis fratribus
pertulit."
Now at this time Samson exercised metropolitan authority over all
the churches of Armorica, and received a tribute from them all. As
he was going round his vast diocese, he came near to Guenet, where
Padarn had built a monastery. Then one of Samson's monks malici-
ously advised him to order Padarn to come to him, in token of sub-
mission to his authority. This he did, and the message reached Padarn
as he was dressing, and forthwith, half clothed, with one boot and stock-
ing on, he ran to meet Samson. The metropolitan was so pleased with
this token of obedience that he ordained " that although all the dio-
ceses throughout Letavia should pay tribute to him, the diocese of
S. Padarn should be free from this charge."
" And the city of Guenet is the episcopal seat of S. Padarn, in which
is a church of S. Peter the Apostle." This Caradog appointed, retain-
ing therein for himself only one hall. " After these things the Saints
appointed seven dioceses throughout Letavia, and that they should
assemble on a mountain, and confirm their union to remain for ever.
In which synod Padarn suffered much from envious and false brethren,
and he confirmed his union with the six principal Saints, he the seventh. "
However, fearing lest through their intolerance some occasion of
quarrel should arise, he left Letavia, and went among the Franks
where he died on the 17th of the Kalends of May (April 15).
" And the Armoricans celebrate those three solemnities, that is to
say, the Kalends of November when he formed perpetual union with
the principal Saints of Letavia, and the day of his decease, and the
day on which he received episcopal ordination, namely, the 12th of
the Kalends of July" (June 20).
After the death of Padarn Letavia was afflicted with famine, and
considering that this was due to the loss of the relics of S. Padarn,
driven out of the country " by false and injurious brethren," the people
of Armorica sent into the land of the Franks, and brought back his
body, and laid it in the city of Guenet.
The narrative concludes with an epilogue.
Whilst Padarn was at Jerusalem, in the presence of the Patriarch,
the three southern kingdoms were placed under the ecclesiastical juris-
^ In the MS. pretores, not precones, as printed.
S. Pada7~ji 43
diction of the three Saints. S. Padarn obtained episcopal rule over
the kingdom of Seisil ; S. David over that of Rein, and S. Teilo over
that of Morgant.
Now, on a certain day, one of his servants, who had gone into the:
woods, fell among thieves and was murdered. On inquiry it turned out
that the murderers were the servants of the governor, Eithir.^ And
as blood-fine, Eitliir was compelled to grant land to Padarn from the
ditch of Li uluuin between two rivers, the Retiaul (Rheidol) and the
Peit (Paith), to the sea coast. And Padarn informed Eithir, son of
Arthat, that he should be honourably buried in the cemetery of his
church, where his solemnity would be celebrated ever afterwards by
the reUgious community there.
Such is the Legend, which we shall now proceed to dissect.
There were three Saints of the name of Paternus, or Padarn.
(i) Paternus, first Bishop of Vannes, appointed to that See in a
Council held at Vannes in 465, or within a year or two of that date.
Of him nothing authentic is known beyond this solitary fact.
(2) Paternus, Bishop of Avranches, 552-65, whose Life was written
by Venantius Fortunatus, and is published in Mabillon, Acta SS.
0. S. B., ssec. i, pp. 152-3, ed. 1668 ; better and fuller, s£ec. ii, append.,
pp. 1,100-1,104; and in Acta SS. Boll-, April 16, ii, pp. 427-50.
See also Surius, April 16, ii, p. 180. He was born at Poitiers, and
brought up by his mother Julitta, a widow for nearly sixty years. He
was sent to the monastery of Enesio or Ansion, now Saint Jouin ; then
embraced a solitary life, at Sesci, now Saint Pair, near Granville, about
510 ; was chosen Bishop of Avranches in or about 552 ; subscribed the
decrees of the Council of Paris in 555 or 557 ; and died at Saint Pair
about 565.
He was accordingly contemporary with the third Paternus, and in
his youth was in somewhat similar circumstances. He was brought
up by a'widowed mother, Juhtta, and the third Paternus by the grass-
widow, Guean. This has led to a confounding of Guean with Julitta.
In the Leon Breviary of 15 16 the mother of Paternus of Vannes
is given as Julitta, and the lections are taken textually from the
Life of Paternus of Avranches by Fortunatus, only in place of
Paternus (of Avranches) going to Neustria and becoming Bishop of
Avranches, he is made to go to Vannes and become bishop there.
(3) Paternus, Bishop of Llanbadarn Fawr, was called Padarn in
Wales, and the Welsh genealogies give as the name of his father
1 Thesairapa's name is, no doubt, preserved in Lan Eithyr, on the Mynach,
above Devil's Bridge. The Paith joins the Ystwyth at Rhyd y Felin, a Httle way
from Aberystwyth.
44 Lives of the B?'ttish Saints
Pedrwn/ which is the Petran of the Vita. Pedrwn was brother of
Amwn Ddu and of Umbrafel and of Gwen Teirbron, mother of S.
Cadfan.
The migration to Britain was not so voluntary and inspired by so
austere a motive as is represented in the Legend. All the brothers
had been constrained to fly, probably from the ambition of one of
them, that may have been the father of Weroc, who established
himself as Count of Vannes.
The grandfather of Padarn was Emyr Llydaw, and he was of
Broweroc, which is the present department of Morbihan, and which
obtained its name from Weroc who obtained the mastery over the whole
of it. Amwn, Umbrafel, and Gwyndaf Hen, brothers of Pedrwn, took
refuge in Morganwg, and married three sisters, daughters of Meurig
ab Tewdrig, the King. But as Pedrwn had been married in Armorica,
before the exodus, it is probable that he was older than the others.
When Padarn came to Wales he settled where is now Llanbadarn
Fawr, on Cardigan Bay, by Aberystwyth, which the author of
his Life calls Mauritana, " maritima ecclesia," and " ecclesia in
maritima." The place had formerly been called Campus (in
Welsh, Maes) Heh, from heli, " brine," which was translated
" maritima," of which, in all probability, Mauritana is a corruption.
The parish of Llanbadarn is a very extensive one still, but anciently it
embraced an area of about 125,000 acres. ^
Of the companions of Padarn, his cousins (consohrini) , Titechon,
Techocho, or Techo, can be identified as Tydecho, son of Amwn Ddu,
who we must suppose had come over to Llydaw, to see how matters
stood, and whether there was any chance of recovering the rights of
the family in Broweroc. Catman or Cathinan is Cadfan, who is said to
have crossed with Padarn and Tydecho. Hetinlau (for which we
should possibly read Ketinlau), Tinlatu, or Cuilan is not so easily
identified, but it is not improbable that Cynllo is meant. ^
Others named by the Welsh authorities as having come over are
Cynon, Trunio, Dochdwy, Mael, Sulien, Tanwg, Eithras, Sadwrn,
Lleuddad, Tecwyn, Maelrys, and Henwyn. Trunio was first cousin of
Padarn, son of Dyfwng. Sadwrn was son of Bicanys of Armorica,
and nephew of Emyr Llydaw. Lleuddad was son of Alan ab Emyr
Llydaw, and Maelrys son of Gwyddno ab Emyr, and accordingly both
1 Peniafth MSS. 12, i5, 45 ; Hafod MS. 16 ; Myv. Arch., p. 428, etc. In the
lolo MSS. Pedrwn is called, on p. 105, Pcdredin, and on p. 133, Pedrvn,
2 Bevan, S. David's, S.P.C.K., 1888, p. 103
' Owen's Pembrokeshire, ii, p. 454. But Cynllo could be " cousin " only in a
remote degree. He has dedications in South Cardiganshire.
S. Padar?! 4 5
his cousins ; so was also Henwyn, son of Gwyndaf. It would seem then
that this was a second family migration, caused perhaps by Weroc, who
would not parcel up the authority he exercised among these claimants
to family rights and territories.
The reason assigned for the grant of land made by Maelgwn Gwynedd
to Padarn is that he was defeated in a fraudulent attempt to obtain
an excuse for pillaging Llanbadarn. But the trial by ordeal of boiling
water is a medieeval importation into the story.
Maelgwn was struck by blindness. This unfortunate and much
abused King is said also to have been blinded by S. Kentigern, for
invasion of privilege, and to have been restored at the prayers of the
Saint. He was also surrounded by thick darkness, so that he could not
see, by S. Cadoc, and similarly relieved ; then for a second offence
again blinded, and again restored. He must have become quite accus-
tomed to these alternating deprivations of sight and recovery.
The disciples of Padarn are said to have been his first cousin, Samson,
Guinnius, Guipper, and Nimannauc. Guinnius may be the saint who
has given his name to Llanwynio, in Carmarthenshire, or to Llanwnws,
in Cardiganshire. That Samson was with Padarn is not stated in the
Life of S. Samson, but it is very probable that he visited and stayed
with his cousin for a while. Xear the entrance to Llanbadarn Church
is an ancient stone called Carreg Samson, and there is another with the
same name on the mountain near Llanddewi Brefi.
The story of the pilgrimage to Jerusalem and the ordination by the
Patriarch, and the division of South ^^'ales into three dioceses made
before him, was a deliberate fabrication of the Welsh ecclesiastics in
the twelfth century, when they were struggling to maintain their inde-
pendence, and that of their churches, from subjection to Canterbury.
This can hardly have been invented before iioo. The story was
adopted into the Lives of S. David and S. Teilo, with notable dif-
ferences. The biographer of each of these latter Saints strove to
accommodate the incident to the exaltation of the See of Menevia or
of Llandaff respectively.
There is in the Legend of S. Padarn no indication of the See of Llan-
badarn having been merged in that of Menevia, which took place after
720. ]t is therefore probable that there was extant some very early
Life of the Saint, certainly of Welsh origin, which was embroidered on
by a redactor in the twelfth century, and, as we shall see presently,
further altered and disfigured by a second redactor in Vannes.
The diocese of Llanbadarn extended over portions of Cardiganshire,
Brecknockshire, and Radnorshire, and the stories of the quarrels of
Padam with Maelgwn and with Arthur are introduced for the purpose
46 Lives of the British Saints
of explaining the tenure of lands in these parts by the church of
Llanbadarn. Arthur is spoken of as a tyrant, and wholly without
heroic qualities, showing that the Life was composed before Geoffrey
of Monmouth had thrown a false glamour over this rather disreputable
prince, who generally figures in the Legends of the Welsh Saints as an
egregious bully, with nothing of the " White Arthur " about him.
The next episode in the Life is that of Caradog Freichfras extending
his rule into Vannes, and installing Padarn as Bishop there. This is
utterly unhistorical. Weroc was Count still, till about 550, possibly a
year or two later, when he died at an advanced age, and was succeeded
by his son Canao. Albert le Grand, in a vain attempt to accommodate
history to fable, proposed to identify Weroc with Caradog. The Bishop
of Vannes at this period was Modestus, who subscribed the decrees of
the first Council of Orleans in 511, and he was succeeded by Macliau,
son of Weroc, who forced himself into the vacant See shortly after 550,
and was killed in 577.
The Church of Vannes, dissatisfied with its late origin, lias fabled
that it possessed three Bishops of the name of Paternus. Le Mene,
in his Histoire du diocese de Vannes, well says, " En resume, pour nous,
Saint Paterne I est fabuleux," a supposed Paternus of the period of
Conan Meriadoc. " Saint Paterne II (mais qui en realite est bien
Saint Paterne I, puisque I'autre n'a pas existe) est le premier eveque de
Vannes," i.e., Paternus, appointed by the Council of Vannes, circa 465.
" Saint Paterne III est etranger au diocese," i.e. Padarn of Llanbadarn
Fawr.
The confusion arose thus : —
Caradog Freichfras was lord of Celliwig, a principality in Cornwall
between the Lynher and Tamar, of which the town of Callington and
the Manor of Kelliland are the modern shrunken representatives, but
which formerly probably extended over the Bodmin Moors. Caradog
has given his name to Caradon, the dome-like height that dominates
Callington. In this region are to be found the Petherwyns, North and
South, dedicated to S. Paternus. The two parishes, together with their
daughter churches of Trewen and Werrington, stretch over 18,400
acres. Caradog, as prince of Celliwig, very probably did invite Padarn
there, and made over to him the district of Petherwyn. A Breton
ecclesiastic of Vannes, reading the Legend of S. Padarn, at once sup-
posed that the name contained, in its suffix, the name of his own
Guened, and he was the more satisfied that it did in that his Church
venerated a S. Paternus as its bishop. He had at hand no means of
verifying dates, and so he concluded that the Paternus of Petherwyn
■was tl^.e Bishop of Vannes.
S. Padarn 4 7
Very probably, in the Welsh Life, he read of Samson having visited
Padam. In fact, when Samson was on his way to Armorica, he landed
at Padstow, where he encountered Winiau, who may be the Guinnius
of the Life of S. Padarn, and who was the founder of Lewannick, in
proximity to Petherwyn.
S. Samson then travelled along the old Roman road to Camelford,
and thence turned south, along what is now the road to Launceston.
That he visited his first cousin in Petherwyn, hardby,is more than prob-
able. He could hardly pass him by. He went on thence to Sou thill.
The incident of Padani running to welcome his cousin, when he heard
that he was approaching, half shod as he was.i existed in the original
story. It is just one of those httle touches of nature hkely to be true,
and very unlikely to form a part of the laboured inventions of pro-
fessional hagiographers. But when this story came into the hands of
the Vannes redactor, he saw his opportunity for making polemical use
of it.
Not till 848 was it that Dol was erected into a metropolitan See, and
that by Nominoe. The editor of the Life was so ignorant that he was
unaware of this, and committed the gross anachronism of making
Samson metropolitan of Brittany in the middle of the sixth century,
just three centuries too early. Nominoe constituted seven dioceses,
Dol, S. Malo, S. Brieuc, Treguier, S. Pol de Leon, Vannes, and Quimper,
and elevated Dol to be an archbishopric with jurisdiction over the
other six. Some of these had not been bishoprics before, only abbeys.
Vannes and Quimper writhed under the new arrangement, and
sought release, and subjection to the distant Tours, which had laid
claim to metropolitan rights over all Brittany, a right not readily
acknowledged by the British colonists.
To obtain an excuse for release a Quimper hagiographer fabricated
a Life of S. Corentine, which, regardless of chronology, made that
Saint seek consecration from S. Martin of Tours ; and so the redactor of
the Life of S. Padam used his opportunity of adapting the story of
the Saint who bore the same name as the first bishop of Vannes to make
him shake himself free from the jurisdiction of Dol. The gathering of
the seven Saints on a mountain is another introduction by the editor.
Shortly after 550, a gathering of Saints took place on the Menez Bre
to curse Conmore, Regent of Domnonia. All we really know about it
is due to the Life of S. Huerve that was recomposed in the thirteenth
century, and in it, it is represented as a " conventus praesulum et popu-
' Similarly, S. David ran, half bhod, to save the life of S. .\idan, when informed
that there was a project for murdering him. Cambyo-British Saints, p. 236. '
48 Lives of the British Saints
lorum, ut excommunicarent prsefectum regis, Conomerum." ""^ The
redactor knew of this gathering, and, indeed, it was commemorated in
the Calendars, and he employed it to suit his purpose. He says
nothing about Conmore, but makes it a synod of the seven bishops,
who met to confirm their unity and delimit their dioceses. Again he
exposes his ignorance in making seven bishoprics in Brittany in the
sixth centur}'.
The biographer goes on to relate how that Paternus abandoned his
See of Vannes, and departed to the country of the Franks, where he
died. " Letaviam deserens. Francos adivit, ibique in Domino obdormi-
vit. " The reason of his inserting this was that he had heard of a Pater-
nus of Avranches, who had died there, and he supposed that he must
have been the same as his Paternus, whose body in his time reposed at
Vannes. So he made the people of Vannes send into the land of the
Franks and fetch it thence.
From Welsh sources we derive but little information about S. Padarn.
If we may trrtet the lolo MSS.,^ he for awhile placed himself under
instruction by S. lUtyd. After that he estabhshed a community of 120
members in Cardiganshire at Llanbadarn Fawr. The Vita, however,
gives the number as 847. From the Latin hexameters of John,^ son
of Bishop Sulien of S. David's, and brother of Rhygyfarch, who wrote
at the close of the eleventh century, we learn that he was traditionally
believed to have remained at the head of Llanbadarn for twenty-one
years, and this is confirmed by the Latin Life. In the Life of Elgar
the Hermit it is stated that he was buried in Bardsey.*
We now come to the chronolog}' of his Life. This is not easy to
determine with any approach to exactitude.
It is not possible to determine precisely when took place the migra-
tion of the " Chorus ecclesiasticus nionachorum " from Aimorica, but
it was early in the sixth century, probably within the first twenty
years of that century.
S. lUtyd founded Llantwit about 476.
If we allow that the meeting between Samson and Padarn took
place in Cornwall, that must have been between 525 and 545, if our
scheme of chronology of Samson's Life be accepted. It is probable
that the Cornish monastic foundation preceded that of Llanbadarn.
Padarn was for twenty-one years at this latter centre. During this
1 De la Borderie, Saint Herve, Rennes, 1892, p. 269. ^ Pp. 105, 132.
3 At the end of C.C.C. Camb. MS. 199, a MS. probably written at Llanbadarn.
It contains an invocation to S. Paternus. The hexameters are printed in Haddan
and Stubbs, Councils, etc., i, pp. 663-7. See also the Collected Papers of Henry
Bradshaw, 1889, p. 465. 0 Book of Llan Ddv, p. 3. .
S. Padar?! 49
period he had skirmishes with Arthur, who fell, according to the
Annaks Cambrics, in 537, and with Maelgwn, who died in 547.
We have no fixed datum for determining any event in the life of the
Saint, and all that we can say relative to his death is that it took place
about the middle of the sixth century.
Granting that Llanbadarn was a diocese, and not an archmonastery,
with its subordinate settlements or churches, its extent as well as its
duration are uncertain. It included, at any rate, the northern half
of Cardiganshire, with Breconshire north of the Irfon (which latter
seems to have formed the short-lived See of Llanafan, so called), and
the western portion of Radnorshire, as defined by the presence of
churches decUcated to S. Padarn.^ Padarn seems to have been suc-
ceeded by Cynog, who died in 606 [Annales Cambrics), after having
become successor to S. David at S. David's. The last notice of it
as a See is in the year 720, when it is recorded t?iat many of the
churches of Llandaff, Menevia, and Llanbadarn, meaning the three
dioceses of South Wales, were ravaged by the Saxons.^ Its sup-
pression is said to have been effected in consequence of the murder
of their bishop by the people of Llanbadarn.^ It was merged,
probably soon after 720, in the See of S. David's as Llanbadarn
had previously absorbed that of Llanafan.
Some trace of the connexion of Llanbadarn Fawr with, and its sub-
ordination to, S. David's, lingers in the local tradition that the clergy of
Llanbadarn came anciently at stated times with offerings to the clergy
of S. David's, and that the canons and clerks of the latter church met
them in procession at a place called Pont-halog, and conducted them
along a road, now bearing the name of Meidr-y-Saint.*
The churches dedicated to S. Padarn in Wales are Llanbadarn Fawr,-^
^ It is worthy of note that there are two Afan churches in Breconshire, and
one in Cardiganshire, situated in the neighbourhood of Padarn ones. There is a
Ffynnon Ddewi also in Llanbadarn Fynydd.
2 Brut y Tywysogion (Gwentian) , p. 5, supplement to Arch. Camb. for 1864.
The church of Llanbadarn has been pillaged, devastated, or burnt down many
times — in 720, 987, 1037, 1106, and 1257. The Bishop of Llanbadarn is men-
tioned, lolo MSS., p. 147, as having been one of the seven Welsh bishops who-
" disputed " with S.Augustine. S. Cynydyn ab Bleiddud was a periglawr 01
confessor in Cor Padarn, ibid., p. 125.
' Giraldus Cambrensis, /Zw. Caw6., ii, c. 4. His name is not known. It is a
mistake to suppose that he was theldnerth of the Llanddewi Brefi inscription:
see Sir J. Rhys, Origin of the Englyn, Y Cym-mrodor, Vol. xxviii., pp. 43-6.
* Jones and Freeman, Hist, of S. David's, 1856, p. 47.
^ The Radnor church of the name is sometimes given the appendage "ym
Maelienydd " (Peniarth MS. 147). What is now Aberystwyth was anciently
known as Llanbadarn Gaerog (the Fortified). A pool, called Pwll Padarn, can bo
seen at low ebb between the College rocks and the Castle. It was formerly much
used as a bathing place (Wales, 1896, iii, p. 64).
VOL. IV. E
50 Lives Of the British Sai?its
Llanbadarn Trefeglwys (or Fach), under Cilcennin, and Llanbadarn
Odwyn, under Llanddewi Brefi, in Cardiganshire ; . and Llanbadarn
Fawr, Llanbadarn Fynydd, and Llanbadarn y Garreg, under Cregrina,
in Radnorshire. There is a Ffynnon Badarn near Aberllwyfeni, in the
parish of Talyllyn, ]\Icrionethshire ; and a Sarn Badarn (his Causeway)
in Llanerfyl, Montgomeryshire, as well as another, still to be seen, on
the coast between Prestatyn and Gronant, in Flintshire.'^ At Llan-
beris, in Carnarvonshire, Padarn has liis Nant, Llyn, and Dol. About
two centuries ago the remains of a Capel Padarn were visible there at
Llwyn Padarn in Dol Badarn, on the lake-side. But these may very
well have derived their name from some other Padarn. One of the
modern churches of Llanberis is dedicated to S. Padarn.
One of the " Sayings of the Wise " tercets runs - : —
Hast thou heard the saying of Padarn,
The correct, powerful preacher ?
" What a man docs God "vvill judge "
(A wnelo dyn Duw a'i barn).
Padarn was " an excellent singer," and, in recognition of his talent,
received when he was at Jerusalem a staff, or baton, and a silk choral
cope."
In the Triads, Dewi, Padarn, and Teilo are distinguished as the " Three
Blessed Visitors of the Isle of Britain." *
The foundations of the Saint in Devon and Cornwall are North and
South Petherwyn. Werrington was another, according to the bull of
Celestine III to the Abbey of Tavistock, which speaks of Werrington
(Wulrington) as a church of S. Paternus. On the reconstruction of
the church it was rededicated to SS. Martin and Giles.
We need not concern ourselves with Breton churches of S. Paternus
as they refer to Paternus, Bishop of Vannes, and not at all to this
S. Padarn, who never was a Bishop or settler in Armorica.
An early thirteenth century Welsh Calendar, Cotton MS. Vesp. A.
xiv, gives as his day April 15, the day on which he died. It also gives
on September 23, " S*' Paterni Ep. Ordinatio." A pre-Norman Calen-
1 Ashton (Wm.), Battle of Land and Sea, igog, p. 164.
^ lolo MSS., p. 255 ; also in "Verses of the Hearing," Myv. Arch., p. 128.
' " Paterno baculus et choralis cappa pretiosissimo serico contcxta, eo quod
ilium egregium cantorem videbant." Book of Llan Ddv, p. 106. His staff was
called Cirgiien (not Cerirguen as in the printed Vita), whatever may be its mean-
ing. It is given as Cyy^MfiMM in the Old- Welsh quatrain m the C.C.C. Camb. MS.
already mentioned, printed in Arch. Camb., 1874, p. 340. Is it pos.sible that Llan-
gorwen took its name from the staff .' " Cwlwm yr hen Badarn " and " Caniad
Gwyddor o waith Pencerdd Padarn " are the names of two old Welsh airs ;
Ceiriog, Y Bavdd a'r Cerddoy, pp. 47-S.
■■ Myv. Arch., pp. 391, 402.
aS*. Padog 51
dar at Evesham (added to later), Cotton MS. Vitell. A. xviii, gives only
September 23. The Gloucester Calendars of the thirteenth century
(Bodleian MS. Rawlin- on Litt. f . i), and that in Jesus Coll.^ Oxford MS.
ex., and one of the fifteenth century [Additional MS. 30,506) give April
15. So does Allwydd Paradwys, 1670. Whytford, in his Addicyons
to the Martiloge, also gives April 15. He says, " The feest of saynt
Paterne, y' with saynt Dauid went vnto lerusale, where he receyued
sodeynly y'^ grace of togues to speke in euery laguage, and was there
made bysshop byy'= handes of y<= patriarke, and after came in to eng-
lond where he had the reuelacyon of augels, and reysed two persones
to lyf, w' many other gretemyracles." He makes no mention of the
fable of his having been Bishop of Vannes.
In Brittany the following give April 16 — MS. Missal of Treguier, of
fifteenth century ; Missal of Vannes, 1530, Breviary of Vannes, 1589,
Proper of Vannes, 1660 and 1757, and subsequent Propria. Also the
Breviary of Quimper, 1642, 1701, and 1835, and the Breviary of Leon,
1516 and 1736. The thirteenth century Breviary of S. Yves and
Albert le Grand give the same day, as do also the Welsh Calendars
in Peniarth MS. 191, the lolo MSS., Additional MS. 14,912, and
the Prymer of 1633.
May 21, the Ordination of S. Paternus, is entered in the Vannes
Missal, 1530, and in the Breviary of 1586 ; but in that of 1660 it is
altered to " Translatio S*' Paterni."
September 23 is given in the S. Malo Missal of 1609, and in the Bre-
viary of 1537, and in that of Dol of 1519 ; but the 24th in the MS.
Missal of S. Malo of the fifteenth . century. June 20 and Novem-
ber I, mentioned in the Vita, do not have him entered in any
calendar.
November 12 occurs as a festival of S. Padarn in the Welsh Calendars
in Peniarth MSS. 187, 219, the lolo MSS., and the Prymers of 1618
and 1633, but it is the festival of Paternus, Priest, Martyr, at Sens,
circa 726.
S. PADOG.
Llanbadock, the name of a church and parish a little to the south of
the town of Usk, in Monmouthshire, postulates/ either a saint Padog,
or (but much less likely) a brook of the name. Nothing is known of a
S. Padog. The church, however, is usually said to be dedicated to S.
5 2 Lives of the British Sai7its
Madog ; ^ but the church-name itself undoubtedly points to P as the
initial letter. Among the earlier spellings are, Lampadok, in the Tax-
atio of 1291 ; ^ Lanpadoc, 1306-7 ; ^ and Lampaddoc, in the fourteenth
century appendix to the Book oj Llan Ddv.*
S. PADRIG AB ALFRYD, Confessor
Padrig, son of Alfryd ab Goronwy, of Gvvaredog in Arfon, lived in
the time of S. Elfod, bishop of Caergybi (Holyhead), and was a saint
of S. Cybi's Cof there, and also of that of S. Beuno at Clynnog. In the
late documents he is given for brothers, SS. Meigan, Cyffyllog, and
Garmon.5
Padrig founded Llanbadrig on the northern coast of Anglesey, on
the margin of the cliffs above the sea. The parish is a long, narrow
strip of land stretching inland, for about six miles, to Pen Padrig, near
Llanbabo. According to one account it was the Apostle of li-eland
that founded the church before embarking for Ireland, having been
detained some time in Anglesey through stress of weather. The parish
wake was held on March ly.^
There is, however,another version of the story, which is to thiseffect,
that the saint was wrecked on the Middle Mouse, or Ynys Badrig, a
little isle about a mile off the coast, on his way to Wales, from visiting
lona. He succeeded in crossing to the mainland, and built the church
on the cliff in memory of his escape. It contains a very early Chi-Rho
cross. This could be no other than Padrig ab Alfryd, as lona was not
founded till 565. Ffynnon Badrig, the Saint's Holy Well, is reached
^ Browne Willis, ParocJi. Anglic, 1733, p 206, the Llandaff Diocesan Calendar,
etc.
- P. 27S. In the Taxatio of 1254 the clnirch is called " Eccl. de Lanmadok."
^ G. T. Clark, CartcB, iv, p. 36.
* P. 321. In the Valov of 1535, iv, pp. 365, 369, it is Lanbadoke, and Llan
Baddocke.
^ Peniarth MSS. 16 and 45 ; Hafod MS. 16 ; Myv. Arch., p. 42S ; Cardiff
MS. 25 (p. 116) ; Cambro-British Saints, p. 267 ; lolo MSS., pp. 104, 143-4,
153. Peniarth MS. 12 (fourteenth century) gives his father's name by mistake
as Morudd. Padrig is a somewhat late Welsh form ; if early it would have been
Pedrig. Albryt, Alvryt, and Alfryd occur as the Welsh form for the English
name Alfred in the Bruts and elsewhere. Gwaredog is mentioned in the Welsh
Life of S. Beuno. Padrig ab Alfryd is continually confounded with the Apostle
of Ireland; even in one Welsh version of "S. Patrick's Purgatory " (e.g. that in
Hafod MS. 23, p. 262) Padrig ab Alfryd is substituted. There is a Hell's Moutlj
on the coast of Llanbadrig, which may well have suggested it.
1^ WiUis, Bangor, p. 280 ; Angharad Llwyd, Hist, of Anglesey, p. 217.
S. Pasgen 5 3
by a goat-path that descends the cliff ; and the Saint's Foot-prints
(01 Traed Sant Padrig), when coming up the rock past it, are said to be
still visible. On the south side of the altar in the church is a niche,
and this shows that in the fifteenth century, when it was sculptured,
the saint had been identified with the Apostle, for the bracket that
sustained his statue is ornamented with writhing serpents. The
niche is now occupied by a Pastor Bonus.
Several place-names here perpetuate the remembrance of Padrig, as
Dinas Badrig (his Fortress), Pen Padrig (his Headland), Porth Badrig
(his Port), Rhos Badrig (his Moor), and the island already mentioned.
Ffynnon Badrig is now neglected, the bare spring alone remaining. It
was formerly much resorted to, and celebrated for its cures, especially
in the case of children.
There is a strange story in the Icelandic Landndma Boc of a certain
Orlygr Hrappsson, who " had been fostered under Patrick the Bishop
and the Saint in the Sudereys. He desired to go to Iceland, and he
begged Patrick the Bishop to go with him. The Bishop gave him
timber for building a church, which he was to take with him ; also a
plenarium, an iron bell, and a gold penny ; also consecrated earth to
be laid under the main posts of the church, and to consider this as
consecration, and he should dedicate it to S. Columcille." ^
Orlygr first reached a bay which he named after his foster-father,
Patrechsf jord, and finally settled near the rr outh of the Faxa river. As
this took place between 860 and 870, it is very obvious that the Patrick
referred to was not the Apostle of Ireland ; and as Padrig ab Alfryd
belonged to the latter half of the sixth century, the foster-father of
Orlygr cannot have been he. The Catalogue of the early bishops of
Sodor and Man is very incomplete ; it contains no Patrick among them
in the ninth century ; but it does not follow that there may not have
been one then, unknown to fame.
S. PASGEN, Bishop, Confessor
Pasgen was, according to the Vespasian version of the Cognatio
de Brychan, a son of Brychan, but according to the Domitian version
and the Brychan list in Jesus College MS. 20, a son of Dingad, of Llan-
dovery, who was son of Brychan. The late Brychan lists make him
1 Landndma Bdcin Islendinga Sogur, Copenhagen, 1829, pp. 12-13 ; ed. 1843,
pp. 42-3. The word helga, saint, as prefixed to Patrick, is a later addition. ■
54 Lives of the British Saints
son of that great father of saints. ^ He, Xeffei, and Pabiah, are said to
have been his sons by Proistri, his Spanish wife. The three went to
Spain, where they entered rehgion, and Pasgen there became a bishop.^
There existed formerly a stone, inscribed with simply the name
" Pascent," in the churchyard of Towyn, Merionethshire, which has
been supposed to be his monument, inasmuch as he had sisters (or
aunts) , Cerdych, and Gwenddydd or Gwawrddydd, connected with the
place.' Pasgen, however, is a fairly common name in early Welsh
history. It is the Welsh form of the Latin Pascentius.
S. PATERNUS, see S. PADARN
S. PATRICK, Apostle of the Irish
Of S. Patrick we do not propose to give a Life. To do this would
be a most difficult undertaking, owing to the confusion that reigns in
the several versions of his history. Alclyde, Wales, Brittany, even
Glastonbury lay claims severally to him as a native. What we propose
to do is to show that five Patricks have been fused into one.
1. Palladius, sent by Pope Celestine.
2. Patrick, whom we will call Magonius or Mawon, born in Wales.
3. Patrick MacCalpurn, the author of the Conjession.
4. Patrick, nephew of the former, son of Sannan, the Deacon.
5. Patrick ab Alfryd, of Anglesey.
Palladius may have been with Germanus of Auxerre. So also may
have been Patrick Magonius.
Patrick MacSannan was with Germanus, Bishop of Man.
Previous writers have accepted the Conjession as the basis of all that
is authentic relative to the great Apostle of the Irish. Dr. Todd treats
in his masterly work of Patrick MacCalpurn, and asserts and proves
that into, the legendary Lives has been grafted much from a lost Vita
of Palladius.* Dr. Todd supposed that the place of his birth, Banna-
venta, was Dumbarton ; Professor Bury that it was some place "'in
' Myv. Arch., p. 419; lolo MSS., pp. iii, 140.
2 Peniarth MS. 178 ; Myv. Arch., p. 428 ; lolo MSS., p.. 119..
^ Hugh Thomas, the Breconshire herald, Harleian MS. 4,181, f. ayi, says, " It
seemes he was buried by one of his Aunts in Towin Churcliyard in Mefionithshire
by a Tombstone there Jnscribed thus PASCSNT to this S'.." For the stone
see Camden's Britannia, ed. 1789, ii, 541.' - , ' ■ '■ >.■.:.>.,. '
* Todd, S. Pdtnck, Apostle of Ireland, -Dublin, '1S64, ;.-'
S. Patrick 55.
South-western Britain, perhaps in the regions of the lower Severn."^
Most probably it was Daventrj'. The place is thrice indicated in the
Itinerary of Antoninus as Bannaventa (with variations). Daventry is
on an old Roman road, near the point where cross the roads which,
coming from north and east, I'un towards London. The determinative
Berniae is found only in the Confession.
Dr. Lanigan,^ anxious to save his being sent on the Mission by Pope
Celestine, makes but one Patrick, and puts his death at 465, the date,
as we shall see in the sequel, of the death of Sen Patrick, or Patrick
Magonius. Mr. Newell ^ admits the interpolation of the lost Acts of
Palladius into the Life of Patrick, and puts his decease as occurring
in 492 or 493. Dr. Stokes * gives 445 as the date of the founding of
Armagh, but does not enter into the question of the date of his death ;
he would, however, seem to accept the earlier date. Mr. Shearman ^
allows that there wei"e three Patricks, i.e. Palladius, who died in 432 ;
Sen Patrick, who died in 461 ; and Patrick MacCalpurn, whom he sets
down as dying in 493.
Professor Bury places the birth of Patrick MacCalpurn as occun^ing.
about the year 389, and his death in 461.
Dr. Zimmer has attempted to reduce all Patricks to one, i.e. to
Palladius, and to show that the Patrick of legend was nonexistent.'*
He has, however, been completely refuted by Professor Hugh
Williams. "
We will take the mission by Celestine first of all. This need not be
a matter of party feeling. It is one of fact, and that is all. If the
evidence be satisfactory, no Protestant need object to it.
That Palladius, who was also called Patrick, was consecrated and
sent to Ireland" to the Scots believing in Christ " admits of no doubt.
It is possible that he inay have been a deacon of Germanus, but of this
there is no certainty. Prosper of Aquitaine, in his Chronicle, says —
" Agricola, a Pelagian, son of Severianus, a Pelagian bishop, corrupted
the churches of Britannia by insinuation of his doctrine ; but, by the
instrumentality of the deacon Palladius {ad actionem Palladii diaconi),
Pope Celestine sends Germanus, Bishop of Auxerre, in his stead {vice
sua) to displace the heretics and direct the Britons to the Catholic
Faith." This implies neither that Palladius was deacon of Germanus
^ Bury (J. B.), Life of S. Patrick, London, 1905.
- Lanigan, Ecd. History of Ireland, Dublin, 1829.
3 NeweU (E. J.), S. Patrick, S.P.C.K., 1890.
' Stokes (G. T.), Ireland and the Celtic Church, London, 1892.
= Shearman (J. F.), Loca Patricinna, Dublin, 1882.
0 Zimmer, The Celtic Church in Britain and Ireland, trans. Meyer, London, 1902.
' In Zeitschrift fiir Celtifche Philologie, ,iv, 1903.
56 Lives of the British Saints
nor of Celestine. And, in 431, he says, " Palladius was consecrated by
Pope Celestinus, and sent adScotos in Christum credentes," as their first
bishop. That he was the only one so commissioned by Celestine is
shown by Prosper under date 437, where, in praising Celestine, he says,
" Et ordinato Scottis episcopo dum Romanam insulam studet servare
Catholicam fecit etiam barbaram Christianam."
Dr. Todd says, " We infer that the whole story of Patrick's con-
nexion with S. Germain and Mission from Celestine should be regarded
as a fragment of the lost history of Palladius, transferred to the second
and more celebrated Patrick, by those who undertook to interpolate
the authentic records of his Life. The object of these interpolaters was
evidently to exalt their hero. They could not rest satisfied with the
simple and humble position in which his own writings, his Confession
and his Letter to Coroticus had placed him. They could not concede to
Palladius the honour of a direct mission from Rome, without claiming
for Patrick a similar honour ; they could not be content that their own
Patrick should be represented as one unlearned, a rude and uneducated
man, even though he had so described himself. The biography of
Palladius ' alio nomine Patricius,' supplied them with the means of
effecting their object, and gave to the interpolated story the appearance
of antient support." ^
Tirechan, in his Notes or Collections illustrative of the Life of Patrick,
says, ' ' Palladius episcopus primo mittitur, qui Patricius alio nomine
appellahatur . . . deinde Patricius secundus ab anguelo Dei, Victor
nomine, et a Celestine papa mittitur cui tola Hibernia credidit, qui earn
pene totam baptizavit. " ^
That Patrick MacCalpurn was ever with S. Germanus of Auxerre,
though accepted by Professor Bury, rests on no good ground. Patrick
is not mentioned as a disciple of Germanus in the Life of that Saint by
Constantius. Nor does Patrick in his Confession, which is a defence of
himself and of his n.ission against detractors, make any reference to
Germanus, or to a mission from Celestine. He bases his defence on
•other grounds. It is to us inconceivable that when Patrick found that
his right to act as an apostle to the Irish was disputed, he should not
at once have appealed to the fact of his commission from the occupant
■of the Chair of S. Peter, had such a fact occurred.
There can be no reason to doubt that Patrick, son of Calpurnius, born
at Bannaventa, son of a deacon and decurion, grandson of Potitus the
priest, is the great Saint whom all Ireland honours. When aged six-
teen, he was carried away by Irish pirates, and sold into captivity in
■* Todd, op. cit., pp. 320—1.
2 Tripartite Life, ed. W. Stokes, ii, p. 332.
S. Patrick 5 7
Ireland to Milchu in Dalaradia. After six years of slavery he escaped,
•and crossed the sea, whither to is not stated in his Conjession. But he
went to his family in " the Britains," and whilst with them the inner
voice came to him summoning him to go back to Ireland and carry the
Gospel to the warm-hearted, generous people he had got to know there.
Following the call he went — whither he does not tell us, possibly to
Lerins, but he does not say so, and our authority for this is late and
untrustworthy — but he was certainly in Gaul, and Lerins was hardly in
that, it was in the Provincia. At any rate, he knew and expresses
affection for the Saints of Gaul. He was consecrated at the age of
forty-five, and then at once proceeded on his mission. God abund-
antly blessed his work, and as the old Irish saying has it, " Not to
Palladius, but to Patrick, God granted the conversion of Ireland."
The date of his death next demands consideration. Professor Bury,
to save the commission from Celestine, wholly unproved, places
Patrick's decease in 461. The best authorities give 493. Tighernach
gives the date of the death of Patrick MacCalpurn —
From Christ's Nativity, by a joyful step.
Four hundred upon dear ninety,
Three noble years after that,
To the death of Patrick the Chief Apostle.^
Accordingly 493.
The Chronological Tract in the Lebar Brecc says — " Patrick com-
pleted his victorious course ... in the twenty-seventh year (of the
solar cycle), the Calends of January (falling) on a Friday, and the first
year after the Bissextile ; the sixteenth, moreover, of the Calends of
April, of that year was on a Wednesday, and the thirteenth (of a
lunar month) was thereon. When came to pass the obit of Patrick,
son of Alpum, namely, in the tenth year of the reign of Lugaid, son of
Laoghaire."
This is so precise that there is no escaping from the conclusion that
it was a recorded date before the Tract was drawn up. According to
Sir W. R. Hamilton, all these astronomical definitions agree with the
year 493, except 27 for the solar cycle, which to agree with the Calends
of January on Friday, should be 26. ^
Again, Lugaidh Mac Laoghaire came to the throne of all Ireland in
483, according to the best authorities ; ten years after that gives 493.
Again, in the same treatise it is said that S. Brigid's death took place
thirty-three years after the death of Patrick, and as she is set down in
the Annals oj Tighernach to have died in 523, this would give 490.
But Brigid's death date is not determined for a year or two ; anyhow, it
» Tirechan's Collections in the Tcj^aj-ijfeij/e, ii, p. 573. = JUd., ii, p. 333.
5 8 Lives of the British Saijits
could not be made to fit at all with Bury's date of 461. The Afinals
oj the Four Masters give 493 as the year of Patrick's decease. The very
early Annals in the Book of Leinster give Patrick's death as occurring
after the succession of Lugaidh to the throne, but how many years after
is ncjt stated.
We may therefore conclude that there existed a strong conviction
among the Irish Annalists that Patrick son of Calpurnius, author of
the Conjession, died in 493.
The Annals of Innisj alien, however, give the date 465. It has been
supposed that the date of Patrick's death has been thrust forward to
493 so as to make him equal the years of Moses, i.e. 120. If he did
die in 493 he could not well have been commissioned by Celestine, who
died in 432.
We will now look at what can be gathered relative to the Second
Patrick, whom the Annalists call Sen Patrick, but whom we will call
Patrick Magonius.
That there were more Patricks tlian one in Ireland may be suspected
from the words of Tirechan, who quotes Ultan, who died in 656.
Tirechan says : " Inveni quatuor nomina in libro {ad)scripta Patricio
apud IJUanum episcopum Conclmburnensium, Sanctus Magonius, qui
est clarus ; Succetus, qui est [deus belli veljortis belli) ; Patricius {qui est
pater civiuin) ; Cothirthiacus, quia servivit quatuor domibus Magorum." ^
So also the scholiast on the Hymn of Secundinus. " Now he had four
names — Sucat, that was given to him by his parents ; Cothraigh, his
name froin Miliuc ; Magonius, from S. Germanus ; Patricius, from Pope
Celestine." ^
The same is repeated by other writers.^
It did not occur to Tirechan and the others that possibly enough
these, or three of these, names were given to differentiate one
Patrick from another, or that Cothraigh was identical with Patricius,
being the Irish form assumed by the Latin name, the Irish changing P
in C.
Oengus in his Felire says that this earlier Patrick was the tutor of
the " Old Patrick of Glastonbury of the Gaels in Saxonland," but also
" Old Patrick of Rosdala in Magh-locha." This is Ruisdela or Ros-
dalla in West Meath. He was commemorated on August 24, whereas
the later Patrick's day was March 17.
Fiacc in his Hymn clearly intimates that there was a Patrick before
1 Tirechan's Collections in the Tripayiite Life, ii, p. 302.
^ Libcv Hymnorum, ii, p. 7 ; see also p. 3. It is generally agreed that the;
name Sucat is to be equated with the Welsh hygad, ready for battle, warlike.
" Tripartite Life, ii, pp. 303, 385, 391, 441, 510 ; also i, p. 17.
S. Patrick 5^
the great Apostle, and he probably is not in this case referring to
Palladius.
" Patrick's soul from his body after labours was severed.
God's angels on the first night (after his death) for him kept wake,
When Patrick departed, he visited the other Patrick :
Together the}' ascended to Jesus, Mary's Son." i
The scholiast shows that Sen Patrick is meant, for he says : " This
is what Patrick MacCalpum promised to Sen Patrick, that they should
go together to heaven. And this (authors) declare, that Patrick abode
from the i6th of March to the end of the first month of Autumn (Aug.
24th) . . . and angels with him, awaiting Sen Patrick. Some say
that in Rossdela, in the region of Magh-locha Old Patrick's remains
used to be ; but it is more correct to say (that they were) in Glastonbury
of the Gael, a to\\nin the south of England." -
The Book oj Leinster sets Sen Patrick as the next to succeed to the
See of. Armagh after Benignus, disciple of S. Patrick, but this is
impossible:
In a piece of old Irish verse, quoted by Archbishop Ussher, Sen
Patrick is spoken of as head of the ancient Wise Men of Ireland.^
It may fairly be admitted that there existed a tradition in Ireland
that there was working there at Rossdela a Patrick, who intervened in
time between the departure of Palladius and the coming of Patrick
MacCalpurn. And the annalists bear this out. The Annals oj the-
Four Masters insert at the date 457 the death of Sen Patrick, but, place
the death of the Great Patrick at 493 ; and the entries of a Patrick in or
about this earlier date in the other yl 7{««7s may apply to this Sen Pat-
rick, unless we suppose, with Whitley Stokes and Bury, that the date
of the true Patrick was deliberately altered to 493, so as to give him the
years of Moses. The Annals oj Ulster give 457 ; those of Innisfallen
465; those of Boyle 464. According to Nennius he died in 460. The
Annals of the Booli oj Leinster give, his death before that of llaoghaire
in 460. ,
Now, if there were two Patricks, how is it that the biographers are
silent relative to the previous work of him of Rossdela ? How is it
that no Life of him .remaips ? . •
The explanation would seem to .be that the biographers incorpor-
ated his Acts, as they did also those of r'alladius in the amplified Life
of the great Pitrick.
■*■ Liber Hymnorum, ii, p. 35. . .. '
:... 'i'.Quo.ted -by^ Stakes, :Tripartite,Lifc\ ii,.p. 4-7-.: . ■
^ A.ntiq. Eccl. Jirit., 1639, ii,, p. So.i. ■,■'. . : , .:; '
6o Lives of the British Saints
Now, the Welsh tradition is that a Patrick was born in Gower, in
Glamorganshire, the son of Mawon, Mawan, or Maewon (once given
Maenwyn as epithet) — all forms derived from the Latinized Magonius —
and that he was the Apostle of the Irish. ^ An apostle he may have
been, and he may well have been the Sen Patrick of the Annals. We
have, unhappily, but late and bad authority for this Patrick — the
Mo AISS.
Padrig, " Principal of Caerworgorn," " supreme teacher of the nation
of the Welsh," before the destruction of Caerworgorn (afterwards Llant-
wit Major), is said to have been carried away to Ireland thence, and
not to have returned to Wales. ^ " Padrig Maenwyn, of Gowerland,
who converted the Irish to the Faith in Christ. His church is that of
Aberllychwr " (Loughor).^ Aberllychwr is doubtless the Leucarum
of the Romans. The present church is dedicated to S. Michael.
Humphrey Lhuyd, however, in his Commentarioli Britannicos
Descriptionis Fragmentum, Cologne, 1572, fol. 636, says, " Hie vero in
Rosea valle natus juit magnus ille Patritius qui Iverniam Christiana
fidei imbuit ; " and George Owen, in his Description of Penbrokshire,*
tells us that he " founded a monastery at St. Dauides out of the w''*'
was afterwardes founded the Cathedrall Churche there." He further
mentions as being in ruins in his time a Capel Padrig, a place of pil-
grimage in the parish of Nevern, Pembrokeshire. ^ There is clearly
confusion here between the Patricks.
It is, of course, possible that at the destruction of Caerworgorn, its
superior, Patrick, may have been carried into captivity, but this state-
ment looks suspiciously like a transference to Patrick Magonius of the
captivity of Patrick MacCalpurn, though the latter was only sixteen
years old when made a captive. That any one of the Patricks was
born in Menevia cannot be admitted. There is no evidence to support
the assertion of Humphrey Lhuyd. But that the great S. Patrick had
a hand in the foundation of the monastery there is borne out by what
we know from other sources. Patrick did, we judge, establish a school
there under Maucan or Ninio for the training of missioners for the
Irish Church.
There is a site now, close to Ty Gwyn, where are to be traced the
foundations of a chapel of S. Patrick ; and Porth Padrig, the Gate of
S. David's, leading to Ty Gwyn and Porth Mawr, bears the name of the
1 lolo MSS., pp. 104, 131, 134, 153. Nennius (ed. San Marte, p. 63) gives his
cognomen as Maun (in Modern Welsh, Mawn) ; but the Magonius of the Irish
writers is a Latinization of an eariierform still, before the intervocalic g was lost.
2 Ibid., pp. 43, 69, 131, 134.
' Ibid., p. 104. There is a sandbank near Llanelly called Cefn Padrig.
^ Owen's Pembrokeshire, i, p. 220. ^ Ibid., p. 509.
S. Patrick 6 1
apostle of the Irish. There is besides a rock called Carn Badrig on
the moor hard by. Eisteddfa Badrig, his Seat, is mentioned in the Lives
of S. David as the spot from whence he beheld in a vision the whole
island of which he was to be the apostle.
But we must again distinguish between Padrig Mawon of Gower and
Padrig ab Alfryd of Arfon and Anglesey, with whom he has been con-
founded. This latter lived in the time of S. Elfod, bishop of Caergybi
(Holyhead), and was a saint of S. Cybi's Cor, and also of S. Beuno's at
Clynnog.
We must eliminate another Patrick, of whom we know only on late
authority, the son of S. Gwyndeg, son of Seithenin, King of Gwyddno's
Plain. He was brother of Cynyr of Caergawch, and consequently great-
uncle of S. David.'- If he ever had existence, he belongs to an age
earlier than that of Padrig ab Alfryd.
Having thus cleared the ground, and put aside Patrick MacCalpurn,
the true Apostle of the Irish, also Patrick, son of Alfryd, and Patrick,
son of Gwyndeg, we return to the consideration of Patrick Mawon.
An loloMSS. document says, "The foundation of the Emperor Theo-
dosius and Cystennin Llydaw was Bangor lUtyd, which was regulated
by Belerus, a man from Rome ; and Padrig, the son of Maewon, was
principal of it, before he was carried away captive by the Irish." ^
As we have already seen, there is a confusion here between Patrick
Mawon and Patrick MacCalpurn. Moreover, Caerworgorn is meant,
which was a college before Illtyd was born to the religious life. Illtyd
founded his monastery near the ruins of Caerworgorn, which had been
devastated and left without inhabitant.
Theodosius the Younger was Emperor of the East from 408 to 450.
But in 423, on the death of Honorius, West and East were united under
his sceptre, till 425, when Valentinian became Emperor of the West.
Theodosius may have been interested in Britain, where his great-grand-
father, Theodosius, had served so brilliantly against the Picts and
Scots ; and if he did found Caerworgorn it was between 423 and 425.
The lolo MSS., speaking generally, are an untrustworthy authority,
as we cannot tell always whence many of these documents and notices
came from originally, or their real date, but they give testimony, at all
events, to a rooted tradition in South Wales that a Patrick was there,
a native, and a teacher, and it is possible enough that this Padrig ab
Mawon was the Patrick Magonius of Ireland, to be identified, we
think, with Sen Patrick, who died in 457 or 460.
We come now to the most difficult problem of all. Whether either
1 lolo MSS., p. 141- - ^*'<^-. P- '34-
62 Lives of the British Sai^its
of the Patricks was with Germanus of Auxerre, and ordained by Celes-
tine. Palladius was sent to Irelandby Celestinein43i; and Celestine
died in 432. It is incredible that Palladius can have begun his work
in Ireland, failed, crossed to Alba and been killed, and that the news
should have reached Celestine before his death.
As Mr. Newell observes : " The date 432 was chosen for Patrick's
arrival (in Ireland) because in that year Celestine died, and it was
therefore the latest year in which he could have given a commission
to Patrick. An earlier date would not have suited, because the mis-
sion of Palladius took place in 431. The confusion between Patrick
and his unsuccessful namesake, which helped the story, accounts for
the circumstance that no other pope was selected than Celestine. But,
to enable Patrick to reach Ireland the very next year to Palladius, it
was necessary to crowd within the narrow compass of one year, or a
little more, the landing of Palladius in Ireland, his preaching and rejec-
tion by the people, possibly his departure to the country of the Picts in
Northern Britain, his death, and the return of some of his disciples
with the news to the Continent. It is not probable that in those days
of slow transit all these events could have occurred in so small a space
of time, especialty if, as some legends assert, Palladius stayed in Ireland
long enough to found three churches." ^ It may seem incredible
that there should have been several similarly named, working in Ire-
land ; but the name Patricius was a title equivalent to " gentleman,"
and was very extensively adopted. Gibbon says that at this very
period, " the meanest subjects of the Roman empire assumed the
illustrious name of Patricius." -
In considering the difficult que.stion of discipleship to Germanus,
we shall have, in the first place, to give the conflicting accounts of the
biographers relating to that association.
A. In the Confession nothing is said of this discipleship.
B. Nor in the Hymn of Secundinus ; but that is laudatory and not
biographical.
C. The Hymn of Fiacc is of a different character, but it is not earlier
than the eighth century.-' As, however, its claims are to be the earliest
record, apart from the Confession, we will take it first.
It is silent as to the Roman mission, but asserts that Patrick was
educated by Germanus.
I ,'' ■Np\vell,op.\c/;., pp. 5 [-2.
^ D;clina and Fall (ed. Milman and Smith), London, 18,58-9, viii, p. 300.
^ It mentions the desertion of Tara that took place in 560. It refers to written
accounts, and begins, " Patrick v,-as born in Ncmthur, as is related in stories."
S. Patrick 6 3
1* [The angel] sent him across to Britain . . .
So that he left him with Germanus in the South, in the Southern part
of Letha.
In the Isles of the Tyrrhene Sea, he fasted in them, as one estimates.
, He read the Canon with Germanus, this is what writings narrate."
And it says that he was sixty years in Ireland.
There is a vagueness in this, and an appeal to records, which could
not have been the case had the Hymn been composed by Fiacc.
D. Tirechan made a collection of Notes on the Life of the Saint,
from the dictation, or copied from a book [ex ore vel libra), of his tutor.
Bishop Ultan of Ardbraccan, who died in 657. As he mentions the
recent plague of 664-8, it must have been composed after that. He
had before him a lost work, entitled Commemoratio Laborum, ascribed
to Patrick himself. He gives two versions of the Chronology of
Patrick's Life. In- the first he says that after his escape from captivity
Patrick wandered during seven years, then spent thirty years in one
of the islands called Aralensis, and that he died in 436. The Isle
Aralensis must be Lerins in the archdiocese of Aries ; or, Aralensis
may be a corruption of Lerinsis.
In the second account he says that Patrick, after his escape, studied
for thirty years, and taught for seventy-two, and died at the age of a
hundred and twenty. He says nothing about study under Germanus,
nor of a mission from Celestine till at the end of his account after he
has mentioned his death, and to that is tacked on a passage apparently
,by another hand, in which the mission of Palladius, " also called
Patrick," is mentioned, and then is added, " Then is the second Patrick
sent by the angel of God, named Victor ; and he is sent by Celestine,
the pope."
E. Muirchu Maccu Machtheni wrote Memoirs of S. Patrick in obedi-
•ence to the command of Bishop Aed of Sletty, who died in 698 or 700.
They are contained in the Book oj Armagh, but the first leaf is wanting.
Greith spitefully suggested that the leaf had been purposely abstracted
by Protestants, because it contained a record of the Roman Mission. ^
However, a Brussels transcript has been discovered, and has been
printed by the Jesuit Hogan in the Analecta Bollandiana ; ^ and it
•, contains no mention of the mission from Rome ; but it does assert that
Patrick studied with Germanus at Auxerre. " Transnavigato igitur
tmari dextro Britannico, accepto itinereper Gallicas Alpes ad extremum,
jUi corde proposuerat, transcensurus, quendam sanctissimum episcopum
.Alsiodori civitate principem Germanum summum domim invemt. Aptit
^ Greith, Geschichte der allirische Kirche und ihrc Vcrhindung mil Home,
JFreiburg, 1867. " Analecta Boll., i, pp. 549 et scq.
64 Lives of the British Saints
quern non parvo tempore demoratus." Germanus sends Patrick with.
Segetius to Rome, and on their way they hear in Ebmoria of the death
of Palladius from Augustine and Benedict, who had been his com-
panions ; and then " declinaverunt iter ad quendam mirabilem hominum,
summum Episcopum, Amatorege nomine in propinquo loco habitantem,
ibique Sanctus Patricius . . . episcopalem gradum ah Amatorege sancto-
Episcopo accepit. Etiam Auxilius Iserninusque et coeteri injerroris
gradus eodem die quo Sanctus Patricius ordinati sunt." Thence with-
out going to Rome, Patricl-c starts for Britain. Amatorege, it
may be remarked, is from tlie Irish Amatorig. Ainmire, as Amator
would be rendered in Irish, becomes in Dative and Accusative Aimnirig.
F. To Tirechan's Collection is a sort of Appendix, partly in Latin
and partly in Irish, containing notes on the missionary labours of
disciples of Patrick. Who wrote these, and when they were written, ,
we do not know. One of these is to this effect : " Patrick and Iser-
ninus, that is Bisliop Fith, were with Germanus in the city of Olsiodra
(Auxerre). But Germanus said to Iserninus that he should go into
Ireland to preach. And he was ready to obey to whatever part he
should be sent, except to Ireland. Germanus said to Patrick, ' And
thou, wilt thou be obedient ? ' Patrick said, ' Be it so if thou wishest.'
Germanus said : ' This shall be between you, and Iserninus will not
be able to avoid going into Ireland.' "
G. The scholiast on Fiacc's Hymn, who wrote in the eleventh century,,
says : " When S. Patrick had received the angelic vision calling him to
go to Ireland, he applied to Germanus for advice. S. Germanus said to
him, ' Go to the successor of S. Peter, namely, Celestine, that he may
ordain thee, for this office belongs to him.' Patrick therefore went
to him, but Celestine gave him no honour, because he had already sent
Palladius to Ireland." After this repulse, Patrick went to the islands-
of the Tyrrhene Sea, that is to say, to Lerins. Then, after a hiatus in
the MS., occur the words " Mount Arnon." Patrick thereupon
returned to Germanus, who sent him a second time to the Pope,
accompanied by Segetius, a priest. Celestine by this time was made-
aware of the failure and death of Palladius, and no longer raised,
difficulties. " Then was Patrick ordained in the presence of Celestine
and Theodosius the Younger, King of the World. Amatorix, Bishop -
of Auxerre, was he who conferred orders on him (i.e. Patrick) ; and
Celestine was, they say, only one week alive after ordaining Patrick." *■
Here is a jumble of strange anachronisms. Only a year is allowed
to elapse between the first visit to Celestine and the second, yet in the-
meantime Patrick had been to Mount Arnon.
^ Scholiast in Stokes, Tripartite Life, ii, p. 421.
S. Patrick 6 5
Celestine died in July, 432. Arr.ator, Bishop of Auxerre, in 418,
and was succeeded by Germanus. Celestine had not ascended the
papal chair before 422. Tlieodosius never was in Rome, as far as we
know, and he certainly was not there in 432. He was only Emperor
of the West as well as the East, as we have seen, between 423 and 425.
Next, the scholiast informs us that Patrick received the sanction of
Sixtus, and departed with the relics of SS. Peter and Paul. This last
paragraph is taken from the story of Palladius.
H. Another version of the story is given in the Vita Tertia ^ printed
by Colgan.
In this we are told that Patrick, after passing four years with S.
Martin at Tours, spent nine more in an island called Tamarensis, to
which Martin had sent him. Then Patrick went to Rome, being ad-
vised thereto by Germanus, who sent with him Segetius as witness to
his good character. On his way to Rome Patrick turned aside, de-
clinavit iter, to a certain Bishop Amator, who consecrated him bishop.
He was well received by Celestine. Leaving Rome he went to Mount
Amon, a rock in the Tyrrhene Sea, in the city Capua. Whilst there,
the news of the death of Palladius arrived, and Patrick received his
commission from Celestine.
/. The tale in Colgan's Vita Quarta is this, which closely resembles
his Vita Secunda : Patrick was with Germanus, who sent him to Rome
with Segetius, but did not obtain consecration because Palladius had
been already commissioned. Patrick crossed the Tyrrhene Sea and
was well received by Celestine, who sent him to Ireland bejore he had
heard of the result of the mission of Palladius. On his way back to
Auxerre, Patrick met Augustine and Benedict, in the city Euboria,
who informed him of the failure of the mission. Then Patrick went
to Bishop Amatorex, and from him received consecration.
K. The amphfied Nennius of 858 ^ contains insertions from an Irish
source. Among these is this : " Audita morte Palladii episcopi, alius
legatus Patricius . . . a Celestino papa Romano . . . monente et
suadente Sancto Germano episcopo, ad Scottos in fidem Christi conver-
tendos mittitur. Misit Germanus seniorem cum illo ad quemdam, homi-
nem tnirahilem, summum episcopum, Amatheum regem in propinquo
habitantem.. Ibi sanctus . . . episcopalem gradum Amatheo rege
Episcopus sanctus accepit. Et nomen quod est Patricius sumpsit, quia
prius Maun vocabatur."
L. The Fifth Life given by Colgan is that by Probus, lecturer in the
^ Colgan, Trias Thaumaturga, Louvain, 1647.
2 Zimmer, Nennius Vindicatus, Berlin, 1893 ; Stokes, Tripartite Life, i,.
p. cxvii.
VOL. IV. F
66 Lives of the British Saints
school of Slane, who was, says Colgan, burned in the tower of that place
by the Danes in 950. It is addressed to Paulinus, Bishop and Abbot
of Indedhnen, near Slane, who died in 920.
According to Probus, after spending four years with S. Martin,
Patrick goes to hermits in the desert, and is with them eight years.
Then he goes to an island where he remains nine years. After that he
visits Senior, a Bishop dwelhng on Mount Hermon, on the south side of
the Ocean, in a city fortified with seven walls. By him he is ordained
priest, and is sent to Rome. On his way thither he visits Germanus,
who despatches the priest, Segetius, with him to the pope. But meet-
ing with Augustine and Benedict at Euboria, and hearing of the death
of Palladius, he goes out of his way to a bishop, Amator, and by him is
consecrated Bishop. Then at once Patrick proceeds to Ireland.
This narrative is followed by two conflicting stories. One is that he
did not go to Rome at all ; the other is, that he did go, and returned
with the Apostolic benediction.
M. Joscelyn, Monk of Furness, wrote a Life of S. Patrick about the
year 1185. He was an indefatigable collector of material, which he
pieced together as best he might. This is Vita Sexta in Colgan. He
represents Patrick as placing himself under the tuition of S. Germanus,
and after that of S. Martin. But Martin was ordered by an angel to go
to the island of Tamarensis, whereupon Patrick returned to Germanus,
who sent him to Rome with Segetius. On his way he stopped in an
island of the Tyrrhenian Sea. Then he proceeded to Rome, where he
was consecrated by Celestine himself, and despatched to Ireland. But,
before leaving, he resided for awhile on Mount Morion, near the
Tyrrhene Sea, by the city of Capua.
N. The Tripartite Life was written the end of the tenth or early in
the eleventh century, after 936 or 945, as it mentions Joseph, Arch-
bishop of Armagh, who died on one or other of these dates ; it is uncer-
tain which. It is, accordingly, earlier than the Compilation of Joscelyn,
but is printed by Colgan as Vita Septima. This has been edited by
Dr. Whitley Stokes for the Rolls Series.
According to the Tripartite Lije, Patrick resolves on going to Rome ;
he crosses the Iccian Sea (the English Channel), and traverses France
(venerit in Franciam) ; crosses the Alps into Italy, where he meets
Germanus, and studies with him in Italy. Then he goes to Tours to
S. Martin. Then ensues a curious disjointed paragraph : " Auxerre
was the name of a city of which Germanus was the illustrious bishop.
Aralanensis was the island called, in which S. Patrick studied with him.
He was thirty years old when he came to Germanus, and he remained
with him thirty years more." After that, he went io Ireland. " At a
S. Patrick 67
certain time when Patrick was in the Tyrrhene Sea, he came to a place
where there were three other Patricks."
When aged sixty, Germanus sent Patrick to Rome, with Segetius as
his companion. He was well received, and Celestine, having heard of
the death of Palladius, consecrated him bishop with his own hands in
the presence of Germanus and Amatus, King of the Romans.
One naturally asks why Germanus sent Segetius with Patrick, if he
himself was to be in Rome. The blundering compiler, to escape the
conclusion that Patrick was ordained by Bishop Amator or Amatorex,
converts the latter into Amator Rex Romanorum.
0. In the Betha Patraic, in the Book of Lismore, an Irish homily on
the Life of the Saint, the order is much that of the Tripartite. Life, but
Patrick has a priest Egidius sent with him, and he is consecrated by
Celestine in the presence of Matha, King of the Romans. ^ The homily
in the Lehar Brecc is mainly a summary from the Tripartite Life.
i ' " On comparing these narratives," says Dr. Todd, " no unprejudiced
mind can doubt that the writers of these collections allowed themselves
the utmost licence in dealing with their authorities." But tbeyhad
authorities, and the difficulty that was theirs, and which they solved
variously, was how to weave into one narratives belonging to three
different personages. They were all actuated by one predominant
purpose. By hook or by crook Patrick must be made to receive his
commission from Rome, and as Palladius, also called Patricius, had
done that, the reception of a commission from Celestine was duplicated
and made to refer also to Patrick MacCalpurn.
What were the materials that had to be dove-tailed together ?
a. They possessed a lost Life of Palladius, and they made some use
- , of that.
/3. They had the Confession of Patrick MacCalpurn.
■y. Also a text relative to a Patrick who had been with S. Martin of
> Tours. Xow Martin's death is variously set down as occurring
in 397, 402, 403, or 412. The date cannot be accurately
determined, but 397 is that which finds most favour. If any
Patrick was with Martin, it must have been Patrick Magonius.
' <^. Also a record of a Patrick who was for a while in Lerins.
" e. As well a statement that a Patrick was with Germanus ; and
Nennius says that the Patrick who was with Germanus was
i Maun, i.e. Magonius.
' ^. Also that Patrick was ordained bishop by Amator, who preceded
Germanus in the See of Auxerre, and died in 418.
■ij ■ •. ^
■I., ,^ 1 Stokes, Lives of Saints from the Book of Lismore, Oxford, 1890.
68 Lives of the B?'itish Saiitts
y\. There was as well some record or legend of Patrick having been in
Capua. But what the Mount Arnon there was it is idle to
inquire.
One source of error may at once be pointed out. Letha, Letavia,
Llydaw was Armorica. The scholiast on the Hymn of Fiacc misunder-
stood this and converted Letha into Latium. Now, as we have shown
in the article on Germanus, Bishop of Man, that Saint, kinsman of
Patrick MacCalpurn, and uncle of Patrick MacSannan, was of Letha ;
and the compilers may have confused one Germanus with the other,
and Patrick MacSannan, pupil of the Armorican Germanus, with
Patrick MacCalpurn, and also with Patrick Magonius.
We judge that the compilers had four documents at least, which they
laid under contribution to piece into one. A. A lost Life or Notice of
Palladius. B. A lost Life of Patrick Magonius. C. The Writings,
notably the Confession of Patrick MacCalpurn. D. Possibly a Life of
Patrick MacSannan, disciple of Germanus, Bishop of Man ; the Life of
this latter is, in part, preserved in Nennius' History of the Britons. He
was confounded with Germanus of Auxerre.
The conclusions we are inclined to draw may be thus summed up :
1. That Palladius alone was commissioned by Celestine in 431, and
that^he failed, and died in 432.
2. That there was a Patrick working in Ireland at some time
between 432 and the arrival of Patrick MacCalpurn, probably
in 455-
3. That this is the Sen Patrick of the Irish, and that he was also the
Padrig ab Mawon of the Welsh, born in Gower.
4. That this Patrick Magonius may have been with S. Martin of
Tours before the death of the latter, variously given as 397
or as late as 412.
5. That, quitting Martin, he went to Lerins.
6. That he was consecrated by Amator, predecessor of Germanus
in the See of Auxerre, before 418.
7. That he became first head of the College of Caerworgorn, in or
about 425.
8. On the destruction of Caerworgorn, he went to Gaul, and visited
Auxerre to take counsel with Germanus, whom as a priest he
had known, but who was now bishop,
g. That Germanus advised him to go to Ireland, news having arrived
of the failure of Palladius, and that he sent him to Rome with
Segetius as witness to his orthodoxy and character.
10. That Patrick Magonius went to Rome, where he received com-
mission from Sextus III, who had just mounted the throne of
S. Patrick 69
S. Peter, July, 432. (See the Scholiast on the Hymn of Fiacc.)
11. That he went thence direct to Ireland, in the same year, and
laboured there.
12. That Patrick MacCalpurn, having arrived in Ireland, about the
year 455, he gave advice to this Patrick. This latter is repre-
sented as the daltha or pupil of Sen Patrick.
13. That Patrick Magonius died in 460, or thereabouts.
14. That Patrick MacCalpurn laboured till 493, when he also died.
15. That in attempting to fuse these Lives together, the Compilers
were met with the difficulty of the length of time between the
supposed commission by Celestine and the death in 493, and
solved it by making Patrick attain to the years of Moses, 120
years.
How much of the story of Patrick MacSannan may have coloured
and confused the narrative, it is impossible to say.
It will be advisable to conclude this notice with a few words relative
to this Patrick MacSannan.
Our authorities are of no good quality, but they serve to show that
a tradition existed relative to such a person.
He is reported to have been a son of the deacon Sannan, a reputed
brother of Patrick MacCalpurn. Joscelyn, in speaking of S. Lomman,
says : " Sanctus Patricius filiolus ejus, qui post decessum patrui sui
Britanniamremeans injata decessti ; et inGlasconensiecclesid sepultus est
honorifice." ^ The term filiolus ejus may mean no more than that the
younger Patrick was pupil, and spiritual child of Lomman. And
Glasconensi ecclesid is a mistake for Glastonbury. Oengus says that it
was by some held that Sen Patrick was buried at Glastonbury.
There was a Padenabera, by Glastonbury, named in Domesday, now
Pamboro', insula vinifera, and always included in the home possessions
of the Church of Glastonbury. No tradition attaches Padarn to that
celebrated monastery, but one did hold that a Patrick was there, and
the bones of this Patrick were among its most treasured relics.^ This
may, however, have been a later Patrick still. An interpolator of
Malmesbury's Chronicle relates that he discharged episcopal duties
about the year 850 ; and Higden of Chester says that the Abbot Patrick
flourished at Glastonbury in the middle of the ninth century. This,
more probably, is the Patrick whom the monks of Glastonbury fraudu-
lently attempted to pass off as the Apostle of Ireland.
Patrick MacSannan was probably born in Armorica, whither the
' Colgan, Trias Thaumat., p. 166.
2 Ussher, Antiq. Eccl. Brit., 1639, ii, pp. 893-6.
70 Lives of the British Saiiits
family of Calpurnius had fled, if any reliance can be placed in the pre-
face to the Hymn of Secundinus (B) . But this, according to Dr. Whitley
Stokes, is not earlier than the eleventh or twelfth century. " Thus it
happened, namely, that the seven sons of Sechtmaide, King of the
Britons, were in exile, and they ravaged Armorica. A party of Britons
of Ailcluaide chanced to meet them in Armorica. Calpurn, son of
Fotaid (Potitus), Patrick's father, was killed there, and then Patrick
was captured, and his two sisters there." ^ This was Patrick MacGal-
purn, but we cannot admit that he was captured in Letavia. Patrick
Junior became the disciple of Germanus the Armorican, his uncle, son
of Restitutus of the Hy Baird, and went with him to Paris. When
S. Patrick MacCalpurn went to Britain to collect missionaries Germanus
probably left Paris, taking with him the younger Patrick, and trans-
ferred him to Patrick MacCalpurn, who delivered him to Lomman to be
trained. ^
In the Vita Tertia, in Joscelyn, and in the copy of the Tripartite Life
used by Ussher,^ it is said that Patrick spent some years in the insula
Tamarensis. This has been conjectured to be the Island of S. Nicolas
off the mouth of the Tamar ; and it is noteworthy that S. German's is on
a creek of the same river, near by. The Third Life was derived from a
Cornish or British text, probably preserved at Glastonbury. If a
Patrick was in this isle of the Tamar it must have been Patrick Mac-
Sannan, as there is reason to suppose that the Cornish church of S.
German's was founded not by Germanus of Auxerre, but by Germanus
the A]-morican. Moreover, there is foisted into the Life of S. Patrick,
the strange story of his being in Mount Arnon in Capua, in the South'of
Italy. Capree is probably meant, and the Armorican Germanus was,
according to his legend, some time in the South of Italy.
These curious notices of the Isle of Tamara, and of Capree (Capua)
cannot be mere invention. They were found somewhere, in a Life of a
Patrick, though not in that of Patrick Magonius, or of Patrick Mac-
Calpurn, and we may suspect that they were grafted into the text of
the compilations from a Life, now lost, of Patrick MacSannan.
If our suggestion be not accepted, and the earlier date be given to
Patrick MacCalpurn, then his chronology, to which we cannot con-
sent, is as follows, according to Professor Bury : —
He was born in the year 389, and was taken captive in 405. He
escaped from captivity in 411-2, and went to Lerins in 412. In Lerinshe
remained t\\ o or three years only, to 414 or 415. Then he proceeded
^ Liber Hymnorum, ii,, p. 3.
2 See under S. Brioc and S. Germanus B. of Man.
^ XJssher, op. cit., ii, p. 835.
S. PATRICK.
From Stained Glass at S. Neot, Cornwall,
S. Patrick 71
to Auxerre in 415 or 416, and was ordained Deacon by Bishop Amator
between 416 and 418. Professor Bury thinks that his ordination to
deacon's orders has been mistal<en by his biographers for his conser-
cration to be Bishop many years later. Germanus succeeded Amator
in 418, and Patrick remained at Auxerre till 432, when Germanus con-
secrated him Bishop. This is against all evidence.
Germanus at once sent him to Ireland. He left Ireland and visited
Rome in 441-3, when Leo the Great was Pope. Of this no hint is
given by any of his biographers. He returned to Ireland and founded
Armagh in 444. He wrote his Letter to Coroticus and his Confession in
advanced age, and died in 461.
S. Patrick is found in almost all Western Martyrologies and Calendars
on March 17. Sen Patrick, whom we identify with Patrick Magonius,
occurs, as already stated, in Irish Martyrologies on August 24, so also is
a Patrick ostiarius, who had been abbot of Armagh, and who was laid
there " in a stone grave."
The dedications to S. Patrick in Wales have been very few, and con-
fined to Pembrokeshire. They were of chapels, which are now extinct.
Capel Padrig at S. David's, already mentioned ; Capel Padrig, in
Nevem ; and Paterchurch, or Patrickchurch, in Monkton. Pencarreg,
in Carmarthenshire, is doubtful, whether to him or to S. Padarn. Sarn
Badrig (Patrick's Causeway), off the Merionethshire coast, stretches
into the sea for over 20 miles, about nine of which are dry at low tide.
It is a natural formation. No legend has been preserved to account for
filename. There is a Ffynnon Badrig, as well as a Bron Badrig, in Llan-
bedr, below Harlech ; and another Ffynnon Badrig in a field by
Govilon Station, near Abergavenny. It is enclosed, and supplies most
of the villagers with water.
The references to him in mediaeval Welsh literature are not as numer-
ous as might be expected. One sixteenth century poet, Hywel Eur-
drem, wrote an awdl to him (e.g., in Additional MS. 14, 971), and
another alludes to the Staff of Jesus (Bachall Isu)} fabled to have been
given him by our Lord, or by a certain solitary on an island in the
Tyrrhene Sea. Gwas Padrig (Anghcized Cospatrick), his tonsured
servant, or devotee, occasionally occurs as a personal name. leuan
Gwas Padrig was the original patron of Cerrig y Drudion.
"■ " Ffon a ddanfones lesu
I Badrig, da fenthyg fu."
72 Lives of the British Saints
S. PAULINUS, or PEULIN, Bishop, Confessor
It is much to be regretted that no Life of this famous teacher of
Saints has come down to us. As it is, there are but few particulars
about him on record.
From the Life of S. David we learn that David, after he had received
his earher education at Yr Henllwyn, or the Old Bush, went on to the
" Scribe Paulinus, a disciple of S. Germanus, a bishop, and in a certain
island led a life agreeable to God, who taught him in three parts of
reading, until he was a scribe. " David remained with his instructor for
a lengthened period, and a pretty story is told of him during those
youthful years. His master became blind, and his eyes gave him
great pain. He called his disciples to him one by one to look at them
and bless them, but he derived no benefit. At last he called to David
to come and look at them, but David replied, " Father, don't bid me
to look at your eyes, for during the ten years that I have been under
your instruction, I have not so much as once looked into your face."
Paulinus was greatly moved by his modesty, and bade him stretch
forth his hand, for then, said he, " I shall be quite well." No
sooner had David touched his eyes than his sight was restored, and
Paulinus blessed him " with all the blessings that are written in the
Old and New Testament." ^ It is most probable that Paulinus had
succeeded Maucan as head of Ty Gwyn.
In the Life of S. Teilo ^ Paulinus is introduced as a great religious
teacher, and he had Teilo and David as contemporary disciples, but it
is not stated where.
He was alive at the time of the Synod of Brefi, held probably in 545,
and he was the aged bishop who advised the assembly to send for his
old pupil David. ^
Paulinus is the patron of Llangors, in Breconshire. In the Taxatio
-of 1291 the Church is given under the translated name Ecclesia de Mara,
and in the Cartulary of Brecon Priory as the Church of S. Paulinus de
Lancors and of S. Peuhnus de Mara.* In the parish-list in Peniarth
MS. 147 (c. 1566) it is Llangors Peylyn Sant. ^ There was in the modern
parish of Ystradffin (S. Barnabas), formerly a chapelry in Llanfair-ar-
y-bryn, Carmarthenshire, a chapel at Rhandirmwyn dedicated to him,
1 Cambro-British Saints, pp. 122-3. In the Welsh Life, ibid., p. 104, Pauhnus
is said to have been " disciple to a holy bishop in Rome." In Giraldus's Vita,
/Jpera, iii, p. 384, he is " Germani discipulus."
^ Booh of Llan Ddv, p. 99, where he is called Poulinus.
^ Cambro-British Saints, pp. no, 137.
^ Arch. Camb., 1883, pp. 44-5, 144-54.
^ J. G. Evans, Report on Welsh MSS., i, p. 918.
fS. Paulinus j 3
known as Capel Peulin,^ and the present chapel-of-ease there is re-
dedicated to him. A tablet in the porch states that the chapel was
•originally founded in 1117, and rebuilt in 1821. It is situated not
very far from Llanddewi Brefi.
A stone found long ago in a field called Pant-y-polion, near Maes
Llanwrthwl, in the parish of Caio (a little further south again from the
scene of the S3mod), and now removed for preservation to Dolau Cothi,
bears a remarkable epitaph, cut in debased Latin capitals, and
couched in two rugged hexameters : —
SERVATVR FID^I
VATRIEQUe SEMPER
AMATOR HIC PAVLIN
VS lACIT CVLTOR PIENTI
SIMVS ^QVI 2
" Guard of the Faith, and Lover of his Land,
Liegeman of Justice, here Paulinus lies." ^
The stone being found not far distant from both Llanddewi Brefi
and Capel Peulin, leaves very little doubt that it was intended to com-
memorate S. Paulinus, and records his traditional virtues. His
festival occurs in the Demetian Calendar (S) only, where, in the copy
in Cwrtmawr MS. 44, of the sixteenth century, it is entered on Novem-
ber 22, as " Gwyl Polin, Escob."
The sixteenth and seventeenth century Glamorgan antiquaries of
the lolo MSS., who next to Geoffrey of Monmouth, have done more
than any one to pollute the " well undefiled " of Welsh history, have
led modem Welsh writers entirely astray as to Paulinus, whom they
call Pawl.
They say, " Pawl, saint and bishop, of Cor lUtyd, was the son of
Meurig ab Tewdrig. He founded a Cor where Ty Gwyn ar Daf is,
^ It is mentioned asCapella S. Paulini in an agreement of 1339 (HarleianMS.
1249) between Bishop Gower of S. David's and the Abbot of Strata Florida, to
which abbey the chapel was then attached.
2 For the inscription, with observations thereon, see Sir J. Rhys, Origin of the
Englyn, 1905, pp. 2-5 ; also Westwood, Lapidarium WallicB, p. 79. The name
PauUnus occurs in two other early inscriptions, one at Port Talbot {Arch. Camh.,
1899, pp. 145-6), and the other at Llandyssilio, Pemb. [ibid., i860, p. 54), but there
is nothing to lead one to suppose that either refers to this saint. There is a
Demetian commote or district called Pelunyawc, no doubt for Peuliniog, " the
Land of PauUnus," probably the person commemorated in the Llandyssilio
inscription. The district was situated in Cantref Gwarthaf, through which runs
the boundary line between the counties of Pembroke and Carmarthen. With the
name cf. Rhufon-iog, Anhun-iog, etc.
^ The late Archbishop Benson.
7+ Lives of the British Saints
in Dyfed," ^ that is, the village of Whitland, in Carmarthenshire, but
popularly called locally Hendy Gwyn. Again, " Fflewin and Gredifael,
sons of Ithel Hael of Llydaw, were saints of Cor y Ty Gwyn ar Daf in
Dyfed, where they were with Pawl, a saint of Cor lUtyd, superintending
a Bangor," which, it is said further on, was founded by the same trio.^
They fell into error through the fact that the Carmarthenshire Ty
Gwyn and Whitland were matched by the Ty Gwyn and (through the
mistake of copyists of a couple of centuries earlier) the Whitland that
were associated with Paulinus. '
Rhygyfarch merely says that the place where David went to Paulinus
was " in insula quadam." Giraldus calls it " Vecta Insula," ^ the
Isle of Wight ! The Welsh Life mentions no place. That it was Whit-
land is based on fourteenth and fifteenth century MSS. of the Life of
S. David, which describe Paulinus as residing " in insula Withlandi." *
These, however, do not state that it was on the Tdf. As a matter of
fact there is no pi-oof whatever that there was a monastery of any sort
at Whitland prior to the Cistercian abbey founded in the twelfth cen-
tury. Ecclesiastically, Whitland is to-day the English alias of Eglwys
Fair Glyn Taf.
The first mention that we have of Y Ty Gwyn ar Daf is in the Laws
of Hyvvel Dda ; but the preambles to the Codes are conclusive evidence
that there was no religious foundation of the name there in the first
half of the tenth century. In the preamble to the Demetian Code it is
said that Hyuel " ordered that house (' Y Ty Gwynn arTaf jm Dyuet ')
to be constructed of white rods, as a lodge for him in hunting, when he
came to Dyfed ; and on that account it was called Y Ty Gwyn." "
So the name, as well as the monastic foundation there, are later than
Paulinus and David by some centuries.
The statement that this Pawl-Paulinus was the son of Meurig ab
Tewdrig, King of Glamorgan, is impossible, as that King was contem-
porary with S. Oudoceus, by whom he was excommunicated.
Later writers still have identified Paulinus with Pawl Hen of Mana',\-
— no doubt the Manaw on the Firth of Forth — who was father of the
Anglesey saints, Peulan, Gwyngeneu, and Gwenfaen, but he is nowhere
entered as a saint in the saintly genealogies. The equation of Pawl Hen
with Paulinus is, it need hardly be said to-day, a philological impossi-
bility. Paulinus could only yield now Peulin, and the Pevl Hen of the
'^ lolo MSS,, p. 139. With Pawl or Paul for Paulinus, cf. Sadwrn of Llan-
sadwrn (Anglesey) and the Saturninus of the inscribed stone there.
^ Ibid., pp. 112, 114. ' Opera, iii, p. 384.
* ii, pp. 293-4. See Mr. Phillimore's note in Owen's Pembrokeshire, ii, pp.
425-6. ^ Ed. Aneurin Owen, folio, p. 164.
S. Paulits Aurelictiius 7 5
sixteenth century Peniarth MS. 75 (for Pawl Hen) would appear in
present-day Welsh as Paul Hen, that is, Paul the Aged.
In the Achau'r Saint in Cardiff MS. 5 (1527), p. 120, is entered a,
mysterious " Pawl vab pawlpolinvs." ^
S. PAULUS AURELIANUS, Bishop, Confessor
The Life of S. Paul of Leon by Wormonoc was written in 884. The
author was a disciple of Wrdestan, abbot of Landevenec, and he dedi-
cated his work to Hinworet, Bishop of Leon. This Life exists in a MS.
of the twelfth century in the Bibliotheque Nationale, Paris {MS. Lat.
16942) ; also in a MS. of the same century in the same collection (17004) ;_
and there are copies of it of the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries.
These have been collated and published by Dom Plaine in Analecta
Bollandiana, 1882, i, pp. 208-58.
M. Charles Cuissard has contributed different readings from a
Fleury Codex : Revue Celtique, 1883, v, pp. 417-58.
These pubUcations are a great boon, as the Life printed in the Acta
SS. Boll., March, ii, pp. 111-20, was unsatisfactory. A Life in ,Du
Bosc, Bibl. Floriac., was a summary from the Life by Wormonoc made
by a monk of Fleury in the twelfth century. Bibl. Floriac, Lugdun.,,
1605, pp. 418-28.
Wormonoc informs us that he based his work upon an earlier Life,^
and what he adds is oratorical flourish, with which we could welljlis-
pense.
Further information relative to S. Paul is obtainable from the Lives
of S. Tanguy and S. Joevin. But these are late. For S. Tanguy we
have only Albert le Grand, and for S. Joevin, the Breviary Lessons
for his feast, in the Chuijch of Leon, Acta SS. Boll., March, i, p. 138,
and a Life by Albert le Grand.
We have likewise the Life, of S. Goulven, written in the thirteenth
. century, but based on earlier material. It has been pubHshed by De
la Borderie, Rennes, 1892.
Paul is also mentioned iii the Life of Gildas by the Monk of Rhuis,
Paulus Aurelianuswas born in Penohen (Penychen,a cantref of South-
1 In Cambro-British Saints, p. 270, it is printed " Pawl vab Pawlpolins," and
correctly as in the MS. from wh,ich tlie copy is taken.
2 " Cujus g'esta, 'quamvis nostro lucidius qiiartl ut ante primitus veteri con-
structione depiita sunt, aucta videantur florui.<ise labore, ha;c tamen quicumqu©
veterum chartis rcscribere velit, prohibere non videbor; " c. 2.
76 Lives of the British Saints
€ast Glamorgan) about tlie year 480. He was the son of a Romanized
Briton of high dignity. ^ He had eight brothers, of whom two only are
named, Notolius and Potolius, and three sisters who are numbered
among the Saints.- The name of one sister only is given by Wor-
monoc. It is Sitovolia, in whom we may be justified in recognizing
Sativola, well known in the ancient diocese of Exeter. From the Legend
of another sister, Jutwara, we ascertain that the third of the holy
sisters was Wulvella. Eadwara is also mentioned, but this name is
a reduplication of Jutwara (Aod Wyr, Acd the Virgin). These
names have been Anglicized and Latinized almost past recognition in
their original form.
The name of the father was Porpius (or Perpius) Aurelianus. He was
a count, and, as we learn from the Life of S. Jutwara, was twice mar-
ried, the second time to a woman who hated her step-daughters, and
worked them much evil.
Wormonoc tells us that the family lived in a district called Brehant
in the British tongue, in Latin " Guttur receptaculum pugn»." This
is the Welsh Breuant, " the Windpipe ; " and it is the eighth wonder of
Britain mentioned by Nennius — " a cave in the region of Gwent, having
wind constantly blowing out of it." ^ Clement of Alexandria had
already said something about this cave. " The compilers of narratives
say that in the island of Britain there is a cave situated under a moun-
tain, and a chasm on its summit ; and that, accordingly, when the wind
falls into the cave and rushes into the bosom of the cleft, a sound is
heard like cymbals clashing musically. And after, when the wind is
in the woods, when the leaves are moved by a sudden gust of wind,
a sound is emitted like the song of birds." *
Giraldus describes a remarkable cave in Barry Island, but in it the
clash of the waves rolling in sounds like smiths at work in the bowels
of the earth. ^
Against his father's wishes, at a very early age, Paul went to S.
lUtyd, and was placed by him at Ynys Pyr or Caldey Isle.* Such voca-
^ " Paulus, cognomento Aurelianus, cujusdam Comitis, nomine Perphii,
viri secundum seculi dignitatem excellentissimi filius; " c. 4.
2 " Tresque sorores sanctse formam Trinitatis, tria sapientia; sive divinae sive
humanse genera regentis assimilantes, legimus habuisse; " c. 4.
^ " In regione quas vocatur Gwent est ibi fovea, a qua ventus inflat per omne
tempus sine intermissione, et quando non flat ventus in tempore aestatis, de ilia
fovea incessanter flat, ut nemo possit sustinere neque ante foveas prof unditatem ;
et vocatur nomen ej us Vith Guint Brittanico sermone, Latine vero Flatio Venti ; ' '
ed. Mommsen, p. 215.
* Clem. Alex. Stromata, vi, 3. 6 Itin. Camb., i, c. 6.
^ " Erat quaedam insula Pyrus nomine, Demetiarum patriae in iinibus sita, in
<jua et Iltutus; " c. 6.
S. Paulus Aurelianus 77
tions whilst still young were not uncommon. Gregory of Tours tells
the story of a boy of twelve who desired to become a recluse, after
having been placed in the service of a merchant. He persisted in
his resolve, in spite of his master's opposition, and he was at length
granted a cell in a vaulted crj^pt, in which he lived for eight years and
then went mad, and broke down the wall that enclosed him. He
never recovered his senses.^
In Ynys Pyr Paul made the acquaintance of Saints David, Samson,
and Gildas. He and they were afterwards removed to Llantwit, where
they were employed by Illtyd in banking out the Severn, so as to reclaim
tracts of rich alluvial soil. They were also set to scare away the birds,
when the com was in the ground. The boys amused themselves with
netting the wild fowl and turning them into the barn, and then they
conducted the abbot into it, to show him the place full of their captures.
This is worked up in the story into a miracle, and is attributed alike
to Samson, Paul, and Gildas. It was a boyish prank in which all
shared.
At the age of sixteen Paul was weary of being set to scare the wild
birds, and of toiling at dyke-making, and he with twelve other rebels
ran away, and set up wattled cells, and built an oratory on the confines
of his father's land.
They were clearly playing at being saints ; but play became serious,
at least with Paul, who stuck to his solitude, and remained there a
good many years, and in course of time was ordained priest, by whom
we are not informed, but it wa~. probably by Dubricius. He lived in
great sanctity, drinking only water, eating nothing but fiish and vege-
tables, and clothing himself in skins.
He at last wearied of his life in Gwent, and went off with a number
of companions to a certain King, Mark Conomanus, who ruled at Caer
Banhed over "peoples speaking four tongues." '■^ Caer Banhed does
not occur among the cities of the Britons, given by Nennius. In the
Life f f S. Cadoc is a Bannauc, and there Cadoc established a mon-
astery, about 528-9. This was after that Paul had been there, and
Cadoc may have desired to follow up Paul's work.
The King desired to have Paul as bishop in his land, but to this the
Saint would not consent.
^ Greg. Turon. Hist. Franc, viii, c. 34.
2 The " peoples speaking four tongues " is borrowed from Bede, who, writing of
Oswald, King of Northumbria, who reigned from 634 to 642, says," denique omnes
nationes et provincias Britannia:, quas in quatuor linguas, id est, Brittonum,
Pictorum, Scottorum et Anglorum divisje sunt, in ditione accepit," Hist. EccL,
iii, 6. Much stress cannot be laid on the words used by Wormonoc, but they
seem to indicate that the place Caer Banhed was in the north of Britain.
7 8 Lives of the British Saints
. Mark had seven bells, which were rung to summon his nobles to
dinner. Paul coveted one of them and asked for it. The King re-
fused, and the Saint in a huff departed from his realm. It was quite
in the way of a hot-tempered Celtic ecclesiastic to take umbrage at a
trifle, and to throw up his work, if he were not accorded at once what
he demanded. The bards had a right to demand what they desired,
and might not be refused. The Saints considered that they had stepped
into all the prerogatives of the bards. After having quitted the King,
Paul went to visit his sister " in illius patrise extremis finibus, id est,
in littore maris Britanici degebat." The description apphes to Corn-
wall, and especially to the Land's End district. Paul's purpose was
to leave Britain and cross over into Armorica. For this purpose he
would naturally go to Cornwall. On Penzance Bay his sister ^'\^ulvella
had a settlement at Gulval, and hard by he planted himself where is
now the parish of Paul. To the scanty information given us by Wor-
monoc, we may add something that may be gathered from foundations
presumedly made by him on his way. His sister, Sativola, was in
Exeter, outside the walls of the British city, adjoining which grew up in
later times the Saxon city of Exanceastre.^ Within the British city
was his church, S. Paul's.
Near Asburton is the parish of Staverton, with the church dedicated
to S. Paul, and although the patron is now held to be Paul the Apostle,
it is conceivable that the latter has supplanted Paulus Aurelianus, for
On the confines of the parish is the Holy Well of Gulval, or Wulvella.
Paul's sisters Sativola and Wulvella had a foundation at Laneast, near
Launceston, and close by, if we mistake not, Jutwara was settled at
Lanteglos, by Camelford.
On reaching his sister's settlement, she complained to him of the
encroachments of the sea, and he bade her accompany hiiPi to the beach,
and mark out the tide-line with a row of pebbles. She did so, he prayed,
and the pebbles grew into rocks that broke the force of the waves, and
thenceforth the tides ceased to eat into the land. Wormonoc informs
us that the way Paul took along the strand was in his day called " Paul's
Walk." Divested of its miraculous garnishment, we can see what
actually took place. There had, undoubtedly, been encroachments of
the sea in Mount's Bay. The buried forest in the marsh above the
Marazion railway station testifies to the subsidence of the land. What
Paul effected for his sister Wulvella was to bank out the tide, as taught
him by S. Illtyd.
The Cressar Reef and the Long Rock were traditionally supposed
^ Kerslake, in Journal Brit. Archceol. Assoc, x, p. 356.
aS*. Paulus Aurelianus 79
to have grown out of the line of pebbles laid by Wulvella. And he
formed a foundation on the same bay, now the parish of Paul.
, After a while, he crossed into Brittany, and landed on the isle of
Ouessant. There he constructed a monastery, consisting of a chapel,
and thirteen little huts of turf and stone. The site was chosen because
he found there a spring of wholesome water, with fertile soil about it.
The port where he disembarked still bears his name, Porz-Pol, and his
monastic foundation is where now stands the village of Lampol, in a
glen opening on to the harbour, and facing south-west. The warm
Gulf Stream flowing into the bay keeps the temperature there always
mild, but the site is much exposed to the furious gales from the Atlantic.
The disciples who had come to Brittany with him were Conoc, also
called Toconoc, who was placed as masterover the rest, under Paul him-
self ; Decan, a deacon ; Jahoef, better known as Joevin, a nephew
■of Paul ; Towedoc, Gwelloc, Bretwyn, Tigernomagle, Toseoc, Sith-
redus (i.e. Citharedus, a harper), Boi, Wyrman (Winniavus, MS.
Floriac), Lowenan, Toech, Chiel and Ercan. None of these had made
foundations in Wales or in Cornwall, but most of them have left their
impress in Brittany. ^
Paul did not, however, remain long in the isle of Ouessant. He again
took ship, and, passing the Varrec ar Mar'ch du (Rock of the Black
Horse) off the He Molene, he entered the port on the mainland that
has since borne his name, Lampaul Plouarzel. Thence he directed his
steps to the land of Ach, that lies between the rivers Elorn and Aber-
benoit, and here he resolved on establishing a monastery, in a plou of
the name of Telmedou, now Ploudalmezou. The high tableland was
then as now windswept and treeless, but in every dip and dimple there
was rich vegetation and a tangle of forest.
The exact spot selected by him was where in a drop of the land, a
good spring of water gushed forth. Settlers from Britain were already
scattered over the district, and the pagus of Ach had been divided into
a hundred trejs,'^ but there was no chieftain over the colonists, and
they doubtless welcomed Paul, and were ready that he should organize
them ecclesiastically.
■ A cousin now left him to establish himself at a little distance in
sohtude. His name was Peter, and he planted a cell now called Ker-
ber (Caer-peder),^ but this was done with the consent of Paul. Another
1 Plaine, Vita S. Pauli, p. 28, note.
, 2 " In ea plebe reperit quendam fundum, qui modo, deo donante, perpetua
•est oblatio eidem sancto, ita ut una ex tribibus ejus, quas centum numero . . .
habet, dicatur; " c. 37.
^ " In ipso fundo quemdam locum cujusdam fontis lucidissimi larga effusione
8o Lives of the B?~itish Saints
of the company, desiring to live a solitary life — his name was Vive-
hinus, or Vivian — wandered forth, and finding a copious spring in a.
sheltered spot, constructed for himself a hut of branches. But a buffalo
was wont daily to seek this spring to drink of it, and resenting the intru-
sion, broke down the hut with its horns, and trampled on the fragments.
Vivian re-erected his habitation, but next day the beast returned, and
again destroyed it. \A'hen this had gone on for some days Vivian
appealed to S. Paul for assistance. Paul visited the spot, took a liking
to it, and agreed to take it over as his own.^ So soon as a number of
the monks had occupied the place, the buffalo abandoned it, and they
were left in peace.
This is the place that now bears the name of Lampaul Ploudalmezou.
It lies in a dip. The highland about was strewn with the megalithic
m'onuments, dolmens and menhirs of the primeval inhabitants. The-
monks left the former unmolested, as covering the dead of the pagan
aborigines, but such of the menhirs as received a religious cult, they
sanctified by cutting them into crosses, and several such remain about
Lampaul.
The spring still flows. It is in the churchyard, which is full of stately
trees. The land gently falls to the shore and broad sands. The coast
is girdled with countless reefs and rocky crags and with islets of granite,
that break the fury of the waves from the North.
Paul did not remain long in this part of the land. He was uneasy lest
his occupation should lack sanction, and he resolved on visiting the
chieftain who exercised a nominal rule over the country of Leon.
He accordingly went east, travelling across the tableland, descend-
ing into the valley cleft by the streams that found their way to the
ocean, then mounting again. At last he reached a plebs occupying a
stony district, where was a Caer Wiorman, now Plouguerneau. To
reach Ihis, he crossed the Aber Vrach at the old ford used by the-
Romans, above where the tide reaches and swells the basin of the river.
Immediately after crossing, his companions complained of thirst. Paul
marked out where he bade them dig. They did so, and found what
they required. Three springs gushed forth, and these are still shown at
Prat Paul beyond the ford. When he had elicited these springs, he
clarissimum atque suaviEsimum. Ipse vero locus dicitur modo villa Petri; " c.
37. Plaine following Courson makes the place Lamber in Ploumoguer. But
see Canon Abgrall's note in the new edition of Albert le Grand, p. no.
1 " Utque ejusdem loci amoenitatem valde sibi placentem aspexit. Prater,
inquit (Paulus) carissime Vivehinus, iste locus si tibi placet, mens erit, eo meus
sit tuus. Et ille, Magister, ait, benignissime, omnia qua; mea sunt vel esse:
po.ssunt, tua sunt et mea," c. 38.
S. PAUL OF LEON.
Group of Crosses at Ploudalmezou.
aS'. Paulus Aurelianus 8 i
begged that one of them should thenceforth be reserved for the use of
himself and his disciples. ^
Whilst Paul was in Plouguerneau, a swineherd approached, and
the Saint inquired of him who it was that claimed jurisdiction over the
district.
" His name is Withur," replied the fellow, " and I am one of his
swineherds. He is a good and God-fearing man, and he has been con-
firmed in rule by King Childebert. If you wish to visit him, I will
put you in the way of doing so."
An old Roman road ^ led due east, and along this Paul and his
comrades, guided by the pig-driver, travelled for two days, till they
reached the \\ estern gate of a ruined Roman town, probably Ocismor.
They found the ancient city surrounded by an earthen embankment.*
Within were no other inhabitants than swine, a bear and a buffalo, and
in a hollow tree a swarm of bees. The bear was driven by the monks
into a pitfall where it was despatched. They took the honey from the
bees, and were much refreshed by it.
After having well rested among the ruins, the swineherd conducted
Paul to where is now the fishing village of Roscoff. The Count Withur,
he informed him, had retired to the isle of Batz, that lay off the coast.
Paul crossed to the island, where he found the old chief engaged in
completing a copy of the Four Gospels which he had transcribed with
his own hand.
Withur was delighted to see him, not only as united by a common
love of God, but also because they were cousins, and came both of them
from Gwent.*
It can hardly be matter of doubt that Paul knew all along that his
kinsman was settled in this portion of Armorica, and that this was his
main inducement in coming to settle in Leon.
Paul now told Withur his story, and when he had come to his quarrel
with King Mark over the bell, a man arrived with a large salmon just
caught ; and on opening the fish, lo ! the bell was found inside it.
Such is the legend. It is one of the common myths that have attached
themselves to various personages. In some the thing found in the fish
is a ring, in others a key. As the bell, still extant, weighs eight pounds
1 " Sanctus vir oraturus unum suis fontem tribuereprecatur; " c. 42.
2 " Sanctus itaque Paulus cum suis eodem pastore prasvio iter arripiens,
per viam publicam sua; a loco ecclesiae plebis pra;dicta; ad soils occasum ducitur
abiens ; " c. 43.
' " Oppidum autem tunc temporis per circuitum erat muris terreis tempore
prisco mira proceritate constructis circumceptum; " c. 44.
■' " Quos duplicata tenebat propinquitas, nam carnalis nexu origmis conso-
brini, spiritualis autem quod est in Christo, fratres erant ; " c. 48.
VOL. IV. ^
82 Lives of the British Saints
and a half, and is seven and a half inches high, the salmon must have
been of extraordinary size to have contained it.
The real fact was, we can hardly doubt, that when Paul lamented his
lack of a bell, Withur said that he possessed one and would present it
to him. Wormonoc tells us that the Count gave as gifts to his cousin,
the site of the old Roman Castle, the island of Batz, the book of the
Gospels he had transcribed and the bell, which acquired the name of
Hirglas.
A story is introduced by the biographer at this point concerning the
deliverance of the inhabitants of Batz from a monstrous serpent or
dragon, by Paul, who bound his stole round the beast, led it to the edge
of the sea, and precipitated it into the waters. We shall return to this
later.
Paul now established his monastic centre in the ruined town of
Ocismor, but he had also a house in Batz, and Withur abandoned the
island to reside in one of his other mansions.
According to Wormonoc, Withur urged Paul to be ordained bishop,
but he would not listen to the proposal, and the Count had recourse to a
stratagem to obtain his consecration. He complained that owing to
the difficulties of the way, his age, and the duties of his station, he could
not visit Paris and discuss certain matters of importance with Childe-
bert, and he asked Paul as a favour to convey sealed letters from him,
by his own hand to the Frank King. Paul assented and went to Paris
attended by twelve monks and a certain number of serfs. Withur, in
the letter, had asked Childebert, so soon as he had read the epistle, to
have Paul consecrated bishop. And this the King did.
Wormonoc read the story through later day eyes. What really
occurred was almost certainly other. Withur, no more than Paul, had
any idea of the episcopal office as exercising jurisdiction. In Celtic
monasteries a bishop was retained as a necessary functionary for the
conferring of orders, but the jurisdiction was in the hands of the abbot
or abbess. The reason why Withur urged Paul to go to Paris was to
obtain confirmation from the Frank King of his tenure of the ten trejs
in the land of Ach, and of those bits of territory Withur had himself
ceded to him.
But Childebert had Gallo-Roman ideas as to the office of a bishop.
He was quite willing to ratify the grants and allow Paul authority over
the pagus of Ach, but he must be quahfied to exercise this jurisdiction
. by being consecrated bishop. Paul resisted as strenuously and as long
as he could, but Childebert was peremptory, and Paul returned to
Leon a bishop.
He now undertook with great energy a mission work throughout his
aS*. Paulus Aurelianus 83
diocese, and was warmly assisted by Withur. He destroyed the
" temples," whatever they were, and if the people were not to be won
by persuasion he had recourse to compulsion of a somewhat severe
.character ; ^ for he found that the bulk of the population was wholly
pagan. ^ This applies doubtless to the indigenous inhabitants and
not to the British colonists. He built chapels, and established monas-
tic cells throughout the district accorded to him.
At length, on the plea that he was worn out with age, he resigned the
charge of his monastery and See to his nephew Johoevius or Joevin,
and retired to the island of Batz. It was there that he was visited by
S. Brendan about the year 526, but this was long before his resignation
(see under S. Brendan). Although, according to Wormonoc, he
surrendered his direction of the monastery and See because of his age,
it is possible that an entirely different motive actuated him. In or
about 550 Samson of Dol began to agitate for the elevation of Judual
to the throne of Domnonia, and to effect a revolution against Conmore,
then regent of Domnonia and Leon, and vice-gerent for Childebert.
Paul was placed in a delicate situation. He was the principal ecclesias-
tical head in the district where Conmore had the centre of his power.
If the revolution failed, and he had acted energetically against the
regent, he would inevitably suffer severely. He deemed it advis-
able to place his nephew and disciple Joevin in his place, a man
of frail and failing health, who ruled for one year only, and then died.
On his death, Paul set up another man of straw, Tigernomagle, also
not likely to live long, and he died just over a year from his appoint-
ment. This was in 555, precisely when Judual had succeeded in de-
feating and slaying Conmore. Now that all danger was over, Paul
resumed the episcopal oversight of his diocese, and came forward to
meet Judual returning from victory where is now Lampaul GuimiHau.
He was able to satisfy Judual that he had worked for him, and was
■ rewarded by the grant of land in that part. ^
We come now to the consideration of the story of S. Paul and the
great serpent or dragon. That in Wormonoc's Life is the same as that
.of S. Meven and the dragon. In Wormonoc's Life, Paul precipitates
the monster into the sea at Batz ; in that of S. Meven, this latter throws
him into the Loyre. But there are two versions of this dragon myth in
■ 1 " Quosdam quidem volentes clementer ac benigne persuadens, quosdam
autem nolentes districte feriendo corripiens, omnes tandem convertit ad fidei
verse unitatem ;" c. 62.
' 2 " Eadem ad quam venerat patria totius pane Christiana; religionis expers
erat; " c. 57.
: « " Judualus . . . illud territorium quod modo dicimus Pauli . . . m per-
■ petua oblatione . . . tradidit sancto ; " c. 63.
84 Lives of the British Saints
the life of S. Paul. According to the Life of S. Joevin, Paul went to
Le Faou, where the dragon devastated the land, and led it up towards
Leon, when a message reached him that the dragon had left its child
behind at Le Faou and he sent it back thither to fetch its offspring,
and then he conducted both to Batz, where he flung them into the sea.
There are three ways in which we can interpret these myths.
(i) That they sprung out of an attempt to explain the fact that the
Saint was represented in art as trampling on the Old Serpent, the Devil.
But this does not apply in the case of S. Paul, as Wormonoc wrote before
artistic representations existed.
(2) That they symbolized the Saint's destruction of those wicker-
work images in which human sacrifices were offered. The Druids,
according to Cjesar, enclosed their victims in wickerwork figures, and
built fires about them. It is possible that these basket figures may
have been given the shapes of dragons, and that the story of the saints
destroying such monsters may mean no more than that they put an end
to these human sacrifices. The bonfires at Midsummer and at the
" Pardons " in Brittany may be trace . of these old rites.
(3) That they represent some great enemy of the Church, some per-
secutor against whom they waged a determined warfare, and whom
they overcame.
Now Conmore, Regent of Dorr nonia, who annexed Leon, had begun
his career as a favourer of the Saints, but he changed his conduct to-
wards them, and they assumed a determined and inveterate hostility
towards him. Seven of them met on the Menez Hom and solemnly
cursed him. Gildas and Samson and Meven left no stone unturned to
effect his destruction ; and it is quite possible that in the dragon, mas-
tered and destroyed by Paul, Conmore may be signified. Paul, by
resigning his bishopric and abbacy, retired into a private situation, and
was the more able, and at liberty, to use all his personal influence
against the usurper. Whether he were one of the seven on the moun-
tain, who cursed and excommunicated Conmore, we do not know, but
it is quite possible that he was one. His plea of feebleness and old age
certainly could not apply if he were able to go as far as Le Faou to
agitate against the usurper.
It is certainly remarkable that Wormonoc does not mention
Conmore in his Life of S. Paul, and yet Conmore was the most potent
figure in the political history of Domnonia and Leon at the time. We
strongly suspect that Conmore is meant in the two versions of the
taie of Paul and the dragon ; but if so, then the conflict with and sub-
jugation of the monster is out of its proper historical position in the Life
by Wormonoc, but correctly placed in the Life of S. Joevin. Paul
S. Paulus Aurelianus 85
now founded a monastery at Gerber on the site of the great battle in
which Judual finally defeated Conmore, and placed over it as head
Tanguy, a convert who had murdered his sister, in a fit of unreasoning
anger.
Gerber afterwards came to be called Le Relecq. The name Relecq,
Relegou, Abbatia de reliquiis, was given to it because of the vast
accumulation of bones on the spot, after the battle. It was founded
about the year 560.
After retaining the episcopal charge for a few years, worn out with
age and desirous of rest, Paul resigned once more, and was succeeded
by Cetomerin. Then he retired to the isle of Batz, where he had built
a church. Several of his monks kept him company. So frail and thin
was the old man as to be all but transparent.^
On Batz S. Paul died at an advanced age. Authorities differ as to
whether he were a hundred, a hundred and two, or a hundred and four
years old.
In determining the dates of the Life of S. Paul we have little that
is reliable to go upon, and we can only hope to give them approxi-
mately—
Born in Penychen ........ c. 479
Goes to S. lUtyd at Ynys Pyr c. 490
Deserts S. Illtyd, and founds a cell along with other boys. 0. 496
Ordained priest . . . . ■ ■ • • '^^ S°4
Goes to Caerbanhed c. 506
Leaves and goes into the South-west of Britain . . c. 508
Crosses into Armorica . . . . . ■ . c. 510
Consecrated Bishop . . . . . . . . c. 516
Visited by S. Brendan c. 526
Resigns his See and succeeded by Joevin . . . . 553
Death of Joevin and succession of Tigernomagle . . . 554
Death of Tigernomagle, Paul resumes his office.
Defeat and death of Conmore and elevation of Judual . 555
Foundation of Gerber . . . . • ■ . c. 560
Death of S. Paul at the age of 100 0. 579.
The date of the second resignation, and the elevation of Cetomerin, is
quite uncertain, and the date of Paul's death is as uncertain. It is
generally taken to have occurred between 570 and 579, but the Domini-
cal letter A can only stand for 573 or 579, and the latter is the preferable
date.
S. Paul of Leon seems to have had no day of commemoration m
England. He was confounded with Paulinus of York, whose day is
1 " Cutis solummodo atque ossa igne divini amoris arefacta remanisse vide-
bantur, et quasi per lucidissimum vitrumita per palms ejus interiorasohs radios
splendescere videres;" c. 64.
86 Lives of the British Saints
October lo, and this is also the day of the Translation of S. Paul of
Leon. But Paulus Aurelianus died on March 12, being a Sunday.
March 12 is observed as his feast in the diocese of Leon, but some
Brittany Breviaries give March 13.
S. Paul is patron of the City of Caer Paul, or S. Pol-de-Leon, founded
by him among the ruins of Ocismor ; also of the isle of Batz, and of the
churches already mentioned as of his founding.
In Wales he receives no recognition, and his establishment in Gwent,
wherever it was, no longer bears his name.
In Devon, however, is the church of S. Paul in Exeter.
Possibly he may have been the original patron of Staverton.
In Cornwall he is patron of Paul by Penzance. There the feast is
observed on October 10, the day of his Translation, as also that of
Paulinus of York. In 1259 Bishop Bronescombe calls the church that
of S. Paulinus.
The bell given to S. Paul by Withur is preserved in the Cathedral of
S. Pol-de-Leon, and his reputed stole, a piece of Oriental woven work,
representing huntsmen on horseback, with falcons on their wrists, and
dogs at their feet, is kept at Batz.
In art S. Paul is represented as a bishop trampling on a dragon. He
is invoked in the tenth century Celtic Litany published by Mabillon
and Warren. '^
S. PAWL HEN, see S. PAULINUS
S. PEBLIG, Priest, Confessor
Peblig was the son of Maxen Wledig, or Maximus, and Elen Luyd-
dog,^ and brother of Owain, who, after the death of Maximus, was
acknowledged as King of all Britain, and who refused to pay the tribute
demanded of Britain by the Romans. Cystennin, Ednyfed and Gwy-
thyr (Victor) were also sons of Maxen. Peblig is esteemed the founder
of Llanbeblig near Carnarvon, and indeed its parish church.
1 Revue Celtique, 1888, pp. 21, seq. ; 1890, p. 137.
' Peniarth MSS. 12 and 45 ; Hafod MS. 16 ; Cambro-British Saints, p. 269 ;
Myv. Arch., pp. 416, 429 ; lolo MSS., pp. 102, 113, 138. His genealogy is also
given in the Welsh Life of S. Ursula in Peniarth MS. 182 (circa 1514). He is
referred to in a poem in Gweithiau lolo Goch, ed. Ashton, p. 496 ; and is one of the
saints whose protection is invoked for Henry VII {Jolo MSS., p. 314). Peblig,
as a name, is rare. There is an obscure reference to a Peblig in the Book of
Taliessin (Skene, ii, p. 139).
S. PAUL OF LEON.
Fiom Statue at Lampaul-Guimiliai,
S. Peblig . :■ 87,
The River Seiont makes a great loop ; after running :outh-\vest
it turns abruptly north to discharge its waters into the Menai Straits.
In this finger of land between the river and the Straits lay the ancient
town of Segontium. The neighbourhood teems with memories of Elen,
the wife of Maximus, and mother of Peblig. Here, among the crumbling
remains of the to\vn, he founded his church. The Irish had taken
advantage of the departure of Maximus with the flower of the British
youth in 387, to fall upon the coast of Wales, and to occupy it. But
probably the Roman walls of Segontium held them at bay, and though
they spread over the country and held Mon in force, they did not ven-
ture to break into the fortified town. So only can we account for the
foundation of Peblig in Segcntium.
Carnarvon is of much later date ; the castle erected there by Edward
I has drawn the town about it and left desolate the site of the old city
of Segontium, and the church of S. Peblig is left in the fields, with
only a hospital and a workhouse as neighbours. Within the town of
Carnarvon was formerly a chapel to S. Helen, but it has disappeared.
Speed, on his plan of the town of Carnarvon, 1610, gives " Lone
PebHke " as the name of the road leading out of the town towards
Llanbeblig. The name Peblig is derived from the Latin Publicius,
through the form Puplicius.
The Welsh Calendars give the festival of Pebhg on July 3, which
occurs in those in Peniarth MSS. 27, 186, and 219, Jesus College MS.
141, Mostyn MS. 88, the lolo MSS., Llanstephan M S . 117, Additional
MS. 14, 882, and the Prymers of 1546, 1618, and 1633. It is, however,
on the 2nd of July in Peniarth MS. 187, in error, as is also the 4th,
which Browne Willis gives. ^
Nicolas Roscarrock enters him as " S. Piblick, priest, confessor."
Robert Myddelton, in a complimentary Ode to Bishop Richard
Davies of S. David's [Peniarth MS. 98), written in 1574, alludes to the
Bishop as a Peblig for speech —
" Pebhg urddedig iraidd ddwediad."
In Llanstephan MS. 167 (of end of seventeenth century) is a poem,
entitled " Owdl i Beblyg Sant," by the fifteenth century priest-bard
Syr Gruffydd (Fain) ab Llywelyn, but the heading is misleading, as it
treats entirely of our Lord's Passion and Crucifixion. ^
1 Bangor, p. 272. ^ „ t •'
2 In Cardiff MS. 7 (late sixteenth century) it is " Owdwl yr lesv o Gaernarton.
88 Lives of the British Saints
S. PEDROG, see S. PETROC
S. PEDRWN, Confessor
Pedrwn was the son of Emyr Llydaw, and the father of S. Padarn.^
He was a saint of Cor Illtyd, according to the lolo MSS.,^ and the
brother of Amvvn Ddu, Umbrafel, Gwyndaf Hen, Gwen Teirbron, and
others. He is mentioned as Petranus in the Life of S. Padarn.
That Life tells us ^ that Padarn was born in Armorica of noble
parents, being the son of Petran by his wife Guean. Soon after the
birth of the child, Petran left its mother and it that he might g 5 to
Ireland to embrace the religious life. Years afterwards, on being told
whither and wherefore his father had gone, Padarn was inspired to
follow the same life, and resolved on going in quest of his father. He
departed to Britain with a large company and settled in Mauritana,
afterwards Llanbadarn Fawr, in Cardiganshire, where he founded a
monastery. Having organized it, he departed for Ireland, where he
found his father. He stayed a while with him, and then returned to
Llanbadarn, leaving his father in Ireland ; and this is the last we hear
of him. His name occurs in no Irish Calendar.
S. PEDYR, Confessor
According to the saintly genealogies, Pedyr, or Pedr, was a son of
Corun ab Ceredig ab Cunedda Wledig, and brother to SS. Carannog
and Tyssul.* In the Progenies Keredic (in Cotton MS. Vesp. A. xiv),
however, Ceredig's son Corun is made to be the father of SS. Keneu
and Tyduic, whilst his son Corin is father of Pedyr Lanwaur. But
clearly the same son is meant by Corun and Corin. It is not known
where the church was of which this Pedr was evidently the saint. The
waur of the name might stand for either Wawr or Fawr. There was a
1 Peniarth MSS. I2, i6, 45 ; Hafod MS. 16 ; Myv. Arch., p. 428, etc. In the
lolo MSS., p. 105, he is called Pedredin, and on p. 133 Pedryn. By the Padran
ab Peitwn (or Hedd) ab Emyr Llydaw of Myv. Arch., p. 429, is meant S. Padarn.
Petrun, Petrwn, or Pedrwn is probably the Latin name Petronius.
^ P. 132. His title to be regarded a Welsh saint rests on this passage.
' Cambro-British Saints, pp. 189-91.
^ Peniarth MS. 16 ; Hafod MS. 16 ; Cambro-British Saints, p. 265 ; Myv.
Arch., p. 429. Pedyr, later Pedr, is the usual Welsh form of the name Peter. In
the Book of Llan Ddv we have Llan Petyr, etc. Peder, son of Glywys, and an-
other, a son of Kyngar, occur in Jesus College MS. 20. In Cornish the name was
Pedyr or Peder.
S. Peirio 8 9
Gwawr daughter of Ceredig and mother of Gwynllyw, and another the
daughter of Brychan. There are two Llanfawr Churches/ but their
dedications are S. Deiniol and the Holy Cross, respectively. Mr. Philli-
more - thinks that Lanwaur is likely to mean Lampeter, the local
Welsh S. Peter being superseded there by the Apostle.
It has been supposed ^ that some of the many Llanbedr or S. Peter
Churches are dedicated to this Welsh S. Peter ; but very improbably
we think. The pre-Norman dedications to S. Peter in Deheubarth
appear to be only Llanybyddair, Lampeter, and Lampeter Velfrey,
so that the possible dedications to the Welsh saint are very few. In the
case of the first-named it is quite evident that the Apostle's name has
been read into it. In the fourteenth century Hengwrt Charters pub-
lished by Sir Thomas Phillipps it occurs as Lannehetheyr and Llany-
heddeir;* and Lewis Glyn Cothi, in the fifteenth century, makes it rhj^me
with Mair.^
S. PEIRIO, Abbot, Confessor
Peirio was a son of Caw.^ He is also represented as son of Gildas,
and therefore grandson of Caw, and to have founded Llanfair y Myn-
ydd,' now called S. Mary's Hill, near Bridgend, in Glamorganshire.
He entered the congregation of S. Illtyd, and, according to the lolo
MSS., succeeded him as principal of Llantwit, where he lies buried.^
These notices, it should be mentioned, are late.
PhUologically, it would not be possible to equate Peirio with the Piro
or Pirus who occurs in the Life of S. Samson as head of Ynys Pyr or
Caldey Isle. The island monastery would seem to have been originally
Llan lUtut, and Llantwit accordingly was Llantwit Major. But the
earlier name fell into obHvion and was replaced by that of Ynys Pyr (or
Byr). The term Insula is variously applied to an actual island and to
1 For these churches, see iii, pp. 498-9.
2 Owen's Pembrokeshire, ii, p. 469. ^ E.g., Myv. Arch., p. 429.
* Cart. S. Johannis Bapt. de Caermarthen, 1865, pp. 22-5, 53.
5 Gwaith, 1837, pp. 227,231. " PrysgByddair," ibid., p. 225, is a place-name.
Byddair occurs in place-names elsewhere ; e.g. Crug y Byddair, a township of
Bugeildy parish, and Rhydybyther, in Eglwysilan (Cardiff Records, v, p. 409).
" lolo MSS., pp. loi, 109, 116, 136, 142 ; Myv. Arch., p. 429.
' fbid., p. 220.
* Ibid., p. 103. Piro is given as lUtyd's successor in a list of the Abbots of
Llantwit found in a deed at Llandaff (Appendix to Williams's Monmouthshire, 1 796,
p. 50)-
go Lives of the British Saints
a monastic settlement on the mainland ; so that when, as in the Vita
GildcB we read : " Quae insula usque in liodiernum diem Lanna Hilduti
vocitatur," it is uncertain whether Caldey or Llantwit is meant.
The Vita Samsonis says, however : " Erat non longe ab hoc monas-
terio (i.e. Hilduti) insula qusedam nuper fundata a quodam egregio viro
ac sancto presbytero, nomine Piro."
Whether Piro, or Pirus as he is called in the Book oj Llan Ddo, be the^
same as Peirio, brother or son of Gildas, is uncertain ; probably not."-
Piro, as head of Llan Illtut in Caldey, was not quite the right man for
such a position. He got so drunk one night that, in returning to his
ceh, he tumbled into the well, and was pulled out dead. After this
catastrophe S. Samson was elected head to replace him, but the rule
under Piro had been so lax, that Samson found it impossible to bring
the young monks into discipline, and threw up the abbacy in disgust. ^
Rhosbeirio, subject to Bodewryd, Anglesey, is dedicated to the mem-
ory of Peirio. Leland calls it " Bettws Rosbeirio." ^ In the Record of
Caernarvon land at " Rospyriaw " is m.entioned as being held " de Sco
Birryow." *
S. PEITHIAN, Virgin
Peithian or Peithien was a daughter of Caw and sister of Gildas.*
She, like her sisters Cywyllog and Gwenabwy, settled in Anglesey,
where they had oratories or churches bearing their names.
She is mentioned in the Life of Gildas by the inonk of Rhuis, where
she is called Peteova.* " Egreas (Eugrad), with his brother Alleccus
(Gallgo) and their sister Peteova, a virgin consecrated to God, having
also themselves similarly (with their brother Maelog) given up their
patrimony and renounced worldly pomp, retired to the remotest part
of that country (namely, Anglesey), and at no long distance from each
other, built, each one for himself, an oratory, placing their sister in the
1 The Pyr or Pir of Ynys Byr and Manor-bier is Latinized Porius in a sixth
century inscription on a stone near Trawsfynydd ; and also in the name Vorti-
porius (Guortliepir) of Gildas.
^ See further and more fully in the Life of S. Samson.
3 Collect., 1774, p. 88. " 1838, pp. 59, 61.
5 Peniarth MS. 75 (Peithien) ; lolo MSS., p. 143 ; on p. 117 it is spelt Peillan,
and on p. 137, Peithini.
" Gildas, ed. Hugh Williams, p. 326. To yield Peithian we should have ex-
pected her name to appear as Pettiona or Pectiona. The f or m is, of course,
a misreading for n.
S. Peris gr
middle one. Both of them alternately, each on his own day, used tO;
celebrate with her the Daily Hours and the Mass ; and taking food with
her after the Vespers, and returning thanks to God, they returned before
sunset, each to his own oratory ; for each of them used to celebrate the
vigils separately in his own oratory. They were buried in the oratories
which they had built, and are preserved there, famous and illustrious
for their constant miracles, and destined to rise again in glory."
The neighbouring churches of Llaneugrad and Llanallgo preserve
the names of the two brothers, but there is no Llanbeithian lying
between them, or anywhere else in the neighbourhood, to testify to her
presence there. The two churches are situated in the ancient commote
of Twrcelyn, with which Caw was associated.
Ynys Peithan is mentioned in the Book oj Llan Ddv ^ as part of a
grant made by Rhiwallon, the son of Rhun, to Bishop Joseph of Llan-
daff, who died in 1043. It bordered on the River Taff, in Glamorgan-
shire.
S. PEREDUR
The lolo MSS. documents include Peredur, the son of Elifer Gos-
gorddfawr, as well as his brother Gwrgi, among the Welsh Saints. They
were saints, or monks, of Llantwit, and Peredur was at one time its
principal or abbot. ^
But there is not the slightest ground for regarding either Peredur
or Gwrgi as a Welsh saint. They belonged to North Britain, and met
their death there as men of war, in 580. Probably enough Peredur
never set foot in Wales. See what has been said under S. Gwrgi.*
Peredur as a character is partly historical and partly mythical. He
seems to have been the original of the Perceval of Romance.
S. PERIS, " Cardinal "
This saint is merely entered in the older Bonedds as " S. Peris, Car-
dinal of Rome," * with nothing to indicate that he was a Welsh saint,,
1 Pp. 257-8. Peithan is, apparently, a diminutive of Peith (later Paith),
found also in Peith- wyr, the Welsh for the Picts {Book of Taliessin) . A Peithan
who had a son named Wit, is mentioned in the Gododin,
2 Pp. 105, 128.' Zimmer derives the name from the Latin Peritorius.
3 iii, p. 207.
i Peniarth MSS. 12, 16 ; Hafod MS. 16 ; Cardiff MS. 5 (1527), p. 119. Pens
is sometimes said to have lived in the thirteenth century, but his insertion in
92 Lives of the British Saints
beyond his inclusion among those that are usually so regarded. There
is, however, a Peris mentioned — but his existence is very doubtful,
and certainly his identification with the " Cardinal " — as one of the
dozen sons of Helig ab Glanog of Tyno Helig, whose lands the sea over-
whelmed, of whom it is said that they thereupon became saints of
Bangor on Dee, and that afterwards some of them went to Bardsey.^
To Peris is dedicated Llanberis, and Llangian, under Llanbedrog,
both in Carnarvonshire, but the latter in conjunction with Cian, his
servant, of whose pedigree we also know nothing.
The festival of Peris occurs on December ii in the calendars in Peiii-
arth MSS. i86, 187, 219, the Grammar of John Edwards of Chirkland,
1481, Additional MS. 14,882, the Prymers of 1618 and 1633, and
Allwydd Paradwys, 1670. Browne Willis also gives him the same day
under Llanberis and Llangian. 2 Rees, however, says July 26.^
Ffynnon Beris, his Holy Well at Llanberis, is a little distance from
the church, in front of a cottage under a rock called Tynyffynnon, in
which formerly its " priestess " lived. The waters of the well were
supposed to cure rickety children and scrofulous and rheumatic per-
sons, who were to bathe in it.* Two " sacred fish " have always been
kept in the well, and they were believed to be the successors of a long
series of others which have inhabited it in an unbroken line from the
days of S. Peris. Two new trout were put in in 1896. These fish, like
the eel of some other Holy Wells in Wales, are the Welsh counterpart
to the Irish Salmon of Knowledge.
Invalids in large numbers came during the eighteenth and the first
Peniarth MS. 16, of the early thirteenth century, is presumptive proof that he
hved earher. The only Peris of earlier date that we have come across is that
mentioned under the year 1070 in Brut y Saeson, as one of the three Papal Legates
present at Winchester at the deposition of Stigand, Archbishop of Canterbury :
" a legate from Rome (i.e. Bishop Hermenfride) and two priests of Cardinals,
leuan and Peris " (Myv. Arch., p. 665a). But in the document recording the
Council the priest-cardinals are referred to as " presbyteros Johannem et Petrum
cardinales " (Wilkins, Concilia, i, p. 322). Peris occurs several times for Peter
also in the Chronicle of Robert of Gloucester, ed. Aldis Wright, 1887, see index to ii,
p. 1,002. The name is derived Irom the same origin as that of the Parisii, whose
territory corresponded with the modern diocese of Paris ; and that of the Paris! of
Early Britain. Henricus Peris occurs among a number of Welsh names in a
Penrice document of 1323 (Clark, CartcB, iv, p. 109).
1 lolo MSS., p. 124 ; cf. Myv. Arch., p. 429. See iii, p. 261.
2 Bangor, 1721, pp. 272, 275.
' Welsh Saints, p. 302.
' Carlisle, Topog. Diet, of Wales, 181 1, s.v. Llanberis; Cathrall, N. Wales,
1828, ii, p. 140 ; J. Evans, Letters written during a Tour through N. Wales in
1798, ed. 1804, pp. 180-1. In Cathrall it is added, " A poor woman, who lives in
a cottage near the spring, has a few pence given to her by strangers for showing
one or two large trout which she feeds in the well."
S. Peris g 3
half of the nineteenth century to bathe in the well and drink of it&
waters ; and the oak box (Cyff Peris), into which the visitors dropped
their offerings, is still in its place in the church. The tradition is that
if one of the fish came out of its hiding place when an invalid took some
of the water for drinking or for bathing purposes cure was certain ;
but if the fish remained in their den the water would do those who took
it no good. Persons often enticed them out by throwing in something-
for them to eat. Two fish only are to be put in the well at a time, and
they generally five in it for about half a century. If one dies before the
other, it would be of no use to put in a new fisli, for the old one would
not associate with it, and would die. The experiment has been tried.
The last of the two fish put in the well about fifty years previously died
in August, i8g6. It had been blind for some time. It measured 17
inches, and was buried in the garden adjoining the well.^
The offerings put by the devotees into Cyff Peris were, wholly or in
part, handed over to the Parish Clerk in consideration of his services.
The particulars which the Llanberis Terriers give under this item are of
such interest that we transcribe them in full. The one dated 1776 —
the earliest extant it would appear — states, " The Clerk's Wages is
65.41^., and is Paid by the Churchwardens yearly upon Easter Monday
with the money that are taken out yearly from a box made in a Timber
in the Body of the Church, which are put in by Strangers that now and
then come to a virtuous well that is in this Parish, and when the Box is
too short the wages is made up by an addition from the Parish ; and
the Clerk gets beside, one shilling every Marriage, and Burial Offerings."
The details are fuller in the Terrier of 1814, in the handwriting of the
Rev. P. B. Wilhams, then Rector of the parish — " The Clerk's Wages
are 6s. 4d., and paid by the Wardens. There is an Alms Box in the
Church, the key of which is kept by the Wardens, and into which 6d.
and 4d. pieces were formerly put very frequent!}' by persons who
either bathed their children, or came themselves for that purpose, in
St. Peris's Well, within a quarter of a mile of the Church, and cele-
brated in former days for the Cure of Wens, Warts, Rickets, Rheuma-
tisms, etc. These small offerings to the Saint amounted at the end of
the year to a considerable sum, but at present they are very trifling."
Peris's name is perpetuated at Llanberis in the names Llyn Peris,
Nant Peris, Llwyn Peris, and Gorphwysfa Beris (his Resting-place).
Edward Lhuyd, in a letter written in 1693, says, " I have seen a fellow
march nine times about Gorphwysfa Peris a Carnedh under Snowdon
hill ; repeating y" L'''' Prayer, and casting in a stone at every turn :
whence I am apt to imagine y' St. Peris or some one else lies buried
1 Arch. Camb., 1899, p. 334.
94 Lives of the British Saints
there ; tho' their tradition be onely that he was used constantly to
rest there after he came up y'^ steep hill below it." ^ Nant Peris was
formerly known as Nant y Mynach yn Eryri. Peris and Padarn are
locally believed, through their occurrence in the topography, to have
retired to this secluded spot for religious contemplation.
Cair Peris, or Caer Beris, of the Nennian Catalogue, Geoffrey's
\A'elsh Brut, and the Triads, is Porchester. A stream, Nant Peris,
runs into the sea at Llansantffraid, in Mid-Cardiganshire, where there
is also a Hafod Peris. In the parish of Llanganten, near Builth, is
" a mound, partly natural and partly artificial, on which it is said stood
a castle, called Castell Cae Beris ; "^ or rather, Caer Beris. These
instances show the distribution of the name, as such.
Peris is one of the many Welsh Saints to whose guardianship Henry
VII was committed in a poem.^
S. PERWAS, Confessor
Leland * gives under Llanrhuddlad, in Anglesey, a chapel called
Bettws Perwas, and renders the name Perwas as " a swete servant."
In a MS. of 1590-2 ^ it is given as Llan Berwas ; but the chapel is
long since extinct. Of Perwas nothing is known.
S. PETEOVA, see S. PEITHIAN
S. PETROC, Abbot, Confessor 7]
The authority for the Life of this man, who has left a deeper impress
on the West of England than any other Saint, is a Life by John of
Tynemouth, printed by Capgrave in the Nova Legenda AnglicB, and
reprinted in the Acta SS. Boll., Jun. i, pp. 400-2. The original of this
1 Arch. Camb, 1848, pp. 2.^e,-6. It is the " Sedes Peris " of Llywelyn's charter to
the Abbey of Aberconwy, 1:98 (Dugdale, Monast., v, p. 673). It is at Pen-y-pass.
- Theo. Jones, Breoonshive, ed. 1898, p. 293.
3 lolo MSS., p. 314.
I* Collect., 1774, iv, p. 87.
' Dr. J. G. Evans, Report on Welsh MSS., i, p. 912.
S. Petroc 95
epitome is now lost. There is a brief Life in Lambeth Library, MS.
99. fo. igoa, of the 14th century. To this may be added mention in
the Vita S. Cadoci.^
According to this last he was the son of Glywys, King of Gljnvysing.
His eldest brother was Gwynllyw the Warrior. He left South Wales,
rejectmg the vanities and transient allurements of the world ; des-
pising woridly for heavenly things, he began to adhere firmly to God,
and gave up his country, his kindred, and at last all the things of this
worid. Leaving home, he reached Cornwall, in the district called
-Botmenei (Bodmin), where, throughout his life, he served God most
devoutly, and erected a very large monastery in His honour."
On the other hand, the Welsh Pedigrees say that he (as Pedrog) was
a son of Clement, a Cornish regulus.^ It is possible to reconcile these
•statements if we suppose Clement to have been brother or cousin of
GwjmUjrw, and to have headed the South-east Wales invasion of North-
east Cornwall. Petroc had probably no choice but to adopt the ecclesi-
astical profession.
John of Tynemouth says he was " Natione Cumber," and he was
followed by William of Worcester, who says, " Sanctus Petrocus, rex
patriae Cumbrorum, id est partis borialis regni Anglic reliquit regnum
fratris suo junioris, jacet in pulchro scrinio apud Bodmun ecclesiam
-coram capeUa Beatse Marias." *
That Petroc came from Cumbria is most improbable ; no other in-
stance of a saint from this part occurs in Cornwall, whereas a great host
of the family from South Wales did settle there. The mistake is only
an apparent one, for the distinction between Cumbria and Cambria
had not then been established. Both forms are in point of origin the
same.* Petroc was, in fact, a native of Glywysing, in South Wales.
Taking with him sixty companions, he entered a monastery at an
■early age, and received the religious habit.
After some years Petroc went to Ireland, where he studied for twenty
years, reading profane and sacred hterature. Where he was, we are not
■informed, but he was probably with Eoghain or Eugenius of Kilna-
manach, for we are told that Coemgen, when a child of seven, was com-
mitted to him to be reared for the monastic life, and we know that
1 Cambro-British Saints, pp. 22-3.
2 Peniarth MS. 16 ; Hafod MS. 16 ; Jesus College MS. 20 ; Cardiff MSS. 5
■(p, 120) and 25 (p. 117) ; Llanstephan MS. 28 (as Pedrogl) ; Myv. Arch., p. 429.
■ In late writers he is sometimes confounded with Pedrogl Paladrddellt (Myv.
Arch p. 411). Petroc or Pedrog is really Peterkin, i.e. Peter with the diminu-
tive oc.
^.Lambeth MS. 99, " Petrocus spreto regimine m Cambria regnandi.
* Sir J. Rhys, Celtic Britain, 1904, p. 144.
96 Lives of the British Saints
Coenigen was a disciple of S. Eoghain, who was his uncle.'- Eoghain
had been himself trained by S. Mancen, or Ninio the Old, at Ty Gwyn.
Leland gives but a meagre outline of the Legend : —
" Ex Vita Petroci.
Petrocus gener Camber.
Petrocus 20 annos studuit in Hibernia.
Petrocus reversus est ad suum monasterium in Cornubia.
Petrocus obiit prid. non. Julii." ^
Leland, it will be seen, makes Petroc a Cambrian and not a Cumbrian,
and he allows us to understand that the monastery in which he had
studied as a boy was in Cornwall.
Coemgen died in 617 according to the Annals oj the Four Masters.
He is said to have lived to the age of 120 years, which is absurd. He
may have lived to near a hundred. Eoghain, the presuined master of
Petroc, died in 570. Coemgen cannot have been a pupil of Petroc but
a junior fellow disciple.
The twenty years of his schooling in Ireland elapsed, Petroc returned
to Cornwall, and he went back in the same boat in which he had crossed
the sea to Ireland. He had disciples with him. The wind was favour-
able, and he entered the Hayle or Camelmouth at Padstow, then called
Laffenac. He arrived at an unpropitious moment, when harvesters
were busily engaged in carrying their corn. And when the ship-load
of monks asked for water, they replied rudely that they had none to
give them, they must look out for water for themselves.
Alford,^ citing Capgrave, says that these harvesters were Saxons ;
but Capgrave, or rather John of Tynemouth, does not say so. The
men were in haste to carry their corn, fearing rain, and did not care to
be delayed by a party of travellers just arrived. There were plenty of
springs accessible. Let these men go and find water for themselves..
The story is introduced merely as an excuse for giving Petroc an occa-
sion to elicit a spring miraculously, which he did at once with his staff.
On landing at Padstow, Petroc inquired whether there were any
servants of God there, and was informed that one, Samson, lodged
near. There can be no manner of doubt that this was the great S.
Samson. His chapel stood above the harbour, where is now Place
House.
^ Ussher, after quoting John of Tynemouth, adds, " Quo tempore S. Coem-
genum sive Keyvinum, GUndelacensem postea Abbatem, a septimo usque ad
duodecimum astati.s annum, in literis ac Sanctis moribus ab eo fuisse institutum,
vitje Coemgeni scriptor memorat." De Britann. Eccl. Pyimord., ii, p. 1,058
(ed. 1639). This is not mentioned in the Life of S. Coemgen in the Cod. Salaman.
2 Itin., iii, p. 52. ^ Annates Eccl., ii, 10.
aS*. Petroc g n
\Vhen Samson heard of the arrival of the party from Ireland, he was
not overpleased, and prepared to depart. Petroc visited him, and
Samson received him with chilling reserve and stiffness. ^ However,
when Petroc kissed him and conversed with him, he relaxed. It was,
however, obvious that there was not room for both in the same place.
Samson had already received a rebuff from some monks residing near
by, and he departed to estabhsh a monastic settlement elsewhere, at
Southill.
Here we have some means of arriving at an approximate date. Sam-
son was in Cornwall from about 527 to 546 ; but the date of his arrival
m Cornwall cannot be fixed with certainty, as will be seen when we
come to deal with him.
Coemgen had been with Petroc, if we may trust the Life quoted by
Ussher, for five years ; that would be till Petroc left. If Coemgen
were bom in 520, he was sent to the monastic school as a mere child.
Petroc arrived in Padstow harbour about the year 543 ; but an
earher date would suit better the chronology of the Life of Samson.
At Padstow, Petroc remained for thirty years, to about 573.
He was wont daily to stand from cock-crow to dawn in the water
chanting psalms. He ate nothing but bread, except on Sundays, when
he had a good bowl of porridge.
At the end of thirty years an untoward affair happened, which induced
him to depart on pilgrimage to Rome. There had been an unusually
rainy season . His disciples and the people of the country round resorted
to him to complain, and he promised them that on the morrow the
weather would change. But next day it poured as before, and his
credit as a prophet and miracle-worker was so damaged that he deemed
it advisable to disappear for a whUe.^ He accordingly resolved on
departure on the plea that he desired to visit the holy places.
The story of his travels is purely mythical. He sought Rome first,
and then Jerusalem. From Jerusalem he started for India, and reached
the ocean. There he fell asleep on the shore. On awaking, he saw a
large silver bowl ^ swimming towards him on the waves. It was large
^ " Sampson ita membris diriguit, ut instumentum, quo terrain evertere
solebat, manu movere non posset, . . . et accedente Petroco, in ejus salutation©
Sampson saxeo illo rigore solvitur."
^ " Concitato ventorum turbine facta est pluvia magna valde. Et cum ob hoc
conquesti essent discipuli sui, compescuit murmur eorum vir Dei, pollicitans in
crastinum aeris serenitatem . . . Etcum in crastino noncessasset pluvia, vir Dei
cepit moestus fieri ; seque ipsum presumptionis arguere, quod aliter esset pollicitus
quam Deus providerat." The biographer is too discreet to say that it was due
to discredit, through failure of prophecies, that Petroc went away. He intimates
that Petroc had planned to go, before this unfortunate affair.
^ Lambeth MS. 99, " in quodam vase vitreo . . . defertur."
VOL. IV. H
■98 Lives of the British Saints
■enough to contain him ; so casting down his sheepskin and planting his
staff in the sands, he boldly entered the silver vessel. It was at once
wafted over the blue sea without sail or oar, till he reached a certain
island, on which he landed. There he spent seven years, living all the
while on a single fish which he caught daily, and which, however often
it was eaten, always returned sound to be eaten again. ^
At the end of the seven years the shining bowl again appeared. He
took his place in it, and was carried back to the spot where he had left
his sheepskin and staff ; and lo ! a wolf had kept guard over them all
the time he had been away. Then he returned to Cornwall, and the
wolf, perfectly docile, accompanied him.
It is abundantly clear that into the legend has been introduced a
pagan myth of a divinity sailing in the silver bowl of the moon over the
heavenly ocean.
When Petroc returned to Cornwall, he found that his misadventure
in prophecy had been forgotten.
Whilst Petroc was at Padstow, Tewdrig ruled in Cornwall, the
notorious tyrant who figures in the legends of S. Fingar and S. Kea.
Tewdrig had a tank into which he cast all the vipers that were found
and brought to him ; and into this tank he threw thieves and such
criminals as were sentenced to death. On the decease of Tewdrig, his
son put an end to this method of execution ; however, one serpent had
grown to such a size on human flesh, that no one dared to approach
and destroy it ; and it does not seem to have occurred to any one to
leave it severely alone in the tank to die of starvation. So S. Petroc
was sent for and he promptly went to the monster, and banished it
beyond the seas. This is perhaps an allegorical way of saying that
Petroc extirpated the lingering paganism in Cornwall, at which Tewdrig
had connived. Tewdrig does not seem to have been quite so bad as he
has been represented, for Leland informs us that he made grants of
land to Petroc, as did also Constantine, who was either his contempo-
rary, or his successor. " Regnabant eo in Cornubia sjeculo, duo reguU,
fama celebres, Theodorus et Constantinus ; quorum cum Ubertate
turn pietate adjutus, locum condendo aptissimum monasterio accepit ;
cui nomen patria lingua Bosmanach a monachis inditum." '
The spot chosen was Bodmin, where a hermit Guron had a cell by a
Jioly well. This cell Guron surrendered.^
' The classic reader will remember Helios in his golden bowl sailing to the
Isle of Aea2a. Here we have, not the sun in the gold bowl, but the moon-god in
the silver bowl.
^ Leland, De Script. Britan., lyog, p. 61.
' Leland, Collect., 1774, i, p. 75.
aS*. Petroc 99
, Bodmin became Petroc's most famous foundation. But he must
have travelled much and consecrated many sites in Devon, and it is
possible that Buckfast was a Petrocian foundation.
Whilst Petroc was at Bodmin his interview took place with Constan-
tine, which led to the conversion of that prince. Constantine was
hunting a fawn, and it fled for refuge, and hid under the mantle of
Petroc, who kept the hounds at bay tOl the King came up. This led
to conferences, and to Constantine's conversion from a disorderly life.
It is related in the Legend that Petroc remained long in prayer, and
that even when rain fell heavily, whilst so engaged, he disregarded it
and did not seem to be incommoded by it.
One day when he and a certain unnamed holy bishop were in con-
verse, a richly coloured mantle [palla) floated down from heaven, and
fell between them. At once ensued a holy contention betwixt them,
each asserting that the cloak was sent to the other. As neither
would yield, a waft of wind carried up the mantle again, and, shortly
after, down came two in its place, and thus each was gratified. This
story has probably been transferred bodily from the Legend of
S. Patrick. 1
A poor dragon got a splinter in its eye, and hastened to Petroc, who
cured it. A woman had drunk water in which was newt-spawn, and
a salamander was hatched in her stomach, and greatly tormented her.
Petroc extracted the beast when it had grown to the length of three feet.
Petroc died at an advanced age on June 4.
In the Life of S. Petroc it is not said that the Constantine who was
converted by him was the King of the country but " Constantinus, a
certain rich man." But according to Leland it was Constantine the
King who made grants to him, and the church of S. Constantine is near
Padstow, and he was commemorated in the Bodmin Calendar.
Now, it was against this prince that Gildas wrote with such rancour
in 540 or 544, so that he was a contemporary of Petroc at Padstow. If
we take seven years as the duration of Petroc's pilgrimage, then he
returned to Cornwall in 576. The conversion of Constantine took place
according to the Annales Camhrice, in 589 ; according to those of Ulster
in 588 ; those of Tighernach give 586 ; but these Annals are sometimes
out by four years. ^
It is accordingly quite probable that Constantine the King did owe
his conversion in his old age to Petroc.
1 Tripartite Life, i, p. 109.
2 The Vita S. Constantini make? him die " Circa annos Domini quingentos
septuaginta sex," i.e., ten year.s earlier than the date in the Annals given for his
conversion.
lOO Lives of the British Saints
We may roughly assume that the death of Petroc took place about
590 or 595.
Petroc had as his pupil Dagan, who died in 640.
That Petroc was visited whilst he was at Padstow by his cousin
Cadoc is probable enough, for S. Cadoc's chapel and well are near
Padstow, and Cadoc died in 577.
Consequently, we have sufficient data for being able to fix the period
of S. Petroc, and to conjecture the date of his death within a few years.
The body of S. Petroc was preserved at Bodmin, and remained there
till 1177, in which year, " immediately after the Epiphany of our Lord,
a certain canon of the Abbey of Bodmin, named Martin, secretly carried
off the body of S. Petroc. Flying with it, he passed beyond the seas,
and conveyed the body to the Abbey of S. Meven in Lesser Britain.
" When this transaction became known to Roger, Prior of Bodmin,
and to the Canons who served God in the same place, the aforesaid
prior, with the advice of his brethren, went to Henry, King of England,
son of the Empress Matilda, that by his powerful aid they might recover
the body of S. Petroc, of which they had been fraudulently deprived.
The King granted his aid to their entreaty, and by his letters commanded
Roland de Dinan, Justiciary of Brittany, without delay, to cause the
body to be restored. When, accordingly, Roland received the King's
command, he went with a powerful armed band to the Abbey ofS.
Meven, and ordered that the body should be surrendered. When the
abbot and his monks were unwilling to comply, he added threats that
he would use force to obtain it, unless it were voluntarily surrendered.
When they heard this, they feared to incur the displeasure of the King
of England, and therefore restored that blessed body to the aforenamed
Roger, prior of Bodmin, on the Lord's Day (Clausi Pentecostes), being
the feast of S. Gervasius and S. Protasius, martyrs, the 13th before the
Calends of July (June ig), and the sacred body was restored in all its
integrity, without the least diminution ; the abbot and monks ot S.
Meven having sworn on the relics belonging to their church that they
had not retained any portion of the body, but had restored it wholly
unaltered.
" When this was done, the aforesaid prior of Bodmin, returning with
joy to England, brought the body of the blessed Petroc, closed in an
ivory case, to the city of Winchester. And when it was brought into
the King's presence, the King, after having seen and venerated it,
permitted the prior to return in peace with his Saint to the Abbey of
Bodmin." ^
^ De Vita et Gestis Henrici II et Ricardi I, ed, Hearne, 0.\:on, 1735, i, pp.
228-9, also Roger Hoveden s.a. 1177.
S. Petroc I o I
Either the monks and abbot of S. Meen perjured themselves, or
else they fraudulently pretended afterwards to have kept some of the
rehcs. They either retained a portion of the skull, or substituted
some other skull for it, which they offered to the veneration of the
credulous and which remained to the Revolution in the Abbey church
of S. Meen.
The ivory reliquary is still extant at Bodmin in the charge of the
mayor.
The day on which S. Petroc was commemorated was that of his
death, June 4. On this day Whytford in his Martiloge says, " The
deposicyon of Saynt Patryke a confessore," which is a blunder for
Petroc. So also the York Missal, the Exeter Calendar, the eleventh
century Hyde or Newminster Calendar, the Wells Ordinale, the Reading
Calendar 1220-40, the Evesham Calendar, etc.
In the Bodmin Antiphonary as well, his Exaltation on September 14,
and his Translation on October 8.
At S. Meen he is venerated on June 4, and September 4. There he is
called Saint Perreux. September 4 is probably the day when the
stolen body was brought to S. Meen.
June 4 occurs in the MS. Missal of S. Malo of the fifteenth century, the
MS. Calendar of S. Meen of the fifteenth century. Breviary of S. Malo,
1537, and the Welsh Calendars in Peniarth MS. 187, the lolo MSS., the
Prymers of 1618 and 1633, and Allwydd Paradwys.
September 4 in the MS. Calendar of S. Meen, of the fifteenth
century.
There are three churches of S. Petroc in Wales, Llanbedrog, in Car-
narvonshire, Verwick,^ in Cardiganshire,and S. Petrox, in Pembrokeshire.
In Devon and Cornwall are — the Church and Priory of Bodmin, the
parish churches of Padstow, and S. Petroc Minor, or Little Petherick,
Trevalga, Harford in Devon, Clannaborough in Devon, Egloskerry (con-
jointly with S. Curig), Tormohun,^ South Brent, Newton S. Petrock.
He had also a chapel and Holy Well at Petton in Bampton,^ and a
church at the entrance to Dartmouth harbour, the chapel to the castle.
1 Verwick is in one charter called " Ecclesia S. Petroci da Berwyke " (Mrs.
Pritchard, Cardigan Priory, London, 1904, p. 147) ; in others, " Ecclesia S. Petri
de Berwicke " (ibid., pp. 144, 151). The three Welsh dedications are near the
coast. It is very probable that he founded these churches on his way back from
Ireland.
2 Will of one Bartlett, 1517, C.C.C. The late Mr. Mallock of Cockington
informed us that he possessed a series of wills of persons who resided in Cocking-
ton between 1540 and 1600, and in the first of these he found mention of " the
Churchyard of Saynt Patrox of Torremoont."
2 Oliver, Monasticon, p. 445.
I02 Lives of the British Saints
The parish church of Lydford, that of Hollacombe, one in Exeter, a
chapel in the Cathedral at Exeter/ and a chapel at Barnstaple.^
Both Hollacombe and South Brent belonged to the Abbey of Buck-
fast, which was of extremely early and unknown foundation, before the
Conquest. This leads to the supposition that the original abbey was a
foundation of S. Petroc, the daughter churches bearing his name.
At Dunkeswell there is a Holy Well called S. Patrick's, probably S.
Petroc's. Polwheel says that the earlier dedication of Kenton was
to S. Petroc ; now it is to All Saints. He is represented on the pulpit.
Judging by the Revel, Lew Trenchard had S. Petroc as its patron,
later S. Peter.
In Brittany he is patron of Saint Perreux, in Morbihan, and of
Tregon, in C6tes-du-Nord.
The chapel of S. Perreux, a trej in S. Vincent sur Oust, in Morbihan,
is mentioned in the Cartulary of Redon, in or about 862, so that this
cannot be due to the theft of the relics in 1177. There was also a
priory of S. Petreux at Plerguer, near Dol.
At Padstow, in the parish church, is a statue of the saint as an abbot
standing on a dragon.
In art he should be so represented, or with a silver bowl in his hand,
and a wolf at his side.
There is also a sculptured figure of him on the South side of the
altar in the parish church of Padstow. He is represented with a cowl
over his head ; he is bearded, his right hand rests on a crutched staff..
In his left is a book, and at his feet is his wolf.
In Wales he is more especially associated by tradition with Llanbe-
drog. In the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries it was there con-
sidered to be " beneficial to offer to Pedrog for gangrenes." ^ His
Holy Well, Ffynnon Bedrog, is on Bryn Du, in the parish. It enjoyed
a great reputation formerly, and many traditions linger of the miracu-
lous cures effected by its waters in every conceivable ailment. Some
years ago a round vessel of dark stone was found at its bottom full of
pins. Thieves could be discovered by it. A bit of bread thrown on its
surface by the injured person sank at the mention of the thief's name
among a number of suspected persons.
Sir Lewis Newburgh, the rector of the parish, in 1535 deposed, " It'
^ Athelstan gave some relics of S. Petroc to the Cathedral at Exeter.
^ Dr. Oliver gives a chapel at Westleigh, licensed June 17, 13 10. It is one of
his blunders. Westleigh is a Rectory, and on the above date the Church was
dedicated to S. Peter, and not to S. Petroc.
* Dr. J. G. Evans, Report on Welsh MSS., i, p. 913. The MSS. read Kangren
and Cancrau.
S. PETROC.
From statue at S. Petroc Minor,
Cornwall.
S. PETROC.
From rood screen,
at Lew Trenchard, Devon.
S. Peula?i 103
I y sayd Lewis had a Relyk callyd Gwawe pedrok & the ferj/n therof
was iiijii & nowe I had nothyng but y' it standyth yn Schurch by
the comandement of the Ordenar." 1
Pedrog is named among the many Welsh and other saints to whose
guardianship Henry VII is committed in a Welsh poem.^
We append for convenience an approximate chronology of the Life of
S. Petroc.
S. Petroc born .......
Goes to Ireland for schooling in the monastic life
S. Goemgen goes to him as fellow-pupil
S. Petroc returns to Cornwall and lands at Padstow
He departs on pilgrimage to Rome and Jerusalem
Returns to Cornwall and founds Bodmin Monastery
The conversion of Constantine ....
Dies about the age of ninety ....
'ca 504
c- 523
c. 538
c. 543
i^- 573
c. 580
c. 589
c. 594.
The dates are approximate only, let it be well understood.
S. PEULAN, Confessor
Peulan was, according to the sixteenth century Peniarth MS. 75,
the son of " Pevl Hen o Vanaw," who would appear to-day as " Paul
Hen o Fanaw," and not " Pawl Hen o Fanaw," as his name occurs in
the late pedigrees. ^ Paul had a daughter, Gwenf aen, who is the patron-
ess of Rhoscolyn, and a son, Gwyngeneu, patron of the extinct Capel
Gwyngeneu, both near Holyhead. He is sometimes said to have hailed
"from the North," which is equivalent to saying that he was from
Manaw, a district Ipng on the Firth of Forth. He is said to have
married Angad Coleion,* which looks like a corruption of " (Bot)ang-
harat yngolemawn " — apparently Bod Angharad, a township in the
commote of Coleigion or Coleion, near Ruthin. •' He has been wrongly
identified with S. Paulinus.
Peulan is the patron of Llanbeulan, in Anglesey. He was a disciple
of S. Cybi, and followed his master to Anglesey. Among the ten dis-
ciples that saint had with him in Cornwall are mentioned Maelog, Llibio,
1 Valor oi 1535, vi, p. xxxiii. " Gwawe pedrok," no doubt, stands for " Gwaew
Pedrog," his spear, whatever may be the legend.
2 lolo MSS., p. 314-
3 Myv. Arch., pp. 426, 429. Peulan means " Little Paul." See what has been
said under S. Beulan, i, p. 208.
* Myv. Arch., p. 426. ^ Hafod MS. 16, under Kowy = Cwyfan.
I04 Lives of the British Saints
and Peulan/ and there are churches dedicated to the three in Anglesey,
all close to each other, as also to those of Gwenfaen and Gwyngeneu.
He was one of the dozen " seamen " who formed Cybi's t&ulu or
" family." ^
The festival of Peulan is given as November i in the Welsh Prymer
of 1633 and by Browne Willis, ^ but as November 2 in the Welsh Prymer
of 1618. Angharad Llwyd, however, says the Wakes at Llanbeulan
were on March 17.*
S. PEULIN, see S. PAULINUS
S. PIALA, Virgin, Martyr
PiALA was the sister of S. Fingar. Although she is regarded as a
martyr, it is not stated in the Acts of S. Fingar that she was killed. It
is more probable that she was not, as her church, S. Phillack, occupies a
site near, and the parish embraces the old caer or palace of Tewdrig at
Connerton. It is possible that after the butchery of her brother and
some of his attendants, the King deemed it advisable as blood-fine to
■give her land on which to settle. The Irish occupied the whole of
Penwith and the Lizard district, and he may have found it more
advisable to come to terms with them than to fight them.
S. Piala has had to make way for FeUcitas as having a place in the
Roman Martyrology. In the Taxatio of 1291 the church is " Ecclesia
Sanctae Felicitatis ; " and so in all the Episcopal Registers. In the
Bodmin Antiphonary March 7 is given as the day of S. Felicitas, but
this is the feast of the Carthaginian Martyr of that name.
Garaby in his Vies des Saints de Bretagne, S. Brieuc, 1839, gives Ste.
Piale, Vierge et Martyre, c n February 23, but for this there seems to be
no authority, and no churches or chapels bear her name in Brittany, not
even in the parish of Plu^'inger, her brother's most important settle-
ment.
At S. Phillack the Feast is on November 20.
S. PINNOCK, Bishop, Confessor
S. PiNNOCK in Cornwall is Cynog. The name remains unaltered in
the adjoining parish of Boconnoc. See S. Cynog. ^
1 Cambro-British Saints, p. 183. 2 Mosiyn MS. no, p. 189.
1721, p. 279. * Hist. Anglesey, ,p. 220. 5 ij^ p. 269.
S. Pi
tran
105
There is no Feast at either S. Pinnock or Boconnoc.
In the tenth century Litany pubhshed by D'Arbois de Jubainville is
an invocation of S. Pinnuh.^
S. PIRAN, Abbot, Bishop, Confessor.
S. PiRAN of Perranzabuloe is to be identified with S. Ciaran of
Saighir. To this identification Mr. Plummer objects, and suggests
that Piran is to be equated with Ciaran of Clonmacnois.2 But not
only is S. Piran's day in Cornwall the same as that of S. Ciaran of
Saighir in Ireland, but also John of Tynemouth identifies them —
" Beatus autem Piranus qui a quibusdam Keranus vocatur in Comu-
bia ubi quiescit Piranus appeUatur." * He is giving an epitome of
the Life of the Saint of Saighir. It is quite true that in the Irish Lives
there is no record of Ciaran having been in Cornwall, but they state
that he spent thirty years out of his native land, and these local Lives
are very vague as to what the saints did when out of Ireland. There
are no grounds for supposing that Ciaran of Clonmacnois was in Corn-
wall. Moreover, S. Kewe in Cornwall is a foundation of, or is dedicated
to, Ciwa or Cuach, the nurse of the Saighir Saint, and S. Buryan is a
foimdation of his disciple S. Bruinach. The North and West of Corn-
wall teem with churches dedicated to Irish Saints from the South of
the island.
John of Tynemouth derived his Life doubtless from that used at
Perranzabuloe. We know that he travelled about England collecting
material for his Lives of the Saints. At all events, he testifies that
the tradition was that Piran cf Cornwall was the same as Ciaran of
Saighir. But, indeed, the commemoration in Cornwall of Piran on the
same day as Ciaran of Saighir in Ireland proves as much. Whytford
merely says on March 5, "In ComweU ye feest of Saynt Pyrane called
also Saynt Keran borne of the nobles of yrelonde in the tyme of Sa5mt
Patryke." And though he does not say he was of Saighir, still the
locating him in the days of S. Patrick shows which Ciaran was meant.
To the authorities for the Life of S. Ciaran given under that
head, add that in Plummer, Vitae SS. Hiherniae, I, pp. 217-33. This is
from the MS. in Bishop Marsh's Library, Dubhn, and is that published
by Colgan, Acta SS. Hib., i, pp. 458 et seq.
1 Revue Celtique, xi, p. 148.
2 Vitae SS. Hiberniae, Oxford, 1910, i, pp. H, note 3, lii, note i.
' Capgrave, Nova Legenda, Vita S. Pirani.
io6 Lives of the British Saifits
As bearing upon our identification i of the name Ciaran with the
Welsh Caraun, now Caron, we may here add that one of the Ciarans is
actually called Caraun in one MS. of the Annales Cambria, namely MS.
B, of the late thirteenth century, in the Breviate Domesday, at the
Record Office. For the " Dormitatio Ciarani " of MS. A it reads
" Dormitio Karauni."
S. PIRO or PIRUS, see S. PEIRIO
S. POMP^A, Widow
Alma Pomp.<ea is represented in the Life of S. Leonore as his
mother. Pompsea is named in that of S. Tudwal as his mother, and
there can be little doubt that one and the same person is meant.
Pompaea was sister of Rhiwal, who crossed over from Britain with
a large following and settled in Domnonia. Neither the Life of S.
Tudwal nor that of S. Leonore mentions the name of her husband, but
tradition has it that he was Hoel the Great. The title " Great " has
been attached to his name through the romance of Geoffrey of Mon-
mouth. Had he been a man of importance the biographers would not
have failed to say so. The author of the Second Life of S. Tudwal
makes him a native of Scothia, but this Life is of little value. The
author of the First Life says, " Mater ejus Pompaia erat nomine, soror
Riguali comitis, qui primus venit de Brittonibus citra mare, et Tut-
gualus venit post eum." The author of the Third Life says," Sanctus
igitur Tutgualus regise stirpis parentibus majoris Britannise accolis
oriundus extitit."
We know nothing of his mother but what we are told by tradition.
This says that she crossed over with her son, being then a widow, and,
brought as well with her, her daughter Scseva, and both embraced a
religious and m.ortified life.
Pompaea lived at no great distance from her son's great monastery at
Treguier, but there are no traces of her near his earlier settlement at
Lanpabu. She died at Langoat near La Roche Derien, and is there
buried. Her tomb was formerly in the midst of the choir, but the church
was rebuilt in 1782, and now looks much like a railway station, and
' ii. pp. 135-6-
S. POMPiEA, DELIVERED TO BE EDUCATED.
From, her Shrine at Langoat.
S. Probus 107
then the tomb was removed to the north side of the nave. This tomb
is of the end of the fourteenth century or beginning of the fifteenth,
and is interesting. The saint is represented resting on it, and round the
sides are compartments with bas-rehefs representing various scenes in
her hfe : (i) her birth ; (2) her being dehvered by her father and mother
to be educated by the clergy ; (3) her marriage to Hoel ; (4) her
voyage to Armorica ; (5) her almsgiving ; (6) homage paid to her by the
nobles and princes of Brittany ; (7) she is visited by S. Tudwal and S.
Gonery ; (8) her death, assisted by S. Tudwal and S. Scaeva. Above
the tomb is a wooden painted reliquary containing some of her bones.
In the church is a statue of S. Tudwal represented as a pope, and in
stained glass of S. Scaeva as a nun.
Pompaea is commonly called Copaia, an interesting token that there
was here an Irish colony, unable to pronounce the Brythonic name and
so changing it to the Goidelic form. She is patroness of Botzelan as
well as of Langoat.
She is invoked for the cure of sick children.
The Pardon is on the last Sunday of July. Her day is given by
Garaby as July 26 ; but her name does not occur in any ancient
Breviaries and Calendars.
S. PROBUS, Confessor
Nothing is known of this Saint, who, with S. Grace, is the patron of
the stately church that bears his name in Cornwall. Two skulls found
in a recess in the wall, and beheved to be those of SS. Probus and Grace,
have been enclosed in a case, and laid beneath the altar. On the
screen, dated 1691, is an inscription, " Jesus hear us, Thy people, and
send us Grace and Good for ever."
The church was made collegiate by Athelstan in 926.
Sherborne Abbey, as shown by the first Saxon endowment of Cen-
walch, was Lamprobi, or the Church of Probus. In a Terrier of Sher-
borne Abbey, 1145, the name of the place is given as Propeschirche,
yet no entry is made in the Sherborne Calendar of a commemoration of
the patron.
The parish feast at Probus is on the first Sunday after July 5. There
are fairs also on April 5 and 23.
io8 Lives of the British Saints
S. RHAIN, King, Confessor
Rhain, generally called Rhain Dremrudd,^ or the Red-eyed, was
the son of Brychan Brycheiniog, and his name occurs as that of his
second son in the two Cognatio lists. According to the pedigrees in
Jesus College MS. 20, he had a son named Rigeneu.
All that is known of him for certain is that he succeeded his father
as King of Brycheiniog. In the Domitian version of the Cognatio
he is entered as " Rein Vrem Rud qui post patrem suum regnavit."
The later Kings of Brycheiniog traced their descent from Brychan
through him. There is no list of these kings ; but one of them, in
the seventh century, was Augustus (Awst),^ who was followed some-
what later by Teudur (Tewdwr) ab Rhain and Elgistil (Elwystl) ab
Awst, who divided the sovereignty between them.^ In the time of
King Alfred, Elise ab Tewdwr was King.
In the Life of S. Cadoc * we have an account of Rhain's deliverance,
through the interposition of his nephew, from the hands of the men
of GwynUywg, when he had made a foraging expedition into their
territory. They defeated him at four different places, one of which
afterwards became known as PwU Rhain, and ultimately they
besieged him, but S. Cadoc got him free, and made him enter into
an agreement with him.
No churches are known to be dedicated to Rhain nor is his festival
entered in any calendar. It is very probable that Cair Rein (Caer
Rhain), the old name of Acombury Camp, a little to the south of
Hereford, was named after him.^
Rhain's name is a good illustration of how the children of Brychan
have been multiplied in the later lists, through the misreading of
copyists. By Rhain is intended the sons who are therein called Rhaint,
Rhawin and Rhun.
Of him as Rhain it is stated that he " is a saint in Lincolnshire and
has a temple in Manaw." ' The latter part of this statement is evi-
dently derived from the Domitian Cognatio entry, " Run ipse sanctus
^ Rein, or Rhain, occurs in the early pedigrees in Harleian MS. 3,859, and else-
where, under the earUer form Regin, i.e., the Latin Reginus, a name occasionally
found among the Romans. The name seems to occur on an early inscribed stone
at Conwyl Caio. It would be historically impossible to derive Rheinwg, " the
Land of Rhain," an early name of Dyfed, from the son of Brychan. The epithet
Dremrudd is borne by a few others ; e.g., Kenelaph Dremrud in Jesus College MS.
20, and Daniel Dremrudd in Cart, de Landevennec, p. 54
2 Book of Llan Ddv, pp. 146, 154. ' Ibid, pp. 167-8.
^ Camhro-British Saints, pp. 55, 96. ^ Owen's Pembrokeshire, ii, p. 279.
s Peniarth MS. 178 (pt. ii) ; Llanstephan MS. 187 ; Myv. Arch., pp. 419, 429 ;
Jolo MSS., p. III.
S. Rheithian 109.
ycallet (sic) in Manan " ; but this clearly stands for the entry in Jesus
College MS. 20, " Runan yssyd jmy [lie] a elwir Manaw," which in its.
turn represents the Vespasian Cognatio (the oldest Brychan docu-
ment), " Kynon qui sanctus est in occidental! parte predicte Mannie." 1
As Rhaint he is said to have been " killed in England by the pagan
Saxons ; " 2 and as Rhawin " killed on Pont Run in Merthyr Tydfil." ^
As Rhun he was father of Nefydd and Andras and " was killed by
the pagan Saxons at Pont Run, where he defended the bridge against
them." « Pontyrhun, it should be mentioned, is on the Taff at
Troedyrhiw, below Merthyr Tydfil. The entry is amphfied under
the notice of S. Tudfyl, wherein it is said that " she was killed by the
pagan Saxons while she was there (at Merthyr Tydfil) holding inter-
course with her father — -who was an aged man, and she had her brothers
there with her visiting their father— when the unbelieving Saxons
and Gwyddyl Ffichti pagans rushed upon the place where they were.
Rhun Dremrudd, son of Brychan, was there slain ; and Nefydd, son
of Rhun, who was a beardless lad, being roused by seeing his father
slain, collected men to him and routed his enemies." ^
The lolo MSS. in two entries mention a Rhun as son of Gildas,.
who was a saint at Ystumllwynarth (Oystermouth), but in one
other entry he is made to be son of Nwython ab Gildas."
S. RHEDYW, see S. GREDFYW
S. RHEITHIAN, Confessor
Nothing whatever is known of this saint beyond the fact that he
is the patron of Llanrheithan or Llanrheithon, . subject to Llan-
rhian, in the Deanery of Dewisland, Pembrokeshire. In Egerton
MS. 2,586, fo. 405a, George Owen (1552-1613), the historian of Pem-
brokeshire, has written this note — " g. caron Uanrithon 5 m(ar)tij,"
1 It is curious to note that the parish church of Marown, in the Isle of Man,
dedicated to a S. Maronog or Marooneg, is called the church of S. Runi (in the
genitive) in a manorial roll of 1511 (Moore, Manx Names, 1903, p. 137).
2 lolo MSS., pp. 119, 140-
= Ibid, pp. III. 119, 140 ; Myv. Arch., pp. 419, 423, 429.
* The same references. '' lolo MSS., p. 121.
s Ibid, pp. 137. 139 '• cf. Mabinogion, p. log.
1 1 o Lives of the British Saints
i.e., " the festival of Caron of Llanrheithan is on the 5th of March." ^
From this note it would appear that the church was regarded as being
dedicated to S. Ciaran or Caron.
A S. Terethianus occurs in the Cartulary of Quimperle, whom M.
J . Loth "- thinks is probably the same as the Torithgen and Torithien
of the Cartulary of Redon, and the Torithian of the Bodmin Gospel.
The name occurs also in Old Cornish as Terithian. Its first syllable
is the well-known honorific prefix to, in Welsh tj ; and the second
part of the name is exactly identical with the Welsh name, the sex
of which is, moreover, determined by Terethianus.
S. RHIALLU
The lolo MSS. in one entry ^ give as a Welsh saint, " Rhiallu ab
Tudwalch Carnau, prince of Cornwall, by Dyanwedd, daughter of
Amlawdd Wledig, his mother." The entry bristles with misreadings.
He was a warrior, being one of " the Men of the North," and cannot
be regarded as a Welsh saint. His true pedigree is given thus in the
thirteenth century Bonedd Gwyr y Gogledd {Pemarth MS. 45) —
" Huallu, son of Tudfwlch Gomeu, prince of Cornwall, and Dywana,
daughter of Amlawdd Wledig, was his mother."
His mother's sister, Tywanwedd, was the wife of Hawystl Glofi.
S. RHIAN, Abbot, Confessor
Nothing is known of this saint's pedigree. He is patron of Llan-
rhian, in the Deanery of Dewisland, Pembrokeshire. He is called
by Wilham of Worcester,* who gives his day, " S. Ranus abbas,"
and by Leland,'' " S. Reanus Abbas." There was a S. Ranus or Rayn
commemorated in a chapel near the town of Crewkeme in Somerset,
according to William of Worcester "^ ; and the name survives in " S.
Rayn Hill," on the Chard road, about three miles west of Crewkeme.
But this is almost certainly S. Regina or Reine.
' Owen's Pembrokeshire, i, p. 289. 2 Revue Celtique, 1909, xxx, p. 300.
' P. 106. " Itin., p. 164 ; Owen's Pembrokeshire, i, pp. 289—90.
' liin., V, 29. ' Jtin., p. 163 ; Nightingale, Somerset, p. 527.
S. Rhiell
III
March 8 is given as the festival of S. Rianus, Ep., in the Haroldstone
<alendar in Additional MS. 22,720, and also by George Owen in a note
in Egerton MS. 2,586, fo. 405a. Browne WiUis 1 and ChaUoner hke-
^se give him the same day.
S. RHIDIAN, Confessor
We are not given this saint's pedigree, but he is said to have been
a member of Cor Cenydd, at Llangenydd, m Gower.^ He is presumed
to be the patron of Llanrhidian Church and Llanrhidian Chapel
(in the same parish), in the Deanery of West Gower, Glamorganshire.
Llanrhidian, however, is generally regarded as being dedicated to
S. lUtyd, a dedication supported by the presence there of a holy weU
•of that saint.^ Possibly Rhidian stands for Tridian, which see.
A late document printed in the lolo MSS. "^ says, " Brynach Wyddel
■was King of Gwynedd, comprising the Isle of Man, Anglesey, and
7\xfon ; and he was the first king of those countries who received
the Christian Faith and Baptism, through the instrumentahty of S.
Rhidian of Gower and Rheged. He first founded churches in Gwy-
nedd ; and he lived in the time of the Emperor Macsen Wledig."
Brynach was the Eumach or Umach Gawr, father or grandfather
of Serigi Wyddel, who was killed at Dinas Ffaraon, near Beddgelert.
S. RHIELL
Among the several chapels " ohm peregrinationis causa erectae "
in the parish of Nevem, Pembrokeshire, was " CapeU ReaU." Since
George Owen's day its name and aU have entirely disappeared.
No saint of the name of Rhiell is known to us. It is a rare female
name, one of the name being a daughter of Llywarch Hen. Rhiell wg
was the name of one of the ancient di\dsions of South Wales, being
1 Paroch. Anglic, 1733, p. 176 (as Rheanus). 2 loig MSS., p. 108.
3 Luard, Annales Monastici, i, p. 18 (s.a. 1185), where it is called Landridian.
In the Valoy of 1535 (iv, p. 388) the name is spelt Llanredeon. A Lan Ritian
■occurs in the Cartulary of Landevennec, p. 16.
, * Pp. 84-5.
112 Ijtves of the Bj^itish Saints
the same as Seissyllwg. It is just possible that the chapel was called,
after the Rhiell of this district name.^
S. RHIENGAR, see S. CEINGAIR
S. RHUDDLAD
The usual Achau'r Saint have nothing to say of Rhuddlad or Rhydd-
lad. The saint has been supposed to be a daughter of a king of Lein-
ster,2 but on what authority it does not appear. The saint is the-
patron of Llanrhyddlad, at the foot of Moel Rhyddlad, one of the
highest mountains in Anglesey.
September 4 is given as the festival of S. Rhuddlad in the calendars
in Peniarth MS. 172, Additional MS. 14,882, the lolo MSS., Allwydd'
Paradwys, and the Prymers of 1618 and 1633.
S. RHUN, see S. RHAIN
S. RHWYDRYS, Confessor
Rhwydrys or Rhwydrus was the son of Rhwydrim (Rhwydrhieni,
or Rhodrem), King of Connaught, in Ireland.^ By Rhwydrim may
possibly be meant Raghallach mac Uadhach, King of Connaught,
622-49.
Rhwydrys is the patron of Llanrhwydrys, subject to Llanfairyn-
' Owen's Pembrokeshire, i, p. 309 ; ii, p. 222.
2 Ro-\ylancls, Mona Antiqua, ed. 1766, p. 157.
3 Myv. Arch., p. 429. Sir J. Rhys (Celtic Folklore, ii, p. 531) would derive the-
name from an early form Redo-rostus. The folk-etymologist attributes the
foundation of Llanrhwydrys Church to an old fisherman of the place named
Rhys, who possessed a specially constructed net (rhwyd) , of his own work,' which
greatly excelled his fellow-fishermen's in the hauls it brought him ! (Hugh,
Owen, Yr Henafiaethydd, Amlwch, 1890, pp. 69-70). In the Valor of 153; (iv,.
p. 429) the church is called Llan Rodris.
S. Rhychwyn 1 1 j
ghomwy, in Anglesey, where his festival was observed on All Saints-
Day/ or the first Sunday in November.^
Rowlands, in his Mona Antiqua,^ supposes that he came from
Ireland to Anglesey at the same time as S. Rhuddlad.
S. RHYCHWYN, Confessor
The documents differ as to the parentage of this saint. Some
pedigrees * make him one of the sons of Helig ab Glanog, " whose
territory the sea over-ran ; " and the lolo MSS. ^ add, " and after-
wards some of them went to Cor Cadfan in Bardsey. They lived in
the time of Khun ab Maelgwn." Other sons of Helig, in the older
pedigrees, were Boda, Gwynin, and Brothen. In other pedigrees ^
he is entered as son of Ithel Hael of Llydaw.
Rhychwyn is the patron of Llanrhychwyn, subject to Trefriw, in
Carnarvonshire. The church is situated on a rocky eminence on a
hiU-side, and out of the original parish which it served there have
been carved the parishes of Trefriw and Bettws-y-Coed. It is locally
called " Llywelyn's Old Church," Prince Llywelyn ab lorwerth having,
owing to the difficulty of access, built the church at Trefriw, where
he had a residence.
Gwallter Mechain (d. 1849) says,' " On a window in Llan Rhychwyn
Church in Carnarvoii in stained glass the pictures of S'. David and
S*. Rhychwyn, each holding a pastoral Crook in their hands. ' Sancte
Davyt. Sancte Rhychwyn. Orate pro benefactoribus istius fenestree
que vitriata fuit m.d. xxxiii.' Imperfect, the glass being broke in
some places." The glass is now still more imperfect.*
Rhychwjm's festival is given en the 12th of June in the calendars
1 WUlis, Bangor, 1721, p. 280.
2 N. Owen, Hist, of Anglesey, 1775, p. 58. ^ Ed. 1766, p. 157.
* Cardiff MSS. 5 (p. 118), 25 (p. 118) ; Myv. Arch., pp. 418, 429. The name
is not common. There was a Rhychwyn Farfog o£ Bodrychwyn in Rhos, be-
tween Bettws-yn-Rhos and Llannefydd, where is also a Mynydd Bodrychwyn,
to which maybe added a Moel Rhychwyn between Llanehan and Llansantffraid.
This Rhychwyn was an ancestor of S. Egryn, and also of Braint Hir, founder of
one of the Fifteen Tribes of North Wales.
s P. 124. " Myv. Arch., pp. 427, 429-30.
^ Miscellanies, i, p. 222, in the National Library of Wales.
* For a good description of this quaint old church (the window included) see
North, The Old Churches of Arllechwedd, Bangor, 1906, pp. 102-n ; cf. Cathrall,
Hist, of N. Wales, 1828, ii. p. 115.
VOL. IV. I
114 Lives of the British Saints
in 'Peniarih MSS. 187 and 219, in the Welsh MS. notes to the calendar
in a copy of the Preces Privatce of 1573 in the S. Beuno's (Jesuit) Col-
lege Library, and in some Welsh Almanacks of the eighteenth cen-
tury. Occasionally 1 it is given as the loth of June, and this is the
generally accepted date.
In the Llanrhychwyn Terrier of 1811 it is stated, " There is paid
yearly to the said Rector [of Trefriw] by the Churchwardens of Llan-
rh3'chwjm the sum of thirteen shillings and sixpence as due by ancient
custom for reading Evening Service and a sermon in the said Church
of Llanrhychwyn on the first Sunday after the twenty-first of June,
it being the Saint's Day, Founder of the said Church."
S. RHYDDERCH HAEL, King, Confessor
Rhydderch Hael, or the Munificent, has his pedigree traced back
to Macsen Wledig, or Maximus the Usurper, and his wife Elen, daugh-
ter of Eudaf. Their son Ednyfed was father of Dyfnwal Hen (Dumng-
ual), who was father of Cedig (Clinoch), father of Tuathal Tuath
Claidh (Tutagual Tutclut), who married Ethni Wyddeles, an Irish
woman, and by her became the father of Rhydderch Hen or Hael,
who was born and brought up in Ireland, where also he had been
baptized. 2
It is unnecessary here to repeat what has already been said relative
to the Kingdom of Cumbria or Strathclyde, as this has been spoken
of under S. Cyndeyrn. Enough that Rhydderch and Urien headed
the Christian party among the Northern Cymry, composed of those
who retained something of the traditions of culture from the Roman
occupation, and boasted some of the Roman blood in their veins,
and Gwenddoleu and Morcant (or Morken), who placed themselves at
the head of the reactionary and pagan party.
In the great battle of Arderydd (573) the latter were completely
defeated. Thereupon Rhydderch, having established himself at
Dumbarton, recalled S. Kentigem from Wales, whither he had fled
from the persecution of Morcant. Kentigern returned at the head
1 Willis, Bangor, 1721, p. 274 ; Cambrian Register, 1818, iii, p. 223.
2 Harleian MS. 3,859 and Bonedd Gwyr y Gogledd in Peniarih MS. 45. Tud-
glud means " Clydesland." The lolo MSS., on pp. 106 and 136, include him
among the Welsh Saints. " Dominus . . . suscitavit super regnum Cambrinum
in regem Rederch nomine ; qui a discipulis sancti Patricii in Hiberniam baptiza-
tus fuerat fide christianissimum." Vita Kentigerni in Pinkerton, IT, pp. 62-3.
S. RHYCHWYN.
From i6th century Glass in Llanrhychwyn Church.
(Photo by Wm. Marriott Dodson.)
S. Rhydderch Hael 115
of six hundred and sixty-five monks and clerics, none too many for
the work before them of rechristianizing all Cumbria. Rhydderch
and his people, Joscelyn tells us, went to meet Kentigem and his party
when they heard that they were nearing the borders of Cumbria.
Then an assembly was convened, and Kentigem announced the
truth to all who were gathered together. Rhydderch made a some-
what abject submission of himself to the bishop. Casting off his
royal garments, on bended knees, and with joined hands, he did homage
to him, and delivered over to him lordship and principality over aU
his kingdom, he himself to take a second place after Kentigem. ^
Rhydderch's queen was named Langweth or Languoreth, who
carried on an intrigue with a young and handsome soldier, and in a
fit of amorous imprudence, she one day presented him with a gold ring
from her finger, that had been given to her by her husband.
Some time after this, Rhydderch was out hunting, and the young
man who attended him and he distanced the escort, and becoming
tired and hot, lay down for a nap beside the river Clyde.
The young man was soon asleep, with his arm stretched out, and
then the king observed his wife's ring on the finger. His first impulse
was to kiU the man, but he controlled himself, and lightly drew off the
ring and threw it into the Clyde.
When the youth awoke he did not notice his loss. On his return
to the palace Rhydderch vented his wrath on the queen, charged her
with being an adulteress, and threatened, unless the ring were pro-
duced, that he would openly proclaim her and thrust her from her
place at his side.
Langweth, in great alarm, sent to S. Kentigem, and informed him
of the circumstances.
Then the saint bade the messenger of the queen take a hook and
fish in the Clyde, and bring him his first capture. Presently the man
had a bite, and drew out a salmon, which, when cut open, had the lost
ring in its stomach.
This was at once taken to Langweth, who rushed into the presence
of Rhydderch with it, and showed it to him in the presence of his whole
court.
The king then fell to abject apologies, went down on his knees to
her, entreated her pardon, and bade her impose upon him any penance
' " Vestitus . . . regiis se exuens, genibus flexis, et manibus junctis, cum
consensu et consilio magnatum suorum, hominium suum sancto Kentigerno
obtulit ; eique dominium et principatum super universum regnum suum tradidit,
iUumque regem se patriffi rectorem sub ipso nominari voluit. . . . Undemosino-
levit ut per multorum aunorum curricula, quam diu regnum Cambrinum in sue
statu perduravit, semper princeps episcopo subditus fuerat." Vita Kentigerni, p. 69.
I 1 6 Lives of the British Saints
up to death, she might devise as a punishment for having falsely
accused her. She graciously forgave him, " and so the king and the
queen and the betrayer were all recalled to favour and mutual love."
A scandalous story, but happily not true. It is but an adapta-
tion of an Aryan folk tale, of mythological origin, that occurs in Hero-
dotus, in the Provencal romance of Magelone, and elsewhere.
One day a harper from Ireland appeared at the court of King Rhyd-
derch, and played before the king on " tympanum and harp " on the
feast days of Christmas. And at the Epiphany the king ordered that
the man should be rewarded. The bard scornfully rejected the pre-
sents ; gold and silver, fine raiment and horses, he said that he had
in plenty at home ; what he demanded was a bowl of ripe black-
berries. Rhydderch had recourse to S. Kentigern, who reminded
the king that one day, when out hunting, he had thrown away his
cloak over a growth of brambles, and that possibly enough, this might
have protected the fruit from the frost, as the king had not thought
of recovering his mantle. Search was made, and under it were found
sufficient blackberries to fill a bowl, which was accordingly given to
the bard. This latter had threatened, unless they were produced,
to lampoon the king and make him ridiculous as far as his word went.
Queen Langweth had been barren, but by the prayers of the holy
bishop she conceived and bare a son, whom Kentigern baptized,
and to whom he gave the name of Constantine.
Rhydderch was also in close communication and friendship with
S. Columba, from whom he received the assurance that he would not
meet death at the hands of his enemies but would die peacefully on
his own piUow,"- which took place in 6oi or 612, and he was succeeded
by his son Constantine.
He is distinguished in the Triads as one of the Three Munificent
Ones of the Isle of Britain, the other two being Nudd Hael and Mor-
daf Hael.
The following occurs among the " Sayings of the Wise " ; ^
Hast thou heard the saying of Rhj'dderch,
The third munificent one, the enthroned of love ?
" Frequent is seen extreme hatred after extreme love "
(Gnawd rhygas gwedi rhyserch)..
The " Stanzas of the Graves " in the Black Book of Carmarthen^
state that he was buried at Abererch, in Carnarvonshire, but it is
' Adamnan, Life, of S. Columba, i, c. 15, where he is called Roderc filius Tothail.
2 lolo MSB., p. 255. It occurs in much the same words among the " Stanzas
of the Hearing " in Myv. Arch., p. 128. ^ Evans's ed., 1906, p. 64.
S. Rioc 117
more probable that he Ues within his own kingdom. The Hoianau in
the same book style him " the champion of the Faith." ^
S. RHYSTYD, Confessor
Rhystyd or Rhystud was the son of Hywel Fychan ab Hywel
Faig (called also Hjrvvel Farchog) ab Emyr Llydaw,^ and the brother
of S. Cristiolus. His name represents the Latin Restitutus, the name
borne by the earliest known bishop of London, who was present at
the Comicil of Aries in 314.
Rhystyd is the patron of Llanrhystyd in Cardiganshire. His Fes-
tival occurs in one calendar only, the South Wales calendar denomi-
nated S, in which it is said to be on " Dyw lau y Cadgoriau cyn Dyw
Nadohg," i.e., Thursday in the Ember Week before Christmas.
A fair was held. Old Style and also New Style, at Llanrhystyd on the
Thursday before Christmas.^
The lolo MSS.* give another saint of the name, who is distinguished
by being called Rhystyd Hen, the Aged or Senior. He was bishop
of Caerleon-on-Usk, and of the race of Bran ab Llyr Llediaith ; but
he was descended from too mythical a stock to be considered
genuine.
S. RIOC, Bishop, Confessor
Rioc, or Riocatus, was a British Bishop who visited Lerins and
made acquaintance with S. Faustus, afterwards Bishop of Riez, and
1 Evans's ed., 1906, p. 52.
2 Cardiff MS. 5 {1527), p. 117; Cambro-British Saints, p, 269; lolo MSS.,
p. 133 ; Myv. Arch., pp. 420, 429. See iii, p. 289. Restitutus was a not uncom-
mon name among ecclesiastics. It occurs in inscriptions as Restutus, whence
Rhystud.
^ Another fair was held there on " Dydd lau Cablyd," i.e., Maundy Thursday,
Dafydd ab Gwilym in one of his poems obscurely associates Rhystyd with S.
Dwynwen ; —
" Rhystud Sant, rhyw ystod serch,
A'i ehnedd ar lanerch,
A'i ben ar Ddwynwen enyd,
Huno bu'n hwya'n y byd " ;
for which see ii, p. 389. * Pp. 116, 136.
1 1 8 Lives of the British Saints
the latter gave Rioc two of his books to take back with him to Britain,
about the year 450, but possibly later. It was not till 462 that Faustus
was elevated to the See of Riez.^
A Rioc, a British Bishop, laboured along with S. Patrick in Ireland.
Whether the same, or another of the name, we have no means of ascer-
taining. But it is not improbable that they were identical, for they
belonged to the same epoch, and communication with the South of
Gaul and with Rome was not infrequent. According to some of the
early authorities, Patrick himself had been at Lerins.
Rioc, who assisted Patrick, is said to have been son of one Conis.*
The Litany of (Engus invokes him under the name of Mo Rioc as
one of the foreign saints buried in Ireland, who travelled beyond
the sea, along with twelve companions. He is there styled Hy Loegha,
or Hy Laingh, but that is because he became Abbot of Inis Bofinne,
which was situated in the territories of a clan of that name.
Some authorities have even inade him a nephew of S. Patrick by
his sister Darerca, but no confidence can be placed in the lists of the
children of the supposed sisters of Patrick ; and Rioc is mentioned
as the brother of S. Mel.^
Very little is recorded of Rioc, and what is related is fabulous. It
is said that Patrick found some difficulty in converting Eoghain,
brother of Laoghaire the High King. Eoghain was a very ugly man,
and he begged that if he were baptised he might become better looking.
" What shape do you choose," asked the Apostle.
" I should desire the appearance of the youth who is carrying thy
box," replied Eoghain. Then Patrick put both Eoghain, and the
youth, who was none other than Rioc, into one bed, and threw his
cloak over them.
When they awoke, lo ! Eoghain had become exactly like Rioc,
the tonsure alone excepted.
" But still I am unduly short in stature," said the prince.
" What height do you desire to be ? " asked Patrick.
" That of the staff thou boldest in thy hand," said Eoghain. And
straightway he shot up to the desired height.*
Rioc was placed by S. Patrick in Inis Bofinne in Lough Ree. He
would seem also to have been at Kilkenny, where the three churches
^ See under S. Faustus, iii, pp. 1-3.
2 Tripartite Life, ed. Stokes, i, p. 83, " When Patrick went across the sea to
journey to Ireland, Bishop Muinis came after him and after his brothers, viz.,
Bishops Mel of Ardachad, and Rioc of Inis Bofinne ; and they are the sons of Conis
and Darerca, Patrick's sister."
" List of Relations of the Saints, in the Book of Leinster, quoted in Ibid., ii, p.
549. ^ Ibid., i, p. 152.
S. Rioc 119
were founded by S. Patrick, S. Mel and S. Rioc. The site of S. Rioc's
church is on the western side of Kilkenny and is now called S. Rock's.
' ' A cemetery, waUed in about fif t j' years ago, exists here ; there
are no traces of any building within its ambit ; a large pool of water,
called Walkin's Lough, existing here from time immemorial, has been
drained within the last thirty years, and S. Rock's Well was tradi-
ditionally beUeved to have been concealed beneath its waters." ^ The
weU W21S accidentally discovered in 1812.2
Doubts have been expressed as to whether the Rioc of Inis Bofinne
be the same as Rioc the labourer with S. Patrick, by Ussher and
others, as the former was a contemporary of S. Aedh of Slieve-Laing,
who died in 588. It this were so, as there is reason to suppose, then
they were distinct personages, but have been confounded by the
Martyrologists. The story in the Life of S. Aedh is as follows. Rioc
went to visit this saint during Lent in his island, and Rioc had no
other food to set before him but meat. Aedh blessed what was given
him and ate without scruple.^
We may accordingly place the centre of the sphere of the work of
Rioc, Patrick's British assistant, at Kilkenny and not in Lough Ree.
That Rioc should have gone to Armorica, and there sought disciples
and fellow workers in the mission field, is more than probable. But
there were two of the name in Armorica as there were two in Ireland.
The second Rioc was a disciple of S. Winwaloe. Lanriec by Concameau
has the second as patron, but the former is perhaps the patron of Saint
Rieu in the diocese of S. Brieuc. It has, however, cast him aside and
has substituted for him S. Regulus, Bishop of SenHs. The Martyrology
of Sarum has on February 6 the commemoration of SS. Rioc, Mel,
Muinis and Melchu.
But the Irish Martyrologists give S. Rioc on August i, either as
Rioc or with the endearing prefix mo. He also occurs on this day in
the Drummond Calendar. His " patron " day at Kilkenny was on
August I, or the First Sunday in August, and was such a scene of
revelry and dissipation that it was at length put down. East of Kil-
kenny is the church of S. Maelog, one of Rioc's companions, called
" Malach Brit," as being a Briton by birth.
On February 6 Whytford has — " In Yrelond ye feest of Saynt Mele,
Saynt Melke and Saynt Munyse bysshops and of Saynt Ryoke an
abbot, aU four breder and neuewes unto Saynt Patryke by liis syster
^ Shearman, Loca Patriciana, 1882, p. 280.
2 O'Hanlon, Lives of the Irish Saints, viii, p. 8.
' Acta SS. Hib. in Cod. Sal., p. 356.
I 2 o Lives of tJie British Saints
Saynt Darerke, all men of synguler sanctite and grete myracles."
Nicolas Roscarrock also gives him on the same day.
At Trefiagat, in Cornouaille, S. Rigat or Riocatus is regarded as
patron, and his feast is observed on June 21, but in the church he is
not represented as a Bishop.
S. RUAN or RONAN, Abbot, Confessor
Leland, quoting the Life of S. Breaca he found in the library of
the monastery of S. Michael's Mount, says that along with her came
" Sinninus abbas . . . Maruanus Monachus, etc." '^
Maruanus is a misprint of Heame for M-ruanus, or a mistake by
Leland.
Moruan is Ruan, with the common prefix mo ; and Ruan is a con-
traction for Ruadhan, " the Red." He was known as Moronoc in
Ireland, and was a disciple of S. Senan of Iniscathy, who is the Sin-
ninus of the text. Moronoc is the equivalent to Moruan, the sufhx
oc being given indiscriminately with that of an, as Aedan is also known
as Mo-aed-oc or Maedoc.
He had a cell at Inis Luaidhe or Inislua, under Iniscathy, and is
so named in the Martyrologies of Tallaght and O'Gorman on July 22.
Apparently, he came to Cornwall along with Senan and a large party,
of which one band, seven in number, with three women as well, went
on, after a brief stay, and arriving in the estuary of the Ranee, after
founding churches, went on to Rheims, where they were received by
S. Remigius, about 509."
We may accordingly place the date of their arrival in Cornwall
at the close of the fifth century.
Ruadhan must have remained some time in Cornwall, for there
are three churches there, founded by him, as well as the chapel of
Polruan opposite Fowey.
Probably he accompanied his master Senan into Brittany, for the
parish of Plouzane (Plebs Senani), which regards the latter as its
patron, is in the neighbourhood of S. Renan, of which Ruan was the
founder.
No Life of Ruadhan or- Moronoc of Irish origin now exists, and what
we know of him is from a Life in the Bibliotheque Nationale at Paris,
> Itin., iii, p. 15. "^ i pp. 105-6.
S. Ruait or Ronan 121
MS. lai. 5,275, of the thirteenth century, but which was apparently
composed in the eleventh century. It is given in the Catalogus Codi-
cum hagiograph. Bihliothecce Nat. Paris, by De Smedt, Brussels, 1889,
T. i, pp. 438-58. Dom Plaine published a French Translation in the
Bulletin de la Societe archeologique de Finisiere, T. xvi (1889), p. 263
et seq. Albert le Grand, in his work on the Lives of the Saints of
Brittany (1636), drew his material for the Life of S. Renan from the
Breviaries of Quimper and L6on, in which the Life was given in nine
lections ; but this is very incomplete.
According to the Vita Renan was an Irishman, and his parents had
been converted by S. Patrick. He left his native land at an early
age, and went to Britain to be there trained for the religious life, and
he was there ordained priest. The Welsh have no mention of him
in their ecclesiastical records ; he must therefore, if he was in Wales,
have been in statu pupillari, and have made there no foundations.
Moreover it is improbable that he would have been allowed, as an
Irishman, to settle there.
It is therefore probable that he returned to Ireland, and placed
himself under the direction of S. Senan of Iniscathy. As already
suggested, he accompanied Senan to Cornwall, and there remained
for some time. After awhile he crossed with Senan to Leon, landing
in the estuary of the Aber Ildut. As Lanildut stands at the mouth
of the river, it is conceivable that Ronan may have come along with
lUtyd as well as Senan, and that all three established their lans in
the district about the same time. But this is mere conjecture.
For some reason unknown, Ronan left his first foundation, and
migrated south, and took up his abode on the northern slope of the
prolongation of the Montagues Noires, overlooking the Bay of Douar-
nenez. Here the country was enveloped in the vast forest of Nemet or
Nevez, except the open moor that now forms the crown of the mountain.
It may be only a coincidence, but it deserves notice, that S. lUtyd
receives a cult and has a chapel in the adjoining parish of Plogonnec,
on the south slope of the mountain. It is remarkable that both in
Leon and in Comouaille, Ronan is in close proximity to lUtyd.
Here Ronan established a cell. The inhabitants of the neighbour-
hood were pagans, the early non-Aryan population, speakmg an
agglutinative tongue, that had strewn the country with their mega-'
lithic monuments, and who had been untouched by GaUo-Roman
civilization, and had been unconverted to Christianity. Ronan set
diligently to work to preach the Gospel to them.
A peasant listened with attention to his instructions, and visited
him so often, that his wife, Keban, thought that. he was neglecting
122
Lives of the British Saints
his domestic duties, and feared lest he should be drawn to desert her
and embrace the monastic hfe.
She concealed her little girl in a chest, and went to Ouimper, where
she complained to King Grallo, that Ronan was a were-wolf, that he
changed his form nightly, and ravaged the sheep-folds round the
forest, and had even carried off and devoured her child. King Grallo
had Ronan arrested, and after a few days exposed to his hunting
dogs, which, he said, would tear him to shreds, if they snuffed anything
of the wolf about him.
But the hounds fawned on the hermit ; whereupon popular opinion
veered about, and proclaimed Ronan a saint. On a search being in-
stituted in the woman's house, the child was found concealed where
she had placed it. She does not seem to have been punished for
bringing the false charge ; she certainly was in evidence, with senti-
ments unchanged, later on.
If we translate this story out of legendary language into that of
plain sense, it resolves itself into this. Grallo was a Christian ; but
as the bulk of the natives over whom he ruled was pagan, he was
unable to treat the accusation as frivolous. What he did was to keep
Ronan by him for a few days, and familiarize the hounds with him,
allowing the Irish hermit to feed them. Consequently, when, on a
set day, he was exposed to them, they treated him as a friend.
The revelation of Keban's malice did not make her less virulent.
After awhile she spread a grave accusation against Ronan of another
sort, and his position became so intolerable, that he resolved on leaving
that part of the country.
He accordingly departed for Domnonia, and settled near Hillion,
on the Anse d'lffignac. There he was found one morning dead in his.
cell, in the attitude of prayer.
The body was taken back to Locronan in the Forest of Nevez,
in a wagon drawn by a couple of oxen. When Keban saw it coming
she was in the act of washing clothes, and she rushed at the oxen,
belaboured them with her washing-bat, and broke one of their horns,
all the while screaming out that Ronan was no Saint, and that it was
an absurdity making such a to-do about his body. At the present
day, a cross stands on the spot where tradition says that Keban beat
the oxen. No peasant raises his hat as he passes " Keban's Cross."
The body was laid at Locronan, and a glorious church with an
adjoining chapel of the Peniti is attached to it, and the latter con-
tains the tomb of the saint. On it Ronan is represented as a bishop,
and it is supposed that he was a bishop when he arrived in Brittany.
The tomb is of the sixteenth century.
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S. Ruan or Ronan \ 2 3
At Locronan the feast of the saint is observed on the Second Sun-
day in July, and every sixth year with especial dignity.
A procession leaves the church in the afternoon, and makes the
circuit of the Minihi, or sanctuary of the saint, singing a Breton Guerz
or ballad of S. Ronan, which is given in the new edition of Albert le
Grand, Vies des Saints, igoi, p. 211.
The scene is wonderfully striking. The women are in white with
headdresses of mediaeval cut ; their gowns rich with embroidery and
spangles. The procession winds about the mountain with fluttering
banners, and crosses gleaming in the sun ; and the summer air, as it
fans over the heather, comes laden with the scent of frankincense
and snatches of song. The adjoining parishes arrive for High Mass
in the morning, headed by drummers, and at the Sanctus, elevation
and Communion, a roH of drums supplements the tinkle of the bell.
The pure, sweet faces of the women, the intense devotion of men and
women alike, and the beauty and poetry of the whole Tromenie, makes
of this commemoration a very scene of Christianity in its most idylUc
form.
The story of the relics of S. Ronan is unlmown. Probably they
were carried away at the time of the ravages of the Northmen, but
there is no record as to whither they were taken.
All we Icnow is that in 960, Ordgar, Earl of Devon, translated those
of S. Rumon, who is identical with Ronan or Ruan, to the Abbey of
Tavistock that he had founded. In 913 and 914 the coast of Cor-
nouaille was devastated by RoUo, the Northman, and the Abbey of
Landevennec was destroyed. The monks and clergy fled the country,
carrying with them the bodies of their founders and of other saints, and
at the same time many of these were conveyed to Britain. Whether
that of Ronan was then taken over we are not told. But in 1219
relics of S. Ronan were at Quimper in the Cathedral. Perhaps some
of the bones of the saint were brought back, when the Breton exiles
returned to their native land. But is the Rumon of Tavistock the
same as the Ronan of Brittany and the Ruan of Cornwall ? It would
appear so. Leland saw the Life of S. Rumon in the Abbey Library
of Tavistock, and made from it some all too scanty extracts. He
says : —
" Rumonus genere fuit Scottus Hibemensis. Nemea sylva in
Comubia plenissima ohm ferarum, S. Rumonus faciebat sibi orato-
rium in sylva Nema;a." And then foUows the entry :— " Falemouth.
Ordulphus, dux Comubije, transtuht ossa Rumoni Tavistochium." ^
This shows that the monks of Tavistock identified their Rumon
1 Itin., iv, pp. 152-3.
124 Lives of the British Saints
with Ronan or Ruari. The Nemea sylva is the Nevet in Armorican
Comouaille.
On the other hand, William of Mahnesbury, in his Gesta Pontificwm,
says of Tavistock Abbey : — " Rumonus ibi sanctus praedicatur et
jacet episcopus, pulchritudine decoratus scrinii, ubi nulla scriptorum
fides assistit opinioni. Quod non solum ibi sed et in multis locis Anglise
invenies, violentia credo hostilitatis abolitam omnem gestorum noti-
tiam, nuda tantum nomina, et si quK modo prstendunt miracula
tantum sciri." ^
Whether William of Malmesbury had been at Tavistock, and had
there learned that no Life of the Saint existed in his day {circ. 1120),
we cannot say ; but in Leland's time Rumon had been identified
with Ronan.
In Devonshire Romansleigh has him as patron. This parish be-
longed to Tavistock Abbey. In the charter whereby it was granted
to the Abbey it is entitled Leigh, so that it acquired its patron later.
At Meavy is a Ronan's cross. An inscribed stone at Mitchel bears
on it RuANi ic Jacet.
The churches bearing his name are : —
The Parish Church of Ruan Major ; the Parish Church of Ruan
Minor, with his Holy Well ; the Parish Church of Ruan Lanihorne
(Lan-ruan) ; a chapel at Polruan opposite Fowey, now called Lanlaron,
a corruption of Lan-ruan.
There was formerly a chapel dedicated to him at Redruth.
The Exeter Calendar of the twelfth century, and the Exeter Legen-
darium of Bishop Grandisson (1366) give as S. Rumon's day, August
30. William of Worcester, on the information of Thomas Peperell,
notary of Tavistock, says that his death took place on August 28,
and that the feast of his Translation was observed on January 5. But
he extracted from the Calendar at Tavistock August 30 as S. Rumon's
Day. This also is his day in the Sarum Calendar.
In Brittany his day is June i — Brev. Leon, 1516 ; Miss. Leon, 1526 ;
Brev. Corisop., 1642, 1701, 1835 ; also the Cartulary of Quimper,
1272, gives his feast as occurring in June, but does not specify the
day.
Ronan in Brittany is generally represented as a bishop. As such
his figure lies on his tomb at Locronan ; but he has no special symbol.
His story is reproduced in a series of panels on the pulpit at Locronan.
It is a curious fact that Audieme in Finistere was dedicated to S.
Rumon, but has changed its patron to S. Ra5miond Nonnatus. It
is possible that some Bretons returning from Britain may have brought
^ Rolls Series, p. 202.
S. Rydoch 125
there from Tavistock a parcel of the rehcs of S. Rumon, and that they
were unconscious that Rumon of Tavistock was identical with their
own Ronan.
In reckoning the dates of S. Ronan' s life we have not much to go
by. He arrived in Cornwall at the very end of the fifth century, and
crossed to Brittany about 500.
He left Leon, and migrated to Locronan, about 510, where he was
brought into relation with King Grallo, to whom, however, M. de
la Borderie gives a rule in CornouaiUe from 475 to 505, but who prob-
ably was some ten years later.
The date of the death of Ronan can be only matter of conjecture,
as occurring approximately about 540.
The reUcs of Ronan were carried away from Brittany in 880, and
were brought back, in part, to Ouimper about 950.
S. RYDOCH, Confessor
This was one of the sons of Brychan. In the Vespasian Cognatio
he is entered thus — " Rydoch (i. ludoc) in francia ; inde dicitur ton
Ridoch (i. eurus) Windouith." ^ " De vent " is written above the
last word. In the Domitian Cognatio the entry runs — " Ridoc Gwin-
douut in Francia inde dicitur CoUis Ridoc Gwindouut." In Jesus
College MS. 20 it is — " Reidoc in France, at the place called Twm-
breidoc after his name." Llanstephan MS. 187 [circa 1634) states
that Rhidorch and Rhodawrch (clearly one and the same person),
the sons of Brychan, " assumed the rehgious habit at the place called
Tomriwch in France." Practically the same notice occurs in Peniarth
MS.. 178 (sixteenth century), where they are called Ridaorch and
Rodoch, with the addition that they are esteemed as " honoured
saints " in France. Peniarth MS. 75 (sixteenth century) mentions
him simply as Rydderch, " in France."
In the later Brychan Usts he is called Cadog, and it is added that
" he was made bishop by his brother Dyfrig," and that " he went to
France, where he lies buried." ^
1 Cf " Est aliud mirabile in regione quae uocatur Guent . . . Vith Guiat
Brittanico sermone, Latine autem flatio uenti." De Mirabilibus Britanniae,
Hist Brit. c. Ixx, ed. Mommsen, p. 215. Vith Guint stands for modern Chwyih.
Gwynt, wherever that and the Hill of Rydoch may be.
2 Jolo MSS., pp. Ill, 119, 140 ; ^V"- ^rch., p. 419.
126 Lives of the British Saints
S. SADWRN FARCHOG, Confessor
Sadwrn Farchog, or the Knight, was the son of Bicanus Farchog
of Llydaw, and a brother of lUtyd and nephew of Emyr Llydaw.i
His mother, according to another account, appears to have been Riein-
guHd, daughter of Amlawdd Wledig, King of Britain, ^ and not a sister
of Emyr Llydaw. He married his kinswoman Canna, daughter of
Tewdwr ab Emyr Llydaw, by whom he became the father of S. Crallo.
On his death Canna married AUtu Redegog, and had by him S. Elian
Geimiad. Sadwrn, in his old age, came over to Wales with S. Cadfan.
To Sadwrn are dedicated the churches of Llansadwrn, in Carmar-
thenshire, and Llansadwrn, in Anglesey. He was buried at the latter
place, where was found about 1742, whilst digging a grave, his tomb-
stone, now bearing the following fragmentary inscription ; —
HIC BEAT
SATVRNINVS SE
ACIT. ET SVA SA
CONIVX. PA '
The stone is a small block, broken, and is now let into the chancel
wall. His name, however, has been wrongly cut, as Satuminus can
only represent in Welsh Sadymin, whilst Sadwrn stands for Satumus.*
" An uncouth head projecting from the wall of the church, on the
inside, is said to be intended for the head of S. Sadwrn " ^ — now,
however, shown on the outside.
The festival of S. Sadwrn is given as November 29 in the Calendars
in Peniarth MSS. 172, 186 and 187, Llansiephan MS. 117, the
lolo MSS., the Welsh Prymers of 1618 and 1633, and Allwydd Parad-
wys (1670)." It is not improbable that he has been confounded with
' lolo MSS., pp. 132, 134. Lewis Glyn Cothi (fifteenth century) says of the
subject of one of his elegies, who was very aged at the time of his death : —
" Oediawg o farchawg, da ei foes, ydoedd,
Mai Sadwrn neu Idloes." Poetical Works, 1837, p. 332.
2 Cnmhro-British Saints, p. 158. See iii, pp. 304-5.
'' Sir J. Rhys, Origin of the Welsh Englyn, 1905, p. 31, suggests the original to
have been : —
" Hie beatus vir Saturninus sepsemet iacit.
Et sua sancta coniux. Paterna cui sit terra levis."
He is disposed to regard the epitaph as belonging to the earlier half of the sixth
century.
* But cf. Paul and PauUnus used for the same saint, supra, p. 74.
5 Angharad Llwyd, Hist, of Anglesey, 1833, p. 297.
« Willis, Bangor, 1721, p. 28z, gives November 30.
S. Sadwrn of Henllan 127
the martyr bishop, Saturninus, of Toulouse, whose day is also Novem-
ber 29 ; in fact, he is entered as Sadwrn Ferthyr against the day in
the sixteenth century Demetian Calendar (S).
On a tomb now in Beaumaris church, removed at the Dissolution
from Penmon, are niches containing figures of saints, several, as far
as can be judged, local saints. One of these may represent Sadwrn. It
is the statuette of a knight in armour, with a sword girded at his side,
but holding a pilgrim's staff in his left hand, and raising the right in
benediction, with a small shield slung from that arm. He is bearded,
but the face is much mutilated. A companion figure is probably
intended for S. Canna. She is represented veiled, but with a crown
above the veU, holding in her left hand a book, and in the right a staff
which is flowering.
There is a Ffynnon Sadwrn, in a neglected condition, in the parish
of Llandudno, situated near the Little Orme's Head. A lane there
takes its name from it.
One entry in the lolo MSS. ^ gives as a saint Sadwrn Hen ab Cynyr
of Caer Gawch, the father of S. Sadymin, and brother of S. Non and
others, but nothing further is known of him.
The Book of Llan Ddv gives a Saturn as abbot of Llandocheu or Llan-
dough, and also of Llantwit, and Tref Saturn is mentioned in the
boundary of Merthyr Mawr, Glamorganshire. ^
S. SADWRN OF HENLLAN, Priest, Confessor
Sadwrn of Henllan, in the County of Denbigh, is known to us only
through the Legend of S. Winefred by Robert, Prior of Shrewsbury.
Winefred, on quitting Holywell, went to a hermit Deifer, of Bodfari,
who sent her on to the venerable Satumus or Sadwrn, who would
inform her what to do. On arriving at Henllan, she and the saintly
eremite spent the night together in prayer, and he gave her much
good advice. He also informed her that he had been instructed from
heaven to pass her on to S. Elerius at Gwytherin. It is curious to
observe how reluctant both he and Deifer were to be encumbered
with her, and how they sought to pass her on from one to another.
1 P. 141.
^ See index, p. 418, and p. 214 ; cf. Cambro-Bntish Saints, p. 93. Coed and
-Castell Sadwm occur in the parish of Llanbedr y Cennin, Carnarvonshire.
12 8 Lives of the British Saints
Sadwrn accompanied Winefred part of her way, gave her his bless-
ing, and sent her forward under the guidance of his deacon.^
Henllan must have been an important foundation. Until the
iniddle of last century it served an area of sixteen miles by about seven
in its greatest length and breadth. It adjoined Bodfari where was
the cell of Deifer. The church has a detached tower, built on a spur
of rock in a corner of the churchyard, whence the bells can be heard
further than from the lower level of the church.
The Welsh genealogies give no information relative to this Sadwrn,.
who cannot possibly be identified with Sadwrn Farchog, as he lived
considerably later. But he is most probably the Sadwrn who is said
to have been a saint and ^erjg^awr or confessor of Bangor Asaf,^ at S.
Asaph, which may account for the former connection of Henllan
with that Cathedral Church. Lhuyd mentions Ffynnon Sadwrn as
being in Foxhall ground. The spot now forming the cross roads near
Henllan Church is called Bwlch Sadwrn, his Pass.
The Welsh MS. additions to the calendar in a copy of the Preces
PrivatcB of 1573, in the S. Beuno'.- (Jesuit) College Library, give " Gw.
Henllan," i.e. the Festival of Henllan, against November 29. Browne
Willis ^ gives the parish the same festival day.
S. SADYRNIN, Confessor
Sadyrnin was the son of S. Sadwrn Hen ab Cynyr of Caer Gawch.*"
He is the patron of Llansadyrnin, or Llansadwrnen, subject to Laug-
harne, in Carmarthenshire, which has been supposed ^ to be dedicated
to Sadyrnin, Bishop of S. David's, who died in 831," or to Saturninus,
the third century bishop and martyr of Toulouse.
Sadyrnin is the Welsh form of Saturninus. Allwydd Paradwys,
1670, gives the festival of " S. Sadwmyn " on November 29, con-
1 See the Buchedd Gwen Vrewy in the Appendix to this vol. ; also Bishop Fleet-
wood, Li/e of S. Wenefrede, 171 3, pp. 73-5- He is not mentioned in the earlier
Life of S. Winefred.
2 lolo MSS., p. 107. ' Bangor, 1721, p. 364.
<i lolo MSS., p. 141. Sadyrnin, a hero, and Sadyrnin, father of Morgan Fawr,
are mentioned in Skene, Four Ancient Books of Wales, ii, pp. 176, 219.
5 Bevan, S. David's, S.P.C.K., p. 54.
'> Annates Catnbriif, p. 13 ; but the name would more correctly appear to-day
as Sadyrnfyw (Hael).
S. Saeran 129
founding this saint, probably, with his namesake of Toulouse. The
same day is given him in a Welsh almanack of 1692, and subsequently. *
S. SAERAN, Bishop, Confessor
This saint was the son of Geraint Saer, or the Wright, of Ireland.*
To him the church of Llanynys, in the Vale of Clwyd, is dedicated.
A statement by Rice Rees, made on insufficient evidence, has been
the means of perpetuating an error respecting the true dedication of
this church, which is, that it was originally founded by Mor (Mar)
ab Ceneu, and that it had been ascribed to Saeran merely from the
circumstance of his having been buried there. ^ He founds his state-
ment on a poem attributed to Llywarch Hen, printed in the Myvyrian
Archaiology,* wherein Llanynys would appear to be mentioned under
the name Llanfor. But he has entirely ignored the variant readings ;
moreover, this latter portion of the poem does not form part of the
Red Book text. 5
There can be no doubt whatever that the church is dedicated to
S. Saeran alone,® and not to SS. Mor and Saeran, as has been the
fashion since Rees's day.
Saeran's festival, which occurs on January 13, carries us one brief
step forward in his identification. This day, in the Martyrologies
of Tallaght and Donegal, is the festival of S. Saran, Bishop ; but nothing
further seems to be known of him.'
A Saran us was one of the Irish ecclesiastics, " doctors and abbots,"
to whom Pope John TV sent a letter, in 640, about the observance of
Easter and the Pelagian heresy. ^ This was Sarin Ua Critain, who
died in 661 or 2 ; but it is very doubtful whether he was the same
person.'
1 Willis, Paroch. Anglic, 1733, p. 188, Nov. 19, by mistake.
2 Peniarth MSS. 74, 75, and 182 (sixteenth century) ; Cardiff MS. 25 (p. 39) ;
Myv. Arch., p. 429.
^ Essay on the Welsh Saints, 1836, pp. 117-9, 271, 334.
4 p. g6. 5 Skene, Four Ancient Books, ii, p. 266,
6 J. G. Evans, Report on Welsh MSS., i, p. 914 ; Peniarth MS. 121, p. 113 ;
Cambro-British Saints, p. 270 ; Myv. Arch., p. 429 ; Willis, Bangor, p. 278.
Sometimes the Church is called Llan Saeran, as in Llanstephan MS. 199, fo. 71 b.
See also iii, p. 498.
' O'Hanlon, Lives of the Irish Saints, i, p. 192. * Bede, Hist. Eccl., ii, c. 19.
3 Possibly the Irish name occurs in the place-name Trimsaran, midway between,
Kidwelly and Llanelly.
VOL. IV. K
130 Lives of the British Saints
Edward Lhuyd in his notice of Llanynys {1699) says, " Their wakes
next Sunday after St. Hilary ; but their Saint is call'd Sairen whose
Tomb they shew w^^ an Jnscription of ab' 3 or 4 hundred years
standing. Ffynnon Saeren is in Dre Vechan " (township). His
tomb lias now disappeared. There is a well called Ffynnon Sarah
in the parish of Derwen, not far from Llanynys, which may possibly
be a Saeran Well. It is a large square bath of rude masonry, with
steps to go down it.
The festival of S. Saeran, on January 13, is given in the calendars
in Jesus College MS. 22, Peniarth MSS. 187 and 192, Mostyn MS.
88, Llanstephan MS. 181, the Welsh Prymers of 1546 and 1618, the
MS. additions to the calendar of a copy of the Preces Privatce of 1573
in the S. Beuno's (Jesuit) College Library (also on the 14th) and by
Nicolas Roscarrock, and Browne Willis. ^
" Nawdd Saeran " (his protection) is invoked in the, hagiologically,
well-known Ode to King Henry VH.^
S. SAMLED, Confessor
Nothing is known of this saint. In the lolo MSS.^ he is stated
to have his church at Cilfai, in the cantref of Gorfynydd, in Glamorgan-
shire, which is known as Llansamlet. His name is also spelt Saimled
and Siamled.* The parish is given as Llansambled in the Valor of
I535-''
" Fons S'ti Yltuti " is mentioned in the fourteenth century as
being in Llansamlet.^
S. SAMSON, Bishop, Confessor
The authorities for the Life of S. Samson have been subjected to
critical examination by the Abbe Duchesne ' and by M. de la Bor-
derie,^ but we do not think that the last word has been said upon
them.
1 Bangor, pp. 278, 326. ^ lolo MSS., p. 314.
' 3 Pp. 109, 146. ■* J. G. ^va.n5, Report on Welsh AfSS., i, p. 919. 5 j^^ p^ ^g-,^
« W. LI. Morgan, Antiquarian Survey of Gower, London, 1899, p. 266.
' Catalogues episc. de la prov. de Tours, Paris, 1890, p. 95 ; and Pastes episc .
de I'ancienne Gaule, Paris, 1899, T. II, pp. 381-2.
» Hist de Bretagne, Rennes, 1896, T. I, pp. 560-64.
S. Samson
131
There must have existed a Life, which we will call A, that has been
lost. Whether it were by the author of Vita zma, and was a first
edition, we are unable to say, but it is probable that it was so, and
this was afterwards recast. by him into the shape in which we now
have it.
I. This Vita ima was published by Mabillon in his Ada SS. 0. S.B.,
sffic. I, Venice, 1733, pp. 165-86. Collated with other copies of the
same, it has been reprinted in the Acta SS. Boll., Jul, T. vi, pp.
573-91-
This was composed by a monk of Pental, and was dedicated by
him to Tighemomagl, Bishop of Dol, of whom this further is known,
that he was the educator of S. Turiaf.i The author informs us as
to his sources. He says : " What I relate I obtained from a vener-
able old man, who spent almost eighty years in a house founded by
Samson beyond the sea, living there a monastic life very orthodox,
and he related to me, with great readiness, many of the admirable
acts of the saint, assuring me that all this had been told by the mother
of the saint to a very holy deacon, the uncle of this venerable old man,
and himself cousin of Saint Samson. Not only so, but this deacon,
named Enoch, had brought across the sea many and dainty words
(i.e. a written account), in polished style, of his (Samson's) more won-
drous works performed on this side of the sea, in Britannia (Armorica)
and Romania (Gaul). And the aforesaid venerable old man had them
read before me with pious care, without ceasing, in the monastery that
he inhabited." ^
Consequently, for the first part of Samson's Life, that passed in
Britain, the authority was the relation made by the Saint's mother
to Enoch, a kinsman of Samson, and this relation was made to
Enoch near the time when her son was alive ; that thus, there
^ Acta SS. Boll., Jul., T. Ill, pp. 614-25 ; also Abbe Duine, Saints de
Domnonee, Rennes, 1912.
^ " Primo autem omnium, credi a vobis me volo, quo[d] uon juxta adinven-
tionis meae temeritatem nee juxta inordinata et incomposita audita, hsec verba
collecta sunt, sed juxta hoc quod a quodam religioso ac venerabili sene [audivi],
in cujus domo, quam ultra mare ipse solus Samson fundaverat, ille per octogen-
arios fere annos Catholicam vitam ducens propissimisque [or piissimisque]
temporibus ejusdem supradicti St. Samsonis, matrem \in the text mater] ejus
tradidisse avunculo suo sanctissimo diacono, qui et ipse diaconus consobrinus esset
Sancto Samsoni, mihi veraciter aiSrmabat, multaque de ejus admirabilibus gestis
misericorditer referens. Et non solum hoc ; sed etiam quamplura ac delicata,
de ejus prodigiosioribus actibus quaa citra mare in Britannia ac Romana
mirabiliose fecit, verba supradictus diaconus, Henocus nomine, congruis stiUs
polita ultra mare adportavit, et ille, de quo nuper prefati sumus, venerabilis senex
semper ante me, in isto monasterio commanens, pie legere ac diligenter faciebat."
Vita ima, Prol., in Acta SS. Boll., Jul., VI, p. 573.
132 Lives of the British Saints
intervened between his hero and his biographer but a single
generation, that of the old monk who was over eighty. This is a
guarantee for the historic value of the main facts, but allowance
must be made for the exaggerations of an affectionate and admir-
ing mother; then for further embellishment by the deacon Enoch;
next for additional colours laid on by the imagination of an
old monk of something like ninety years ; and finally for the last
touches given by the biographer. The result has been, as we shall
see, that the early life of Samson has been distorted in a strange
manner, and that circumstances, in themselves not extraordinary,
have been shown to us through a cloud of miraculous marvel.
The record must have been committed to writing seme forty or
fifty years after the death of Samson.
For the second portion of Samson's Life, that passed in Armorica,
the Vita xma reproduces the written narrative possessed by the old
monk Henocus.
" All this," says M. de la Borderie, " is deduced with certainty from
the formal testimony of the author, in his prologue ; and it is
difficult to imagine a safer source for an historical narrative, for it
emanates from two persons of the family of Samson, who had the
best means of knowing, the one, his mother, in Britain ; the other,
Enoch, on the Continent." This is so far true as to the substance of
the story. The embroidery must be ruthlessly cut away, worked over
the threads by the affection and family pride, and the prevailing love
of the marvellous, and the Celtic proneness to exaggeration in the
narrators.
The writer, who had received his information from the old monk,
desired to complete and check the story, by visiting the localities men-
tioned in the record, and collecting such reminiscences of his hero as
still lingered about them. He accordingly visited the monastery of
Llanilltyd, where Samson had passed his youth, that of Ynys Pyx, of
which he had been for a while head ; he sought out the desert by the
Severn, and venerated the oratory to which the saint had retired after
leaving Ynys Pyr. He saw and read the letter which the Synod had
despatched to Samson, inviting his attendance ; he also touched the
cross cut by the saint on a menhir in Cornwall.
Of the marvels related, it is not necessary to say much. Some are
obvious exaggerations, as when a viper is magnified into a monster ;
some are the commonplaces of hagiological romance ; the dove that
appears thrice, when Samson is ordained deacon, priest, and bishop ;
and the dragon he finds in a cave and precipitates into the sea, repeated
thrice. ,
S. Samson 133
Unless a biography were padded out with marvels, it had no chance
of becoming popular ; and a writer had to consult the prevailing taste
of his day.
One of the marvels recorded, that of the snappmg of the poisoned
vessel, the biographer borrowed from the Life of S. Martin. The story
of the sterility of Samson's mother Anna, he appropriated from Scrip-
ture. But all reserves made, the Life of S. Samson is one of the most
valuable documents we possess relative to the early history of the
Church in Britain and in Armorica.
The Vita xma consists of two distinct parts, both by the same hand,
but differing in character. The first is a biography of Samson from
the cradle to the grave. The second is a sermon preached at Dollon
the Feast of the Saint. It contains a number of incidents from the
Life of Samson not included in the first part.
It is, however, probable that the original biography A contained
these in their proper chronological sequence. We may be sure that
the author, knowing these incidents, would have included them in his
narrative in their proper place. But when he was called upon to
preach a sermon on the glories of S. Samson, he made a cento of the
miracles from his biography ; and as he was well pleased with this pro-
duction, he published a second edition of his Life, without those
anecdotes, and issued his sermon as a second part to the Vita Samsonis.
This seems to be the most probable explanation, as it accounts for
the sequence in the Vita zda which was apparently based, not on the
Vita ima, as we now have it, but on that Life in its original form.
The sermon, being an independent composition, might well have
contained some of the stories given in the Vita. But it does not. The
author has taken care not to repeat himself.
Of this Vita xma, some of the MSS. extant are without the prologue
and without the Second Part or Sermon, but no copy of the supposed
first edition exists.^
2. The Vita 2da was published by Dom Plaine, O.S.B., in the Ana-
ledaBollandiana, T. VI (1887), pp. 79-150. Dom Plaine was nothing
of a critic, and he attempted vainly to show that this Life was the most
ancient of all, and that it was the composition of a contemporary. It
is actually based on the Vita xma, which it follows textually in places,
but, as we suppose, not the Vita xma as we have it, but the text A, the
first edition before it was altered and cut about and the Sermon added
to it.
1 " Je crois sans peine que la Vita Samsonis tat composee une cinquantaine
d'annees au plus apres la mort du saint, et quelle entrelace dans son tissu les sou-
-venirs d'un contemporain de Sanason." Abbe Duine, Saints de Domnonie,
JRennes, 1912.
134 Lives of the British Saiitts
It is divided into two Books, but unlike the Vita zma, as we have it,
the two form one complete whole. The First Book is devoted to the
Life of Sanison in Britain, the Second to his Life on the Continent.
Each book is preceded by a prologue in verse, and is followed by a
metrical epilogue. The prologue and epilogue of the Second Book
inform us that the Life was composed by order of Louenan, Bishop of
Dol.i
Now, happily, we know when Louenan occupied the chair of S. Sam-
son. A letter has been preserved written by Rohbod, Provost of the
Chapter of Dol, to Athelstan, in which he says that during a period of
tranquillity in Armorica, Edward the Elder, father of Athelstan, had
written to Louenan, Archbishop of Dol, desiring to be admitted into
the fellowship of prayer and good works of the Church of S. Samson.
When Rohbod wrote, he and the monks had abandoned Dol, flying
before the Northmen.^ The time of tranquillity to which he refers
came to a rude termination in 907. Edward the Elder reigned from
901 to 924. Consequently, the Life dedicated to Louenan must have
been written at the very end of the ninth century or in the tenth before
907.
Either the author had before him an earlier text of the Vita una than
any we possess, or else he showed considerable ingenuity in picking
out the anecdotes found in the homily and adjusting them into what
he supposed was their proper place in the narrative. One shifting of
an incident was performed either by him or by the first biographer in
his revision for a second edition.
In the Vita ima, after the author has told us of how Illtyd foretold
the future greatness of the infant Samson, he goes on to give an in-
stance of lUtyd's prophetic vision, when he was on his deathbed.
Illtyd died 527-37.
Now, one of two alternatives must be adopted. Either the first
biographer had given this account of Illtyd's death in his first edition,
at the point in Samson's career when Illtyd's death occurred, but in
his second edition removed it to his account of Samson's birth to enforce
^ " Quae prius in prosa resonant ex tempore prisco
Me resonare jubet Louenan episcopus, amplas
Samsonis per metrum virtutes venerandi
Decantare jubet."
" Louenan, la;tus, largitor, longanimisque
Princeps pacificus patrise, defensor egentum,
Samsonis sedis venerandae pastor haberis."
From the words of the prologue it is clear that a prose text of the Life of Samsoa
did exist before the writer undertook his task.
' WilUam of Malmesbury, Gesta regum Anglits, Rolls ed., I, p. 221, note.
S. Samson 135
the value of the prophecy of Illtyd made when the child Samson was
presented to him ; or else the compiler of Vita zda removed the anec-
dote from this place and grafted it into his story at the place to which
chronologically it belongs. It seems to us more probable that in A the
death of Illtyd was given in its proper historical place, that the writer
of Vita 2da found it there and copied it into his narrative, and that
the author of Vita xma changed the position of the anecdote for the
purpose above suggested.
The second Biographer softens down characteristic incidents such as
might shock the finer susceptibilities of a later age. Thus, the author
of the First Life franldy admits that Samson lost his temper in the
presence of Childebert, and broke out into violent language. The
second Biographer merely says that Samson persisted till he had carried
his point with the Frank king.
The earlier writer says that when Samson arrived at Docho, he sent
to the monastery there to ask permission to remain awhile in it ; but
that the monks refused to receive him, and bade him go on his way.
The composer of the Second Life did not relish this snub administered
to his hero, so he altered the incident, and made the monks entreat
Samson to remain with them, but that he refused to do so. Neverthe-
less, as we shall see in the sequel, this later writer has preserved in his
account of this transaction something from A which the author of Vita
zma exscinded from his second edition.
The compiler was either very ignorant, or, what is more probable,,
was very unscrupulous. He pretends that Childebert invested Sam-
son with the archiepiscopal ofhce, and granted him jurisdiction over
aU Brittany ; ^ whereas Dol was not raised to be an archiepiscopal
see till after the victories over Charles the Bald by Nominee in 850.
This was so near to the time of the author that we cannot acquit him
of dishonesty. He must have known that Dol was made metropoli-
tan quite recently.
The Vita zda is valuable, for it contains matters relative to the early
history of Brittany not to be found in the First Life.
A curious discrepancy is found between the two Lives relative to an
attempt made to poison Samson by two of his cousins.
According to Vita xma this attempt was made after that Samson had
been ordained priest, and it is impUed that he was celebrant on the
ensuing Sunday, when, as he administered the sacred elements (bucella)
to one of these cousins, the man was seized with a fit. But the author
» " Tunc S. Samson de manu Hilberti imperatoris et verbo et commendatione
archiepiscopatum totius Britannia recipiens . . . prospero itinere ... ad
Dolum pervenit."
136 Lives of the British Saints
of Vita 2da says that this took place when Samson was a deacon, and
it was when Samson, acting as deacon, administered the chaHce, that
the man was struck. " Cum Sanctus Samson cahcem de altare ele-
vasset, sicut mos diacono est, ille accepit de manu Sancti Samsonis, et
de iUo communicavit." No object was to be gained in altering the
particulars, and we suspect that it stood thus in A, from which the
author of the Vita 2,da worked, and that the author of Vita Tma made
the change in his second edition, having found that he had been in error
in his first.
All that portion of the Life of S. Samson which relates to his doings
on the Continent is much fuller in Vita zda than in Vita xma ; it gives
us historical particulars lacking in the first. In both Lives the
narrative of the marvels wrought at the Court of Childebert is extrava-
gant, but, as we shall show, are borrowed from other Lives. Vita ima
sticks closer to the original text A, but Vita ada retains the historical
sequence of events disturbed in Vita ima. The author of Vita ima
was but a poor Latinist. The author of the Second Life was to some
extent scholarly. He belonged not to the British generation of settlers
at Dol, as he shows by his absurd etymologies of Dol and Rotinon.
3. The Third Life is that in the Liber Landavensis, ed. Rees, Llan-
dovery, 1840, pp. 8-25 ; the Book of Llan Ddv, ed. Evans and Rhys,
■Oxford, 1893, pp. 6-24. This book was written about the year 1150,
and the Life was compiled about the same time. Vita ima serving as
basis. This was condensed. The reluctance of Samson to go to his
sick father, and the insistence of Pirus that he should obey the sum-
mons is omitted, as is also the account of the drunkenness of Pirus ;
but the fact of Samson having lost his temper and breaking out into
abusive language is retained. The interview with Winiau and the
refusal of the monks of Docho to entertain him is cut out. So also is
the anecdote of lUtyd's prevision on his deathbed of the lot of two
brethren. Samson is priest when the attempt is made on his life by
his cousins. On the other hand, a few local traditions are inserted, as
that lUtyd and Dubricius were asked by Amwn and Anna to pray that
they might be given a son. The name of Samson is imposed on the
child by lUtyd when he baptizes him. The story of the birdscaring
from'^the corn, and the driving of the fowl into a bam, is imported intT
the Life from that of S. lUtyd, but abridged. In the Vita 2da the story
is told of Samson late on in his life and as occurring in Neustria."-
The lateness of the composition is shown by Dubricius being
styled Archbishop, a title given to him by Geoffrey of Monmouth ;
* Cambro-British Saints, p, 170.
*S'. Samson 137
and by making the bishop's throne of Do! metropolitan over all
Brittany.'
4. John of Tynemouth further condensed this Life, and his conden-
sation is in Capgrave's Nova Legenda Anglice. This is of no value. It
adds nothing to what we already possess.
. In the Salisbury Breviary of 1483 three lections are provided for
S. Samson's Day, giving an account of his birth, his ordinaLijn as
deacon, and his consecration as bishop.
The Exeter Breviary, drawn up by Bishop Grandisson in 1366, also
gives three lections ; the first concerns his birth, the second relates
a miracle in the harvest field, and the third sums up the rest of his
life. 2
5. A Life was composed by Balderic, Abbot of Bourgueil and Arch-
bishop of Dol (1107-30). He took as his basis the Vita 2,da. This is
an elaborate literary work. " Prologue soigne, transition limee entre
la premiere et la secunde partie de I'ouvrage, antitheses, alliterations,
cadence de la phrase, rien ne manque de ce qui charmait tous
les lettres au commencement du xiie siecle." ^ It adds nothing.
Balderic omits the drunkenness of Pirus. He transforms the theomacha
into a phantom that vanishes, so as to avoid the fact of Samson having
killed the unfortunate woman. When the Breviary of Dol was drawn
up in 1519, the lections were taken from the text of Balderic, with,
however, an addition, relative to the fable of Samson having been Arch-
bishop of York, which is inserted in the second lesson.
The text of Balderic has not been printed in its entirety. It exists
as MS. in the Bibl. Nat., Paris, MS. lat. 5,350.
For a bibUography of S. Samson, see F. Duine, Notes sur les Saints
Bretons, Rennes, Simon, 1902, pp. 9-25 ; and the Dictionary of Na-
tional Biography, under the head of Samson.
For the MS. copies of the Lives enumerated, see J. Loth, Appendice
a L' Emigration Bretonne en Armorique, Paris, Picard, 1883.
In the lolo MSS. are several references to S. Samson, but these are
too late and uncertain to be of much value.
" S. Samson of Bangor Illtyd, the son of Am\vn Ddu, King of Graweg
in Armorica. He was Bishop of that Bangor and after that of York,
and subsequently in Armorica. He lies buried in Illtyd's church." "
^ " Unde principatus totius Britanniae apud Dolum juste constare videtur
usque hodie." Book of Llan Ddv, p. 24.
2 Nicolas Roscarrock in his MS. Lives of the English Saints gives a summary
of the Life of S. Samson, but it is taken from Capgrave.
' Abbe Duine, Notes sur les Saints Bretons, p. 19.
■* Jolo MSS., p. 105. A list of the abbots of Llantwit mentioned in the Booh
of Llan D&v is given in Birch, Marram Abbey, pp. 4-5.
138 Lives of the British Saints
Graweg stands for Broweroc. Samson never was at York. His^
namesake and not he was buried at Llantwit. The later Samson said
to have been Abbot there is supposed to have lived in the early ninth
century. It is questionable, however, whether there was more than
one Samson Abbot of Llantwit, namely he of Del.
" S. Anna, the daughter of Uthyr Bendragon, and mother of Cynyr
of Caer Gawch. Afterwards she became the wife of Amwn Ddu, of
Bangor Illtyd, King of Graweg in Armorica. A son of hers by that
Amwn was S. Samson of lUtyd's choir." ^
Here we have two Annas confounded. Anna, mother of Samson,,
was daughter of Meurig, and Anna wife, not mother, of Cynyr, was the
daughter of Gwrthefyr (Vortimer).
" Samson, son of Amwn Ddu, King of Graweg, ab Emyr Llydaw,
and Anna, daughter of Meurig ab Tewdrig, King of Glamorgan, was
his mother. He was a saint and bishop of Illtyd's choir, where he lies
buried." ^
" S. Anna, daughter of Uthyr Bendragon, and mother of S. David ;
and before that {sic) she was wife of Amwn Ddu, son of Emyr Llydaw.
She had a son of that Amwn, by name Samson, a saint of Illtyd's
choir." ^
Among the founders of churches in Glamorgan, Samson, Bishop and
Saint of Illtyd's choir, is named as founder of Marcross, near Llantwit.*
In Norman times the dedication was changed to that of the Holy
Trinity.
In dealing with the Life of S. Samson, two fictions have to be dis-
posed of, neither of which receives any countenance from the Lives
above mentioned. These fictions are : —
(i) That Samson was Archbishop of Menevia.
{2) That Samson was at one time Archbishop of York.
The second is the earliest. This Samson's fictitious existence we owe
to Geoffrey of Monmouth. But there was a Samson, son of Caw, who
is stated to have had a church dedicated to him at York. That this
Samson, if he ever lived, was at York is doubtful in the extreme.
Then the Church of Dol, desirous of maintaining its archiepiscopal
position, supposed at first, and next confidently asserted, that
Samson had been Archbishop of York, and had received the paU,
before he migrated to Armorica.
A Samson was, indeed. Bishop of S. David's, but at a far later period.
Certainly Samson ab Caw never was a bishop there. Giraldus Cam-
brensis,^ who gives the succession of the " Archbishops " of Menevia,
1 lolo MSS., p. 107. 2 Ibid., p. 132. ' Ibid., p. 141.
■* Ibid., p. 221. ^ Itin. Catnb. II, c. i.
S. Samson 1 3 9
names them in this order. David, Cenauc, Ehud, Ceneu, Morwal,.
Haerunen, Elwaed, Gumuen, and so en to the twenty-fifth, who was
Samson. Now, as David died in or about 589, and he was the con-
temporary of Samson of Dol, it is obvious that tlie twenty-fourth bishop
after him cannot have been Samson ab Amwn Ddu. But Giraldus,,
blind to this, goes on, " In the time of Sampson, the pall was translated
from Menevia in the following manner. A disorder called the Yellow
Plague, and by the physicians the Icteric passion, of which the people
died in great numbers, raged throughout Wales, at the time when Samp-
son held the archiepiscopal see. Though a holy man, and fearless of
death, he was prevailed upon, by the earnest entreaties of his people,
to go on board a vessel, which was wafted, by a south wind, to Britan-
nia Armorica, where he and his attendants were safely landed. The
See of Dol being at that time vacant, he was immediately elected bishop.
Hence it came to pass, that on account of the pall which Sampson had
brought thither with him, the succeeding bishops, even to our times,
always retained it."
This is a marvellous jumble of impossibihties. There were two
outbreaks of the Yellow Plague, one in 547, lasting to 550,1 i^^ other
in 664.^ A third great mortality of a different nature took place in
682-3.^ S. Samson was contemporary with the first, but not by a
word in his Life is it intimated that he fled because of it. On the con-
trary, we know from the Life of S. Teilo, that Samson was already at
Dol, when Teilo fled from Wales on account of the pestilence.
The immediate predecessor of Samson, Bishop of Menevia, was.
Arthwael, who succeeded Asser. This Asser, there is reason to suppose,,
was the bishop whom King Alfred summoned from Wales to his court.
He styles him " Asser, my bishop," and he conferred on him the Bishop-
ric of Sherborne. Asser merely says of himself that he went to Alfred
(in 884) " out of the furthest coasts of Western Britain."
We cannot positively affirm that Asser, the Bishop of Alfred, was.
the Asser, twenty- third Bishop of Menevia, but at all events they were
contemporaries if not identical persons.
The legend of Samson, first Archbishop of York, then of Menevia,
and lastly of Dol, was fabricated and set afloat for a polemical purpose,
to support the claims of S. David's, and of Dol, to be metropolitan sees.
Having disposed of these fictions, we may now address ourselves to
the Life itself.
^ AnnaUs Cambria, ed. Phimmore, in Y Cymmrodor.lX.p.iSS- With this
agree the Irish Annals. Those of the Four Masters, after giving a hst of deaths,
say under 548, " aU died of the plague Crom Chonaille. This was the first Buile
Chonaille." ' ^ Anglo-Saxon CJiron., sub anno : Bede, Hist. Ecd., Ill, c. 27.
^ Annales Camb., sub. anno.
140 Lives of the British Saints
According to the Vita ima Amon or Amwn, the father of Samson,
was of Demetia, and his mother of Deventia. " Pater ejusdem Sancti
Samsonis Demetiano ex genere, Ammon nomine, et ejus mater
Dementia {al. Deventia) provincia proxima ejusdem Demetias, Anna
nomine." ^
The Vita zda says, " Pater . . . Demetiano ex genere Amon no-
mine, exortus est. At mater ejus, Anna non ine, de Venastia provincia,
quas proxima est eidem Demetiffi, exorta est." ^
The Life in the Book of Llan Ddv, " Fuit vir Amon regah prosapia
de regione Methiana (for Demetiana), et uxor ejus, Anna." ^
Demetia is Pembrol<:e and part of Carmarthen, Deventia, Dementia
(i.e. de Ventia), Venetia is Gwent, which at that time included Mor-
ganwg.
The apparent conflict between the statements in the Lives and in the
genealogies relative to the origin of Amwn may be reconciled. He was
a refugee in Demetia from Llydaw, to which his family in an earlier
generation had emigrated from Demetia.
The Welsh genealogies that make the grandfather of Emyr Llydaw
brother of Cystennin, the grandfather of Arthur, cannot be trusted
implicitly, yet in the Life of S. lUtyd, that Saint is spoken of as a kins-
man of Arthur.* S. Tudwal's mother was the sister of Rhiwal who
made himself master of Domnonia in Brittany, having crossed over
from Britain, and she was wife of Hywel according to Breton tradition.
Hywel Farchog was the brother of Amwn, and founder of the church of
Llanhowell, near S. David's, in Demetia.
Anna, the mother of Samson, was daughter of Meurig ab Tewdrig,
a King of Morganwg. The brother of Amwn, Umbrafel, married
another daughter of Meurig, and by her had three children, before that
Amwn and Anna had any.
The story of the birth of Samson has been already told.'' It is
suspicious, as it looks as though i t is an importation from the Biblical
accounts of the births of Samson and of Samuel. It does not agree
happily with what the biographer himself tells us, that Samson had
five brothers and a sister. If Samson were the child of the old age of
Anna, she must have become a prolific mother late in life. Moreover,
Anna lived on tiU late in the life of her famous son, so that she can hardly
have been well-stricken in years when Samson was bom.
When Samson was given to Amwn and his wife, he was baptized by
1 Vita ima, ed. Acta SS. Boll., Jul., vi, p. 574.
2 Vita 2da, ed. Plaine (separate issue), Paris, 1887, p. 6.
^ Book of Llan Ddv, ed. Evans and Rhys, p. 6.
* " Consobrinus." Vita S. Iltuti in Camb.-Brit. Saints, p. 159.
5 i, pp. 161-2.
, S. Samson 1 4. r
S. Illtyd [yUa 31a), who called him by the name of the great judge of
Israel. At the age of five, the child was committed to Illtyd to be
educated {yita ya). The Life by John of Tynemouth says that he was
not surrendered to lUtyd till aged seven.
Under his master Samson studied hard, for lUtyd was the most
learned of aU the Britons in the Scriptures, in Philosophy, to wit,
Geometry, Grammar, and Arithmetic, and he was " genere magnificus
sagacissimus et futurorum prsescius " (Vita ima). The reading
" genere Magicus " is incorrect.
He was taught letters by means of little tablets or dies, on each of
which a letter was inscribed, and he showed great quickness of appre-
hension.'
On one occasion he had a discussion with Illtyd on some question,
probably the interpretation of a passage of Scripture. Together they
searched the sacred volume, but could arrive at no solution. On the
third night Samson hit on an explanation, which he supposed was in-
spired by an angel, and this he communicated to his master, who-
accepted it.^
At the age of fifteen Samson began to practise fasting, but was repri-
manded by S. Illtyd, who said, " My httle son, it is not proper that you
should injure the health of your small body in its early bloom by
excessive abstinence."
Illtyd employed his pupils in repairing the old dykes that had been
erected by the Roman legionaries to keep out the tides of the Severn.-^
On a Sunday, when Dubricius " papa " visited the monastery for
the purpose of conferring orders, three were submitted to him, two to be
ordained priests, Samson to be received into the diaconate. Then it
was, as the three genuflected, that a dove flew in at the window, and
when the bishop raised his hand to lay it on the candidate for the dia-
conate, the bird perched on Samson's shoulder. There may be truth
in the story. If Samson fed the pigeons of the monastery one of them
may well have entered and singled out the youth by whom it was accus-
tomed to be fed. * Gregory of Tours tells the story of a pigeon fiutter-
1 " Sub uno eodemque die vicenas eleas tesserasque agnovit totas." Vita
ima, p. 576.
2 The author of Vita ima says that he knew what was the subject of dispute,
but omitted it for the sake of brevity.
3 A stone was found in 1878 near GoldcUft, bearing a Roman inscription, show-
ing that the legionaries stationed at Caerleon were employed on the dykes. Hist.
Traditions relating to Gwent, by W. N. Jones, Newport, Mon., 1897, Pt. I, p. 117.
4 " Veniente Dubricio papa ad ejusdem domum die Dominica . . . ab
eodem papa diaconus ordinatus est. Tres fratres ibidem ordinati sunt, duo in
presbyterii, ille tertius in diaconatus ofiado ; sed cum ad veniam flectendam juxta
morem fratres compellerentur, vidit sanctus papa una cum magistro Eltuto-
142 Lives of the British Saints
ing in a church whilst the cantors were singing, then coming down and
perching on the hand of a youth. When he sought to drive it away it
returned and settled on his head. Gregory does not pretend that the
bird was supernatural.^
The favour shown to Samson by his master roused the jealousy of
two of the brethren, nephews of lUtyd, one of whom was a priest, the
other was not in Orders [sine gradu). That which they dreaded was
lest on the death of the abbot, Samson should aspire to the succession.
Samson was first cousin once removed, to lUtyd. These brothers as
nephews stood nearer, and me or other of them might reasonably
expect to succeed. As Samson might prove a rival, they resolved on
getting rid of him.-
It was customary, no doubt, in spring, that all the inmates of the
monastery should be given a cooling beverage to purify their blood. ^
The layman, Samson's cousin, who was butler, put some poisonous
herbs into the infusion prepared for Samson. The Saint had his sus-
picions and refused to drink. He gave the mixture to a cat [pelax],
which died after lapping it. That a cat should drink herb tea is improb-
able. The biographer pretends that Samson did drain the cup and was
none the worse for the draught. We cannot reject the story altogether,
for this same lay brother became later one of Samson's most attached
disciples, and the story of the attempt must have been well known
through him to many. The priest, we are informed, was attacked with
a fit next Sunday when receiving the communion from the hand of
Samson.
Probably the truth was that the lay brother's heart failed him and
he did not poison the draught, as his brother the priest had advised.
Samson was ordained priest, and again the dove appeared. The
biographer, however, candidly admits that nobody saw it except
Dubricius, lUtyd, and Samson himself.
The prejudice felt against Samson was possibly not confined to his
cousins, and he began to feel uncomfortable in the Llantwit monastery,
but he hesitated to ask his master to let him go, till lUtyd himself
recommended that he should leave.
columbam per fenestram sursum apertam . . . stare. Et non solum hoc, sed
■etiam episcopo manum ad confirmandum eum diaconum super eum levante,
columba in scapulam dexteram ejus descendit." Vita ima, p. 577.
' Hist. Franc, X, 29.
2 " Presbyter . . . metuens ipse ne propter S. Samsonem a suo hereditario
privaretur ac destitueretur monasterio, quod post suum aviinculum sperabat
possidere," etc. Vita ima, p. 577.
' " Consuetudo enim erat in hujus monasterii lege herbas hortivas per pocu-
lum ad sanitatem convenienter fricare, ac singulis fratribus in suis vasculis . . .
ad sanitatem particulatim dividere." Ibid.
S. Samson 143
Then Samson departed for a monastery in Ynys Pyr, or Caldey Isle,*
presided over by " an illustrious and holy priest " named Pirus.
The abbot received Samson as an angel of God, and in his new
quarters the Saint became more strict than before in his mode of life.
No one saw him idle ; he was continually occupied in reading, writing, or
in prayer, when not engaged on the manual tasks imposed on him. To
enable him to pursue his studies at night, he borrowed a lantern and
took it to his cell.^ He never lay on a bed, but slept on the ground,
leaning his back against the wall.
Ynys Pyr is a fertile island, rising with bold cliffs out of the sea.
The mediaeval priory that rose on the site of the monastery of Pirus
still stands almost intact. Near it is a copious spring. On the main-
land opposite is Manorbier.^
Whilst Samson was at Ynys Pyr his father fell ill, and it was feared
that he might die. The old man sent to require his son to visit him,
and stoutly protested that whether he lived or died he would not
receive the Holy Communion save in the presence of Samson.
The messengers took a boat, arrived at Ynys Pyr, and were received
for the night into the hospitium outside the monastery precincts.
Next morning, when the brethren issued forth to their work in the
fields, they found the messengers hammering at the gates clamouring
for Samson. Samson was among those who were going out, but the
men did not recognize him.
The Saint, " spiritually joking," and " with a cheerful countenance,"
asked what they wanted. They repHed that they had been sent for
the son of Amwn. Samson volunteered to convey their message to
him, but they replied that the communication they were sent to make
was for his ear alone.
" Verily," said Samson, " unless you tell me your errand you shall
not see him."
Pirus, who was present, failed to catch the humour of this " spiritual
joke," and informed the messengers that the monk who stood before
them was none other than the man they sought. Thereupon the
messengers gave the particulars. Amwn was seriously ill, and desired
his son's presence. Anna joined in urging him to come. The old man
believed that he could not die happily unless he saw his son once more,
and he stubbornly refused to be communicated, unless Samson went
to him.
iDugdale Monast. IV, p. 130. "Insula Pyr quo alio nomine Caldea
Bunoupatur." Leland, Itin., V, p. 24, " and agaynst this towne, or betwixt
yt. and Tenby, lyeth Inispir, i.e. Insula Pirrhi, aUas Calday."
'2 " Lucemam suae mansioni portans." Vita ima, p. 579.
' For the name, see supra, pp. 89-90.
144 Lives of the British Sai?its
Samson replied coldly, " I have left Egypt, why should I retumi
thither ? "
Pirus now intervened and bade him go, not out of filial obedience,,
but on the chance of capturing his parents for the monastic pro-
fession.^
Accordingly Samson selected a young deacon as his companion, and
set out, taking with him a couple of horses. ^ They passed through a
dense wood. Till of late years the whole seaboard by Tenby was bare ;
but further inland all was forest. The strange sounds, the hooting of
owls, and cries of hawks filled the deacon with terror.
Presently they heard a human voice hallooing on their " right
hand." This was more than the deacon could bear; he let go the
bridle of the sumpter horse that he was leading, threw away his cloak,
and took to his heels.
Next moment a woman issued from the shades of the trees, grey-
headed, with wildly-flowing hair, and carrying a boar-spear in her
hand.^ Seeing the young man running she threw her spear after him
but without injuring him ; '' however, out of sheer fright, he fell
sprawling, and fainted.
Samson called after him, " Do not be afraid ! " but in vain. Then
he stooped, picked up the fallen cloak, threw it over the back of the^
horse, caught it by the rein, and went forward in the direction of the
deacon.
On reaching the young man, he tried to rouse him, but found him
in a dead faint. Then Samson called to the old woman, who was
retiring, and bade her draw near. She, not caring to lose her spear,
hesitatingly approached.
^ " Quare sic dicis, electe Dei ? non enim negligenter facere debes opus Dei
. . . curam enim te opportet habere de animarum profectu ; nam merces tua
grandis erit cum Deo, dum ubi carnalia creverunt, spiritualia per te seminentur.''
Vita inia, p. 579.
2 It seems probable that this same deacon was Enoch, who afterwards com-
municated the story. In this episode many little details are given : the spiritual
waggery of Samson, the voice heard " on the right hand," the throwing away of
the cloak, its being picked up by Samson, the leap of the woman " to the left,"
the presence of the deacon in the room when Amwn makes his confession, the-
investigation into the matter by Dubricius. All proclaim the presence of the
narrator.
' " Vidit theomacliam hirsutam, canutamque, anum decrepitam, suis vesti-
mentis bribitam, trisulcatamque venalem in manu tenentem." Vita ima,_
p. 580. Vita Ida renders this, " Vidit theomacham hirsutam, canutamque,
anum jam decrepitam ; suis vestimentis bribitam, trisulcatamque venalem in
manu tenentem," p. 20. The Life in the Book of Llan Dav has, " Theomacha
ursuta et cornuta cum lancea trisulcata," p. 13.
* " Triscula lancea maleficae mulieris corpus ejus non fuit perfossum." ,, Vita-
ima, p. 580.
S. Samson I ^. 5
" You hideous creature {mala forma) ! Who and what are you ? "
rudely inquired the saint.
The poor woman (anum jam decrepitam) ,^ thus addressed, told a
pitiful tale. She belonged to the original inhabitants of the land,
that had been greatly reduced in numbers, and, in fact, she and her
mother and eight sisters were all that remained. Her husband was
dead. 2
Samson commanded her to revive the unconscious deacon. This,
she replied, was beyond her powers. Her spear had not touched him ;
he was simply paralysed with fright. Thereupon Samson cursed
her to die on the spot. Then she sprang aside " to the left hand,'"
fell, and expired.^
The story, with its minute details, must not be relegated to the
domain of fiction. It bears every character of an actual occurrence
described by an eye-witness.
On reaching his father's house, Amwn ordered every one out of the
room except his wife, his son, and the deacon, and before them made
confession of the irregularities of his past life. Then, strongly urged
thereto by Anna, he vowed to dedicate himself to God, and insisted
on having his head clipped immediately. Anna was not content
with this. " Surely it is not sufficient that you and I should serve
God," said she ; "let us devote all our offspring to the service of
God, and surrender all our possessions."
" Very well," said Amwn. " It shall be as you say."
There were present five brothers of Samson and one young sister.
All these the parents, indisposed to do things by halves, offered to
God and to Samson. The latter hesitated a moment, and then accepted
the oblation made of his brothers, but declined to take his sister,
as he foresaw that she would be addicted to the pomps and vanities
of the world. It did not occur to the parents or to Samson to consult
the wishes and interests of the five young men, in the matter. But
the transaction wore another complexion. Amwn had no tribal
rights in Demetia. Samson, his most notable son, failed altogether
to obtain a permanent foothold there, and Amwn saw that the sole
' Yet her mother was alive, so that she cannot have been so very old.
2 " Theomacha sum, et gentes meae hue usque praevaricatrices vobis extiter-
unt." Ibid. Clearly she belonged to the Silurian indigenes.
' " Malefica ilia muher saltum pr£ecipitem in latere sinistro dans ad terram
corruit et mortua est." Samson had said, " Deum omnipotentem imploro, ne
ampUus aliis injuriam facias, sed dum irremediabihs es, hac hora moriaris."
Ibid. In Vita 2da, " Etilla statim rugiens, ac in latere sinistro cadens, statim
mortua est."
VOL. IV. ^
146 Lives of the British Saints
chance for his sons was to embrace the ecclesiastical profession. Of
the five brothers we know the names of two only. Tydecho crossed
into Armorica to see if he could recover something among the wreck-
age of the family rights, but failed, and returned. Tathan, ^ possi-
bl}', managed to plant a church, S. Athan's, near Llantwit Major.
Whether the other three remained with Samson is doubtful. If they
had done so their names would probably have been preserved. As
far as we can judge, the five brothers accepted the dedication to God,
but declined that to Samson made by their father.
At the same time Umbrafel and his wife Afrella, the uncle and aunt
of Samson,' professed their readiness to enter the religious life. Sam-
son disposed suitably of his mother and aunt, and required his father
and uncle to accompany him to Ynys Pyr. It is not said that his
brothers agreed to attend him.
Amwn and Umbrafel divided all that they possessed into three
portions ; one they gave to the poor, one to the Church, and the third
they reserved for themselves. Their sons and daughter got nothing.
On the return journey an incident occurred that has been grossly
exaggerated.
As they were walking along, Amwn leading the way, followed by
Umbrafel, they came on a patch of ground that had been recently
burnt, and before them, in the path, lay a large snake. Amwn drew
back and pointed it out to his brother, who thereupon also halted.
Samson, from the rear, inquired what was the matter, and was told.
He bade the company not be alarmed, and went forward. Amwn
complacently sat down beside the road, and the rest did the same,
awaiting the result. The only one who made a faint attempt to
assist Samson was Umbrafel, who said, " It is not advisable that you
should proceed alone against the creature ; allow me to accompany
you." " There is really no need," answered Samson ; " sit down with
the rest."
When the snake saw Samson advancing towards it, it reared
itself on its tail, hissing ; but Samson, without much difficulty, suc-
ceeded in killing it. That this really was a poisonous serpent, and
not a grass-snake, appears from its rising on its tail, and attempting
to strike at its assailant. As the story travelled down, passed from
one to another, till it reached the biographer, the viper grew till it
became a " serpens flamineo capite pervasta deserta serpitans," and
the creature not relishing the smell (nidorem) of Samson, eats itself,
1 Not to be confounded with Ta-Jhan, the master of Cadoc at Caerwent. But
the documents point to an unknown female S. Tathana as the saint.
S. Samson 147
beginning with its tail> As the season was the beginning of Lent,
the serpent must have been hardly awake from its winter sleep.
When Samson arrived at Ynys Pyr he found there Dubricius. The
bishop was accustomed to retire to this island for the forty days of
the great fast.
Apparently the story of the death of the woman in the forest had
got about, and was commented on unfavourably, for Dubricius felt
himself constrained to investigate it. He accordingly summoned
to him the deacon, and endeavoured to extort the truth from him.
That Samson had killed the poor creature could not be denied. The
question was, whether he had knocked her on the head, or had merely
killed her with his curse. She had belonged to one of the aboriginal
natives, and this people was credited with being given over to necro-
mancy. In the Silva Gadelica (ed. O'Grady, 1892) occur many
instances of Irish heroes who gloried in killing women that did not
belong to the fair-haired Milesian stock, and who were suspected of
uttering incantations. The woman, on her own confession, was a
witch, at least so the deacon said, and it was a command of Moses,
" Thou shaft not suffer a witch to live." There is no reason to sup-
pose that Samson would have felt any scruple at killing her, but to
slay a human being, with any other weapon than the tongue, was
irregular and reprehensible.
The deacon was discreet. He had the wit to tell the story in such
a manner as to aggravate the offence of the woman, and not to com-
promise Samson ; and as there was no other witness of the affair,
Dubricius was fain to accept the tale in the plausible form in which
it was served up to him.^
Dubricius now appointed Samson to be steward of the monastery.
This incensed the man who had held the office previously, and he
complained to the bishop that Samson was wasteful, and that the
vessels of honey — we should understand mead — were nearly empty.
Dubricius looked into the matter and ascertained that the charge
was unfounded. This is told as miraculous. Samson, by an exhi-
bition of supernatural power, replenished the exhausted supply. There
are points about the tale that deserve to be noted. It was certainly
' " Samson, quasi anguillam pusillam vidisset, ad eum cucurrit ; serpens
vero videns eum, glebam morsu et arenam capiens . . . et in spiram se velociter
colligens, caudam propriis dentibus rodens, emisit." Vita ida, p, 23.
2 " Diaconum ilium, qui cum sancto Samsone viam fecerat, sanctus Dubri-
cius papa seorsum vocans, diligenter percunctatus est ab eo cunctos eorum eventus
in itinera. Sanctus ergo diaconus omnia per ordinem replicans, ac de sua ignavia
., . . interroganti se episcopo nihil omnino celavit, sed cunctaeihumiliter dixit."
Vita ima, p. 581.
148 Lives of the Bi'itish Saints
an extraordinary act of interference on the part of Dubricius, a visitor,
to change the cellarers. But when we hear that the abbot was a
drunkard, we can understand this. Dubricius was determined to
interpose some one who was trustworthy between Pirus and the liquor.'
Notwithstanding the precautions taken by the bishop, this " emi-
nent man and holy priest," ^ the Abbot Pirus, got drunk one night
in Lent, returning to the monastic enclosure. Finding the Abbey
cellar closed to him, he had probably gone to the guest house outside
for his drink. On his way he tumbled into the well, uttering a hideous
howl. The monks ran to the spot, and pulled him out, but he died
the same night.
The well is still to be seen. It emits a copious stream, so copious
as to turn a small mill. It is a remarkable spring, that must receive
its supply from higher ground on the mainland. Dubricius was still
in the monastery. He summoned the monks to a conclave, and
insisted on their electing Samson as their abbot.
Samson at once proceeded to reform the monastery, and bring the
brethren into better order than had been observed under the easy
rule of Pirus.
This they did not relish ; they chafed at the restraints imposed on
them, and became sullen first, and then insubordinate.
Samson had been abbot for a year and six months, when the island
was visited by some Irish monks on their way home from Rome. He
seized the opportunity to escape from a situation becoming daily more
intolerable, and, alleging a desire to visit Ireland, he quitted Ynys
Pyr, but left his father and uncle behind in it. He seems to have
settled for awhile at Ballygriffin, in the county of Dublin. Here are
the ruins of a church of S. Samson, once parochial, but now absorbed
into that of S. Doulough. "At the left-hand side, entering the avenue
of Ballygriffin Park, some traces of S. Samson's church may still be
seen. It consisted of nave and chancel ; together taken about eighteen
yards in length. The churchyard is under meadow ; still a shadowy
outline of its precincts is faintly discernible." ^
In South Wexford is a Bally Samson, with a ruined church, now
regarded as dedicated to S. Catherine, but the name of the townland
retains a memory of the original founder.
^ ' ' Episcopus latenter ad cellas erumpere cupiens, ea hora antequam veniret
puerum ad sanctum Samsonem ut eum in cellam venire imperaret, misit. Sanc-
tus vero Samson causam agnovit atque in cellam continuo introiens, lanternis
signum crucis imposuit : et dum episcopus venit, plena omnia et perfecta reperta
sunt." Vita ima, p. 582.
* " Insula nuper fundata a quodam egregio viro, ac sancto presbytero, Piro
nomine." Ihid., p. 578. ' O'Hanlon, Lz't/es 0/ tte 7raA SajKZs, VII, p. 430.
S. Samson 149
It is probably about this latter place that a story is recorded. Sam-
son did not care to remain in Ireland ; so many resorted to him that
he had no peace ; so he went to the coast to cross over again into
Wales. The vessel was ready to sail, but at that moment arrived a
monk with a distressing tale and entreaty that Samson would assist
his brethren out of a difficulty. At the monastery to which he
belonged the abbot had gone raving mad, and the brothers had been
obliged to chain him. Samson accompanied the man to his monas-
tery and found the abbot there howling, furious, and bound hand and
foot. He cast the evil spirit out of him, and undertook to carry him
off with him out of the country, and so rid the brethren of a very
undesirable head to their establishment. In return for this favour,
they made over the monastery to Samson.^
He now entered the ship, taking with him an Irish chariot, that
might serve him in his future excursions, and he arrived at Ynys Pyr
after a prosperous voyage. The monks invited him to resume rule
over them, but to this he would not consent. He found that his uncle
had made more progress in religion than his father, and he despatched
him to the monastery in Ireland that had been recently committed
to him ; but he deemed it advisable to keep his somewhat restive and
unbroken old father under his own eye. Samson now sought out a
desert region near the Severn Sea (juxta Habrinum flumen).^ He
took with him four companions, one of whom was the cousin who had
attempted his Ufe, another was the deposed abbot from Ireland, his
father, and another unnamed, possibly the deacon.
He departed by boat, and, if we be not mistaken, coasted till he
reached the creek that runs inland to Stackpole Elidor. To this there
is a narrow entrance guarded by the Stack Rock. Within it branches
into many creeks between steep hills. The entrance is now blocked,
and these sheets of water are haunted by a vast number of swans.
At the entrance on the East is the Warren strewn with prehistoric
1 " Commendans se et totum monasterium suum [Samsoni] in decumbitione
usque in perpetuum. De quo monasterio multa bona facta audivimus et nunc
usque in sancti Samsonis honore colitur." Vita -zda, p. 26.
2 It may be objected that the site of S. Samson's settlement as proposed is
hardly on the Severn. It is actually at the mouth of the Bristol Channel. But
the Rev. W. Done Bushell, the present owner of Caldey, writes : " Droysen, in
his Historische Landatlas, in Ms maps of England under the Anglo-Saxon Kings
makes the whole of the Bristol Channel to be " Saefern ' or ' Severne.' And
only forty years ago I heard a Bristol Channel pilot swear in the Court at Cardiff
that the mouth of the Severn was reckoned as extending as far as to Lundy. The
old geographical tradition seems to have Ungered on." We may well suppose
that the Severn was in Samson's time and later supposed to reach to where S.
Gowan's Head, Lundy Isle, and Hartland Head formed a natural limit, beyond
which began the ocean.
150 Lives of the British Saints
relics, kitchen middens, and hut circles, once a scene of busy life, and
perhaps in former times an island.
Boating up this estuary, Samson found a headland on which was
an ancient camp (castellum admodum delicatum reperit), and in it
a clear spring.
On quitting Ynys Pyr for the mainland, Samson had two lines of
country open to him, one towards the North, the other towards the
West. To the North was Narberth, the residence of the prince of that
region, and a country well peopled. But Samson was in quest of a
desert. To the westward was the peninsula now forming the Hundred
of Castle Martin. It was bounded on the North by Milford Haven
and the tidal Pembroke River, and this must have been one of the
wildest portions of Demetia. It was deeply cut into by the Stackpool
fiord. It was a district admirably suited to meet the requirements
of Samson. It was sheltered from the storms, well wooded, and cut
off from mankind. One difficulty in the identification presents itself.
In the camp at present is no spring of water. The old fortress con-
sists of an elevated finger of land between two channels of water, with
three lines of embankments drawn across the peninsula, and with
traces of walling round the portion so cut off.
Samson settled his disciples in the camp, constructed a rude chapel
of timber, and then looked about for a still more solitary spot for
himself. One day, prowling through the wood, he lit on a cave
facing the east, " planissima et secretissima." What planissima may
mean we do not know ; it may signify no more than that it was un-
pretending, or else that it had a level floor. All these conditions are
satisfied by a small cave near Bosherston, in a rock that divides the
fiord into two branches, and is called Rock Point. It is separated
from the camp by Bosherston Mere. The country in the immediate
neighbourhood is exceptionally well watered, and whilst the cave and
the camp are at no great distance apart as the crow flies, it requires
a very considerable detour to get from one to the other. Tradition
has it that a king was buried in this grot on a golden bed. Some years
ago it was explored by Mr. Edward Laws, of Tenby, and it yielded
a part of the bronze handle of a sword, and some unburnt bones of a
human foot. A mile to the North we have Samson's Farm, Samson's
Cross, and Samson's Bridge. Whence they get their names is un-
known. No tradition of the presence there of our saint now remains.
It was probably to this cave that Samson retreated, and he visited
the camp and his companions only on Sundays, when he celebrated
the Holy Eucharist.
One day when Samson was praying in the cave, and had bowed
S. SAMSON.
Camp and Cave at Stackpole.
CAVE OF S. SAMSON, STACKPOLE.
S. Samson 151
his face to the earth, he felt the soil damp, and driving in his staff, a
. "^P^'l spring began to flow. There is no spring now in the cave, nor
IS It hkely that there ever was, as it is in the limestone. It is, how-
ever, possible that the moisture from the ground above may have
dripped from the roof, and been collected by Samson in a basin formed
in the floor.
No very long time elapsed before it was ascertained whither Sam-
son had retreated, and Dubricius, in concert with a synod, sent a letter
to him requiring his presence. He was unable to refuse.
When Samson arrived, Dubricius, by common consent, appointed
him to be Abbot of the monastery, founded by S. Germanus.
The custom of the Celtic Church was that there should be always
three bishops consecrated together. On this occasion there were but
two candidates. To complete the number Dubricius summoned Sam-
son to take his place beside the other two. Again the inevitable
dove appeared.
How it was that Samson was put at the head of Llantwit dunng the
lifetime of its abbot we find from the Life of S. lUtyd. That saint
had been forced to abandon his monastery by the vexations caused
by the stewards of the king of that part of Morganwg, and he had
retired to the banks of the Ogmore.
Dubricius saw that it was necessary for the well-being of the mon-
asterj' that it should not be left without a head, and, without preju-
dice to the rights of S. lUtyd, he appointed Samson, as not only suited
by character, but also by ties of blood, to be temporarily Abbot of
Llantwit.^
On a certain Easter night, as Samson was watching in the Church,
word came to him from heaven that he was to quit Britain, and go
to the land which had been so extensively colonised from that island.
Such messages from heaven generally arrived when a saint had already
made up his mind to take the step. In this instance Illtyd was
returning to resume the abbacy, and Samson was required to make
room for him. If we may trust the pedigree of the family, he had
already two cousins in Armorican Domnonia, who had suffered great
provocation from Conmore, the regent and viceroy of Childebert.
These were S. Tudwal and S. Leonore. Paul of Leon came from the
neighbourhood of Llantwit, and undoubtedly the political condition
of Letavia was pretty well known there.
The rightful sovereign, Judual, had fled for his life to the French
^ " Abbatem eum in monasterio quod, ut aiunt, a sancto Germano fuerat
constructum constituerunt." Llantwit had taken tlie place of Caerworgorn
that had been destroyed by pirates.
152 Lives of the British Saints
court, and had been assisted in his escape by Leonora ; in revenge
for having done this Conmore had maltreated the saint. Leonore
had been educated at Llantwit. Tudwal also had been insulted and
driven from his monastery. Samson thought he saw his opportunity.
If the saints in Brittany would combine to stir up the people, and to
overthrow the tyrant, the grateful Judual would be certain largely to
reward them for their services.
Accordmgly Samso:i resolved on passing over into Armorica.^
Before doing this, however, he skirted the margin of the Severn Sea
(" citra Habrinum mare," Vitm i and 3 ; " circa Habrinum mare," Vita
2), and visited his mother and aunt, consecrated their churches, and
made inquiry into the conduct of his brothers. Learning that his
sister had misconducted herself, he excommunicated her, and
■" detested her accordingly."
He did not, however, leave Llantwit without establishing one foun-
dation which might commemorate his si ay there, and this was Marcross.
We may suppose him travelling eastward through Gwent, perhaps
to Oxenhall, wh^re was his mother, on a little confluent of the Severn.
That some of his kinsmen were in that portion of Gwent which lies
between the Usk and the Wye is tolerably certain. Machu or Malo,
a nephew, was at S. Maughans. He was son of his aunt Dervel.
Meugan and Henwyn (Hywyn) were his cousins. Meugan had been
for awhile pupil at Llantwit, but had removed to Caerleon, where
his father was abbot. Another relative was Mewan, son of Gerascen,
Prince of Erging, and his sister, that very sister, probably, whom
Samson had excommunicated and " detested." Her crime consisted
in marrying rather than embracing the monastic profession. Prob-
ably she made her peace with Samson by surrendering her son to him,
and Mewan became a notable founder in Brittany. We may suspect
that Samson visited Erging and Gwent Iscoed before startmg, and
that his object was to collect disciples, preferably kinsmen, to accom-
pany him to Letavia.
So soon as Samson was ready he took ship, and after a prosperous
voyage arrived at the monastery of Docho (or Dochovi).^ When
the brethren in this place heard of his arrival, and desired that some
wise brother [aliquis sapiens) should be commissioned to meet him,
1 In the Life of S. lUtyd the story is differently told. In it messengers come
from Letavia to invite Samson to become Bishop of Del, and then it is that Dubri-
cius consecrates him. This version is untrustworthy. Del was not founded until
Samson went to Brittany. Messengers, however, may have arrived narrating
the political condition of affairs, and have suggested to Samson to cross into it.
2 " Prospero navigio ad monasterium, quod Docto vocatur . . . perrexit
itinere." Vita ima, p. 584.
aS*. Samson 153
they sent to him Winiavus [at. Juniavus), " a name which in the
British tongue signifies Light." '^ He was a man divinely inspired
and endowed with prophetic powers.
On appearing before Samson, he inquired of him his purpose in
coming there, and asked whither he was going. Samson answered
evasively, " Brother, I wonder at your folly in asking the purpose
of my journey and whither I would go, when it is written in the Gos-
pel, ' Every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters,
or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for My name's
sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life.' " .
Then he asked Winiau if he might be permitted to remain there for
awhile. Winiau flatly refused, but softened the refusal by a com-
pliment. The monks of that establishment had become relaxed in
■discipline, and the result of so admirable a disciplinarian as Samson
coming among them would lead to friction. On the whole, said Winiau,
it would be advisable that Samson should go further. However,
he recommended him first of all to make a display of his virtue in the
province, before he shipped to the Continent. ^ Apparently, he wanted
him to perform a miracle to prove his holiness.
The author of Vita 2da was scandalized at this churlish refusal to
receive Samson, and he did not scruple to alter the whole account.
He makes Winiau entreat Samson to remain there, and gives as a
motive that the country people round were given over to the worship
of devils, and that he would certainly win souls if he remained.
The whole passage is most perplexing.
The monastery of Docho is, on the face of it, Llandough, known
anciently as the Llan or Abbatia of Dochou, Docunni or Docguinni.^
But this identification does not fit the narrative happily. This repre-
sents Samson skirting the Severn, visiting his mother and aunt, and
then taking boat, and after a prosperous voyage he arrives at Llan-
dough. It would hardly seem worth noting as a prosperous voyage
if he had merely boated down the Severn such a trifling distance as
to the mouth of the Taff by Cardiff. Moreover, to reach it " Auferreum
mare transfretavit." There was no crossing the Severn Sea to get
to Llandough.
1 Regarded as a derivative of gwyn, white.
2 " Quod exigis, ut apud nos quiescere deberes, conveniens non est, ne qui
valde melior nobis, utpote inferioribus, condemneris, et nos de te . . . et nostris
mentis exigentibus condemnemur. Hoc enim scire te volumus, quod jam in
nostris prioribus institutis relaxamur." Vita ima, p. 584.
' Book of Llan Ddv, p. 395 (inde.x). See also Birch, Hist, cf Margam Abbey,
s.v. Docwini; Clark, Carta, i (Dowlais, 1885), No. 199 ; and this work, ii, pp.
249, 252.
154 Lives of the British Saints
Moreover, Winiau could not at that time describe Morgan wg " in
hac patria diabolico cultu, diabolo instigante, multi homines illu-
duntur." Llandaff was three miles off, Llancarfan eight miles distant,
and five from that was Llantwit. The country was covered with
churches. Meurig, Samson's grandfather, had been a liberal bene-
factor to the Church.
Again, Winiau greets Samson as a total stranger ; but the latter
had been for some time abbot, near by at Llantwit, where he had been
educated.
The name of Guiniau is indeed found attached to a church in Deme-
tia, " eccluis Guiniau (Gunniau), ubi natus est Sanctus Teliaus." "•
He does not appear as a signatory in any of the Charters of Llandaff
or Llancarfan, whereas the Abbot of Llandough signs repeatedly, and
he, the wisest and most learned of the country round, has left abso-
lutely no trace of himself in the neighbourhood of Llandough.
We venture to suggest a solution of the difficulty.
The same saint who gave his name to Llandough by Cardiff had
also a church near Padstow, known in Domesday as Lannowe. It is
now known as S. Kewe, after an Irish Saint Cigwa or Ciwa, who for-
merly had a chapel in the parish, and then one attached to the church
of S. Docwin. Locally Docwin is called S. Dawe.
As a foundation of S. Docwin or Dochau, its original name would be
the same as that of the monastery near Cardiff, Llandochau or Llan-
dough. But we have no earlier notice of the place than that in the
Domesday Book, which gives Lannowe.
The text of the Life of S. Samson shows us that by a prosperous
voyage the saint arrived at or near to a monastery of Docwin. " Pros-
pero navigio ad monasterium quod Docto vocatur, sequentibus se
supradictis tribus, et multis aliis felici perrexit itinere " [Vita ima) ;
and the Book of Llan Ddv has it, " Auferreum mare transfretavit,"
he crossed over from some port in Gwent, and arrived in Padstow
Harbour, near the monastery of Docho, Dochovi, or Dochor, which
was Lannowe.
If we accept this much becomes plain.
Samson was bound for Armorica. He would naturally cross over
first of all to Cornwall, then traverse that, and take boat again at
some point on the south coast.
Our reasons for suggesting this explanation are these.
1. The fact of a church of Docwin being near it.
2. The fact that a chapel bearing the name of Samson stood above
1 Book of Llan Ddv, pp. 124, 255. For the church see iii, p. 23 j.
aS*. Samson i 5 5.
the present town of Padstow in che grounds of Place House. The site-
is now marked by an ancient cross. That this was no insignificant
chapel is shown by there having been an early cemetery attached.
And it must have either preceded or succeeded that of S. Petrock
below the rock. One can hardly imagine two cemeteries existing
simultaneous within a stone's throw of one another.
3. The fact that when S. Petrock arrived in Padstow Harbour from
Ireland, he met there " Sanctum quemdam Samsonem," who received
him as frigidly as he himself had been received by Winiau.
4. The fact that Winiau is known in that part of Cornwall. He
had been a disciple of Padam.i Padam settled at Petherwin. Winiau
has left his name at Lewannick, and further south at S. Winnow, on
the Fal, close to a settlement of S. Samson, whom he seems to have
followed.
5. That this was on the chrect route from South Wales to Brittany..
We vnll now proceed with the narrative.
After the meeting with Winiau, and the refusal of the monks of
Docho to receive him, Samson probably halted for a while at Padstow,
and made the Httle foundation where is now the site of his chapel
and cemetery. He dismissed his boat, and prepared for a land
joumey.2
He laded the wagon he had brought with him from Ireland
with sacred vessels and books, harnessed horses to it, and started on
his way to the Austean Sea, or, as the Vita 2da has it, " Mare Aus-
trum." This cannot have been the Aust Channel, as supposed by
the editors of the Book of Llan Ddv,^ nor can it have been the Bristol
Channel, which was already passed. The " Austean Sea which leads.
to Europe" can hardly be other than the English Channel. Ptolemy
calls the extreme point of Cornwall the Antevestaeum Promontory,
and it is possible that the Channel south of that may have been called
the Antevestaean Sea, which the author of the Life of Samson renders.
Austeum.
From this point on, almost every stage of Samson's journey is
marked by some indelible reminiscence of the Saint.
Opposite Padstow, covered with blown sand, but occasionally ex-
> Vita S. Patemi, Camhro-Brit. Saints, p. 191. Supra, p. 45.
2 " Longaevus viator mare quod Austejum vocant quicquid ad Europanii
ducit desiderabiliter petiit." The order of his proceedings is clear enough : —
1. He skirted the Severn, visiting his mother and other relations.
2. He took boat and crossed the Severn Sea to Cornwall.
3. He dismissed the boat, and with a wagon traversed the land to the sea at.
the south which leads to the Continent.
3 P. 387-
156 Lives of the British Saints
posed after a gale, are the remains of a Romano-British town. From
it runs an ancient road over the highlands by Camelford to Stratton
and so on to Bideford. At Camelford, however, struck off the main
artery of traffic, by Launceston, Okehampton to Exeter, which was
in communication with the rest of Britain by the Hard Way, the Fosse
Way and Adding Street. By the side of this road, a few years ago,
under a rock, was discovered the horde of a beggar who had sat by
the wayside begging in the days of Constantius I. Along this road
Egbert advanced in 823 and met and defeated the West Welsh in the
decisive battle of Gavulford (Galford), in the present parish of Bride-
stowe.
The road from Padstow Harbour led up a long ascent, leaving S.
Docwin's monastery on the left, in a snug well-wooded glen, among
rich pastures. Samson sat in his wagon, high piled with his goods,
some of his monks preceding, and others following. We trust that
he found room for his father beside him, but the biographer says that
he sat " solus." They came out on windswept downs, strewn with
barrows that covered the dead of the ancient inhabitants of the bronze
age. Then they reached the source of the Camel and the spot where
in after ages it would be said had occurred the fatal battle of Camelot,
in which fell Arthur and his nephew Modred. Now they bent to
the East, following the great highway. The rugged heights of Rough-
ton and Brown Willy and the stretch of the Cornish moors were on
their right. If the season were spring, they would be ablaze with
golden gorse. Far away, blue against the sky, stood up the range
of Dartmoor like a long wave about to roll over and submerge the
intervening country wrapped in oak woods. Over what is now called
Laneast Down, travelled Samson and his monks, the wagon jolting
along the paved road that had not been repaired since the withdrawal
of the conquerors of the world. Choughs and lapwings screamed
about them, and ravens croaked from the twisted thorns.
A Winwaloe settlement lay near. Winwaloe was Samson's first
cousin, but we cannot be sure that this colony had been founded at
the time, however, under the shelter of the down on his right was a
church of Sidwell and Wulvella, sisters of Paul of Leon, and all had
come from that part of Gwent Samson knew so well. They had
probably moved away, and Samson did not visit them.
As Samson and his party were about to descend from Laneast Down,
they observed a bald hill on the left [in parte sinistra), now Tregeare,
called by the biographer Tricurium.i The hill-top was thronged
1 " Quadam die cum per quemdam pagus quern Tricurium vocant deam- ,
bulavit." Vila ima, p. 584. The pagus is the deanery of Trig Major.
S. Samson 157
with people engaged in an idolatrous revel. Samson recalled what
^\iniau had said to him, that the natives were stiU immersed in devil
worship, and he at once descended from his wagon, and taking with
him two of his monks, and bidding the rest remain where they were
till his return, made for Tregeare, and, in his zeal, ran up the hiU [pelo-
citer ad eos cucurrit). He found the people dancing around an up-
right stone, and the chieftain {comes) of the district was looking on
wth approval. Samson remonstrated. The people good-humouredly
explained that no harm was meant ; they were merry-making as was
their immemorial custom ; but some advised Samson to mind his
own business. Certain of the company were angry at his interference.^
Samson persisted in his denunciation of the ceremony. It would
seem to have been much like the Maypole dance which persisted in
Britain, and at Padstow to our own times, pagan in origin, but it had
already lost all its heathen signification when Samson interfered with
the ceremony. At this moment, a boy of noble birth, who was mounted
on an unbroken colt, and was careering about the hill, was thrown,
fell on his head, and lay stunned on the sod. This drew off the atten-
tion of the revellers. Samson went to the lad, made those who crowded
round stand back, and prayed for the child's recovery. Happily,
the boy opened his eyes and stood up. The people, supposing that
the Saint had raised him to hfe, became more willing to listen to him.
Instead of destroying the menhir, Samson cut a cross upon it.^ The
revellers gave up their dancing for that year, to resume it on the next
anniversary.
The stone is no longer on Tregeare height, but a very rude granite
cross stands by the wayside from Laneast Down to Tregeare.
Samson was now not far from the settlement of his first cousin
Padam, and we may perhaps introduce here the picturesque incident
of his going to him, and being met by Padam half shod, which has
already been given under S. Padarn.^ This is not recorded in the
Life of S. Samson. It may have stood in it and have been exscinded,
as the Church of Vannes had laid hold of the incident to base thereon
a claim of exemption from dues to the Metropolitan See of Dol.
Gwithian, we are told, now induced Samson to confirm those who
^ " Adstante inter eos eorum comite Guediana, atque excusantibus illis malum
non esse mathematicum eanim partum in ludo servare, aliis furentibus, aliis
deridentibus, non nullis autem quibus mens erat sanior, ut abiret hortantibus,"
etc. Vita ima, p. 584.
2 "In quo monte et ego fui, signumque crucis, quod Sanctus Samson sua
manu cum quodam ferro in lapide stante sculpsit, adoravi et mea manu palpavi."
Ibid. If this be the cross above mentioned, it has been shaped out of the menhir
at a later time. It still retains a clumsily chiselled cross.
* Supra, p. 47.
158 Lives of the British Saints
had been engaged in the Mayday revel. They had aheady been
baptized. 1
To enhance the merits of S. Samson, the compiler of the Life in the
Llandaff book turns Count and people of Tricurium into pagans, and
makes the Saint convert and baptize them all. " Baptizati sunt,
in Jesum filium Dei credentes." The Count Gwithian then informed
Samson that there was in the same province a serpent that devastated
two -pagos and suffered no human beings to occupy them. Accordingly,
Samson undertook to destroy it, and next day was led to the spot
by the boy who had tumbled olf his horse and was recovered, and
whom Samson resolved on taking with him and promoting to be a
cleric.
It is not easy to make out what these serpents were that occur so
frequently in the legends of the Saints. In some cases they were, as
we have already suggested, the wicker-work figures in which human
sacrifices were offered. In others they are symbols of some tyrant,
or else of paganism in general. Maelgwn is spoken of by Gildas as
" insularis draco," and in the Life of S. Meven, Conmore is almost
certainly to be recognized under the disguise of such a monster.
Led by the boy, Samson went to the spot, crossing a river on the
way, the Inney. In so doing he passed Lewannick, the church of that
same Winiau who had been the disciple of Padarn, and who had met
him at Padstow.
Arrived on the spot, the boy, who had hitherto preceded him,
dropped behind, much as had Umbrafel on the way to Ynys Pyr
when Samson killed the serpent in Demetia. Samson, however, went
boldly forward to the cave in which was the dragon, fastened his linen
girdle about it, dragged it forth, and flung it into the nearest river,
which would be the Lynher. Then he elicited a spring where was
the cave, and founded a monastery on the spot.
The monastery was where now stands the Church of Southill, three
miles from Callington, the centre of the old principality of Gelliwig.
The church still has him for its patron, and his miraculous spring still
flows, and pours forth an abundant stream.
That Samson was brought face to face with some local tyrant, that
he rendered him docile, and perhaps baptized him, may be the meaning
of this fable. That something of the kind did occur we may suspect
from the fact of his obtaining an extensive grant v\ ith the spiritual
•oversight over Callington. Southill is one of the wealthiest parishes
^ " Tunc comes prudens omnes ad confirmanda eorum baptismata a Sancto
Samsone venire fecit." Vila ima, p. 584. " Confirmato itaque comite et aliis
hominibus confirmatis baptismate sancti Samsonis." Vita icLa, p. 33.
S. Samson 159
m Cornwall, and covers 6,086 acres, including the town of Callington.
The glebe comprises 252 acres, and the tithe-rent charge is £750.
Under it are iive chapelries. The important royal manor of Kelliland
is the shrunken residue of ancient Gelliwig.
It is a significant fact, to be taken into consideration, that where-
as in Demetia and Morganwg Samson obtained no grants, and made no
foundations, except that of Marcross, in Cornwall he was recognized
as spiritual head of a principality, or of a large portion of it, and that
he made there at least three foundations. This points to his having
exercised there a commanding influence, and to his stay in Cornwall
not having been for a brief period. Near the Holy Well at SouthiU
was found, a few years ago, an inscribed stone, to the memory? of
Cumreonus, son of Mancus, surmounted by a V.
Lawhitton (Lan-Gwithian) is six miles off, and was perhaps a foun-
dation of the Count Gwithian, who, with his whole tribe, had accepted
Samson as their patron " volentes enim apostolico excipere obsequio,"
but the Saint would accept of the " Count " no more land than sufficed
for the maintenance of his monastery. That Gwithian abandoned
the world and attached himself to Samson, and followed him to Ar-
morica, is probable, as we have shown in our notice of S. Gwythian.
Was S. David in Cornwall at the time that Samson was there ?
Of this we can have no assurance. David's aunt S. Wenn was the
wife of Solomon or Selyf, who had his court precisely in Gelliwig ;
their son Cybi was not, however, born till after Samson had left.
There is a Landew in the parish of Lezant (Lan-Sant) only divided
by the Tamar from Bradstone, dedicated to S. Non ; so that it would
appear that David and his family had settlements close to that of
Samson. But not by a word in the Lives of Samson are we informed
whether he there met David.
According to the Vita zda it was at this period of Samson's life that
he heard of the death of S. lUtyd. Whether this episode is rightly
placed has been doubted. In our opinion it is so, and so stood in the
first edition of the Vita zma, but as the author saw that it did not
in that place much concern his hero, and that the story which exhibits
the prevision of lUtyd would be more to the point if told at the begin-
ning, where lUtyd foretells the future greatness of Samson as an
infant, he transferred it to the early history in his second edition.
Then the author goes on to relate how that Samson learned
of the sickness of S. Dubricius and visited him. This also is supposed
to be a displacement ; it occurs in Vita xma in the Second Part or
Sermon. Dubricius received Samson joyfully, and commended to
him a young deacon, Morinus. Samson did not hke the looks of the
i6o Lives of the British Saints
man nor relish the charge, but could not decline the trust, and he took
back Morinus with him. Soon after, the deacon went off his head
and died. The brethren, who supposed that his derangement of
intellect was due to possession by an evil spirit, buried him outside
the cemetery. Samson was uneasy. The welfare of Morinus concerned
him closely, and he prayed for him. A consolatory dream satisfied
his conscience. He had the unfortunate deacon dug up and trans-
ferred to consecrated ground.^
One winter night a thief got into the church, and stole thence a
cross adorned with gold and jewels, and all the money he could lay
his hands upon. He folded the plunder in a cloth, threw it over his-
shoulder, and ran away for the moors. There he incautiously ven-
tured on a bog, trusting that the frozen surface would sustain him.
But his weight broke through the crust of ice, and he floundered in..
He had the presence of mind to throw away what he had stolen, and
to extend his arms. In the morning ensued a hue and cry. The
man was tracked and found in the morass dead with cold, though
he had not sunk below the armpits. The spoil was recovered.
But Samson was not satisfied without extending his foundations.
Descending to the south coast he planted a church on the Fowey
river at Golant, and about it dispersed his disciples to make other
settlements, as S. Mewan and S. Austell. S. Winow, the Winiau who
had met him at Padstow, planted himself on the Fowey opposite,,
and hard by Gwythian has left his name at Lawhitton.
As one of the Scilly Isles is called S. Samson's, we may conjecture
that whilst in Cornwall, the saint followed the favourite practice of
Celtic monks and retreated to the islet for Lent, and when the pres-
sure of business disturbed him. But of this the Lives say nothing.
How long Samson remained in Cornwall we are not informed.
When he considered that the time was ripe for crossing into Armorica, .
he placed his father over his monastery at Southill and its dependen-
cies at Golant and Padstow, and collecting his disciples from their
several churches shipped over and took land in the mouth of the
Guioult, and was there received by a British settler. The port of the
Guioult is called Winnian or Winniau, and it is possible may have had
this name given to it from the saint who had met Samson at Padstow^
and settled near him at S. Winnow.
From this point the Vita ida is our best guide ; it is fuller and more
minute in detail than the Vita T.ma.
1 The story bears a certain suspicious resemblance to that of S. Gregory the-
Great and the monk Justus. Dialog., IV, 55. Opera S. Gregorii, Benedictine ed.,
Paris, 1705, T. 11, colls. 464-8.
S. SAMSON, SAILING TOWARDS ARMORICA.
From the Cathedral at Dol : i^th century window.
S. SAMSON, PRESIDING AT THE COUNCIL OF PRELATES.
From the Cathedral at Dol: iph century window.
S. Samson i 6 1
The district about the Guioult was low and marshy. Samson and
his monks rambled through it seeking a suitable spot on which to
settle. There can be little doubt that his eyes rested covetously on
the Mont Dol, that rises above the marshes as a conspicuous object.
But this was too valuable as a fortress not to have been already seized
upon. He was accordingly forced to look out for a less desirable
spot.
One day, tired and dubious what to do, Samson stumbled on a
spring overgrown with brambles, and where a number of locusts had
settled.
"Ha ! " exclaimed Samson, " Locusta — in this locus sta ! We will
accept this as a command and here abide."
This poor pun sufficed to determine the place where Samson made
his headquarters. The locality is Dol, so named from its meadows.
The spring stiU flows. But the story is an importation from the Life
of Gregory the Great by Paulus Diaconus.^
It may be noticed that the saint cautiously planted himself at the
extreme limits of Domnonia, as far as might be from Conmore, but
avoided settling beyond the limits of the British colonies. Thence,
at a signal of danger, he could escape under Frank protection.
That Samson had brought a large party with him appears. For
when he went out walking, " bini et temi, quaterni et quini, seni et
septeni per desertum ambulabant." -
Samson was settled at Dol before the break out of the Yellow Plague
in Britain, for among the refugees who came over was Teilo ; and
this saint paid Samson a visit there. He was cordially welcomed,
for, says the author of the Life of Teilo, " They came from the same
district, they spoke the same tongue, and both had been educated
by the same archbishop, Dubricius, by whom Samson had been
consecrated bishop." ^
Whilst Teilo was with his fellow countryman at Dol, he is credited
with having produced the spring at Cai (Kerfeuntain), near Dol,
and with having helped Samson to plant an orchard that extended
from Dol to Cai.* Samson wished Teilo to remain with him, but to-
1 Gregory had started for mission work in Britain, when a locust alighted on.
his book. " In hoc loco sta ! " he said, and halted. Opera S. Gregorii, Benedic-
tine ed., Paris, 1705, T. IV, col. 9.
2 Vita 2da, p. 44. ^ Vita S. Teliavi, Booh of Llan Ddv, p. 109.
« " Ipse enim et pra;dictus sanctus Samson plantaverunt magnum nemus-
arboreti fructiferi, quasi ad tria miliaria, id est a Dol usque ad Cai ; et decorantur
ipsa nemora ex eorum nomine usque in hodiernum diem." Ibid. But the well near
the garden of the presbyt^re at Carfeuntin is popularly known now as that of S.,
Samson. The well of S. Samson in the cathedral church at Dol has been recently
voi- IV. *'■
I 6 2 Lives of the British Saints
•this he would not consent ; it was his desire to go into Letavian
Cornubia.
When Samson was firmly estabhshed at Dol with a crowded mon-
astery, he began, but with caution, to employ his disciples in missions
through Brittany. His nephew Mewan was with him, young and
energetic. Samson despatched him across the central forest of Breci-
lien into the district of Broweroc, or Vannes, with a message to the
aged Count there, "■ and doubtless also to Gildas, who had been a
fellow scholar with him at Llantwit. He had almost certamly en-
trusted a commission to Teilo to act on the mind of Budic, King of
Letavian Cornubia, to join in the proposed revolt against Conmore,
or at all events to remain neutral. Machu, or Malo, was also active
for the purpose of ripening men's minds for a revolution in the region
of Aleth and of Corseul.
But nothing could be effected till Judual, the prince, was placed
at the head of the movement, and he was retained in honourable
captivity at Paris by Childebert.
Conmore, regent of Domnonia, had thrust himself into power, from
being mere Count of Poher. On the death of Jonas, the Domnonian
king, he had married the widow and usurped the regency. Next,
after the murder of Meliau, and the death of Rivold, who had assassi-
nated his brother, he extended his authority over Leon. He was
intriguing in Broweroc, and had managed to exasperate the Count
there, Weroc, against him.
Samson hastened to Paris, and was received by Childebert, who
questioned him about his purpose in coming to Brittany. Samson
replied, " I come from across the sea, a native of Demetia, and was
delivered over to a most religious master in Scotia provincia." This
is inexplicable. From what has been told us of the early history of
'Samson he was educated at Llantwit and not in Ireland.
Then Samson broke out into a violent tirade against Conmore,
whom he charged with having murdered Jonas, and forced Judual
to fly to escape being also put to death. 2 Thereupon he asked to
see the prince.
" I fancy he is dead," replied Childebert.
closed by order of the municipal authoritie.s. See on the topic of Kerfontin, J.
Loth, £a Vie de S. Teliau, Rennes, 1884, pp. 34-5 ; extract from Annates de
Bretagne, Tomes ix and x.
^ " Optimum esse ratus [recurrere] ad Guerocum comitem, ut ad hoc auxilium
ferret, beatum Conaidum (i.e. Mevenum) transmittere decrevit." Vita S. Meveni,
Analecta Boll., Tom, III (1884), excerpt., p. 5. In that the object is represented
differently. Chron. Britann. apud Dom Morice — " Iste est Guerrocus ad quem
iransmissus est S. Mevennus."
2 See De la Borderie, Hist, de Bretagne I, p. 426 — 7
S. Samson 163
This exasperated the saint to the last degree, and he turned abruptly
to leave, uttering contumelious words against the Idng, and threatening
by means of potent imprecations to destroy the children of the king
and queen, unless he were granted his request. And he left in a fury,
attended by a Count whose favour he had won.^
Some of those about the king urged him to give way, and Childe-
bert was frightened at the ghastly threat made by the saint. The
king sent after Samson and bade him not leave that day, but come
and dine with him.
In the meantime the Queen, Ultrogotha, had interfered. Conmore
had behaved loyally towards the Frank King, who had no com-
plaint to make against him. But the biographer; resenting her inter-
ference, represents her as in love with Judual, as consequently
unwilling that he should be taken away from Paris, and determined to
poison both the saint and the king. For this end she had the cup
out of which both were to drink infused with some noxious matter.
But when the server brought the " glass " vessel to Samson, the latter
made the sign of the cross over it, and it snapped into four pieces,
and the liquor flowing over the hand of the page burnt his flesh to
the bone.
If there be any basis for this story, it is that a hot drink was pre-
pared, that cracked the glass and scalded the server's hand. But
the incident is more than suspicious ; it is adopted into the Life of
Samson from that of S. Benedict.
Samson started up and declared that he would not eat with the
king. 2
. Next day, the queen sent him a handsome horse as a present. Sam-
son was unaccustomed to the saddle, and when he mounted, the high-
spirited beast curvetted, but he kept his seat, to the great surprise of
the courtiers. This did not mend his ill-humour, and he protested
that Ultrogotha had given him a wild horse, with the fell purpose of
breaking his neck.^
^ " Sanctus autem Samson videns ejus seimionem eos in nihilmn ducens, iratus
voluit ab eis discedere, minans degenerari eos a suis seminibus, si quem rogabat
donare ei noluissent ; furibunde egrediens clamanti cum illo comite," etc. Vita
ima, p. 586. The author of the Vita2da did not relish this and wrote, " Samson
pertinaciter perseverabat ut Judualum inveniret," p. 48.
2 " Communicare cum rege." " Tunc sanctus Samson non spontaneo sed
necessario ritu communionem subiit. " Vita ima, p. 586. " Ille admensam cum
rege sedere compellitur." Vita ida, p. 50.
' This story is taken by the author from the account given by Paulus Diaconus,
in his History of the Lombards, of the visit of John Bishop of Bergamo to King
Cuningpert. Pauli Hist. Longob., VI, no. 8, Monum. German. Histor. Scriptqres
rerum Longobard., Hanover, 1878, pp. 167-8.
164 Lives of the British Saints
The biographer goes on to say that Ultrogotha let loose a lion upon
him. It is possible, but improbable, that a caged lion was kept at
the Frank Court as a rarity ; and hearing of this the writer may have
feigned that it was let loose against Samson. Ultrogotha made no
disguise of her sentiments towards Samson, and when he was at the
altar, she turned her back on him.^ The vengeance of heaven was
now roused, her eyes started out of her head and fell on the pavement
at her feet, blood spouted from the sockets, and she dropped on
the pavement and died a most horrible death. Unhappily, for the
veracity of the author, according to Gregory of Tours, Ultrogotha
was a pious and admirable woman, and she survived her husband
Childebert.
With intent to pacify his irate guest, and divert his mind from
stirring up a revolution in Brittany, Childebert now made him a present
of land at Pentale on the Seine, near Pont Audemer. Next, we have
dished up again the hackneyed story of the monstrous serpent in a cave,
tamed and led by the saint to the water, by his stole passed round it,
and cast in. Not content with this we have also the anecdote of the
birds that molested the cornfields driven by the saint into a bam ;
a story told in the Lives of S. Paul of Leon and of S. Illtyd, and which
the author of the Life in the Liher Landavensis has transferred to the
time when Samson was a boy under Illtyd.
The position of Pentale can be pretty certainly determined from
the Vita Geremaris ahhatis Flaviacensis (Mabillon, Acta SS. 0. s. B.,
sac. II). It was on the banks of the Rille, and had become a large
monastery before its destruction by the Northmen in 851. The cave
whence Samson expelled the dragon was on the river Seine. S. Sam-
son-sur- Rille is now united to S. Samson-de-la- Rocque, and represents
the site of the ancient monastery of Pentale.
But Samson was one of those men of determination, who was not
to be diverted from his purpose. He persisted in his application to
Childebert to release Judual and to suffer him to conduct the prince
to Brittany. His persistence succeeded. The king permitted an
interview, and finally gave way altogether.
We possess too few and too partial accounts of Conmore and of the
insurrection against his rule to be able to give a just judgment as to
the conduct of the saints who stirred up this rebellion. Conmore
had at one time favoured them, and had been a generous benefactor.
But after a while they turned against him. That he was an ambitious
man cannot be doubted, that he governed badly is not shown. He
1 " Sed regina in sua malitia perseverans dorsum ad altare convertit, sancti
Samsonis orationem contemnens." Vita 2da, p. 54.
S. Samson 165
was an upstart ; Celts ding with loyal affection and tenacity to
their hereditary chiefs, and Conmore had taken the place of one to
whom the people of Domnonia looked as their proper head.
Moreover, Samson stirred up the rebellion out of family ambition,
Judual was his cousin, as we learn from Wormonoc's Life of Paul of
Leon,^ and he counted, should his kinsman become king, on being
Icirgely remunerated for his political services, and also on receiving
lands accruing to him as related to the prince.
Samson succeeded in inducing Childebert to allow him to take Judual
back with him (o Armorica, and the ki ig further end )wed Samson with
the pagus of Rimou on the Couesnon, i.i the modern department
of lUe et Vi'aine, and with the four islinds, " Lesia, Angia, Sargia,
and Eesargia," which are apparently Guernsey, Aurigny or Aldemey,
Sark and Jersey.
On his arrival at Del, Samson was received with rejoicing by his
monks, who eagerly asked about his adventures. Samson was re-
served in his replies. The author of the Second Life stuffs out his
answer to the brethren with passages from the writings of Isidore of
Seville and Gregory the Great.
Judual now made expeditions through Brittany. The Channel
Islands we may suspect served a convenient purpose as a place for
drilling and preparation for the outbreak.^
Rebellion flared throughout Domnonia and Leon. Conmore
marched against Judual and was defeated in two battles ; in a third,
fought on the slopes of the Monts d'Arr6e, he was kiUed by the hand
of the young prince himself.
The revolution having succeeded, and Judual having obtained the
rule over Domnonia that had belonged to his father, and having
rewarded Samson and the other great abbots for their services ren-
dered, Samson deemed it expedient to return to Paris to report to
Childebert what had taken place, and to obtain a confirmation of the
cession of lands made to him. He travelled in the same Irish chariot
in which he had made his journey from the Severn Sea to the English
Channel.^ On the way, at a place called Rotignon, near Laon, the
wheel came off and no blacksmith's shop was near. However, the
monks got it on again, and supplied a temporary hnch-pin, and then
1 " Judualus, cognomento Candidus, Domnonensis patrias magna ex parte
dux nobilissimus, qui et ipse sancti Samsonis consobrinus dicebatur," etc. Vita
S. Pauli Leon., ed. Plaine, c. 63.
2 An account under S. Hoerneiu (iii, pp. 277-8) has been given already of the
gathering of the Saints on the Menez Bre to curse or excommunicate Conmore.
^ " Sanctus vero ulterius progrediebatur [super currum sedens] ; quem secum
de sua patria venire fecerat." Vita ida, p. 67.
I 66 Lives of the British Saints
the whole party moved forward once more. They allowed their
imaginations to run riot, and converted the incident into a miracle,
and told it as such to Childebert when they all reached Paris, and the
King made Samson a present of the parcel of land where the accident
had taken place. It was given the name of Rotinon, which the author
of the Vita 2,da derives from Kota move ; of course, it does nothing of
the sort.
For the third time we are given the story of the ejection of a serpent
from a cave.
It was perhaps on this occasion that Samson had the pleasure of
meeting S. Germanus of Paris. He visited him at his newly-founded
abbey of S. Vincent, and found him in the vineyard with his workmen.
The saints embraced, and Germanus invited him to supper and to stay
the night. Samson ascertained that the abbey lacked water, which
had to be fetched from a distance. He possessed some experience in
detecting springs, and with his staff he pointed out to his host where
he might profitably dig. This has been magnified by his biographer
into the miraculous production of a spring. The Abbey of S. Vincent
was not founded till 556 at the eariiest. Consequently this meeting
must have taken place at the second or on some subsequent visit to
Paris.
On his return to Dol, Samson constituted it his permanent residence.
He exercised considerable authority over the Channel Islands, where he
laboured to uproot the paganism that still lingered in them. In one of
his visits he found that the natives of Lesia (Guernsey) were attached
to the observance of the First of January. He had them assembled
before him, harangued them on the wickedness of celebrating such
a heathen festival, and induced them to promise to forego it for the
future. To make sure of the young people, " who on this infamous day
ran about the island," he gave to each a small gold coin as a memorial
of their undertaking to abstain from the observance. ^ Whether they
kept their promise after his back was turned may well be doubted.
New Year's Day is observed in the Channel Islands as in France, and
indeed at Dol itself to the present time.
Samson was in Paris in 557, when he signed the decrees of a Council
assembled there, " Samson peccator Episcopus." ^
^ " Venientibus januarii Kalendis . . . homines supradictse insulas hanc
nequam soUemnem inepte juxta paganorum patrum abominabile exemplum prae
ceteris celebrare consueverant . . . lUe . . . omnes parvulos, qui per illam insu-
1am ob hanc nefariam diem discurrebant, vocavit ad se, singulisque eorum
mercedem numismiuncelli auri quod est mensura trium denariorun donavit,
praecipiens eis ne unquam ulterius ab illis ha;c sacrilega consuetudo servaretur."
Vita Ida, p. 71. ' Haddan & Stubbs, Councils, ii, p. 75.
S. Samson 167
At this Council the bishops present passed a canon that concerned
the Breton Sees. Some of these had been estabUshed by Childebert
without consulting the prelates, and without the consent of the metro-
politan of Tours, who claimed archiepiscopal jurisdiction over all
Armorica. This had been the case with Paul of Leon, Tudwal of
Treguier, and probably with Brioc as well. These men, having
obtained concessions of land, had visited Paris and asked the King to
ratify the grants, and give them ecclesiastical jurisdiction over cer-
tain districts. In the case of Paul, the King had insisted on his taking
episcopal orders on him, but this made the matter the worse, for the
King by this means had become the founder and delimitor of the dio-
cese.' The proceedings had been eminently irregular and established a
mischievous precedent.
The Bishops in Council could not alter what had been already done,
but they passed a canon forbidding such proceedings for the future. ^
We may be sure that the old Irish and Welsh usage of having abbots
to exercise jurisdiction over bishops ceased thenceforth in Armorica,
and that care was taken from this time forward that the heads of the
great monastic communities in the Sees founded by Childebert should
be bishops.
The age of Samson when he died is set down at a hundred and
twenty, but this is a fiction not uncommon in the Lives of the Saints,
as their biographers tried to show that they equalled the age of Moses.
It is better to accept the more general statement that Samson " long-
aevo vetustatis senio fessus," felt that his time of departure had arrived,
and summoned his community about him, and when he had blessed
them and said, " Bene valeatis, Christo placeatis cui famulatis," he
entered into his rest.
The date of the death of Samson cannot be determined with any
certainty. It is supposed that it took place about 565. The day we
know ; it was on the fifth of the Calends of August (July 28).
The points for fixing the dates in the Life of S. Samson are not
numerous.
That Samson was a child of the old age of Amwn and Anna is
refuted by the fact that both Hved tiU he left Wales, and Amwn was
placed by his son as superior of his Cornish monastery when he crossed
into Brittany.
1 The synod could not have been held before 556. Sirmond placed it in 557.
Hefele, Hist, des Candles, III, p. 552. Samson may have gone to Paris in 556,
and in 557 it is more probable that he went there a second, not a third, time.
But Maassen, Man. Germ, historica, Concilia, Hanover, 1893, p. 141, is of opimon
that the date of the Council cannot be precisely determined, save that it was
between 556 and 573.
1 6 8 Lives of the British Saints
We give the following conjectural chronology of his Life, which
rests mainly on the supposition that he died at the age of 80.
Samson born. .......
put as pupil to lUtyd ....
ordained priest ......
converts his father and becomes Abbot of Ynys PjT
goes to Ireland ......
returns and retreats into a desert .
,, is consecrated Bishop and made Abbot of Llantwit
,, quits Llantwit and crosses into Cornwall .
,, receives news of the death of S, lUtyd
meets S. Petroc at Padstow ....
quits Cornwall and settles at Dol
S. Teilo flying from the Yellow Plague visits Mm .
Samson goes to Paris for the first time .
Defeat and death of Conmore ....
Second visit to Paris, attends Council .
Dies .........
circa
485
c.
490
c.
515
c.
516
c.
518
c.
520
c.
522
c.
525
c.
537
c.
543
c.
544
547
c.
553
c.
555
.556 or
557
c.
565
The only dates that are fairly certain are those of the visit of Teilo
and the Council of Paris. Approximately that of the insurrection in
Domnonia, the death of Conmore and exaltation of Judual. Never-
theless, the dates cannot err greatly. Dubricius, who consecrated him,
died, as we have shown, about 546. He was ill, when Samson was in
Cornwall, and resigned to retire to Bardsey. It is not possible to put
lUtyd's death later than 537. The fellow disciples of Samson with
lUtyd were Gildas, who died in 570, Paulus Aurelianus, who died
about 579, perhaps David, who died about 589. The approximate date
of the death of Teilo, who visited him in 547, was 580.^
S. Samson is usually represented as an Archbishop. We have
already given a reason for this ; but we may here add a few words
relative to the assumption of metropolitan rights by Dol.
In 840, Nominoe, governor of Brittany, began his attempt to free his
country from the Frank yoke. Having succeeded in this, he turned his
attention to ecclesiastical matters. Some of the bishops were Franks,
thrust into Breton Sees, unable to understand and to speak the lan-
guage of their flocks, and all more or less tainted with simony. Nom-
inoe summoned them to give an account of themselves, and dismissed
them to the Pope, and demanded their deposition. But Rome was
slow in moving. The bishops crept back, nothing had been done
Then Nominoe, becoming impatient, cut the matter short, by summon-
ing a council at Redon. Before that the bishops acknowledged that
they had bought their promotion and laid down their crooks. This
was in 848. Nominoe now convoked the counts and chiefs, secular and
^ It is strange that Gregory of Tours should not once name S. Samson.
aS". Samson 169
•ecclesiastical, to assemble at Dol. He put Bretons into the vacant sees,
raised their number to seven, exclusive of the old Sees of Rennes and
Nantes, constituted Dol metropoUtan, and subjected the other six to
it. Then he was crowned by the new archbishop in the monastic
church raised to its new dignity.
The Gallo-Frank Church was furious. Council after council of the
Frank bishops denounced the usurpation, and popes fulminated in
condemnation. All were unheeded, and Dol maintained its archi-
episcopal title for three hundred years.
It was not till 1199 that Dol was crushed, and the independence of
the Breton Church ceased. " The ecclesiastical province of Dol was
recognized neither by the Popes nor by the neighbouring bishops
for three centuries. All the efforts of Popes Nicolas I, John VIII
and XIII, and Leo IX to bring the Archbishop of Dol to submission,
and to subject them to the metropolitan of Tours, were unavailing, as
unavailing as were the efforts made in the same direction by the
GaUic prelates, in the Councils of Toul and Rheims, in the years
859 and 1049." ^
Unhappily, partisans of the autonomy of Dol had recourse to un-
worthy expedients to bolster up its pretensions. The author of the
Vita 2da makes Childebert grant metropolitan rights to the See over all
Brittany. Further, Samson of Dol was confounded with a Samson who
was supposed to have been Archbishop of York, and who transferred
the paU to Menevia and thence to Dol.
There is not one word about Samson, son of Amwn, having ever been
at York in the extant Lives.
S. Samson has found a place in most Latin Calendars and Martyr-
ologies. His name occurs in almost all the English Calendars, but in
very few of the Welsh. He is entered in the Leofric Missal and in
Grandisson's Exeter Calendar and Legendarium. His day is July 28.
An odd legend of S. Samson is told by Alanus de '^nsulis. Bishop of
Auxerre in 1151, who died in 1203. He relates that Melanius, Machu-
tus (Malo), Maclovius (meaning Maglorius), Pabutual (Tudwal),
Patemus, W'aslocus (Winwaloe), and Samson were brothers all born
of one mother at a birth. She sent them to be drowned as puppies,
but they were rescued, and grew up to be the Seven Saints of Brittany.
It is the same story as that told of the origin of the Guelf (Whelp)
family, and it has been located in various places.^
1 Neher, Kirchliche Geographie, Regensburg, 1864, i, p, 505. See also Dom
Morice, Preuves de I'Hist. de Bretagne, i, cols. 759-67 ; Martene Thesaurus
Anecd'., iii (in which are collected all the principal documents relative to the
pretensions of Dol to be metropolitan).
2 The same story is told of S. Teilo in the Book of Llan Dav and of Lamisso,
I 7 o Lives of the British Sai?its
In Art S. Samson is incorrectly represented as an archbishop with
pall and crozier. He is so figured on the tower of S. Austell, and in a
fresco in Breage Church.
For churches in Brittany and in France dedicated to S. Samson, see
the Introduction to Dom Plaine's edition of the Vita zia S. Samsonis,
and F. Duine, Notes surles Saints Bretons, Rennes, 1902, pp. 22-24,
and his Saint Samson, Rennes, 1909, p. 21.
The churches and chapels of S. Samson in Cornwall and Ireland
have been already referred to. There is a church dedicated to S.
Samson at Cricklade in Wiltshire, and he is said to have had a chapel at
Cressage, in Shropshire. Athelstan in 933 dedicated the abbey of
Milton Abbas in Dorset to SS. Mary, Michael, Samson and Bran-
waladr, but the attaching of the two last names was due to his having
acquired relics of these latter saints. The church has changed its
patron to S. James the Great.
Colesbome in Gloucestershire is said formerly to have been dedicated
to S. Samson, but here again he is displaced by S. James.
The church of S. Samson in York is almost certainly a late dedication
since the fable had been accepted that Samson had been Archbishop of
York.
Marcross, in Glamorganshire, formerly under the patronage of S.
Samson, "^ is now under that of the Holy Trinity. There is a holy well,
Ffynnon Samson, in the parish of Llangolman, Pembrokeshire. Sam-
son as a disciple of S. Padarn was with him at Llanbadarn, and was one
of the four set by him over the churches of Ceredigion. No churches
there bear his name, but he is commemorated by a stone called Carreg
Samson near the entrance to Llanbadarn Church, and by another, of
the same name, on the mountain near Llanddewi Brefi. That at
Llanbadarn forms one of two crosses near the porch. It is a very thin,
tall Celtic cross of grey granite, about eight feet above ground, having
panels of interlacing ribbon ornament, with some figures. The other
cross, about four feet high, is of local stone, and bears little trace of
ornament. Legend says that the two stones together formed Samson's
flail, and that while he was threshing corn one day on Pendinas, across
the valley, the flail broke, and the granite part went flying in the direc-
tion of the church, and Samson in his anger sent the other part
after it.
second King of the Lombards, by Paulus Diaconus. The legends are dealt with
fully under SS. Dyfrwyr, ii, pp. 398-405.
1 lolo MSS., p. 221.
S. Sane tan iji
S. SAMSON AB CAW, Confessor
All that is known of this Samson is to be found in the seventeenth
century Achau'r Saint printed in the lolo MSS. His name occurs in
SIX of the lists given there of the sons of Caw.^ He was thus a brother
of Gildas. In one of these documents ^ the entry is extended, " Sam-
son, saint and bishop, of Cor lUtyd (Llantwit). His church is that of
Caer Efrog (York). It -will be seen that his existence rests on no good
authority. There was another Samson, a bishop of S. David's in the
ninth century. See what has been said relative to both in the previous
article.
S. SANCTAN, Bishop, Confessor
Sanctan was the son of Sawyl or Samuil Pennissel and of Dechtir,.
daughter of Muiredach Muinderg (Red-necked), King of Ulster.^ His
brother seems to have been S. Mocatoc or Madoc, who settled at Inis
Matoc, either Inis Mogue in Templeport lake, Leitrim, or else Inis
Fail, it is Tincertain which, but probably the former.
Sanctan left Britain and went to Ireland, following the example of
his brother. He settled at CiU-da-les, the situation of which has not
been determined. But one of his foundations was Kilnasantan, in
the County of Dublin. He has been so completely forgotten that
the new R. Catholic Church there is dedicated to S. Anne, through a
misunderstanding, Sanctan being supposed to be Sanct-Anna.
Very little is known of Sanctan. The glossator to a hymn by him
in the Liber Hymnorum says, " Bishop Sanctan composed this hymn,
and it was on his going to Clonard westward to Inis Matoc that he com-
posed it ; he was brother to Matoc, both of them being of British race,
but Matoc came into Ireland earlier than Bishop Sanctan." At first
Sanctan could not speak the Scottish tongue, but he acquired it in time.
The hymn is one of those which are rather charms than acts of devo-
tion.*
Sanctan is commemorated in the Felire of Oengus, in the Martyr-
ologies of Donegal, of O'Gorman, and TaUaght, on May q. There is
another Sanctan commemorated on September 17, but of him nothing
is known.
» Pp. 109, 117, 137. 142-3- ^ P- 117-
3 Martyrology of Oengus, ed. Stokes, p. Ixxxv.
' Libsr Hymnorum, ed. H. Bradshaw Society, ii, p. 47.
172 Lives of the British Saints
S. SANNAN, see S. SENAN
S. SANT, Prince, Confessor.
Sant was S. David's father. Some of tlie early genealogies give his
pedigree as Sant ab Cedig ab Ceredig ab Cunedda Wledig/ but authori-
ties equally early and reliable state that he was the son of Ceredig.^
His mother was Meleri (in later MSS., Eleri), the daughter of Brychan.
In all the early authorities his name occurs in Welsh as Sant, and in
Latin as Sanctus, but late writers have persistently converted it into
either Sandde or Xanthus, two names which are perfectly distinct from
Sant as well as from each other.
In the Life of S. David, Sant is represented to have been King of
Ceredigion, which he " laid aside to acquire a heavenly Idngdom," i.e.
became a monk.
The story is told that when he was asleep an angel appeared to him
and said, " To-morrow thou wilt go a- hunting, and wilt get three things
near the river Teify — a stag, a salmon, and a swarm of bees." ^
These were symbols of David. The stag was supposed to kill ser-
pents by trampling on them, and so represented conquest over evil ;
the salmon was a Celtic symbol of wisdom ; and the bees signified the
honey of David's discourse.
The story of the parentage of Dav'd is unedifying, but there is good
reason to suppose that it has arisen out of a misconception. As his
mother's name was Non, it was supposed that she was a nun, whom
Sant carried off, and then abandoned. But David was not her only
son ; she was mother of other children, who married in Ireland. She
was a king's daughter, and Sant, though he may have carried her off,
probably retained her as his wife.
Lezant, in Cornwall, is properly Lan-Sant, and this is certainly not
Holy Church, a designation applicable to every Lan, but gives the
name of a saintly founder.
^ E.g., the Bonedds in Peniarth MSS. 16 and 45, both of the thirteenth century.
2 Cognatio de Brychan, Progenies Keredic, Jesus College MS. 20, etc. Giraldus
in his Life of S. David calls him " Sanctus Keritici regis filius " (Opera, iii, p. 378).
His name, however, does not appear in the pedigree of the royal house of Ceredi-
gion, which is carried to Ceredig through a son lusay (Harleian MS. 3,859).
See what has been already said on the affihation of Sant to Cedig and Ceredig,
and also on the names Sant and Non, ii, p. 287. The pedigrees in Jesus College
MS. 20 give a Sant as son of GUws. Sant is the name of a little brook at Llan-
tarnam, in Monmouthshire.
' Cambro-British Saints, p. 117.
S. Sdrllog 1 7 J
Lezant is called Lansant in the Episcopal Registers. It is difficult
and in some instances impossible in a MS. to distinguish between a n
and a u. Lan has, however, become lau in several cases, as Lan
Renan in Brittany is now Laurenan, and in South Wales Llan Aidan
or Aeddan has been converted into Llawhaden, and Lan Gwythian on
the Tamar has been softened into Lawhitton.
Lezant was erroneously stated by Dr. Oliver to be dedicated to S.
Breoc. It is true that Bishop Bronescombe did dedicate the Church of
S. Breoc " de Lansant " on September 24, 1259, but this was S. Breock
by Wadebridge, and Lansant is a clerical error for Nansant.
The patron of Lezant is possibly Sant, the father of S. David. In
the parish is Landue, which may signify the Church of Dewi or David.
Bradstone, the adjoining parish, divided from it by the Tamar, is
dedicated to S. Non, Sant's wife.
S. SANWYR or SANNOR, see S. SENEWYR
S. SARLLOG.
In the list of Corau, or Welsh religious foundations, given in a docu-
ment in the lolo MSS.'^ is entered, " Cor Sarllog, in Llandaff, for thirty
saints, and Sarllog was its penrhaith, or principal." This would imply
that SarUog was a Welsh Saint, but nothing is known of him, if he ever
had an existence. But it is pretty evident that the compiler of the list,
having heard of Old Sarum, which in Welsh is Caer Sallog, was anxious
to enhance the fame of Llandaff.
Eigen (otherwise Eurgen), the supposed daughter of Caradog, the-
famous Caratacus who was taken captive to Rome, is said to have
married " a chieftain named Sarllog, who was lord of Caer Sarllog," ^
by which is intended Caer Sallog. According to another document she
married Sallog, lord of Garth Mathrin.^
» P. 152.
2 Ibid., p. 115. On p. 7 he is stated to have been " a Roman chieftain who.
accompanied her to Wales."
» Ibid., p. 135.
I 74 Lives of the British Saints
S. SATIVOLA or SIDWELL, Virgin, Martyr
Sativola is probably the Sicofolia of the Life of S. Paul of Leon.
He had three holy sisters, and his biographer gives this as the name of
one. The difficulty in the case is that Paul was son of Perpius, of
Penychen, in Glamorganshire, whereas Sativola was of Exeter. But
the family may have been constrained for political reasons to migrate,
or may have been expelled.
Leland says, "Ex vita Ste Sativolas," which he saw in Exeter in the
Legendarium of Bishop Grandisson : —
" Benna Pater SativoljE. (But Pater is probably a misprint for Frafer,
as the Legend of Jutwara says that Benna was the brother's name).
Nata Exoniffi dole Novercse a feneseca amputato capite occisa, ut
suburbana prsedia ei prjeriperet."
Unfortunately, the Acta Stce Sativolce are torn out of Grandisson's
Legendarium.
The story goes that a mower cut off her head with a scythe and that
it was thrown into a well. It may be doubted whether the story has
not grown out of her popular name Sidwell.
Her mother-in-law was the cause of the death of her sister, Aude or
Jutwara.^
S. Sidwell and her sister S. WulveUa are together patronesses of
Laneast, in Cornwall where also is their Holy Well in good condition,
and whence water is drawn for baptisms. She formerly had a chapel
in Launceston.2
The Parish Church of S. Sidwell, by Exeter, is dedicated to her, and
here was her Holy Well. Nan Sidwell (i.e. Lan Sidwell), in Mawnan,
may also have been tlie site of a church under her invocation.
In Bishop Grandisson's Exeter Calendar, in his Martyrology, and
Legendarium, August 2 is given as her day, and this is the day on which
her Feast was celebrated in Exeter and Launceston. At Laneast the
Feast is regulated by that at Altarnon, and falls on the last Sunday in
July or the first in August. Among the additions to an Exeter
Calendar of the twelfth century in the British Museum [Harl. MS 863)
her day is given as August i, but this is probably a mistake for
August 2. Nicolas Roscarrock, however, gives July 31.
S. Sidwell is represented in the church of her name by Exeter and
in the east window of the choir of the Cathedral, as carrying a scyth
-and with a well at her side. So also on the screen m S. Mary's Steps,
Exeter ; in stained glass at Ashton Church, and on the screen there ;
> I, p. 186.
2 Gilbert, Historical Survey of Cornwall, 1820, ii, p. 508.
S. SIDWELL.
From a s'aiuie, S. SidJoeU's Church, Exeter.
S. Sawyl 175
and on the screens at Beer Ferrers, Hennock, Holne, Kenn, Plymtree,
Whimple, and Wolborough.
S. SAWYL, Confessor.
The late documents printed in the lolo MSS. are the sole authorities
for the two Welsh Saints bearing this name, which is an early form of
the name Samuel.
(i) Sawj'l Benuchel was the son of Pabo Post Prydyn, and he
and his brothers Dunawd and Carwyd (properly Cerwydd) are said to
have been Saints of Bangor Dunawd, or Bangor on Dee.^ He married
Gwenasedd, daughter of Rhain Rhieinwg, by whom he became the
father of S. Asaph.
In the Old- Welsh pedigrees in Harleian MS. 3,859 his name appears
asSamuil Pennissel,^ being credited with having a " low " instead of a
■■ high " head. In the old Bonedd y Saint, which mentions him simply
as father of S. Asaph, and in Bonedd Gwyr y Gogledd (thirteenth century),
he is called Sawyl Benuchel.
He was a chieftain of North Britain, who, hke many more of that
region at the time, had to escape southwards with his life, being over-
powered by the enemy. He is celebrated in the Triads ^ as one of the
tliree Trahawg or " Overbearing Ones of the Isle of Britam " ; and his
name occurs in the long hst of Arthur's warriors whom Culhwch
adjured to assist in obtaining for him the fair Olwen.*
This Northern Sawyl was quite a different person from the Sauuil
Pennuchel mentioned in the Life of S. Cadoc ^ as a dux who annoyed
the saint and his clerics, and who, with his band, was swallowed up by
the earth in a fossa that was still traditionally pointed out in the twelfth
century, when Leofric wrote the Life.
A Samuel Chendisel, which answers exactly to the Harleian Samuil
Pennissel, occurs in Irish hagiology as the father of the British Bishop
and Saint Sanctan, who went over to Ireland, and the husband of
Dechtir, the daughter of a King of Ulster.*
Geoffrey of Monmouth mentions a Sawyl Benuchel (in the Latin text
Samuilpenissel) ab Rhydderch, who was the father of Pyr or Por.^
1 lolo MSS., pp. 105, 126.
2 Y Cymmrodor, ix, p. 179. He is there made to be the father of Guitcun.
a Myv. Arch., pp. 389. 408. * Mabinogion, ed. Rhys and Evans, p. 112,
s Cambro-British Saints, pp. 42-3.
« Stokes, Martyrology of Oengus, p. Ixxxv.
7 Bruts ed Rhys and Evans, p. 82 ; lolo MSS., p. 126. One of the 24 sons of
1/6 Lives of the British Saints
(2) One entry in the lolo MSS} gives " S. Sawyl Felyn (the Tawny)-
ab Bledri Hir ab Meurig, King of Dyfed. His church is Llansawyl in
Enilyn Uwch Cuch," by which is meant Llansawel, subject to Conwyl
Gaio, in Carmarthenshire. His grandfather Meurig, we are told, was-
" one of the four l<ings who bore the Golden Sword before the Emperor
Arthur," on all high festivals. ^ The church may, or may not, be dedi-
cated to him ; Samuel or Sawyl was by no means an uncommon
name. A Samuel Magister, a cleric, witnessed two grants to Llandaff
in the time of Bishop Berthwyn.
Pistyll Sawyl, now Ffynnon Sawyl, by Penygarn in Llansawel, is
mentioned in a patent roll, dated 1331, relatmg to Talley Abbey.*
Sawyl is locally said to have sat down beside it and drank of its water,
when returning on one occasion from S. David's. It supplies the village
with excellent water.
The festival of Sawyl is given on January 15 in the calendar in the
Additional MS. 14,886 (1643-4).
Briton Ferry, in Glamorganshire, was sometimes called in Welsh
Llansawel, but incorrectly for Llanisawel,* which has nothing to do-
with Sawyl. The parish church is dedicated to S. Mary.
S. SEGIN, Confessor
All that is known of Segin Wyddel, or the Goidel, is found in the
lolo MSS.,^ where it is stated that he was a saint of Cor Illtyd (Llant-
wit) who founded the Church of Llanfihangel, near Cowbridge, Glamor-
ganshire, and that he has a church dedicated to him in North Wales,
but where there we are not told.
The name is the same as the Irish saint-name Seghin, Segenius,
Segineus (among other forms), which was borne by the fifth abbot of
lona, who died in 652, and by a bishop of Armagh, who died in 688.°
Llywarch Hen was named Sawyl ; he was buried at Llangollen (Skene, Four
Ancient Books, ii, p. 266).
1 P. 142. 2 ibi4.
* Carmarthen Charters, 1878, p. 63 ; Arch. Camb., 1879, p. 171. There is a.
poem on the well in Yr Haul, 1887, pp. 272-3.
* Evans, Report on Welsh MSS., i, pp. 725, 831, 919 ; Myv. Arch., p. 748.
* Pp. 153, 220.
" For both see Smith and Wace, Diet, of Christ. Biog., iv, pp. 600-1,
S. Seiriol 177
S. SEIRIOL, Abbot, Confessor
Seirioel, later Seiriol, was the son of Owain Danwyn ab Einion
Yrth ab Cunedda Wledig, and brother of SS. Einion Frenin and Mei-
rion.i He is traditionally known in Anglesey as Seiriol W5m, or the
Fair.
A seventeenth century MS. printed in the lolo MSS. ^ says, " Sei-
rioel was a saint in Cor Garmon, and afterwards Einion Frenin, of
Lleyn, founded a Cor in Penmon (in Anglesey), over which he placed
his brother Seirioel as principal [penrhaiih), and gave lands and pro-
perty thereto ; and the men of Llychlyn (i.e., Scandinavia, meaning
the Norse settlers in this country) flocked to Cor Seirioel to acquire
useful and reHgious knowledge. Cor Seirioel and Cor Beuno were the
most celebrated for learning of all the Corau in the country of Gwy-
nedd." Elaeth Frenin and Nidan, both Anglesey saints, were monks
of Penmon.
The situation of Penmon is one of the sweetest and most peaceful
that can well be imagined. The land rises steeply to the north, and
the spurs of hill enfold a little basin in which trees grow luxuriantly,
and the sun loves to linger, where flowers bloom early and the bees
hum. It is completely shut in from the winds from the sea. Here
under a rock is the well of S. Seiriol, still resorted to,^ and by it the
ruins of a circular habitation and traces of a bath. The water flowing
away fills a pond that was formerly stocked with fish. The Priory
Church is cruciform and early Norman. It has been carefully restored.
In the south transept is a Celtic interlaced cross, and in the round-
headed window a fifteenth century representation of S. Seiriol.
There are considerable ruins of the monastic outbuildings, and
traces of the cloister. It was a Priory of the Benedictine Order,
refounded in 1221 by Llywelyn the Great.
Some ancient walnut and chestnut trees dating from the monastic
occupation of Penmon still flourish there.* But, unhappily, its plea-
sant seclusion is menaced, as the quarrymen are hewing away the
1 Peniarth MSS., 12, 45 ; HafodMS. 16 ; Myv. Arch., pp. 424, 429 ; lolo MSS.,
pp. 102, 113. The old form, Seiryoel, occurs in the pedigree of Gruffydd ab Cynan.
With his name compare Deinioel, now Deiniol. A MS. printed in the Cambrian
Journal, 1859, p. 233, makes Seiriol contemporary with BenlU Gawr, and to
have been present when the giant met his death.
2 P. 125.
' It was believed even in the middle of last century that if a sick person drank
of the water of Ffynnou Seiriol he would be cured. (Transactions of the Liverpool
Welsh National Society, 8th Session, p. 92.)
* The supposition that Seiriol was " the first to cultivate black cherry trees "
(Angharad Llwyd, Hist, of Anglesey, 1833, p. 211), in Welsh surian, had its origin
in a false etymology.
VOL. IV. N
178 Lives of the British Saints
cliff that screens Penmon from the sea on one side, and that against
which it nestles on the other.
Surmounting the hill, a walk over the down leads to where Ynys
Seiriol, or Puffin Island, is seen in the sea, with a gabled tower on it in
the centre of the island, and the ruins of a church of S. Seiriol. To this
island the saint was wont to retire for solitary meditation, and it was
seemingly much regarded as a happy resting-place, for the soil, when
turned over by rabbits, exposes human bones. And here Maelgwn
■Gwynedd was buried in 547.^
The island is about three-quarters of a mile long by a quarter broad,
and everywhere, except at the southern end, nearest to Anglesey, it
rises steeply from the sea. The whole of the top of the island
resembles a great rabbit warren. The sound between it and the
Anglesey coast is very deep, about 80 feet, and is under a mile wide.
The saint's name is also borne by Porth Seiriol.
The original name of Ynys Seiriol was evidently Ynys Lannog,
from Glannog, the father of Helig of Tyno Helig. In English it is called
by the Norse name Priestholm, the Priests' Island, and oftener, but
much later, Puffin Island, from the puffins which abound in it.
Giraldus Cambrensis says that it was called Enis Lannach, or " the
Ecclesiastical Island, because many bodies of saints are deposited there,
and no woman is suffered to enter it." - He adds that it " is inhabited
by hermits, living by manual labour, and serving God. It is remark-
able that when, by the influence of human passions, any discord arises
among them, all their provisions are devoured and infected by a
species of small mice, with which the island abounds ; but when the
discord ceases they are no longer molested."
Before the inundation, connected in Bonedd y Saint with the name
of Helig ab Glannog, took place. Puffin Island was joined on to the
mainland. We extract the following from the curious account given
by Sir John Wynn of Gwydir (died 1626) : — " This Seirial hadd an
hermitage att Penmen Mawr, and there hadd a chappell where hee
■did bestowe much of his tyme in prayers, the place beynge then an
uncouth desarte and unfrequented rocke. . . . From Priestholme
to Penmen Mawr did Seirial cause a pavement to bee made, wher-
uppon hee might walke drye from his church att Priestholme to his
chappell att Penmen Mawre, the vale beynge very lowe grownd and
wette, which pavem' may att this day bee discerned from Penmen Mawr
^ To Maelgwn is ascribed the foundation of both Penmon and Caer Cybi
iPeniarth MSS. 77 and 127, Mostyn MS. 144).
2 Itin. Camb., ii, c. 7. Ynys Lenach is also rendered Insula Ecclesiastica in
Peniarth MS. 169. But it is correctly Insula Glannauc in the Annales C ambries,
s.a. 629. See iii, p. 262. The owner of the island is Sir R. Williams-Bulkeley, Bart.
S. SEIRIOL.
From j$ih century Glass at Pennion.
S. Seiriol 179
"to Priestholme when the sea is cleere, yf a man hste to goe in a bote to
see ytt. Sythence this greate and lamentable innundacion, the waye
and passage beynge stopped in this straight in regard the sea was
come in, and did beate uppon the rockes att Penmen Mawre, this
holy man Seirial, lieke a good heremite, did cause a way to bee beaten
and cutte through the mayne rocke, which is the onely passage that
is to passe that straight. This way leadeth from Dwygyfylchi to
Llanvair Vechan, and is the kinges highway." ^ He further mentions
there " a cricke uppon the rocke called Clippyn Seiriall " (his Ledge),
and the saint's chapel, dangerously situated on the cliff. Pennant
says - that he saw the ruins of the chapel, or as it was called, the
saint's Gwely, or Bed ; but there is no trace of it now. Pennant,
however, seems to have confused the two ; the Gwely used to be on
the summit of the great central rock before it was blasted during the
latter half of last century.^ Cil Seiriol (his Retreat), probably the
hermitage referred to, is also in the neighbourhood as well as his Holy
Well, Ffynnon Seiriol.
Seiriol and Cybi were bosom friends, and used to meet frequently
at midday at their wells at Clorach, about midway between Penmon
and Holyhead, for converse.* There is a Ffynnon Seiriol, walled
round, in the parish of Llaniestyn, some three miles from Penmon
Church, on Penhwnllys farm, on the way to Clorach. The new church
at Holyhead is dedicated to Seiriol. " Byarth Syryell " and " Biarth
Siriell Ysa " are entered among the possessions of Penmon Priory
in the Valor of 1535.-' The Prior of Penmon was one of the three
spiritual lords of Anglesey.
Seiriol was one of the " Seven Blessed Cousins " (Saints) who went
on a pilgrimage to Rome.^
The festival of Seiriol occurs in but very few Welsh calendars. It is
given on February i in those in Peniarth MS. 186 and the Prymers of
1618 and 1633. Browne Willis ' gives February 11, and Angharad
Llwyd * February 15.
Lewis Glyn Cothi (fifteenth century) in one of his poems ^ satirizes
' An Ancient Survey of Pen Maen Mawr, reprinted by W. Bezant Lowe, 1906,
pp. 19-20 ; Arch. Camb., 1861, pp. 147-9- He wrongly makes Seiriol to be a
brother of Helig ab Glannog. John Ray in his Itinerary, 1662 (printed in his
Select Remains, 1760, p. 225), mentions the " large paved Caussey, visible at low
■water." ^ Tours in Wales, ed. 1883, iii, p. no.
3 North, The Old Churches 0/ Arllechwedd, Bangor, 1906, p. 186.
* ii, p. 209. * iv, pp. 429-30. For buarth see under S. Llwni, iii, p. 383.
<' Peniarth MS. 225, p. 164 ; Cambro-Brit. Saints, p. 271.
7 Bangor, p. 282. ' Hist, of Anglesey, p. 318.
» Poetical Works, p. 280. The passage seems to imply that Seiriol specially
blessed cheese-making. On p. 416 the bard invokes the saint's protection..
i8o Lives of the British Saints
the mendicant friars, who were the rivals of the bards, for hawking
about images of saints made of glass and alder wood, and selling them
to the peasantry in exchange for cheese, flour, wool, etc. He says—
"One bears fitfully
The Blessed Curig under the skirts of his cloak;
Another fellow carries Seiriol
And nine cheeses in his arms."
S. SELYF, or SALOMON, King, Martyr
Selyf, whom the Bretons call Salomon,*- was the son of Geraint ab
Erbin, Prince of Devon.
There may have been, in Brittany, two Salomons, the son of Geraint,
and another, who lived later, murdered the King, Erispoe, son of Nom-
inoe, the liberator of Brittany, and was himself assassinated in 874.
Of the first M. de la Borderie disposes as having never existed.
But M. de la Borderie knew almost nothing about the Welsh sources
of early British History and the Pedigrees. Selyf is, moreover, named
as the father of S. Cybi, and he is spoken of as ruling between the
Tamar and Lynher, that is to say, in the old principality of Gelliwig,
in Cornwall. 2 Selyf 's wife was Gwen, or S. Wenn, the daughter of
Cynyr of Caergawch, and sister of S. Non. According to the Welsh
Pedigrees Selyf's mother was Gwyar, daughter of Amlawdd Wledig,
and he had as brothers Cyngar, lestyn. Caw, and Cado or Cador. Seljrf
is only entered in the late Saintly Pedigrees as a Welsh Saint. ^
That the princes of Britain were granted tracts of land in the new'
colonies founded in Armorica is probable, and would be implied by
the statement made in the Life of S. Leonore concerning Rivold or Rig-
huail, that he held rule over the Britons both those in the island and
those who had settled on the mainland.* The Venetian district had
been settled something like a century before Armorican Domnonia ;
and there are indications that Geraint, the father of Selyf, had been
there.
^ The name Solomon assumes in the Book of Llan Ddv, and the Annates Cam-
bricB the form Sehm, which later became Selyf and Selef. King Solomon is
usually called in mediaeval Welsh Selyf Ddoeth.
2 Vita S. Kebii, Cambro-Brit. Saints, p. 183. See what has been said on his
pedigree in ii, p. 203, and iii, p. 47.
' Myv. Arch., p. 429 ; lolo MSS., pp. n6, 136, 139.
* Vita S. Leonori. HeSraeit, Catalog. Codicum hagiographicorum bibl. Latin.
in Bibl. Nat. Parisiensi, ii, p. 153.
S. Selyf or Salomon 1 8 i
A wild fantastic story is attributed to Paulilianus, a writer of Leon
in the tenth century, and who is probably Bishop Marbo, who sub-
scribed himself Paulilianus in Britannia, Episcopus, in 954, at the
refounding of the abbatial church of S. Pierre en Vallee, near Chartres.
He wrote an account of the Translation of the rehcs of S. Matthew.
This has been summarised by Le Baud.^ He says that this Salomon
.was of holy life ; and he quotes in confirmation a chronicle of the
Kings of Brittany, which no longer exists. Paulilianus, he goes on
to say, relates how that the relics of S. Matthew were translated from
Cairo to Brittany. Salomon, the King, had then to wife the daughter
of Flavins, a patrician ; and he entered into alliance with Valentinian,
the Emperor of the West.
When the vessel on which was the body of the Evangelist arrived
off the port of Ka5Tinen, Salomon went to the spot and desired to
have the relics removed ; but the body proved too heavy to be trans-
ported. Then Riuvallus, Duke of Comouaille, declared that obviously
the saint was offended at the custom prevalent in Armorica of parents
selling their children into slavery, and being required to do so, to pay
the customary tax into the royal treasury. Riuvallus exhorted
Salomon to put an end to this barbarous custom. Then Salomon
placed his hand on the relics of the Evangelist and swore to do so in
this fashion, that the children who were to be sold, should instead
pass into the service of the Church of S. Matthew. Then only did
the body become light enough to be transported on shore, and laid
where afterwards arose the stately Abbey of S. ]\Iathieu.
Salomon reigned for a good many years, but finally an insurrection
broke out, and he was killed by his revolted subjects whilst praying
in a church. The patrician Flavins complained to the Emperor
Valentinian, who sent an army to chastise the rebels. Such is the
story, manifestly fabulous, and as certainly not written by PauHlianus
in the tenth century.
Valentinian IH was Emperor of the West from 425 to 455.
Geraint, father of Selyf, fell at Llongborth a century later.
The story of the murder of Salomon is suspiciously like that of his
namesake, who fell in 874. The acquisition of the relics, moreover,
took place in 830.2
If there be any truth in the story, Salomon probably fell in endea-
vouring to extort tribute from the provincials.
Two localities claim to be the scene of martyrdom of a King Salo-
mon, and this gives colour to the plea that there were two of the same
1 Hist, de Byetagne, 1638, but written in 1518.
^ Dom Morice, Preuves, i p. 3, from a Chronicon Britannicum.
I 8 2 Lives of the British Saints
name who came to a violent end. One place is Langoelan in Morbihan,
near Guemene, on the old Roman road from Carhaix. The other is
La Martyr near Landemeau. There is a Merzer (martyrium) of S.
Salomon at Langoelan. The Annals of S. Bertin make Salomon, the
murderer of Erispoe, to have fallen there ; but M. de la Borderie insists
it was at La Martyr.
In Cornwall the Church of Lansalos was probably of Selyf's foun-
dation. In Domesday it is given as Lansalpus. Bishop Grandisson's
Register gives Lansalewys. Adjoining is Duloe, a foundation of S.
Cybi. Hard by is Pelynt, of which Non, the sister-in-law of Selyf,
is the patron. Morval again is a foundation of his wife, S. Wenn.
In Bishop Bronescombe's Register Lansalos is given as dedicated to
S"' Ildierna, a clerical error of gender.
There is a Holy Well at Lansalos, and the Church possesses a sanc-
tuary, an indication that it was an ecclesiastical tribal centre. The
feast at Lansalos is on the Sunday after February i. The day of S.,
Salomon in the Del Calendar of 1519 is February 8. So also in the
Breviary of S. Malo, 1537. But June 25 is the day on which the
murderer of Erispoe is culted, according to the Missal of Vannes,.
1530, the Vannes Breviaries of 1586, 1660, and 1757 ; and this is the
day given by Le Grand and Lobineau.
The Martyrology of Tallaght gives Solomon on April 11, but without
a word to explain who is meant.
The lolo MSS.} in one document, include another Selyf among
the Welsh Saints, Selyf, Prince of Powys, and son of Cynan Garwyn
ab Brochwel Ysgythrog. He fell at the battle of Chester in 613. The
Irish annalist Tighemach calls him Rex Bretanorum,^ which seems to-
imply that he was for a time the Gwledig or Over- King of the Cymry.
He is distinguished in the Triads ^ as one of the three Aerfeddog, or
Grave-slaughterers, of Britain, so called because they avenged them-
selves on their enemies from their graves.
This Selyf cannot be regarded as a Welsh saint ; he was simply a.
Welsh prince. He is sometimes called Selyf Sarffgadau, or the Ser-
pent of Battles. He was, however, the father of S. Dona, of Anglesey..
S. SEN AN, Abbot, Confessor
Sen AN of Iniscathy, the bosom friend of S. David, is known
in Wales, and was a founder in Cornwall and also in Brittany..
' P. 130. 2 Reyue Celtique, xvii, p. 171.
' Mabinogion, ed. Rhys and Evans, p. 304.
S. Senan i 8 3
In Cornwall he is called Sennen, in Wales Sannan,^ in Brittany
Seny.
The authorities for his Life are : — •
1. A ]\Ietrical Life in the so-called Kilkenny Book, and in the Sala-
manca Codex. The latter is imperfect. It is printed by Colgan,
Acta SS. Hibern., p. 612 (the numbering of the pages is incorrect, and
is given as 512-27). Reprinted in the Acta SS. Boll., March, i, pp.
761-8, from a MS. of the end of the twelfth or beginning of the
thirteenth century ; also Acta SS. Hib., Cod. Sal., coll. 735-58.
2. A Prose Life, printed in the Acta SS. Boll., March, i, pp. 769-78 ;
and by Colgan, p. 530 (incorrect numbering for 612) to 537.
3. An Irish Life in the Book of Lismore, Anecd. Oxon., i8go, pp.
54-74, and translation pp. 201-21.
4. An Irish Life, from the Stowe collection, transcribed by Donall
O'Duinin in 1627. This we have not seen. Hardy, Descriptive
Catalogue, 1862, p. 124, No. 377.
5. A Life in the Breviary of Leon, 1516, beginning, " Sanctus
Senanus ex nobihbus Christicolisque parentibus de Scotia natus fuit."
Of this Breviary only two copies exist, and both are imperfect. We
have seen the copy formerly in the Library of the Freres Lamennais
at Ploermel, now at Rennes, and have transcribed from it the Life of
S. Senan.
6. A Life in Albert Le Grand's Collection, but this is based on the
lections in the Breviary of Leon, and on a transcript of a Life sent
him from Ardfert in 1629, but with the addition of local traditions-
collected in the parish of Plouzane.
In the Life of S. Patrick the story is told that when the Apostle was
preaching in Limerick, about the year 448, the Hy Figeinte received
him gladly. Then the Corcobaskin, on the Clare side of the Shannon,
1 Sannan is a not uncommon name in Wales, but it usually occurs as a female
and brook name, and, under its earliest form, as Sanant. (i) Sannan (Sanant),
daughter of Cyngen, and wife of Maelgwn Gwynedd (Cognatio de Brychan) ;
Sannan, daughter of Nougoy (Noe ab Arthur), and mother of EUsse, King of
Powys, c. 700-50 (Harleian MS. 3,859, Jesus College MS. 20) ; and a twelfth
century Sannan, daughter of Dyfnwal (Bruts, ed. Rhys and Evans, p. 302).
(2) Sannan, a stream (also a farm, Glan Sannan) in Llanfynydd, Carmarthenshire ;
and Frut Sanant, a Glamorganshire brook, mentioned in a twelfth century grant
to brother MeiUr and the brethren of Pennar (Birch, Neath Abbey, pp. 9-1 1)-
There is a Cwm Sannan near Llanfair Waterdine, Radnorshire. None of the
saintly pedigrees — not even those of the lolo MSS. — include a Sanan, male or
female, among the Welsh Saints. There is, however, a pedigree in Cardiff MS.
5 (1527), p. 120, which gives a " Sanan in Denbighshire," and makes him brother
of Gwynhoedl and Tudno, and thus a son of Seithenin Frenin o Faes Gwyddno ;
but the entry is most probably a mistake for " Seneuyr," given in the old pedigrees-
as the name of another brother.
184 Lives of the British Saints
entreated him to give them a bishop who might instruct them in the
way of Life. Patrick regretfully refused, as he had not sufficient
missioners at his disposal, but he prophesied that a child would be
bom, who would be to them all that they could desire. The prophecy
is given in the Book of Lismore : — ■
" A new child shall be born in the West
In the Island across the sea.
The Corco-baskin will bow 'neath his hand
Men, women and children aUke.
He will be splendid, royal and stately.
With God as well as with men.
Happy the people, and happy the Church,
That under this child shall be." '
What the story shows is no more than this — that Patrick, being
short of fellow-labourers, encouraged the Corcobaskin with hopes.
As they received no great Christian teachers till Senan came — for
the priest Maculatus and the deacon Latius, whom Patrick did send
them, effected little good, and Senan, who arose forty years later,
was their real apostle — they invented the prophecy and made it apply
to Senan, who was bom in 488.
The fable goes that the mother of Senan was in the garden when
the pangs of maternity came on her, and that she laid hold of a branch
of rowan, which immediately broke into leaf and developed bunches
of scarlet berries. The story is not to be put aside as absolute inven-
tion. The Irish, as with all Celts, were desirous of discovering the
future of their children by means of omens, connected with the birth,
as dreams, encounters with birds or beasts, and it was the function
of the wise-woman who acted as mid-wife, to draw some prognostic
from such event as was associated with the birth. In this instance
■Coemgella had laid hold of a rowan-tree, laden with its berries, and
the mid-wife fastened on this incident as affording the required omen.^
What she actually foretold matters little, but after Senan's life had
fashioned itself, then it was assumed that the rowan, growing among
rocks and on moorlands, prefigured his dwelling, not in rich pastures,
but in deserts, and the bright clusters of the mountain ash might not
inappropriately be assumed to represent his many monastic settle-
ments.
Senan was bom at Magh Lacha, about three miles north-east
' Anecdota Oxon., Book of Lismore, pp. 56, 203.
- Colgan, Acta SS. Hib,, Vita 2da Senani, c. 6 ; Book of Lismore, p. 206.
" Cujus nativitate tempore lignum aridum quod ejus mater manu tenebat
confestim floruit quasi prenoscitans quod puerulus qui nascebatur florere deberet
in domum domini sicut cedrus Libani." Brev. Leon. 1516.
S. Senan 185
■of Kilrush, in the county of Clare. His father's name was Gerr-
cend, son of Dubhtach, of the race of Conaire Mor, first High King
of Ireland. His mother, Comgella, daughter of Emach, son of Gulban,
was a native of Altraigh.
He had a brother named Cronan, whom his mother called Conandill,
or " Conan darhng." He also became a Saint. He had a sister as
well, named Conainne.
His father, in addition to his main farm, had another at Tracht
Termuin (the Strand of the Boundaries). When the family was about
to move from one farm to the other, Senan was sent ahead to make
ready for the reception of the family.^
One afternoon, Senan, along with his mother, was driving his father's
cattle, and as night approached, and the way lay over the strand,
he was afraid of pursuing his course in the dark. Hard by was a dun,
or hill-fort, occupied by one named Mechai ; and he went with his
drove to the gate and asked to be taken in for the night. Mechai
was not at home, but his son was in charge, a churlish fellow, who
rudely refused the petition ; he had no hay for the oxen during the
Tiight.
Accordingly Senan was constrained to proceed with his drove, with
the chance of some straying. The night fell dark as pitch, and as he
pushed over the sands with the cattle he heard the mutter of the
advancing tide, and presently the water came hissing and lapping about
his heels. His mother became frightened and broke out into wailing.
Presently, he saw a flare in the sky and heard yells above the growl
■of the swelling sea. Lookmg back, he saw Dun-Mechai in flames.
Some foes of the chief had taken advantage of his absence and of the
darkness to set fire to it.
This providential escape, as well as the sense of peril from the tide,
produced such an effect on Senan's young mind, that on reaching
liome in safety, he snapped the ox-goad across his knee, and vowed
ihat he would embrace the ecclesiastical profession. ^
When he had reached the age at which he was expected to bear
arms, he was called upon by the chief of the Corcobaskin to join in a
raid on the Corcomroe territory, i.e. Barren in Clare. It was in vain
that he protested his vow, he was compelled to take part in the foray.
The Corcobaskin were defeated and driven away with loss, with the
enemy in pursuit. Senan, running as hard as his legs could carry him,
happily perceived a heap of thrashed corn, and dived into it. As,
iowever, he was not wholly covered by the grain, he was drawn forth
1 Vita 2da, c. 7 ; Book of Lismore, p. 204 ; Brev. Lion.
3 Ibid., c. 10 ; Ibid., pp. 205-6 ; Brev. Lion. _
I 8 6 Lives of the British Saints
by the heels, and asked who he was. He answered evasively that
he was a country lad who, at the sound of arms, had concealed him-
self out of sheer fright ; and the enemy, supposing him to be a
person of no consequence, dismissed him unharmed. '^
Obviously, Senan was not of the stuff wherewith to make a soldier^
and after this exhibition of cowardice his parents accepted the inevit-
able, and sent him to the Abbot Cassidan at Kerry-Cuirke, between
Kinsale and Cork, as there was no monastic establishment in their
country.
Here he remained for a few years, learning to read, and then went
to finish his studies with S. Natalis in Ossory. Natalis was son of
^ngus MacNadfraich, King of Munster, and of Ethnea Uatach. He
lost both his parents in the battle of Kelhston, in 489.
" This was the rule of the school of Natalis. Each scholar had to
go on a day, in turn, to herd the calves of the Church," Another obli-
gation was to work the quern, but on this two had to be engaged
■simultaneously. 2
After a few years spent in the school of Natalis, an unpleasant inci-
dent occurred. The biographer veils the facts as well as he can, but
it is not difficult to read between the lines. " Senan's fame spread
abroad throughout the territories on every side. . . . The tribes and
kindreds used to come from every point to him. Some of them with
alms and offerings, others to seek alms, others to seek cure of their
diseases, some to obtain his spiritual direction, some to effect an union
with him and to induce him to take up his residence among them." ^
Natalis, the Abbot, found himself thrust on one side and ignored,
whilst the young pupil was pushing to the front and acting as master
in the monastery. The situation became so strained that at last Nata-
lis bade him pack. There was assumption on one side, and jealousy
on the other. The biographer pretends that they parted on the best
terms. Senan now went to Iniscathy, where S. Maidoc resigned to
him his abbatial staff. So we are told ; but this is not possible, if
the Maidoc be he who was afterwards at Ferns. What is probable is
that Maidoc had been placed as a boy in an Irish monastery by his
brother Gildas, and that Senan took Maidoc with him, when he now
went to Wales ; and that he left Maidoc with S. David, with whom
he remained for many years.*
Before settling finally anywhere Senan resolved on travelling,
' Vita 2da, c. 8 ; Book of Lismore, p. 205. From the latter it would seem
that Senan ran away and hid in the corn before the fighting began, and went to
sleep or pretended to do so.
2 Book of Lismore, p. 206. ' Ibid.; Vita zda, c. 16. ' i, pp. 118-21.
S. Senan 187
He had made an intimate friend of Ciaran of Saighir, who is said to
have been his " individuus comes semper ac socius," and now he
entered into brotherhood with S. David. When they parted David
presented Senan with his staff. ^
Senan visited Rome and Tours, and was for awhile in Brittany.
On liis return home and a revisit to David, he landed at Ardmenedh,
an islet off the Munster coast, where he remained for forty days and
founded there a ceU and church. Then he departed for Iniscarra, about
five miles from Cork. Whilst he was there a ship touched on the island,
having on board fifty ecclesiastics, who are described as Romans come
to Ireland to study the rules observed by the abbots there. But
according to a more probable account only three of these were actually
Romans. These strangers were divided into five bands, each com-
prising ten persons, and each had placed itself under the patronage
of one of the most illustrious abbots of Ireland. Each in succession
had the charge of the vessel.
One day, when it was under the command of the Senan crew, a
violent gale arose, against which the boat laboured with difficulty,.
and shipped many seas. The pilot went to the ecclesiastics, whilst
they were dining, to complain that they were in extreme peril. Then
from a table up sprang a bishop, named Mula, possibly Molua, with a
mutton bone in his hand that he had been gnawing, ran forward, and
signing the cross in the air with the shank-bone, cried, " O Senan, help
us quickly, and give us a favourable wind ! "
As the gale abated shortly after, and the wind shifted, it was con-
cluded that this was due to Mula's adjuration with the bone, assisted
by the merits of S. Senan. ^
Senan had trouble with the chief, Lugaid, who claimed territorial
rights over the island of Iniscarra. He demanded tribute. This-
Senan refused, point blank. Thereupon Lugaid sent one of his race
horses on to the island to feed on its grass. By some accident the
horse was drowned, and Lugaid was highly incensed, and uttered
threats of vengeance.
Senan dared him to do anything against him, and declared that he
would not only deprive him of his place in heaven, but would also
curse all his posterity, that none should sit in his seat and rule his-
people.* Lugaid, who was King of the Hy Eachach, was alarmed,
and two foster sons intervened and patched up a reconciliation. The
1 Book 0/ Lismore, Vita ida, c. ig. " Discedens ab eo accepit proprium S.
Davidis baculum, in amicitiae et confratemitatis pignus, secumque ducit in patriam."
2 nid,., p. 2og ; Vita ida, c. 20. In this latter the adjuration with the bone-
is omitted. * Ibid., p. 210 ; Vita ida, c. 22.
1 S 8 Lives of the British Saints
chief granted to Senan the isle free of dues, and the Saint in return
assured to Lugaid the kingdoiii of Rathhn, to himself and his seed for
•ever.
Then Senan left Iniscarra and departed for Inis Luirghe, an island
in the Shannon between Limerick and Scattery, and founded a church
there. Whilst he was in this islet the daughters of the Chief of the
Hy Figeinte came to him, and induced him to form a religious commun-
ity for women on the mainland. He did so, and veiled these maidens. ^
He also abandoned to them the church he had just founded, and de-
parted by boat, with intention of settling on Inis Mor, but the wind
and tide carried him instead to Inis Tuaiscert, which has not been
identified. Here he planted another church, and left in it a portion of
;his household.
. Then he resumed his journey to Inis Mor, now Deer Island, at the
mouth of the Fergus. Here he erected another church, and here
■occurred the incident with S. Setna that shall be related under the
-heading of S. Sithney.^
Even here he would not tarry ; he left Setna and other holy men in
the island, and formed an establishment in one of the Ennis Kerry
Islands. But here, also, his stay was brief, and he went further to
Inis Cunla, on which he constructed a cell that was designed for his
■disciples Finan and Finnian.
His restlessness not yet appeased, he departed again, and seeing from
the top of a mountain that an islet lay in the mouth of the Shannon,
;he crossed over to it, and resolved on constituting his headquarters
there. This was Inis Cathy, now Scattery Isle.
But no sooner was he there than the chief of the Hy Figeinte, Mac
Tail by name, heard of it, and was offended, because he claimed that
the island was his own. He sent over two brothers of Senan, Coel and
Liath, to order him off.
Liath was father of Demnan, one of Senan's disciples, and he acted
in. this matter with great reluctance. Coel had no scruples. On reach-
ing the island, they endeavoured to persuade Senan to quit it ; when he
refused, Coel said, " If we do not turn him out, Mac Tail will deprive
us of our property, and really Senan has not a shred of right to the
' Senan left eight disciples in Iniscarra, among them, S. Fechin, son of the
King of Muskerry, and S. Killian. The damsels were the daughters of Brendad,
Prince of Hy Figeinte, " the first-fruits of the Eoganacht Gabhra." Vita 2da,
■c. 23 ; Book of Lismore, p. 211.
2 Vita Ida, c. 24. A curious incident occurs here. There are fears of en-
croachment of the sea, whereupon Liberius offers to be buried (alive ?) where the
tide Une is that by the merits of his body lying there the further rise of the sea
jnay be prevented ; c. 26.
iS. Senan 1 8 9
island." Then he laid hold of Senan by the shoulders and endeavoured
to force him down to the boat. Senan shouted to his lusty young disci-
ples for assistance, and they rescued him from the hands of Coel, who'
was forced to return unsuccessful, pelted with a hail of imprecations.
Not long after this Coel died, and then Senan absolutely refused tO'
give him Christian burial.
Mac Tail now sent his Druid to curse Senan, and a lively scene-
ensued between the Pagan and the Christian, hurling imprecations at
each other. Neither was a bit the worse, though the writer of the Life-
pretends that in the sequel the Druid was drowned. But as Mac Tail
was undaunted, it does not seem that he considered that Senan was-
very redoubtable. Mac Tail now visited the island himself, to expel
the saint. When he reached Inis Cathy, Senan confronted him with a
bold face. Then ensued a scene of truly Hibernian recrimination.
" Man," said the King, " I will tie a stone to your neck and pitch
you into the sea."
" You dare not, and you can not do it," retorted Senan.
" Well — I will do this," said Mac Tail ; " I have brought over my
horses to eat up your grass."
" I am not going to be your ostler," exclaimed Senan.
" I purpose journeying to an assembly of the people at Corcum-
ruadh," said the chief, " and I shall leave my horses here to depasture-
your grass till I return."
" God grant that you never do return ! " retorted the saint.
No sooner was the king gone than he contrived to get the horses-
kiUed.
Mac Tail was informed of this, and he was furious. His son said to-
him, " Take care what you are about. Saints' curses fall heavy."
" I care no more for this fellow," replied the king, " than I do for a
black hornless sheep."
On his way, so runs the tale, the prince's horse stumbled over a
black sheep, threw his rider, and Mac Tail, falling on his head upon a
stone, was killed.
Obviously the saying about the black sheep was put into the mouth
of Mac Tail, after the event.
He was succeeded by a man of another stamp, Nectan Cenn-fodha,.
who not only made grants of land to the saint, but constituted him
Saint over the whole Tribe of the Hy Figeinte, occupying what is now
the County of Limerick.^
Senan blessed his island and announced that he had obtained ai
• Vita 2da, cc. 33, 34 ; Book of Lismore, pp. 214-6.
I 9 o Litves of the British Saints
favour from God that no monk crossing over from the mainland to it
should be drowned, and that no one buried in the soil of the island
should go to Hell.i
One day, Senan's nephew, Donan, went out in a boat catching crabs,
and took with him a couple of boys. As the urchins were troublesome,
he landed them on a skerry, and proceeded with his fishing. Whilst
he was thus engaged the tide turned and ran so strong that Donan
could not reach the lads, who were swept off the rock and drowned,
and all he was able to do was to secure their bodies.
A great outcry was made among the relatives of the children, and a
demand was made for eric, or payment in compensation for the loss.
Senan had much difficulty in appeasing them, and only succeeded in so
doing by protesting that to his certain knowledge the souls of the lads
were in Paradise, and were quaking with alarm lest they should be
recalled to reanimate their bodies. ^ These were the first dead who
were buried in Inis Cathy.
Whilst Senan was in Scattery Isle he was visited by Brendan of
Birr, and by Ciaran, the Wheelwright's son, of Clonmacnois, and these
two constituted him their confessor and spiritual guide. ^
There was a holy virgin, named Brigid, in the Hy Figeinte district.
She is not to be confounded with Brigid of Kildare. She lived at Clon
Infinde, near the Shannon, and was under the direction of Senan-.
She had woven a habit {casula) * for Senan, but had no messenger, by
whom to send it. So she made a hamper of holly-twigs, lined it with
moss, laid the habit therein, with a letter to inform him that she had
run short of salt, and also desired the Holy Communion, and com-
mitted it to the river. It was either washed up on the beach, or re-
covered by one of the monks who was out fishing, and was brought
to Senan. The abbot at once packed the hamper again with two bars
of salt, and the Sacred Host, and committed it to the tide when running
inland, and Brigid, who was awaiting it, received it at her place. °
Senan was vastly particular on one point. He was determined to cut
off occasion for the scandals that had, unhappily, been common in the
double communities. Consequently, he stubbornly refused to allow
any woman to land on Scattery. So strict was he that when an aged
nun, named Cannera, arrived to die there, he refused to allow her to
.land. Cannera had been the spiritual daughter of the great Brigid.
* Vita 2<ia, c. 30 ; B. of L., p. 214. '^ Ibid., c. 35 ; B. of L., p. 217.
^ Ihid., c. 36; B. of L., p. 217.
* Casula, in Irish casta, does not necessarily apply to an ecclesiastical vestment
used at the altar. The term is appHed to a monastic habit.
^ Vita 2dn, c. 39., Brigid was of the family of Mac Xail.
S. Senan - 191
I^or some time she had lived in soUtude, but had afterwards attached
herself to Senan, and had probably entered his house for nuns among
the Hy Figeinte.
According to the legend, one night Cannera saw all the churches of
Ireland emitting rays of light ; but the greatest blaze was made by
that of Senan. She at once went to visit him on his island. What
follows is from the Life in the Book of Lismore.
" Senan went to the harbour to meet her, and gave her welcome.
You see, I have come,' said Cannera.
Go," replied Senan, ' to your sister who dwells in yon isle to the
East, for I cannot receive you here.'
" ' I have come to abide here,' retorted Cannera.
Women are not suffered to enter this isle,' rejoined Senan.
How canst thou say that ? ' asked Cannera. ' Art thou better
"than Jesus Christ ? He came to redeem women no less than men. He
suffered on the Cross for women as well as men. He opens the king-
•dom of heaven to women as surely as to men. Why then dost thou
shut women out from this isle ? '
" ' You are an obstinate woman,' said Senan.
Come now,' said Cannera, ' give me a place where I may be buried,
and give me the Sacrament.'
" ' I will give thee a place of resurrection on the sea-brink,' said Senan.
' But, mind you, the sea will eat it away, and carry off your bones.'
" ' God will grant,' said she, ' that the spot where I shall lie may not
be the first to be swept away by the waves.'
" ' Very well, then,' said Senan, ' come ashore.' " ^
Tom Moore's version of the story, " The Saint and the Lady," will
be remembered. He missed the real beauty of the tale.
As Senan perceived that his end drew nigh, he felt a longing to revisit
the scenes of his early school-days, as also to pray at the cell of his aunt,
Scath, QT Scota, at Barrymore, in Cork. Nothing has been told us of
his boy days with this aunt ; but there was a tender spot in his heart,
associated with her. She had been kind to him, maybe, had sympa-
thized with his yearnings after spiritual things, which his parents could
not understand. And so now an intense longing possessed him to see
where the dear old woman had lived and died. Her oratory is still
-standing, though ruinous.
Before leaving, a characteristic incident occurred, illustrative of the
transition state in which the Irish of these parts were, half-way
between Paganism and Christianity.
" We entreat you," said the virgins of Kil-eochaille, now Kill-na-
1 B. of L., pp. 219-20 ; Vita -zda, c. 40.
192 Lives of the British Saints
gaillagh, when he left his boat and visited them, " give us the body of
some lowly monk of your community to be buried by us, so that his-
relics may be our protection."
The Pagan usage had been to bury a child or a woman alive as a pro-
pitiatory sacrifice to the Earth-Mother, as also in order that the spirit
might haunt the spot and scare away foes and depredators. After-
wards, as manners softened, a horse or a dog or a lamb was substituted
for a human victim, when a house was built. There was a further pur-
pose in the demand. Till a grave had been made and one buried in
it, there was no security of tenure to land. Consequently the great
anxiety of founders to have a corpse laid in the land on which they
settled. That secured the inviolability of their holding. ^
Senan promised the sisters what they wanted, but bade them be
patient.
Then he departed to pray at the graves of his old schoolmaster and
his aunt. Having done this, he returned towards Iniscathy, and had
got as far as an old thorn-tree near Kil-eochaille, when he felt that his-
strength was gone and that his end approached.
Kil-eochaille or Kill-na-Gaillagh is on Rossbay, over against Inis-
cathy, and the oratory there is still standing, though ruinous. From
where he lay — across the rippling blue water — the old man's dying eyes-
rested on his beloved island, and beyond, the rounded hills of Clare,
the Corcobaskin country, through which light had streamed from that
little colony he had founded.
Hastily, a bishop of the name of Martin was sent for, and there under"
the thorn-tree on a windy day in early spring he was communicated
with the Bread of Life, and died, saying, " Let me lie here till dawn."
So all night his dead body lay where his spirit had passed.
In the morning came his disciples from Iniscathy, among them, that
same Bishop Mula, who had allayed a storm with a mutton bone in the
name of Senan, to carry off the corpse. But the Sisters of Kil-eochaille
protested. He had died there. He had promised them relics ; let
him lie where he had died.
To this the disciples would not consent, but to satisfy the nuns, they
cut off the old man's thumb and left it with them.^
Senan died on March i, on the same day as his friend S. David,
though perhaps not in the same year. The date cannot well be fixed.
If he were bom in 488, and he lived to the age of eighty, he died in 568 ;
but we cannot be certain as to the year of his birth nor as to the age
to which he hved.
' See Baring-Gould, Strange Survivals, London, 1892, pp. 1-35.
2 Vita Ida, c. 42 ; B. of L., p. 221.
S. SANNAN.
Modefn Glass in Llansanndn Chufoh,
Prom a Drawing by H. Gustav Hitler,
S. Senan 193
According to Albert le Grand, Senan had been abbot and bishop for
thirty-three years when he started for Armorica, and disembarked in
the west in what is now the parish of Plougonvelen, near the ruined
abbey of S. Mathieu. Thence he made his way to a place called after
him, Plouzane, where he destroyed an idol temple, and planted two-
crosses, which remain, but which were actually boundary marks to his
minihi, or sanctuary. The crosses surmount lechs, or early Christian
tombstones, and stood tiU lately in a little wood called Coet-ar-c'hras,
or the Wood of the Refuge. Near the church is his Holy WeU. The site
of his monastery is still pointed out. On Whitsunday the procession
of Plouzane is joined by that of Loc-maria, and the Tro Sant Sane is-
made, or the circuit of the old sanctuary land. The Pardon is, how-
ever, on the Sunday nearest to August lo.
Although Senan died on March i, the day of his burial, March 8, i&
observed in Ireland, and so entered in the Martyrology of Oengus, in
that of Donegal, and was in that, now lost, of Cashel. Also the Drum-
mond Calendar, and that of Salisbury. O' Gorman gives March i and
March 8. The Martyrology of Tallaght gives March 7. Whytford
on March 8, but he prints Fenan for Senan. Nicolas Roscarrock enters
him on March 7 and 9, but he says that in Cornwall his feast is observed
on April 15 ; but the Feast is nowadays kept on June 30 at S. Sennen.
In Brittany his day is March 6, Breviary of Leon, 1516, Missal of Dol,
1526, and Albert le Grand.
In Wales, Sannan's day is given as on March 7 in the Calendars in
the lolo MSS. and the Prymers of 1618 and 1633, and on March 8 in
that in Hafod MS. 8. Allwydd Paradwys, 1670, gives April 29 as the
Festival of Senan ; so also Cressy.^ This saint is supposed to have
been the Senan who is mentioned in the second Life of S. Winefred,
by Robert of Shrewsbury, as having been buried at Gwytherin beside
S. Winefred. Sannan occurs also on June 13 in the Calendars in Jesus
College MS. 141, Peniarth MSS. 27, 172, 186, 187 and 219, Mostyn
MS. 88, and the lolo MSS. — so formidable an array of Calendars that
it makes one suspect that the festival is that of another saint of the
name, who is patron of Llansannan, in Denbighshire, as the Gwyl
Mabsant was held there in the month of June within living memory ;
but no such saint, of whom anything is known, has his day in that
month. The date of one of the old fairs at Llansannan suggests another
possible patron for the church, S. Sanctan, noticed above, ^ a
^ Quoted in Rice Rees, Welsh Saints, p. 321. It is often assumed, e.g.
Cathrall, N. Wales, 1828, ii, p. 166, that this was the Sannan of Llansannan.
2 P. 171. In a poem attributed to lolo Godh {fiweithiau, ed. Ashton, p. 533)-
occurs the hne, " A nawd Sanan Nud y seinyeu," " the protection of Sannan, the
Nudd (Hael) of the saints."
VOL IV. O
194 Lives of the British Saints
British saint who settled in Ireland. The equation of the names is
•correct ; but the fair day, May 7 (O.S.), does not quite coincide with
liis festival. May g.
Besides Llansannan there is dedicated to Sannan the church of
Bedwellty (Mellte's House), in Monmouthshire. Browne Willis gives
the festival day of the former on June 13, and of the latter on March 8.
Sannan is also one of the three patrons of Llantrisant, in Anglesey,
whom Willis gives as Sannan (June 13), Afan (December 17), and lefan,
or John (August 29, the Beheading of the Baptist).
In the township of Tref Llan, Llansannan, is a field called Tyddyn
Sannan, near a spot called Pant yr Eglwys, where are the remains of a
building supposed to have been a church. Close by is the hill Foel
Sannan.
In Cornwall he is patron of only S. Sennen at the Land's End.
Leland ''■ speal-;s of him as Sinninus Abbas, who came over with Breaca
and other saints from Ireland, " qui Rom£E cum Patritio fuit," which,
•of course, is a mistake. According to William of Worcester," Sanctus
Senseus jacet in parochia Sancti Justi juxta Hellyston, circa 4 miliaria."
William's writing is so bad that it is not easy to discern whether he
wrote Sennius or Sensens.
The old church at Plouzane was a very rude and curious circular
structure. It was unhappily pulled down some years ago to make way
for a vulgar modern edifice.
There is a statue of him, without distinguishing attribute, at Plouzane
representing him in pontifical habit blessing.
Sennan has been supposed, on the most flimsy grounds, to be repre-
sented by S. Kessog in Scotland. The legend of Kessog in the Martyr-
•ology of Aberdeen is unlike that of S. Senan, except for one incident.
Kessog as a child was playing with two other children by a pool, when
the latter fell in and were drowned. Their parents were furious, and
threatened to destroy all Munster unless they were restored to them
ahve, which was accordingly done. Kessog was buried in Luss.^
The story of the drowned boys was imported into the Life of Kessog
from that of Senan, but with alterations. The two saints were dis-
linct personages.
S. SENEWYR, Confessor
Senewyr or Senefyr was one of the sons of Seithenin Frenin of
Maes Gwyddno (now under Cardigan Bay), whose territory was over-
^ Itin., iii., p. 15. ^ Forbes, Kalendars of Scottish Saints, 1872, pp. 373-4.
S. Sennara 195
whelmed by the sea. He had as brothers, Tudclyd, Gwynhoedl, Merin,
and Tudno.^ Other brothers are mentiond in the later genealogies,
and all are said to have become after the inundation saints of Bangor
on Dee. 2
The name of Seithenin, their father, is handed down in the Triads
with the unenviable distinction of having, in a fit of intoxication, let
the sea through the dams which secured Cantref y Gwaelod.
Senewyr is very probably the patron of Llansanwyr,^ now Llansannor,
in Glamorganshire. It is, however, entered among the possessions of
Tewkesbury Abbey in 1180 as the chapel " Sanctae Senwarae de la
Thawa," * with a female saint's name, possibly enough by mistake.
In the Book of Llan Ddv,^ the place is called Nadauan, standing appar-
ently for Nant Auan, and in the fourteenth century appendix ^ to the
same the church is given as " Ecclesia de La (= Lan) Thawe " ; and
again in the Valor of 1535'' as " Llansannor alias Thawe." In the
latter part of these designations we have the name of the stream there,
called in English Thaw, in Welsh Dawon.
Browne Willis ^ gives the dedication of Llansannor as " St. Thaw
alias Lythas, September i," a hopeless combination.
S. SENNARA, Widow
Sennara, in Breton Azenora, was the mother of S. Budoc.^ The
church of Zennor in West Cornwall is dedicated to her. In
Bishop Bronescombe's Register, 1270, it is Ecclesia Stas Senaras ;
so also in those of Bishops Stapeldon, 1315 ; Grandisson, 1327 ; Bran-
tyngham, 1370 and 1383, and Stafford, 1400.
The parish adjoins Towednack, and forms a portion of a strip of
extraneous foundations that cuts the Irish colony in half. At Zennor
the feast is on May 6, or the nearest Sunday. At Plourin, in Finistere,
where she is patron along with her son, Budoc, the Pardon is on the
Sunday nearest to August 7.
1 Peniarth MSS. 16, 45 ; Hafod MS. 16.
2 Myv. Arch., pp. 419, 428-9 ; lolo MSS., pp. 105, 141.
= Llan-sanwyr, Peniarth MS. 140, Llanstephan MS. 164, Jesus Coll. MS. 13 ;
-sanwr, Peniarth MS. 147.
* Claxk, CartcB, 1885, i, p. 21, where the Lenwarae must be a misreading.
5 See index, p. 414. "^ P. 324. ' iv, p. 349.
8 Llandaff, 1719, app. p. 2 ; Paroch. Anglic, I733.P- i99- The only possible
name on that day is Lupus (Bleiddian, Lythan), for which see i, pp. 222-3, i".
p. 366. s i, p. 331-
196 Lives of the British Saints
S. SERIGI, Martyr
Serigi (Serygei) Wyddel was the Goidelic chief who occupied Mon
or Anglesey till Cadwallon Lawhir, the son of Einion Yrth and father
of Maelgun Gvvynedd, made a desperate effort to put an end to the
Goidelic occupation of the island. He completely routed the Goidels,
and slew with his own hand Serigi at a place called to this day Cerrig
y Gwyddyl, near Malldraeth, in Anglesey.^
If the lolo MSS. are to be trusted, Serigi was the son of either Mwr-
chan ab Eumach Hen or of Eurnach,- who is also known as Urnach
Wyddel, and had his stronghold at Dinas Ffaraon, now Dinas Emrys,
near Beddgelert.
Cadwallon is said to have founded a church, called, from the above
circumstance, Llan (or Capel) y Gwyddyl, at Holyhead, within the forti-
fications. Sometimes it was called Eglwys y Bedd, from the fact that
it contained Serigi's grave cr shrine, and it had an endowment distinct
from the collegiate church of Cybi. Nicholas Owen, in his History of
Anglesey (London, 1775), says ^: " The ruins of it a few years ago were
removed in order to render the way to the church more commodious.
Here formerly was the shrine of Sirigi, who was canonized by the Irish.
It seems to have been held in exceeding great repute for several very
wonderful qualities and cures ; but, according to an old Irish chronicle,
it was carried off by some Irish rovers, and deposited in the Cathedral
of Christ Church, in Dublin."
This statement is inaccurate. The chapel still stands, in the S.W.
comer of the churchyard, and was turned into a grammar school,* but
the chancel was pulled down when the new entrance was made through
the ancient walls of the Caer to the south porch of the church. The
chancel arch still shows, but was built up. The author does not mention
the chronicle in which is recorded the carrying off of the relics of Serigi.
That he was ever " canonized " by the Irish is doubtful, as his name
occurs in none of their Martyrologies. It is curious enough that the
Welsh of Anglesey should have culted a chief of the hostile Gwyddyl
1 Triads in Mabinogion, ed. Rhys and Evans, p. 305. According to later
accounts (e.g., PeniarthMSS. 75, 129, 130) he met his death at Llan y Gwyddyl,
in Mon. Curiously, there are three remains in the parish of Towyn, Merioneth-
shire, called Eglwys y Gwyddelod (or Gwyddyl) — one on Mynydd y Bwlch
Glas, another in Coed Perfeddnant, and another on Mynydd Ty'n Llwyn.
2 Pp. 81-2. But see Sir J. Rhys's observations on Serigi (probably Norse),
Celtic Folklore, pp. 564-5, 569.
^ Pp. 34-5 ; also Pennant, Tours in Wales, ed. 1883, iii, pp. 71-2 ; Lewis Morris,
Celtic Remains, p. 391.
* Dr. Wynne's, founded in 1748 ; Arch. Camb., 1870, pp. 358-9.
S. Si ma us igj
who had oppressed them for centuries, and who was killed in a fair
fight.
A figure carved in granite en the ; outh door of Holyhead Church,
holding a sword, is probably intended for the " martyr " Serigi.
S. SIDWELL, see S. SATIVOLA
S. SILIN, see S. SULIEN
S. SIMAUS, Confessor
SiiiAus, also named Siviau, who is now called Cieux, was a disciple
of S. Brioc, and a monk at his Great Monastery (Landa Magna) in
Ceredigion. When S. Brioc came to Llydaw, Simaus remained behind.
One night, however, he dreamed that he saw a ladder reaching from
earth to heaven, and his old master ascending it. Thinking that it
signified his death, Simaus took ship and came to Armorica where he
landed in the port of Cesson, now Le Leguer ; and on reaching the
monastic settlement of Brioc, found that his master was, in fact, dead.
On his way, in the boat, we are informed that the devil tried to
suffocate him, but he was delivered on crying for assistance to his
master,^
He did not return to Ceredigion, but remained in Armorica and
founded a church where is now S. Cieux. He i; there represented in a
statue as a monk. He reached the spot where he settled by water
and the rock on which he is supposed to have landed is called Le Ber-
ceau de Saint Cieux. Above the path by which he ascended from
the shore is a cross called La Croix de S. Cieux. His spring is not
very copious ; it falls in drops from the rock, and these are locally
known as the Tears of S. Cieux. ^
His feast is kept on the Sunday nearest to June 26.
If S. Brioc died in 530, we may put that of Simaus at some twenty
years later.
^ Vita S. Brioci, ed. Plaine, c. 55.
2 Garaby, Vies des Saints de Bretagne, 1839, p. 470.
19^ Lives of the British Saints
S. SITH, Virgin, Abbess
SiTH is the same as Itha orlta, whose Life has been already given,"
but here a few additional notes may be added. Her actual name was
Deirdre, as given in the Martyrology of Donegal, and this was Latinized
into Dorothea ; and in Capgrave's Nova Legenda Anglice she is given,
as " Derithea que alio nomine Itta vocatur." She is also called Mite
or Mide Mo-Ita, with the endearing prefix. In this compound form
her name occurs in Rosmead, Co. Westmeath, i.e. Ros M'ide.
The Life in Bishop Marsh's Library is apparently an abbreviation of
a longer Life (" breviter enarrari cupimus," and " alia . . . propter
brevitatem omittimus "). Although purporting to have been written
in the second generation after S. Itha, it cannot be so old in its present
form. There are three anecdotes given in the Life in Marsh's Library
not found in the Rawlinson Life. These we may briefly give.
When S. Coemgen lay a-dying he begged that Itha might come and
see him. When she arrived he besought her to close his mouth when
he expired with her hand, " for I know by revelation of an angel of
God that on whomsoever you lay your hand, when dying, him the
angels will translate into the Kingdom of God."' This she did.
On a certain occasion a wealthy man went to S. Itha and begged her
to obtain for him that his mares might foal offspring only male, and
with white heads and chestnut bodies. 2 To this she very naturally
demurred, but as he was very urgent, she finally gave way and obtained
from God that he had several born that year as he desired.
When she was at an advanced age, Mac Niss-, Abbot of Clonmacnois-,
sent messengers to her to obtain from her water that she had blessed,
to be administered to the Abbot Aengus who was ill, and it was hoped
that if he drank it, he would recover. S. Itha through her prophetic
powers foresaw that this would be done,, and she told the sisters that
she would be dead before the delegates arrived, consequently she at
once blessed water, but she added that it would avail Aengus nothing,
for he would be dead before the messengers returned with the water.
And it so fell out as she had predicted.
1 iii, pp. 324-31-
2 " Pete Patrem et Filium et Spiritum Sanctum, qui trinus et unus cell et
terre, maris et hominum, vestium et peccorum colores coloravit, ut ipse officiat
colores puUorum, sicut ego volo," i.e., " ut eque mee masculos puUos albi capitis
et rubei coloris pariant hoc anno." Vitce SS. Hibern.., ed. Plumxner, ii, p.. 125..
aS*. Sithney {Setna) ^99
S. SITHNEY (SETNA), Abbot, Confessor
Sithney, in Breton Sezni, is the Irish Setna, who was a disciple of
S. Senan. The Latin form of his name is Sidonius.
In the Register of Bishop Stapeldon of Exeter (1310-8) the dedica-
tion of Sithney Church, in Cornwall, is given as that of Stus. Siduinus ;
in that of Bishop Bronescombe (1276) it is Stus. Sidnius ; in that of
Bishop Grandisson (1336), S. Sydnyny, (1363) Ecclesia Sti. Sidnini ;
in that of Bishop Brantyngham (1392), Sti. Sidenini ; and in that of
Bishop Stafford (1403), Sti. Sithnini.
There is no Vita of S. Setna, but his acts may be collected from those
of S. Senan of Iniscathy. A Life indeed is given by Albert le Grand,
of S. Sezni, but it is manufactured out of that of S. Piran by John of
Tynemouth. Where John of Tynemouth has written Geranus for
Kieranus, i.e. the Abbot of Clonmacnois, the adapter has blindly
followed him. No reliance therefore can be placed on this Life. S.
Senan is also venerated in Brittany, and Albert le Grand gives his acts,
and says he was son of Hercan and Cogella. He gives as the parents of
Sezni, Emut and WingeUa. The true names of S. Senan's parents,
thus mutilated, were Ercan and Coemgella, acccrding to the Metrical
Life, Gerrgenn and Coemgell, according to the Irish Life. The father
of S. Ciaran or Piran in John of Tynemouth is Domuel, and the mother
is WingeUa.
Setna was a native of Munster, and had two brother saints, Goban
and Multeoc. His father's name was Ere, and his mother was Magna,,
a sister of S. David. ^
He attached himself early to Senan, which is not surprising as his
uncle, David, and Senan were intimate and attached friends. Setna
was with Senan when this latter saint settled in Inis Mor (Deer Island),,
at the mouth of the Shannon.
One day he caught a woman washing her child's linen in the foun-
tain whence all the community drew their drinking water. This waS'
too much for his patience, he flew into a rage, and stormed at the
woman, using violent language and wishing bad luck to her and the
child. With him joined his fellow pupil, Liberius.
Shortly after, the child disappeared, and the mother concluded that
it had fallen over the cliffs into the sea, and, further, that this was due
to Setna's curses. She sped to Senan and accused Setna and Liberius
of having ill-wished her child, and thereby caused its death. Senan
was very angry with his pupils, and ordered Liberius, as the elder of
the two, to go and do penance on a rock in the sea, and he bade Setna.
1 The Tract on " The Mothers of the Saints," in the Opuscula of Oengus.
2 00 Lives of the British Saints
row him out to this skerry, leave him there, and not return without the
child's body.
After some hours Setna found the urchin on the beach, paddling in
the pools, and he at once conveyed him to his mother. The child had
not fallen over the cliffs, but had strayed, and the woman had rushed
to conclusions prematurely and unwarrantably.
So Setna was bidden to go after Liberius and take a lesson not to
be intemperate in his language for the future. ^
Setna must have gone to Ciaran of Saighir, for we find that he suc-
ceeded him in the abbacy of that place, probably when Ciaran went
to Cornwall ; but it can have been only temporarily till Carthagh
settled there as permanent ecclesiastical head of the Ossorians. It
is due perhaps to this temporary presidency of Setna oyer Saighir that
the mistake arose, and the acts of Ciaran were attributed to him.
It was whilst Setna was a member of the community of Saighir that
an incident occurred which, though fabulous, is picturesque.
He had gone on a visit to S. Molua of Clonfert. They sat talking of
heavenly matters, and time flew unnoticed, till Setna started up with
an exclamation. The sun was declining, and he feared he could not
reach Saighir before it fell dark, and there would be risk in crossing
the Shannon after nightfall. Then Molua bowed his head over his
hands and prayed. Setna started, and the sun did not set till he had
reached his monastery. The distance was from fifteen to twenty
miles. The story has been developed out of a very simple occurrence.
Setna succeeded in crossing the Shannon before the light was quite
withdrawn, and as the season was midsummer it was not dark through-
out his journey, and he got home without accident. -
There are several Setnas in the Irish Calendars. One at Killany
in Louth is a distinct personage. But it is not so certain that Setna,
the disciple of Senan, was not the deaf and dumb boy set to keep cows
■on Slieve-Bloom, whom S. Columba of Tir-da-glas saw, pitied, blessed,
and he recovered hearing and speech ; not only so, but he also obtained
the gift of prophecy.^
Columba died in 549. The date of S. Ciaran's retirement from Saig-
^ Life in the Book of Lismore, p. 212. " Petit S. Libernus seu Liberius, Quod
iacinus ! respondet Sidonius, Facinus est detestandum, nempe quod mulier
•quaedam lotione vestium suae prolis defaedet et inficiat undam fontis ex quo
aquae ad tremenda mysteria sacrificii messae soleant desumi . . . et forte rigi-
<iius quam multis videatur expedire divinam ultionem faeminae et proli impre-
cantur. . . . Tunc ejulans mater accurrit ad sanctum Senanum, reique narrat
•eventum, utpote quo modo suus filius discipulorum ejus imprecationibus fuit
extinctum," etc. Vita zda S. Senani, in Colgan, Acta SS. Hibern., c. 24, p. 533.
2 Vita Sti. Moluis, c. 37 ; Acta SS. Boll., Aug., i ; Acta SS. Hib., Cod. Sal.,
coll. 277, 885. ^ Acta SS. Hib., Cod. Sal., coll. 291, 452.
aS*^. Socrates and Stephen 2 o i
liir we do not know, but it was about 500. Senan of Iniscathy died
in 554. S. Molua, Setna's friend, died m 608.
In the Rawlinson MSS. in the Bodleian Library (B. 512) is a poetical
dialogue between S. Findchu and S. Setna, in which the latter foretells
the calamities that were to befall Ireland. It cannot have been com-
posed before 1350, for it fairly correctly gives the succession of events
in Irish history up to that date, after which it goes hopelessly wrong.
The conclusion of Setna's story comes to us from Brittany. When
'Carthagh assumed the rule in Saighir, to which he was entitled as
belonging to the conquering and intrusive family from Munster, Setna
had to retire, and probably deemed it advisable to follow his master
•Ciaran to Cornwall, where he founded the church of Sithney. Then he
went on to Brittany. Here the Breton Life probably may be trusted.
He landed at Kerlouan in Leon. Near this he established himself on
rising ground above a pleasant little bay, and formed for himself as
well a place of retreat and solitude, now the Peniti-san-Sezni. His
main establishment was at Guic-Sezni, and there, says the author of
the manufactured Life, he lived till he was aged a hundred and
twenty-seven.
His Life based on that in Albert le Grand has formed the topic of a
Breton ballad, that is given in the edition of 1837, but not in that of
jgoi.
The Bretons pretend that so many miracles were wrought by the
body of S. Sezni, that the Irish sent a fleet, and carried it off. This
means no more than that the Bretons did not possess his relics, because
he did not die in Armorica. In fact, he was buried in Kinsale. He
probably died at the close of the sixth century.
In the Irish Martyrologies two Setnas are entered on March 9, but
they belong to a later period. Another, probably the Setna, disciple
of S. Senan and S. Ciaran, on March 10.
In Brittany his feast is September 19— MS. Missal of Treguier,
fifteenth century. Breviary of Leon, 1516, and Albert Le Grand.
At Sithney the feast is on August 3.
The statues representing him in Brittany give him no distinguishing
.attributes, but he is shown vested as a bishop.
SS. SOCRATES and STEPHEN, Martyrs
Among the few Celtic entries in the eleventh century Martyr ologium
Hieronymianum, MS. 50 in the Trinity College Library, Dublin, occurs.
2 02 Lives oj the British Saints
against September 17, " In Britannis Socris et Stephani." ^ SS.
Socrates and Stephen appear also in one of the earUest ampHfications
of Bede's Martyrology, and again in the modern Roman Martyrology,
as martyrs in Britain. Rice Rees ^ quotes Cressy's Church History,
which says that they were " two noble British Christians," and disci-
ples of S. Amphibalus, who were martyred in the persecution of Diocle-
tian. Father Stanton goes further, and says that the scene of their
passion was probably Monmouthshire or South Wales, as churches were
dedicated to them in that district. We have not been able to ascertain
the truth of this last statement, nor to glean anything more about them.
S. SOI, see S. TYSOI
S. STINAN, see S. JUSTINIAN
S. STYFFAN, see S. YSTYFFAN
S. SULBIU, Confessor
In the Book oj Llan Ddv is recorded the grant of Lann Sulbiu (or
Suluiu) to the Church of Llandaff, in the time of Bishop Ufelfyw, by
Meurig ab Tewdrig, King of Morgan wg, " pro redemptione animae
suse." ^ Elsewhere it is enumerated among the possessions of that
church under the name Ecclesia Sancti Sulbiu.* It is to-day LlanciUo,
subject to Rowleston, in Herefordshire.
Nothing is known of Sulbiu. His name would now have been
Sulfyw.
1 1, p. 69. 2 Welsh Saints, p. 316.
' P. 160. * Ibid., pp. 31, 43, 90.
S. Sulien 203:
S. SULIAU, see S. TYSSILIO
S. SULIEN, Confessor
This Breton- Welsh Saint has been entirely confounded by late
writers with S. Silin or Giles, but the two are kept quite distinct in
earlier writings. ^ The confusion has arisen through similarity of
names ; but Silin cannot by any possibility be equated with SuUen,
in Old- Welsh Sulgen.^ Sulien only is known to the Saintly Pedigrees,
both earlier and later, whilst the calendars are the principal authority
for Silin, who is therein usually styled " Saint," which in mediseval
Welsh was reserved for non- Welsh Saints. It is quite clear that Silin
was formerly regarded as the Welsh equivalent for S. Giles, the well-
known abbot, who enjoyed a very extensive cult, which reached Eng-
land and Scotland in the eleventh century, and whose festival is Sep-
tember I. The equation is as early as the thirteenth century, for in
the Ked Book of S. Asaph (fo. 138a), in a document dated 1296, Llansilin
Church is called " Ecclesia S'i Egidii de KynUeith." ^ Salesbury also
in his Welsh Dictionary, pubUshed in 1547 {s.vv.Dyw and Silin), gives
SiUn as the Welsh form for Giles ; and the calendar in Allwydd Par-
adwys, 1670, has against September i, " jEgidiws, i.e. Silin Abad." *
Sulien came to Wales with S. Cadfan,^ who headed a great company
from Brittany. He is usually coupled with S. Mael, who was one of the
number, and possibly his brother. In the lolo MSS.^ it is stated that
they, with others, " became Saints in Bangor lUtyd and in Bangor Catwg,.
at Llancarfan, and went as saints with Cadfan to Bardsey." In an-
other document, printed further on,'' they are said to have been " kins-
^ E.g., the Ode to King Henry VII, lolo MSS., p. 314, where they are coupled
together, " Sulien a Sain SiHn."
2 Cf. the O.-Welsh forms Morgen and Urbgen for later Morien and Urien. In
late mediaeval Welsh Sulien is sometimes confounded with JuUan, as in the
calendar in Additional MS. 14,882 (Sept. 2), and by Guto'r Glyn, who in a poem
calls Corwen " bro SuwUen." Silin also does duty for Julian.
' In the Taxatio of 1254 it is " Ecc'a de Llansilyn."
* S. Giles's early history is very obscure. He is believed to have been bom in
Greece in the seventh century, perhaps of noble parents, and to have migrated
to France. His name assumes the following forms — Greek AlylSio^, Lat.
iEgidius, Ital. Egidio, Span. Gil, Er. Gilles, Egide. The n in SiUn is hypo-
coristic, as in Meuthin, EUdan, S. Maughan's, etc. In the Welsh calendar in
Peniarth MS. 172 (late sixteenth century) Sept. i is given as the festival of " SiUn
ap Aron " ; but Giles's father's name is not known for certain.
5 Peniarth MSS. 16, 45 ; Hafod MS. 16 ; Cardiff MS. 25 (pp. 26, 114), etc.
Sulien was not a very common name. It was borne by two distinguished men in
S. David's — one, bishop of that Diocese (d. 1088), and the other his grandson.
6 p. 103. ^ P. 112 ; cf. p. 134.
:2 04 Lives of the British Saints
men of Cadfan, descended from Emyr Llydaw, who came with Cadfan
to this Island, and are saints in Bardsey. Their churches are in Gwy-
nedd, where they lived in great piety and holiness of life." But these
statements are late. Sulien's father's name is nowhere given, not even
in the later Pedigrees. ^
Suhen is commemorated twice in the Welsh Calendars ; (i) alone, on
September 2, which festival occurs in the Calendars in Peniarth MSS.
27, 172, 186, 187, 192, 219 ; Jesus College MS. 141 ; Mostyn MS. 88 ;
Llanstephan MS. 117 ; the lolo MSS. ; Additional MS. 14, 882 (as
" Sant Julian") ; and the Prymer of 1618 ; {2) in conjunction with
Mael, on May 13, in the calendars in Peniarth MSS. 186, 191 (but Mael
,alone in MSS. 187, 219) ; Jesus College MS. 141 ; Mostyn MS. 88 ;
Llanstephan MSS. 117, 181 ; the lolo MSS. ; Allwydd Paradwys ;
the Prymer of 1633 ; and the Demetian Calendar. The Prymer of
.1546 May 12, by mistake.
Sulien is, conjointly with Mael, the patron of Corwen ^ (apparently,
■" the Stone Choir, or Church"), in Merionethshire, and of Cwm, in
Flintshire.^ A great fair used to be held at Corwen on May 13, O.S.
Ffynnon Sulien is about a mile and a half from the Church, near Riig
Chapel. From it water was formerly fetched, across the Dee, for
Baptisms. It would appear that the church of Silian, in Cardigan-
shire, is dedicated to Sulien. Willis and Meyrick * call it Capel Julien
or Sulien, with festival on September 2. The Tumble Mission Church
i(modern) in the parish of Llannon, Carmarthenshire, is dedicated to him.
Willis, under Llaniestyn, Carnarvonshire, says, " ubi in coemeterio
■ est extructa Capella S. Suliani, S. Suliens, July 22." ^ Rhossilly, a
1 Rice Rees, Welsh Saints, p. 220, makes him son of Hj^wel ab Emyr Llydaw,
but without authority.
3 In the chancel is the fourteenth or fifteenth century effig)^ of " lorwerth Sulien
Vicarius de Coruaen."
3 There can be no doubt, we think, that Corwen and Cwm bear the double
. dedication. Edward Lhuyd and Browne Willis give Cwm as to Mael and Sulien,
and the former mentions a Ffynnon Fael a Sulien there. But they give Corwen
as dedicated to Suhen alone. Lhuyd (Parochialia, ii. p. 44, suppl. to Arch. Camb.,
1910) says, " The church is dedicated to St. Silian. Their feast is kept about y'
beginning of j^"." So Willis, Bangor, p. 362. In a MS. of 1606 the church is
called Llansihen (Evans, Report on Welsh MSS., i, p. 913) ; of. the Llan Silyn
(in Edernion) of Myv. Arch., p. 742. On the other hand, in a MS. of 1590-1, and
in a poem by Guto'r Glyn to Sir Benet, parson of Corwen, it is to Mael and Suhen
(see iii, p. 400). But Tudur Penllyn, in a poem to the same, mentions Sulien
•only. So in a hst of fairs in Cardiff MS. 11 (i, p. 1 86) , that on May 1 3 — there was
not one on Sept. 2 — is entered as " ffair gorwen gwyl Suhen." The dropping of
Mael — possibly the lesser — itiay have been for brevity.
^ Paroch. Anglic, p. 194 ; Hist, of Anglesey, p. 46.
= Bangor, p. 275. Julian, martyr at Damascus, was commemorated on July
-.20, and another Julian, martjnr at Rimini, on June 22.
S. Sullen 205
parish in Gower, is the Rosulgen of the Book of Llan Ddv, ^ which
embodies the name Suhen. There was more than one ecclesiastic of
the name connected with that Diocese in the time of Bishop Oudoceus —
Sulgen, Abbot of Llancarfan, and Sulgen, Abbot of Docunni, or Llan-
dough.-
In the " Genealogy of lestyn ab Gwrgan, Prince of Glamorgan,"
printed in the lolo MSS., we are told ^ that Gorwg ab Eirchion " gave
a new name to his court, calling it Tresilian, after a saint of that name
whom the infidels had killed." Tresilian is still the name of a dingle
opening to the sea, midway between Llantwit Major and S. Donats, but
we have no means of knowing who the saint was.
Silin = S. Giles is likewise commemorated on two days in the Welsh
Calendars ; (i) on September i, in practically all the Calendars which
commemorate Sullen on September 2, to which may be added the Calen-
dars in the Welsh Prayer Books of 1567, 1664, etc., and Bibles of 1588,
1620, etc. ; and (2) on October i, in conjunction with Garmon, or'
Germanus, in a great many Calendars.
The Demetian Calendar {Cwrtmawr MS. 44) gives Silin, Bishop, on
January 27. He is in all probability S. Julian, first bishop of Le Mans,.
in France, and not the Julian, martyr at Sora or Atina, also commemor-
ated on this day. There was a fair at Capel S. Silin, Cardiganshire, on
the day. Old Style, and later on February 7.* In the Calendar in
Additional MS. 14,886 (1643-4), " Sain Silin " is entered on January 26.
S. Giles, Abbot and Confessor, popular in England, was popular to a
considerable extent also in Wales, under the form Silin. To him is
dedicated the parish church of Wrexham, one of the finest churches in
the country, the tower of which is famed as one of the " Seven Wonders
of Wales," and on which are placed three statues of the laint, with his
attributes. Formerly the church was given as dedicated to S. Silin, ^
but its patron is now recognized only as S. Giles. There was according
to Norden's Survey, 1620, a field in the township of Acton, close to the
town, called Erw Sant Silin.*' Browne WilHs" gives the Patronal
^ P. 239. 2 Ihid., p. 419 (index). = P. 9.
* In The Taylors Cussion, the common-place book of Geo. Owen (d. 1613), ed.
Mrs. Pritchard, 1906, is given among the Cardiganshire fairs (i, fo. 766), " Capell,
St. silin — primo septembr."
^ E.g. in a MS. of 1590-1 (Evans, Report on Welsh MSS., i, p. 914). E. Lhuyd
{Paroch., i, pp. 107, 132) says, " Their St. Silin, and Wakes y' first Sunday after
St. Giles." Bishop Maddox (1736-43) in MS. Z in the Episcopal Library at S.
Asaph gives Wrexham Church as " dd. to St. Giles. W(elsh) St. Silin."
^ Palmer, Hist, of Parish Church of Wrexham, 1886, pp. 11, 194.
' 5. Asaph, p. 2gj ; Bangor, p. 363. At the latter reference the dedication is
to " Sihn, though as some say to S. Giles " ; in his Paroch. Anglic, p. 223, it is to-
S. Silien.
2o6 Lives of the British Saints
Pestival as S. Giles's Day, September i, " according to the observation
of their Wake."
To S. Giles, as Silin, is also dedicated the church of Llansilin, in
Denbighshire, where his festival was observed on October i, which is
in reality one of the festivals of Germanus of Auxerre, the day of his
burial, and occurs in most of the Welsh calendars. There are two
churches in the neighbourhood dedicated to S. Garmon, which fact,
no doubt, brought about the alteration from the ist of one month to
the 1st of the next. The church of Llansilin consists of two equal
bodies of four bays, and in the north aisle was the chapel of S. Silin,
which contained his statue on a bracket in 1534. The church under-
went much rough treatment in 1646, during the Civil War, and the
"" image of S. Silin " was destroyed among other things.^ Ffynnon
Silin, in a field of Tynllan, close to the village, has been closed, but the
water was conveyed in pipes to supply the fountain in the village in
J882.
To him are also dedicated Letterston, where is a Ffynnon San'
Silin, and Upton, subject to Nash, both in Pembrokeshire ; and Giles-
ton, in Glamorganshire. Capel Sant Silm, in the lower end of the
parish of Llanfihangel Ystrad, Cardiganshire, is long since extinct ; and
there was formerly a pilgrimage chapel, used for solemn processions
on certain Holy Days, which occurs as " Capell St. Sylin " and
" Capella Scli Egidii," in the parish of Mynachlogddu, Pembroke-
shire.^ There is an old historic house at Aber, near Bangor, called
Bod Silin.
Luxulyan, in Cornwall, may, perhaps, be a corruption of Lan Julian,
or Sulian. A Juliana is given among the supposed daughters of
Brychan.3 S. Sullien, Sulien, Lan-Sulien, Plu-Sulien, occur in
Brittany.
The fleabane-wort {plantago psyllium) is called in Welsh Llysiau
Sihn.*
S. TALHAIARN
The lolo MSS. documents are solely responsible for Talhaiarn as
a saint, whether he be taken for the sixth century bard or another
' Thomas, Hist, of Dio. of S. Asaph, 1912, iii, pp. 19, 21 ; Gwaith GwalUer
Mechain, 1868, iii, pp. 28, 42.
2 Owen's Pembrokeshire, i, pp. 504, 509. ^ i, pp. 319-20.
* Davies, Welsh Botanology, 1813, p. 214 ; Meddygon Myddfai, 1861, p. 291.
'" Caniad San Silin " is the name of an old Welsh air (Myv. Arch., p. 1,075).
aS*. Talhaiarn 207
person of the name. He is made to be a native of Monmouthshire
who settled in North Wales. " Talhaiarn Caerlleon, of Caerleon on
Usk, the son of Garthwys ab Morydd ab Cenau ab Coel Godebog.
Talhaiarn was feriglawr, or confessor, to Emrys Wledig, and after
Emrys was slain he assumed the eremitical life at the place where his
■church is in Rhufoniog." i The church meant is Llanfair Talhaiarn,
in Denbighshire, but there can be no doubt as to its dedication to
the B.V.M.2 In the list of Welsh parishes in Peniarth MS. 147,
written circa 1566, the parish name is given as " Llanfair ddol
liayarn." ' Dolhaiarn or Talhaiarn is the name of one of the town-
ships of the parish.
The pedigree above, which is evidently extracted from Bonedd
•Gwyr y Gogledd, should more correctly run, Arthwys ab Mar ab Ceneu
ab Coel, but the latter document, though it mentions four sons of
Arthwys, does not give Talhaiarn.
Further, Talhaiarn is mentioned as the father of S. Tangwn, and
appears to have been a saint of Llancarfan, for among " the seven
•questions proposed by Catwg the Wise to seven wise men in his college
at Llanfeithin," we have the following, " What constitutes supreme
goodness in a man ? Equity," replied Talhaiarn the Bard.*
One of the " Sayings of the Wise " tercets runs : — ^
Hast thou heard the saying of Talhaiarn
To Arthur of the splintered lance ?
" But God there is no one strong "
(Namyn DuW nid oes gadarn).
Talhaiarn is credited with having composed the Gorsedd Prayer,
■still used, of which there are three versions printed in the lolo MSS.^
The prayer is not early in its present form, but savours of pantheism.
The same work contains the following notice — " Talhaiarn, the father
of Tangwn, presided in the chair of Urien Rheged, at Caer Gwyroswydd
(i.e. Oystermouth) after the expulsion of the Goidels from Gower,
'Carnwyllion, Cantref Bychan, and the cantref of Is Cennen." '' On
another page,^ S. Talhaiarn, father of Tangwyn, is mentioned as one
of the three Chief Baptismal Bards of the Welsh Nation. And again, ^
1 P. 128. In Breton the name occurs cis Talouarn, and in the charter form
Saint-Dalouarn.
= Rice Rees, Welsh Saints, p 333, gives it as SS. Talhaiarn and Mary.
' So also Peniarth MS. 134 (1550-62), p. 243, " Llanvair dol hayarn." But
in the Taxatio of 1291 and the Valor of 1535 dal- for dol-.
*■ Myv. Arch., p. 776. ^ Joio MSS., p. 257. ^ Pp. 79-80.
' P. 77. On the same page he is a disciple of " Maelgyn Hir, of Llandaff.
-the bard and maternal uncle of S. Tejlo."
* P. 79. s P. 167.
2o8 Lives of the British Saints
in a fable, entitled " Envy burning itself," wherein he gives his son.
Tangwyn some sound advice on his going out into the world.
Of Talhaiarn the bard we know next to nothing. He is mentioned
by Nennius (c. 62), " Talhaern Tataguen in poemate claruit." ^ But
some of the MSS. read " Tatanguen " for " Tataguen," and out of
this has been evolved the " Talhaiarn Tad Tangwn " of the lolo MSS.
To Taliessin 2 " Talhaiarn was the greatest sywedydd," prophet or
astrologer.
SS. TANGLWST and TANGWYSTL
These are given as the names of two reputed daughters of Brychan,*'
but only one is intended, as the former name is a late corruption of
the latter. Tanglwst, it is said, was the wife of Gwynog ab Cadell ab
Cawrdaf ab Caradog Freichfras (as such she could not by any possi-
bility have been a daughter of Brychan), and Tangwystl the wife of
Cyngen, prince of Powys, and mother of Brochwel Ysgythrog. But
Cyngen, through misreadings, has been given at least four daughters
of Brychan as wives, for whom see under S. Tudglid, his wife's real
name.
There are two farm-houses, called Hafod Tanglws Ucha and Isa *
respectively, about 5 miles from Merthyr Tydfil, which are supposed
to have been named after Brychan's daughter. Tradition has it
that her sister Tydfil was visiting her there at the time she was slain.
See also under S. Tudhistil.
S. TANGWN AB CARADOG FREICHFRAS, Confessor
This Tangwn was son of Caradog Freichfras, the Carados Brebras
of romance, by the beautiful Tegau Eurfron, and the brother of SS.
' Cf. the " Tedei tad awen " of the Black Book of Carmarthen, whence the^
" Tydain Tad awen " of the latest series of Triads.
- Skene, Four Ancient Books, ii, p. 134.
3 For Tanglwst, lolo MSS., pp. iii, 121, 140, Myv. Arch., p. 419 ; for Tang-
wystl, Jesus Coll. MS. 20, Myv. Arch., p. 430. Tangwystl means " a pledge-
of peace." It occurs in Harleian MS. 3,859 as Tancoyslt, and in Cornish as
Tancuuestel, Tancwoystel. Tangustel is given as the name of two men in the
Black Book of S. David's (1326), 1902, pp. 265, 267. 1
* The name occurs also in Tangelust grange, Tanglus-lond, Tanguestellond,
and Tare (Tir) Tanglust, situated near Pyle, in Glamorganshire, and mentioned
in several Margam Abbey deeds. Birch, Margam A bbey, index, pp. 399, 400 ■:
Penrice Charters — Tanglus Lond (15 16), Tanglust Land {1540).
S. Tangwn ab Talhaiarn 209
Cadfarch, Cawrdaf, and Maethlu.^ The older genealogies make him
the patron saint of the little church of Llangoed, in Anglesey ; but that
church is sometimes attributed to Tangwn and Cawrdaf conjointly,*
and sometimes to Cawrdaf alone,^ which is certainly a mistake.
Tangwn's day does not occur in any calendar, but the festival of
Llangoed is given as December 15.*
S. TANGWN AB TALHAIARN, Confessor
This saint is said to have been a son of the Talhaiarn noticed above,,
but, as pointed out, the affiliation rests entirely on a misreading. We
are told that " his church is in Somersetshire, its English name being
Tangyntwn," ^ an imaginary " original " for Taunton (O.-E. Tantun) ;.
but, unfortunately, that town derives its name from being the tun
on the Tan, now Tone, which flows through it.
Tangwn has been identified, rightly or wrongly, with the S. Tangu-
sius of the Life of S. Beuno, with whom, at Caerwent, the latter was
placed as pupil until " he obtained a knowledge of all the Holy Scrip-
tures." ^ He is credited with having succeeded S. Tathan as second
abbot of the monastery at Caerwent.
There is a fable printed in the lolo MSS.^ entitled " Envy burning,
itself," in which Tangwn (there called Tanwyn) is the principal actor.
Talhaiarn, after he had given his son as liberal an education as he
was able, called him to him one day and told him that he could do
no more for him, and that he must now " go wherever he might be
led by God and his destiny " to seek his fortune. Bidding him
farewell he gave him three words of advice, " Travel not on a new
road where there is no broken bridge on the old road. Seek not power
where you can have love in its stead. And pass not by the place
1 Peniarth MSS. 12, 16, 45 ; Hafod MS. 16 ; lolo MSS., pp. 104, 123 ; Myv.
Arch., pp. 420, 430.
2 E.g., Rice Rees, Welsh SS., p. 324.
' Myv. Arch., p. 423 ; Willis, Bangor, p. 282 ; Angharad Llwyd, Hist, of
Anglesey, p. 284.
* N. Owen, Hist, of Anglesey, 1775, p. 58 ; Arch. Camb., 1847, p. 327. Owen
enters Cawrdaf (Dec. 5) as patron of the parish, and the day may be an error.
* P. 128. The name also occurs as Taugwyn and Tanwyn, ibid, pp. 79,.
167-9.
8 Llyvyr Agkyr, p. 119; Cambro-Brit. Saints, pp. 13, 300.
7 Pp. 167-9. It is modern, and affects the Gwentian dialect. The fable
next given is another version of it, only the characters are different.
V L. IV. P
2 I o Lives of the British Saints
"where there is a wise and pious man teaching and declaring God's
Word and commandment, without stopping to listen to him."
He soon found a patron in the person of a rich nobleman, who made
him his steward. By his integrity, wisdom, and benevolence, Tangwn
soon won the respect and affection of every one. But it was not long
before the nobleman became very jealous of him, and meditated his
death. He had a limekiln, and one day he went to the lime-burners
and told them that an enemy had arrived who contemplated carrying
him and his faithful people away captive and seize all. He would
be the first man, he said, to pass that way after he had gone, and they
were to throw him into the kiln, which they vowed they would do.
On his return, the nobleman sent Tangwn, by a new road, to pay the
lime- burners their wages. ' ' Tangwn was silent, thinking of his father's
advice," and he went on his mission along the old instead of the new
road. He turned aside too to hear a man preaching, and " remained
there some time, listening to the voice of godliness and wisdom."
The nobleman " bethought him of going to the kiln to see and hear
how it befell," but by that time there was a fresh relay of burners,
who did not know the nobleman, and, as instructed, " they cast him
into the kiln, and he was burnt to ashes." Thus did " Envy burn
itself."
There is an Alsatian version of the legend, which is known to us
through Schiller's ballad, Der Gang nach dem Eisenhammer.
S. TANWG, Confessor
The earlier Saintly Pedigrees simply state that this Welsh saint
was one of the Breton refugees who came to Wales with S. Cadfan.^
The later ones say that he was a kinsman of that saint, the son of
Ithel Hael of Armorica, and " a saint of the Bangor of Bardsey, who
came with Cadfan and Garmon ab Rhidicys to this island." ^ As
son of Ithel Hael he would be one of a large family of saints.
He is the patron of Llandanwg, on the shore, in Merionethshire.
Ellis Wynne, once rector of the parish, and the author of Y Bardd
Cwsg, in a letter written in 1720 says, " We have a Trad" ab' our
Cch of Llandanwg y' it was a Chapell of Rest for Corpses to be trans-
ported to y' famd Repository at Bardsey Jslad "
1 Peniarth MSS. 16, 45, 182 (p. 39) ; Hafod MS. 16 ; Cardiff MS. 25, pp.
26, 114; Myv. Arch., p. 429.
' lolo MSS., pp. 106, 112, 133 ; Myv. Arch., pp. 418, 430-1.
S. Tathan 2 1 1
Tanwg s festival is given as October lO in the Calendars in Peni-
arth MSS. 187 and 219, Llanstephan MS. 117, and the lolo MSS.,
but the 9th in those in the Prymers of 1618 and 1633, and by Browne
Willis as September 9/ clearly a mistake.
The parishioners of Llandanwg, in the sixteenth century, used to
invoke their patron in the formula (translated), " God and Tanwg
help us ! " 2
In the Myvyrian Archaiology ' is an entry from one of two MSS.
written 1578-1609, " Dannwc a Samarws y Saint ym Mhenial ym
Meirionydd." Samarws does not appear in any other Saintly Pedi-
gree, and the only suggestion we can make is that the two possibly
stand for the " Tanwc ac Eithras (Ethrias) " of the ordinary Pedi-
grees. Penial occurs repeatedly in sixteenth century documents for
Pennal (S. Peter ad Vincula), near Machynlleth.
S. TATHAN, Abbot, Confessor
The authority for the Life of Tatheus or Tathan is the Vita in
Cotton MS. Vespasian A. xiv, which has been printed, rather in-
accurately, in the Cambro-British Saints, 1853, pp. 255-64, and most
carefully in the Vita S. Tathei and Buched Seint y Katrin, edited by
Mr. H. Idris Bell in 1909 for the Bangor Welsh MSS. Society. This
Life was abridged, without any fresh details, by John of Tynemouth,
in Cotton MS. Tiberius E. i, and the abridgement was taken by Cap-
grave into his Nova Legenda Anglice (ed. Horstmann, 1910, ii, pp.
361-3). Some of the legends in the Vita occur also in the Life of S.
Cadoc, where Tathan is called Meuthi.*
The Life, which is eminently fabulous, is of the usual homily type,
and was evidently composed by a Norman writer. It is, however,
interspersed with a number of scraps of poetry — a rather unusual
feature — which renders it highly probable that the Life is based on
an earlier one, written in leonine hexameters.
At the outset we encounter a difficulty. The Vita says that Tathan
was the son of an Irish king named Tathalius. The most authentic
^ Bangor, p. 277.
2 Leland, Collect., 1774, ii, p. 650. His protection was invoked for Henry VII.
lolo MSS.. p. 314. ' P. 424.
* In Meuthi and Tathan we have the familiar honorific prefixes mo and to,
and the endearing suffix an. Cf. the Irish Molua, Moluan, and Tolua, for the
same person. Tathan's name favours, at any rate, his supposed Irish origin.
2 12 Lives of the British Saints
Welsh Saintly Pedigrees do not include him, but the later ones ^ give
him as a son of Amwn Ddu, whose wife was Anna, daughter of Meurig
ab Tewdrig, King of Morganwg. He was thus a brother of S. Samson
and nephew of S. lUtyd. But if Tathan were the instructor of Cadoc,
he belonged to a full generation earlier than Samson.
What Irish king the name Tathalius ^ represents we cannot say.
The name is very probably Tuathal, but the only king of Ireland of
that name about the period appears to have been Tuathal Maelgarb
(the Bald-rough), who was king from 532 to 544. But he is too late
to be the father of the instructor of Cadoc ; and very httle is known
of him.
Tathan, the legend says, was an only son, whom his parents gave
up to be educated for the ecclesiastical profession. But this is most
unlikely if he were an only son. Tathan was directed by an angel
in a dream to cross over to Britain. Taking with him eight disciples,^
he put to sea in " a sorry boat without tackling," and " so sailed
without a rower or sail or any oar, as the wind directed them," \intil
they landed on the coast of Gwent, probably at Portskewett, which
is not far from the decayed Roman town of Venta Silurum, or Caer-
went.
Caradog was then king of the two Gwents (Uchcoed and Iscoed),
and presently hearing of the arrival of Tathan and his monks, sent
him an invitation to come and see him. This Tathan declined, but
the king, accompanied by his twenty-four knights, went to him in
person. Caradog besought him to come and found a monastic school
at Caerwent. Tathan acceded to his request, and the king gave him
" a piece of land nigh unto the city, extending from the high road
(the Via Julia) even to the river " (the Neddern brook), where Tathan
beheld a spot most suitable for " Divine Service and the habitation
of clergy." There he founded a collegiate church in honour of the
Holy and Undivided Trinity and placed therein twelve canons. It
was to this church that the body of the virgin martyr Machuta was
afterwards brought from Llanvaches, and by Tathan's request buried
in the floor. F pfe
A nobleman who had ten sons desired to devote one of them to
Religion, and with him gave a cow to supply Tathan and his monks-
with milk. One night some evil-disposed men turned forty-seven
horses belonging to the king into Tathan's meadow, and they spoiled
^ lolo MSS., pp. 114, 132.
" Caer Dathal or Dathyl is mentioned in the Mabinogion as the head-quajrters
of Math ab Mathonwy. It was probably Pen y Gaer, near Tal y Cafn, in the
Vale of Conway. Tuathal is properly in Welsh Tudwal. * In the sequel seven.
S. Tathan 213
his hay-crop. As a chastisement all the horses were struck dead, but
on the king coming in person to apologise for his men's wicked act,
Tathan restored them all to life.
Some time after this incident Caradog, for some reason or other,
left Caerwent and built a palace on the banks of the Severn (perhaps
at Caldicot), and bestowed the city of Caerwent and the adjoining
territory upon Tathan " for a perpetual inheritance."
The story of Tathan's troubles with Gwynllyw, over that same
cow, and his receiving Cadoc as a pupil, as also the story of Machuta,
have been already told,^ and need not be repeated here.
" After his death he was buried in the floor of the church, and
his seven disciples that were with him clave unto their master's tomb."
Tathan's college became a famous das. The five " presbiteri
Tathiu " who witnessed King Griffith's privilegium,^ during the episco-
pate of Herwald (consecrated Bishop of Llandaff in 1056), were clergy
of Caerwent ; and the Book of Llan Ddv also mentions the " abbas
Guentoniae urbis " and the " lector urbis Guenti." ^
The following particulars of Tathan occur in the late documents
printed in the lolo MSS. " Tathan, a saint of Bangor Illtyd, was
the son of Amwn Ddu, King of Graweg. His mother was Anna,
■daughter of Meurig ab Tewdrig. He founded the church of Llan-
•dathan, in Glamorgan, whence he went to Ynyr Gwent, to promote
a Bangor at Caerwent, where he became principal. In his old age
he returned to the church which he had founded at Llandathan, where
he lies buried." * He became Ynyr Gwent's periglawr, or confessor.^
Bangor or Cor Tathan, at Caerwent, had ' ' five hundred saints. Tathan
had also a Cor at Llandathan for five hundred saints, and he was
principal of these two Cors." ^ Again, " S. Tathan, of Ewyasland
(now mainly included in Herefordshire), founded Llandathan ; and
lie had there a small Cor for forty learned saints." ''
By Llandathan is meant S. Athan's, near Llantwit Major. But
in the fourteenth century additions to the Book of Llan Ddv, it is
thrice mentioned as " Ecclesia de Sancta Tathana " ; ^ and in the
Taxatio of 1254 and the Valor of 1535 as " Ecclesia Sancte Tathane."
In the Taxatio of 1291 it is " Ecclesia de Sancto Thathana," Sando
being no doubt a clerical error. Who this female S. Tathana was we
have no means of knowing ; but it is clear that the church is not
1 iii, pp. 237, 392-5.
2 Book of Llan Ddv, p. 270. ' Pp. 222, 243, 245.
* P. 132 ; cf. p. 114. Ynyr was most probably Caradog's son and not his
iather, as generally given.
•5 P. 108.. '« P. yi.. ^ P. 220. * Pp. 320, 325, 331.
2 14 Lives of the British Saints
dedicated to the founder of the college at Caerwent, nor, as has also
been supposed, to S. Athanasius (the Great), May 2.^
Tathan does not appear to have received an extensive cult. He
was most probably the original patron of the parish church of Caer-
went, now S. Stephen. The church is situated almost in the centre
of the old city, about quarter of a mile from the Vicarage, and is mainly
a thirteenth- century structure. As Meuthi or Meuthin 2 he was
patron also of the now extinct Llanfeithin, in the parish of Llancarfan,
close to the monastery of his old pupil Cadoc.
S. Tathan's festival is December 26 (S. Stephen's Day), but it
occurs in but very few Calendars. It is given in those in Cotton MS.
Vesp. A. xiv (also in the heading to his Vita), Allwydd Paradwys,
and by Nicolas Roscarrock. Wilson, 1608, gives November 23. The
" occurrence " of the festivals accounts for the present dedication
of Caerwent Church to the proto-martyr.
The following occurs among the " Sayings of the Wise : " — ^
Hast thou heard the saying of S. Dathan
When he had lost all ?
" God will not portion out unjustly "
(Duw yn anghyfiawn ni ran).
In igii was explored the Vicarage orchard at Caerwent, just outside
the east gateway of the city, which was believed to cover the site of
Tathan's collegiate church. The situation of the Vicarage with its
glebe (28 acres in all) corresponds in every respect with the delimitation
of the Vita. Amidst a mass of masonry, chiefly Roman, were dis-
covered over a dozen skeletons, all lying East and West. One of
them was enclosed in a somewhat rude coffin of stone slabs, or cist,
and may be that of S. Tathan. On this possibility the skeleton was-
translated in April, 1912, to the floor of the recently restored South
aisle of the parish church, with a slab bearing a Latin inscription
placed over it.
S. TAVAUC, Confessor
In the Book of Llan Ddv is mentioned, as belonging to that see,,
villa Sancti Tauauc (Tyvauc) cum ecclesia." * It is no doubt the
1 E.g., Willis, Survey of Llandaff, ijig, append., p. 3.
2 In the text of the Vita S. Cadoci in Titus D. xxii the form Meuthin occurs..
' lolo MSS., p. 257. ■* Pp. 31, 43, 90.
S. Tegai 215.
same as the Lann Tivauc, in Penychen, named in a grant by Meurig
ab Hywel, king of Glamorgan, to Llandaff in the time of Bishop'
Joseph.! Penychen is a cantref of Eastern Glamorgan ; but we are
not able to identify the church, nor to find any other reference tO'
its patron saint. Llandevaud (S. Peter) is the name of a Monmouth-
shire church.
S. TECWYN, see S. TEGWYN
S. TEGAI, Confessor
" Tegai, in Maes Llan Glassog, in Arllechwedd," and Trillo and.
Llechid were children of Ithel Hael of Llydaw. So the older Bonedds.^
The later genealogies give Ithel a number of children besides, and
add that they all came hither with S. Cadfan.^ In one pedigree * he
is entered as " Tygai y Meisyn glassog " ; whilst others ^ give " Tegai'
Glassawc yn Maes ythlan," and "Tygai Glasawc ym Maelan " (a
saint of Bardsey). Llandegai is intended by these various readings ;
but out of them a saint could not fail to be evolved.^
Tegai is the patron of Llandegai, in Carnarvonshire, which adjoins^
Llanllechid. Tradition says that he lived there at a tenement called
Maes y Llan, latterly Tan y Fynwent, near a place called Meusyn (or
Maes yn) Glassog, a little to the north of the church, but which now
forms part of Penrhyn Park. He is said to have been buried in a
stone coffin at the east end of the church, with a stone cross to denote
the spot. The cross has been removed, it is supposed during the
Commonwealth. The coffin was dug up in cutting a grave, and is
preserved, as is also a portion of the cross.'
Previously to coming to Llandegai, Tegai is said to have begiin
to build himself a cell upon a firm spot in the fenny ground below
1 Book of Llan Ddv, pp. 255, 257.
2 Peniarth MSS. 12, 16, 45 ; Hafod MS. 16. The dissyllabic Tegai or Tygai:
is accented on the ultima. The name possibly resolves itself to To + Cei.
' lolo MSS., pp. 112, 133 ; Myv. Arch., pp. 427, 430.
* Cardiff MS. 25, p. 115.
5 Myv. Arch., p. 430 ; lolo MSS., p. 104. « iii, pp. 130-1.
' Derfel Hughes, Hynafiaethau Llandegai a Llanllechid, Bethesda, 1866, pp.
69-71.
2 1 6 Lives of the British Saints
Uangristiolus church, in Anglesey, still called from him Cors Dygai,
his Fen or Marsh, ^ and through which runs the river Cefni.
Tegai's festival is not entered in any of the calendars.
S. TEGFAN, Confessor
" S. Tegfan of Mon " was the son of Carcludwys ab Cyngu ab
Yspwys ab Cadrod Calchfynydd. He was thus a brother to Alltu
Redegog, S. Elian's father. His mother was Cenaf, daughter of
Tewdwr Mawr, who is also sometimes said to have been Elian's mother.
But there is a mistake somewhere ; she could not be the wife of Car-
cludwys and Alltu. Tegfan was a periglawr, or confessor, at Bangor
Gybi, Holyhead. 2
He was a totally different person from S. Decumanus = Degyman,
with whom his name is sometimes equated, but wrongly.^
Tegfan is mentioned in Dafydd Llwyd's cywydd to S. Tydecho,
from which it may be inferred that he resided for some time with that
saint and S. Dogfael at Llandudoch, or S. Dogmael's, near Cardigan.
He is the patron of Llandegfan, in Anglesey, in which parish the
town of Beaumaris is situated. The church is sometimes wrongly
given as dedicated to S. Tydecho * (December 17).
Tegfan's festival is not known, but the Llandegfan Gwyl Mahsant
-used to be held on Easter Monday.^
S. TEGFEDD, daughter of Amwn Ddu, Virgin
Tegfedd, the daughter of Amwn Ddu ab Emyr Llydaw, settled
with her brother Tydecho in the district of Mawddwy, in Merioneth-
1 Williams, Observations on the Snowdon Mountains, London, 1802, p. 66
Yr Haul, 1869, p. 169.
2 Hafod MS. 16 ; Cardiff MS. 25 (p. 36) ; Peniarth MS. 75 ; Myv. Arch.
p. 430 ; Cambro-Brit. Saints, p. 268 ; lolo MSS., pp. 109, 128. See also ii, pp,
435-6.
' The name occurs as Tecmant in the O. -Welsh pedigrees in Harleian MS.
3,859 ; Tecwant in Jesus College MS. 20. It means " he of the beautiful mouth.
Leland {Itin. in Wales, ed. Smith, 1906, p. 134) gives Tegfan as meaning " bellus
locus."
* Willis, Bangor, p. 281, " S. Tydecho, or as some say. Decuman " ; N. Owen,
Hist, of Anglesey, p. 56; Lewis Morris, Celtic Remains, p. 403.
' y Geninen, 1884, p. 319.
S. Tegiwg 217
shire. According to Dafydd Llwyd's cywydd to S. Tydecho ^ her
beauty attracted a local chieftain, named Cynon,^ who carried her
away by force, but after a sharp encounter he had to restore her, un-
violated, and to appease Tydecho's anger by a grant of the lands of
Garthbeibio, in the neighbourhood, which were made free of heriot,
amobrage, and other services for ever. These privileges were granted,
it is said, by the Pope, and confirmed by Hywel ab Cadell.
In the calendar in Peniarth MS. 219, December 18 is entered as
the festival of S. Tegfedd, which is no doubt her day, as it immediately
succeeds that of Tydecho. No church is known to be dedicated to
her.
S. TEGFEDD, daughter of Tegid Foel, Matron, Martyr
Tegfedd, or Tegwedd, daughter of Tegid Foel, lord of Penllyn, in
Merionethshire, was the wife of Cedig ab Ceredig ab Cunedda Wledig,
by whom she became the mother of S. Afan Buallt.^
Tegfedd is patroness of Llandegfedd or Llandegveth, near Caerleon,
where she was slain by the Saxons. The " villa " of Merthir Teemed
was given by S. Cadoc to S. Teilo on settling the dispute between
himself and King Arthur;* ar>d " podum Merthir Teemed" was
granted to the Church of Llandaff in the time of Bishop Trican.^
S. TEGIWG, Matron, Martyr
Tegiwg, Tygiwg, or Tigiwg was the daughter of Ynyr, king of
Gwent, and her mother was Madrun, daughter of King Gwrthef}^:
^ Printed, e.g., in the Cambrian Register, 1799, ii, pp. 375-7, and Edward
Jones, Bardic Museum, 1802, pp. 45-6.
2 There is a hill, Bryn Cynon, above Bryn Cywarch, in Mawddwy.
^ Peniarth MSS. 16, 27, 45 ; Cardiff MS. 25, p. 112 ; Camhro-British Saints,
p. 271 ; lolo MSS., p. 130. According to the so-called History of Taliessin,
Tegid was the husband of the celebrated personage Ceridwen, by whom he was
the father of a son, Morfran, a daughter, Creirwy — " the fairest maiden in all
the world "—and another son, Afagddu — " the most ill-favoured man in all
the world" {Mabinogion, ed. Guest, iii, pp. 321-6, 356-61).
* Cambro-British Saints, p. 50.
* Book of Llan Ddv, p. 199, of. p. 273.
2 I 8 Lives of the British Saints
(Vortimer) . She had as brothers, Iddon, Ceidio, and Cynheid-
don.^
Her legend is told in the Life of S. Beuno.^ There was a workman,
hailing from Aberffraw, in Anglesey, at the palace of Ynyr Gwent.
He was a very handsome young fellow, and Tegiwg fell desperately
in love with him. Nothing availing, and, " lest she should have him
some other way," her father consented to the match. After a while
the young benedict bethought him that he would pay a visit, in com-
pany with his princely wife, to the old folks at home. All went well
until they arrived at Pennard in Arfon, where they dismounted tO'
rest. She was very fatigued with the journey, and soon slept. Look-
ing at her, he thought of his own humble origin, and felt quite ashamed
of himself. How could he go home " with so elegant a wife without
a place to take her to ? " And so, " through the instigation of the
devil," he cut her head off with his sword, and then pushed on his
way to Anglesey.
Some shepherds of Beuno's reported to their master that they
had found the corpse ; and " Beuno took up the head and pressed
it to the body, and the maid arose quite well, and related to him all
that had befallen her." Beuno gave her the choice of returning
to her own people or remaining with him, serving God. She chose
the latter. Where her blood fell on the ground a crystal spring bubbled
up, which is called Ffynnon Digiwg.
Her brother Iddon, after a while, came in search of her, but she
would not leave Beuno. He vowed vengeance on her deserting
husband, and went with Beuno on his trail. They found him in the
king's palace at Aberffraw, where he was steward, and Iddon rushed
forward and cut his head off in turn. This caused a commotion,
but Beuno put things right by raising the decapitated man to life
again. ^
The well still exists, on the borders of Penarth, in the parish of
Clynnog, and is now locally called Ffynnon Digwg. An aged hawthorn
bush formerly grew beside it.*
Tegiwg has no church dedication or festival.
1 Myv. Arch., pp. 422, 430 ; lolo MSS., p. 129.
" Llyvyr Agkyr LI., ed. Morris Jones and Rhys, pp. 124-5.
' S. Beuno is reported to have raised six persons to life again, Llorcan Wyddel,
Aelhaiarn, Deiniolfab, Deiniol Farch Du o Bowys, Gwenfrewi, and Tegiwg
{Peniarth MS. 75, Additional MS. 31,055).
* Cyff Beuno, 1863, pp. 59-60 ; Transactions of the Liverpool Welsh Nat.
Society, 1892-3 Session, pp. 95-6.
S. Tegla 219
S. TEGLA, Virgin
Though the Saintly Pedigrees nowhere mention any saint of the
name, there is some probability that there was a Welsh S. Thecla.
Through the great veneration paid to the Virgin-martyr companion
of S. Paul, in the Eastern and Western Churches, the name Thecla
obtained a wide use as a Christian name throughout Christendom.
Her romantic story captivated the imagination of the Church, and
though in the form we now have it, it can only be received as a fiction,
there is ample proof of its high antiquity, and that Thecla was most
probably a real person. The Ads of Paul and Thecla is one of the
oldest books of the extant New Testament Apocrypha.
An early Welsh dedication to Thecla would have been contrary
to the common usage, though in the Middle Ages she might well
have had her name prefixed with Llan, like the Blessed Virgin, S.
Peter^ and others. But she was not a favourite saint in Britain, where
she does not appear to have had at any time a single church dedication ;
and this lends probability to the supposition that there was a Welsh
S. Thecla, with a local cult, who in the Middle Ages got confounded
with her better- known namesake. The ritual observed at her well,
to be mentioned presently, was older than Christianity.
The only Celtic saint of the name known to us is Thecla, otherwise
Etha, one of the companions of Breaca, an Irish saint who landed in
Cornwall and founded a religious settlement at Breage. This Thecla
is commemorated on October 27 ; but there is nothing to show
that she visited Wales.
There are two Tegla dedications in Wales, Llandegla, in Denbigh-
shire, and Llandegley, in Radnorshire.
Two festival days are assigned to Tegla Forwyn (Virgin) in the
Welsh Calendars. One is June i, but this is the day on which Thecla
and Zosimus, martyrs, are commemorated at Antioch. It occurs
in most of the caleridars.
The other day is that of the companion of S. Paul — the " Proto-
martyr " of Iconium — which the calendars in Jesus College MS. 141,
Additional MS. 12,193 (1508), and Llansfephan MS. 117 give on
September 23 (her day in the Western Church), and the lolo MSS.
and the Prymer of 1618 on the 24th (her day in the Eastern Church).
Browne Willis gives September 23 as the festival at Llandegley, and
the 25 th at Llandegla, 1 evidently regarding the Pauline Thecla as
the patron saint.
* Paroch. Anglic, 1733, pp. 185, 223. Edward Lhuyd says under Llandegla,
" Feast y= Sunday after y= 23rd of Sept." Bp. Maddox also gives the 23rd.
.2 2 0 Lives of the British Saints
One of the great fairs at Llandegla (formerly famous for their black
■ cattle) was October 15, O.S., latterly on the 26th. This was the
festival of Thecla, the virgin abbess of Kitzingen, in Franconia, who
was one of the religious women sent by S. Boniface from England,
under the headship of S. Lioba, her kinswoman, to introduce the Bene-
dictine rule into Germany, circa 748. She was probably a nun of
Wimborne, and perhaps originally of Barking. It is difficult to believe
that the church is dedicated to this Saxon saint.
According to the Valor oi 1535,^ the " Offryings apon Saynt Teglas
.Dayis troug the eyre [amounted to] viij nobis," at Llandegla.
Llandegla was formerly celebrated for its Holy Well, Ffynnon
Degla, a small spring which lies in a quillet of the glebe-land, called
■Gwern Degla. Its water was considered highly efficacious in cases
■ of epilepsy, so much so, that one of the names for that complaint
in the Welsh dictionaries is Clwyf Tegla, Tegla's Disease or Sickness. ^
As the curious superstitions and ceremonies connected with it are of
•especial interest, carrying us unmistakably back to its pre-Christian
divinity, we give here the two earliest accounts, differing as they do
in some details. The earlier occurs in Edward Lhuyd's notes on
Xlandegla, 1699. " N.B. Ynghylch Klevyd Tegla [respecting Tegla's
Disease] : one John Abraham a smith now at Lh : Golhen when a
Child was troubled w* Klevyd Tegla ; on which this Child went 3
times ab* y<= Church and told y'' Lord's Prayer, and afterwards
lay him down being in y" edge of night under y= Altar, having the
Church bible under his head, and slept there that night. This is
always done on Fridays. They give the Clerk a groat at y^ Well,
and offer another groat in y« Poor's Box. A man has always a cock
with him under y^^ Altar, A woman a hen, a boy a Cockrel & a girl a
Pullet. These are given the Clerk, who says y' y<= flesh appears black,
and that sometimes these Fowls, if y<= Party recover, catch y" Disease
viz* The falling sickness. 'Tis certain says my author y" Rector,
this I. Abr. was by this means perfectly cured & he was then ab* 13
-y. of age."
The other is in the handwriting of Bishop Maddox (1736-43), in
MS. Z in the Episcopal Library at S. Asaph. " About 240 y^= from
The church of Llandegla was in 1273, and earlier, a capella of Llangollen, and as
-such belonged to the Abbey of Valle Crucis (Red Book of S. Asaph, fo. 44a).
1 vi, p. xlii.
^ It was a " spiritual " disorder. It is known also as " y clefyd bendigaid "
(the holy disease), and " gwialen Crist " (Christ's rod). The Romans called it
"morbus divinus (or sacer)," and the Greeks Upa, vdcros and v6<ros 'JlpuK^eiTj.
In France and Belgium it is " Le mal S. Jean " (from the Baptist) ; but more
-popularly, "Mal de S. Valentine," " Veltenstanz," and " Danse de S. Gui."
aS*. Tegla 2 2 1
the Church (about the middle of a quillet of Glebe call'd Gwern Degla)
riseth a Well, call'd Tecla's Well, with the following letters cut in
Freestone AGEZ ; G . . .1 In this Well the people that are troubled
with convulsion fits or falling sickness call'd S' Teccla's evil do use to
wash their hands & feet, going ab' the well 3 times, saying the L^^^
prayer thrice, carrying in a handbasket a cock, if a Man ; & a hen, if
a Woman offering 4 pence in the s"! well. All this is done after sunset.
Then going to the Ch yd after the same manner go ab' the Church,
saying the L'^^ Prayer thrice, getting into the Church sleep under the
Communion table with the Church bible under their heads, & the
carpet to cover them all night till break of day. Then offering a piece
of silver in the poor's box, leaving the Cock or Hen in the Church.
They again repair to the Well & p'form as above. — ^They say sev''
have been heald y'by (1710). if the cock dyed in the Church, the
Patient valaeras [?] hims. curd." 2
The Rural Dean in 1749 " gave strict charge to the parish clerk
at his peril to discourage that superstitious practice, and to admit
none into the church at night on that errand."
The well measures about 4 ft. by 3 ft. ; its four sides are intact,
and the bottom stone-lined. The \Aater is about a foot deep.
We were informed on the spot that it was customary to prick the
fowl with a pin, which was afterwards thrown into the well ; and
that in church the epileptic was to put the bird's beak into his mouth
and blow into it before letting the bird go. " An old man once told the
parish clerk (in 1855) that he remembered quite well seeing the birds-
staggering about from the effects of the fits thus transferred." ^ It
appears that the last person who went through the ceremony for a
cure, with a cockerel, was one Evan Edwards, son of the sexton of
the parish, about the year 1813.*
The cock has been very generally associated with epilepsy, being
killed or buried alive as a preservative against it. For the cure of
epilepsy there is still practised in the north of Scotland what may
be called a formal sacrifice. On the spot where the epileptic first
falls a black cock is buried alive with a lock of the patient's hair, and
1 Probably part of a monumental inscription, but not now visible.
2 Pennant, writing later in the century, gives practically the same account
as Bp. Maddox. He adds, " If the bird dies, the cure is supposed to have been'
effected, and the disease transferred to the devoted victim." Tours in Wales,
ed. 1883, ii, pp. 15-16.
' Arch. Camb., 1856, p. 185. It is there stated that the epileptics slept " all
night, holding a live cock in their arms."
* Bye-Gones, Oswestry, 1888, p. 243. For an account of a cure (of an only
son) effected at the well, with the customary ritual, see W. Jenkyn Thomas,
The Welsh Fairy Book, London, pp. 278-81.
22 2 Lives of the British Saints
some parings of his nails. "■ Much the same ritual as at S. Tegla's
Well was observed at S. Dier's Well (now closed up), at Bodfari, not
far from Llandegla, where they offered chickens for children, a cockerel
for a boy and a pullet for a girl, going nine times round the well.
This was done, it is said, " to prevent their crying in the night." 2
Tempelschlaf or incubation was, and is, a practice which, in virtue
of its origin, belongs to Paganism. The temples of iEsculapius, the
divine physician, were the chief centres of incubation, and were
numbered by the hundreds. Later, patients went to sleep in churches
and even inside the shrines of saints.^
S. Thecla was worshipped at Seleucia, the chief town of Isauria,
as a Christianized Greek chthonian god, and incubation practised at
her shrine. It was her custom to appear by night to suppliants who
had come to her church to sleep, but her apparitions seem more usually
to have conveyed prescriptions of remedies.*
In Lambeth MS. 94, fo. 153& (late 13th century), is a tract con-
taining the Vita and Miranda S. Tedce Virginis,^ which, from the
localities of some of the miracles, had its origin obviously at Llandegley,
in Radnorshire. Therein she is Thecla, the companion of S. Paul.
The first miracle relates to the punishment, delivery, and repentance
of three Radnor robbers at Llandegley ; the second to a woman
there who was struck blind, her eyes falling out, for inveighing against
the saint's feast ; the next miracle relates to a man named Leffius,
blind from birth, who invokes the saint, and she appears to him as a
beautiful girl, with two bright stars in her hand, which she puts into
his eye-sockets, and he receives sight ; the next concerns one " Kinan
tribunus patriae," who was healed of his pain on condition that he
set certain prisoners free ; in another a very comely Irishman named
Aeith (= Welsh Aedd) passes by her church on his way to Rome ;
another mentions two women " de uilla Peona " (there are Pyon
parishes north of Hereford) ; and the last miracle relates to a woman
" ex pago Versigeno " (possibly Gwerthrynion, in N.W. Radnor-
shire).
^ Mitchell, Past in the Present, pp. 146, 265. By the Greeks and Romans
-the cock was sacrificed to ^sculapius.
" ii, p. 342. Slit-eared calves and lambs were offered to S. Beuno, i, p. 217 ;
and horses to S. George at S. George, near Abergele, ii, p. 246, Pennant, Tours
in Wales, 1883, iii. p. 149.
' Cf. S. Elian's shrine, ii, pp. 438-9.
* Miss Mary Hamilton, Incubation, igo6, pp. 135-8. According to the Acts
of Paul and Thecla (cap. x) she healed people " of whatsoever distemper they
had," and "the unclean spirits were cast out," which included epilepsy.
* The text has been published from this MS. in Gebhardt and Harnack, Texie
Mnd Untersuchungen, Neue Folge, vi, 2.
^S*. Tegwel 223
The Miracula have no connexion whatever with Llandegla. The
name of the church at Llandegley is explained, " Britannico idiomate
Lanteglin ^ nuncupatur, quod Latine fundus Tecle sonat."
There is a sulphureous spring at Llandegley, once much resorted
to, but with no legend attached to it, we believe.
Croes Degla formerly stood on Cym y Brain mountain on the
borders of Llandegla and Llangollen parishes.
S. Thecla or Tegla is generally supposed to have a chapel dedicated
to her perched on an islet rock at the mouth of the Wye, by Chepstow,
where she is said to have been murdered by pirates. The meagre
ruins of the chapel and hermitage still exist, but the chapel is now
called by natives and others Treacle Chapel, and it appears on Saxton's
map as " S. Treacle Chapel." William of Worcester sometimes calls
the islet " Rok Seynt Tryacle," and the chapel " Capella Sancti
Teriaci Anachoritae." In the Valor of 1535 it is " Capella Sancti
Triad ;" ^ so it cannot be a Tecla dedication.
S. TEGONWY, Confessor
Tegonwy was the son of S. Teon ab Gwineu Deufreuddwyd,* whose
pedigree is traced up to Beli Mawr. He " was a saint of Bangor
Illtyd, and was afterwards with Cadfan and Deinioel promoting the
Bangor of Bardsey." * He was the father of SS. Llywelyn and Mabon.
The late document printed in the lolo MSS. is the sole authority for
him as a saint.
The pedigrees in the thirteenth century Mostyn MS. 117 make
him the father of Caenog and of lorwerth Hirfiawdd, founder of the
Powysian tribe of lorwerthion, who married Aranwen, daughter of
Brychan Brycheiniog.
S. TEGWEL, Confessor
Tegwel is a provected form of Dogwel, which is again a reduced
form of Dogfael. June 14 frequently occurs in eighteenth century
^ The name occurs a number of times, and always with the -n, which is
probably hypocoristic. Llandeglen is the form in Giraldus, Opera, i, p. 241.
The saint's name is sometimes spelt Teglaf in Welsh. 2 ii_ p, 501.
3 Peniarih MSS. 12, 16, 45, etc. * lolo MSS., p. 129.
2 24 Lives of the British Saints
Welsh almanacks as the festival of S. Tegwel, i.e. Dogfael, which
see.i
There was a Capel Degwel, now extinct, in Cwm Degwel, in the
parish of S. Dogmael's, Pembrokeshire, ^ and a Llanddegwel, or Capel
Degwel (or Dygwel), in the parish of Llanfechell, Anglesey, long since
extinct. Bottegwal is a township of Abergele parish, and there is a
Cwm Tecwel at Festiniog. ^
S. TEGWEN, Matron
Tegwen is included among the Welsh saints in the lolo MSS. only.*
She was a daughter of Tewdrig ab Teithfall, and wife of Alltu Redegog,
the father of Ehan Ceimiad. She was sister to Meurig, King of Mor-
ganwg, and Marchell, mother of Brychan.
S. TEGWY or TYGWY, Confessor
"Tegwy and Tyfriog in Ceredigion Iscoed " were, with Lleuddad
and others, sons of Dingad ab Nudd Hael by Tenoi, daughter of Lleu-
ddun Luyddog.5 Tegwy is the patron of Llandygwydd, in Cardigan-
shire, which was formerly called Llandegwy or Llandygwy, e.g. in the
parish list in Peniarth MS. 147, circa 1566. In the same parish is
also Capel Tygwydd. Meyrick wrongly identifies the saint's name
with Tegwydd, by whom he means Tegwedd or Tegfedd, daughter
of Tegid Foel, and he gives the Gwyl Mahsant of Llandygwydd as
January 18.^ The festival of Tygwy or Tegwy, given in the calendar
in the Prymer of 1633, and by Browne Willis,'' is on January 13.
"^ ii, pp. 349-51. 2 Owen's Pembrokeshire, i, p. 509.
' For the hardening of the initial letter cf. the Radnorshire Cwm Toyddwr
for Cwm Deuddwr,
* Pp. 118, 137. Cenaf is also given as wife of Alltu. See ii, p. 435.
5 Peniarth MSS. 16, 45 ; Hafod MS. 16 ; lolo MSS., p. 103 ; Myv. Arch.,
p. 430. He is called Tygwy in Myv. Arch., pp. 418, 427 ; and, by mistake,
Tetkwyn in Peniarth MS. 12, Tegwyn in lolo MSS., pp. 113, 139, and Dygwy,
ib., p. 144. Among the saints invoked in a poem for Henry VII are "... a
Theccwyn, ef a Thyccwy," ib., p. 314 ; Cardiff MS. 63, p. 318 ; but " Thegwya "
and " Thygwy " in the copy in Cardiff MS. 7, p. 151.
^ Hist, of Cardiganshire, 1808, pp. 46, 126.
' Paroch. Anglic, 1733, p. 194.
S, Tegwyn 225,
S. TEGWYN, Priest, Confessor .
Tegwyn, in company with Tanwg and many others, came ■with.
Cadfan from Brittany to Wales. ^ According to the lolo MSS., he
with others who were " kinsmen of Cadfan, descended from Emyr
Llydaw, came with Cadfan to this Island. They were saints in
Bardsey, and their churches are in Gwynedd, where they lived in
great piety and holiness of life." ^ Again, " S. Tegwyn came to this.
Island with Cadfan in the time of Gwrtheyrn Gwrtheneu. He procured
wise men and divines from Gaul, now called France, to renovate Faith,
and Baptism (Christianity) in this Island, in consequence of the decay
and failure that had befallen the Faith in Christ." ^
Tegwyn is the patron of Llandecwyn,* subject to Llanfihangel y
Traethau, in Merionethshire. There is a monument to his memory,
originally at Llandecwyn, with an inscription in predominantly
minuscule characters of perhaps the eighth or ninth century, which
may be read thus, "jScti Tetquini Pri (ho)n(o)ri Dei claris(imi)que'
Dei s(e)rvi Heli diaco(ni) me fecit -(-a-bcdef+." This may be
translated, " (The cross) of S. Tegwyn, priest ; to the honour of God
and the most illustrious servant of God ; Heli, deacon, made me."
The stone, which is now at Llanfihangel Vicarage, was found in the-
north wall of the old church in 1879, when it was being pulled down,
to erect the present church. °
Edward Lhuyd, in 1699, mentions the saint's holy well — " Fynnon
Dekwyn by plas Dekwyn not far from y" Church." This must be
the little well by the road-side, now called Ffynnon y Foel. Y Foell
is the ffridd called in full Moel Tecwyn. Maen Tecwyn formerly
stood a little distance from the church in a field known to-day as Cae
Maen Tecwyn, which adjoins the churchyard, and belongs to Has
Tecwyn. Its exact position is now not known. The stone was des-
troyed about the early part of the eighteenth century to build, it is-
believed, a cow-house, Beudy'r Foel. The saint's name is also pre-
served in the names of the two lakes in the parish, Llyn Tecwyn Ucha
and Isa, and likewise in the name of the common, Gwyllt Tecwyn.
Tegwyn's festival does not occur in the Welsh calendars, but Browne
Willis * gives it as September 14, and Lhuyd says, " They keep their
feasts Sunday next after Dydd gwyl y grog " (Holy Cross Day).
1 Peniarth MSS. 16, 182 (p. 39) ; Hafod MS. 16; Cardiff MSS. 5 (p. 117),.
'25 (pp. 26, 114) ; Myv. Arch., p. 430. Rice Rees, 'Welsh Saints, p. 223, gives.
him as a son of Ithel Hael, but without authority.
' P. 112 ; cf. p. 134. By him is meant the Degwy on p. 103, where they are-
-made also saints of Llantwit and Llancarfan. ' Ibid. p. 108.
.. 4 Despite the present-day form, Tegwyn is the thirteenth century spelling.
s Arch. Camb.; 1905, pp. 237-41 ; 1906, pp. 121-4. ^ Bangor, p. 277..
VOL. IV. 0
2 2^ Liives of the British Saints
S. TEILO, Abbot, Bishop, Confessor
Teilo was one of the most important of the Welsh Saints. His
Life, in its earhest form, is contained in the Booh of Llan Ddv, pp. 97-
117 (ed. 1840, pp. 92-111). There is a Life in Cotton MS. Vespasian
A. xiv, but this is " simply an imperfect transcript " from the Llandaff
MS.i John of Tynemouth wrote a Life, abbreviated from the above,
which is in Cotton MS. Tiberius E. i. This is printed in Capgrave's
Nova Legenda Anglice, and has been incorporated by the Bollandists
in Acta SS., Feb. II, pp. 308-10. In the rubric to the Vespasian copy
the author is stated to have been " Master Galfrid, the brother of
Urban, Bishop of Llandaff," who may have been Geoffrey of Mon-
mouth.
The Life in the Book of Llan Ddv has been reprinted, with an im-
portant introduction and notes, by M. J. Loth in Annates de Bretagne,
ix, pp. 81, 277, 438 ; and x, p. 66 ; cf. also Analecta Boll., xiv (1895),
p. 445. There is a cywydd or poem in honour of Teilo by leuan Llwyd
ab Gwilym, a poet of the early fifteenth century. ^
The Book of Lla1^ Ddv or Liber Landavensis was drawn up in the
middle of the twelfth century for the purpose of establishing the rights
of Llandaff against those claimed by the see of S. David's to certain
groups of Teilo churches and villages (37 in all) within its territory,
and against the claims of the see of Hereford in Erging or Archenfield.
It forms the Cartulary of the Archmonastery or Cathedral Church of
Llandaff ; and " the charters pure and simple are, on the face of them,
genuine." It includes grants purporting to have been made between
the sixth century and the year 1107, besides Lives of SS. Dubricius,
Teilo, Oudoceus, and Samson, and other matter. It was reproduced
diplomatically from the original MS. at Gwysaney, near Mold, by
Dr. J. Gwenogvryn Evans, in 1893.
The Life of S. Teilo was composed as a sermon to be pronounced
on his festival at Llandaff. It begins " fratres karissimi," and con-
tains much pious and unctuous exhortation. The author knew the
Lives of S. Padarn and S. David, but the latter was a different version
from that by Rhygyfarch, as in one important particular it gives an
entirely different rendering of the incident of the vexations caused
by Boia, whom he does not name.
1 Baok of Llan Ddv, preface, p. xxxiii. For the variant readings of the Cotton
MS. see pp. 360-2.
" There are several MS. copies of it of the seventeenth century. It has been
printed, with translation by Prof. T. Powel, in the Transactions of the Liverpaol
Welsh. National Society, 5th Session (1889-90), pp. 64-71, and ii; the lolo MSS.,
^p._ 295-7 .^apparently from Llanover MS. B. i, ff. 630-646).
S. Teih
2n
From the Life of S. Oudoceus in the Book of Llan Ddv we learn
that Teilo was the son of Ensic and of Guenhaf , daughter of Liuonui.
His sister Anauved was married to Budic, son of Cybrdan, an exile
from the Armorican Cornouaille, who had taken refuge in Dyfed.
In the Welsh Saintly Pedigrees the name of his father, who according
to them was the son of Hydwn (Hidwn) Dwn ab Ceredig ab Cunedda
Wledig, is variously given, in the earlier MSS., as Ensych (Peniarih
MS. i6), Eussyllt (Peniarih MS. 45), and Enoc [Hafod MS. 16),
and, in the later ones, as Enllech and Enlleu. The real form, in modern
spelling, is, no doubt, Usyllt (the Latin Auxilius), which see.i
According to the Vita, Teilo's original name was Elios, which was
given him because " his learning shone as the sun " ; but it was
" corruptly pronounced " Eliud, which, if it existed, would now be
Elydd. To this was afterwards prefixed the common honorific
particle to.^
He was born at Eccluis Gunniau (Guiniau),^ apparently Penally,
near Tenby ; at any rate the church of Penally laid claim to his body,
1 leuan Llwyd's cywydd gives him as son of Ensig ab Hychdwn ab Cedig ab
Ceredig. The lolo MSS., p. 137, have fabricated a Teilo Fyrwallt as son of
Nwython ab Gildas. Hydwn we are told, ihid., pp. no, 124, was a king in
Ireland. The following pedigree will show Teilo's relationship to other Welsh
saints.
Ceredig ab Cunedda Wledig
1
Cedig =
=Tegfedd
S
d
S.
1
Hydwn Dwn
1
Usyllt = Guenhaf, da.
1
Liuonui
1
S. Afan
Buallt
S
Doged
1
S. Non=Sant
1
S. David
1 1
Teilo, S. JV abon Anauved =
C.580
= Budic, Prince of
Cornugallia, rest,
c. 545, d. c. 570 ^
1 1 1
Ismael S.Tyfei S. Oudocei
1
IS Tewdrig, Prince
of Cornugallia,
expelled c. 570,
re-estab. 577.
2 The oldest recorded form of the name is Teiliau {Book of S. Chad). In Latin,
Teliaus, Teliauus. " Congruo nomine Elios a sapientibus nuncupatus est,''
Book of Llan Ddv, p. 98. " Eliud scilicet qui nunc Teliau vulgo vocatur,"
Cambro-British Saints, p. 135. He is continually called Eliud in the Lives.
It was not an uncommon name. The simple form of Teliau or Teiliau was Eliau
or Eiliau, which was borne by several persons, especially in the Book of Llan
Ddv, and occurs in the Carnarvonshire name Moel Eilio. The forms Eliud and
<Eliau are not easily squared. For the successive modifications of Teliau cf.
the name Enniaun, ii, p. 423. In Brittany he is known as Deleau and Thelo.
' Book of Llan Ddv, pp. 124, 255. '■' , ■ 'i '
22 8 Lives of the British Saints
for there was the burial place of his ancestors, and he had ancestral
rights to land there. ^
From early childhood he was trained by S. Dubricius, who was
pleased with the brightness of his intelligence, and his eagerness to
acquire knowledge. After a while he was sent to PauUnus, who was
master of the school at Ty Gwyn, where he became ah intimate friend
of S. David, his fellow-pupil. And when David started his independent
foundation in Glyn Rhosyn, where now stands the Cathedral that
bears his name, Teilo accompanied him.
The author of the Life now goes on to give some account of the
Goidelic invasion' of South Wales, and derives a good deal from
Bede's description of the Picts, and blunders over the derivation of
their name.^
From the Life of S. Carannog we also know that after the first expul-
sion of the Goidels from Dyfed they made renewed attempts to obtain
a lodgment there. ^ For more information concerning them the bio-
grapher refers to the Historia of Gildas.
The Goidels planted themselves in the Menevian promontory, and
a chief among them established his caer near where David had con-
stituted his monastery.* This was Boia, and the remains of his strong-
hold are visible to this day on Clegyr Fwya.
According to the author of the Life of S. Teilo, it was this chief
who instigated his wife to attempt the virtue of the monks by the
blandishments of her maids. As this failed, the chief and his whole
house were converted and were baptised.^ This is very different
from the story in the Life of S. David.
1 " Ob sepulturam patrum suorum et hereditarium jus." Ibid., p. ii6.
Eglwys Wnio is also suggested ; Owen's Pembrokeshire, i, pp. 292, 321.
2 " Quidam populi de Scithia qui sive a Pictis vestibus sive propter oculorum
stigmata Picti dicebantur." A fantasy of Isidore of Seville. Oculorum should
be aculeorum. Isidore says, " Scotti propria lingua nomen habent a picto
corpore, eo quod aculeis ferreis cum atramento variarum figurarum stigmata
annotentur."
' In illis diebus venerunt Scoti et occupaverunt regionem britannicam,"
Vita S. Caradoci, in Brev. Leon., 1526. " In istis temporibus Scotti superaverunt
Brittaniam," Vita S. Carantoci, in Cambro-British Saints, p. 97.
' " Quidam illius nefariac gentis princeps trucidando miseros incolas et com-
burendo edes et t«mpla sanctorum a navalibus [ubi] appulerant usque Minuensem
civitatem processisset, ibi constitit ibique suum palatium construxit." Book
of Llan Ddv, p, 100.
' " Quo viso, predictus persequtor et tota domus sua per gratiam servorum
Dei catholicam fidem snsceperunt et ab eisdem in Christi nomine baptizati
sunt." Ibid. Whytford, in the Martiloge under February 9, says, " the pictes
.hethen men entred englonde & destroyed many places & slewe moche people,
.& a prynce & capytayne of them went in to wales, y' by this holy saynt
[Teilo] was couerted." , -
aS'. Tei/o 229
After a while David, Teilo and Padarn started on pilgrimage to
Jerusalem.! Our biographer characteristically makes Teilo the lead-
ing figure in this pilgrimage, but the author of the Life of S. David
gives the pre-eminence to his hero. But the whole of the story of
the expedition to Jerusalem is to be mistrusted, as it was an inven-
tion, apparently, of the Welsh after the Norman invasion, to enable
them to estabhsh the independence of the churches of Llandaff and
Menevia against the encroachments of Canterbury. In this story
the three saints receive episcopal consecration at the hands of the
Patriarch of Jerusalem. The versions differ in some particulars
from one another.
On reaching Jerusalem the three pilgrims entered the great church.
The inventor of the story had sufficient wit not to make Jerusalem
in the hands of the Saracens. The people watched them curiously.
There were three chairs, of marvellous construction, two of metal and
one of cedar, and this latter had been the chair from which Christ
had taught. Now the humble Teilo elected to sit in the wooden
chair, whereupon by general acclaim he was declared the chief of the
three, and as he had taken Christ's seat, he must preach to them there-
from like Christ. It is an early and hagiological version of the Three
Caskets story.
When the saints departed from Jerusalem, after consecration by
the patriarch, they were given three gifts, to David a marvellously
formed altar " nam jocundius ceteris celebrabat " ; to Padarn a
staff and a silk choral cope, because he was a fine singer ; but to Teilo
a sweet-toned beU, with miraculous properties, because he excelled
as a preacher.
In Rhygyfarch's Life of S. David, it is he alone who receives the four
■gifts, the consecrated altar, a bell, a staff, and a tunic of gold web.
The author of the Life of S. Padarn makes his saint receive the staff
and the tunic. We see here how each author improved the story to
the glorification of his special hero. As M. Loth says, " It was especi-
ally in the twelfth century that a lively struggle was engaged in
between Menevia and Llandaff for certain territories, and as to supre-
macy. The partisans on each side had recourse to aU sorts of argu-
ments, and specially to the legends concerning the saintly founders
■of these bishoprics."
The story of the pilgrimage to Jerusalem, and consecration by the
^ Contrary to Tthe ILdves loi these three saints, the cywydd by leuan Llwyd
Tnakes them go to Rome, where Teilo was, for his eloquent preaching, presented
with " a yellow bell," which could " bring the dead to life." The bells of Rome
lang out oi their own accord ±0 welcome him.
2 30 Lives of the- British Saints
Patriarch, was invented, first of all, to support the independence of
Menevia ; then it was .adopted and altered by the author of the Life
of S. Teilo, to establish his supremacy over the see of S. David. J-
But the whole episode may be dismissed as unhistorical, and as an
interested fabrication.
In place of this mythical journey to Jerusalem we may insert what
perhaps took place, a brief association with S. Dubricius, abbot of
Mochros.^
The association is, indeed, eminently doubtful, but it is possible-.
Dubricius had a monastery on Caldey isle. In going to and fro Dubri-
cius may have become acquainted with him and have had him for
awhile under his charge. But whether Teilo was with him in his early
childhood, or after he had left the school of Paulinus, is what we do
not know.
It is remarkable that in the Life of Teilo there is nothing said directly
as to any such association, but in the preface it is spoken of. The
statement that on his consecration to be bishop of Llandaff, he under-
took the charge that had been exercised by Dubricius is an insertion
of the compiler of the Book of Llan Ddv.^
Further on there is, however, a hint to the effect that he had been
a disciple ; for when mention is made of Teilo's visit to S. Samson
at Dol it is added, " For they were natives of the same district, and
had the same language, and had been educated together under the
blessed Dubricius, the arch-ruler." *
One may conclude that the author of the Life as we now have
it substituted the voyage of David, Teilo and Padarn to Jerusalem
for the account found in the original document, which he " farced "■
and manipulated for the account of his having been pupil to Dubricius
and his ordination by him.
If we look at the grants made to Teilo, we find that they consist
in donations made by Iddon ab Ynyr Gwent in what is now Mon-
mouthshire, and by Aircol Lawhir and Meredydd ab Rhain, kings of
Dyfed, of lands in Dyfed.
1 The object of the author of the Life of S. Teilo is made clear when he says
that Teilo was elevated to the pontifical dignity in the place of S. Peter, and
David to that in the place of S. James. " Ab universa plebe electi sublimati
sunt pontificali dignitate Teliaus vice Petri, David vice Jacobi."
2 " Viri sapientes et doctores ad eum studendi causa confluebant. Imprimis
sanctus Teiliaus." Book of Llan Ddv, p. 8o.
^ P. 107. " Sanctus Teliaus ecclesiae Landaviae cui consecratus est curam
pastoralem accepit cum tota parrochia sibi adjacente quas fuerat Dubricii ante-
Cessoris sui."
* " De una regione procreati fueraut, et unius linguae viri, et simul cum beatd
Dubricio archipresule edocti." Ibid., p. 109.
jS. Teilo 231
The position of Llandaff was between these patches of land. There'
is no evidence that Teilo exercised any authority over the churches^
of Dubricius in Erging.
That Teilo did more than endeavour to consolidate the rule of
the abbot bishop over his bits of land granted here and there is not
probable, nor did he exercise jurisdiction over the abbeys of Llan-
carfan, Llantwit and Llandough. Where there was no bishop on the
staff of the college, he may have been called in to ordain, but juris-
diction he had none. It was not till under Oudoceus, his successor,,
that the first rudiments of episcopal jurisdiction began to appear.
There is a Teilo church within a few miles of S. David's, but this does-
not show that Teilo at any time exercised episcopal rule in Menevia.
It means no more than that Teilo, being of the family of Ceredig ab
Cunedda, had certain rights to land in the district of Menevia, and.
established a church on the scrap that fell to him. There was nO'
diocese of Llandaff, and no diocese of Menevia ; the rule was in the
hands of the abbots of the several monasteries, and was confined tO'
the llans that belonged to them. All outside was under no rule what-
ever.
But Teilo was a strong personality and active, and his commanding
position in Morganwg, and the favour he enjoyed with the princes,
encouraged the extension of his territories. In Teilo's time Llandaff
became the most powerful, influential, and best endowed monastery
in South Wales. It increased in that of Oudoceus ; it extended into
Erging in that of Berth wyn. By degrees the conception of episcopal
rule spread from England to Wales, and then Llandaff and Menevia
became dioceses in the Latin sense.
" The wide extent of country planted with monasteries by the
central college of Llandaff is shown by the hst of Teilo churches in.
what are now the counties of Carmarthen, Pembroke and Brecon,
which is given in the Booh of Llan Ddv. These are no less in number
than thirty-seven, all outside the present diocese of Llandaff, and
most of them outside Morganwg, even when its boundaries were ex-
tended. Twenty-five of the thirty-seven retained in later centuries-
the name of Llan, that is, ' Monastery,' and fourteen of them bore
the name Llandeilo, that is, ' Teilo's monastery.' ... It becomes
therefore clear what were the relations of Dubricius and Teilo respec-
tively to Llandaff. Dubricius was archbishop with the subordinate
monastery of Llandaff under his authority, but was never archbishop'
of Llandaff in any sense of the term ; Teilo, however, was episcopal
abbot of Llandaff from the very foundation of the monastery. This
explains many things that otherwise are puzzling. In after years-
^32 Lives of the British Saints
the bishop of the diocese was generally known among the Welsh as
Esgob Teilo, ' Teilo's bishop,' never as Dyfrig's bishop ; the church
■of Llandaff was Eglwys Deilo, ' Teilo's church ' ; the monastery of
Llandaff was Bangor Deilo, ' Teilo's monastery,' and similarly the
Book of Llan Ddv is Llyfr Teilo, ' Teilo's Book,' and the charter of
the rights and privileges of Llandaff is Teilo's Privilegium." ^
To these may be added the common mediaeval appellation Plwyf
Teilo, " Teilo's Plebs," for the Diocese. Teilo became convertible
with Llandaff.
There can be no doubt whatever that Teilo, and not Dubricius,
was the founder and original patron of Llandaff. Dubricius is not
■once mentioned in the ninth century marginal and other entries in
the Book of S. Chad, which, when bought, was presented to be placed
■on " the altar of S. Teilo." Among the signatories it contains are
" Nobis episcopus Teiliav," and " Saturnguid sacerdos Teiliav " ;
and it mentions " tota familia Teliaui." In the Book of Llan Ddv
Teilo is called " patronus noster," 2 and the Cathedral Church
" Monasterium S. Teliavi," and " Ecclesia S. Teliavi." ^ The greater
importance of Teilo in the mind of the hagiographer is noticeable in
the fact that his Life of him is more than double the length of that of
Dubricius ; and it is significant that outside Erging not a single ancient
■church is dedicated to the latter saint.
The present dedication of the Cathedral to SS. Peter the Apostle,
Dubricius, Teilo, and Oudoceus (the last named is left out sometimes
in the Book of Llan Ddv) is due to the shrewd and energetic Bishop
Urban, who so rededicated it when he rebuilt it (commenced in 1120),
■on a larger scale, and translated thither the relics of S. Dubricius
from Bardsey.* He wanted to establish his claim to the Dubricius
and Oudoceus churches.
We wiU now resume the account of Teilo's Life.
In the year 547 appeared the Yellow Plague. The account of
the breaking out of this terrible pestilence is curious. It was preceded
by the appearance of a vaporous column sweeping over the land, one
head in the clouds, and the other trailing along the ground. All
who came within its course sickened to death, and the contagion
ispread, affecting beasts as well as men. No medicines were of any
" Newell, Llandaff. S.P.C.K., pp. 18-19. ^ P. 87.
" P. 220. We have also " Mormarch presbyter S. Teliavi," p. 273. The
Book of Llan Ddv is called his " cyrograf um, " p. 87, " gref," p. 248, and " graf-
fum," pp. 339, 344. Elsewhere there are several persons mentioned bearing the
■jiame Gwas Teilo (but no Gwas Dyfrig), which is a translation or imitation of a
"well-known Goidelic formula.
* Book of Llan Ddv, p. 86.
S. Tei/o 233
avail — that is no wonder considering what medicines were then in use —
and physicians perished with the patients. The ravages of the plague
were so terrible that the country was well-nigh depopulated.
Teilo, in a dire fright, resolved on flying along with his community.
He took with him a number of other bishops as timorous as himself,
and a great many men and women as well, and escaped into Cornwall,
where the king, Gerennius or Geraint, received him honourably, and
constituted him his confessor. Geraint made him promise to visit
and commmunicate him when he lay on his deathbed. But Teilo
would not remain in Cornwall ; and there he has left the scantiest
trace of his presence. ^ He crossed over to Armorica and visited S.
Samson at Dol.
Then in the Vita ensues a long account of the doings of Teilo in
Brittany. This occurs only in the Life in the Book of Llan Ddv ; it
is not in that in the Vespasian MS. But this need not be looked on
with suspicion, as it was common in Saintly Biographies to confine
the narrative to the Acts of the saint in the land where that Vita
would be read on his feast, and the MS. in question is probably only
a selection from the larger Life.
We do not know exactly when Samson founded Dol, but it was
probably about 544, not earlier, and the account in the Life of Teilo
in the Book of Llan Ddv represents him as assisting Samson in laying
out the orchard for the new monastery. ^
Teilo remained in Armorica for seven years and seven months, i.e.
from 547 to the middle of 555, or from 548 to 556. During that time
he was for a while in Cornouaille with King Budic, who, it is pretended,
offered him the primacy over all Armorica. ^ He, of course, did
nothing of the sort ; Budic had no power whatever in either Dom-
nonia or Bro-weroc, and had great fears for himself lest the masterful
regent Conmore should swallow up his territory. Budic was married
to the sister of S. Teilo, and therefore ready enough to welcome him.
^ Mr. Copeland Borlase, in his Age of the Saints, indulges in much fanciful
attribution of churches to S. Teilo in Cornwall, that is totally void of authority,
and contrary to statements of dedication in the Episcopal Registers. One of
his attributions is based on a blunder made by Dr. Oliver in his Monasticon.
For Geraint, see iii, p. 49.
" " Ipse et predictus sanctus Samson plantaverunt magnum nemus arboreti
fru'ctiferi, quasi ad tria miliaria, id est a Dol usque ad Cai." Book of Llan Ddv,
p. 109. Cai is Carfeuntin, where was the original seat of Samson's monastery.
' The angel said to him in a dream, " Obnixe tibi offerent episcopalem curam
et privilegium totius gentis ArmoricEe." Ibid., p. 112. According to the Welsh
text of Geoffrey of Monmouth (ed. Rhys and Evans, p. 204), in the room of
Samson, " at the instigation of Hywel ab Emyr Llydaw, was placed Teilo (in
the Latin, Chelianus), bishop of Llandaff."
2 34 Lives of the British Saints
If he offered him an ecclesiastical of&ce, it was the bishopric of Curio-
sopitum or Quimper ; but we do not know that it was vacant at the-
time.
According to the legend Teilo was sent a horse from heaven on
which to ride.
When Teilo was about to depart he required of Budic that he should
surrender his son Oudoceus, born since the restoration of Budic to
his principality, to be educated by him in Britain. His final benedic-
tion on the Armorican British was, that they should ever be good
horsemen, seven times better as soldiers on horseback than when on.
foot.i
His stay in Armorica had been made illustrious by the usual miracle
of subduing a dragon and hurling it into a river or into the sea.^
That Budic made grants to his brother-in-law whilst the latter was
in his territories cannot be doubted. Teilo is patron there of several
churches, as Chateauneuf-du-Faou, and Landeliau and Lennon near
by. But he is also patron of Pledeliac, not far from Jugon. This-
is a plou, and it means that Judual made a grant to him in Domnonia
for services rendered to him by inducing Budic to join in the Armorican
revolt against Conmore. Teilo is also patron of S. Thelo on the Oust,
near Uzel, in the ancient forest of Brecilien. No trace of him is to
be found near Dol.
The foundations of Teilo in Cornouaille deserve to be spoken of
more fully. They lie near the river Aulne. Chateauneuf is a lovely
spot. The river sweeps round a hill formerly crowned by a castle,
but on which now stands a grotesquely ugly modern chapel, that
replaces a beautiful flamboyant structure. In the town itself is the
church of S. Teilo. His statue has been relegated to a position of
insignificance, to make way for saints of the Roman Calendar.
On high ground between Chateauneuf and Carhaix is Landeliau,
of which he is titular saint. On the road to Scaer from Chateauneuf
is Lennon, of which he is also patron. He has a chapel in the parish
of Plogonnec, near Quimper. Montertelot (Monasterium Teliavi),
near Ploermel, had him formerly as patron.
Teilo remained in Armorica till 555 or 556, after the success-
of Judual and the death of Conmore. He had doubtless been service-
able at the court of Budic, acting in concert with S. Samson, and he
was rewarded by the grants in Domnonia of Pledeliau and S. Thelo.
''■Booli of Llan Ddv, p. 113. 2 " j^ medio Tethis," ibid., p. iii ; not
identified.
S. Teilo 235
Then he started to return, as already stated, seven years and seven
months after arriving.^
Teilo must have left some of his party at Pledeliau, to form his
plehs there, but he took back with him most of those who had fled
with him from the Plague. ^ He crossed to Cornwall and probably
arrived in Falmouth Harbour, and at once went on to Dingerein,
now marked by mounds, where was the palace of Geraint the king.
Him he found dying, and he ministered to him in his last moments.
A story is told of Teilo sending a stone sarcophagus adrift on the
waves in Brittany, which floated over and served for the king's
interment.
On his return to Llandaff Teilo set to work to organize his abbatial
possessions, and he seems to have induced a few of the old disciples
of Dubricius to unite under him. The names given are Junapeius,
Gurmaet, Cynmur, TouUdauc, Juhil, Fidehs, Ismael, Tyfei and Oudo-
ceus ; but of these the three last were his nephews, and had never
been under Dubricius, and of the hst only one or two, Junapeius and
Cynmur or Congur, appear in the hst of disciples of Dubricius ; Gur-
maet, Toulidauc, Juhil, Fidelis were pupils of Teilo, and the names
of the two last appear as witnesses to deeds of gift to the archmonastery
of S. Teilo.
The grants made to Teilo recorded in the Book of Llan Ddv, how-
ever, give us several names, Arguistil, Elguoret, Convran, Judnou,
and Guordocui. All these had been under Dubricius, and we may
suppose that the Yellow Plague, having devastated their churches,
they consented to remain with Teilo.
It is somewhat remarkable that of the so-called disciples of Dubricius,
whom Teilo is said to have drawn to him, Gurmaet and Toulidauc,
founded churches, one in Breconshire, and the other at Carmarthen,
and so far from submitting them to Llandaff, these churches remained
out of the diocese till Rhydderch ab lestyn, King of Morganwg,
gaining the sovereignty of South Wales (1023-33), annexed them
to that diocese.^
Teilo is mentioned in the Life of S. Cadoc as having been called
in, with S. David and others, by that saint to settle a dispute between
him and King Arthur on the banks of the Usk. Cadoc, in return
1 " Preparata itaque magna barca peractisque septem annis ac septem mensibus
quos sanctus Teliaus duxerat in Armoricorum patria." Booh of Llan Ddv, p. 1 14.
2 " Intravit in earn (barcam) cum multis doctoribus et quibusdam aliis
episcopis, de quibus gens Brittannorum de sanctitate post pestilentiam recreare-
tur." Ihid.,- p. 114. ' Ihid., pp. 253-5.
.2 3 6 Lives of the British Saints
'for his kindness, granted him the villa of Merthyr Tegfedd, now
Llandegveth, near Caerleon.^
What negatives the assumption made later that Teilo was bishop
with diocesan jurisdiction is the fact that not one of the great Abbots
■of Llancarfan, Llantwit and Llandough was called in to witness a
■charter or grant made to the church of Llandaff. It was otherwise
.under S. Oadoceus, the successor of Teilo.
Teilo consecrated many bishops, and sent them through the country,
:and furnished them with districts in which to found churches. Among
them he consecrated his nephew Ismael.-
Probably in 577, after the Battle of Deorham, the Saxons crossed
the Wye, destroyed wherever they went, and marched along the old
Roman road to Abergavenny. Iddon, son of Ynyr, King of Gwent,
blocked their way at where is now Llantilio Crossenny. Like a
true Celtic Saint, Teilo accompanied the king to bless his forces and
to curse his enemies, taking his clerics with him. Teilo and his clergy
ascended the little hill where is the White Castle, above the plain,
and the confluents of the Trothy, and thence viewed the battle,
■shouting psalms of invocation and howling imprecations on the Saxons.
Happily, Iddon was successful, he defeated the enemy and took much
•spoil. In gratitude to the saint, he granted him land about the
mount, and Teilo there built a church.^
Meredydd ab Rhain, King of Demetia, killed a man belonging to
S. Teilo, who had taken sanctuary and clung to the altar. He had
to pay for his transgression by the surrender of an estate in Carmar-
thenshire.*
Aircol Lawhir (Agricola the Long-handed), a preceding king, had
kept his court at Lis Castell (Lydstep, near Tenby), and much drinking
and rowdyness went on, resulting in frequent murders. Aircol sent
to Teilo, who commissioned two of his disciples, Juhil (Jouil) and
Fidelis, to remain at court and keep order. As no murders were
committed thenceforth, Aircol made a grant of land at Trefgarn to
Teilo. 5
One day Teilo met a man called Cynguaiu on his way to drown
his seven sons, all born at a birth, in the river Taf. He was too poor
^ Cambro-British Saints, pp. 48-50.
^ " Hismaelem consecravit in episcopum, mittens ilium ad consulendam
ecclesiam Minuensem et jam viduatam pastore. Nam sanctus David ad Domi-
num migraverat." " Multos alios ejusdem ordinis viros similiter sublimavit,
in episcopium, mittens illos per patriam, dividensque parrochias sibi ad oppor-
■tunitatem cleri et populi." Book of Llan Ddv, p. 115.
' Ibid., pp. 123-4. « Ibid., p. 125. ^ Ibid. pp. 125-6.
S. Teilo 21'J
to rear them, he said. Teilo intervened and saved tlieir hves, and
they were brought up to the reUgious hfe, and were termed the Dyfrwyr,.
or Water Men, because they were found in the water, and hved only
on fish. The story is somewhat hackneyed. It is told all over Europe,
and is the traditional tale of the origin of the Guelf family.^
Teilo is represented by Giraldus Cambrensis as having been bishop
of Menevia after Cenauc, the immediate successor of S. David. ^
It is doubtful whether Teilo survived S. David. The notion that at
one time he occupied the Menevian see is due to a misunderstanding.
Teilo had a church near S. David's on land that belonged to him as
a member of the tribe of Ceredig, and Giraldus, finding that he had
been a bishop in Menevia, supposed that he had been bishop 0/ Menevia.
He was incapable of divesting himself of the conception of dioceses
as existing in the sixth century in Wales. Teilo was succeeded at
Llandaff by his nephew Oudoceus.
When Teilo died it was at Llandeilo Fawr, in Carmarthenshire, and
at once a dispute broke out as to the possession of his body. Llandeilo
claimed it, because it was his residence at the time of his death ;
Penally, because that was the burial place of his ancestors ; and
Llandaff, because it was his principal monastic seat.
According to the legend, gravely told by the biographer,^ the'
corpse multiplied itself into three, so as to satisfy each claimant..
This is an after invention to explain the awkward fact that puzzled
the faithful, and provoked the ridicule of the ungodly, that three
churches possessed the entire body of Teilo. Almost certainly the
church of Llandaff did not get hold of the sacred rehc, or it would
have recorded the translation, and not have been obliged to accept
this clumsy invention to justify its claim. But the hagiographer
does not omit to say that the real body went to Llandaff.
The impress of Teilo.'s great personality still survives in the numerous-
dedications to him, particularly in South Wales. In Glamorganshire,,
Llandaff Cathedral (with SS. Peter, Dubricius, and Oudoceus),*
1 Booh of Llan Ddv, pp. 127-9. See further under SS. Dyfrwyr, ii, pp..
398-405.
^ Itin. Camb., ii, c. i.
» Book of Llan Ddv, pp. 116-7 ; cf the Triads, Myv. Arch., p. 391. The-
" tria corpora " are mentioned in a Postcommunio of the Proper Mass for his-
-Feast in a fourteenth century hand ; Haddan and Stubbs, Councils, i, p. 622..
With the triplication compare those of the bodies of S. Beuno, i, p. 220, and
S. Baldred, Kentigern's suffragan. A marginal note on Llandeilo Fawr states,
" Ubi corpus Sancti Thelyai sepultum fuit." Book of Llan Ddv, p. 337.
* S. Paul is sometimes added in the dedication, but -without authority ; see
Book of Llan Ddv, p. 86. Bp. Urban in 11 19 says that there -were formerly
twentv-four canons of the cathedral, ibid., p. 88 ; but according to the lolo MSS.^
238 Lives of the British Saints
Merthyr Mawr (called in the Book of Llan Ddv Lann Teliau Merthir
Mimor), Llandeilo Ferwallt, now Bishopston, and Llandilo Talybont;
In Monmouthshire, Llantilio ^ Crossenny, Llantilio Pertholey
(Perth Halog), and Llanarth. In Breconshire, Llandeilo'r Fan
(situated on the brook Mawen, was originally founded by Teilo's
disciple Gurmaet, and called Lann Guruaet). Llywel Church is dedi-
cated to SS. David, Teilo, and Llywel. In Radnorshire, Llandeilo
Graban. In Carmarthenshire, Llandeilo Fawr, Brechfa, Llandeild
Abercowin, Trelech a'r Bettws (possibly the Lann Teliau Trev i
Cerniu of the Book of Llan Ddv, unless this is Crinow, now with no
dedication), Llanddowror ( = Llandyfrwyr, originally called Llandeilo);
and (Llandeilo) Cilrhedyn. In Pembrokeshire, Crunwear,^ Castell
Dwyran, under Cilymaenllwyd, possibly Stackpole Elidyr, and Llan-i
■deilo (Llwydarth), with church in ruins, under Maenclochog. Llan-
deloi, in the same county, is usually given as dedicated to S. Teilo,
but wrongly we believe ; in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries
the name was written Llandylwyf and Llandeilwyf.^ The church
of Pendine, with no dedication, under Llandawke, in Carmarthenshire,
is most probably the Lann Teliau Penntiuin of the Book of Llan Ddv.
A goodly number of Teilo foundations have become extinct. There
was formerly a Llandeilo " in the same cemetery" as Hentland, in
Herefordshire.* In Bishopston a chapel at Caswell, possibly Llandeilo
Forth Tulon, formerly existed. Several have disappeared in Carmar-
thenshire ; such as Llandeilo Nant Serw ; Llandeilo Garthdefir, in
the parish of Talley, on a farm called Brondeilo, where, from under
the hill hard by, gushes out Pistyll Teilo ; in the parish of Caio, Capel
Pumsaint, called in the Book of Llan Ddv Lann Teliau Pimp Seint ;
in the parish of Llanegwad, Llandeilo Rwnws ( = Brunus), its materials
having been used up in building the farm-house of the name. There
is a Holy Well and farm, called Ffynnon Deilo, near the village of
Nantgaredig. In Llandeilo Fawr and neighbourhood his name is,
or was, perpetuated by Ffynnon Deilo, in the churchyard, near the
■east end of the church, but now covered over, and the water conveyed
into Church Street, for general use ; Carreg or Sedd Deilo, now
•destroyed, at Glynmeirch, on the boundary between Llandeilo and
Llandebie parishes ; Ynys Deilo, and Maenor Deilo. Capel Teilo,
p. 151, Cor Teilo at Llandafi was for a thousand saints. Curiously, LlandaS
and Llanelwy derive their names from the rivers on which they are situated.
' The old form of the saint's name is " fossilized " in Llantilio. ;
^ In the Chronicon Monasterii S. Albani, ed. Riley, Rolls ser., 1873, ii,'p.
192, is given the presentation in 1479 " in Rectoriam de Cornwere, alias dictam
tandeylow Gronewern, Menevensis Dicecesis." . . -
" Evans, Report on Welsh AfSS., i, p. 917. ■• Book of Llan Ddv, p. 275s
S. Teilo 239
in the parish of Kidwelly, has its south wall still remaining. Llandeilo
JBrechf a in Ceredigion was probably the Brechf a near Tregaron ; Ystrad
Teilo, a farm near Llanrhystyd, in the same county. Llandeilo
Llwyn Gwaddan and Henllan, in Llanddewi Velfre parish, Pem-
brokeshire, are extinct. Stepsau Teilo, his Stepping Stones, across
the river Ogmore, near the church of Merthyr Mawr, no longer remain ;
Westwood confounded them with the still existing Stepping Stones,
fifty-two in number, set in the Ewenny, near the ruins of Ogmore
•Castle.^ At Llandaff are Croes Deilo, a Celtic cross about three
feet high, at Llandaff Court, and Ffynnon Deilo, on the steep hill
•near the Cathedral. In the Old Welsh Privilegium of S. Teilo is men-
tioned Gundy Teliau, his Gwyndy, but what is the exact ecclesiastical
import of the name is not clear. It probably meant originally a stone
house, like Candida Casa, now Whithern, in Galloway ; but in the
Latin paraphrase of the Welsh the name is rendered " Curia Lan-
-daviae." ^ In the Demetian Code of the Laws of Hywel Dda " Llann
Teilaw " (near Maenclochog) is given as one of " the seven Bishop-
houses (Escobty) in Dyfed," and it is stated that " the abbot of Teilo
should be graduated in literary degrees." ^ It is not exactly known
•what these houses were, but it is evident that they were some
kind of monastic houses ruled by abbot-bishops.
What is pretended to be S. Teilo's skull (Penglog Teilo) is at Llan-
deilo, near Maenclochog. It is preserved at the farm close to the old
church, where its hereditary custodians, named Melchior, have lived
ioi many generations. The saint's Holy Well is a little way above
the house. To drink the well water out of the saint's skull is, or
rather was, believed to ensure health generally, but more especially
■cured whooping-cough and pulmonary complaints. Its virtue, how-
ever, depended on its being ministered by the eldest son of the tenant.
The legend is that a faithful maid-servant from this Llandeilo was
privileged to attend on the saint on his death-bed at Llandeilo Fawr,
and that when dying he strictly enjoined her to take his skull, in a
year's time from his burial at the latter place, to her home, where
it would prove a blessing, as above, to future generations. Persons
still, out of curiosity, resort to the place to drink water out of the
:saint's skull. The skull, as now preserved, is imperfect, only the
brain-pan remaining. The open sutures prove that it must have
iDcen the head of a young person, and as S. Teilo is said to have died
1 Evanson, Stones in the Parish of Merthyr Mawr, Cardiff, 1909, p. 20.
" Book of Llan Ddv, pp. 1 18-9. The name is the famihar Ty Gwyn tran?-
■■^osed.
' Ed. Aneurin Owen, folio, p. 273.
24-0 Lives of the British Saints
at an advanced age, it could not have belonged to him. Moreover,
a part of one superciliary ridge remains, and this is of slight elevation,
so that it seems almost certain to have been part of a young person's
head.^
It may be observed that in the Celtic Church of Ireland and of
Scotland hereditary custodians of Saints' pastoral staffs, bells, articles
of clothing, or other relics were quite common ; and here and there
are a few lay families who still hold the small portion of land that was
originally allotted to them for their services. At the break up of
that Church the relics passed to the coarb or heir of the Saint. ^
In Cornwall, the only trace of Teilo is a doubtful one. There is
said to have been a chapel and well of S. Dillo in Burian parish.
The parishes in Brittany of which S. Teilo is patron have been
alreadjf mentioned. The statues that represent him have no special
attribute to distinguish him from other bishops, but a stained glass
window in the church at Plogonnec of the fifteenth century, removed
from the chapel at S. Deliau in the parish, represents him vested
as a bishop, and riding on a stag — no doubt in reference to the two
stags mentioned in his Life, which on one occasion proffered their
assistance to carry fire wood to his monastery, and remained there
for further labour.
Relics of S. Teilo are shown at Landeleau by Chateauneuf. At
Guengat, near Douarnenez, in Finistere, in the lande is a granite
block scooped out into a sort of chair with sides on which the arms
can rest. It is called the Seat of S. Delo, and those afflicted with
fever are placed in it, with the expectation of a cure. The adjoining
parish of Plogonnec has in it a beautiful flamboyant chapel dedicated
to S. Teilo. 2 At Landeleau is a dolmen called Ty Sant Heleau, and
in the church a stone coffin or trough known as the Lit de Saint Heleau.
The day of S. Teilo is February 9.* On this day he is entered in
the Llanthony Calendar, before 1170, in MS. Reg. 8, D. vii ; in a
Tewkesbury Abbey Calendar of 1250, MS. Reg. 11, C. vii ; in the
Calendar in Cotton MS. Vesp. A. xiv ; the Welsh Calendar of Harold-
ston, fifteenth century, and those in Pcniarth MSS. 40, 60, igi, Hafod
^ Sir ]. Rhys, Celtic Folklore, pp. 397-400 ; Pembrokeshire Antiquities, Solva,
1897, p. 75 ; J. Ceredig Davies, Folk-lore of West and Mid-Wales, 1911, pp. 299—
300.
° Skene, Celtic Scotland, 1887, ii, p. 418.
' Diverres, Monographie de la commune de Guengat, in Bulletin de la Soc,
Arch, de Finistere, T. xviii (1891).
* There used to be a proverbial couplet in Glamorganshire about the snow,
" Oni ddaw e'r Gwyl Deilo Ni ddaw e va-wy i drigo " ; if it did not come by his-
festival it would not come to remain any length of time.
S. TEILO.
From i$th ccniwy Glass at Plogonnec, Finisth-e.
S. Tei/o 241
MS. 8, as well as several other calendars. On this day a great fair,,
known as Ffair Wyl Deilo, was held at Llandaff and Llandeilo Fawr,
and is still held at the latter on February 20. The Llandaff fair
became extinct as a great horse fair at Canton, Cardiff. February 7
is given as his day in the calendars in the Prymer of 1546, and Peniarth
MS. 219, circa 1615. " Gwyl Badarn a Theilo," on the Sunday before
Michaelmas, is entered in the Demetian Calendar (S).
At Chateauneuf-du-Faou the patronal feast is observed on the last
Sunday in January, at Llandeleau on Monday in Whitsun week. His
name does not appear in the old Breton Calendars, but at Dol he is
in the Breviary of 1769 commemorated on November 29 as a double.
At S. Thelo, however, his feast is observed on February 9. Lobi-
neau, probably by a misprint, gives November 25 instead of 29, and
he is followed by Garaby, Gautier du Mottay, and De la Borderie.
S. Teilo is invoked as Iliaue in the tenth century Celtic Litany
in the Library of the Dean and Chapter of Salisbury.^ There are
fourteenth and fifteenth century fragments of a Missa de S. Teilao.^'
S. Teilo's supposed tomb is on the south side of the presbytery in
the Cathedral, in a sepulchral recess beneath a Norman window, and
on it is the recumbent effigy of a bishop in episcopal habits, in Dundry
freestone, of about the fourteenth century. It was opened in 1830,
when a wall was taken down which bore an inscription, dated 1736,
stating that it was the supposed tomb of S. Teilo.'* It was anciently
the custom for persons to take the most solemn oaths over his tomb,
in the presence of the Bishop and Archdeacon, " super tumbam Sancti
Theliawi et super omnia sacrosancta ejusdem ecclesiae." * His rehcs,
apparently, never had a portable feretory.
At the Dissolution his shrine was in the Lady Chapel, for among the
Cathedral goods at the time was S. Teilo's " shryne of silver p'cell
gilte of the coveringe in o' Lady Chapell," which was pulled down and
broken ; and there were taken away, " St. Elios hedde of sylver
gylte, an arme of the same Seynte gylte," and " Seynt Teyloes shoes
silver beyd with stones." ^ These were portions of his silver
statue on the shrine. According to the Valor of 1535 " the Treasurer
1 Revue Celtique, 1888, p. 88; cf. ibid., 1890, p. 145. In the eighteenth;
century the Welsh people were still in the habit of piously ejaculating, " Teilo-
mawr ! " (Dr. Erasmus Saunders, View, etc., 1721, p. 36).
2 Warren, Liturgy and Ritual of the Celtic Church, pp. 162-3 ; Haddan and
Stubbs, Councils, i, pp. 621-2.
3 Bp. Ollivant, Llandaff Cathedral, i860, pp. 24-5.
4 Harley Charter 75. B. 9, of 1234; Willis, Llandaff, pp. 14-15-
5 Arch. Camb., 1887, pp. 229, 234 ; Cardiff Records, i, pp. 376, 379-
6 iv, pp. 34.';-6.
VOL. IV. ^
242 Lives of the British Saints
of the Cathedral received- the oblations on S. Teilo's Day in the
■Cathedral, and to him also belonged Erw Deilo.
Forth Deilo, as it was formerly called, is the fine north-west door
of the Cathedral, round-headed and Transitional in character, " thro'
which, before the Reformation, dead bodies were carry'd into the
Church to be bury'd." ^ In the tympanum over the great west
door is a figure of S. Teilo, with his right hand raised in benediction.
Bishop Rushooke's seal to a Margam deed of 1384-5, among the
Penrice MSS., has a fine figure of him ; and there was also formerly
a large size statue of the saint in one of the niches in the chapter-
house of Hereford Cathedral before it was destroyed during the Great
Rebellion.
leuan Llwyd, in his poem to S. Teilo, after mentioning the relics of
the saint at Llandaff in his day — his body, mitre (crown), bell, and
ritual comb — refers to an incident which occurred in the year 1403
(Adam of Usk, Chronicon, s.a.), and invokes the saint's vengeance
■on " the progeny of Alice Ronwen, the she-bear," who were some
filibusterers from Bristol, who had landed at Cardiff and had attempted
to pillage the Cathedral, but were driven back.
One of the " Stanzas of the Hearing " tercets runs : — ^
Hast thou heard ■what ■was uttered by Teilo,
A man ■who did penance ?
" It is not good to contend against God "
(A Du^w nid da ymdara^w).
One of the seven questions said to have been propounded by S.
'Cadoc to seven wise men of his college at Llancarfan was, " What
is the greatest wisdom in a man ? " To which Teilo is represented
to have replied, " To refrain from injuring another when he has the
power to do so." ^
Teilo is celebrated in the Triads * as one of the three " Blessed
Visitors of the Isle of Britain," the other two being SS. David and
Padarn ; and he is credited with having been the special patron of
some of the Welsh bards, such as Gwrhir (Gwas Teilo), Ystyffan, Mael-
gwn Hir, and Balchnoe.^ Each of these is designated " Bardd
Teilaw (Teliaw)," but the epithet is simply a late document misreading
of " Bardd Teulu," a domestic bard, with no reference to S. Teilo.
^ Willis, Llandaff, p. 12.
^ Myv, Arch., p. 128, and in nearly the same -words in the lolo MSS., p.
■255. 3 Myv. Arch., p. 776. * Ibid., pp. 391, 402.
5 Ibid., p. 409 ; lolo MSS., pp. 77, 79.
/S. Te/oi 243
S, TEITHFALL
Teithfall's title to be reckoned a Welsh saint rests entirely upon
late documents printed in the lolo MSS.
In the " Genealogy of lestyn ab Gwrgan " occurs the following
notice ; — " Teithfallt ab Nyniaw, called also Teithfalch in some MSS.,
was a very good, religious, wise, and heroic king. He fought valiantly
against the Saxons, and vanquished them. He passed a law which
made it imperative on all to contribute a portion of their wealth
and possessions for the maintenance of religion, the clergy, learning,
and the churches. Many of the Saxons and Picts came into Wales
in his time, and slew a great number of the people ; burning also
churches and choirs. He ended his days as a saint (or monk), having
handed over the government to his son Tewdrig." ^
According to this document his pedigree ran, Teithfallt ab Njmiaw
ab Bran ab Edrig ab Crair ab Meurig ab Meirchion, etc.
Another notice states, " Teithfalch, called also Tudfwlch, was the
son of Nynniaw. His church is Llandudfwlch, in Gower," ^ which
we are not able to identify. Nynniaw or Nynnio was King of Gwent
and Garthmathrin, and is also credited with having been a saint and
bishop ; but both father and son are apocryphal as saints. Tewdrig
was also esteemed a saint.
S. TELOI
It is to be presumed that the church-name Llandeloy, in Pembroke-
shire, embodies a saint's name, Teloi, though nothing is now known
of the saint. In two late sixteenth century lists of Welsh parishes ^
the name is given as Llandylwyf and Llandeilwyf . Browne WilUs *
enters Teilo (February 9) as church-patron, but this is a mere guess,
which is negatived by the old forms, as well as by the accent being
on the ultima.
I lolo MSS., p. 10. In the Book of Llan Ddv, p. 118, his name is written
Teithfall. The Cognatio de Brychan gives a Teudfall ab Teuder ab Teudfal ab
Annhun rex Grsecorum, who was the father of Tewdrig, father of Marchell, mother
of Brychan, and a totally different person.
^ lolo MSS., p. 136. For Nynniaw see supra, p. 27.
. 3 Evans, Report on Welsh MSS,, i, p. 917 ; also Llan Dylwyv in the list in
Myv. Arch,, p. 746.
« Paroch. Anglic, 1733, p. ijb.
244 Lives of the British Saints
M. J. Loth ^ mentions Landeloi as one of the charter forms for
the modern Landeleau, near ChateauHn, and supposes the name to
be the same as Teilo.
S. TENENAN, Bishop, Confessor
This saint is said by Lobineau and by De la Borderie ^ to have been
a native of Britain. The latter took as his authority a seventeenth
century Legendarium of S. Pol de Leon. On the other hand, Albert
le Grand made him son of an Irish kinglet.
The authorities for his Life are not good. A Vita in MS. in the
Collection of the Blancs-Manteaux, Bibl. Nat. Paris, MSS. Frangais,
22,321. A Life by Albert le Grand from the Breviary of Leon of
,1516, now lost so far as the second part is concerned ; also from the
Legendaria of Leon and Folgoet.
We have further a revision of the old Life in the later Breviary of
Leon.
Moreover, there is mention made of Tenenan in the lections for the
feast of S. Caradoc in the 1516 Breviary of Leon which still exists.
The account in the Acta SS. Boll., Jul. iv, pp. 179-80, is from Albert
le Grand.
Tenenan, whether by birth British or Irish, at all events passed his
early life in Ireland, and he is reputed to have been a disciple of
S. Caradoc,^ who is identified, wrongly, as we have shown, with
S. Carannog, Carantoc or Cairnech.
According to the legend, Tenenan rapidly advanced in learning
under his master Caradoc*
Then he departed and went to Britain, where he was placed at the
royal court, and here " the Countess of Arundell," a young and beauti-
ful heiress — so says Albert le Grand — fell in love with him. Tenenan,
who had resolved on embracing the religious profession, prayed to
God to relieve him of the embarrassing attentions of the lady, and
he was immediately afflicted with leprosy.
^ Chrestomathie Bretonne, Paris, 1890, p. 232.
^ De la Borderie, presumably from the MS. of the Blancs-Manteaux, says
that the saint was born in Britain at a place called Vallis jEquoria, Hist. Bret.,
i, p. 496.
' " Caradocum, sanctitate et doctrina famosum, puer audivit." Prop. Lion.
* " Cujus in schola tantum brevi profecit, ut et scientia, et meritorum gloria
SUDS longe coaetuneos superaret, sanctissima nihilominus Christi disciplina,
quam vanis philosophiae documentis multo illustriet." Ibid.
S. Te
en en an
245
Then he went back to Ireland, where he revisited his old master
Caradoc, who at once invited him to take a bath in a tub. Tenenan
did this, and when he rose from the water he was cured of his leprosy.
He then bade Caradoc enter the bath — we are not told that the water
was changed — and after some resistance Caradoc complied, whereupon
the seven iron bands that Caradoc had had fastened about his body
snapped and fell off.
Neither of the Saints was overpleased at his relief. Each thought
that the riddance might lead to spiritual pride. ^
After a while Tenenan was ordained priest,^ and then he resolved
on quitting Ireland and settling in Armorica. There was, as clearly
transpires from the Life, an exodus of Irish from Ireland at the time
and Tenenan was accompanied, we are told, by Senan, Kea, Armen
and Glaumeus. Senan was almost certainly the Saint of Inis Cathy,
and Kea or Kenan was the son of Ludun or Lleuddun Luyddog, and
had been educated in Ireland.
The boat in which this party of colonists arrived entered the harbour
of Brest through the Goulet, and found itself in a lovely inland sea
almost waveless, with the land on all sides densely covered with
forests.^ They rowed to the head of the harbour to where the Elorn
<iischarges its waters into the sea, and ascended it to where was a
camp, which in later times became the site of the famous Chateau
de Joyeuse Garde. This was near the present town of Landerneau.*
The whole party disembarked, and made its way to the fortress,
where it was well received, and Tenenan was invited to settle there.
''- " Venit igitur ad sanctum Karadocum : sed antiquam venisset nunciavit ei
angelus venturum ad se Tenenanum : Karadocus cum gaudio et exultatione
preparavit ba:lneum suo hospiti. Veniens ille cum exisset jam ecclesiam et
orasset occurrit iste obviam illi et osculati sunt invicem benedicentes. Etduc to
eo a monasterio ad refecterium cogebat eum oppido ut introiret lavacrum. Ille
negabat et inveniebat causas satis ydoneas : denique Karadocus ait ; si non
intraveris, non vivas in vita eterna. Cum hoc audisset Tenenanus coactus
intravit balneum : accedebat iterum Karadocus ut lavaret eum. Animad-
vertens igitur Tenenanus quoniam ad se abluendum accederet dixit : non
lavabis me in eternum. Respondit Karadocus : nee tu vives in eternum si non
lavero te. Lotus est itaque et statim ut tetegit cum Karadocus sanatus est a
lepra : et conquerebatur dicens : non bene fecisti in me frater : quia forte super-
bus fiam a modo et multum deceptus ero." Brev. Lion., 1516. The Caradoc
■of the Breviary is Carantocus ; see S. Carannog.
2 " Factusinde presbyter, mundi illecebris omnino abdicatis, se totum Christo
specialius addixit, ecclesiasticis ofiiciis, indefesso labore, mancipatus." Prop.
Lion.
^ Nee mora . .. . Tenenanus, rebus compositis, cum nonnuUis sociis, mare
Britannicum, felici enavigatione, praeter gressus, in sinum Brestenseon. in solo
Xeonensi situm, appellit." Ibid.
< " Inde fluminis Eloriri nipam, quje Landerniam ducit ... in densissimam
isylvam exiUt, non sine ;magno suscipientium gaudio et fructu." Ibid.
246 Lives of the British Saints
To the north of the Elom was a dense forest, almost impenetrable.
Accordingly when Tenenan began to found churches he did this on
the fringe of the forest at Plabennec, and the other near the camp,
but he formed a monastery to serve also as a school at Lesquelen,
between Plabennec and Kersaint. The description given of it savours
of early times, and reminds one of the very similar account of the
works of S. Cadoc at Llancarfan.^ Tenenan threw up a huge mound
of earth and stone, and surrounded it with dykes. This mound still
remains.
'V\''e are told that the settlers in this portion of Armorica, what with
their troubles through piratical invasions, and what with their having
no instructors with them, had lapsed into indifference to their religious
duties, 2 and Tenenan had laboured among them to recover them
to their Christian obligations. He did more, he instructed the colonists
in the art of building stone cashels, as existed in Ireland, and one
such was erected, circular in form, at Plabennec. Apparently, before
it was complete, a body of pirates landed and began to sweep the
country and approached Plabennec. Tenenan made the gate of
his cashel secure by fastening it with a broken half wheel of a wagon,
and sent a swift messenger through the forest to the fortress on the
Elorn to entreat help.
The pirates invested the cashel and attempted to break in,^ but
before they had succeeded in climbing over the walls, the colonists
from the Elorn arrived with their leader, mounted on a white horse.
They had traversed the forest, unperceived by the assailants, and
took them in the rear. The result was that the pirates fled to regain
their ships, which they had probably left in the Aber Benoit. Later
fable magnified the timely rescue into an intervention of an angelic
leader brandishing a fiery sword, who led the colonists.
We are next informed that on the resignation of the see of Leon
by S. Goulven, Tenenan was elected to succeed him.
One day, a priest who was carrying the Blessed Sacrament through
the woodland to a dying man, stumbled and let the Host fall ; and;
although he searched for it, he was unable to find it. He informed
Tenenan of the accident, and the Bishop prayed when at the altar,
^ ii, p. 17.
2 " Loci namque incolas, eum in locum, propter frequentes Danorum incur-
siones, abolitos, nee propterea de religionis Christianas exertitiis admodum
soUieitos, ad vitae revocavit sanctioris instiituitumi. " P'fop. L4on. The Danes-
are an anachronism.
3 Albert le Grand, .giving the story a late mediaeval colouring, describes the
cashel as a round tower still standing in his. day, and the pirates as attempting.
to get into the church by breaking the gjass in the windows..
S. Tenenan 2 4. 7
when lo ! a white dove entered the church bearing a leafy branch
of oali to which depended a honeycomb, and laid it on the altar.
Tenenan examined the comb, and found within the lost Host, about
which the bees had constructed a waxen shrine. A similar legend
is found in Cornwall, and was versified by the late Rev. Robert S.
Hawker. After haying ruled the Church for several years, he died,
on June i6, and it is supposed, was buried at Plabennec.
Now this story as it stands is very difficult to unravel. Albert le-
Grand gives 635 as the date of the death of Tenenan ; but he is lavish
in dates, which he derived from his internal consciousness.
What makes the solution the more dif&cult is the fact that the
Breton hagiographers have confounded together Cairnech or Carannog
with the elder Carthagh. Both were in Armorica, both founded
churches there, both had been in Ireland, but with which Tenenan.
was is not clear.
Albert le Grand calls Tenenan also Tinidor, and the Life in MS..
in the Bibl. Nat. Paris says : — " Tenenanus heremum petiit et sedi-
ficavit cellulam in loco qui ob ejus memoriam Lan-Tinidor vocatur,.
non procul ab alveo Ylornse fiuminis."
But Lan Tinidor is Lan Ternoc, now Landerneau. Consequently we
have his name under three forms, Tenenan, Tinidor, and Ternoc.
Ternoc and Tenenan (from Ternan) are permutable forms, as Aedan
and Maidoc. Ternoc is the Welsh Tyrnog.
Now the Welsh do know of a Tyrnog, who was grandson of Ceredig.
and brother of Carannog or Cairnech. But this can hardly be recon-
ciled chronologically with the statement that Tenenan became Bishop-
of Leon after Goulven. However, this latter statement is most
suspicious.
Those who set to work to compile a list of the Bishops of Leon
found that there had been an Irish bishop at Plabennec in the diocese
at an early period, and they worked him into the catalogue. They
could not place him before Paul who founded the see, nor intercalate
him between Paul and Goulven ; so they thrust him in after the
latter. In the adjoining diocese of Treguier the compilers went to-
work in another way. To accommodate the several Celtic bishops
whose names were in the Legendaria, they devised an imaginary see
of Lexovia, as preceding Treguier, which was founded by S. Tudwal,
and they arranged them in order to their own satisfaction, but in
reckless disregard of chronology. The see was a pure creation of fancy, .
invented for the accommodation of these bishops.
Cairnech or Carannog died about 470. It is possible enough that
Tyrnog may have been a nephew and not a brother. In the Church.
248 Lives of the British Saints
■of Tregarantec (Tref-Carantoc), founded, as the name implies, by
Carannog, is preserved a relic of S. Ternoc, with the inscription on
the case, " Sancte Ternoce, ora pro nobis," and S. Ternoc is regarded
.as the patron of the church of which Carantoc is the titular saint.
This looks much as if Tenenan or Ternoc had been associated actually
with Carannog, and not with Carthagh (Caradoc). So confusing was
ihe fact that Tenenan was identical with Ternoc, that at Landerneau,
his foundation, it came in late times (eighteenth century) to be assumed
that the patron of the place was Arnec or Ternoc, a son of Judicael,
King of Domnonia, who died in 650. But of this Arnec or Ternoc
nothing authentic is known ; whereas the Vita S. Tenenani is explicit
in its statement that Landerneau took its name from Tenenan. So
also at Tregarantec, it is supposed that the Ternoc who is patron
is this Arnec or Ternoc.
Tenenan or Ternoc has not been quite forgotten in Ireland. There
was a Saint Ternoc of Cluana Mor commemorated in the Irish Mar-
tyrologies on July 2. Cluana Mor is probably Clonmore, in Wexford. ^
It was precisely in South-Eastern Ireland that Cairnech or Carannog
was active as a missioner.
Tenenan is said to have migrated to Armorica in company with
Senan and Kea or Kenan. Senan of Iniscathy died about 568 ; Kenan,
before his migration, had been in conflict with Tewdrig, King of Corn-
wall, about 500. He is represented as having survived the death
of King Arthur, which, on the authority of the Annates Cambrics, is
fixed as taking place in 537. If we take Tenenan as the Tyrnog of
the Welsh genealogies, but suppose him to have been a nephew and
not brother of Carannog, then most of the difficulties about his chrono-
logical position disappear. Doubtless Carannog made over to him
his Tref on Kemenet Hi, and there for a while he ruled as abbot-bishop.
De la Borderie says : " There were at least three Saints Tenenan.
1, An Irish contemporary of S. Patrick, viz. of the fifth century ;
2, Our Tenenan = Tinidor, who is of the 7th; 3, another, who lived
in the times of the Northman invasions. Albert le Grand has run
them all together." ^
De la Borderie is always positive in his assertions, and most positive
when deficient in evidence. We know nothing of a Tenenan who was
bishop of Leon after Goulven. The Tenenan contemporary with
Patrick would be the disciple of Cairnech, probably a boy when Patrick
-died.
^ Letters Relative to the Antiquities of the County of Wexford, collected during
rthe progress of the Ordnance Survey of 1840, ii, p. 35.
* Hist, de Bretagne, i, p. 496.
aS*. Tenni 249
The reason why De la Borderie supposes that there was a Tenenan
in the tenth century is that the late writer of the Life speaks of the
pirates as Dani. He knew of no earlier harriers of the coast, and as
the ravages of the Northmen had burnt themselves into the memories
of the Bretons, he unsuspiciously called the early raiders Danes. But
we do hear of the coasts being ravaged at a much earlier period, in
the fifth and sixth centuries, by Frisians, and we know that there
were Saxon settlers in Neustria in 451, for Saxons joined the forces
of Aetius to repel Attila and his Huns. If the Saxons had ravaged
and colonized in Neustria, they had probably also made incursions
into Armorica.
It would then seem probable that there was only one Tenenan or
Temoc, and that he flourished at the beginning of the sixth century.
The whole of the district of Leon was much occupied at the time by
Irish from the South-East of Ireland. Cairnech, Fiacc, Senan, Setna,
Carthagh, Brendan, all left their marks there, and we have little hesita-
tion in attributing the arrival of Tenenan to this period of emigration
from Ireland.
S. Tenenan is venerated on July 16 — MS. Missal of Treguier, fifteenth
century ; Leon Breviary of 1516 ; S. Malo Breviary of 1537 ; but
in the Leon Breviary of 1736 moved to July 19, and in that of Quim-
per of 1835 to July 21.
He is patron of Guerlesquin, of La Forest and Plabennec. Hon-
oured also at Lannihs. The ancient patron of Landerneau. Probably
also patron of Tregarantec.
He was formerly represented in a statue at Landerneau as a monk
holding a lantern, a play on Landern-eau. He is invoked against
gripes.
See further under S. Tyrnog.
S. TENNI
Llandenny is a church in Monmouthshire, now given as dedicated
to S. John. The name, however, points to Tenni as the original
patron, but nothing is known of him. In the Book of Llan Ddv ^
the church is called " Ecclesia Mathenni Mustuir Mur," i.e. " The
' Pp. 207-8. So in the Additional Charters, Brit. Mus., no. 5342 (1330). In
the Taxationes it is Mahenni (1254) and Mykenni (1291). With the name com-
pare Ecclesia Mamouric (Book of Llan Ddv, p. 206), Machynlleth, Mathafarn, etc.
250 Lives of the British Saints
Church of Tenni's Field belonging to the Great Monastery " (ther
Archmonastery of Llandaff). The manor is still known as Mathenny
alias Llandenny ; and there are places called Hendredenny in the
parish of Eglwysilan, Glamorganshire.
S. TENOI, Matron, Abbess
There are three daughters of Lleuddun Luyddog, the Leudonus
who gave name to the provincia of Leudonia, i.e. Lothian, mentioned,
in the earlier copies of Bonedd y Saint, (i) Denw or Denyw {Peniarth
MSS. 16 and 45, Hafod MS. 16), wife of Owain ab Urien Rheged, and
mother of S. Kentigern ; (2) Tenoi [Peniarth MSS. 12, 16, and 45,
Hafod MS. 16), wife of Dingad ab Nudd Hael, and mother of Lleuddad,
Baglan, Tegwy, Tyfriog (Tyfrydog), and Eleri ; (3) Perferen or Peren,
the mother of S. Beuno.
The two first would appear, owing to similarity of names, to have
become confounded, for in Scottish hagiography the mother of Kenti-
gern is called Tenew, Thenew, and Taneu, among other forms, which
one would be more inclined to equate with Tenoi than Denyw. Her
church in Glasgow was once popularly known as S. Theneukes Kirk,
which has been corrupted into S. Enoch's.
Lleuddun, who has been briefly noticed, ^ was father also of Medrod,
who rebelled against his uncle, King Arthur.
Tenoi occurs in the later Life of S. Winefred, by Robert, Prior of
Shrewsbury, where she is called in the Latin Theonia, and Theon in
the Welsh version, Buchedd Gwenfrewi. She is there mentioned as
superior of a convent of nuns at Gwytherin, in Denbighshire, where her
son Eleri also as abbot " served the Lord apart, with his brethren
and fellow- disciples." The monastery was a double one.
S. Winefred, leaving Holywell, some time after her decollation,
entered the convent under Theonia, whom she learnt to " love with
deep affection, and often, when speaking of her longing for the celestial
kingdom, drew tears from the mother's eyes." Winefred succeeded
her as abbess. Theonia was buried in the cemetery at Gwytherin,
and Winefred, on her death-bed, requested Eleri to bury her by his
mother's side.
To Tenoi was dedicated Llandenoi, now extinct, in the parish of
Llanrheithan, Pembrokeshire. It occurs as Landenev in the Black
Book of S. David's, 1326.
^ iii, p. 374. For Tenoi as a possible compound of To + Noe see supra, p. 20.
S. Teulyddog 251
S. TEON, Bishop, Confessor
Ix the old Saintly Pedigrees Teon is not entered as a saint but merely
as the grandfather of S. Llywelyn. But in a MS. circa 1670 printed in
the lolo MSS. it is stated that S. Teon, the son of Gwineu Deufreudd-
wyd, of the line of Beli Mawr, was " a saint and bishop of Cor Illtyd,
and afterwards a bishop in Gloucester ; and after that an archbishop
in London, from whence he was driven by the pagan Saxons, and
went to Brittany." ^ The latter part of the notice is taken from Geof-
frey of Monmouth, who tells us that Theonus or Teon, with the arch-
bishops of Caerleon and York (Thadioceus), in the time of Ceredig,
King of Britain, seeing that all the churches within their jurisdictions
had been devastated, fled with their clergy into Wales, taking with
them the relics of the saints. Many took flight to Brittany. ^ Theonus-
was the last of the reputed metropolitans of London (the first of them
was also named Theonus or Theanus), and is supposed to have been
translated from Gloucester in 542, and to have fled into Wales in
586.
In Llanstephan MS. 187, Teon is said to have been of Cegidfa, i.e.,
Guilsfield, near Welshpool. He was the father of Tegonwy, the-
father of S. Llywelyn of Welshpool.
The Stiperstones mountain, in the parish of Worthen, Shropshire,,
was called from him by the Welsh Carneddi Teon.^
S. TEULYDDOG, Confessor
The pedigree of Toulidauc or Teulyddog does not occur. He was-
originally a disciple of S. Dubricius, but after S. Teilo's return from
Brittany, when the Yellow Plague had passed over, he, with other
fellow-disciples, associated himself with that saint.*
In an Ode to King Henry VII ^ the bard invokes, in the same line
as S. Teilo, the protection of " Tylyddog " for the King ; and Lewis.
Glyn Cothi « similarly invokes " Telyddog."
1 P. 129. His pedigree is given ia Mostyn MS. 117 (thirteenth century).
2 Hist. Reg. Brit., xi, cc. 3, 10 ; Bruts, ed. Rhys and Evans, pp. 233, 236.
s Carneddau Teon are mentioned in one of the poems to Owen Glyndwr
by lolo Goch ; Gweithiau, ed. Ashton, p. 161.
* Book of Llan Ddv, p. 115-
6 lolo MSS., p. 314, as Tylyddog, but in the copy m Cardiff MS. 7, p. 15 v
as Tylwyddog. ' Gwaith, 1837, p. 49.
2^2 Lives of the British Saints
The Book of Llan Ddv ^ mentions a Lann Toulidauc as "in Car-
marthen," sometimes abbreviated " in Caer." There can be no doubt
that this church of Teulyddog was located within the walls of the old
Romano- British Maridunum, and that he was the original patron saint
of the town of Carmarthen, but had in Norman times to make room
for S. John the Evangelist, or at any rate to take second place, only
to be ultimately clean forgotten. His foundation became merged in
the Augustinian Priory of S. John, which was officially, in its Cartulary, ^
called in full the Priory of S. John the Evangelist and S. Theulacus.
The latter is a shortened form of Teulyddog, but is sometimes imagined
to represent Teilo.
One of " the seven Bishop-houses in Dyfed," mentioned in the
Demetian Code of the Laws of Hywel Dda,^ was Llann Deulydawc ;
and it is added that (with certain other abbots) " the abbot of Teu-
lyddog should be graduated in literary degrees." Whatever may
be the precise meaning of " Bishop- house " (Escobty), the term implies
that in pre-Norman times this Carmarthen church had become a
foundation of special distinction, being ruled by an abbot-bishop,
and was possessed of a considerable endowment in land.
S. TEWDRIG, King, Martyr
Tewdeig * was the son of Teithpall or Teithfall, and the father of
Meurig, King of Morganwg. What is really known of him we derive
from the Book of Llan Ddv.^
Tewdrig in his old age surrendered the rule over Morganwg to his
-son Meurig, and retired to live an eremitical life at Dindyrn, now
Tintem, on the Wye, where he found a rock suitable for him to
make a cell in it.
Whilst there, the Saxons burst in on Gwent, and the old king took
-up arms again to repel them ; for it was said of him that he had been
■ever victorious in all battles.
' Pp. 62, 124, 254, 287.
2 Sir Thomas Phillipps, Cart. S. Johannis Bapi. de Caermarthen, 1865.
' Ed. Aneurin Owen, folio, p. 273.
' The name, which appears in the Book of Llan Ddv as Teudiric, but in Har-
.leian MS. 3859 as Teudubric, is a borrowing of the Teutonic name which occurs
in Old English as Theodric, and in German as Dietrich, meaning " the ruler of
the people." It was Latinized Theodoricus, and ultimately planed down to
Thierry and Terry. Teithpall is a corruption of Theodebald. His father's
name is given as Nyniaw (lolo MSS., p. 10). ^ Pp. 141-2.
S. Tewdrig 253:
An angel had appeared to him and said, " Go to-morrow to the aid of
the people of God against the enemies of the Church of Christ, and the
foe will turn to flight as far as Pull Brochuail (now Brockweir above
Tintern Parva). And do thou fully armed stand in the front of the-
battle, and when the foe see thy face they will fly as usual. And
thenceforth for thirty years, during the reign of thy son, they will not
venture into the land, and its inhabitants will be in peace. But thou
wilt receive a wound at Ryt Tindyrn (the ford of Tintern) and wilt die-
three days after."
So Tewdrig, fully harnessed, mounted his horse and stood at the
head of the troops to defend the ford over the Wye. The Saxons were
put to flight, but one of them hurled a lance across the water and
wounded the old Hng.
When it was perceived that the wound was mortal, his men were for
removing him, but he forbade them to do so, and said that he would die
there, and that he had desired his body to rest in the Isle of Echni, the
Flat Holm, in the Severn Sea.
On the morrow, however, appeared two stags harnessed to a wagon,
and Tewdrig, recognizing that they were sent by the will of God, allowed
himself to be lifted into the conveyance. The wagon carried him to-
the bank of the Severn and there stayed, and on the spot a sparkling
spring began to flow. Then suddenly the wagon dissolved, and
Tewdrig gave up the ghost.
Meurig erected an oratory on the spot, which was blessed by S,
Oudoceus. The spot was Mathem, below Chepstow ; there the old king
was laid, and not conveyed, as he had desired, to Echni.
The land around was made over to Oudoceus for the monastery of
Llandaff, and in later times the Bishops had a palace there, for about
three centuries. In the Church, on the south wall of the chancel, is a
tablet set up in memory of Tewdrig, with an inscription in English by
Bishop Godwin (1601-18). Godwin in excavating discovered a stone
coffin containing the almost perfect skeleton of the saint, and a ghastly
fracture in the skull showed plainly the cause of death. At the restor-
ation of the chancel in 1881 the stone coffin with the bones was again
found beneath the tablet.
Mathem ^ Church is still dedicated to S. Tewdrig, and was formerly
known as Merthyr Tewdrig, his Martyrium.
What were the incursions of the Saxons referred to at an interval
1 In the Booh of Llan Dav the church is called Merthir Teudiric, but in the
fourteenth century additions to it, Martherne and Martharne, and spellings
■with the first r occur elsewhere. It has been supposed that it involves the word
Merthvr.
2 54 Lives of the British Saints
■oi thirty years we do not know. The Saxons did not invade the
Severn Valley and destroy Gloucester till 577 ; but the reference is to
•earlier piratical expeditions by sea into the Bristol Channel, unrecorded
in history.
The royal hermit of Tintern is credited with having founded the
■churches of Bedwas, Llandow, and Merthyr Tydfil.^
The Hermitage of Theodoric, on the east of the old mouth of the
river Afan, near Aberavon, in Glamorganshire, frequently mentioned
in mediseval documents from the middle of the twelfth century, relating
to Margam Abbey, appears to have been named after a hermit of noble
birth who lived in the early part of the twelfth century. Its ruins
were recently discovered. ^
William of Worcester, who lived in the fifteenth century, says,
" Sanctus Theodoricus rex et martir, cujus pater fuit fundator ecclesiae
cathedralis de Landaff, primo die Aprilis dedicatur duplex festum." ^
Allwydd Paradwys and Wilson give January 3 as the day of S.
Tewdrig.
Bishop Miles Salley of Llandaff (1500-17) in his will directed " his
heart and bowels to be deposited at the High Altar of the Church at
Matherne, before the image of S. Theodorick." *
The following notice of Tewdrig occurs in the " Genealogy of lestyn
ab Gwrgan " : " Tewdrig ab Teithfallt was an eminently good king, who
drove the infidel Saxons and the Goidels out of the country. He
founded many churches and colleges, endowing them with possessions.
He founded a church at Llandaff on the spot where stood the church of
Lies (Lucius) ab Coel, which was burnt down by the infidels, and
endowed it with extensive lands ; he also gave property to Cor Illtyd,
and instituted there four fair establishments for the votaries of religion
and learning. It was through him that Illtyd brought S. Garmon to
Wales ; for Cor Eurgain had now been almost entirely destroyed
by the Saxons ; but a new and contiguous one was established by
lUtyd through the gifts and affection of Tewdrig. ... S. Garmon
then founded a college at Llancarfan, after which the Saxons made a
second irruption into the country, but they were opposed and van-
quished by Tewdrig, who, however, was slain in the engagement, at the
place called Merthyr Tewdrig." ^
The document is of the seventeenth century, and these statements
' are only partially authentic.
1 lolo MSS., pp. 148, 221.
2 Birch, Catalogue of Penrice and Margam Abbey MSS., 1893, i, pp. i, 7, 35
Margam Abbey, p. 391 (index) ; Arch. Camb., 1903, pp. 121-44. 1
* liin., ed. Nasmithi, 1778, p. 163. * Willis, Llandaff, 1719,' p. (>t.
' lolo MSS , p. 10 ; cf. pp. 108, 136, 149.
S. Teyrnog or Tighernach 255
S. TEWDWR
The sole authority for a Welsh saint of this name is the lolo MSS.,'^
where he is entered as Tewdwr Brycheiniog, and said to have been a son
■of Nefydd ab Nefydd Ail ab Rhun (Rhain) Dremrudd ab Brychan
Brycheiniog. All the persons forming the links in his pedigree are
there stated to have been saints.
Hugh Thomas (died 1714), the Breconshire herald, in one of the
volumes of his collection, Harleian MS. 4181, in the British Museum,
•says, " Teudor or Theodor ap Nevith succeeded King of Brecknock ;
some thinke he hved at Crucas near Brecknock ; and had issue a son
-called Dyfinfall," who succeeded his father.
Tewdwr Mawr, though a son of Emyr Llydaw and father of S. Canna,
is nowhere accounted a saint.
In Glamorganshire there are recent Theodore church-dedications at
Port Talbot, Newcastle, S. Bride's Minor, and Garw Valley.
A Teuderius, Confessor, is entered in the early calendar in Cotton
MS. Vesp. A. xiv on October 29 ; but this was probably Theodore,
the sixth century abbot at Vienne, commemorated on that day.
S. TEYRNOG or TIGHERNACH, Bishop, Confessor
Teyrnog was the son of Hawystl Gloff by Tywanwedd, daughter of
.Amlawdd Wledig.^ He was brother to SS. Tyfrydog, Tudur, Diefer
or Deifer, and Marchell. The genealogies mention him as a saint " in
the Vale of Clwyd," meaning at Llandyrnog. Diefer and Marchell were
the old patrons of the adjoining parishes of Bodfari and Denbigh
(anciently Llanfarchell). He is said to have been a saint or monk of
Bangor Dunawd, on the Dee.^
^ Pp. 121, 140. Teudur or Tewdwr ab Rhain, some time in the seventh
■ century, divided the sovereignty of Brycheiniog with Elwystl ab Awst until
he murdered the latter {Book of Llan Dav, pp. 167-8).
2 Peniarth MSS. 16 and 45 ; Hafod MS. 16.
3 Jolo MSS., p. 105. The later authorities are divided as regards the speUing
■ of his name. Teyrnog in lolo MSS., p. 105, and Myv. Arch., p. 431 ; and Tyrnog
in Cardiff MS. 5 (1527), Mosiyn MS. 144 (seventeenth century), lolo MSS ,
p. 124, and Myv. Arch., p. 431. But he is to be distinguished from Tyrnog, son
of Corun. Llandyrnog is occasionally found spelt Llandeyrnog (e.g. Evans, Re-
port on Welsh MSS., i, p. 914). In the Taxatio of 1254 it is Landernant, for
Xandernauc. The name Teyrnog is in Irish Tigernach or Tighearnach, which
is Latinized Tigernacus (Tegernacus on the Capel Brithdir inscribed stone),
and Anglicized Tierney. In Breton it was Tiarnoc (Cartulary of Redon).
Tyrnog is Tern6c, for Ternacos.
256 Lives of the British Saints
We venture to suggest the identification of Teyrnog with the well-
known Irish saint Tighernach, Bishop of Clones. Our sole ground for
doing so is that their festival days coincide ; but the Irish account of
the origin of Tighernach differs entirely from that given of Teyrnog. •\
The authorities for the Life of S. Tighernach are : A Vita Sancti
Tigernaci, printed in full by Mr. Plummer in ViliB Sanctorum HiberntcB,.
Oxford, 1910, from two Rawlinson MSS. in the Bodleian, of which,
however, one is merely the copy of the other. A fragmentary Life ia
the Salamanca Codex, which was printed in 1888, in the Acta SS. Hib.,.
pp. 211-20. It was also published by the BoUandists, ActaSS., April,
i, pp. 401 ff., from three MSS., one being from the Salamanca Codex,
while of the remaining two one was supplied by Hugh Ward, the other
by Henry Fitzsimon. This last copy contained one chapter peculiar
to itself. In Mr. Hummer's Vitce it is in ii, pp. 262-8.
The composition is late, and is made up of much fabulous matter,
but it nevertheless is worked over a fibre of history. Tighernach is
also mentioned in the Life of S. Eoghain. He is made a contemporary
with Bishop Conlaeth of Kildare (d. 520), with Brigid (d. 525), and with.
Dubhtach of Armagh (d. 548) ; so that there is no anachronism here if
Tighernach died in 549 or 550.
His mother's name was Derfraich, daughter of Echach, Prince of
Clogher. She loved " not wisely but too well " one Coirb, of Leinster,
and by him became a mother. Coirb carried off his offspring, a boy,
so soon as it was born, and committed the child to S. Brigid at Kildare,
who held him at the font and fostered him. He was baptized by Bishop-
Conlaeth, and as he came of royal blood was named Tighernach.
Whilst still a child, he and Eoghain were carried off by pirates and
sold as slaves in Britain, where they were bought by a petty king, who-
brought them up as his own children, and treated them TOth great,
kindness.
Because Tighernach was a pretty child the king and queen took him
into their bed, but as he set it on fire — playing with the candle i-naybe —
they put him to sleep in the crib with their two sons ; but according
to the legend his overpowering sanctity smothered them, so they sent
to S. Monenn of Rosnat, that is to say, Mancen or Maucan, of Ty
Gwyn, to resuscitate their sons and take charge of the precocious-
infant. "^
"^ " Deinde sanctus puer . . . sancti Monenni disciplinis et monitis in Ros-
natensi monasterio, quod alio nomine Alba vocatur diligenter instructus," etc.
Vita, col. 213, " Quos duos (so. Tighernachum et Eugenium) vir sanctus et
sapiens Nennyo, qui Maucennus dicitur, de Rostatensi monasterio . . accepit."'
Vita S. Eugenii, Acta SS. Hib., Cod. Sal., col. 915. " The only inconsistency
S. Teyrnog or Tighernach 257
This nonsense may be reduced to a very simple matter. The chil-
dren played with their pillows, and made such a racket in the nursery,
that the good-natured king and queen sent Tighernach away to school.
From the Life of S. Eoghain of Ardstraw we learn that he had as his
companions there both Eoghain and Coirpre, afterwards of Coleraine.
After some years spent at Rosnat, pirates descended on the coast, and
carried away Tighernach, Eoghain, Coirpre and other boys from the
school, and sold them as slaves in Armorica, where these three became
by purchase the property of a petty king there, who set them to grind
in his mill.
The mill consisted of a quern. It required two to work it. The
upper stone had in it a hole into which a staff was thrust, and one boy
turned the handle and stone round from left to right, when the staff
was taken by the boy who sat opposite, and he twisted it round in turn.
It was a long, tedious and laborious work, and was generally done by
women or slaves.
The boys had taken their psalter with them, and this they read when
supposed to be engaged in grinding corn. The king's steward looked
in on them, saw how they were occupied, and reported it to his master,
who, being a Christian, and holding learning in regard, freely discharged
the lads, and sent them back to Rosnat, where they were welcomed by
their master, and with him they completed their studies.
When Tighemach's monastic training was completed he • visited
Rome and Tours. On his travels he made fast friends with another
Irishman, Ciaran, son of Eochaid, of whom we know nothing further.
They journeyed together, and were fortunate in escaping from an inn
where they discovered that the host was in the habit of murdering his
guests, if he thought that they had money with them. At least, this
seems to be the fact which underlies a somewhat strange story told
of nine dead men in a tavern. ^
On his way back to Ireland, on reaching the shore of the Irish Sea, he
found that Ethnea, daughter of the King of Munster, had been forcibly
carried off to be married to a prince in Britain. She threw herself
on the protection of Tighernach, and he intervened. He was allowed
to take her back to her native island, and he gave her the veil, and she
founded a monastic school.
On landing in Munster and unloading his boat he was agreeably
is the introduction of Monend or Monennus," says Mr. Plummer ; " if, as seems
probable, he is meant to be identified with Nynias of Whithern or Candida
Casa, who is said to have died in 432." But the monastery was not Whithern,
but Rosnat or Ty Gwyn.
1 Vita, Cod. Sal., coll. 213-4 ; Plummer, Vitce, p. 263. -
VOL. IV. S
.2 5^ Lives of the British Saints
•surprised to find a thurible which he had mislaid, and supposed that he
had lost.
In Munster he found that the people still had recourse to an oracular
■stone, and worshipped it with Pagan rites. To this he succeeded in
putting a stop.
He now went to his native place, over which ruled at the time a
prince named Fiachra, who gave him a patch of land, around which
Tighernach proceeded to dig a ditch. The sole condition imposed on
Tighemach for receiving the grant was that, in return, he should go
with Fiachra to battle and bless his men and curse the enemy. With
this Tighernach cheerfully complied. On the very first occasion on
which he was called out, the foe turned and fled, and Fiachra's men
pursued them and cut them down, till Tighernach interposed to stop the
butchery. It had been the custom heretofore after a battle for the
victors to cut off the heads of the dead and wounded and carry them
home, stack them and count them. Tighernach obtained a mitiga-
tion of this barbarous usage. He induced the king to order that the
bodies should not be mutilated, and that a bit of turf should be carried
away in place of each man who had been killed.^
Fiachra was vastly scrupulous about invading the rights of the saint.
"When his servant, one day, had torn up some grass from Tighernach's
field, wherewith to line the king's shoes, Fiachra sent the grass back,
lest Tighernach should suppose that he claimed a right to depasture
his meadow.
The saint now went to Kildare to visit his spiritual mother, S. Brigid.
She was well pleased with his character and piety, and forthwith gave
■orders that he should be consecrated bishop. ^
When he had been consecrated, Tighernach departed to visit his
maternal grandfather, Eochaid or Echach, and was well received by
him and by his mother. Eochaid at once expelled Bishop Maccarthen
from Clogher and installed his grandson in his place. This, however,
was too high-handed a proceeding for Tighernach to approve of it, and
he retired to a cell of his own founding. There he became celebrated
1 " Deinde rex, ej usque exercitus, ad propria redientes, decollatorum capita
•secundum eorum e.stimationem secum tulerunt ; sed non vere capita sed glebsis
palustres cum suis fenis prolixis esse cognoverunt," Ibid., col. 217 ; Plummer,
-pp. 265-6. Tlie interpretation of this story seems to be as given above. The
object of carrying off the heads was to enable the victors to reckon up the num-
ber of the enemy slain. This could be done just as well by taking a turf for
every head.
^ " Convocatis episcopis eum ad pontificalis ordinis apicem provehi fecit.
Jn hoc enim a clero et a populo totius Hibernian erat ipsa beata Brigida privili-
giata ut quemcumque ipsa ordinandum judicandum ordinaret, ab omnibus
«ligeretur." Ibid., col 217.
aS*. Teyrnog or Tighernach 259
for his virtues, and many flocked to him ; amongst other visitors he
had was Dubhtach or Duach, Bishop of Armagh. On his way back
Dubhtach fell ill, and, hearing of this, Tighernach went after him, found
him very weak, but able to speak, and Dubhtach's salutation was,
" Tighernach on earth, Tighernach in heaven ! " probably meaning
that Tighemach's body was on earth, but his spirit was engaged in
heavenly contemplation.
An odd story is told of Tighemach's drive to see Dubhtach. He bade
his charioteer shut his eyes whilst driving, and not venture to open
them. Angels guided the vehicle. The charioteer could not resist
the curiosity he felt to ascertain who was conducting the horses at such
a furious speed, and without incurring an accident, and he looked.
Thereupon his eyeballs burst. Tighernach, moved with pity, healed
him, but the token of what had happened was ever after depicted in
his eyes.
Dubhtach lived on for some years after, and always maintained an
affectionate regard for Tighernach, who had shown him such attention
when he was ill.
On the death of the expelled Bishop Maccarthen, Tighernach did not
deem it unseemly to take over the charge of his abbey and rule. He
also went into Oriel to the king, Tachodorus, as he is called in the Life,
and he was granted Clones, where he was required to establish a
monastery.
Oriel forms a strip between Connaught and Meath, on the South,
and Uladh or Ulster, on the North, and was included in the latter It
extended from Loch Erne to the borders of the Dalar aidh Tribe, which
ran from Loch Neagh to Carhngford Lough. Clones is in Monaghan.
Here Tighernach now fixed his seat, but as he continued to hold Clogher,
in Tyrone, he was called " The Man of Two Districts."
Tighernach learned that seven hostages held by Aedh MacCormac
were about to be slaughtered, " pro crimine parentum." He begged
them of the king, who surrendered them to the saint on condition
that the saint would dehver him, when he also was in peril of a violent
death. To this the Bishop agreed. Soon after, Aedh MacCormac was
attacked in his rath by foes, and it was only by invoking the saint that
he escaped death. Tighernach ordained the seven hostages clerics,
and two of them were promoted to the episcopate. As Bardubh, the
wife of Aedh, was barren, Tighernach blessed her womb, and she
then became the mother of Fechin, and of Romanus, who became
an abbot.
One day the saint saw a hawk carrying off a chicken, to the great
distress of the hen. He at once intervened, commanded the hawk to
2 6o Lives of the B7~itish Sanits
restore the chicken, and commanded him and his race thenceforth to
become guardians, not ravishers, of poultry.
For the last thirty years of his life he was blind, and spent most of his
time in his cell, engaged in meditation and prayer. As the time of his
departure approached, he appointed his beloved disciple Comgall
to succeed him in his principal monastery, and he retired to die in the
other.
The Annals of the Four Masters state that he died on April 4, 548 ;
but the Chronicon Scottorum gives as date 550. He died whilst the
Yellow Plague was ravaging Britain and Ireland, but not of the plague
but of extreme old age.
The only church in Wales of which he was founder and is still patron
is Llandymog. Although in the Life there is no intimation of his-
having visited Cornwall, yet there is a dedication to him. Northill has-
him as patron, locally called S. Torney. There is a church of S-
Thegonnec in Brittany, but we can hardly equate the name with Tigher-
nach. What alone can be said in favour of the identification is that
Thegonnec is represented as an archbishop, and that Tighernach was
caUed the Bishop of Two Sees. Thegonnec is almost certainly Toquo-
noc, who was disciple of S. Paul of Leon. His day is September 6.
The day of S. Tighernach in the Felire of Oengus is April 4 ; on the
same day in the Martyrology of Tallaght, and that of Donegal, and the
Drummond Calendar ; also the Felire of Marianus O'Gorman. On
the same day Whytford has : " In englonde the feest of Saynt TiernaVe
y' was of the kynges blode of yrelond, and in y* tyme of warre was
taken a childe and brought in to englond and sold as a bondman," etc..
On the same day Nicolas Roscarrock ; but in the Aberdeen Breviary
on April 5. In the MS. Missal of Treguier, fifteenth century, and in
the Leon Breviary, 1516, on September 6. The Feast at Northill is on
September 8, or rather the Sunday after, and this comes very near the
day on which the saint is commemorated in Brittany.
His day is on April 4 in the Welsh Calendars in Peniarth MSS. 27,.
i85, 187, 192, 219, Mosiyn AIS. 88, Llanstephan MSS. 117, 181, the
Prymers of 1618 and 1633, 3.nd Allwydd Paradwys ; but on April 2 in
that in Peniarth MS. 172. Browne Willis ^ gives his festival at Llan-
dyrnog on April 4. Llanstephan MS. 117 gives a festival of Tyrnog
also on September 25. Several Welsh calendars give Tyrnog on June
26, but this is in all probability a mistake for Twrog.
One of the stained glass windows formerly on the south side of the
Church of Llangynhafal, in the neighbourhood of Llandymog, bore a.
legend with the invocation, " S'te Dyrnoke." In an ode to Henry VII^
- 1 Survey of Bangor, 1721, p. 278. ^ lolo MSS,, p. 314.
S. TYRNOG.
From Modern Glass at Llandyrnog Church.
S. Toquonoc [Thegonnec) 261
the saint's protection (" nawdd Dyrnog ") is invoked for that king.
In the parish of Darowen, in Montgomeryshire, is a farm named Rhos
Dyrnog, on which is a field called Cae yr Hen Eglwys (Old Church Field) .
Darowen Church is dedicated to Teyrnog's brother Tudur ; so the name
bears witness to Teyrnog's presence there.
S. TILULL
A S. TiLULL or Tylull is mentioned in the Book of Llan Ddv, with a
church Lann Tilull. ^ The boundary of the Llan is given, and the editors
suggest Sant y Xyl, in S. Bride's Super Ely, Glamorganshire, as identifi-
cation.^ Nothing appears to be known of the saint. The suggested
place-name, however, might well enough embody the name of S. Nilus
or Nil, Abbot of Calabria, who died in 1005, and is commemorated in
the Roman and Benedictine Martyrologies on September 26, and who
may have been introduced by the Normans, like the S. Roch of Capel
S. Roque, in Merthyr Mawr.
S. TOQUONOC (THEGONNEC), Bishop, Confessor
Nothing further is known of this saint than that he was one of the
British disciples Paul of Leon brought with him to Armorica. His
name, as Wrmonoc, the author of the Life of S. Paul, says, was Quonoc,
but he was also called Toquonoc,^ with the weU-known honorific prefix.
His church in Finistere is one of the most marvellous of the granite
ecclesiastical structures in the department.
At S. Thegonnec he is represented as an archbishop with crozier.
There is, however, no record of his having been a bishop.
His statue is in the church ; he holds a double branched crozier,
and has a wain drawn by wolves at his feet. He is said to have had his
horse killed by a wolf ; he accordingly ordered the wild beast to take
the place of the slain and devoured domestic animal.
The Abbe Duine, in Revue des Traditions Populaires, 1903, pp. 471-2,
1 Pp. 32, 43, 216-7.
2 p. 376. It is between S. Bride's village and Coed Marchan.
3 Revue Celtique, v, p. 437- I" Welsh the forms would appear as Cynog
and Tygynog.
262 Lives of the British Saints
gives some local traditions concerning the saint ; and M. J. L. Ollivier,
formerly Vicaire of S. Thegonnec, has published a Breton cantique on
the legendary Life of the Saint, i. Thegonnec arrived in Llydaw when
quite a young man. He laboured to convert the natives, and endea-
voured to build a church on a height, now having a cross on it. But
during the night the stones rolled down to the spot where now stands
the church. The saint recognized this as a token of the Divine wiH,
and built where the stones rested. 2. A wolf devoured his horse. He
constrained the wild beast to draw the wain in its room. 3. Whilst
occupied on his work of building, he and his wagon passed through
the hamlet of Bougez, a kilometre to the west ; and he asked the
inhabitants to give his horse some water. They refused : whereupon he
cursed the place, " Boujez a voujezo ; abikenn dour mad no devezo,"
or " Bougez will remain Bougez, and will never Iiave good water."
Since then there has been a lack of water there. 4. The saint struck
a rock with his staff, and a spring gushed forth, known to this day as the
Ar Stivel, or Fountain of the Rock ; and here Thegonnec resided for a
while. 5. The reputation of the saint having spread, he was elected
archbishop of Dol. It is, however, certain that there was not only
no archbishop, but also no bishop of that name at Dol.
It is possible that this is due to a confounding of Thegonnec with
Tighernach, who was entitled " the Bishop of Two Sees," and who-
certainly when young had been in Armorica.
The days on which Thegonnec is commemorated are September 8-14
S. TRIDIAN
There was clearly a Welsh Saint named Tridian or Trudian. There
is a Landridian and a Ffynnon Dridian in the parish of S. Nicholas,
in Pembrokeshire, and also a farm called Llandridion or Llandrudion,
in the parish of S. David's.
Possibly Lanrhidian, in Gower, also preserves the name Tridian,
and not Rhidian. In the Annals of Margam [s.a. J 185) the name is
spelt Landridian, and the mention of a S. lUtyd's Well at the place
suggests an original dedication of the church to that saint. ^
Nothing appears to be known of Tridian.
^ Luard, Annates Monastici, i, p. 18 ; Owen's Pembrokeshire, i, pp. 398, 408.
There is an Abertridian in the parish of Eglwys Ilan, Glamorganshire. Tridian
may possibly be the same as Triduana, the pet form of S. Tredwell's name, the-
virgin saint of Restalrig, near Edinburgh. See further what has been said under
,S. Rhidian, supra, p. in.
S. THEGONNEC.
From Statue at S. Thigonnec,
Finistere.
S. Trillo 263;
S. TRILLO, Abbot, Confessor
Terillo or Trillo was the son of Ithel Hael of Llydaw, and brother
of SS. Tegai and Llechid. He is mentioned in the earlier pedigrees *
as being of " Dineirth in Rhos," i.e. Llandrillo yn Rhos, on the North
Wales coast, in the county of Denbigh. His brother and sister settled
in Carnarvonshire. According to later pedigrees ^ Ithel had other
children, and they are said to have all come to Wales from Armorica
with Cadfan, their kinsman. TriUo is stated to have been a saint of
Bardsey.
On the shore at Llandrillo is an interesting oratory known as Capel!
Trillo, 3 of the type found more especially in Ireland. It is in form a.
parallelogram, measuring internally about 11 feet by 8 feet, and built
over a perennial spring, situated at the east end, whence all the water
for baptisms in the parish was rehgiously borne formerly. A httle dis-
tance from the chapel is the Rhos Fynach fish weir, a stone and timber
fence shaped like the letter V. The Bishop of S. Asaph (as Rector) and.
the Vicar of the parish are entitled to the tithe of fish taken in the
weir — every tenth day from May 13 to October 18 being theirs — and-
the owner of the weir in former times insisted on continuing an im-
memorial custom of having prayers read in S. Trillo's chapel three times
during the fishing season, a custom still kept up on the west coast of
Ireland. Up to 1872 the Bishop received three-fourths and the Vicar
one-fourth of the tithe of fish caught. Salmon were formerly taken in
good quantities in this weir, but the fish now trapped are not of much -
value.
Another church dedicated to S. Trillo is Llandrillo yn Edernion, in
Merionethshire. There is here a Ffynnon Drillo, which was formerly
in repute as a healing well, especially in cases of rheumatism. It was
situated in a corner of a low-lying meadow, about half a mile north of
the village, until between 1850 and i860, when, owing to the tenant
farmer's objection to trespassers, as it was believed, its water suddenly
ceased to flow, only to gush forth in a neighbouring tenant's field as a
strong spring. The incident was put down to the intervention of the
saint.* Edward Lhuyd, in his notes on the parish (1699), mentions a.
1 Peniarth MSS. 12, 16, 45; Hafod MS. 16; Cardiff MS S. 5 (p. 118), 25
(p. 115) ; Llanstephan MS. 28 (p. 71) ; cf. Myv. Arch., pp. 427, 430. Dinerth
is the name of one of the townships. There was also a castle of the name (men-
tioned several times in Brut y Tywysogion) situated a Uttle to the east of Aberay-
ron, in Cardiganshire.
2 lolo MSS., pp. 104, 112, 133.
= For a description and illustration see Arch. Camb., 1855, pp. 182-4.
* For a somewhat different account see the Transactions of the Liverpool'
Welsh National Society, 1892-3, p. 93-
264 Lives of the British Saints
tumulus, " Bedh y Santes ar Ian Kadwet Ihe kladdwyd Santes {uxor em
intelligit) Trilho " — the grave of Trillo's consort, on the bank of the
■Cadwed brook. Under the neighbouring parish of Llandderfel he
gives a rough sketch of the figure of S. Trillo which was then in the
north window of that church, with the legend underneath it, " Scus
Trillo : abbat." The saint, who has a nimbus, is vested, and holds an
•open book in his left hand, and a pastoral staff, the top of which is gone,
in his right. ^ But he was abbot only over his Llans, as was the custom
in the Celtic Church.
There must have been a holy weU of his formerly in the parish of
Llansannan, Denbighshire, as there was a cottage called Ffjmnon
DriUo there, now in ruins, about a mile and a half from the parish
church.
Browne WiUis gives the dedication of Llandrygarn Church, in Angle-
sey, as to " S. Trygan alias S. Trillo " (Festival, June 15), and also to
him Llangeneu (Festival, February 16), in Breconshire ; ^ but the
ascription of these to Trillo is very improbable.
The dedication of the Church of Clocaenog, in Denbighshire, called
in the parish-list in Peniarth MS. 147 [circa 1566) " Plwyf Trylo-
kajmoc," is regarded as doubtful ; some say Trillo, others Caenog, and
Foddyd ; but there can be no doubt as to its being dedicated to a
S. Medwida or Meddwyd,* of whom, however, nothing is known.
Trillo's festival is June 15, which occurs in most of the earlier Welsh
calendars. The grant of a fair at Bangor on S. Trillo's day, eve and
morrow (still held on June 25), was procured by Bishop Matthew de
Englefield (1328-57).*
The name of Trillo, together with those of SS. Deiniol and Grwst,
and the king's son Rhun, appears among the signatories of the grant
by Maelgwn Gwynedd to S. Kentigern.^
1 Peniarth MS. 251, p. 118. It is reproduced in Lhuyd's Parochialia, iii,
p. 158, Suppl. to Arch. Camb., 1911.
^ Survey of Bangor, p. 280 ; Paroch. Anglic, p. 181 (so Ecton).
3 ii, p. 49 ; iii, p. 458.
^ Willis, Bangor, p. 75. He gives the festivals of the two Llandrillo churches
■on June 16 (ibid., pp. 362, 365). Bp. Maddox (1736-43), in MS. Z, enters for
the Edernion church, " Wake Sunday before Michaelmass." " In festo sci
Terillo" occurs in a document dated 1261 in the Red Book of S Asaph, p. 15, in
the Episcopal Library.
•'' Ibid., -p. 118. Tudur Aled, in an ode to Sion ab Dafydd, Abbot of Valle Crucis,
pays him a compliment in the line, " A Thrillo wrth yr AUawr " (Llanstephan
MS. 30, p. 57).
aS*. Tryddid 265
S. TRUNIO, Confessor
This saint's name occurs in the earlier MSS.^ as Trunio (in modern
spelling), but in the later ones as Trinio.^ He was the son of Difwng ^
ab Emyr Llydaw, and first cousin to S. Cadfan (with whom, no doubt,
he came from Brittany) and SS. Winwaloe, Padarn, and Samson.
Very little is known of Trunio. He is the patron of Llandrinio,*
in Montgomeryshire. His festival seems only to occur in the calendar
in the autograph of Gutyn Owain in Peniarth MS. i86 (late fifteenth
century), where it is given on June 29, but in a later hand. One of the
two fairs formerly annually held at Llandrinio — instituted in 1309 —
was on the eve, day, and morrow of the Festival of SS. Peter and Paul,
June 29 ; and in later times the wakes were observed on the first Sun-
day after that festival.^ Whether S. Trunio's Festival suggested the
later dedication of the church to SS. Peter and Paul, or the Festival of
those apostles suggested that of S. Trunio, it is difficult to say, but one
■or other may be suspected.
Trinio is named among the many saints who were invoked in a poem
for Henry VII. »
Walter Mapes, in his De Nugis, tells a curious legend, of the Undine
class, about a person whose name is doubtfully read Trinio Faglog,
who lived about the fifth century in the neighbourhood of Llyn Syfad-
•don, near Brecon, and whose mother was a fairy.''
S. TRYDDID
The only authority for a saint named Tryddid or Treiddyd is the
brief entry in the lolo MSS.,^ which states that he was a saint of Cor
1 Peniarth MSS. 16, 45, etc.
2 lolo MSS., pp. 103, III, 133 ; Myv. Arch., p. 430.
' Dyvwng (Peniarth MS. 16), Diwng (Pen. MS. 45), Diuangi (Pen. MS. 12),
Diuwc (Hafod MS. 16), Difung (Cardiff MS. 25, p. 115). Dinwng occurs in
the pedigree of Gruffydd ab Cynan.
* There is mentioned in the terrier a meadow, called Gweirglodd y Sant,
at the S.W. corner of the churchyard.
5 Willis, Bangor, p. 360, gives the dedication as to S. Peter, June 29. Bp.
Maddox (1736-43), in MS. Z, says, " Church d'd to H. Trinity (wake ist Sunday
after St. Peters)."
« lolo MSS., p. 314-
' Cited by Sir J. Rhys, Celtic Folklore, i, pp. 70-2. A " Kynuelyn trunyaw "
is mentioned in the Welsh text of Geoffrey's Historia (Bruts, p. 200), who appears
in the Latin (ix, c. 12) as " Kimbelim, Maptrunat."
* P. 221.
2 66 Lives of the British Saints
lUtyd, at Llantwit, and founded the church of Llantryddid or Llantri-
thyd, in the Vale of Glamorgan. Often in records (e.g. the Book'of
Llaii Ddv) the church name is spelt with an r for the dd — Lanririd, or
the like, involving, as it would appear, the personal name Rhirid.'-
The church is now given as dedicated to S. lUtyd ; but may it not
have been originally to that saint's wife, whose name is spelt Trynihid
and Trinihid in his Life ? ^ In any case, the existence of a S. Tryddid
is very doubtful.
S. TUDCLYD, Confessor
TuTCLYT or Tudclyd was one of the sons of Seithenin Frenin, of
Maes Gwyddno, whose low-lying territory was inundated by the sea,
and now forms the Cardigan Bay. He was brother to Gwynhoedl,
Merin (or Meirin), Tudno, and Senewyr,^ who all on losing their patri-
mony became saints of Bangor on Dee.*
The only church dedicated to him is that of Penmachno ^ (for Pen-
nant Machno), formerly occasionaUy caUed Llandudclyd,^ in Carnarvon-
shire.
His festival is May 30, and occurs in a good number of the Welsh
calendars, in some of which his name is given as Tuclyd.
1 Its old name was possibly Nant Rhirid ; see Evans, Report on Welsh MSS.,
i, p. 992; ii, p. 134.
2 Cambro-British Saints, pp. 159, 171.
3 Peniarth MSS. 16, 45 ; Hafod MS. 16 ; Myv. Arch., pp. 428, 431. On
p. 419 of the last named his name is spelt Bliglyd.
* lolo MSS., pp. 105, 141.
6 Its dedication, e.g. Rice Rees, Welsh Saints, p. 332 (from Ecton), to a S.
Tyddud we must refer to a blunder over the spelling of the saint's name. It
is said that there were formerly in the churchyard of Penmachno two churches,
the one known as S. Enclydwyn's, and the other as S. Tyddud's, Within the
parish, in the Lledr valley, was another church, called Llantyddud. The three
have now disappeared, S. Tyddud's being pulled down in 1857, when the present
church was erected on its site (North, Old Churches of Arllechwedd, Bangor,
igo6, pp. 119-26). These forms represent Tudclyd, the first being for Tudclyd
Wyn.
8 In an elegy by Seisyll Bryflwrch (11 60-1210) on lorwerth Drwyndwn it
is called Llan dutchyd {Myv. Arch , p. 236).
S. Tudhistil 267
S. TUDGLID, Matron
TuTGLiD or Tudglid was one of the daughters of Brychan Brych-
einiog, and, according to the Cognatio, the wife of Cyngen, prince of
Powys, and mother of Cadell, Brochwel Ysgythrog, Mawn, and others..
In the Domitian version of the Cognatio her name is spelt Tught, and
in Jesus College MS. 20, Gutuyl.
There can hardly be a doubt that Tudglid was the original patron of
the Church of Llanwrtyd (now S. David), which is situated in Brychan-
land. Edward Lhuyd in his notes (1699) on the parish says,i " Y^
feast of y« parish is kept on Dy-gwyl Dychd [i.e. the Feast-day of
Tyclid], viz. gth of May " ; and he mentions as in the parish a " Ffynnon
Dychd." Tudclyd and Tudghd are the only saints whose names-
approach Tychd in form ; but the former belonged to another part of
Wales. No saint of similar name is commemorated in the Welsh
calendars on May 9 ; and nothing is known of a S. Gwrtyd.
Various late documents give as wife of Cyngen and mother of Broch-
wel, Tydfil, 2 Tangwystl,3 and Tudwystl,* ah daughters of Brychan ;.
but they are all blunderings over the name Tudglid.
S. TUDHISTIL, Virgin, Martyr
This was a daughter of Brychan. In the Vespasian Cognatio she-
is entered thus, " Tudhistil inde dicitur Merthir TudhistU " ; and in the
Domitian version, " Tutbistyl ab ea dicitur Merthyr Tutbystil."
Merthir Tudhistil has not been identified, but it must be the now
extinct chapel surviving in the farm-name Capel Tydyst, in the parish
of LlandeUo Fawr, Carmarthenshire. It is mentioned in a plaint in
Aneurin Owen's edition of the Welsh Laws ^ as " Llan Dydystyl o
vjTwn y vaenor Vabon," i.e. " Llan Dydystl, within Maenor Fabon,"
in that parish. Her sisters Tybieu and Lluan are associated with two
neighbouring parishes. There are several instances of a Merthyr
being changed into Llan ; e.g. the two Monmouthshire churches,
Merthjnr Maches, now Llanfaches, and Merthyr Tegfedd, now Llandeg-
veth.
"■ Parochialia, iii, p. 50, Suppl. to Arch. Camb., 191 1.
2 lolo MSS., p. 121 ; Tydwall in Cambro-Briiish Saints, p. 271.
3 Myv. Arch., p. 430. ^ Peniarih MS. 75, p. 53.
5 Folio ed., p. 625.
2 68 Lives of the British Saints
Tudwystl, a daughter of Brychan, is given as wife of Cyngen, prince
oi Powys, and mother of Brochwel, in the sixteenth century Peniarth
MS. 75, p. 53 ; but she is the Tangwystl of the Myvyrian,^ and both
are mistakes for Tudghd. On p. 54 of the same Peniarth MS. we have
another daughter of Brychan, Tudwystl, " yn Ron yn ffraingk."
Tadwystl also occurs.^ The only name that matches these various
forms in Jesus College MS. 20 is Taghwystyl. See under S. Tanglwst.
S. TUDNO, Confessor
TuDNO was the son of Seithenin Frenin, King of Maes Gwyddno,
'Or the Plain of Gwyddno, which the sea overwhelmed in the sixth cen-
tury, and formed what is now Cardigan Bay. He had as brothers
■Gwynhoedl, Merin (or Meirin), Senewyr, and Tudclyd,^ all saints, and
who, according to the later accounts,* on losing their patrimony,
became saints, or monks, of Bangor Dunawd, on the Dee. Tudno is
usually mentioned in the pedigrees as of Cyngreawdr,^ which is the old
Welsh name of the Great Orme's Head promontory, called by the
Welsh inhabitants to-day Y Gogarth.
The only church of which Tudno is patron is the little fane on the
Great Orme, which was formerly the parish church of Llandudno. It
is situated on the northern slope of the high headland, in a secluded spot
called Pant yr Eglwys, about two miles from modern Llandudno. It
was wrecked in 1839 by a great storm, and lay in a ruinous condition
.until 1855, wlien it was restored. The saint's well, Ffynnon Dudno,
^ Myv. Arch., p. 430. ^ Cambro-British Saints, p. 270.
' Peniarth MSS. 16, 45 ; Hafod MS. 16; Cardiff MSS. 5 (p. 118), 25 (pp.
^9. 35) ; Myv. Arch., pp. 419, 428, 430. The name is compounded of Tut +
gno, meaning familiar with, or skilled in, the land, and is to be compared with
Cludno, Gwyddno, and Machno. It seems to occur in the name of the priory
of Lo-Tuznou at Lannilis, in Finistere.
'' lolo MSS., pp. 105 (Tudnof), 141. Tudno's name is sometimes misread
Tyneio (Myv. Arch., pp. 419, 431 ; lolo MSS., p. 142). The old parish church
of Pwllheli is usually supposed to have been dedicated to a S. Tyneio, but the
old parish name was Deneio or Denio.
* " Yg kyngredavdyr " (Peniarth MS. 16) ; " ynghyngreadur " (Hafod
MS. 16) ; " yg Kj'ngredawdyr," " yngygreawdyr " (Cardiff MS. 25, pp. 2,5,
35) .' " ynghyngreawdr " (Myv. Arch., p. 419) ; " gyngreawdyr fynyd," in
Gwalchmai's Gorheffet (ibid., p. 144) ; " Kyngrayadur, " " Kyngreadf " (Record
of Caernarvon, pp. no, 235). The name would now be written Cyngreawdr,
hnt its meaning is not known. Gogarth occurs as a name elsewhere.
S. Tudu7' 269
is about one hundred yards to the east of the church, and still issues
forth a copious spring of crystal water. On the Orme, within the
ancient iin of Pendinas, is what was once a perfect Maen Sigl, or
Rocking Stone, which is known as Cryd Tudno, his Cradle. One of the
severed caves on the coast of the headland is Ogof Llech, meELSuring
about 6 J feet across each way by about 10 feet high, which is supposed
to have been occupied by the saint as a cell.
June 5 is given as Tudno's festival in the calendars in the Additional
MS. 14,882 (1591), Peniarih MS. 219, and in the MS. additions to the
calendar in a copy of the Preces Privaice of 1573 in S. Beuno's College
Library. Browne Willis gives the same day.^
One of the " Thirteen Royal Treasures of Britain," taken away by
Merlin in his Glass House to sea, was the Hogalen, or Whetstone, of
Tudno Tudclyd, which had the property of sharpening the sword of a
hero, but blunting that of a coward. ^ Sometimes it is ascribed to
Tudwal Tudclyd, the father of Rhydderch Hael, which is much more
probably the correct version.
* * *
Though strange to us thy Ufe and death
Yet Enghsh faith shall say
Thou wast among God's witnesses
In that wild, ancient day.
And still, where thine own mountain church
Looks calmly o'er the waves.
And — sight of joy ! — the blessed Cross,
Gleams fair on recent graves,
We'll honour one that walked with God,
And sought no earthly fame.
And blend with thanksgiving to Christ
His faithful Tudno's name.^
S. TUDUR, Confessor
TuDUR was the son of Hawystl Gloff by Tywanwedd, daughter of
Amlawdd Wledig, and brother to SS. Tyfrydog, Diefer, Teymog, and
Marchell.* He is mentioned in the genealogies as a saint at " Darowen
in CyfeiUog," in Montgomeryshire, and, in a late document, is stated
1 Lewis Morris's brother, WilUam, was present at the Tudno Cwyl Mabsant
in 1761, and witnessed a party acting an interlude (Morris Letters, ed. J. H.
Davies, ii, pp. .3.54-5)- • • o c
2 Brython, i860, p. 372 ; Roberts, Cambrian Popular Antiquities, 1815, p. 76.
= The late Canon Bright, of Christ Church.
4 Peniarth MSS. 16, 45 ; Hafod MS. 16 ; Myv. Arch., p. 431 ; lolo MSS.,
pp. 124, 145.
270 Lives of the British Saints
to have been, like the rest of Hawystl's children, a saint of Bangor on
Dee, and afterwards of Bardsey.^
Tudur is the patron of Darowen, where he is believed to have been
buried, and where his festival was observed, according to Browne
Willis,^ on October 14, which is also his day in the calendars in the
Prymers of 1618 and 1633, and in some Welsh almanacks of the
eighteenth century, but the lolo MSS. give October 15. The same
Welsh Prymers give the festival of a Tudur on March 13.
At Darowen during the wake, which began on the Sunday after the
saint's day, there was observed a custom known as Curo Tudur, The
Beating of Tudur. On the Monday the youths of the parish congre-
gated in the village to select one of their number, generally the most
unpopular or defenceless, to represent Tudur. The unfortunate fellow
was then seized upon and carried about on the shoulders of some who
were lold off for the purpose, and soundly beaten on the back with
sticks by the rest — probably to represent similar treatment, of which
there is no record, dealt out to the saint. The castigation was
administered in the village, and occasioned considerable amusement.
Another account of the custom states that it was " done in this
manner — one of the lads carried a long pole, or branch of a tree, upon
his shoulders, and the other lads beat it with their clubs." ^ In more
remote times it appears that the efhgy of the saint was carried about
and beaten.* The custom was discontinued early in last century.
The saint's holy well, Ffynnon Dudur, situated on the Darowen
glebe, is mentioned in the terrier of 1663. There is a Ff5mnon Dudur
also in the parish of Llanelidan, Denbighshire, about a mile from the
church ; and another, as well as a farm of the name, in the parish of
Llangeler, Cardiganshire. Edward Lhuyd (1699) says that there was
a place called Eglwys Dydyr in the parish of Llanuwchllyn, Merioneth-
shire.
The church of Mynydd Islw5m, in Monmouthshire, is sometimes
assumed to be dedicated to him, but this is a mistake, as the parish was
formerly sometimes called " Plwyf Tudur ab Hywel " (e.g., Peniarth
MS. 147, circa 1566), whoever this Tudur was. Browne Willis gives
the parish feast on October 7.^
1 lolo MSS., p. 142. In ibid., p. 105, a brother, Tydyaw, is given (Tudur
not mentioned) as a saint in " Derwen Cyfeiliog," a mistake for " Darowen,"
also Tydyaw for Tudur. On p. 142 both saint-names are given ; and on the
same page he is made the father of S. Ceitho ; but see ii, pp. 101-2.
^ Bangor, 1721, p. 361.
' Carlisle, Topog. Did. of Wales, London, 1811, s.v. Dar Owain.
,, * Montgomeryshire Collections, iii, p. 182.
5 Llandaff, 1719. append, p. 8 ; Paroch, Angl., 1733, p. 205.
*S*. Tuawal 271
One document in the lolo MSS.^ enters as saint a Tudur, son of
King Seithenin, and brother of Tudclyd and Tudno supra ; but his
■existence is very doubtful.
In Brittany the name is Tuder. There is a parish called Tre-
■duder in the ajicient Diocese of Treguier.
S. TUDWAL, Bishop, Confessor
TuDWAL, who is described by the Welsh as Saint and Bishop, is
•known in Brittany as Tugdual and Tual.^ He is usually stated, by
modem writers, to have been the son of Morfawr ab Cadfan ab Cynan
(Meiriadog), of the line of Bran Fendigaid, and the father of Cynfor
;(the father of Cystennin Gomeu), and of a S. Ifor.^ None of the early
Welsh Saintly Pedigrees, however, include Tudwal as a saint, and the
lolo MSS. are the only authorities for his pedigree.
Tudwal was by no means an uncommon name ; and there is nothing
to show that the Tudwal, whose pedigree has here been borrowed, was
■«ver accounted a saint ; rather the contrary. The correct pedigree is
.given in Mostyn MS. 117, of the thirteenth century, whereas the lolo
MSS. documents which attribute it, but in a garbled form, to the saint
are derived from MSS. of as late as the seventeenth century.
Not only is the saint confounded with Tudwal ab Morfawr but also
■with "Tudwal Befr, the husband of Hunydd (corruptly Nefydd), the
-daughter of Brychan Brycheiniog.* But the epithet Pefr, the Fair,
is nowhere given to the saint. In fact, all that can be said of his origin
is that he was a native of Britain.
Three Lives of S. Tugdual or Tudwal exist, of unequal value. The
first is very brief, and was written by his disciple Louenan, in the sixth
or early seventh century. The second was written between 888 and
^907 ; and the third in the eleventh century. AU three were published
byM. de laBorderie in Memoires de la Soc. Archeol. des C6tes-du-Nord,
■2nd series, ii, pp. 77-122 ; reprinted in pamphlet form in 1887 under
4he title, Les trots Vies anciennes de S. Tudual. The first Life had
1 P. 141.
" The Old Welsh form of the name is Tutagual, then Tutgual, Tutuual, Tud-
-wal and, in Breton, Tual. It is the same name as the common Irish name
'.Tuathal, now reduced to Toole. It is from an early Touto-uallos.
3 Derived from lolo MSS., pp. 116, 135-7.
* Rice Rees, Welsh Saints, pp. 134, 148.
272 Lives of the British Saints
already been published by M. Anat. de Barthelemy in the Memoires
de la Soc. des Antiquaires de France, 1884.
The periods given above are the attributions of M. de la Borderie,
but a far more competent authority, Mgr. L. Duchesne, places the
Vita ima as a composition of the ninth century, the Vita 2da as one of
the eleventh century, and the Vita ^ia as one of the twelfth century.
For variants in the readings, see Analeda Bolland., viii (1889), pp.
158-61. For an account of the MSS. we must refer the reader to
the publication of De la Borderie.
The second king in Armorican Domnonia was Deroch, son of Rigual
or Riwal, and during his reign the country received large accessions of
British immigrants, and amongst these was Tudwal, belonging to the
royal family, along with his mother Pompsea or Copaia, sister of"
Rigual, his sister Scasva, and a widow named Maelher,i together with
some seventy-two monks and servants. The function allotted tO'
Maelher was to wash the linen and the habits of the monks.
The immigrants landed at the south-west point of Leon, in the bay of
Les Blancs-Sablons, and settled a little further to the east, where Tudwal
established his Ian beside one of the little rivers that discharge intO'
the port of Conquet. This bore the title of Lan Pabu, as Tudwal being
abbot went familiarly by the title of Father, one at the time very gener-
ally given to Bishops and Abbots, but which subsequently adhered
especially to him and gave rise to an extraordinary misconception..
The lan he founded goes now by the name of Trebabu (Tref-Pabu),
situated in the extensive Plou Macoer, now Ploumoguer.
At the period at which Tudwal landed all Leon was under the rule of
Deroch, second King of Domnonia. Deroch confirmed the possession
of Lan Pabu to his cousin, but Tudwal did not remain there long. As-
soon as his establishment there was well organized, he started on a tour
through the whole of Domnonia, which had been extensively colonized
from Britain, to see to the spiritual needs of the settlers, and to plant
other centres whence his monks might disperse to minister to their
necessities as required.
Leon was already under the supervision of S. Paul, who had no work
to offer Tudwal, but he accepted a few manors for the endowment of
his monastery. One of these, Trepompae, now Trepompe, in the parish
of Ste Seve, near Morlaix, bears the name of his mother, and the parish,
of his sister. Then he went on to what is now Treguier, where he
founded a large monastery called Val Trechor. He afterwards visited
many other parts of Domnonia and received large gifts of land.
But it was necessary for him to obtain ratification of these donations-
1 These two are only named in the Vita lia.
S. Tudwal '2'] Z-
from the Frank King Childebert I, and he went for the purpose to Paris^
attended by twelve disciples, and a noble of the name of Albinus. The-
king agreed to confirm the grants, but under the condition that he-
should be consecrated bishop. Having accepted this condition TudwaL
returned to Treguier, where he remained till his death.
Such is the simple record in the Vita ima. The Second is much,
fuller, but stuffed with fabulous matter. According to this, the
dominus Albinus becomes Sandus Albinus, who acts as interpreter.
Whilst at Treguier he is persecuted by Ruhut, the officer of Conmore,.
the regent ; and the annoyance becoming intolerable, he went to Rome,
where he was elected Pope under the name of Leo Britigena, and for
two years exercised the sovereign pontificate. It wiU be noticed that
this is in contradiction to the First Life, which states that he remained
at Treguier till his death. At the end of two years, an angel appeared
and bade him return to Brittany, and to facilitate his journey provided.
him -with a miraculous snow-white horse. On his return he was cordi-
ally welcomed, and died at Treguier, where he was buried embalmed
in aromatic herbs and oils that he had brought with him from Jerusalem,,
whither he had gone on pilgrimage during his sovereign pontificate.
The fable of his having been elected Pope is due to a misconception;
of his designation Pabu Tugdual or Tual.
The -writer of this Second Life falls into error in making Tudwal a.
native of Ireland (Scothia). This mistake is rectified in the Third Life ;
in the prologue to which it is pointed out that the saint was a native
of Britain and not of Ireland.
According to De la Borderie, S. Tudwal died on November 30, 553.
to 559-
We greatly regret to state that the Life of this saint prepared for the
Lives of the British Saints, some six or seven years ago, and which
was much fuller, has, by some fatality, been lost in the post, and this-
has had to be written in haste to supply the defect.
S. Tugdual is entered for commemoration on June 3, in the Breviary
of S. Brieuc, 1548, the MS. Breviary of Treguier, fifteenth century, also-
November 30 and December 2 ; the Breviary of Treguier, 1770,
November 30 ; December i in the Breviary of Leon, 1736, and that of
S. Brieuc, 1783. But November 30 in the Breviar. Corisop. (trans-
ferred to December i), 1701, Missale Maclov., 1609, and the MS,
Calendar of S. Meen. He is not entered in the Welsh calendars.
S. Tudwal's Islands, East and West, are two small islands off the south
coast of Carnarvonshire, situated about a mile east of the Lle5m
peninsula. They are regarded as belonging to the parish of Llanengan..
North of them is a fine bay, the S. Tudwal's Roads, which, from being
VOL. IV. T
2 74 Lives of the British Saints
sheltered by the islands, affords good anchorage. On the eastern
island, the larger of the two, was formerly a small chapel dedicated to
S. Tudwal, which is mentioned in the Taxatio of 1291 ^ as " Eccl'ia
Prioris de Enys Tudwal." Leland says,^ " Inis Tidwale a vi. Acres yn
Cumpace. In it is a little Chirch desolate." The chapel was after-
wards converted into a barn, when the island was under tillage. In
1886 the island was purchased for Father Hughes, who established a
mission thereon, and after living a hard life there, and preaching on
the coast, died the following year, and the mission was abandoned. It
is now occupied by sheep, rabbits, and puffins.
On the western side of Lleyn is a parish called Tudweihog, i.e.
Tudwal's Land, but the church is dedicated to S. Cwyfen. Ffynnon
Dudwal formerly existed on Penrhyn, in the parish of Llanengan. It
was a beautiful spring of crystal water, which was drained dry some
years ago by the local lead mine.
Llanystudwal, now Llanstadwell, is the name of a parish in Pembroke-
shire, the dedication of the church of which is to-day given as to S.
Tudwal, on Rice Rees's conjecture.^ Nothing is known of a S. Ystud-
wal, or the like spelling, but Mr. Egerton Phillimore suggests to us
that the name may represent Stradweul (or Ystradfael), a rare woman's
name, borne, for instance, by the wife of Coel Godebog. This name
might again stand for S. Tradwell or TredwaU, the virgin-saint of
Restalrig, near Edinburgh,* who is commemorated in the Aberdeen
Breviary on October 8. The parish feast-day at Llanstadwell does not
appear to be known.
S. Tugdual is patron of the city of Treguier, of Combrit, Grand-
Champ, Labedan, Landuval, Langoat, Pabu, Plouray, S. Pabu, S.
Thual, S. Tugdual, and Trebabu.
He is represented as a bishop holding a dragon bound by his stole
on the sixteenth century stalls at Treguier ; and in episcopal ornaments
and wearing the papal tiara, trampling on a dragon, in a statue of the
seventeenth century at Langoat.
He is invoked as Tutwale, among the Confessors, in a tenth century
Litany of Brittany. ^ He is invoked there to-day in public calamities,
rand for the cure of chest diseases.
1 P. 291. ^ Itin., V, f. 50.
^ Welsh Saints, pp. 134, 348. Browne Willis, Paroch. Anglic, p. 179, ascribes
it to a S. Sywall. Dyffryn Tudwal was the name of a small manor situated, in
part, in the parish of Llanddewi Rhydderch, Monmouthshire.
"■ J. R. Tudor, The Orkneys and Shetland, London, 1883, pp. 379-80.
5 Haddan and Stubbs, Councils, ii, pt. i, p. 82.
S. Tudwg 275
S. TUDWEN, Virgin
TuDWEN is said to have been a daughter of Brychan Brycheiniog,i
but her name does not occur in the usual hsts of his children.
The little church of Llandudwen, under Ceidio, in Carnarvonshire,
is dedicated to her. Her festival is not entered in any of the Welsh
calendars, but it is elsewhere given as October 21^ or 27.^
Ffynnon Dudwen, which has now disappeared, was in the corner of
a field near Llandudwen Church, and was held in great repute for bad
eyes, rheumatism, etc. The devotees used to throw money and pins
iuto it.
Loc-tuen, in Kervignac, Morbihan, was, in 1282, called Loc-tud-
guenne.
S. TUDWG, Confessor
According to the lolo MSS.* Tudwg was the son of S. Tyfodwg,
and a member of the congregation of S. Cenydd, in Gower. Llandudwg,
now Tythegston, subject to Newcastle, in Glamorganshire, is dedicated
to him. Browne Willis ^ gives his festival there as May 9, but it does
not occur in any of the Welsh Calendars.
In the notification of a twelfth century grant among the Margam
Rolls is mentioned, as part of the boundary, " the dyke from S. Tu-
doc's " {? a well), which may be the little brook running from Corneli,
in the parish of Pyle, now called the Slwt.^
Tudwg is possibly the same as the Tudec or Tudi who is venerated
in certain places in the diocese of Vannes, whither Cenydd had moved
and formed some foundations, but he is not to be confounded with
^ Cardiff MS. 5 (1527), p. 120; Cambro-BHtish Saints, p. 271. Rees, Welsh
Saints, p. 309, classes her among the saints of " uncertain date." Others take
her for a male saint.
^ Willis, Bangor, 1721, p. 274.
^ Carlisle, Topog. Diet, of Wales, 1811 ; Cambrian Register, 1818, iii, p. 224.
" Pp. 107, 127. The name reminds us of the Tudoch of Llandudoch (S.
Dogmael's), near Cardigan. It is to be distinguished from that of S. Tydiwg,
of Uixton. Tythegston = Tudwg's Town.
^ Llanda-ff, 1719, append., p. 4.
^ Birch, Hist, of Margam Abbey, pp. 39, 399. Tythegston is mentioned there,
among other forms, as Tudekistowe (1291) and Tedegestowe. In a Tewkesbury
charter of about 11 So it appears as " Capella Sancti Theducti." There is at
Pontypridd a place called Ynvs Cae Didwg.
2 7^ Lives of the British Saints
another Tudec or Tudy who has received a cult in the diocese, but
specially in the He de Groix, also called Inis Tudy. Here is the parish
church of Loc-Tudy, and the Pardon is on the third Sunday in July.
At Le Palais, in Belle He, there is also a chapel of S. Tudy. He was,
however, supposed to have died in the He de Groix, and there his relics
were preserved.
In the Quimper Breviaries of 1642, 1701, and 1835, Tudinus is entered
on May 11, but this is certainly not this Tudy but the disciple of S.
Winwaloe and of S. Maudetus. Probably it is Tudwg who is venerated
at Plessala, in Cotes du Nord, for it adjoins the region where his master
Cenydd worked, and made a foundation at Plaintel, and Gildas, the
father of Cenydd, was at La Harmoye, Magoar, and S. Gildas by Uzel.
This part of Domnonia, then covered with forest, seems to have been
a great place for founding small settlements by Gildas and his family
and disciples.
Tudwg was the name of the rich man who killed Tyfai, the infant
nephew of S. Teilo, and afterwards gave the uncle in atonement the
villa of Cil Tutuc, somewhere near Tenby. ^
S. TUDY, Abbot, Confessor
Tudec or Tudi is mentioned in the Lives of S. Maudetus or Mawes,
as his disciple along with Bothmael.
Maudetus arrived in Armorica in the reign of Childebert (511-58),
and he was at once joined by these young men, " initio habitationis
illius sancti in pr^dicta insula," that is to say, on the Isle of Modez as
it is now called, in the Brehat archipelago.
At some time or other Tudec went to Landevennec and became a
disciple of S. Winwaloe. In the Life of that saint by Wrdistan he is
called Tethgo.
Tudi is mentioned in the Life of S. Corentine, which was composed
in the thirteenth century. This tells us : " Cornouaille, not having
a bishop, required one ; and three men of worth and sanctity were
chosen, Corentine, Winwaloe and Tudi ; and Grallo (the King) sent
all three to be consecrated by S. Martin of Tours."
The story is apocryphal. S. Martin had been dead a century ; but
it was forged by the church of Quimper, which desired to escape from
the jurisdiction of Dol, that claimed metropolitan rights over it. Never-
1 Book of Llan Ddv, p. 127.
S. Tudy 277
theless, there remains an element of truth in it. There was a saint of
the name of Tudi, of some consideration in Cornouaille.
The story goes on to say that Corentine was consecrated bishop, and
surrendered his abbatial of&ce to Winwaloe and Tudy. This also is
contrary to fact, and shows how the author wrote with a mind biassed
by the ideas of his time.
Winwaloe had himself founded Landevennec, and Corentine had
nothing to do with it. Moreover, Corentine was bishop in 453, and
Win">\ aloe was not born till about 480.
Tudy retired to an island off the coast, near Pont I'Abbe, and there
founded a monastery. After his death it was removed to the mainland
at Loc-Tudi, where there is an early and interesting church.
That he is the same as the Tudec or Tudi culted in the He de Groix
is more than doubtful. This latter was probably Tudwg, disciple of
S. Cenydd.
In the Life of S. Winwaloe by Wrdistan, composed in the ninth cen-
tury, is found intercalated a piece of poetry in Latin hexameters, of
•which a portion at least was not the composition of Wrdistan at all,
but of an amplifier, a century later at least. In this is a praise of the
three great men who founded the little state of Cornouaille, King
Grallo, Bishop Corentine, and the Abbot Winwaloe. Then it proceeds
to say —
" Jamque tamen ternos precesserat ordine Sanctus
Eximios istos Tutgualus nomine, clarus
Cum meritis monachus, multorum exemplar habendus ;
Cujus cumque sinu caperet cum vestibus ignem,
Xon tetigit flamma sed leni rore madescit :
Sed cum ccclitibus vitam turn forte gerebat.""^
M. de la Borderie has shown plainly enough that this cannot apply
to S. Tudwal, who did no work at all in Cornouaille. ^ It refers to S.
Tudi, of whom traditions lingered that he had beefi a great worker.
And the author of the lines has transferred to him, from his fellow
disciple, the story of his carrying fire in his lap. But he is wrong in
saying that he preceded Winwaloe, Grallo, and Corentine. He was
certainly junior to Winwaloe.
He is probably the Tethgo, who is mentioned in the Life of S. Win-
waloe as his disciple.
He lived in a cell, probably a beehive hut, near that of the abbot.
'One night, a monstrous figure appeared to Winwaloe, and strove to
frighten him. Winwaloe adjured the apparition. Tethgo heard the
1 Vita in Cartul. de Landevennec, Rennes, 1888, p. 71.
2 MJmoires de la Ssu ArchSol. des Cdtes du Nord, 2nde serie, T. ii. {1889),
IPP- 345-6
278 Lives of the British Saints
voices raised in altercation, and went to see what was the matter, and
saw the monstrous form. It was perhaps some native who had dressed
himself up in a hideous disguise, with the purpose of scaring the saint
away>
Tudy must have died at the end of the sixth or the beginning of the
seventh century.
The feast of S. Tudec or Tudy is observed in Brittany on May 9 or
II. It is given at this latter date in the Breviaries of Quimper, 1642,
1701, and 1835. Gautier du Mottay gives May 11 in his Calendar,
but May 9 in the body of his work. Fairs were granted to be held at
S. Tudy, in Cornwall, in 1705, on May 9, and also on September 3.
The patronal feast is now held at S. Tudy on May 20, i.e. New Style S.
Tudy's Day (May 9).
In Domesday the parish of S. Tudy is called Eglos-Tudic. In Bishop
Bytton's Register, 1291-1307, it is Ecclesia Sti Tudii ; so also in the
Taxatio of 1291. In the Registers of Stapeldon, 1308, Grandisson,
1348, and 1350, Brantjmgham, 1371, and 1381, as Eecl. Sti Tudii ; in
that of 1371 as Eccl. Sti Todii ; again as Tudii in 1383 ; and Stafford,
1420, as Tudii.
In Corn'uaille, in Brittany, S. Tudy has churches at Loc-Tudy,
and He Tudy, near Pont I'Abbe, where the patronal feast is observed
on May 11. Also at Landudec (Lan-Tudec), near Plougastel S. Germain,
where the Pardon is held on the last Sunday in July.
At the chapel of S. Tudec, near Gourin, on the outskirts of the Forest
of Toul-Laeron in Spezet, between Chateaulin and Carhaix, the Pardon
is on the second Sunday in September. The correspondence with the
Fair at S. Tudy in Cornwall on September 3 may be noted. The pil-
grims lay their caps filled with rye at the feet of the statue of the saint,
who is invoked against deafness and headache. ^
At Tredudec (Tref-Tudec), near Plestin, Cotes du Nord, S. Tudy
has been supplanted by S. Theodore, warrior-martyr of Heraclea,
who, being in the Roman martyrology, has been introduced to efface
the cult of the Celtic saint who acted as apostle to the district, and
the Greek warrior's statue has been erected over the High Altar. ^ S.
Tudy has a cult at Plouedern, near Landerneau. He was the patron
of PouUaouen, near Carhaix, but has been replaced by S. Peter. He
has a chapel at Spezet, where his Pardon is held on the third Sunday
of July.
1 Vita Sti Winwaloei, ed. Plaine, Anal. Boil-,, -wii (1888), p. 224 ; Cart., de
Landevennec , ed. De la Borderie, pp. 69-72.
2 Le Braz, Annates de Bretagne, ix (1893), p.. 46-.,
3 Ibid., xiii, p. 109,
S. Twrog 2 79'
The saint is represented in a statue of the fourteenth century at'
Loc-Tudy in chasuble, bareheaded, a staff in his right hand, and an
open book in his left. At PouUaouen in sacerdotal vestments, mitred,,
and with abbatial staff.
The presence of a church bearing his name in Cornwall is due in all
probability to the spread of Winwaloe settlements in that part of-
Britain, from Armorican Landevennec.
S. TWROG, Confessor
Twrog was one of the sons of Ithel Hael of Llydaw,i and probably
came to Wales with S. Cadfan. He was brother to SS. Tegai, Trillo,
and Llechid. He was a disciple of S. Beuno, and, ut fertur, that saint's
amanuensis. 2 In that capacity he is said to have written the noted.
Welsh MS., now lost. The Book of S. Beuno, known also as Tiboeth.
Dr. John Davies, in his Welsh-Latin Dictionary, 1632, s.v. Tiboeth,
gives the following interesting note, in Welsh : — " Tiboeth was the
name given to the Book of S. Beuno, with a dark stone on it, that was-
in the Church of Clynnog, in Arfon. This book Twrog wrote in the
time of King Cadfan, and it was saved when the church was burnt
{q.d. Diboeth, aKavaTO?). This I saw, says T. W. [Thomas Williams],
in the year 1594." ^
There is an earlier reference to the MS. In the charter confirming;
1 Myv. Arch., pp. 418, 431 ; lolo MSS., p. 133.
' Willis, Bangor, 1721, p. 273, where, and at p. 280, his name is Latinized-
Tauricius. S. Aelliaiarn was Beuno's acolyte.
2 The Latin- Welsh part of the original Dictionary, in the autograph (1604-7)
of Sir Thomas Williams, of which Dr. Davies's is merely an abridgment, forms
Peniarth MS. 228. The Welsh-Latin part is at Brogyntyn. Tiboeth stands
for Di-boeth, i.e. un-burnt, where poeth bears the older meaning it has in " poeth
oiirwm," and place-names like Coed Poeth, Pentre Poeth, etc. It is referred
to in a couplet by the fourteenth century poet lolo Goch {Gwaith, ed. Ashton,-
p. 457) — attributed also to his contemporary, Sypyn Cyfeiiiog : —
" Llygad ual glein cawat coeth
Tabic y vaen y tyboeth."
(" An eye like the pure shower crystal, comparable to the stone of the Tiboeth").
This clearly implies that its covers were jewelled. Clynnog Church, it is
stated, was burnt down thrice, and each time the MS. escaped fire, being-
encased in iron (Y Gwladgarwr, 1838, vi, p. 43). Twrog is represented in
modern glass in Maentwrog Church holding the MS. in one hand, and resting;
the other on Twrog's Stone.
2 8o Lives of the British Saints
■Gwyddaint's grant of Clynnog to S. Beuno it is stated that he gave it
" in the hope of an eternal possession in Heaven, and to have his name
inscribed in the Boolv of S. Beuno " [Liber Scti BongnoM) } No doubt
it was the ' ' booke ' ' referred to in the evidence in a case at Carnarvon
in 1537 as " Graphus S'ci Bewnoi." ^ From the evidence it appears
that it was of the nature of a register of the Collegiate property, but
it was probably not then at Clynnog.
In all probability it was one of those MSS. of the Gospels or Liturgy
in which deeds , of gift are commonly found enrolled. The Buchedd
Beuno and the Charter seem to have copied the donation of Clynnog
verbatim from the MS., only that in the Charter the entry is a little
extended.
In time the lost Llyfr Beuno or Tiboeth, of Clynnog, got confounded
with the Llyfr Twrog, of Llandwrog, for which confusion lolo Mor-
ganwg is mainly, if not entirely, responsible. He says, in one of the
many MSS. in his handwriting at Llanover ^ — " Legends of wonderful
Miracles performed by those saints (Welsh) were manufactured by
the Monks and Popish Clergy. A copy, thus amplified or interpolated,
was written about the year 1300, or rather later, and bears the name
of Twrog or Llyfr Twrog. It is also called Tiboeth. I met with a
copy of this MS., which I have in my possession as a loan." In a
letter, written in 1809, he says that he was translating for publication
" the Book of Twrog, of which he had found a copy in an odd corner
■of Wales in 1803." * It was never published, but his transcript of it
is at Llanover. Its full title is as toUows : ^ " Llyma Lyfr a elwir
Llyfr Twrog, nid amgen na Chyfarwyddyd ar Welygorddau Bren-
hinoedd Ynys Prydain a Thywysogion ac Arglwyddi Cymru a Phym-
theg Llwyth Gwynedd, ac enwau Saint Ynys Prydain au Eglwysau,
a'u tynnu allan o'r Hen Lyfrau Cronigl a Uyfrau Achau, gan leuan
Twrog ap Aron, ap Arthal, ap Elidr, ap Gruffudd, ap Hywel, ap Cadw-
gan, ap Heilyn, ap Cadrod, ap Owain, ap Einion, ap Gwalchmai, ap
MeUir, o Landwrog yn Arfon." The title clearly indicates the nature
of the contents of the Llyfr Twrog ; it is simply a compilation, from
various sources, of Welsh pedigrees — royal, princely, and tribal —
1 Record of Caernarvon, 1838, pp. 257-8, printed from two faulty copies ii
the Harley Charters 696 and 4776. The printed BongnoM is for Beugnobi.
2 Y Cymmrodor, xix, pp. 77, 83. ^ Llanover lolo MS. 59, p. 93.
* Cambrian Register, 1818, iii, p. 373; see also Waring, Recollections of lolo,
1850, p. 182 ; Cambrian Journal, 1854, p. 188. Bp. Humphreys, of Bangor,
failed to hear anything of the whereabouts of Llyfr Twrog in 1685 (Panton MS.
28).
6 Llanover lolo MS. 66, p. 89. In a note added it is calculated that leuan
Twrog lived circa 1400. lolo gives " Twrog " as his authority once in the
lolo MSS., p. 81.
S. TWROG.
From window by Kempe at Maentwrog Church.
[Photo by Wm. Marricti Dodscn.)
S. Twrog 281
and a catalogue of the British Saints, with their Churches, by a certain
mediceval writer named leuan Twrog, of Llandwrog. It was the
provenance of the tract that led lolo astray. 1
Twrog is the patron of Maentwrog (originally, but afterwards the
B.V.M., August 15), in Merionethshire, and of Llandwrog, in the
neighbourhood of Clynnog (S. Beuno), in Carnarvonshire. He is
probably the patron also of Bodwrog, under Llandrygarn, in Anglesey.
BrjTi Twrog is the name of a house in the parish. Maentwrog, S.
Twrog's Stone, is so named, according to the local legend, from the
huge block which the saint threw from the top of Moelwyn to this
spot, where it has ever since remained.^ It is in the churchyard,
attached to one of the angles of the church, and is quite different
from the ordinary stone of the district. Tradition adds that this great
upright stone marks the saint's grave. But there was formerly a
Bedd Twrog, his Grave, a carnedd on the mountain forming the higher
portion of the parish of Llandwrog, but the stones have long since
been carted away. It appears to have been also known as Mynwent
Twrog, his Graveyard.*
June 26 is given as the festival of S. Twrog in the calendars in
Peniarth MS. 219, and the Prymers of 1618 and 1633. Tyrnog
also occurs in several calendars on the same day, possibly by mistake
for Twrog. Browne Willis gives the wake-day at Maentwrog on the
Festival of the Assumption, and those at Llandwrog and Bodwrog on
June 26.*
Another Twrog is entered as a saint in the lolo MSS., a son of
Hawystl Gloff and Tywanwedd. He was thus brother to Tyfrydog,
Teymog, Tudur, and Marchell, and like them a saint first of Bangor
■on Dee, and afterwards of Bardsey.^ The fact that he occurs only
^ In Cambrian Journal, 1858, p. 364, it is stated that Llyfr Twrog contained
notices of the Saints of Gwynedd, compiled by Gruffydd ab Rhirid, of Llandwrog, ,
for Tudur ab Gronw, of Penmynydd, in Anglesey, and that it was " the same
.as Bonedd y Saint " in Hafod MS. 16.
2 Pugh, Cambria Depicta, London, 1816, p. 170, According to another
version Twrog was a giant, who dwelt in the mountain. The villagers had
incurred his wrath, and he flung the huge stone down with the intention of
killing some of them, which, though it hit the church, did no damage. The
imprint of his five fingers are still visible on it ! In the Mabinogi of Math, son
•of Mathonwy, the death (in single combat) and burial of Pryderi, prince of
Dyfed are located at " Maen Tyuyawc, above the Felenryd " (Mabinogion,
■ed Rhys and Evans, p. 64), which is manifestly a mistake for Maen Tyryawc,
now Maen Twrog.
3 Arch. Camb., 1863, p. 335 ; Ambrose, Nant Nantlle, 1872, pp. 54-5.
4 Bangor, pp. 273, 277, 280, Angharad Llwyd, Hist, of Anglesey, 1833, p. igi,
gives January i for Bodwrog. N. Owen, in his History, 177,5, p. 58, however
T if. ^ Pp- 124, 142.
June 26 f T. ~t
282 Lives of the British Saints
in these two late documents makes his existence very doubtful. He
is no doubt a reduplication of Teyrnog (or Tyrnog).
S. TYBIE, Virgin, Martyr
Tybieu or Tybie was one of the unmarried daughters of Brychan
Brycheiniog, ^ who is said to have been " slain by the Pagans " at
Llandebie, in Carmarthenshire. ^ The local tradition varies as to
the precise spot on which she suffered martyrdom. According to
one version she was kiUed, by Saxons or " wandering Irish," where
now stands the Church ; but according to another, where her Holy
Well, Ffynnon 'Bie, is, which that instant sprang up a crystal spring.
The well is situated under half a mile from the church, and near it is a
farmhouse called Gelli Frynon (Forwynion), the Virgins' Grove, where
she and her sister Lluan and others are said to have resided. To
Lluan, who was the wife of Gafran (died 558), father of the celebrated
Aidan mac Gabran, was dedicated the neighbouring chapel Capel
Llanlluan, in the modem parish of Gorslas, the church of which is
dedicated to her.^
Tybie had a cell in a field, called Cell Tybie, on the farm of Cae'r
Groes, in Llandebie, where, it is said, she used to retire at times for
prayer and meditation. She could see the church from the spot.
Her festival does not occur in the Welsh Calendars. Browne
WiUis * gives it on January 30, but Dr. John Jones ^ says December
26, on which day a fair is held in the village. The latter was a native
of the parish, living at a time when the Gwyl Mabsant was still ob-
served, and his date therefore is more likely to be correct. The last
remnant of the wakes was the mock-mayor election at Christmastide.
In an Ode to King Henry VII, in which the protection of about
a hundred Welsh and other saints is invoked for him, Tybie's nanae
occurs in the same line as S. Non.^
There is a railway station called Landebia between S. Brieuc and
Dinan, in C6tes-du-Nord, but it can hardly bear Tybie's name.
' Cognatio de Brychan — Vesp. (Tibyei), Domit. (Tebie) ; Jesus College MS. 2.0
(Tebieu) ; Myv. Arch., pp. 419, 430 ; lolo MSS., pp. iii, 120, 140. The name
is trisyllabic. In the last work, at p. 146, Tj'bieu occurs in a list of " Saints in
Morganwg and Gwent " — an error for Tydieu.
= lolo MSS., p. 108.
^ For the association of her brother Hychan with Llandebie see iii, p. 286,
* Paroch Anglic, 1733, p. 189.
5 History of Wales, London, 1824, p. 323,
6 lolo MSS., p. 314.
S. Tydecho 283
S. TYDECHO, Abbot, Confessor
Tydecho was the son of Amwn (Annun) Ddu ab Emyr Llydaw,
by Anna, daughter of Meurig ab Tewdrig.^ He was thus a brother
to S. Samson, and first cousin to S. Cadfan, with whom he is said
to have gone to Bardsey. He was one of five brothers whom Amwn
dedicated to God and to Samson. ^
He is mentioned in the Life of S. Padarn, under the form Titechon,
as one of the three leaders (the other two being Hetinlau, and Catman
or Cadfan) of companies of saints or monks from Armorica to Wales.*
There is no Life of S. Tydecho, but his legend has been preserved
in a poem, Cywydd Tydecho Sant, by the fifteenth century bard Dafydd
Llwyd ab Llywelyn ab Gruffydd, who lived at Mathafam, not far
from where Tydecho settled.* We give a summary of it.
This holy man, one of Heaven's warriors, hved the life of a religious
in Mawddwy, in South-east Merionethshire, of which district he was
the " guardian." He and SS. Dogfael and Tegfan dwelt together
for some time at Llandudoch ^ (S. Dogmael's, in Pembrokeshire).
He was an abbot, and a relative of King Arthur. He loved not the
sea ; he preferred the wild sohtude of the glens of Mawddwy. Here
he raised a " temple," and passed a most austere reHgious hfe. He
was a " confessor," who wore a " hair coat," and his bed was the blue
rock on the valley side. One day, that great tormentor of the saints,
Maelgwn Gwynedd, thought he would annoy the saint by sending a
stud of white horses to be pastured by his prayers. Tydecho turned
them loose on the mountain side, and when they were fetched, des-
pite the cold winds and the frost, they were found to be fat, strong,
coursers, and their white coats turned to golden yellow.
Maelgwn, provoked at this, seized the saint's oxen whUe at team.
But the next day wild deer, in place of the oxen, were seen ploughing
his land (D61 y Ceirw, near the Dovey, still glebe-land), and a grey
1 Peniarth MSS. i6, 45 ; Hafod MS. 16 ; Cardiff MS. 5 (p. 119) ; Myv.
Arch., p. 431 ; lolo MSS., p. 103, iii, 132-3. Some of the Peniarth
Calendars which give his festival enter him as Tydecho Filwr {MS. 219), and
Techo (MSS. 187, 192), shorn of the honorific prefix to or ty. He is also TechO'
in the Breviary of S. Malo ; supra, p. 40.
' Supra, pp. 145-6. ^ Cambro-British Saints, p. 189.
* MS. copies of it are plentiful. It has been printed, e.g., in the Cambrian
Register, 1799, ii, pp. 375-?; Edward Jones, Bardic Museum, 1802, pp. 45-6;
Brython, 1863, v, pp. 453-4.
5 Llanymawddwy is sometimes called Llandudech by the older mhabitants ;
Brython, v, p. 454. Cf. the Breton Landecheuc ; Cart, de Landevennec, p. 39.
Tradition says Tydecho used to retire for prayer to a lonely spot called Celt
Fawddwy, on Mynydd Llwyn Gwilym.
:2 8 4 Lives of the British Saints
-wolf harrowing after them. Maelgwn, bent on further annoying
him, came with his pad-: of white hounds to chase them, and sat down
•on the blue stone, the hermit's couch, to watch the sport ; but when
he attempted to rise, he found himself glued to his rocky seat, unable
to stir, and he was obliged to humbly beg the saint's pardon, and
promised to make amends for his insults if he would but free him
from his awkward plight. On being released he sent back Tydecho's
oxen, and gave him in atonement the privilege of sanctuary for "a
hundred ages " — asylum for man and beast, and exemption from
all fighting, burning, and killing.
On another occasion his fair sister Tegfedd, who resided with him,
was carried off by a local chieftain, Cynon, and his men. They were
all struck blind, and he had to restore her, un violated, to her brother,
and to appease his wrath by a grant of the lands of Garthbeibio,
in the neighbourhood, free of heriot, amobrage, and other dues, for
ever. This was confirmed by Hywel ab Cadell, i.e. Hywel Dda.
Another time an army of five hundred men came to lay waste his
lands. He miraculously conquered them without fighting, by ener-
vating them.
There is a cywydd to " Tydecho and the two parishes of Mawddwy "
by Matthew Bromfield,^ who lived in the sixteenth century, but it
is mainly a eulogy of Mawddwy and its people. It contains, however,
an allusion to the saint's miracle of turning the water of the brook
Llaethnant into milk. About 2i miles above the village of Llany-
mawddwy, on Ffridd y Glasgoed, is Buches Dydecho, the saint's Milking
Fold, and the local tradition states that his milk-maid one day in
■crossing the brook slipped and upset the milk-pail (cerwyn) into it,
at a spot called Rhyd y Gerwyn, but Tydecho, instead of scolding
the maid, converted, for the benefit of the poor at a time of great
scarcity, the whole brook into milk, from its source at Creiglyn Dyfi
■down to near the village, where it becomes the Dovey. Hence its
name of Llaethnant, the Milk Stream, which it still retains, though
the sceptic mind is disposed to explain its foamy appearance as
the result of its headlong rush over the boulders. The ravine is called
Cwmllaeth. A little below the Buches, near Rhiw'r March, is Gwely
Tydecho, his Bed, a mere shelf in the rock, situated in a romantic
spot. Near it is Ffynnon Dydecho, scooped in the rock. Cadair
Dydecho, his Seat, a depression in the rock, is still pointed out\t the
top of the wooded ravine of the Pumrhyd, close to the Rectory. Croes
1 Printed, e.g., in Goludyr Oes, 1863, i, pp. 393-4. There is a metrical tranf-
Jation of botli poems in the Works of the Rev. Griffith Edwards, 1895, pp. 39-42.
S. Tydecho 285
Dydecho is also in Llanymawddwy, and near it was a chapel, long
since disappeared.
To Tydecho are dedicated the churches of Llanymawddwy, in
Merionethshire, and Mallwyd and Garthbeibio, both entered as chapels
of their mother church in the Taxatio of 1291. IMallwyd Church is
built on the boundary line of the counties of Merioneth and Mont-
gomery. Garthbeibio is situated in the latter, as is also Cemmaes,
in its neighbourhood, likewise dedicated to Tydecho. The extinct
Capel Tydecho, in Llandegfan, Anglesey, was dedicated to him, but
not Llandegfan itself, as is sometimes stated.
George Owen (1552-1613), in his itinerary or diary in the Vairdre
Book at Bronwydd, fo. 136a, says under Llanymawddwy, " there is a
chapell called capel tydacho in the Churche yard now begininge to
decaye — there was watchinge eu'y friday nighte." According to-
local tradition MaUwyd Church was built on the spot it now stands,
in the vale, in obedience to supernatural warnings. The foundations
of the old church of Llandybbo, which it has superseded, may still
be seen on the mountain. In Gruffydd ab Gwenwjmwyn's charter of
1277-8 the latter is called Llandeboe.
There was a Ffynnon Dydecho near the church of Garthbeibio. It
is now filled up and its water drained off. Bathing in it was con-
sidered very efficacious in the cure of rheumatism and certain other
complaints. The patients dropped a pin into it on leaving, and
it was considered sacrilege to take any of the pins away. At its
northern side once stood an image of the saint's head in stone.
Tydecho's festival is December 17, and occurs in most of the Welsh
Calendars. In the calendars prefixed to the New Testament of 1567 and
the Bible of 1620, it is on December 18 ; but this is given as Tegfedd's
day. The local observation differed ; at Llanymawddwy it was on
the first Sunday after Lammas Day, O.S. ; at Mallwyd and Garth-
beibio on Easter Monday >• ; and at Cemmaes it followed Michaelmas
Day.2
One MS. quoted in the Myvyrian Archaiology '" gives a Tydecho
as son of Gildas ab Caw, but this must be an error.
1 Willis, S. Asaph, p. 293 ; Cambrian Register, ii, p. 375. Willis, Bangor,
p. 362, gives December 17 for Llanymawddwy and Mallwyd.
2" Willis, ibid., p. 361- ^ P- 43 1-
2 86 Lives of the British Saints
S. TYDFIL, Virgin, Martyr
The spelling of the town-name Merthyr Tydfil has fixed for us
the modern form of this saint's name, which should, more correctly,
be Tudful. It is met with in a variety of spellings besides, such as
Tudfil, Tudfyl, Tydful, and Tydfyl.
Tydfil was one of the daughters of Brychan.^ She is entered in
the Vespasian version of the Cognatio, " Tudeuel in Merthir Euineil " ;
and in the Domitian version, " Tutuil ab ea dicitur Merthir Tutuil."
The misreading " Merthir Euineil " has been made to yield another
daughter of Brychan, Enfail, to whom the church of Merthyr, near
Carmarthen, is generally assumed to be dedicated.^ But, like not
a few others of Brychan's children, her supposed existence owes its
origin to a copjdst's blunder. " Euineil " stands without doubt
for " Tutuul," i.e. Tudful.
In Llanover lolo MS. 57, p. 188, occurs the following account
of Tydfil's martyrdom at Merthjn: Tydfil. ^ "About the year 480
it is said that Dudfyl dau'' of Brychan, being here (at Merthyr
Tydfil) on a visit to her father in his old age, was assassinated by the
Pagans (Saxon Pagans says one MS., but it seems more likely to have
been British or Pictish pagans). Rhun her Brother hereupon raised
the Country, and attacking those Pagans on the banks of the River
was there slain in the moment of victory, in the place there is a Bridge
over the River called Pont Rhun. A spring of water near the Town
is called ffynon Dudful. A Place not far from this spring is called
Calon Hychan from Hychan, another son of Brychan . . . Hafod
Tanglwst is the name of another place in this Parish so called from
another Dau' of Brychan named Tanglwst." *
To Tydfil is dedicated the church of Merthyr Tydfil, in Glamorgan,
and, as usually given, that of Llysronydd, now Lisworney,^ subject
^ Jesus College MS. 20 ; Myv. Arch., pp. 419, 430 ; lolo MSS., pp. 107,
III, 140. The name is not common. A monument in the church of Llangattock
juxta Crickhowell records the death of a " Dydvil " in 1798. Erdutuul, daugh-
ter of TryfiSn, is mentioned in the Mabinogion, ed. Rhys and Evans, p. 112 ;
and Erduduyl gwyndorliud occurs in the pedigrees in Jesus College MS. 20.
" Rees, Welsh Saints, pp. 152, 331 ; Diocesan Calendar, etc.
^ Dr. John Jenkins, of Hengoed's misreading, in 1817, of the inscription on,
the Tegernacus stone at Capel Brithdir, Gelligaer, was interpreted as Tydfil's
epitaph, and it was concluded that her body lay under the stone (Hanes Buchedd,
etc., Cardiff, 1859, p. 69).
* For another account see lolo MSS., p. 121, which is given under S. Rhain,
supra, p. 109.
^ lolo MSS., p. 221, it is said to be dedicated to Nudd Hael ; and on p. 148
Tewdrig ab Teithfall is stated to have founded the church of Merthyr Tydfil.
S. Tydieu 287
■to Llantwit Major, as well as the modern church at Port Talbot, in
the same county.
The Lann Tituill (Llandudful), mentioned, with its boundary, in
the Book of Llan Ddv, ^ is beheved by Mr. Egerton Phillimore to be
misplaced at Llw3m Deri,^ and should be at S. Dial's, near Monmouth.
The Nant Meneich of its boundary occurs also in that of the con-
terminous parish, Llanwarow or Wonastow. S. Dial's is also the
name of one of the two chapels, now in ruins, in the parish of Llanii-
hangel Llantarnam, near Caerleon.
S. Tydfil's festival does not occur in the Welsh Calendars, but
Browne Willis ^ and others give August 23. " Mabsant Merthyr,"
however, a famous revel, was held in Easter week, and lasted the
"whole week. *
There is a Hafod Tydfil in the Gwaun Valley, in Pembrokeshire.
S. TYDIEU, Virgin
Tydieu was one of the daughters of Brychan,^ under which name
■she is variously stated to have been " a saint at Capel Ogwr," ^ " jti
y Tri gabelogwar," ^ and " yn trigabelogwar." ^ The two last are
misreadings, and the first has been " read in." Capel Ogwr for-
merly stood near the river Ogwr or Ogmore, in the parish of S. Bride's
Major, in Glamorgan.
The entry in the Cognatio de Brychan that matches the above is
undoubtedly the following, in the Vespasian version, " Kein y thrauil
ogmor " ; in the Domitian version, " Keinbreit apud Teraslogur."
But they point to quite another saint.^
The Cambro-British Saints'^" gives " Tydew, daughter of Brychan, in
Manaw." This seems to be matched again by the " Bethan in Man-
nia "^oi the Cognatio. - !> , r
Jesus College MS. 20 gives, as a daughter of Brychan, " Tuthth yn Uys ronwy
ygwlat vorgan," " Tudhth in Llys Ronwy, in Glamorgan " ; but nothing is
inown of her.
1 Pp. 241-2. ^ Ibid., pp. 379, 409-
3 Llandaff, 1719, Appendix, p. 2 ; Rees, Welsh Saints, p. 152.
* Y Cymmrodor, vii, p. 233.
■ « lolo MSS., pp. Ill, 140; Myv. Arch., p. 419-
6 lolo MSS., p. 121 (as Tydeu). ' Myv. Arch., p. 431.
8 Peniarth MS. 75, p. 54- ° "' PP- 52. 100. " P. 270.
2 8 8 Lives of the British Saints
S. TYDIWG, Confessor
In the Progenies Keredic, at the end of the Cognatio de Brychan
in Cotton MS. Vesp A. xiv, is given " Tydiuc Sanctus " as a son of
Corun ab Ceredig ab Cunedda, but of whom the saintly pedigrees-
take no cognizance. He was thus a brother of SS. Carannog, Tyssul,.
Ceneu, and others.
Tydiwg is the patron of Llandydiwg, in Monmouthshire, the Henn-
lann Titiuc, Lann Tydiuc, or Ecclesia Tytiuc oi the Book of Llan Ddv,^
mentioned as being situated on the banks of the Wye. It is known
to-day as Dixton, for an earlier Dukeston, and dedicated to S. Peter.
The parish comprises the two manors of Dixton Newton and Dixton
Hadnock, divided by the Wye. Dukes-ton or Dix-ton represents the
-diwg of Llandydiwg. With it may be compared Foy, also on the
Wye, called in the Book of Llan Ddv Lann Timoi, and Llan-soy, dedi-
cated to S. Tysoi. The saint's name is found Latinized Tadeocus,^-
as in a grant of Tadinton to the Priory of Monmouth (after 1134),
where one of the lay witnesses is Johannes de Sancto Tadeoco, i.e.
Dixton.
S. TYFAELOG, see S. MAELOG.
S. TYFAEN
Attached to Llandeilo Fawr, in Carmarthenshire, about four
miles from the town, and situated in a secluded spot, is a chapel called
Llandyfaen or Llandyfan, which it may be presumed is dedicated
to a S. Tyfaen or Tyfan. The saint is sometimes identified with
Dyfan and even Dyfnan ; but both are impossible. The name is
accented on the ultima, which implies that it was once trisyllabic.
One hesitates to identify it with the name of Tyfanog and Dyfanog"
^ Pp. 183, 231, 275—6. The name seems to resolve itself to To + Tiuc.
By this saint is no doubt intended the Dwywg of the lolo MSS. See ii, p. 393,
2 Geoffrey of Monmouth's Thadioceus, Archbishop of York (Hist. Reg. Brit.,
xi, c. 10), probably represents the same name. He is not mentioned by name
in the Bruts, ed. Rhys and Evans, p. 236
S. Tyfat 289
of Ramsey Island, shorn of the diminutive suffix -og, whose name is,
once at least, found spelt Dyfaenog.i
In the chapel-yard, to the north-west of the chapel, is a fine bap-
tistery, oblong in form, and with nine steps down into it. It is filled
by a very copious spring, which oozes out from under the rock. It
was formerly regarded as a holy well, having restorative properties.
Many persons suffering from paralytic affections, and other disorders,
are said to have been cured by bathing in it. The spring was drained
off in 1897-8 to supply Llandeilo in part with water.
S. TYFAI, Martyr
We learn from the Life of S. Oudoceus 2 that Tyfai was a son of
Budic, of Armorican Cornouaille, and Anauved, sister of S. Teilo, and
that he was born in Dyfed. He was brother to SS. Ismael and Oudo-
ceus. In the Life of S. Teilo ^ it is stated that he was first a disciple
of S. Dubricius, but that he afterwards, with other fellow-disciples,
attached himself to S. Teilo on his return from Brittany after the
YeUow Plague.
This hardly fits in with another notice of him in the Book of Llan
Ddv.* It happened one day that the swine of a man of Penally, in
Pembrokeshire, got into the harvest field of a weU-to-do man of the
name of Tutuc. When he saw this, in a fit of ungovernable fury, he
seized his lance and rushed forth to find the swineherd. At Penally
he came on the man, who was with Tyfai, a child [infans), who gal-
lantly rushed between the pigdriver and Tutuc, when he saw the latter
about to strike the serf. The lance pierced him, and he fell dead.
When Tutuc came to his senses, he- was alarmed, for the child was-
the nephew of S. Teilo, and son of the banished prince of Armorican
Cornouaille. The King, Aircol Lawhir, intervened, and as a blood
fine, the man was constrained to make over two of his vills, Ciltutuc
and Penclecir, to Teilo, and himself to go " into perpetual servitude,
he and all his progeny." Tyfai was buried at Penally.
1 lolo MSS., p. 314. So also in the copies of the poem in Cardiff MSS. 7
(p. 151), 26 (p. 57), 63 (p. 318).
2 Book of Llan Ddv, p. 130 Tyfai's name occurs under the following earlier
-forms, Timoi, Tiuoi, Tiuei, Tyfhei, Typhei, Tefei, and Tyfai. The name resolves
itself to To -I- Mqi.
' Ibid., p. 115. * P. 127.
VOL. IV. U
2()0 Lives of the British Saints
The churches dedicated to him are Lamphey, in Pembrokeshire,
which was formerly Llandyfei/ and not Llanffydd, as is sometimes
stated ; ^ Llandyfeisant,^ the little church in Dynevor Park, subject
to his uncle's foundation at Llandeilo Fawr, Carmarthenshire ; Foy,
on the Wye, in Herefordshire, anciently called Lann Timoi (or Tiuoi),*
but has now been guessed to be dedicated to S. Faith ; and the extinct
chapel of Lampha, formerly written Lan Tiuei,^ now the name of one
of the manors of the parish of Ewenny, in Glamorgan, but apparently
the chapel was in 1141 attached to S. Bride's Major.''
Tyfai's festival day is not known. Browne WiUis ' gives the
festival at Lamphey as October 6, but this is S. Faith's day.
S. TYFALLE
There is a church in Breconshire called Llandyfalle or LlandefaUe,
which has been variously conjectured to be dedicated to S. Maethlu,
S. Tyfaelog, and S. Matthew.^ These, of course, are mere guesses
from the name. The patron of the church is, no doubt, identical
with that of the extinct Lann TipaUai, mentioned several times in the
Book of Llan Ddvj' and which the editors have doubtfully identified
with the Parsonage Farm, a little west of S. Maughan's, in Monmouth-
:shire. Nothing, however, is known of the saint.
S. TYFANOG, Confessor
In the Calendar in Cotton MS. Vespasian A. xiv, of the early thir-
teenth century, is entered against November 25, " Sci Tauanauci
Conf^" He is otherwise known as Dyfanog. Ramsey Island, near
' E.g. Lantefey, Arch. Camb., 1883, p. 298 ; Llandyffei, Bruis, ed. Rhys
.and Evans, p. 353.
^ E.g. Fenton, Pembrokeshire, 181 1, p. 430 — " Fanum SanctaeFidei Virginis."
^ This formation appears to be the only instance of its kind in Welsh, and
those wherein Sant enters at all in the composition of Z./aM-nanies are very few,
a.nd mostly confined to non-Welsh Saints. The most notable instance is S.
Pride in Llansantfiraid
^ Book of Llan Ddv, pp. 231, 275. The Llan has been dropped, as in the
.adjoining Sellack, for Lann Suluc.
^ Ibid., p. 212. " Clark, Cartes, 1885, i, p. 14.
' Paroch. Anglic., 1733, p. 178.
' Ecton, to S. Teilo ; Theo. Jones, Breconshire, ed. 1898, p. 321, conjectured
S. Maelog. " Index, p. 409, and p. 372.
S. Tyfodwg 291
S. David's, was, in Welsh, called after him Ynys Tyfanog or Dyfanog,
and Capel D5^anog, one of the two chapels thereon, was dedicated
to him. See further under S. Dyfanog.
S. TYFODWG, Confessor
According to the lolo MSS.} which alone give the few particulars
relative to this saint, Tj^odwg Sant was the son of Gwilf5Av ab Mar-
chan, of the Une of Coel Godebog, and the father of S. Tudwg. " He
came to this Island with Garmon and Cadfan," from Armorica, and
became a saint of Cor Illtyd. To him are dedicated the churches of
Llandyfodwg (the Landiwoddok of the Taxatio of 1291), and Ystrad
Dyfodwg. He is one of the three saints to whom Llantrisant (SS.
Illtyd, T3rfodwg, and Gwyno) is dedicated.^ All three parishes are
in Glamorgan, and adjoining. Llantrisant was formerly, and is still, a
very extensive parish. Three out of its five ancient capellce were
Llantwit Vardre, Ystradyfodwg, and Llanwonno. Tyfodwg is also
said to have a church in Somerset dedicated to him, but its name is not
given. There is a modern church dedicated to him at Treorchy, in
the Rhondda Deanery.
By him in all probability is meant the Tyfodwg given in lolo Mor-
ganwg's list of the Bishops of the see of " Glamorgan alias Kenffig," *
apparently Margam.
T5rfodwg's festival is not entered in any of the Welsh Calendars,
but Browne Willis * gives Ystradyfodwg as dedicated to S. Dyfodwg
with festival on June 25 — the morrow of the Festival of the Nativity
of S. John Baptist, to whom now the church is regarded as being
dedicated.
The following is one of the " Sayings of the Wise " tercets ^ —
Hast thou heard the saying of S. Tyfodwg
Of the Uplands of Glamorgan ?
" No good will come of wantonness "
(Ni ddaw da o drythyllwg).
' Pp. 107, 127, 148, 221. Sir J. Rhys, in his Celtic Inscriptions of Gaul, 1911,
p. 56, says Dyfodwg is the Welsh form of the Irish name Dubthoch or Dubthach
(now Duffy) . It occurs, in the Latin genitive Dobituci, and its Ogmic equivalent
Dov2tuceas, on the inscribed stone at Clydai, in Pembrokeshire. For -wg and -og
see ii, p. 40.
2 Curiously, Lewis, in his Topog. Diet, of Wales, 1848, ii, p. 109, says it is'
dedicated to SS. Dyvnog, Iddog, and Menw.
' lolo MSS., p. 36r ; Liber Landavensis, p. 625.
■• Llandaff, append., p. 2 ; Paroch. Anglic., p. 199.
^ Tola MSS., p. 256.
292 Lives of the British Saints
S. TYFRIOG, Abbot, Confessor
Tyfriog was the son of Dingad ab Nudd Hael by Tenoi, daughter
of Lleuddun Luyddog, and brother to SS. Lleuddad, Baglan, Eleri,
and Tegwy.^ He was a saint " in Ceredigion Iscoed," i.e. at Llandy-
friog, in Cardiganshire, which church is dedicated to him.^ His
brother Tegwy or Tygwy is patron of Llandygwydd, in the neighbour-
hood.
His festival occurs only in the South Wales Calendar in Cwrtmawr
MS. 44, where he is entered as " Tyfriog, Abbot," on May i.^ He
is thus identified with S. Brioc, without the common honorific prefix
to, later ty. The Life of S. Brioc states that he was bom in the " regio
Coriticiana," i.e. Ceredigion, but his parentage there is quite different
to that given in the Welsh saintly pedigrees. The " Landa Magna "
of the Life is probably Llandyfriog. See further under S. Brioc.
S. TYFRYDOG, Confessor
Tyfrydog " in Mon " was the son of Hawystl Gloff and Tywan-
wedd, and brother of Diefer, Teyrnog, Tudur, and Marchell.* He is
said to have been a saint of Bardsey. He is the patron of Llandy-
frydog, in Anglesey. In the parish is a Bryn Tyfrydog.
Giraldus Cambrensis ^ says, " There is in this Island (Anglesey) the
church of S. Tevredaucus, into which Hugh, earl of Shrewsbury, on a
certain night put some dogs, which on the following morning were
found mad, and he himself died within a month," in 1098, being
killed by a Norse pirate. He ascribes the calamity to the " vindic-
tive nature " of the Welsh saints.
About a mile from the church, in the corner of a field near the Holy
' Pemarth MSS. 16, 45 ; Myv. Arch., pp. 418, 427, 431 ; lolo MSS., pp.
103, 113, 139. In Hafod MS. 16 his name is given as Tyfrydog, and in Peniarth
MS. 12 as Tj'frydod, bothi by mistake. Tyfriog stands for an early To-Brigacos.
^ Edward IJaayA, Parochialia, 1911, iii, p. 92, gives a very fanciful explanation
of the church name — " Tis deriv'd quasi Llanddwfreiog : because it is just
by y" river Tivy w"'' is famous for eiogiaed anglice salmons."
' Willis, Paroch. Anglic, p. 193, gives the church as dedicated to Tyfrydog,
with festival on May i. Tyfriog's protection is invoked in lolo MSS., p. 314.
« Peniarth MSS. 16, 45 ; Hafod MS. 16 ; Cardiff MS. 5 ; Cambro-British
Saints, p. 271 ; Myv. Arch., p. 431 ; lolo MSS., pp. 105, 124, 142. In Hafod
MS. 16 Tyfriog is written Tyfrydog, through confusion. Tyfrydog is appa-
rently the same name as the Breton Teffredeuc or Tefridec, the saint involved
in the name Saint-Evarzec, in Finist^re.
^ Itin. Camb., ii, c. 7 ; Opera, vi, p. 129.
S. Tyrnog 293
Wells of SS. Cybi and Seiriol, on Clorach farm, is a celebrated maen
Mr, a little over 4 feet high, called Lleidr Tyfrydog,^ Tyfrydog's Thief,
which has the appearance of a humpbacked man. The local tradition
is that a man who sacrilegiously stole the church books, whilst carrying
them away, was suddenly converted by the saint into this red sand-
stone pillar. The lump to be seen on one side of the stone repre-
sents the sack which contains his theft, lying over his shoulder. His
soul, at stated intervals, is compelled to go three times madly round
the field and back to the stone, in the dead of night, being pursued by
demons with red-hot pitchforks.^
Tyfrydog's festival is January i, which occurs in the Calendars
in the Prymer of 1618, and Allwydd Paradwys, 1670.^
S. TYNEIO, see S. TUDNO
S. TYRNOG, Bishop, Confessor
Tyrnog was brother of S. Carannog, and son of Corun ab Ceredig.
He was consequently akin to Sant, father of S. David. The pedigree
was this : —
Ceredig ab Cunedda
I — r~ '. i I
Garthog Cedig Corun Ithel
I j ! I
S. Cyngar S. Non=Sant S. Carannog S. Tyrnog S. Tyssul S. Dogfae
I
S. David
We have seen under S. Tenenan that this name is the same as
Temoc or Tyrnog, who was a disciple of Carannog, and who was healed
by him of leprosy. Temoc came to Armorica and founded Lander-
neau (Lan-Temoc), and who is, erroneously, supposed to have become
1 It is illustrated in Arch. Camb., 1867, p. 346.
2 A satire, entitled '' Tuchangerdd Lleidr Dyfrydog " (1871), is printed in
Pritchard, Hanes ac Ysiyr Enwau yn Mdn., Amlwch, pp. 98-9-
3 So in Willis, Banger., lyzi. p. 282 ; Owen, Hist. Anglesey, 1775, p. .57 ;
Llwyd, Hist. Anglesey, 1.833, p, 227. Tyfrydog's protection is invoked in lolo
MSS... p. 314-
2 94 Lives of the British Saints
bishop of Leon. That Carannog was some twenty years older than
Tyrnog is possible enough, and that would explain his having his
brother under him as a pupil.
Tyrnog founded no church in Wales. Llandyrnog, in the Vale of
Clwyd, was founded by S. Teyrnog. His name alone and pedigree
have been preserved. ^ It is deserving of note that the neighbour-
hood of Landerneau was clearly visited by S. David. His church
is in the adjoining parish, and S. Non was buried at Dirinon, which is
also hard by Landerneau.
That Tyrnog was at one time in Ireland is possible enough. That
was the great field of operations by his brother Carannog, and Ternoc
of Cluana-mor, probably Clonmore in Wexford, is commemorated in
the Irish Martyrologies on July 2.
If the identification be admitted, then Tyrnog was in Ireland for
some years, and then joined in the migration of several Irish saints to
Armorica. He settled in Leon, and afterwards his cousin David visited
him there. Whether he ever were a bishop is questionable. For
further particulars see S. Tenenan.
What makes the identification more plausible is that Landeda near
Lannilis, in the same district, has S. Cyngar, a first cousin, as patron.
Tregarantec, the tref of Carantoc or Carannog, now regards S. Ternoc
as its patron. We may suspect that Carannog passed over the
management of his church there to his younger brother. The story
of this tref is interesting. It was formerly one in the Kemenet lUi,
a strip of land between the two rivers Aber Benoit and Aber Vrach ;
and was of considerable extent and jurisdiction. Later, we may
judge, a certain Deiniol or Daniel formed a plou in it, now Ploudaniel,,
which became flourishing, as Tregarantec declined. Then Ploudaniel
was cut out ecclesiastically from the parish of Tregarantec and was
given by Judicael to his brother Guenian. This transfer assumed a
legendary form. Ternoc had been forgotten and confounded with
Ernoc, son of Judicael ; and it was said that this Ernoc occupied Tre-
garantec. His uncle came to see him, and asked to be given a site.
Ernoc replied that he might have as much land as he could go round,,
whilst he took his afternoon nap. Guenian waited till his nephew
was asleep, and then, mounting a flying horse, he galloped through the
air in a round and enclosed thus within his territory the whole of
1 Llanstephan MS. 28 (1455-6), p. 69 ; Peniarth MSS. 74, 75 (sixteenth,
century) ; Myv. Arch., p. 431. Sometimes the name is wrongly spelt Teyrnog^
as in lolo MSS., p. 125, and Teyrnog is often found as Tyrnog, but the names
are totally distinct. The Progenies Keredic in Cottom MS.. Vesp. A. xiv does
not give him as a son of Corun.
S. Tyrnog 295:
Ploudaniel, and a stone was shown then with a print of a horse's-
hoof where he ahghted.^
Ernoc or Arnec is a very doubtful personage. Of him absolutely
nothing is known, not even that he was a saint. Garaby gives his
day as the same as that of S. Ternoc, October ii, whom he confounds-
with Tighemach, Bishop of Clones and Clogher.^ The story of the
loss of Ploudaniel to Tregarantec grew out of this. It was said that
Ternoc was asleep, i.e. not exercising his due power in heaven, or else-
the parish would not have suffered such grievous diminution.
Popular tradition represents Ternoc as a bishop, and to have exer-
cised episcopal functions over the whole of Kemenet lUi, that com-
prised five parishes. Among these is Guiseny, a foundation of Setna,.
a nephew of S. David, and disciple of S. Senan of Iniscathy, conse-
quently allied to Tyrnog, and he was probably one of the party that
came over together. Lambader may be the Ian of a brother, Pedjn:.
Dogf ael was another cousin of Tyrnog ; he is not known in Leon but
in the adjoining diocese of Treguier.
S. Temoc is given as a bishop in the MS. Missal of Treguier, of the
fifteenth century, on October 3 ; so also in the Leon Breviary of 1516,.
and the Leon Missal of 1526
Why Garaby has transferred him to October 11 is not clear. He
is followed by Gautier du Mottay and De la Borderie. Llanstephan
MS. 117 gives the festival of a Tyrnog on September 25.
Temoc is represented as a Bishop in the Church of Tregarantec ;■
also at Ploudaniel, in a statue of the sixteenth century. Here there is a.
Holy Well in the grounds of the Chateau, but kept enclosed and locked.
The church has been fitted throughout with bad modem glass repre-
senting the legend of S. Guenian, excogitated for the purpose, as-
practically nothing is known of him, save that he was brother of
Judicael.
There is a small parish S. Emey in East Cornwall, a daughter church-
to Landrake. Whether this is dedicated to Temoc cannot now be said.
See further under S. Tenenan.
T5miog was not a common name in Wales. " Pair Dyrnog Gawr "
was one of " the Thirteen Royal Treasures of Britain," of which it is
said, " The Cauldron of Tymog the Giant : if meat were put into it
to boil for a coward it would never be boiled, but if meat for a brave-
man it would be boiled instantly." ^ There is a farm in the parish of
1 The story is in Kerdanet's edition of Albert le Grand, 1837, p. 221. It
is not in the ne-w edition by Abgrall and Thomas, as they -were not permitted
by the representatives of De Kerdanet to employ his notes and essays.
2 Vies des Saints de Bretagne, 1839, p. 253. ' Brython, i860, p. 372.
296 Lives of the British Saints
Llanddeusant, Anglesey, called Clwch Demog (or Dymog), Tymog's
Crag.
S. TYSOI, Confessor
There occurs in the Book of Llan Ddv ^ the grant of Lann Tyssoi
to the church of Llandaff by Conhae or Conhage, in the time of Bishop
Berthwyn. It is described as " podum Sancti Tisoi, pupil of S. Du-
bricius, which formerly belonged to S. Dubricius." The name is later
spelt Landissoy and Landesoy.^ It is in Monmouthshire.
It is now called Llansoe or Llansoy, a form in which the honorific
prefix to, later ty, has been dropped. No dedication is given to the
church, but in the face of this grant there can be no doubt as to its
true patron.
Nothing is known of Tysoi ; but he is in all probability the Soy who
was one of the clerical witnesses to a grant to the monastery of Llan-
carfan, in the time of Paul, its abbot. ^
S. TYSSILIO, Abbot, Confessor
Unfortunately, the MS. Life in Latin of this saint which was
preserved in the Church of S. Suliac on the Ranee has disappeared,
and all we know of it is from the MS. Bibl. Nat. frangais, 22321, p.
730, and from the Lections of the Breviary of S. Malo, reprinted in
the Acta SS. Boll., October i, pp. 196-8 ; and from the Life given
by Albert le Grand after this Life, a copy of which had been sent him
from S. Suliac, and from the Lections of the Breviaries and Legendaria
of Leon and Folgoet.
Tyssilio or Suliau was the son of Brochwel Ysgythrog ab Cyngen
ab Cadell Ddymllug ; and his mother was Arddun, daughter of Pabo
Post Prydain.*
1 P. 187.
2 Ibid., pp. 321, 328 ; Taxatio of 1254 ; Clark, Carta, iii, p. 582 (1295-6), iv,
p. 36 (1306-7). By the sixteenth century it became Llansoy.
^ Cambro-British Saints, p. 89.
i Peniarth MSS. 12, 16, 45; Hafod MS. 16; Myv. Arch., pp. 417, 431;
lolo MSS., pp. 104, 130 Peniarth MS. 12 (early fourteenth century) also
S. Tyssi/io 2()J
The Life says only that he was son of Brocmail, and that he had
two brothers. From the Welsh pedigrees we know the name of one,
Cynan Garw5m. He was first cousin to S. Asaph and to S. Deiniol.
His father, Brochwel Ysgythrog (of the Tusks), was reigning prince
•of Old Powys, and resided at Pengwern, or Shrewsbury, where prob-
ably Tyssilio was born. Cynddelw, a bard of the twelfth century,
adverts with pride to the circumstance that the saint was " nobly
•descended of high ancestry."
TyssUio at an early age resolved on embracing the religious life ;
but as his father destined him to the profession of arms, and was a
self-willed, headstrong man, Tyssilio was constrained to take flight
■one day, whilst out hunting, after having announced his resolve to his
brothers, who were with him.
He then hastened to Meifod, and threw himself at the feet of the
Abbot Gwyddfarch, whom the Latin writer calls Guimarchus. The
brothers of Tyssilio on their return to their father told him how that
Tyssilio had fled. The prince was very angry, and sent a company of
men to Meifod, with orders to bring his son back to him. On their reach-
ing the monastery they saw the abbot, and rated him for having turned
the head of the young prince with his fantastical ideas. Gwyddfarch
replied with gentleness, and produced Tyssilio before them shaven
and habited as a monk. They did their utmost to induce him to
return with them, but as he steadfastly refused, did not venture to
use compulsion, and break sanctuary, but returned and reported to
Brochwel how matters stood.
His father allowed him to follow his own devices ; but Tyssilio
who thought that Brochwel would make a greater fuss over him than
he did, and feared that force might be employed, asked Gwyddfarch
to let him retire to a more remote spot, and he was sent to Inis Suliau,
an islet in the Menai Straits, where he founded the church of Llan-
dyssilio. Here he spent seven years, and then returned to Meifod,
where he found Gwyddfarch full of a project of going to Rome. But
he was too old to undertake such a journey, and Tyssilio said to him :
" I know what this means ; you want to see the palaces and churches
there. Dream of them instead of going."
gives a " Tysiliaw ap Enoc ap Etwin ap Keredic ap Kuneda Wledic." The
Progenies Keredic does not mention Edwin as a son of Ceredig. The name
Tyssilio stands for SiUau, or Silio, with the common honorific prefix to, later iv,
and would be more correctly spelt with one s. It is sometimes cut down to Siljo
in place-names. It is a totally distinct name from Tyssul. In Brittany Tyssilio
is known as Suliau and Sulien. Tyssilio is rather a rare name. In the Chronicon
Fani Sancti Neoti {Asser's Life of King Alfred, ed. Stevenson, 1904, p. 128)
is the entry, " Anno DCCXC Tassilio dux venit in Franciam."
298 Lives of the British Saints
Then he took the old abbot a long mountain trudge, till he was
thorouglily exhausted, and declared he could go no further ; so Tyssilio
bade him lie down on a grassy bank and rest. And there Gwyddfarch
fell asleep.
When he woke, Tyssilio asked him how he could endure a journey
to Rome, if such a stroll tired him out. And then the abbot informed
him that he had dreamt of seeing a magnificent city, and that suf&ced
him. Some time after this Gwyddfarch died, and Tyssilio succeeded
him as abbot.
Meifod (the May or Summer Residence) is beautifully situated by
the lush meadows near the junction of the rivers Einion and Vymwy,
under the commanding heights crowned by Mathrafal, to which the
kings of Powys retired after the fall of Pengwem or Shrewsbury.
Now a terrible disaster fell on the British. Ethelfrid the Northum-
brian, who had married a daughter of Ella, expelled her infant brother
Edwin from Deira and united it to Bernicia. Edwin, according to
Welsh accounts, fled to North Wales, and was well received by the
King of Gwjmedd. Ethelfrid was alarmed at the prospect of a league
formed between the Deirans and the Welsh, and crossing the Western
Hills, crushing the British Kingdom of Elmet as he passed through it,
marched upon Chester.
At his approach, Brochwel assembled the men of Powys, and to him
came, if we- may trust Geoffrey of Monmouth, Bledrws, Prince of
Cornwall, Meredydd, King of Dyfed, and Cadfan ab lago. King of
Gw3medd. The site of the battle is not easy to determine. Bede
says that Ethelfrid " made a very great slaughter of that heretical
nation, at the City of Legions, which by the English is called Lega-
caestir, but by the Britons more rightly Carlegion." Bede means
Chester. The battle probably took place on the Dee, near Bangor
Iscoed ; for the monks of the monastery of Dunawd poured forth, after
a fast of three days, and, ascending a hill that commanded the field,
prayed for victory and cursed the enemy.
Ethelfrid, observing their wild gestures, bade his men fall on and,
massacre the monks. " Bear they arms or no," said he ; " they fight
against us when they cry against us to their God."
According to Bede, Brochwel behaved in a dastardly manner. Some
twelve hundred of the unfortunate monks were butchered, only fifty
escaping by flight ; and " Brocmail, turning his back with his men,
at the first approach of the enemy, left those whom he ought to have
defended unarmed and exposed to the swords of the .assailants." *-
1 Bede, Hist. EccL, ii, c. 2.
S. Tyssiiio 299
This is not quite what is represented in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle,
which, under the date 607, says, " This year Ethelfrith led his army
to Chester, where he slew an innumerable host of the Welsh. . . .
There were also slain two hundred priests, who came thither to pray
for the army of the Welsh. Their leader was called BrocmaU, who
with some fifty men escaped thence."
Geoffrey gives a very different account from Bede. A tremendous
fight took place at Bangor, in which many fell on both sides, and
Ethelfrid was wounded and put to flight, after losing 10,066 men. On
the side of the Britons fell Bledrws, Prince of Cornwall.^
That Brochwel fled without striking a blow is incredible ; and it is
also certain that Ethelfrid was not defeated and obliged to fly.
The date given in the Chronicle to this battle is 607, but the Annals
of Ulster give 613, and this has been accepted as the date by Arch-
bishop Ussher,^ and by Green. Freeman, however, prefers 607.
Brochwel at the time of the battle was probably very old, and did
not long survive it.
" The battle of Chester marked a fresh step forward in the struggle
with the Welsh. By their victory at Deorham (577) the West Saxons
had cut off the Britons of Dyvnaint, of our Dorset, Somerset, Devon
and Cornwall, from the general body of their race. What remained
was broken anew into two parts by the battle of Chester ; for the
conquest of ^Ethelfrith had parted the Britons of what we now call
Wales from the Britons of Cumbria and Strathclyde. From this
moment, therefore, Britain as a country ceased to exist." ^
According to Geoffrey, Cadfan ab lago, of Gwynedd, now became
the recognized king of the Britons. Brochwel was succeeded by his
son, called in the Life Jacobus, or lago, who died two years later,
without issue.
His widow, Hajarme (i.e. in Welsh, Haiammed, now Haiamwedd),
was a strong and determined character, and after consultation with
the chief men of Powys, resolved on withdrawing Tyssiiio from his
monastery, marrying him, and making him King of Powys.
The times were full of peril, and a strong and able prince was neces-
sary. But Tyssiiio was not the man for the occasion ; he hated war,
knew nothing of its practice, and above all, objected to marrying
his deceased brother's widow, and leaving the profession of religion.
The sister-in-law at once, like a woman, took this as a personal
1 Eruts, ed. Rhys and Evans, pp. 238-g ; Hist. Brit. Reg., xi, c. 13. But
see what has been said i, p. 302.
2 Antiq. EccL. Brit. Index Chron., p. 1,157.
' The Making of England, ed. 1897, i, pp. 275-6.
300 Lives of the British Saints
affront. She was incapable of understanding that Tyssiho had a voca-
tion for the monastic life ; could not believe that he was intellectually
and morally incapable of military achievements, and assumed that
he disliked her personally. She therefore, also like a woman, did
all in her power to injure or annoy the Monks of Meifod. She had
assumed the regency.
The position of Tyssilio became intolerable. She seized the revenues
•of the abbey ; and to free his monks from her persecution, he fled,
along with some of his monks who were attached to him, and left Wales
altogether, crossed the sea, and entered the estuary of the Ranee.
The coast is wild and ragged, fringed with rocks and islets and reefs.
A chain of islands, of which Cesambre is the chief, is thrown like a
necklace of coral across the entrance to the Ranee, which is commanded
by the isle of Aaron or S. Malo. The river forms a broad estuary of
glittering blue water, up which the mighty tides heave gently, the
waves having been broken and torn to foam on the natural break-
water.
Ascending the river, some four miles, a point of high land shelving to
a beach runs into it, with a long creek on the south, through which at
low tide trickles a tiny stream. On this point of land Suliau drew up
his boat, and here he resolved on settling. S. Malo was then at Aleth,
which the writer of the Life calls Guicaleth (Vicus Alethi), and with
him Suliau held converse. Probably S. Malo was not overjoyed to
have an abbot settle so near him, and run his monastery in rivalry
against his own. But, if so, he yielded. He knew who Suliau was, a
son of a mighty prince, but from another part of Wales. Suliau told
iis story, how he was persecuted by his brother's widow, and how
Powys was torn by factions.
Suliau began in modest fashion. He constructed a chapel and some
■cabins for his few brother monks, and tilled the soil. But he had
trouble. The creek was dry at low water, and the cattle crossed
easUy from the further side ; they entered his fields and ravaged his
crops. Suliau was forced to bank up and plant withies and interlace
them, so as to hedge out these vexatious intruders.
According to the Life, as given by Albert le Grand, Suliau was
visited by S. Samson. This, however, is chronologically impossible ;
for he did not cross over into Brittany till a few years after the mas-
sacre of Bangor and the taking of Chester, which was in 607 or 613.
The chieftain who held rule in that part favoured the new settlers,
and gave the whole of the spit of land to Suliau.
Suliau, like a prudent man, had not left Wales without taking his
•cook with him, his chef in fact {archimagirus) ; and this master of
S. Tyssilio 301
the kitchen, monk though he was, had a Httle affaire de cam with a
girl on the opposite side of the Ranee. He was wont, Leander-like,
to swim across and visit her.
On one occasion, as he was crossing, a monstrous conger eel laced
itself about him, and the poor cook was in dire alarm. He invoked
all the saints to come to his aid. S. Samson, S. Malo, his own master,
Suliau, could not deliver him, when happily he thought of S. Maglorius
of Sark, and called on him for assistance. At the same moment, it
occurred to him that he had his knife attached to his girdle, and,
unsheathing that, he cut and hacked at the conger, till it released its
hold. The story occurs in the Legend of S. Maglorius, and is told to
exalt that saint at the expense of the rival saints . ^
Whilst Suliau was in Brittany, and his monastery was growing, he
received tidings that his sister-in-law was dead, and two of the monks
of Meifod, whom the Life calls Pellibesten and Caramanien, came
to him to invite him to return to Wales. However, Suliau was con-
tent where he was, and he gave the messengers a Book of the Gospels
and his walking staff, and bade them return without him to Meifod.
Some time after that he died in his monastery on October i, but in
what year we do not know. His sister-in-law is not likely to have
been desirous of marrying him if he were not in the full vigour of man-
hood in or about 610. If we may suppose that he was then aged
thirty-five, he died approximately in 650.
S. Suliau is patron of the church of S. Suliac, on the Ranee, where
was his monastery, and his tomb, with an altar above it, is at the
west end of the church, where also is his ring, with a large uncut stone
in it, preserved under glass.
His statue, by the High Altar, represents him as a monk in a white
habit, without mitre, but holding his staff. It is a popular belief
that as the staff is turned so is changed the direction of the wind. The
old woman who acts as sacristan informed us that her husband, a fisher-
man, when once returning, could not enter the harbour owing to con-
trary winds. She turned the crosier in the hand of S. Suliau, and at
once the wind shifted, and the boat arrived with full sails.
SuHau is also patron of Sizun, in the diocese of Quimper ; so that
he probably did not confine himself to the Ranee but went afield to
found a branch establishment in Cornouaille.
In the Red Book of Hergesi ^ is a poem attributed to Tyssilio, com-
posed of thirty triplets, thirteen of which begin with the catch-words
1 Vita S. Maglorii, Mabillon, Acta SS. o.s. B., sasc i, p. 7.
2 Col. 1,026; Skene, Four Ancient Books, ii, pp. 237-41 ; Myv. Arch., pp.
123-4
302 Lives of the British Saints
Eiry mynyd (Mountain Snow). It is of a religious character, in the
form of a dialogue between SS. Llyweljm and Gwrnerth, of Trallwng,
or Welshpool. A postscript states, " Tyssilio, the son of Brochwael
Ysgythrog, composed these verses concerning Gwrnerth's coming to
perform his devotions with S. Llywelyn, his companion ; and they are
called the Colloquy of Llywelyn and Gwrnerth." In its present form
the poem cannot be much older, if any, than the MS. in which it is
preserved — this portion about 1400 — and the references in the prefatory
note and the text to the saying or singing of Matins and the Hours prove
it to be mediseval. It is followed by another poem, of thirty-six
verses, each with the same catch-words and similar in sentiment. In
fact, there is a number of Eiry mynyd poems, all of which are of a
religious or semi- religious character.^
The so-called Brut Tyssilio ^ is in reality one of several " compiled "
versions (the earliest MSS. of which are of the fifteenth century) of
Geoffrey's Historia Regum Britannic?. It is pretended that the Brut
was originally the work of Tyssilio, and that it was subsequently
" enlarged " by Walter (Mapes), Archdeacon of Oxford, and Geoffrey ;
but there is no authority for ascribing any work of the kind to Tyssilio.
The poem Canu Tyssilyaw, by the twelfth century bard CyTiddelw,^
eulogizes the saint and " Meifod wen." It contains a reference to his
self-banishment to Gwynedd — Eifionydd it says — and to the annoyance
he received at the hands of his sister-in-law. His church at Meifod,
" the abode of the three Saints," was contiguous to that of Gwydd-
farch, but there was no comparison between the latter and his, with
its fine cloisters and spires, its priests and choir, its offerings and gold-
en clustered crozier. It was the " sepulchre of Kings." Three distinct
churches formerly co-existed within the extensive churchyard of
Meifod. Eglwys Gwyddfarch, the earliest, was superseded by the
more substantial and imposing edifice of Tyssilio. The third, S.
Mary's, was consecrated in 1155. In its architecture, furniture, ser-
vices, and ministrations Tyssilio's excelled the other two, and his festival
1 Other Eiry mynyd verses will be found in Myv. Arch., pp. 358-63, some of
which are attributed to Merfyn Gwawdrydd and Y Mab Claf, or Maer Glas (son
of Llywarch Hen). They are of a later date still than the Red Book poems.
^ Myv. Arch., pp. 432-75. The editors, on p. 601, distinctly state that the
Brut is so designated merely to distinguish it from Brut Gruffydd ab Arthur
(Geoffrey's). Their text seems to have been really taken, not from the Red Book
of Hergest, as stated, but from Jesus College MS. 28, written in 1695, which
again seems to be a transcript of Jesus College MS. 61, of the sixteenth century.'
See Preface to the Bruts, ed. Rhys and Evans, and Stephens, Literature of the
Kymry, 1876, p. 303.
3 Myv. Arch., pp. 177-9. The earliest copy of it is in the Red Book of Hergest,
col. 1,165.
S. TYSSILIO
From Statue at S. Suliac,
S. Tyssi/io 303
■day was that observed here to the last. The present fabric probably
■embodies more of his church than that of S. Mary. He was invoked,
with S. Gwyddfarch, in a legend in the chancel window in the eigh-
teenth century. 1
Cynddelw, enumerating the chmrches founded by Tyssilio, says : —
"A church he raised with his fostering hand,
The church of Llugyrn (Llorcan),^ with a chancel for Mass ;
The church beyond the shore — beyond the glassy flood ;
The church filled to overflowing, beyond the palace of Dinorben ;
The church of Llydaw, through the influence of his liberality ;
The church of Pengwern, chiefest in the land ;
The church of Powys, paradise most fair ;
The church of Cammarch, with a hand of respect for the owner."
Llanllugyrn we believe to be LlanUugan (now B.V.M.), in Mont-
.:gomeryshire, generally supposed to be a Tyssilio foundation. Llydaw
does not necessarily mean Armorica, as there are Llydaw place-
names in Wales, but probably S. Suliac is intended. Pengwern is
Shrewsbury, the ancient capital of Powys, where Brochwel resided.
Possibly the church meant is S. Julian's, in that town. The last
named is Llangammarch, in Breconshire. Mr. Egerton Phillimore
points out to us that its dedication to Tyssilio is confirmed by the fact
that in the Lives -)i the Saint, or in one of them, preserved in Brittany,
he is said (according to Lobineau's Life and the " legendaires galloises ")
to have hidden for some time from the persecution of Hajarme " dans
:le fond d'une province, appelee Buelt, oii il batit une eglise et un
monastere." Llangammarch ^ is situated on the river Cammarch,
in the principality (later the cantred and now the hundred) of Buellt,
Buallt, or Builth. Meifod was the premier church of Powys, and had
jurisdiction over a very extensive district. The princes of Powys had
their residence at Mathraf al, in the Vale of Meifod, and the church was
their favourite burial place. Its daughter churches included Welsh-
pool, GuUsfield, Llanfair Caereinion, LlanUugan, and Alberbury.
The churches dedicated to the royal saint TyssUio are Meifod (with
-the B.V.M.), and Llandyssilio, in Montgomeryshire ; Llandyssilio,
in Anglesey ; Llantyssilio, and Bryn Eglwys, * in Denbighshire ;
Llandyssiho [yn Nyfed), on the borders of Carmarthenshire and
Pembrokeshire ; and Llandyssiho Gogo, in Cardiganshire. Sellack,
1 See fuller Thomas, S. ^Sd^A, 1908, i, pp. 492-503 ; Gwaith Gwallter Mechain,
1868, iii, pp. 97-100.
~ ^ See iii, pp. 378—9. ^ See ii, p. 68.
■4 Lhuyd gives a Ffynnon Dyssilio under each of these two adjoining parishes,
lender Bryneglwys in the Valor oi 1535, vi, p. xliii, is entered, " Itm in die Sati
Tyssilio in offeryng — xx<'." In the former parish are Bryn Tyssilio, locally
Killed Bryn Silio, and Aber Siho. A Bryn Silio also in Llandyssiho Gogo.
304 Lives of the British Saints
in Herefordshire, called Lann Suluc in the Book of Llan Ddv, is usually
ascribed to him, as also the little church of Llancillo, in the same county,
but this latter very unlikely. It occurs as Lann Sulbiu in that same
book.
At Rhiwlas, in the parish of Llansihn, Denbighshire, is a large stone
formerly known as Maen Tyssilio, which was the rallying point of the
youth for their games. Edward Lhuyd says (1699) that there was a.
well in the parish of Oswestry called Ffynnon Nant Dyssilio, to which-
the parishioners resorted to celebrate their wakes — the first Sunday
after Lammas Day. There is a Pistyll Tyssilio, on the Rallt (by Spout
House), in the parish of Welshpool. It is the "Pons Tessiliau "
mentioned in Gwenwynwyn's charter, 1202, to the Abbey of Strata
Marcella. In a grant dated 1467 is mentioned " the cemetery at Chirk
of S. Tyssilio, confessor." ^
It is difficult to account for the two Demetian dedications as being
to him. Most probably they are to another S. Tyssilio, occurring only
in Peniarth MS. 12, as a descendant of Ceredig, and mentioned in the-
earlier part of this article.
In Cornwall it has been suspected that Luxulyan (Lan Sulien) had-
him as founder, but is now said to be dedicated to S. Julitta. Gilbert,
however, says, " Luxilian . . . the right name of this parish is Lan
Julian, the church of Saint Julian ; but although the church was origin-
ally dedicated to him, it has since changed its patron, and belongs to-
S. Ayre," and this he quotes from Tonkin, who wrote his parochial
history of Cornwall in 1702-39. The feast at Luxulyan is on the
Sunday before June 24.
In Brittany, in addition to S. Suliac on the Ranee, he is patron of
Sizun, under the Monts d'Arree, in Finistere, and of Tressignaux, near'
Lanvalon ; and he has a chapel at Plomodiern, near Chateaulin, in
Finistere ; another at Pleyben. There is a thirteenth century statue-
of him over the north porch of the Church of S. Suliac, as well as that
within the church already described.
Tyssilio is sometimes said, by late writers, to have succeeded S.
Asaph as bishop of Llanelwy, but the statement is perfectly groundless..
In the Life of S. Beuno we are told that when that restless saint left
Berriew, on hearing the voice of a Saxon, he and his disciples proceeded
to Meifod, where they remained with Tyssilio for forty days, and then
left for Gwyddelwern.
November 8 occurs as the festival of S. Tyssilio in most of the Welsh-
Calendars. In some of the later ones, e.g. those in Peniarth MS. 187-
1 Arch. Camb., 1880, p. 150.
S. Tyssul 3:05
and the Prymer of 1618, he is designated " King of Powys." The
wakes at Welshpool and Guilsfield were held on November 8.
In Brittany his festival is on October i, in the Missal of S. Malo, 1609,
the Breviary of S. Malo, 1537, and 1627. So also Albert le Grand.
On July 29, in the MS. Breviary of Treguier, of the fifteenth century, and
the Leon Breviary of 1516. The attribution of October i to him is due
probably to a confusion between him and the S. Silin of the Welsh
Calendars on that day, i.e. S. GUes. His feast being on October i,
the day of S. Giles, he has been confounded with him, and a statue of
S. Giles at Tressignaux serves for him.
TyssUio is invoked under the name of Suliau in the tenth century
Celtic Litanies published by D'Arbois de Jubainville, and in the Missal!
of S. Vougay.^
S. TYSSUL, Bishop, Confessor
Tyssul was the son of Corun ab Ceredig ab Cunedda Wledig, and
brother of SS. Carannog, Tyrnog, Tydiwg, and others.^ He is not
entered in the early thirteenth century Progenies Keredic. He is the
patron of Llandyssul, in Cardiganshire, and Llandyssil, in Montgomery-
shire. The former parish is divided into seven hamlets, in each of
which, with the exception of that in which the parish church is situated,
there was a chapel of ease in the seventeenth century, but in ruins..
The only calendar in which his festival occurs is the Demetian one
in Cwrtmawr MS. 44, which has " Tyssyl, Bishop " against Februarys..
Browne Willis ^ and Meyrick,* however, give January 31 as his day at
Llandyssul, and they are followed by Rice Rees ^ and others. The
latter must be the correct day, as a fair was held on it. Old Style, and is
still held on February 11. The wake at Llandyssil was held on or
about November 11, probably through confusion with S. TyssOio
(November 8), whom Browne Willis gives as the Patron of the parish-
^ Revue Celtique, xi, p. 138,
2 Peniarth MS. 16 ; Hafod MS. 16 ; Myv. Arch., p. 431 ; lolo MSS., pp.
no, 124. He is invoked, with many other Welsh Saints, in the Ode to King
Henry VII {lolo MSS., p. 314) ; cf. also Lewis Glyn Cothi, Gwaith, 1837, p. 261.
In a short mediasval tract, " The Virtues of Hearing Mass," dyssul appears to
stand for Tyssul in the vocative (Llyvyr Agkyr, ed. Jones and Rhys, p. 151 ;
Selections from Hengwrt MSS., ii, p. 296),
2 Paroch. Anglic, 1733, p. I94-
< Hist, of Cardiganshire, 1808, p. 46. = Welsh Saints, pp. 209, 241.
VOL. IV. X
3o6 Lives of the British Saints
There is a Ffynnon Dyssul in Llandyssul, and anotlier in Llanf3mydd,
•Carmarthenshire. The village of Llandyssul is supplied with water
from the saint's Holy Well, which was enclosed in 1892 and a pump
provided. It is situated to the north of the village, near the highway.
In a memorial window recently (1902) inserted in Montgomery
■Church Tyssul is represented as a bishop, with mitre and crozier,
holding a representation of Old Llandyssil Church.
In Brelidy, in Brittany, are Lan-zul Vras and Vihan, where we seem
to have the saint's name minus the honorofic prefix. The pardon of
S. Sul is on the fourth Sunday in May. He is represented as a bishop
in the chapel of S. Yves at Tredarzec.
S. UFELWY, Bishop, Confessor
Ufelwy was the son of Cenydd, the crippled son of Gildas, and a
hermit in Gower.^
Cenydd seems to have moved to Brittany to the neighbourhood of
his father, and probably Ufelwy accompanied him, for there are traces
that may refer to him in the district, where he may be recognized as
Yhuel, who is said to have led an eremitical life in the parish of Redone,
near Quimperle. The chapel has been destroyed, but the fourteenth
century statues of S. Yhuel and S. Cadoc that stood in it, one on each
side of the altar, have been transferred to the chapel of Rosgrande.
He is figured as a very young man with flowing locks. This expresses
the tradition that he was in Brittany only as a youth.
He had as well a chapel near the Gate of Lorient, where he is called
S. Uhel, on the road to Kerantec. This chapel, in a deed of 1516, is
mentioned as that of S. Juzelli.^ If this be Ufelwy, his father's settle-
ment was only a few miles off at Languidic, and that of S. Cadoc, who
would seem to have been his master, at Belz, also near by.
We may perhaps equate him with S. Eval of Cornwall. In 1322
Bishop Stapeldon issued an order relative to the Church " Sancti
' lolo MSS., pp. 118, 137, where the name is spelt Ufelwyn. The correct form
■of the name in modern spelhng would be Ufelfyw, which would be liable to become
Ufelwyw, and Ufelwy In the Book of Llan Ddv it occurs as Ubelbiu, Uvelviu,
Ubelvivus, and Ubelvius ; and other names of the same origin there are Uvel
(Umel) and Uvelauc. Ufel means a flame, heat, spark. " Wele Euelvew ap
Itgwon " was in the villa of Heneglwys, in Anglesey (Record of Caernarvon, 1838,
I- 44)-
^ There was a Caer Uuel in Guiscriff, Morbihan. Cart, de Quimperli, p. 115.
S. XJfelwy 3 o
/
Uvelli " ; and Bishop Bronescorabe in 1260 speaks of it by the same
name. Bishop Quivil in 1280 calls it the Church of S. Uvelus.
In the parish of S. Eval is a farm called Raws, where was a chapel
called Laneff, a contraction for Lan-efial, and this was probably the
site of the original oratory of the saint.
The parish church of S. Eval is planted in the midst of what appears
to have been a prehistoric circle of upright stones, all but one of which
have been thrown down, and used as foundation for the chancel. The
churchyard, however, remains circular.
The other church in Cornwall formerly dedicated to him is Withiel,
but has been transferred to the patronage of S. Clement.
S. Ffili, the brother of Ufelwy, has also left his mark in Cornwall.
But when those brothers were there is uncertain.
Ufelwy is first heard of in any authentic document as disciple of S.
Dubricius, in the Life of that saint in the Booh of Llan Ddv. " From
all parts of Britain scholars came to him, not only the uninstructed,
but wise men and doctors, for the prosecution of thair studies. First
S. Teilo, then Samson, his disciple, Ubeluius," etc.^
Ufelwy was consecrated Bishop by Dubricius and given a district,
or to be more exact, chose one for himself, at Bolgros, on the Wye,
which was granted him by Guorvodu, King of Erging, as a thank-
offering for victory over the Saxons. 2
We learn from the Life of S. Oudoceus that in his time the Saxons
made irruption into Ewyas and occupied it ; and it is reasonable to
suppose that it was at the same time that they attempted to gain
Erging, but failed for the moment. The date would be a little after
580.^ Bolgros is now represented by Belley-Moor, in Madley, Here-
fordshire, according to the editors of the Book of Llan Ddv.
Another foundation was Lann Guorboe, also made by Guorvodu.*
This is thought by the editors of the Book of Llan Ddv to be Garway.
But this cannot be, as pointed out by Mr. Egerton Phillimore. Lann
Guorboe is " in campo Malochu," " which is Mawfield, for an older Male-
field, in Testa de Nevill, and the Malvern Charters, and is the same as
Inis Ebrdil, the tract of land between the Dore Valley and the Wye
from Moccas down to about Hereford and the Worm.
Another foundation in Herefordshire made by Ufelwy was Lann
Sulbiu, now Llancillo, near the Monnow, also in Ewyas, but was a grant
of Meurig ab Tewdrig, King of Morganwg.^
In the charters in the Book of Llan Ddv these grants are made into
1 P. 80. 2 Xhid., p. 161. ^ Supra, p. 33.
* Book of Llan Ddv, p. 162. ^ Ibid., p. 165, and see i, p. 109
8 Ibid., p. 160.
3o8 Lives of the British Saints
the hand of Ufelwy, but to the church of SS. Dubricius and Teilo.
This was probably an interpolation made at the time when the Bishops
of Llandaff endeavoured to establish a claim over Ewyas and Archen-
field and wrest it from the diocese of Hereford. On the theory that
Ufelwy was a disciple of Dubricius, and that therefore all grants made
to him were so made subject to the jurisdiction of Dubricius and Teilo
and reverted to the mother-house, the claim was made for all the foun-
dations of the pupils of these two saints.
There is no evidence that Ufelwy ever was bishop of Llandaff.
His little abbatial see was confined to Ewyas and Erging, and did not
extend over the whole of these districts. When, at a late period, a
list of the Bishops of Llandaff was compiled, it was found that several
of the pupils of Dubricius were entitled bishops, and that their names
appeared in charters as witnesses. Their names were accordingly
foisted into the list in a succession purely arbitrary ; and Ufelwy is
given the next place after Oudoceus.^
Ufelwy is credited with having founded a Church in Glamorgan,
called Llanufelwyn,^ by which is meant the church known later as S.
lorys, now S. George-super-Ely. No record of any grant of this patch
of land is preserved in the Book of Llan Ddv.
In 602 or 603 Augustine of Canterbury sought a conference with the
British bishops. The two parties met at Augustine's Oak, on the
borders of the Hwiccas and West Saxons. Bede says that Augustine
invited ' ' episcopos sive doctores maximse at proximje Britonum pro-
vincise." * The words imply that it was not merely bishops who were
summoned, but the heads of the great schools or abbeys, and this is
precisely what he would have done when he had discovered that the
leaders and those exercising jurisdiction in the British Church were the
abbots who were only occasionally bishops.
The traditional list of those present at this first conference is con-
tained in the lolo MSS. * ; but it is apocryphal. It gives seven
bishops : i, Hereford ; 2, Llandaff ; 3, Llanbadarn ;: 4, Bangor ; 5,
S. Asaph ; 6, Wig ; 7, Morganwg. That a Bishop sat in Hereford sO'
early as 603 is not likely ; and there was no see of Morganwg, or Wig.
Ufelwy is supposed to have been the prelate from Llandaff whoi
attended the conference. That he did so can hardly be doubted, as he
was on the immediate confines, in fact on the debated and debatable
ground in Ewyas and Erging ; and if the conference took place at
Aust, as has been supposed, then he was the nearest great abbot-bishop.
We venture to quote the account of the conference from the pen of
' Book of Llan Ddv, pp. 303, 311. 2 jgig MSS., p. 370 ; Rees, Welsh
Saints, p. 276. ^ Hist. Ecd., ii, c. 2 * Pp. 143, 548.
S . Jjfelwy 309
the Bishop of Bristol (Dr. Browne) in his httle book, Augustine and
his Companions^ His authority is Bede.
' ' Augustine began by brotherly admonition to urge the Britons to
make Catholic peace with him. . . . Ecclesiastical and formal unity
having been secured, by whatever action might be necessary, they were
then to take a joint interest in spreading the Gospel among the heathen
people. And here Bede interposes an explanation of the need for some
action to secure Catholic peace. The Britons, he says, did not keep
the Lord's Day of the Passover at the proper time, but from the four-
teenth to the twentieth of the moon, and very many other things they
did contrary to ecclesiastical unity. . . . The Britons held their own
firmly. The disputation lasted long. The British firmness produced
its natural effect upon men like Augustine. They began by praying
the Britons to take their view ; they went on to exhorting them ; they
ended by scolding them. And not to any of these methods and tempers
did the British give any heed. To the last they preferred their own
traditions to all that they were told of the agreement of all the churches
in the world. This brings us to the last weapon in Augustine's
armoury, scolding having been the last but one. I accept the story as
given by Bede, but withhold an expression of opinion as to Augustine's
part in it. Augustine proposed that some afflicted person should be
brought before them, and each party should try to heal him by the
efficacy of their prayers. The Britons consented, but unwillingly, and
a blind man was brought. The British Priests did what they could,
but they could do nothing. Then Augustine knelt down and prayed,
and immediately the man received his sight. Thereupon the Britons
confessed that Augustine's was the true way of righteousness. But,
they said, they could not commit themselves to a change from their
ancient customs, without the consent and permission of those whom
they represented. They asked that a second conference should be
held, when more of them would come."
Here we have the partisan version of the story by Bede. It is amusing
to compare with this the account given by an Irish early writer of a
simOar conclave held at Old Leighlin, in 630, when an admonitory
letter to the bishops of Ireland, from Honorius I, was read to them. S.
Laserian, Abbot of Leighlin, strongly advocated the introduction of
the Roman computation of Easter, according to the Papal letter. But
S. Fintan Munu of Taghmon vehemently opposed this, and appealed
to the judgment of God. He asked to have a house set in a blaze, and
that one of the Roman party and one of his Celtic adherents should go
> S.P.C.K., 1897, pp. 100-8.
3 I o Lives of the British Saints
into the flames. Those who favoured the Latin Church shrank from
the ordeal. 1
" The story goes, Bede says, that to the second conference there came
no less than seven Bishops of the Britons to meet the one only Bishop
the English Church possessed. There came also many very learned
men, chiefly from their most noble monastery. . . . Bangor Iscoed,
Bangor under the Wood, lo or 12 miles south of Chester. . . . Before
the sacred conference the British leaders consulted a holy and prudent
man, who lived the anchorite life among them, on this question, ' Ought
they, on the teaching of Augustine, to desert their own traditions ? '
I feel sure that we must credit them with putting the question in full
earnest : it seems to me certain that their minds were open to adopt
Augustine's practice, if they saw the way fairly clear. And the anchor-
ite's answer is quite startlingly broad and bold — ' If he is a man of God,
follow him.' ' And how,' they naturally asked, ' are we able to test
that ? ' He replied, ' The Lord hath said. Take My yoke upon you,
and learn of Me, for I am meek and lowly in heart. If then Augustine
is meek and lowly in heart, you may believe that he himself bears
Christ's yoke, and that he offers it to you also to be borne. But if that
he is not meek is proved, it is clear that he is not of God, nor need we
regard his teaching.' ' And by what means,' they asked, ' are we to
discern this ? ' ' Arrange beforehand,' he advised them, ' that he and
his people arrive first at the place of the synod. If he rises to receive
you when you approach, know that he is a servant of Christ, and hear
him with willing attention. But if he spurns you, and does not chose
to rise when you appear, though you are more in number than he, let
him in turn be spurned by you.'
" They acted on his advice. It turned out that, when they came,
Augustine remained seated. They became angry, noting him as
proud, and they set themselves to argue against everything he said.
He said at last to them this : ' There are many points on which you
act contrary to our custom, yea, the custom of the Universal Church.
Yet, if on three points you will assent to my view, we will tolerate with
equanimity all your other practices, though they be contrary to our
own. These three points are — that you celebrate the Passover (Easter)
at its proper time ; that you complete the office of Baptism after the
manner of the Holy Roman and Apostohc Church ; that along with
us you preach the Word of God to the Enghsh race.' . . . They then
gave him their final answer. ' They would do none of these things.
They would not have him as Archbishop ; for,' they argued among
themselves, ' if he does not rise to greet us now, he will treat us as of no
' Acta SS. Hibern. in Cod. S'alanu., col. 502.
S. Umbrafel 311.
account at all when we are under his rule.' On which Augustine iS'
said to have threatened them by a prophecy that the English would,
destroy them. So natural a prophecy was in due course fulfilled."
William of Worcester, on the Saints of Wales, " per informationemi
Mag. Johannis Smyth, Episcopi Landavensis Ecclesia," says, " S.
Uffaldus, C. Anglice Uffile, plures ecclesije in WaUia." That this
Uffaldus or Uffile is Ufelwy cannot be doubted. What the Bishop of.
Llandaff meant by " many churches in Wales " was that he obtained-
many grants of lands, which were recorded in the Book of Charters, not
that many churches in Wales were called after his name. Probably,,
however, he was commemorated at Llandaff, Bolgros, Lan Guorboe,
Llancillo, and other churches he had founded, though the inclusion of
his particular district in the diocese of Hereford had tended to displace-
him, and to substitute other patrons.
At Withiel, in Cornwall, he has been displaced for S. Clement.
S. Ufelwy does not appear in the Welsh Calendars. The Feast Day
at S. Eval is November 20. That at Withiel is November 23, in refer-
ence to S. Clement. The transfer of patronage to S. Clement was prob-
ably made so as to make as little change as possible in the date of the^
Patronal Feast.
S. ULO
There was, clearly, a Welsh or other saint named Lulo, Ulo, Ilo,.
or some such form, who had a chapel at Holyhead and another at
Penmaenmawr, and possibly elsewhere, but which have now dis-
appeared. The Capel Lulo or Ulo in Holyhead parish was near Llech.
Nest, and has been converted into a farm-house. Here was also a.
Ffynnon Ulo, which no longer exists.
Capel Lulo is the proper name of the hamlet now known as Dwygy-
fylchi, in the parish of which name is situated the town of Penmaen-
mawr. The extinct chapel here was situated where the cottages are
on the main road through the Sychnant, on the east side of the Afon.
Gwrach.
S. UMBRAFEL, Abbot, Confessor
Umbrafel, son of Emyr Llydaw, was one of the brothers who fled
from Broweroc to Demetia. He was married to Afrella, daughter of
3 1 2 Lives of the British Saints
Meurig ab Tewdrig, King of Morganwg. He was the father of S.
Maglorius, and is named in the Life of that saint. He is also named
in the Lives of S. Samson, but spoken of as brother of Amwn Ddu.i
When the latter was ill, he was visited by his son Samson, who urged
him to quit the secular for the monastic life. When Amwn received
the tonsure, then Umbrafel and his wife also embraced it.^
Samson took Amwn and Umbrafel with him to Ynys Pyr, and after-
wards, when he had founded a monastery in Ireland, he left his uncle
there in charge of it as abbot. ^ Umbrafel said to him, " You know,
elect of God, that at your suggestion, we have left all carnal affections,
and that as you are altogether spiritual, so ought we to follow you not
carnally but spiritually." Then Samson replied : " You, indeed,
brother Umbrafel, must become an exile and pilgrim," and he sent him
to take charge of his monastery in Ireland. At this time he was not
a priest, but Samson knew that he would soon become one, as indeed
was fitting as abbot. The abbey was, perhaps, that of Ballygriffin, a
few miles north of Dublin, where the church is dedicated to S. Doulough
•or Duilech, who is commemorated on November 17. There was
another church where S. Samson has left some traces in the south of
Wexford, where is a Ballysamson, but the dedication of the church is
now to S. Catherine. At Ballygriffin there are traces of S. Samson's
ruined church, consisting of nave and chancel, and these are on the
left-hand side at the entrance of the avenue of Ballygriffin Park.*
If Umbrafel has left any memorial of himself in the Irish Martyrolo-
gies his name has been so altered as not to be recognized. But as it
does not attach to either of the sites where the name of Samson lingers
on, it is probable that he proved something of a nonentity there.
S. URSULA AND THE ELEVEN THOUSAND VIRGINS,
MM.
On the south wall of the chancel of S. Ursula's Church at Cologne is
1 " Amoni patri sancti Samsonis frater fuit Umbraphel nomine, et Annae matri
■ejus soror fuit Afrella nomine." Vita Ida S. Samsonis, ed. Plaine, i, c. i ; Book of
Llan Ddv, p. 6.
2 " Frater ejusdem Ammonis videns fratremsuum caput tondentem, et omnes
iacultates suas pauperibus erogantem et uxorem suam viduitatis ordinem recipien-
tem ac Deo omnipotenti et sancto Samsoni placentem, in totum se vovit offerre
Deo et omnia sua ei eroganda. Nam et uxor ejus tali sorte, sicut Anna fecerat
antea, Deo deservire devovit, quod postea implevit." Vita 2da S. Samsonis, i,
c. 9 ; Book of Llan Ddv, p. 14.
' Ibid., i, 0. 12. * O'lia.n\on, Lives of the Irish Saints, vii, p. ^^o.
S. Ursula and Eleven Thousand Virgins 313
a flat slab of limestone, measuring 20 inches by 28 inches, that bears
an inscription. There is no division between most of the words,
though here and there are dots. The inscription is as follows : —
Divinis Flammeis visionib(us) frequenter
admonit(us) et virtutis magnae mai
istatis martyrii caelestium virgin(um)
imminentium ex partib(us) Orientis
exsibitus pro voto Clematius v.c. de
proprio in loco sue banc basibcam
voto quod debebat a fundamentis
restituit. Si quis autem super tantam
maiiestatem huiius basilicae vbi sane
tae virgines pro nomine Christi san
guinem suum fuderunt corpus abcuius
deposuerit exceptis virginib(us) sciat se
sempiternis Tartarii ignib(us) puniendum.
The inscription has given occasion to much dispute as to how it is
to be translated, as it is ambiguous in places. The virtutis in the
second line has been supposed to be a sculptor's error for viriutib{us).
Flammeis visionibus probably means menacing visions.
virtus is used as equivalent to Swa/xts, and signifies miraculous power.
imminentium stands for instantium, urgentium.
ex partihus Orientis, if taken with imminentium, signifies that the
virgins appeared in vision, from the East. If taken with exsibitus
. . . Clematius, that Clematius came from the East.
v.c. stands for vir clarissimus, a man of Consular rank.^
de proprio, out of his own means.
in loco suo, on its original site, hardly, as has been usually read, on
lis own estate.
exceptis virginihus does not mean that unmarried girls may be buried
in the church, but that no bodies are to be permitted to be within the
walls save those of the Virgin Martyrs. The inscription may be thus
translated : —
" Frequently admonished by flaming visions, and (conscious) of
the miraculous virtue of the great majesty of the Martyrium of the
•celestial virgins urging him, appearing from the East, according to his
vow, Clematius, a man of illustrious rank, out of his own means, on its
original site, rebuilt from the foundations the basilica, in consequence
of a vow. Should any one, on account of the great majesty of the
basilica, where the holy virgins shed their blood for Christ, lay here the
' The official grades were — i, The lUustres ; 2, The Spectabiles ; 3, The Claris-
simi ; 4, The Perfectissimi ; 5, The Egregii. Hodgkin, Italy and her Invaders,
Oxford, 1880, i, p. 208.
314 Lives of the British Saints
body of any one, the virgins only excepted, let him know that he will
be punished with eternal fire."
The genuineness of this inscription has been disputed.^ It has been
acknowledged as such by De Rossi, Le Blant, de Ritschl, Krauss, and
other high authorities. It cannot be later than 406, when Cologne feU
into thehandsof the Ripuarian Franks. In lettering it resembles inscrip-
tions at Rome and throughout the Latin West before the capture of the
Eternal City by Attila, after which lettering and character of tumulary
and other inscriptions underwent a great change. It is commented on
by a preacher not later than 834, who quotes one half of it, and shows
that it was at that time not thoroughly understood, some supposing
that ex fartihus Orientis meant that the Virgins came from the East,
From this inscription we learn certain things : —
1. That actually at Cologne there had been Virgin Martyrs.
2. That a martyrium had been erected over their bodies.
3. That this martyrium had been ruined, and was rebuilt from the
foundations by Clematius.
And we may infer that the Christians of Colonia Agrippina were in
the habit of burying their dead about this martyrium, and that it was
necessary to make severe threats to prevent them from invading the
sanctuary itself.
What Clematius does not teU us is the names of the Virgin Martyrs,
nor when, nor how they suffered. He implied that they were few,
some three or four. Had they been many he would certainly have used
some expression to signify this.
We hardly venture to offer a suggestion as to the date of the
Martyrdom.
We can account for the destruction of the sacellum, and give its-
date.
In 355 the Franks destroyed Colonia Agrippina. Ammianus Mar-
cellinus, a contemporary, says, " In that district there was no city or
fortress to be seen, except that near Coblentz . . . and likewise a single
tower near Cologne." The barbarians had destroyed as well Stras-
burg. Spires, Worms and Mainz ; "all were in their hands ; they estab-
lished themselves in the suburbs, for the barbarians shunned fixing
themselves in towns, regarding them as graves surrounded by nets." ^
Julian entered the devastated territory, drove out the Franks and
restored the fortifications of Cologne and the other towns to the best of
1 A Riese: Die Inschrift des Clematius, in Bonner Jahrhuoher, 1909. sup-
poses that the second part of the inscription was added after 852 ; and then
the completed inscription re-cut by a lapidary. See Analecta Bolland. T. xxx, p.
362. " Amm. Marcell., xvi, cc. 2, 3.
/DlVINISPLA/MM£lSVlS]ONJlB-FREQVl\ER|i
ADMONfT-ETVlRTVTlSMAGNAEMAl f^I
lESTATISMARTYKlICAELESTlVMVlRClN/
fX5IBITV5PR OVOTOCl EMATIVSVO DE
PROPKIOINLOCOSVOHANCBASILICM
VOTOQVODDEBEBATAFVNDAVlENriS
RESTITVITSIQVISAVTMSVPERTAKT/Vi
MAIIESTATMMVIIVSBASILICAEVBISNCI
TA EVIkCINESPRONOMINE- M- SAN
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SfM&EmHLSTARTARlfCNI BfVN^^I^
S. URSULA : THE INSCRIPTION OF CLEMATIUS, COLOGNE.
-yHE TREASURY OF THE BONES OF S. URSULA AND .HER COMPANIONS
AT COLOGNE.
S. Ursula and Kiev en Thousand Virgins 315
his ability, with the inadequate means at his disposal. But it was not
till 375 that Valentinian I undertook a systematic fortification of the
Rhenish frontier.^
In 406, as Stilicho had withdrawn the legions from the Rhine for
the defence of Italy against the Goths, the Franks poured across the
river, sacked and destroyed all the cities on the left bank, Cologne
among them, and swept over Gaul, carrying destruction everywhere.
Thenceforth Cologne and the whole Rhine frontier ceased to belong to
the Empire.
It is consequently incredible that the rebuilding of the church of
the Virgin Martjn-s at Cologne by Clematius can have taken place after
406. It must have occurred between the dates 356 and 406, perhaps
at the general reconstruction under Valentinian in 375, for the mar-
tyxium had been wrecked by the Franks in 355.
But who was Clematius ? The name is Greek, and was not uncom-
mon. Libanius mentions at least four in his epistles. One had an
agreeable stepmother, the same probably as the Clematius mentioned
by Ammianus as having been killed by his stepmother because he
rejected her advances. He was a noble of Alexandria. ^ Another was
an ardent pagan, much addicted to sacrifices.* A third had attended
his lectures, went to the Euphrates in a campaign against the Persians,
spent the summer of 355 in Antioch,* and then passing through Nicsea
and Nicomedia^ went to the Rhine carrying with him a letter from
Libanius to Barbatio, who had been appointed to the command of the
legions there, after the death of Silvanus, who had been assassinated
in the August of that year.
He arrived during the winter of 355-6, and returned some time before
Barbatio was put to death in 359."
•If we could take the passage in the inscription, " ex partibus Orien-
tis exsibitus," as referring to Clematius, instead of " imminentium
ex partibus Orientis," so referring to the Virgins, it might apply to the
friend of Libanius.
" In loco sue " has been usually taken to signify " in suo fundo," on
his own estate. But this presents a difficulty. As we shall see in the
sequel the Church of S. Ursula is situated in the midst of the pagan
cemetery outside the walls of the Roman city ; and it is hard to under-
stand how that this common cemetery should have been on private
property. We may almost certainly take the words to mean " on the
original site."
1 Amm. Marcell, xxx, c. 7. 2 lUd., xiv, c. i.
= Libanii Sophistcs Epistolcs, ed. Wolf, ep. 1384. * Ibid., epp. 1239, 1215,
5 Ibid., ep. 1239. ^ Ibid., epp. 470, 1215.
3x6 Lives of the British Saints
Considering how general was the use of Clematius as a name, we
cannot feel satisfied that the rebuilder of the church was the man who
•came from the East in 355-6.
S. Severinus was Bishop of Colonia at the time of, or just before, the
■capture of the city in 406. The see remained vacant for almost a
vcentury.
The first letter of Salvian shows us what was the condition of Cologne
shortly after its fall. The Roman population had not been massacred,
as seems to have been the case in 355, nor was it driven away ; its
■condition, however, was one of extreme hardship. The citizens were at
first treated as prisoners of war, and were reduced by the Germans to
slavery. At a later period, some of them obtained their freedom, but
all their possessions had been confiscated. A kinswoman of Salvian,
an aged widow, once wealthy, was constrained to earn her bread as a
day-labourer. Whoever was able fled the city, but there were not a
few who were unable to do so. The destruction of Cologne as a civiias
was complete, but the population remained, reduced in numbers, and
crushed. Christianity lingered on, with ruined churches, and perhaps
without clergy, till little by little the Ripuarian Franks became influ-
enced by the religion of Christ, and finally accepted it.
The next notice we have of the Church of the Virgin Martyrs is in
the Life of Cunibert, Bishop of Cologne, 623-63, but which was not
written till the begfnning of the ninth century. In this it is said,
■" Quadam autem die dum juxta morem in Sanctarum Virginum basilica
annua solemnitate missam celebraret," etc.^
Then ensues a long gap.
The silence is broken by the voice of a preacher, whose " Sermo in
natali " is a valuable record of the condition of flux in which was public
opinion at Cologne at his time relative to the Virgin Martyrs.
De Buck, the Bollandist, as we think justly, from internal evidence
places the publication of this sermon between 731 and 834.^
It was preached by a' priest of Cologne, for he speaks of its citizens as
'" nostrates."
The preacher is remarkably candid ; he frankly admits how little
•was then known of the saints concerning whom he preached. He
asserts that the virgins suffered at Cologne, but were not natives of
Cologne, and that they were very many in number. He speaks of them
as " Virginum agmina," " multitudo," " turmae," " exercitus,"
" chorus " ; and in one passage as " tot millia " (c. 11), and he likens
1 Surius, Vit(S SS., Nov. 11.
. ^ Acta SS. Boll., Oct. T. ix, pp. 78— g ; Klinkenberg, in Bonner Jahrbiicher,
ilxxxix, pp. 113, et seq.
S. Ursula and Eleven Thousand Virgins 317
them to the twelve legions of angels (c. 2). He says expressly that
nothing whatever was known of their previous life. " Neque abs re
esse putandum est quod earum conversatio vel prima vel media nobis,
nota est " (c. 2). And again : " Gradus autem et profectuum ordines,
quibus ad hanc arcem (cceh) de virtute in virtutem, adscendendo
pervenerant, secreto quo voluit (Deus) a nobis nunc usque celavit "
(c. 4) . He asserts that the acts of these martyrs had not been written
at the time of their passion, and that what had been written since was-
pure conjecture. " Plurima per opinionis conjecturam probantur esse
conscripta : quibus tamen nulla unquam autoritas refragata est " (c.
5). He is not, however, disposed wholly to reject what was said as^
being mere fiction.
Then he proceeds to say that floating tradition about them is guess-
work only, and that owing to the incursions of the barbarians all
authentic record is lost. " Factum est ut earundem sanctarum virgin-
um memoria post incursam Sanctorum corporum custodem ecclesiam
paulatim ab ore primum, deinde ab ipso pectore religiosi dudum populi
laberetur " (c. 8). The neglect was so great that Clematius, whose ciate-
the preacher misconceives, rebuilt the fallen basilica (c. 9).
He incidentally argues that the inscription of Clematius has been
wrongly interpreted. It was he who came from the East and not the
Virgins, as was generally supposed ; and he combats the popular read-
ing of the text that Clematius was the owner of an estate at Cologne
(cc. 6, 7, 8).
He goes on to say that probably the opinion of some, that the-
Virgins came from Britain, is correct. " Plures autem. . . . Britan-
niam insulam tradunt hujus . . . multitudinis genetricem et nutri-
cem pariter extitisse " (c. 12).
Then he proceeds to show how that, according to Bede's testimony,,
the British suffered under the persecution of Maximian (and Diocle-
tian), and that probably these Cologne martyrs were refugees from.;
Britain at that time (c. 13).
Among them it was reported that there was a king's daughter, named
Vinnosa, whom the people of Cologne {nosiri) cahed Pinnosa (c. 14)^
But, he adds, very few of the names were preserved. " Quarum
paucissimas nomine . . . ccgnoscimus."
All that the preacher could assert with confidence was what he drew
from the Clematian inscription. Even the assertion that the virgins,
were strangers who came to Cologne he borrowed from the popular
interpretation of the words " Virginum imminentium ex partibus-
Orientis," although he disputed the application. Everything else .
was conjecture. But he suspected that British tradition would be-
3 I 8 Lives of the British Saints
found to agree with the conjecture formed at Cologne. " In qua
sententia concordant proculdubio et hi qui sanctum agmen misisse
dicuntur " (c. 9). And he says that their presence in Batavia, which
lies between Britain and Cologne, was attested by highly characteristic
tokens, " convenientissimis signorum indiciis."
Of about the same period but a little later is the Officium proprmm
of the virgin martyrs. Earlier it cannot be, because it is framed on
the Roman model, and it was through the insistence of Charlemagne
that the Gallican Offices were displaced by the Roman. Moreover,
the preacher above quoted would hardly have ventured to repudiate
openly the statement made in the Office that the virgins came irom
the East, had that been authoritatively employed in his day and in the
church where he preached.
In one antiphon in the Office the number of the virgins is given as
eleven thousand, but this is certainly an alteration or interpolation of
a much later date. The third antiphon for Lauds is : " Quse divino
nutu a partibus Orientis exhibitae pro Christi nomine fudere cruorem,
■quia nunquam in persecutione potuerunt divelli ab ejus confessione."
The fifth antiphon runs : " Clematius igitur vir clarissimus, voto quo
debebat a fundamentis sanctum templum erexit, in quo et virgines
venerantur merita, et populorum laudantium Deum concurrit fre-
■quentia."
This office contradicts the popular supposition that the virgins
•came from Britain, and accepts the rendering of the inscription that
derives them from the East. It is noteworthy that not a single name
is given in it, not even that of Pinnosa. When the Office was drawn
up nothing was known of the virgins other than what could be derived
from the Clematian inscription, and popular guesses were too unsub-
stantiated to be adopted into a grave liturgical office. This was, how-
ever, so little to the taste of Cologne, at a later period, that the Office
underwent revision and interpolation. The third antiphon for Lauds
was altered to — " Quee divino nutu e Britannia Romam protect £e,
pro Christi nomine," etc.
About the year 847 Wandalbert of Prum composed a metrical
Tnartyrology, and on October 21 he has : —
" Tunc numerosa simul Rheni per littora fulgent
Christo Virgineis erecta trophaea maniplis,
Agrippinae urbi quarum furor impius olim
Millia mactavit ductricibus inclyta Sanctis."
Here we have the virgin martyrs raised to a thousand, and they are
represented as leaders.
It is open to question whether this entry is not a later addition to
S. Ursula and Eleven Thousand Virgins 319
the martyrology of Wandalbert. It has been so regarded by Oskar
Schade.i
Usuardus in his Martjn-ology, written in 860, on October 20 has : —
" Civitate Colonia passio sanctarum Virginum Marthje et Saulse,
cum pluribus."
The preacher "in NataH " had said, " potuit quippe fieri, ut in
tanto earum numero, conjugata quselibet esset, aut vidua . . . nam,
quis unquam omnium muherum, non dicimus tantummodo virginum
multitudinem tantam, sine sexus alterius intermixtione crederet con-
venisse ? " (c. 2). Consequently the " cum pluribus " of Usuardus
may apply to the mixed multitude, male and female, wives and widows,
■of whom the virgins were the " ductrices."
Usuardus furnishes us with two names in addition to that given us by
the preacher.
A charter of 867 of Lothair II mentions a cloister " beatarum vir-
ginum " at Cologne, but neither names any one of the virgins nor gives
their number.
It is somewhat remarkable that a ninth century calendar of the
Cathedral Church of Cologne should contain no entry of the virgin
martyrs tUl it was inserted at a much later date by another hand.^
A Litany in the Cathedral Library at Cologne, of the end of the ninth
■century, names Martha, Saula, Sambatia, Saturnina, Gregoria, and
Pinnosa.
A Missal at Essen, drawn up between 873 and 891, on October 21,
lias the entry : " Sancti Hilarionis, et Sanctarum XI virginum, Ursulas,
Sentise, Gregorias, Pinnosse, Marthse, Sauls, Britulas, Saturninse,
Rabacias, Saturise, Palladiae." The same eleven names occur in a
Cologne codex of 950-1000, but in a different order. ^
Here, for the first time, do we meet with the name of Ursula. A
•chronicle of S. Trond, of the beginning of the twelfth century, men-
tions only eleven virgin martyrs of Cologne.
The latest liturgical text giving eleven as the number is a sequence,
■of the end of the fourteenth century, at Miinstereifel.
" Te tinxerunt et sanxerunt Gereonis cum bis nonis
Ursulae martyrium Trecentena contio
Et sanctarum sociarum Et Maurorum trecentorum
Undenarum virginum, Sexaginta passio." *
' Die Ursula Sage, Hannover, 1854, p. 18.
2 Ennen, GescMchte der Stadt Koln, i, p. 448 ; Stein, Die heilige Ursula, in
Ann. hist. Vereins f. d. Niederrhein, 1874.
' Binterim, Kalendarium Ecclesiai Germanicee Coloniensis sceculi noni, Cologne,
1824. Another Essen Calendar gives the full number, 11,000.
* Kehrein, Lat. Sequenzen d. Mittelalters , Mainz, 1873, p. 319.
3 20 Lives of the British Sai?its
We come now to two Cologne legends : " Fuit tempore pervetusto,"
and ' ' Regnante Domino." It has been disputed as to which is the most
ancient. The BoUandist Fathers regard " Fuit tempore pervetusto " as
the earlier/ but Dr. Klinkenberg puts it in the second place, ^ so also
did De Buck, who, however, had not seen the important prologue.
We have no doubt in our minds that the Bollandists are right in their
contention.
In the prologue to the Legend " Fuit tempore pervetusto " the
author dedicates his work to Gero, Archbishop cf Cologne (969-76).
He says that he was one day praying in the church of the virgins
when it came into his head that the presence there of such a crowd of
martyrs was remarkable, and what was quite as remarkable was that
no record old or new existed relative to their lives and passion. " Prae-
cipue igitur in hoc mens dubia hserebat, quia nulla veterum pagina in
hoc mundi climate nee moderni temporis series hactenus id elucubra-
verat." Possessed by this idea, he called at the convent that adjoined
the church, 3 and inquired there. The nuns then informed him that,,
some years ago, a Count Hoolf had been sent to England to negotiate a
marriage between the Emperor Otho I and Emma, daughter of
Edward the Elder. This marriage took place in 929, so that Hoolf
must have been in England in 928 or early in 929. Whilst there he
visited Dorobernis (Canterbury), where he met Archbishop Dunstant
(Dunstan), who, adds the writer, still illuminates the church with his-
virtues.
Here either the nuns who told the story, or the writer, made a mis-
take. Dunstan was archbishop from 961 to 988, and in 928 was only
about four years old. The head of the Metropolitan see at the time
was Wulfhelm. The nuns in the forty years or so that had elapsed since
the visit of Hoolf had forgotten the archbishop's name and substituted
for it the more noted name of the contemporary Dunstan.
Whilst the Count was at Canterbury, in an interview with the
Archbishop, the latter began to boast of the many and great miracles
wrought by the local saints, " sicut est moris omnibus paene episcopis,"
whereupon Hoolf entered on the topic of the Virgins of Cologne, " ven-
tum est . . . ad historiam sanctarum Coloniensium virginum."
Then the Archbishop told him a story about them, which he thirstily
drank in, and on his return to Germany retailed to the nuns. These
did not commit his narrative to writing, but when, mere than
forty years later, they found a man of letters interested in the matter,
1 Analecia Boll., iii, pp. 5-6.
2 Wetzeru. Welte, Kirchen lexikon, 1901, s.v. Ursula; also Klijnkenberg in
Bonner Jahrbiicher, Ixxxix.
^ The earliest notice we have of the existence of this convent is in 922.
S. Ursula and Ekven Thousand Virgins 321
they requested him to write down the story as it had been told to them..
Now as Hoolf heard the legend in 928 or 929, and the story was com-
mitted to writing between 969 and 976, it is evident that as some-
forty- five or forty-eight years had intervened, abundance of time had
been afforded for the nuns to allow their imaginations to embroider
the tale as received from the Count, and work into it some of the
floating local legends.
The story as told by this anonymous author is as follows : —
There lived in very ancient times in Britain a king whose name is>
unknown ; " rex cujus nominis notam mundana occuluit antiquitas "
(c. i), who was instructed in the laws of God and the Cathohc faith-
He was married, and Heaven granted to him a daughter who was
named Ursula, " quia immensis ursi rabiem, videlicet diaboli, erat
debellatura."
As Ursula grew up, the fame of her beauty and virtues reached the
ears of a pagan king, who sent an embassy to demand her hand for his
son, and threatened, in the event of refusal, to invade Britain and tO'
lay it waste with fire and sword.
The father of Ursula was sorely perplexed. He had not the forces
at command to withstand the threatened invasion, and he shrank from
giving his daughter to a pagan.
However, Ursula relieved him in his distress by thus elegantly ad-
dressing him: " Tu, secundum carnis putredinem mens genitor ! "
and bidding him propose to the father of the suitor prince that between
them they should provide ten noble damsels and eleven ships, and a.
thousand virgins of inferior rank to fill the ships, and that they should
sail the seas for three years, after which God would provide.
The proposal was accepted with alacrity, and damsels were swept
together from every quarter. Among them was Pinnosa, daughter of a
certain duke. Here we have an importation of the Cologne legend
intT the story derived from England.
When all was ready, the virgins mounted the eleven vessels, for the
sea was hard by where lived the king, and then was to be seen an admir-
able exhibition of the damsels going through their nautical evolutions
to the gratification c f the king and the pubhc who looked on from the
shore.
Having shown their skill, they sailed the seas in an aimless manner
for three years, and then a wind arose which wafted them into the
haven of Tile, on one of the arms of the Rhine, and after a brief tarry
there, they were carried further up the river to Cologne, where again
they halted, and then proceeded as far as Basle, where they left their
ships and went forward on foot to Rome. Thence they returned in
VOL. IV. Y
3 2 2 Lives of the British Saints
the same manner to Basle, where they found their vessels uninjured.
They went on board and were swept down the stream to Cologne, which
happened at this time to be invested by the Huns, who at once slaugh-
tered the Eleven Thousand. After the investment was at an end the
inhabitants of the city issued from their gates and buried the bodies of
the martyrs. Then the writer gives us the Clematian inscription
entire, set up, as he informs us, " nondum longo post tempore " (c. 17).
AU, however, had not been massacred on the same day, for one
of the damsels, named Cordula, had lain concealed in a boat, but her
conscience smote her, and she issued forth on the morrow, and was
also slain by the Huns. This supplement, the writer says, was due
to a revelation made to Helintrudis, a nun of Heerse, of whose virtues
some were still alive to testify.
The date of the death of Helintrudis is not certainly known, but it
must have taken place a generation before the story was committed
to writing.
The style of the author is laboured and ornate, to such an extent
that his meaning is not always clear. It was due to this that the
Legend was rewritten, and that we possess the version beginning
" Regnant e Domino," which obtained an extensive circulation, so
that the copies in the libraries of Europe are " unzahlig " as Potthast
remarks, and which supplanted and caused to be forgotten the clumsy
composition " Fuit tempore pervetusto."
We should hardly have supposed that the priority of this latter
legend to the other would have been questioned, but as it has been by
Dr. Klinkenberg it is necessary that we should state our reasons for
giving it the first place.
The author distinctly asserts that there was no extant record of the
story of the virgins, whether ancient or modern, when he wrote. This
he could not have stated had the legend " Regnante Domino " been
then in existence.
He gives us his authority — the tale told by the Archbishop of Can-
terbury to the Count Hoolf , which tale Hoolf related to the nuns of the
■ cloister attached to the church of the virgins, and from them he took
it down. The author of the legend " Regnante Domino " gives us no
authority at all ; and he follows the writer of " In tempore pervetusto "
step by step even down to the appendix concerning the revelation of
the nun Helintrudis.
The writer of the legend " In tempore pervetusto " tells us that the
name of the father of Ursula was unknown. The author of " Regnante
Domino " gives the name as Deonotus which he manufactures out of a
passage in the " Sermo in Natali." That preacher had said " Plures
o. Ursula and Kleven Thousand Virgins 323
. . . Britanniam insulam tradunt hujus Deo notce multitudinis gene-
tricem et nutricem pariter exstitisse."
He enlarges on, and explains passages in, the other legend. We have
already quoted that in which the eariier author describes the naming of
Ursula. The author of " Regnante Domino " gives it thus : " Huic
itaque, quia exemplo David immanem ursum, scilicet diabolum, quan-
doque suffocatura erat, Deo disponente, qui quos prsdestinat, vccat,
a parentibus illi in baptismate, prsesagium nomen Ursulse inditum est."
The coarse address of Ursula to her father was softened down by the
writer of " Regnante Domino " into the unobjectionable " Mi pater ! "
He makes his story more graphic and interesting. The evolutions
of the damsels on their ships before the admiring crowd of spectators
is thus given by the two writers.
Fuit tempore pervetusto. Regnante Domino.
9. Proinde paratis navibus cum g. Post heec dato signo, quia mare
armorum supplemento, altum peti- contigi,ium est, raptim. ad naves con-
crat, erat igitur mare contiguum volant, armentaque explicant, altum-
venerabilis Christi athletarum cu- que petentes, mode concursibus, modo
neus, et ut animo libuit lusum diebus discursibus, interdum iugam, interdum
singulis exercebat. bellum simulant, omnique ludorumgen-
Aliquando vero ad meridiem usque, ere exercitate, nihil, quod animee occur-
cum in centro sol positus, majores isset, intentatum reliquunt, sicque
lineas ascenderet asris, interdum ad per dies singulos puellariter palsstriz-
nonam vel vesperum saepe etiam totuni antes, aliquando circa meridiem, ali-
solem ludo consummantes suis satis- quando ad nonam, aliquando die toto
fecerant votis. Cumque rex piisimus in ludis assumpto, ad vesperam reversse
et diviua spiritus alimmate perunctus sunt.
aliique venerabilium personarum to- Ad hujusmodi ergo spectaculum
tius boni quamplures cupidi ad hoc plus rex cum grandasvis patribus,
missi spectaculum, qualiter Deo devo- cunctisque, regniprimatibus frequenter
tae puellae virginitatis cingulum prae- aderat : vulgus etiam promiscuum
optatis lusibus consecrarent, crebro (ut semper novarum rerum cupidum
intuerentur, favoribus quibus poterant est) propositis seriis suis, virgineis
virginitati applaudebant amori. lusibus suis applaudebat.
It seems to us that the author of " Regnante Domino " attempted
to popularize the cumbrously written story told by the other writer.
That he succeeded is certain. He tells the same tale in the same order
of events, and adds nothing save the name of the father of Ursula.
In the legend, as now given, we have a fusion of Cologne tradition,
if we may so designate it, with the English fable. In Cologne there
were current two stories about the virgins. One made them come from
Britain, the other, based on a reading of the Clematian stone, derived
them from the East.
The author of the legend, or the nuns, fused both together. They
made the virgins come to Cologne from Britain, visit it, go further and
324 Lives of the British Saints
return from the East, there to suffer martyrdom. In this legend for
the first time we meet with the Huns as the authors of the massacre,
but Attila is not named. Nor are any other virgins named save Ursula
and Pinnosa, and, in the supplement, Cordula.
Sigebert of Gemblours composed his Chronographia to 1112. To the
date 972 his original MS. was written by his own hand, and in that
occurs not a word relative to the virgin martyrs at Cologne, but at the
date 453 are indications of a strip of parchment having been added
later. The holes for the threads are apparent, but the strip has been
lost. Its contents, however, appear in copies of the Chronicle made at
a later date. The passage thus added ran as follows : — " Omnibus
bellis famosius fuit bellum quod candidus sanctarum undecim millium
virginum exercitus bellavit duce sancta virgo Ursula. Quse filia
unica Nothi, nobilissimi et ditissimi Britannorum principis, cum non-
dum nubilis a filio cujusdam ferissimi tyranni ad nuptias expeteretur,
et patrem suum super hoc anxiari videret, qui deum metuebat si fiham
deo jam devotam nubere cogeret, et tyrannum timebat, si filiam ei
denegaret : divinitus inspirata nutandi patri suasit ut tyranno assenti-
retur, ea tamen illi proposita conditione, ut ipse et tyrannus decern
virgines genere, forma et aetate electas sibi traderent et tarn sibi
quam singulis illarum mille virgines subscriberent et comparatis ad
numerum ipsarum undecem trieribus inducias triennii sibi darent ad
exercitium virginitatis suae ; novo usa consilio ut aut dif&cultate pro-
positse conditionis animum ejus a se averseret, aut hac opportunitate
omnes coaevas suas secum deo dicaret. Et ex hoc condicto virginibus
trieribus et sumptibus comparatis per triennium, belli preludia cunctis
mirantibus, tandem sub uno die agente vento ad portum Gallias qui
Tiela dicitur, et inde Coloniam appulsae sunt. Ibique ex angeli monitu
Romam tendentes ad urbem Basileam navibus, a Basilea Romam
usque pedibus profectae, eodem eundi tenore Coloniam sunt reversas ab
Hunnis undique obsessam. A quibus cunctae martyrizatae ' novo et
mirabili modo triumpharunt et Coloniam sanguine et sepultura sua
clariorem reddiderunt."
Here, obviously, we have a condensation of the legend " Regnante
Deo." When Sigebert wrote his chronicle he knew nothing of the
virgins, but at a later period he or some amplifier, who had read the
legend, patched on this passage to the text.
We find another version of the story in Norway.
The monk Oddr wrote the Saga of King Olaf Tryggvasonar in the
twelfth century, and the same story is found in the larger Olaf's Saga,i
' Fornmanna Sogur, Hafnias (1825), i, pp. 224-32 ; x, p, 282.
S. Ursula and Eieve?! Thousand Virgins 325
also in the lections for the feast of Sunnif a, of which fragments have
been published by Langebeck.^
It is to this effect.
In the days of Earl Hakon (970-95) there lived in Ireland a king who
had a beautiful daughter called Sunnifa. A Northern Viking, hearing
of her charms, became enamoured, and harried the coasts of Ireland,
setting all in flames, because the king hesitated to accept his suit for
his daughter. The damsel, to save her native land from destruction,
expressed her readiness to quit Ireland. Her brother Alban and a
great host of virgins joined her, and all sailed away East, trusting in
God. They came ashore on the island of Selja, off the Norwegian
coast, and finding it uninhabited, they settled in the caves, and lived
upon fishes. But the islet served as a pasture for cattle in the summer,
and when the farmers on the mainland saw people on the island, they
supposed that they were pirates, and appealed to Earl Hakon to protect
their pasture. The Earl at once assembled armed men and rowed to
the island, but the Christian virgins fled into the caves for protection.
Then the rock closed upon them, and they came forth no more alive.
In the reign of Olaf Tryggvasonar, a farmer found a skull on the
island of Selja, which emitted a phosphorescent light and an odour,
which he was pleased to consider agreeable. He took it to the king,
who submitted it to Bishop Sigurd. Both recognized the evidences of
sanctity, and the king and the bishop went to the island, where they
discovered the cave filled with the bones of the saintly refugees. How
they found that they were Irish, and that their leaders were named
Sunnifa and Alban, we are not informed. Two churches were at once
erected on Selja, and dedicated to S. Sunnifa and S. Alban ; miracles
innumerable confirmed the conviction that the bones pertained to
saints,
Heligoland was also supposed to have witnessed the Martyrdom of
the Eleven Thousand. But we have no early account of the legend as
attaching to this isle. We know that in 1240 it was called " insula
S, Ursulse, vulgo Helgerlandt." ^
We come now to the version of the story as given by Geoffrey of
Monmouth in his fabulous Historia Regum BritannicB, that was pub-
lished in 1147-
Geoffrey's stoiy is as follows : —
" Dianotus, King of Cornwall, had succeeded his brother Caradoc in
1 Langebeck, Scriptores rerum Danicarum, vi, pp. 3-4, 14-22.
2 Lappenberg, Ueber den ehemaligen Umfang . . . Helgolands, Hamburg,
Z830, pp. 13, et seq. Acta SS. Boll., Oct. ix, pp. 291, et seq. Oskar Schade,
Die Ursulg, Sage, pp- 11 4-9-
326 Lives of the British Saints
the Kingdom. He was a very noble and powerful prince, and to hira
Maximian had committed the government whilst he was employed
abroad in his affairs. He had also a daughter of wonderful beauty,
named Ursula, with whom Conan (Prince of the Armorican Britons)
was most passionately in love."
Dianotus, having received a message from Conan that he and his
young men were in want of wives, and desired a consignment from Bri-
tain, " was very willing to execute his orders, and summoned together
the daughters of the nobles from all provinces to the number of eleven
thousand ; but of the meaner sort sixty thousand ; and commanded them
all to appear together in the city of London. He likewise ordered ships
to be brought from all shores, to transport them to their future husbands.
And though in so great a multitude many were pleased with this order,
yet it was displeasing to the greater part, who had a great affection for
their relatives and native country. Nor, perhaps, were there wanting
some who, preferring virginity to the marriage state, would have rather
lost their lives in any country than enjoy the greatest plenty in wedlock.
In short, most of them had views and wishes differing from one another,
had they been left to their own liberty. But now the ships being ready,,
they embarked, and sailing down the Thames, made towards the sea. At
last as they were steering towards the Armorican coast, contrary winds
arose and dispersed the whole fleet. In this storm the greater part of
the ships foundered, but the women that escaped the danger of the
sea were driven upon strange islands, and by a barbarous people either
murdered or enslaved. For they happened to fall into the hands of
the cruel army of Guanius and Melga, who by command of Gratian
were making terrible destruction in Germany, and the nations of the
sea-coast. Guanius was King of the Huns, and Melga of the Picts,
whom Gratian had engaged in his party, and had sent them into Ger-,
many to harass those of Maximian's party along the sea-coasts. While
they were exercising their barbarous rage, they happened to light upon
these virgins, who had been driven on those parts, and were so inflamed
with their beauty that they courted them to their brutish embraces ;
to which, when the women would not submit, the Ambronsfell upon
them, and without remorse murdered the greatest portion of them,"^
Geoffrey has put Maximian in place of Maximus. Conan Meriadoc,
according to him, had led over the flower of the British youth to assist
Maximus, who had assumed the purple. Maximus perished in 388,
1 Hist. Reg. Brit,, v, cc. 15, 16. In the Welsh text, Red Book Bvuls, ed-
Rhys and Evans, pp. 118— 9, Dianotus or Dionotus (for Dinotus) is called Dunawtr
later Dunod. Nothus is a decapitated form of Dinotus. Guanius and Melga are:
in the Welsh Gwinwas and Melwas. Cf. the Triads in Myv. Arch., p. 412.
S. Ursula and Eleven Thousand Virgins 327
and then, according to Geoffrey, Conan and his British soldiers-
retreated into Armorica, which they colonized, and thenceforth it was-
called Lesser Britain. This portion of the story is unhistorical, and it
is very doubtful whether Conan ever reached Armorica.
Geoffrey must have seen either the Legend " Regnante Domino"
or some Breviary lections for the Feast of the Eleven Thousand Virgins -
taken from it, for he adopts the name Dianotus from it for the father of
Ursula. But he alters the tenor of the tale. He saw how purposeless
was the collecting of the Eleven Thousand damsels, and their drifting
about on the ocean for three years, and as he had planted Conan in
Armorica, he made him send for the virgins, and so gave an object to-
their voyage. Why he made the massacre to take place on certain
islands and not at Cologne we are unable to say.
When Baronius revised the Roman Breviary, he took as lessons for
the feast of S. Ursula the tale from Geoffrey as the least absurd of the
two principal versions of the story. But of recent years the Holy See
has approved and authorized the version from " Regnante Domino " to-
be read in the divine of&ces in the Roman dioceses in England. Accord-
ing to this, " When Attila and his Huns were retreating after their
defeat in Gaul, before crossing the Rhine, they captured Cologne, then a
flourishing Christian city, and the first victims of their fury were Ursula,
and her British followers. They offered a determined resistance
to the attempts of the Barbarians, and were all put to a cruel death,
some by the sword, others being shot with arrows or crushed with
beams of wood, Ursula all the while encouraging them and leading'
them to victory. When the Huns had retired, the people of Cologne
collected their sacred remains, and buried them with honour in the
place where they fell. About two centuries later a church was erected,
over them, to which, in course of time, a monastery was attached."
Thus, the date now approved by the Holy See is no longer 388, but
451. There is probably not a word of truth in the lesson we have just
quoted, and this shall be shown in the sequel. We need not at present
follow the further development of the story. We are now in a position
to summarize the various schemes relative to the martyrdom of the
virgins at Cologne.
Before 355. Possibly in the persecution of Diocletian and Maxi-
mian, i.e. in 300-4, certain virgins, few apparently in number,,
suffered martyrdom at Cologne. Their names are not recorded
(Inscription of Clematius).
Before 834. No certainty relative to the martyrs, various opinions-
entertained, one of which was that they came from Britain flying
the persecution of Diocletian and Maximian, 300-4, and with_
328 Lives of the British Saints
them was a British king's daughter named Vinnosa or Pinnosa
(preacher In Natali).
Circa 840-5. Nothing known of the virgin martyrs save what was
recorded on the Clematian stone. They came from the East.
No names {Offlcium Proprium).
847. Numerous martjrrs led by the virgins at Cologne, no names
given nor time indicated when the martyrdom took place
{Wandalberi of Priim).
860. Martha and Saula and other martyrs (Usuardus).
Close of ninth century. From six to eleven virgins named. The
name of Ursula first occurs {Calendars and Litanies).
Circa 970. The Virgin Ursula, daughter of a British king unnamed,
is carried by a storm up the Rhine with eleven thousand vir-
gins in her train to Cologne, thence they go to Rome, and on
their return are massacred by the Huns. This would be in 451.
This story came from England in 929, but was added to and
embellished at Cologne (Legend In tempore pervetusto) .
■Circa 980. The same tale in all particulars, but the name of Ursula's
father given (Legend Regnante Domino).
Twelfth century. Norse version. The virgin's name Sunnifa, that
of her brother Alban ; date end of tenth century {Olaf's Saga).
1147. Ursula, a British princess, leads a host of virgins to be married
to Conan and his followers in Armorica. Her father's name
Dinotus. Slain by Picts and Huns on some strange islands.
Date, 488 [Geoffrey of Monmouth).
.1164. The eleven thousand virgins slain at Cologne by Attila and
his Huns. The name of Attila first introduced. Accepted by
the Holy See as authoritative, with date 451 [Visions of Eliza-
Accordingly, the various dates proposed for the Martyrdom are : —
The persecution of Diocletian ..... 300-4
The period of the defeat and death of Maximus . . 388
The retreat of the Huns after the Battle of Chalons . . 451
As the Holy See has emphatically approved of the date 451, and the
Tetreat of the routed army of Attila as the occasion of the Martyrdom,
it will be as well at once to consider the tenability of this date.
De Buck, in the Acta Sanctorum, laboured diligently to prove that
Ursula and her Companions were slain by Attila and his Huns when in
full retreat after the rout on the Catalaunian fields in 451, and that the
•damsels martjnred were Britons flying from the swords of the Anglo-
Saxons This was not making bricks without straw, but making them
' Concerning her in the sequel.
•o . Ursula and Eleven Thousand Virgins 329
of straw only. He left out all consideration of the Clematian inscrip-
tion, which is the kernel about which such a vast mass of fable has
accumulated. The Jutes did not arrive till 449, and they aided the
Britons till 455, when the first quarrel ensued, but it was not till 463-
73 that they got possession of all Kent. There would have been more
probability if it had been asserted that the damsels were flying from
the Picts and Scots, but then the date 451 will not serve, as that was
precisely the period when the Britons, aided by the Saxons and Jutes,
were successful and repelled the northern invaders. In the next place
Attila and his Huns never reached Cologne either when invading Gaul
or when in retreat.
For this invasion, our authorities are Jornandes' Be Rebus Geticis,
ApoUinaris Sidonius, a contemporary, in his panegyric on Avitus, Gre-
gory of Tours, who wrote his History of the Franks in 590, and the
Lives of S. Genov«va, by a contemporary, of S. Lupus of Troyes, and
S. Aignan of Orleans. In not one of these is there any mention of
the Huns reaching Cologne.
In fact, the sole authority for their having been there is the fable of
S. Ursula, composed between 969 and 976, and in that Attila is not so
much as named.
Nor was it possible that Attila could invest Cologne on his way
home ; that he did not on his way out we know for certain.
Early in the year 451 Attila and his host quitted their seats in what
is now Hungary and poured West, following the River Danube.
When the hordes reached the Black Forest they divided ; the left
wing crossed the Rhine below the Lake of Constance where the passage
•offered little difficulty, and, marching through the comparatively level
Aarau by the Roman road, burnt and destroyed Augusta, 10 that it
never again arose from its ashes ; then they turned in a northerly direc-
tion, and doubtless Argentaria, now Colmar, fell. We can hardly
•doubt that Strasburg was ravaged, but we have to receive with the
utmost caution the statement of late mediaeval writers who have piled
Tip lists of cities destroyed by the Huns, without having any documen-
tary evidence for their assertion. Through the pass where now runs
the railway the host crossed the Jura and arrived before the walls of
Metz on Easter Eve (April 8).
Meanwhile, the right wing had passed north of the Black Forest
through the country of the Thuringians (in Bavaria) and the Franks
of the Neckar (Wiirtemberg) . ^
1 " Turingus,
Bructerus, alvosa quem vel Nicer abluit unda
Prorumpit Francus." Sidon. Apoll., Paneg. Avit. v, 323-5.
3 3 o Lives of the British Saints
These two German peoples were terrorized, or induced by hopes of
plunder, to throw in their lot with the Huns. This wing crossed the'
Rhine on timber hewn down in the Hercynian Forest. ^
The point of passage was where there were islets breaking the stream
above Mainz.
Whether the Huns and their allies took the city and destroyed it is
uncertain. The usual authority for it is the Acts of S. Auraeus, which
are late, and leave it quite uncertain when he died, whether when the
town was taken by Huns or by Visigoths ; and indeed the Acts are of
no historical value. The Huns are also credited with the destruction
of Worms and Spires, but evidence that they did so is wanting. In
like manner they are held to have captured Treves. They may have
done so, but there is no certainty.
The vast horde poured over Belgic Gaul, ravaging wherever they went.
And now the Thuringians seem to have turned north, separating them-
selves from the Huns, to wreck and ruin their own kinsmen the Salic
Franks, against whom they may have inherited some ancient grudge.
They treated their women, wives and daughters, their old men and
children with such barbarity that the recital of it some eighty years^
later roused to fury the grandson of Clovis.^
The common danger drew together into alliance with the Romans,
the Armoricans, the Ripuarian Franks, the Salic Franks, the Burgun-
dians, some Saxons probably settled in what is now Normandy, and
above all the Visigoths settled in Septimania.
Aetius was the general in command of the Western armies of the
Empire. He was at Aries, ill-supported by Valentinian HI, and not in
a position to take the field at once and check the advance of the
invaders.
Metz had fallen and had been given over to indiscriminate slaughter.
The devastating flood rolled on. Rheims was captured ; Paris trem-
bled in anticipation of the arrival of the Huns ; but Attila drew away
his dispersed forces with resolve to march against the Visigoths, and
first of all to capture Orleans.
Meanwhile, there was no organized defence. No general took the
lead and drew the confederates about him. Attila knew that Aetius
was preparing to attack him, and he was desirous of taking Orleans
before the Romans and the Visigoths had united. Aignan, the bishop,
knowing what was in his mind, hasted to Aries to urge Aetius to come
^ " Cecidit cito secta bipenni
Hercynia inlintres, et Rhenum texuit alvo." Sidon ApolL, Paneg. Avit. v, 325-6.
2 " Recolite Thuringos quondam super parentes nostros violenter advenisse."
Greg. Turon., Hist. Franc, iii, 7.
Aj. Ursula and Eleven Thousand Virgins 331
to the aid of the city. This was promised, but Orleans was invested
and on the point of falhng, after a protracted siege, when the Roman
legions and the Visigoths with other allies arrived on the scene. By this
time the Huns had been so weakened by disease and by desertions,
that they could not resist, and Attila withdrew on June 24, along the
road to Chalons, and encamped on the Catalaunian Plains a few days
later. Here the battle was fought that decided the fate of Gaul. He
was utterly defeated, and had to retire to his bridges over the Rhine,
and to make his escape to the Danube and the Pannonian marshes and
plains where he had rooted himself and his Huns. As he retreated he
left his track strewn with dead and wounded ; and with but a remnant
of his host recrossed the Rhine. ^
Aetius with his Romans and allied Franks hovered behind the retir-
ing Huns. The Visigoths had withdrawn after the battle of Chalons.
Only a remnant of the vast host which had crossed the Rhine retreated
over it again. The Salic Franks pursued, and fell on the Thuringians
to revenge the atrocities committed by them in their lands in the
spring.^
It was on this retreat of Attila that, according to the Roman Breviary,
he turned out of his way to run his head into the lion's mouth, to invade
the territories of the Ripuarian Franks, and to besiege Cologne.
Let any one look at the map. He was flying with a disorganized and
reduced force to the Danube. His allies, the Thuringians, on his left
flank, were being chastised by the Salic Franks, so that all the Rhine
below Mainz was inaccessible to him. The siege of Orleans had been
abandoned at the end of June, and yet, he is supposed to have been
besieging Cologne and to have slaughtered the virgins on October 21.
This is clearly impossible.
But this is not all that can be advanced against the theory. Attila,
flying to return whence he had set out, could not have taken the road
by Cologne and the Rhine, unless fairly besotted, and unless he deliber-
ately sought annihilation. From Bonn to Bingen, a distance of over
a hundred miles, he would have to lead his defeated and discouraged
host through a series of ravines. At every point along the road he
would be subject to having rocks and logs rolled down on his long file,
and of having his men picked off by bowmen concealed among the
crags and brushwood of the mountain side, without a possibility of
retaliating, and conducting his retreat over a road that could be blocked
1 " Attila cum paucis reversus est." Greg. Turon., Hist. Franc, ii, 7. " Hunni.
pene ad internecionem prostrati sunt, cum rege suo Attila, relictis Gallis, f ugiunt.
Isidor. Hispal., Hist. Goth., ap. Bouquet, i, p. 619.
» Greg. Turon., ibid., iii, 7.
3 3 2 Lives of the British Saints
at every turn and held by a handful of resolute men. Beneath Rhein-
stein the way was so narrow that it could be closed by a gate, rock on
one side, river on the other. At Coblenz, in 1252, a parcel of citizens
thus arrested a whole army of Crusaders headed by the Papal Emperor
William of Holland, flung some into the river, wounded and killed
■others, and would not let them pass till they paid toll. In a word, the
story of a retreat of Attila by Cologne and up the Rhine is an impossible
fiction, on the face of it.
De Buck, the BoUandist, was not able to produce a particle of evi-
dence to show that Attila reached Cologne. He filled pages with an
account of the barbarity of the Huns. That is allowed ; but the ques-
tion is, did they exercise their barbarity at Cologne ? The sole passage
he was able to call to his aid was from Fredegar : " Agecius vero cum
suis, etiam Francos secum habens, post tergum direxit Chunorum,
quousque Thuringia a longe prosecutus est ; " and he assumes that
this Thuringia is Tournay. But the writer who passes for Fredegar is
an epitomist of Gregory of Tours, and, as we have seen, Gregory men-
tions the pursuit of the Huns by Aetius and the Franks to Thuringia
where the Salic Franks had to repay a wTong committed by the Thurin-
gians a few months previous. Moreover, Tournay is not Cologne, nor
near it.
The BoUandist Fathers have abandoned both of the positions so
fought for by De Buck, that the virgin martyrs were British, and that
the Huns invested Cologne in 451.^
Stein, in his more critical investigation of the legend, accepts the
martyrdom of the virgins in 300-4, as commemorated by Clematius,
but he also contends, unavailingly, for a second martyrdom by the Huns
in 451.2
Dr. Klinkenberg, more justly, throws over this latter martyrdom as
unhistorical. " Unzweifelhaft haben die Hunnen 451 Koln nicht auf
ihrem Marsche nach Gallien, und noch viel weniger nach ihrer Nieder-
lage passirt." ^
We come now to the very difficult problem of the origin of the Ursula
Saga, and we can hope to do no more than offer suggestions to explain
its growth.
One fact remains as the nucleus around which the fable has grown
to such vast proportions.
That fact is that there actually were virgin martyrs who shed their
Hood for Christ at Cologne some time before 355, possibly in the perse-
1 Analecta Boll., xvi {1897), pp. 98, 167, et seq.
' Stein (A. G.), Die heilige Ursulau. i. Gesselschaft, Koln, 1879.
^ Wetzer u. Welte, Kirchen lexikon, xii (1901), p. 489.
o. Ursula and Kleven Thousand Virgins 3 3 3.
cution of 300-4. Of that fact there can be no doubt. The Clematian
inscription makes it certain that there was a martyrium over their bodies
which had been wrecked in 355 and which he rebuilt 355-75.
One point comes out, in the " Sermo in Natah," and in the two later
legends, that deserves consideration. In all reference is made to
Batavia as a district visited by the virgins, and according to the " Ser-
mo " tokens of their presence were still present when this sermon was
preached. Moreover, in all these stories the martyr virgins are repre-
sented as of British origin.
Now, we know as a fact that there had been a British settlement at
the mouths of the Rhine ; when formed we do not know.
" Brittenburg at the mouth of the Rhine, once a Roman station, has-
been assigned to Briton emigrants at the time of Maximus, a.d. 387,
by Courson [Hist, des Peuples Bretons, i, 151), and so also Camden
(Gibson's ed., p. 54). And see the Dutch Chroniclers as quoted by
Ussher [Rer. Brit. Antiq., xii ; Works, v, 480 seq.). There was also,
it appears, a place called ' Bretangen,' on the coast of Holland, near
the mouths of the Rhine. And Pliny [Hist. Nat., iv, 31) and apparently
Dionysius Periegetes [vv. 284-5) locate a tribe of ' Britanni ' from the
first century on the shores of Flanders and Picardy, which would fall,
in with Bede's statement [H. E., i, i) that the island Britain was colon-
ized by Britons from Armorica, i.e. originally the whole northern as well;
as western shore of Gaul. And this is corroborated again, although in a
confused and blundering narrative, by Procopius {De Bella Gothico,
iv, 20), who places ' Britones ' in conjunction with Frisians and Angles,
either at or near the mouths of the Rhine, or in a ' Brittia,' of which he
conceives as distinct from the island of Brittania, and as somewhere off
the mouths of the Rhine." ^
How long this British colony lasted we do not know ; but we may
conjecture that it was exterminated or driven away when the Frisians,
pressed forward by the Franks, occupied all the delta of the Rhine ;.
and it is conceivable that some refugees from it may have fled to Colonia.
as the strongest walled Roman city within reach, and that they may
have been involved in the slaughter of the inhabitants that took place
when the Franks destroyed Colonia in 355. Popular tradition loses
all chronological perspective, and in after times a confused remembrance
of this migration and the immediately succeeding massacre, which, as
the preacher intimates, included men, wives and widows as well as
virgins, and may have associated itself with the martyrdom of the
Virgins something over fifty years before.
We have no evidence, but this is a supposition that is plausible, and.
1 Haddan and Stubbs, Councils, etc., ii, pt. i, p. loi.
3 34 Lives of the British Saints
will explain a good deal that is otherwise dark in the story. The
" Sermo in Natali " gives us a picture of the confusion of men's minds
in Cologne relative to the virgin martyrs at the beginning of the ninth
century.
a. Some said that the virgin martyrs perished in the persecu-
tion of Diocletian and Maximian, 300-4.
/3. Some said that they came from the East, so reading the Clema-
tian inscription.
■y. Others affirmed that they came from Britain via Batavia, where
traces of their settlement still remained.
?>. All agreed that there had been a massacre of great numbers, and
probably men, wives, widows and virgins had been slaughtered indis-
criminately.
If our suggestion be accepted, then these opinions are reconciled,
excepting /3. The virgins had suffered in the Diocletian persecution ;
there had been a migration of Britons to Cologne just before the taking
and destruction of the city by the Franks, and there had been a general
slaughter in which the British immigrants had fallen with the rest, at
the hands of the Franks. The mistake made was the lumping of all
this butchery together.
The compiler of the " Officium Proprium " was, however, judicious
enough to discriminate, and he rejected the later " martyrdom " as
not pertaining to that of the virgins commemorated by Clematius.
Popular imagination, as time went on, still worked on the theme, and
the idea of the virgins as martyrs overlaid the tradition of the massacre
of the inhabitants and refugees, and converted the whole number of
sufferers into virgins, and the recollection of the fleet of refugee
Britons sank the remembrance of the murder of the citizens.
So the story took shape that thousands of British virgins had arrived
at Cologne from Batavia and had there suffered martyrdom. It must
not be left out of mind that on the testimony of the preacher, and also
of the author of the legend " In tempore pervetusto," there was no docu-
mentary evidence whatever relative to the martyrdom ; all was floating,
tradition gradually consolidating, eliminating some elements, absorb-
ing others.
It was not pleasing to the German Christians of Cologne to remember
that the slaughter had been due to their own Frank ancestors. Indeed,
they may have supposed that these had been incapable of committing
such atrocities, and as the Huns were the bugbears of the later times,
the guilt of the butchery was transferred to them.
There was another element which went to swell the fable and to
popularize it. Of the Suevi, Tacitus informs us (ix), " Pars Suev-
^. Ursula and Eleven Thousand Virgins 335
orum et Isidi sacrificat. Unde causa et origo peregrine sacro, parum
comperi, nisi quod signum ipsum in modum liburnse figuratum, docet
advectam religionem." Tacitus gives the names of equivalent deities,
known to him, in place of the German names. So he converts Wuotan
and Thunnar into Hercules and Mercury. He was wrong in supposing
that the worship of the goddess whom he calls Isis was a foreign cult
introduced among the Suevi. This cult was in all probability not con-
fined to the Suevi ; he had, however, only heard of it as in vogue among
them. In the Chronicle of S. Trond, by Rudolf, who died in 1138, is a
curious and lengthy account of the making of a ship in the wood of
Inda, among the Ripuarian Franks, which was placed on wheels and
■drawn by men to Aachen, then to Maestricht, thence to Tongern and
Louvain, and so throughout the land, and was everywhere welcomed
with dances and song. The clergy were highly incensed, regarding
this as a relic of paganism, calling the ship " Malignorum spirituum
simulacrum," " Diaboli ludibrium," and as a ship of Neptune or Mars,
■or Bacchus or Venus. ^
In 1843 the writer of this article saw such a ship manned, and with
flags flying, drawn by horses through the streets of Cologne.
There can be little doubt that these were relics of the ancient ' ' navi-
gium Isidis " as practised by the Germans, and that to it was attached
some legend relative to a marvellous voyage made by her, but what was
her Teutonic name, and what the story told of the voyage are now lost.
It is, however, almost certain that S. Ursula stepped into her place,
and it is possible that in her legend some features of the old lost myth
■are retained.
De Buck in dealing with the story and cult of S. Ursula devotes a
whole chapter to the " Navicula S. Ursulse." This.ship was a religious
congregation. " Navis inter oceani fluctus emicat, cujus malus est
Christi simulacrum e cruce pendentis ; media in navi residet Deipara,
utrimque stipata choro undecim millium virginum ; proram, pup-
pimque sancti tenent apostoli. Titulus imagini praefigitur : Sodali-
tas sanctse Ursulse Brunensis." ^
It is possible that we may have another trace of the lost myth of this
heathen German goddess preserved to us in the Nibelungen Lied. In
-this, Brunhild, a princess of Iceland, who, like Ursula, is repugnant to
the idea of marriage, ships with a retinue of damsels to the Rhine to be
married to the Burgundian King Gunther. We will quote the lines
in Modern German.
1 Grimm, Deutsche Mythologie, 1854, i, pp. 237-40,
2 Crombach, Ursula Vindicata, 1647, pp. 847, et seq., Acta SS. Boll., Oct. ix,
p. 294.
3 3^ Lives of the British Saints
" Sechs und achtzig Frauen nahm mit sicli das schone Weib ;
Dazu wohl hundert Magde, viel schon von Art und Leib ;
Sie saumten sich nicht langer ; sie wolten ziehn von dannen,
Die sie zu Hause liessen, wie zu weinen sie begannen.
" In tugendlichen Ziichen die Frau raumte ihr Land ;
Sie kiisst ihre nachsten Freunde, die da waren zu Hand.
Mit gutem Urlaube sie kamen auf das IVIeer,
Zu ihrem Vaterlande kam die Fraue nimmermehr.
" Auf ilirer Fahrt man horte gar mannigfaltes spiel ;
AUer Kurzweile hatten sie da gar viel.
Da kam ihnen zur Reise ein rechter Wasserwind ;
Sie tuhren von dem Lande ; das beweinte mancher Mutter-kind,"
(Aventure viii.) '^
The end was tragic : the marriage led eventually to a massacre of
Teutonic warriors by the Huns.
But the Nibelungen Noth is a mediaeval redaction in the twelfth
century of various ballads that dated back to a pagan period, and which
were common to the Teutons and to the Scandinavians, and were prob-
ably a") familiar to the Saxons and Angles as they were to the Ripuarian
Franks. The composer of the Nibelungen Noth took vast liberties with
the original poems, as we can see by comparing it with the lays in the
Elder Edda, and the Volsunga Saga, that are steeped in rankest Pagan-
ism.
In these latter we have the form of the story as it prevailed among
the Scandinavians. There Brynhildr, who becomes Brunhild in the'
German story, is daughter of BuSli, a king of Valland (Neustria), a
Norse viking who had established himself in what is now Normandy,
and she is the sister of Atli, whom the author of the Nibelungen Noth
has daringly identified with Attila. Moreover, SigurSr, who wins
Brynhild to become the wife of Gunnar (Gunther), a Gothic king ruling
south of the Rhine, is himself a king over Hunland, though of pure Norse
parentage.
Brynhild is most unwilling to become the wife of Gunnar, but she-
goes along with her maidens to the Rhine, and there she slays seven of
her thralls, and five of her damsels, and finally herself, and aU are con-
sumed on her funeral pyre.
The author of the Nibelungen Noth localized his story ; he made
Gunther a Burgundian king, reigning at Woirms ; Sigfried he converts,
from a king of the Huns to be son of the King of the Netherlands, and
Brunhild he brings from Iceland. Atli, whom he transforms into Attila,
he places on the Danube in Hungary.
He gave to the whole a Christian and a chivalrous character, effaced
1 Der Nibelungen Noth, ed. Pfiger, Stuttgart, 1843, p. 104.
^. Ursula and Eleven Thousand Virgins 337
the traces of Paganism, softened down the ferocious barbarism of the
origmal story, and furnished it with a pseudo-historic basis, by the
mtroduction into it of historic characters, Attila, and Theodoric, King
of the Ostrogoths, regardless of chronology.
In the original tale, as we have it in the Edda and the Volstmga Saga,
Brynhild comes to the Rhine to marry Gunnar, King of the Goths, whO'
are located to the south of it. She induces her husband and brothers-
in-law to murder Sigurd, who is married to Gudrun (Kriemhild in the'
Nibehmgen Lied), a.nd then destroys herself and her retinue, as already
described. Then her brother Atli marries Gudrun, and carries her off
to his realm Valland, in France. Atli then invites the brothers of
Gudrun to a feast in his kingdom, and has them all massacred there.-
Whereupon Gudrun, in revenge, murders her own sons by Atli and
kills Atli with her own hand.
No one who has read the Nibelungen Noth can fail to see what liberties
the author took with the tale. But it is possible enough that already,
in the mouths of the people, the old cycle of Brynhild had undergone
modification, had been softened. Christianized, and that the localiza-
tions of the three famihes, the Volsungs, the Gjukings, and the Bud-
lings, had been changed.
And the same process may have gone on with the story in England.
Brjmhild throughout attracts the sympathy of the reader or hearer of
the Saga ; she is the ill-used person, and on her ill-usage the story turns,
and this leads to the final catastrophe.
It is possible that Wulfhelm, the Saxon Archbishop, may have re-
tained in his mind some threads of the old Saga, and that in its passage
through his brain, it may have become even more altered than it has
in the Nibelungen Noth : that the damsel Brynhild, so unwilling to be
married, may have been unwittingly converted by him into a Christian
virgin, who had vowed perpetual chastity ; he may have recalled that
she sailed with her damsels to the Rhine, that there she and they were
involved in an untimely death ; that Atli and the Huns were somehow
mixed up with the story, and that there was a general massacre of the
Teutonic warriors at the end.'-
Whether something of the same sort of thing had been going on in
Germany, whether the original tale had undergone fissure and trans-
formation on one side into the Nibelungen Noth, and in the other intO'
'- Scsmunday Edda, ed. Th. Mobius, Leipz., i860, pp. 120-96 ; English transla-
tion by Thorpe, London, 1866, ii, pp. 39-107. Fornaldur Sogur, Copenh. 1829, i,
pp. 174-224 ; 332-8 ; ii, 11. Thierry, Hist. d'Attila, Paris, 1856, ii, pp. 297-358,
has given German and Scandinavian traditions respecting Attila ; but he depends
largely on the Wilkina Saga, which is late, and is derived from German sources
VOL, IV.
33^ Lives of the British Saints
an ecclesiastical legend of Ursula, can only be matter of conjecture.
We offer this as a possible solution of the origin of this legend, as it
shaped itself about the bones of the genuine martyrs at Cologne, who
suffered presumably in the persecution of Diocletian.
We return to the legend beginning " In tempore pervetusto," derived
from Archbishop Wulfhelm of Canterbury in 928 or 929, but not com-
mitted to writing till about forty-five years later, and then the story
as it came from Wulfhelm had been fused with Cologne traditions.
Dr. Klinkenberg has argued that the story is a Celtic-British tale
or myth that was brought to Cologne, where it coalesced with one of
the traditions there current.
But this we can hardly admit. We are distinctly informed that it
came from a Saxon archbishop in that part of England from which the
Britons had been exterminated or expelled. He was one of the very
last persons to have been acquainted with British legends. Bede, who
was nearer to where the British were strong, was profoundly ignorant
of their traditions.
Moreover, as we have shown, Geoffrey of Monmouth derived his
story from the legend " Regnante Domino," whilst materially altering
it, and the Welsh knew nothing of Ursula and her attendant virgins tiU
they received the tale from him. Nennius says not one word about it,
nor does Gildas, nor does she enter into any of the Welsh saintly or secu-
lar genealogies. In Brittany she and Conan owe their introduction to
Geoffrey alone.
The story is English. Wulfhelm must have had his memory quick-
ened by what Hoolf said to him, and he recalled some half-forgotten
ballad or legend he had heard in early days, and which in passing through
his mind received an ecclesiastical character. The story as put to-
gether by him and Hoolf, and further expanded by the nuns of the
Church of the Virgins, finally received shape when committed to writing
in the legend " In tempore pervetusto." The introduction of the
which are fused with the Norse traditions. In his prologue and elsewhere the
author states as much. The three families are : —
The Volsungir.
"Volsung, King of Hunland,
3rd in descent from Odin
I
Sigmund
I
Sigurd
Gudrun
The Gjuhingir.
Gjuki, King of the Goths
on the Rhine
1
The Bufflingir.
Buifli, King in
Neustria
I
r
I
Gunnar Gudrun Atli Brynhildr
Brynhildr Sigurdr Gudrun Gunnar
S. Ursula and Eleven Thousand Virgins 339
Huns into the story may rest on a confusion. Slavonic people are
meant in the Edda and the Volstmga Saga by this name.
As far as we can gather from the Sagas, east of Denmark was Saxa-
land, then Vindland, the land of the Wends, then Hunaland. Sigurd's
great-great-grandfather, Sigi, son of Odin, conquered the Huns and
established himself king over them. Helmold says: " Haec [sc.
Russia) etiam Chunigard dictus eo quod ibi sedes Hunnorum primo
fuerit." But these are certainly not the Huns of history. Bede also
speaks of " Frisiones, Rugini, Dani, Hunni, antiqui Saxones, Boruc-
tuarii " as occuppng Germany.^ And Cedrenus names together
"O (' Ouvvoi Koi 01 "2,K\a^ivoi."^
Whence came the name Ursula, which is associated late with the
story, and supplants that of Pinnosa ?
Is it a form of Horsel, who is supposed to be the equivalent to Perch-
ta or Hulda, a Teutonic goddess ? We cannot tell, but philologically
Ursula cannot be derived from Horsel, and the evidence for a goddess
Horsel is lacking.^
No early Martyxology contains the memorial of the Virgin Martjnrs
of Cologne. They do not occur in that attributed to Jerome, published
by d'Achery. Bede knew nothing of them, and he was born in 672,
and he states that he had included all the names of those of whom he
had read.* The old Corbey Calendar, composed in or about 831, is
also silent relative to these virgins. Neither are they in the Martyr-
ology of Hrabanus Maurus, who died in 856. Ado, in his Martyrology
in 880, is silent concerning them. Notker of S. Gall, who died in 912,
does not record them. Nor, as we have seen, were they included in
the early Calendar of the Cathedral Church of Cologne. The entry in
Wandalbert's metrical martyrology may be an addition of a later date.
It was not till after the publication of the legend " Regnante Domino,"
that had an extensive circulation, that Ursula and her Eleven Thousand
Virgins were introduced into most of the Western Calendars and
Breviaries.
We come now to a point alluded to at the beginning of this article,
1 Hist. Ecd.. V, c. 10.
2 Schaffarik, Slawische AUerthiimer , i, pp. 328-9. The Hunland ruled by
Norse adventurers recurs several times in the heroic Sagas, and is represented as
somewhere on the Baltic, east of Saxaland. But in Asniimdar Saga Kappabana
it is situated on the Rhine, and the King Hildibrand travels up the Rhine to
meet in fight the rival viking Asmund. Fornaldur Sogur, ii, p. 484.
' Sir J. Rhys, Hibbert Lectures, p. 174, suggests Ursula might be regarded as
a dawn-goddess, and the virgins her priestesses.
* Bede's name is given to this Martyrology, but it was composed or completed
within a few years after his death.
340 Lives of the British Saints
the situation of the Church of the Virgins in an ancient cemetery.
It stood outside the walls of Colonia Agrippina.'- And about it was
the place of pagan sepulture of the Roman town.
Numerous Roman tumulary relics and inscriptions have been found
there, of which many are now in the city Museum. Some of these were
discovered in 1643, when the foundations were dug for the " Golden
Chamber." Later excavations made in 1866 show that on the north
and east sides of the church pagan interments had been very numer-
ous. There were sarcophagi and cists containing the ashes of such as
had been burnt, and a small statue of a goddess was also exhumed.
Christian oriented graves were also found, as might have been expected
near so famous a martyr-shrine. But the most interesting discovery
was a columbarium, or family mausoleum, with niches for the urns
containing ashes ; and among these was one with which were laid
female ornaments and the fragments of a glass vessel with gilt inlaid
representations of Scriptural subjects, such as Daniel in the lions' den,
Susanna, Jonah, the Three Children in the Furnace, and the Heahng
of the Paralytic. These are now in the British Museum. ^
The finding of these with incinerated remains seems to show that
the dead woman had been a Christian, but that her family had con-
ducted the funeral in a pagan manner. The first elevation of relics
took place, according to his ninth century Life, by Bishop Cunibert,
about 663. Whilst he was celebrating the Divine Mysteries in the
Church of the Virgins, a white dove was seen, and it vanished at a spot
where Cunibert dug and found bones, which he at once concluded were
those of one of the virgins.
The next was the " invention " of a vast number by the Abbot
Gerlach of Deutz and his factotum Theodoric, the porter of the
monastery. In 1105 the Emperor Henry IV, when flying from his
revolted sons, was received into Cologne, and then the citizens, antici-
pating a siege, set to work to extend their walls, and carried the foun-
dations near the Church of the Virgins. Whilst the workmen were
thus engaged, some of them pretended that they had seen a vision, in
which two females appeared and informed them that the bodies of the
Eleven Thousand Virgins lay there, and that their work must be carried
on leisurely and carefully ; they further announced that along with
the bodies of the Virgins lay that of a bishop who had accompanied
them. We have only the word of a consummate scoundrel for this
1 Veith, Das romische Koln, Bonn, 1881.
2 Illustrated by Diinzer in Jahrbiicher d. Vereins v. Alterthumsfrsunden dem
Rheinland, 1867. See also Stein, Die heilige Ursula. Stein was Rector of S.
Ursula at the time, and was present during the excavations in 1866.
S. Ursula and Eleven Thousand Vii-'gins 341
apparition, that of Theodoricus ^Edituus ; and it is more than probable
that he invented it to account for the numbers of bones that were
turned up during the excavations, and with which he saw his way to
doing a profitable business. Then a priest of the Church of S. Cunibert
took up some of the bones thrown 'up by the workmen, and saw that
by night they emitted a phosphorescent light. It was now reported
that the diggers had struck on a perfect treasury of relics ; all the skulls
and bones turned up were accepted as those of martyrs, although
actually they were none other than the remains of the former inhabit-
ants of Cologne, who for centuries had been in the habit of burying
their dead outside the sacred walls of the Church of the Martyrs.
But it was not till 1155 that the Abbot Gerlach of Deutz took the
matter up, and employed the monastery porter, Theodoric, to superin-
tend and manage the discovery of relics.
And now inscriptions began to turn up with extraordinary frequency,
and these we have in record from Theodoric himself ; all, with the one
exception of an inscription to ^therius, were deliberate forgeries. For
it was found that relics alone, without names attaching to them, were
in small request.
The BoUandist De Buck labours to exculpate Gerlach, and to throw
all the blame on Theodoric. But it is not possible to disallow that
Gerlach was the source and mainspring of the whole bit of rascality.
Criticism was not wanting even in those topsy-turvy days, and peo-
ple doubted and laughed over the vast amount of bones and skulls
turned up, and proclaimed to be miracle-working relics. Possibly
they may have thought also that the tumulary inscriptions had a sus-
picious look of freshness about them. It was necessary to take steps
to silence these doubters.
Gerlach had recourse to an hysterical nun called Elizabeth, who lived
in Schonau. Gerlach invoked to his aid Egbert, Abbot of S. Florian,
and brother of Elizabeth, and they endeavoured to induce her to see
visions and have revelations connected with the relics. At first she
dechned to have anything to do with this unsavoury transaction
(" me multum renitentem compulerunt "). But her brother plied her
with entreaties, and her scruples gave way, when Gerlach sent as a
present to her convent the bones of one of the saints exhumed, along
with its stone coffin hd that bore the inscription, " Sancta Verena, Virgo
et Martyr," Then she yielded. Her vanity was flattered, and thence-
forth she had revelations as often and as full as was desired. No
sooner had Gerlach and Theodoric manufactured an inscription, than
they appealed to her to authenticate it by a vision. Not content with
testifying to the genuineness of these forgeries, she went on to giving
342 Lives of the British Saints
information relative to the adventures, relationships, social position,
and mode of martyrdom of these saints, and her brother Egbert, who
was alone allowed to be present during her ecstasies, wrote all down in
Latin.
According to her, the vast multitude of damsels was attended by a
vast number of bishops, a Foilan of Lucca, a Pantalus of Basle, etc.,
and many other men. The Pope Cyriacus had been so edified by their
virtues, that he abandoned the chair of S. Peter, and, attended by
several cardinals, careered after them over the Alps ; and on account
of this escapade was struck out of the list of the Popes. The only
genuine inscription shown to Elizabeth was one of ^therius, a youth,
surmounted by the early Christian monogram. She was too ignorant
to understand this, and she interpreted it as REX and denoted that
^therius was a king, and then by revelation she learned that he was the
bridegroom-elect of Ursula. She declared that the martyrdom had
taken place under Maximus (Thrax), consequently in 237 or 238, and
that the executiorers were the Huns, under their king, Julius.
For seven years the excavations and " inventions " went on. Eliza-
beth died in the odour of sanctity, and was taken up into the Roman
Martyrology and accorded the title of " Saint." Scarcely was she dead
before fresh discoveries in the old cemetery reopened the scandal that
was first caused by the finding of such big tibice as could only have
belonged to males, and which she had allayed by her revelation con-
cerning the pope, the bishops, and cardinals attending the pilgrim
virgins and suffering martyrdom with them.
A considerable number of children's bones were exhumed ; some'
belonged to infants of but a few months old. This was awkward,
seriously compromising to the memories of the Pope, Cardinals, and
Bishops as well as of the Virgins. Elizabeth was dead, what was to
be done ?
Gerlach looked about him and discovered a monk of Premontre'
who would serve his purpose. This was the Blessed Herman Joseph.,
He broached the matter to him, and Herman Joseph expressed his
readiness to come to his aid. He engaged the assistance of oiie Richard,
an Englishman, to act as amanuensis, and then continued the work of
the deceased Elizabeth. A more stupendous self-revelation of ignor-
ance, stupidity, and dishonesty, hardly exists. Being keenly alive to-
the scandal caused by the discovery of infant skulls and bones, he
had visions that might serve to vindicate the characters that were-
affected. He declared that the Eleven Thousand had excited such.
enthusiasm in the native land of Ursula, which was Brittany (Britannia-
Minor), not Britain, that relations and friends of both sexes joined the
S. Ursula and Eleven Thousand Virgins 3 4 3
virginal crew, taking with them their children of all ages, and that all'
together had received the crown of martyrdom. Kings, princes, and
princesses from Norway, Sweden, Ireland, Flanders, Normandy,
Brabant, Friesland, Denmark — in a word, from all lands in the north
with which a monk of mean capacity and limited knowledge, in the
twelfth century, might be supposed to be acquainted — had joined the
expedition, in their desire to testify to the chastity and piety of Ursula
and her companions.
There were in the train five English bishops (" episcopi de Anglia "),.
named William Michael, son of WiUiam, Columbanus, son of the
Duchess Alexandria, Iwan, Eleutherius, Lothair. The intended
husband of Ursula was named Holophernes as well as .(Etherius,.
Among the kings was Oliver, engaged to Olive, daughter of King Cleo-
pater, one of Ursula's virgins, Chrophorus, with his wife Cleopatra,
Lucius, Clovis, Canute, and King Pipin, Adulph, and Avitus. Among
interesting items divinely revealed was this, that none of the babes on
the journey desired the breast, but contented themselves with sucking
their fingers ; also, " Nunquam in eodem itinere ut parvulorum mos
est et natura, sordebant se madefacientes."
The amanuensis seems occasionally to have been staggered at these
revelations, and had to be encouraged to proceed with his work, with
the assurance that they were true disclosures of what had taken place.
The excavations begun by Gerlach were continued by his successor
Hartbem, and Theodoric has recorded the results. He gives all the
forged inscriptions to the number of a hundred and eighty-one, and the
one of ^therius which was genuine. Among these lapidary inscrip-
tions is one to the apocrj^hal Pope Cyriacus ; one to Simplicius, Arch-
bishop of Ravenna ; others to Marinus, Bishop of Milan ; Marculus, a
Greek bishop; Foilan, Bishop of Lucca; Pantulus, Bishop of Basle;
Jovinus, Bishop of York ; Maromius, Bishop of Novara ; John, Patri-
arch of Jerusalem ; Machariu's, Archbishop of Constantinople ; Nonnus,.
Bishop of Antioch ; Aquihnus, Bishop of Aquileja ; Notus, King of
the Scots ; Picmenius, King of England ; Papuntius, King of Ireland ;.
and so on.
However credulous men might be in the Middle Ages, we cannot
suppose that such as had an elementary knowledge of history could,
have swallowed all this rubbish. Even Jacques de Voragine, who wrote
the Legenda Aurea, and was by no means squeamish, was startled at
the anachronism of Constantinople being represented as having a bishop-
before it was founded by Constantine. But the Revelations were not
handled with any freedom of criticism till 1418, by GobeHnus Persona,
in his Cosmodromium, who pointed out the anachronism of making a.
344 Lives of the British Saints
Kingdom of England in tlie third century, and of bringing the Huns to
the Rhine long before they had appeared in Europe. The nun Eliza-
beth was the first to mention Attila in connexion with the massacre, {
and to fix its date as in the days of the Emperors Maximus and African-
us. Maximus was Emperor 235-8, and in 236 Africanus was associated \
with him in the Consulship. How Elizabeth got hold of this fact, which
she mis-stated, making Africanus an Emperor instead of Consul, it is
hard to say, but probably from some Acts of Martyrs under Maximus,
that she found in the convent library, and Maximus under the erroneous
form of Maximian had been employed by Geoffrey of Monmouth.
Again another " invention " took place in 1238, and that of Cordula.
Ingebrand von Rurke, a Knight Hospitaller at Cologne, dreamed
that he was visited by a beautiful girl, who requested him to dig her up.
Next morning Ingebrand told the prior of his vision. The prior bade
him await a further revelation. Next night she revisited him and
reproached him with some asperity for not having fulfilled her request.
" You did not tell me where to dig," replied Ingebrand. " You will
find me," said the apparition, " in the orchard of the priory, under the
filbert tree."
When the prior heard this he was delighted. " But," said he, " you
must first ascertain her name."
Next night the maiden reappeared with moody brow, and rated
the knight soundly for his lack of gallantry in not attending to the
request of a lady, though twice repeated.
Sir Ingebrand apologized, and said that he only waited to know her
name. Thereupon the virgin bade him look her in the face. He did so,
and read on her brow in gold letters, " Cordula, virgo, regina." He
thereupon jumped out of bed, ran to the prior and told him, ' ' Her name
is Cordula. And a very appropriate name too." " We must unearth
her to-morrow," said the prior.
Accordingly on the following day they dug under the filberts and
found bones, which have since recei"\^ed veneration as relics.
On account of the vision of Helintrudis and that of the Knight In-
gebrand, this purely apocryphal saint, as one of the Ursuline company,
has been taken into the Roman Martyrology.i
Another of the party was S. Cunera. The authority for her story
is the lections in the Breviary of Rhenen. According to them, " There
is a certain part of Europe called the Orcades, consisting of thirty- three
islands, which were governed by a King of Orkney, but now by the King
of England, on which land is a great royal city, anciently called Orcada,
but now Jork."
1 Acta SS. Boll., Oct., ix, pp. 580-6.
S. Ursula and Eleven Thousand Virgins 345
In this city reigned King Aurelius, who marched at the head of his
armies against the Saracens, but was taken captive, and was carried
before the Soldan of Babylon, and imprisoned. But the Soldan's
daughter loved the pale-faced captive, was converted by him and bap-
tized, and they eloped together to Orkney, and in the capital, Jork,
their daughter Cunera was born.
Ursula being about to sail along with the eleven thousand virgins,
Cunera joined her. When the party was being massacred by the Huns,
Radbod, King of the Frisians, being present at Cologne at the time, was
so struck with her beauty, that he concealed her under his cloak, and
carried her with him to Rhenen, in the diocese of Utrecht. But the
wife of Radbod did not relish the introduction of this good-looking
wench into the household, and she induced her attendants to strangle
Cunera and bury her in the stable.^
There are other of the companions of Ursula culted in various parts,
and with stories hardly less ridiculous.
The BoUandists give us 1,083 names of virgins and other martyrs of
that company whose relics have enriched various churches. Thus, out
of three or four nameless virgins there grew first three, then six, next
eleven, all named, and finaUy over a thousand all labelled with their
names and their titles, and with the particulars of the lives of most
known.
Few visitors to Cologne have failed to look at the interior of the
Church of S. Ursula. A more ghastly sight hardly exists in Christen-
dom. The walls are covered with boxes containing the skulls and bones
of the supposed martyrs. The church more resembles a temple of
Shiva than a Christian place of worship. It would be well were an
Archbishop of Cologne to order the burial of these relics of humanity,
not one of which belongs to a martyr ; ^ and for the Holy See to
expunge the name of Ursula from the Martyrology and retain only a
commemoration of the Virgins to whom Clematius rebuilt a basihca.
SS. Ursula and her Companions were culted, but not extensively, in
Wales, particularly in Cardiganshire. Theophilus Evans, writing in
the early part of the eighteenth century, says, " There is a church in
Ceredigion called Llangwyryf on ^ (the Church of the Virgins), which was
so named in memory of them at its consecration," and adds that their
festival, October"'2i, was known as " Gwyl Santesau," " the Festival of
1 Acta SS. Boll., Jun., ii, pp. 563-7-
2 Some of the skulls have been transfixed with arrows. This was part, doubt-
less, of the trickery of Theodoric or Gerlach.
3 It also occurs as Llanygwryddon {Peniarth MS. 147), and Llanygweryddon
{Myv. Arch., p. 744), but is locally pronounced Llangwrddon.
34^ Lives of the British Saints
the Saintesses." '^ According to him they were the maidens sent out
at Conan's request. Edward Lhuyd in his notes (1699) on the parish
of Llanwenog, also in Cardiganshire, says, " There is a Chappel hard by
Essen fort (Cast ell S* Essen), called Capel S' Essen : because it is dedi-
cated to y^ 10,000 [sic) vergins marthjnrd." He means, of course,
the now extinct Capel Santesau.^
One of the great fairs in the neighbouring parish of Llanybyther, ■
held on October 21, O.S., and still on November i and its eve, is
called " Ffair ySantesau," and is so entered in the Calendar in Llan-
stephan MS. 181 [c. 1556). The festival occurs in most of the Welsh
Calendars, and is usually entered simply as " Gwyl y Gweryddon," or
" Gwyl yr un fil ar ddeg Gweryddon." The South Wales Calendar in
Cwrtmawr MS. 44 (sixteenth century) has on October 21, " Gwvl Lvr
forwvn " and " Gwvl Vrw forwvn," i.e. the Festivals of Llyr and
Urw (?), Virgins.^ They were probably Ursuline virgins, as was also
the Lleuci,* i.e. Lucia or Lucy, of Bettws Leiki, Llanwnen, and Aber-
nant; all in much the same corner of South Wales.
There is a Welsh Life of Ursula and the Eleven Thousand Virgins,
Buchedd Wrsla or Ystoria Gweryddon yr Almaen (" the History of the
Virgins of Germany "), in Peniarth MS. 182 (c. 1514), which is a trans-
lation from the Latin by Sir Hugh Pennant.
The authorities for the Ursula legend are as follows : —
1. The Clematian Inscription. Krauss (F. X.), Die alt Christlichen
Inschriften d. Rheinlande, Freiburg i. B., i8go, i, pp. 143-7 ;
and Plate xx, 2. Floss (H. J.), Die Clematische Inschrift in S.
Ursula, Koln, 1874.
2. The " Sermo in Natali." Acta SS. Boll., Oct. ix, pp. 154-5.
Klinkenberg, Studien zur Geschichte der Kolner Mdrterinnen,
in Jahrbiicher des Vereins von AUerthumsfreunden im Rhein-
lande, Ixxxix, Bonn, 1890 ; Kessel, 5. Ursula, Koln, 1863.
3. The " Of&cium Proprium." Acta SS. Boll., ibid., pp. 284-5.
4. The Legend " In tempore pervetusto," in Analecta Bollandiana,
iii (1884), pp. 1-20.
5. The Legend " Regnante Domino." Acta SS. Boll., ibid., pp,
157-63. Both legends dealt with by Klinkenberg, op. cit.,
and also in Wetzer u. Welte, Kirchonlexikon, s.v. 5. Ursula,
1901.
6. Geoffrey of Monmouth's version of the tale, Hist. Reg. Brit., v,
^ Drych y Prif Oesoedd, i, c. 2.
2 Parochialia, iii, p. 89, suppl. to Arch. Camb., 1911,
' For them see iii, pp. 215, 386. * iii. pp. 367-8.
S. Ust 347
cc. 13, 16 ; ed. Giles in Ada SS. Boll., ibid., pp. 207-9 > ^^^
San Marte, Halle, 1854, pp. 66-73.
7. " Liber Revelationum S. Elisabethas Schonaugiensis." Ada
SS. Boll., ibid., pp. 163-73.
8. " Revelationes seu Imaginationes B. Hermanni Josephi." Ibid.,
pp. 173-201.
9. " Thioderici jEditui Revelationes titulorum vel nominum ss.-
martj/rum." Ibid., pp. 243-6. Holder-Egger in Pertz, Mon.
Script., xiv, pp. 569-70 ; Lecomblet in Archiv f. d. Geschichte d-
Niederrheins, v (1865), pp. 292-9.
We have given no references to Crombach's Ursula vindicata, 1647,
as it is an utterly uncritical work, and all that is of value in it has been-
republished, and is accessible in the works above given. Books and
articles that may be consulted, in addition to those already named, are
Lecomblet, Urkundenbuch des Niederrheins , and Tout (Mrs. T. F.),,,
The Legend of S. Ursula in Historical Essays by Members of the Owens
College, Manchester, London, 1902, pp. 17-56.
S. UST, Confessor
In the Myvyrian Archaiology ^ occurs this entry, " Ust and Djrfnig,,
the saints at Llanwrin, in Cyfeihog, who came to this Island with Cad-
fan," from Armorica. They were the original founders, it would appear,
of the Church of Llanwrin, Montgomeryshire, which was some time later
rededicated to S. Gwrin, a descendant of Gildas. Close to the village^
is a field called Cae y Tri Sant, the Three Saints' Field. The extinct
chapel of Llanust, near Fishguard, was probably also dedicated to him.
Ust is the Latin Justus. The name occurs in Laneast and S. Just,,
in Cornwall, and in the Saint- Just, of lUe et Vilaine and Pleuc (Lan-
gourlay), in Brittany.
The wake at Llanwrin was held on May i, but Gwrin's day is said to be
November i.^
1 P 431. No doubt the " ys da Dyfnig " of the Ode to King Henry VII in the
lolo MSS., p. 314, should have been printed " Ysd { = Ust) a Dyfnig." All the
MS. copies' of the poem that we have seen are here corrupt. Ust occurs in the.
place-name Bodust, in the parish of Bettws, Carmarthenshire.
2 Willis, Bangor, p. 361.
34^ Lives of the British Saints
S. USTIG, Confessor
UsTiG was the son of Geraint ab Carannog, of the line of Cadell
Deyrnllwg, and brother of S. Eldad, or Aldate, Bishop of Gloucester.
" Ustig and Dyfrig were S. Garmon's confessors [periglorion) in Cor
■Garmon," ^ at Llancarfan.
An Ustig is given as one of the children of Caw, and is esteemed to be
a saint. ^ He is the son of Caw who occurs as lustic in the tale of
Culhwch and Olwen.^
S. USYLLT, Confessor
UsYLLT is nowhere entered as a saint in the Welsh Saintly Pedigrees,
only as the father of S. Teilo. In these his name is given under a
great variety of forms — Ensych, Eussyllt, Hensych [Peniarth MSS. i6,
45, 27, respectively), Enoc [Hafod MS. 16), Kusych and Hensych
{Cardiff MS. 25, pp. 24, 112), Enllech and Eisyllt {lolo MSS., pp. no,
124), not to mention the Myvyrian (p. 430) and other readings. Of
these, the only document that gives it correctly is Peniarth MS. 45,
which has Eussyllt (for Eusyll). The name is regularly derived from
the Latin Auxilius. Usyllt's father was Hydwn (Hidwn, Hedwn) or
Hyddwn Dwn, the son of Ceredig ab Cunedda Wledig. According to
the lolo MSS., he was a King in Ireland.
From the Life of S. Oudoceus * (where he is called Ensic) we learn
that Usyllt's wife was Guenhaf, daughter of Liuonui, by whom he was
the father of Teilo, and Anauved, the wife of Prince Budic and mother
of SS. Oudoceus, Ismael, and Tyfai. S. Mabon is also given as his son.
UsyUt is associated entirely with Pembrokeshire. It was there, at
Eccluis Gunniau (Guiniau), apparently Penally, near Tenby, that Teilo
was born, 5 and Usyllt is patron of the neighbouring church of S. Issell's,
in Welsh Llan or Eglwys Usyllt, which was one of the " Seven Bishop-
houses in Dyfed," mentioned in the Demetian Code of the Laws of
Hywel Dda." It is there stated that " Llann Geneu and Llann Vsyllt
are free from ebediws, because there is no Church land belonging to
' lolo MSS., p. 131. The name is a derivative of Justus.
2 Cardiff MS. 5 (1527), p. 119 (Vsdic) ; lolo MSS , p. 143.
' Mabinogion, ed. Rhys and Evans, p. 107.
* Book of Llan Ddv. p. 130. ^ Ifjid., pp. 124, 255.
* Welsh Laws, ed. Aneurin Owen, p. 273; cf. p. 839. Lewis Dwnn, Heraldic
Visitations, 1846, i, p. 123, calls S. Issell's " Plwyf Saint Tisels."
S. Vorch 349
them." In the Taxatio of 1291 the church is caUed " Ecclesia de
Sancto Ussello," and in the Liher Communis of S. David's Cathedra]
" Eccla S« Ussuldi " (1490-1557).^ Wilham of Worcester,^ in the
fifteenth century, says of S. Usyllt, " S. Ussoldus confessor, Anglice
Seynt Ussille, plures ecclesise in Walha " ; but we know of only one,
possibly two, churches dedicated to him.
The dedication of Haroldston S. Issell's, also in Pembrokeshire, is
doubtful, whether to S. Usyllt or to S. Ismael,^ as Issell here may be a
corruption of Ismel = Ismael, the brother of S. Oudoceus, and nephew
of S. Teilo. Browne Willis * ascribes both churches to S. Ismael.
Tre Usyllt, in Granston parish, is, no doubt, named after the saint.
S. VEEP, Bishop, Confessor
Bishop Stapeldon, 1308, Bishop Grandisson, 1349 ^-^-cL 1361, and
Stafford, 1400 and 1414, give the Church of S. Veep, in Cornwall, as
" Ecclesia S*' Vepi." So also the Taxatio of 1291.
Only when Grandisson rededicated the Church to SS. Cjnriacus and
Julitta in 1336 did he enter it as " Ecclesia S*'* Vepae." Bran-
tjmgham did the same, but in 1394 called the church that " S*' Vepi."
The balance is in favour of the saint being a male.
Veep is probably a corruption of Fiacc or Feock.
The Festival of S. Veep is on the Wednesday before Midsummer
Day. See S. Feock.
S. VORCH, Virgin
Lanlivery Church, Cornwall, according to Tonkin, is dedicated to
S. Vorch, and the name Lanlivery is Lan-le- Vorch.
Ecton, in his Thesaurus Rer. EccL, ed. Browne Willis (3rd ed., 1763),
gives S. Brevita as the patroness.
The Feast at Lanhvery is on the first Sunday after the first Tuesday
in May.
1 Basil Jones and Freeman, S. David's, 1856, pp. 377-83- Itgives other forms,
among them Oswald (p. 386). ^ iti„,, ed. Nasmith, 1778, p. 163.
3 Owen's Pembrokeshire, i, pp. 296, 308, 412 ; ii, p. 344.
* Paroch. Anglic, pp. 178-9.
350 Lives of the British Saints
S. VORTIMER, see S. GWRTHEFYR
S. WARNAC, Bishop, Confessor
A BAY in Scilly bears the name of S. Warnac, contracted now into
Warne. Troutbeck, in his Isles of Scilly, says that it is related tradi-
tionally that ^Warnac was an Irish Saint, who came over in a wicker-
boat covered with raw hides. His Holy Well is now choked. Possibly
he is S. Brynach, which see.
S. WENEPPA, Virgin
This would be the Latin form of Gwenabwy. She founded the
Church of Gwennap in Cornwall.
She was a daughter of Caw, and sister of Cywyllog, who married
Modred. Gwennap Feast is on Whitsunday.
See further under S. Gwenabwy.
S. WENDRON
The patroness of Wendron, in Cornwall, appears in the Exeter
Episcopal Registers as Wendrona.
The local tradition relative to Wendron is, or was, that she was an
Irishwoman. It is impossible to identify her. The name in Irish
would be Findbron, White Breast. No such a saint occurs in the
calendars. The nearest approach is Bronfinn, sister of S. Ibar of
Begerry. Mella, also called Bronfinn, married to Cenfinnan, was
mother of S. Abban and S. Lithgean (Ludgvan). Stithians, the almost
adjoining parish to Wendron, has for foundress S. Etain, a disciple
of S. Ibar, Bronfinn's sister.
There was a chapel at TresuUa dedicated to the saint, as well as the
parish church.
If Wendron be Bronfinn, which is pure conjecture, and if she be the
mother of the S. Lithgean of Ludgvan, then it is probable that the statue
aS*. Willow 351
of a female saint at the latter place, representing her holding a flower-
ing stalk, may have been intended for her. The statue is now in the
Rectory garden.
Wendron Feast is on the nearest Sunday to October 28.
Capel Gwenfron was the name of a chapel, now extinct, in Nevern,
Pembrokeshire,^ but nothing is known of Gwenfron.
S. WENN, see S. GWEN
S. WETHENOC, Abbot, Confessor
In the Bodmin Calendar a saint of this name is commemorated on
November 7.
According to Bishop Stafford's Register, 1415, S. Wetheney had a
chapel dedicated to him at Padstow.
Whether he can be equated with Gwinedoc, whose church is on the
opposite side of the estuary, is doubtful.
Wethenoc is Gwethenoc in a later form, and in Breton has become
Goueznou, the Welsh dd and Cornish ill becoming z in Breton.
For his Life see S. Gwethenoc, brother of S. Winwaloe.
S. WILLOW, Hermit, Martyr
The name of the patron Saint of Lanteglos by Fowey, Cornwall. It
is so given in an Assize roll for 1284.
William of Worcester, who calls him Vylloc or Wyllow, says that he
was of Irish origin, that he Hved as a hermit, and was murdered by a
kinsman, Mellyn.
After that his head was cut off, he rose and carried it from the Bridge
of S. Willow to the church.
The cave in whieh S. Willow lived is shown on S. Willow's Hill, by
Lanteglos.
1 iii, p. 196.
3 5 2 Lives of the British Saints
According to William of Worcester, his feast was observed at Lan-
teglos on the Thursday before Pentecost.
Nicolas Roscarrock gives as his day June 3.
He is unknown to the Irish Martyrologists.
S. WINEFRED, see S. GWENFREWI
S. WINNOW, Abbot, Confessor
S. Winnow is titular saint of a church in Cornwall. It has been sup-
posed that this is Winoc, brother or nephew of Juthael, Prince of
Domnonia ; a saint who was educated from infancy at Sithieu, planted
Bergues-Saint-Winnoc in French Flanders, and died in 717. But this
saint had nothing to do with Cornwall.
In the Life of S. Padarn we read of his having with him a disciple
called Guinnius,! who is there associated with S. Samson.
Padarn seems to have settled early in East Cornwall, and perhaps had
Guinnius with him, and he formed an ecclesiastical establishment at
Lewannick, not far from S. Padarn's region. When S. Samson arrived
in Padstow Harbour, he was sent as the most learned of the monks of
the district to meet Samson and ask his intentions in coming there.
For this we refer the reader to the Life of S. Samson.
As we find S. Winnow's Church near Samson's settlement at Golant
on the Fowey, it may be supposed that he associated himself with
that great saint.
Whether he ever crossed into Brittany is uncertain, but probable, for
in the marshes of Dol is a Saint Guinou, and there is a lake, in which,
according to legend, a great city lies engulfed.^ This seems to be a
transference to Dol of the story of Gwyddno and the overflowing of
Cantre'r Gwaelod.
S. Guinou is Guehinocus in a charter of 1249, ''.nd Guicenous in the
fourteenth century.
The Patronal Feast is observed on October 25.
In the department of Morbihan, in the Canton of Cleguerec, is a S.
Ignawor Iniau, where the name takes the form of Juniavus, given in one
of the Lives of S. Samson ; ^ and it is significant that S. Samson is-
honoured in the same canton.*
1 Cambro British Saints, p. 191. See supra, p. 45, and iii, p. 247.
2 Bulletin de la Soc. Arch, de FinistSre, iii (1874-5), p. 104.
' Loth (J.), Chrestomathie Bretonne, pp. 215, 143.
* Duine (F.), Les Saints de Dol p. 44.
S. Winwaloe 3 5 J
It is, accordingly, probable that Winiau or Winnow accompanied
Samson to Brittany. It is also remarkable that the name of Winnian,.
perhaps a misreading for Winniau, should be given in the Vita 2da of
S. Samson as the name of the port where Samson landed when he
crossed to Armorica.'^
In Bishop Bronescombe's Register S. Winnow, in Cornwall, is entitled,,
in 1269, S**^ Wynnocus. In those of Bishop Stapeldon, 1313, of
Grandisson, 1335, 1348, 1367, and of Stafford, 1404, S"^ Winnocus. In
the Taxatio of 1291 (p. 145) it is called " Ecclesia de Sancto Winnoco."
The Feast at S. Winnow is on June 17.^
It is much to be regretted that we have no details as to the life of
this man, who must have been learned, and was associated with two of
the most remarkable men of his age, Padarn and Samson.
Mr. Phillimore is disposed to think that S. Twinell's, in Pembroke-
shire, is a dedication to S. Winnoc or Winnow.^
S. WINWALOE, Abbot, Confessor
The authorities for the Life of this remarkable saint are : —
1. A Vita by Wurdistan, monk, and afterwards abbot, of Land-
evennec in the middle of the ninth century, published by De Smedt in
the Analeda Bollandiana, vii, 1888, pp. 167-264. Again in the Car-
tulaire de Landevennec, by A. de la Borderie, Rennes, 1889, pp. 7-102.
2. A Vita Metrica, Anal. Boll., vii, pp. 250-61, and Cart. Land.,.
pp. 103-11.
3. A Life in Surius, De Proh. SS. Historiis, Mart, iii, pp. 38-41.
4. A Life by John of T5memouth, in Capgrave's Nova Legenda An-
glice.
5. A Life by an anonymous author. Acta SS. Boll., Mart, i, pp. 250-4..
6. Another Life in the same collection, pp. 254-5.
The last four are of no value ; they are mere summaries of that by
Wurdistan, and this latter is actually the sole source from which all.
subsequent Lives have been derived.
7. A MS. Life in the British Museum, Cotton MS. Tiberius, E. i,.
^ Vita 2da S. Samsonis, ed. Plaine, p. 42.
2 S. Winnoc of Bergues-Saint- Winnoc has his commemoration on Nov 6,
and Sept. 18, the Translation of his relics.
' Owen's Pembrokeshire, i, pp. 292, 321. See what has been said iii, pp. 179—
80, 233. There are two places in Cornwall called Trewinnow.
VOL. IV. A K
3 54 Lives of the British Saints
beginning " Fuit in Britannia vir quidam," and ending, " floruit autem
circa annum Domini quadragintesimum quinquagesimum nonum.
This formed the basis of John of Tynemouth's Life.
8. In Bodleian MS. 240, C.C.C. Cambridge MSS. 5, 6, 7, and Lam-
beth AISS. 10, II, 12, is a Life of S. Winwaloe longer than that of
John of Tynemouth in Capgrave. This has been printed in the
new edition of Capgrave. ^
9. A MS. Brit. Museum Otto D. VIII supposed to be the original
that formed the basis of that by Wurdistan. M. Latouche (R.)
Melanges d'histoire de Cornouaille, Paris, 1911.
Winwaloe was son of Fracan, cousin of Cado, Duke of Cornwall (see
S. Fracan). Fracan resolved on migrating to Armorica, and he took
with him his wife Gwen " of the Three Breasts," and his two sons
Gwethenoc and James, and a small retinue (see S. Gwen Teirbron).^
They disembarked at Brahec, and ascended the stream of the Gouet,
the Bloody River, why so called we do not know, for it is limpid, flowing
through a ravine cleft in the granite, and golden with broom and gorse.
Fracan settled at Ploufragan. . Then the little colony set to work to
clear the ground of trees, and to construct wattled cabins.
They had not been there long before another party of emigrants
arrived from South Wales, a fleet of vessels full of colonists, under the
direction of Righuel or Rhiwal. This party advanced up the stream,
and occupied the country on the right bank and that about the
Anse dlf&gnac.
Gwen the Three Breasted shortly after gave birth to a son, whom
she and her husband named Winwaloe. Some fifty different spelhngs
occur in all of his name.
In course of time they heard that a British saint of the name of
Budoc had a school at Lavret, one of the islands of the Brehat archi- ■
pelago, and they sent their three sons to him to be educated.
With Budoc Winwaloe remained a good many years, and when he
considered himself accomplished in all the learning of the school, at the
age of one and twenty he left.
It is said that one day, whilst he was in Lavret, he heard of the work
achieved by S. Patrick in Ireland, and was filled with a burning desire
to go to him and assist in the mission field in Ireland. This is not at all
unlikely. Adjoining Ploufragan, Winwaloe's home,, is La Meaugon
1 Duffus Hardy, Descriptive Catalogue, 1862, i, p. 104. Capgrave, ed. Horst-
mann, 1902, pp. 558-73.
" " Inter haec autem (fuit) vir quidam illustris, spes prolis beata2, nomine
Fracanus, Catouii regis Britannici,. viri secundum seculum famosissimi conso-
brinus," Vita in Cart. Land., p. 9. In the Bodl. MS., " erat in insula Britannica
vir . . . nomine F(r)acanus, Caton regis Britannici," etc.
S. JVinwaloe 355
(Lan-Meugan), a monastic college of Maucan or Mancen, founded for
the furnishing of missioners for the harvest-field of Erin. Budoc,
moreover, had been brought up either in Ireland or by Irish monks,
and he was certain to speak in glowing terms of the great apostle.
But we cannot conclude from this, as have some Breton historians,
that this apparition — for Winwaloe is said to have seen S. Patrick in
vision — furnishes an approximate date for Winwaloe's residence on
Lavret. We do hot know whether he ever had this dream, and if he
had, whether it was as related by Wurdistan. All we can say with any
confidence is, that when a lad he was fired with ambition to join in the
work of the Irish mission, but thought better of it and did not go.^
Whilst he was at home, a gander flew at Winwaloe's little sister,
Creirwe, and would have pecked out her eye had not Winwaloe inter-
posed. In after years, Creirwe was wont to say that she owed her eye
to Winwaloe, and this was magnified into something miraculous, and
it was gravely told that the gander had actually swallowed the eyeball,
that Winwaloe had replaced it in its socket, and that the girl suffered
no ill effects from it. A writer who could so manipulate a simple inci-
dent is not to be trusted implicitly when dealing with a dream. ^
Winwaloe resolved on leaving Lavret and starting a monastic estab-
lishment in his own native land ; his enthusiasm for work in Ireland
having cooled down as rapidly as it had kindled.
He induced eleven companions to accompany him, and this swarm
crossed the mainland.
Local tradition has it that he halted in youth for awhile at Plouguin,
near Ploudalmezeau, and this is probable enough. His mother had
a -plebs there, and his father another not far off. At Plouguin are
pointed out some mounds of ruin where he is said to have had an oratory
and cell.
In the chapel of Lesguen or Lesven, a chateau in the parish, on the
grounds of which are the ruins of S. Winwaloe's cell, is an altar paint-
ing representing Fracan in armour presenting his son Winwaloe,
■Three-Breasted Gwen, above an inscription " Mamelle d'or," and S.
Corentine investing Winwaloe with the abbacy of Landevennec. At
the feet of Gwen is De Nobletz, a famous missioner (1577-1654).
From Plouguin Winwaloe and his party moved south, and on their
delighted eyes burst the wondrous harbour of Brest, gleaming hke
silver. The Atlantic surged against the headland of Croson, and rolled
in at the Goulet, about two thousand yards across and five miles long,
lost all the force it had and spread out into a wide expanse of unruffled
1 Vita in Cavt. Land., p. 46. ^ lUd., p. 32.
3 5^ Lives of the British Saints
water, broken into numerous creeks. Before them was the spur of
Plougastel, with its granite rocks starting up like natural castles. The
Rade now covered with vessels, and where the ironclads lie basking,
was then still and lifeless.
Winwaloe and his monks built themselves a boat, and started to
explore this inland sea. They skirted the rocky headland of Plou-
gastel, and ran up the arm into which many streams pour from the
North and East, at the head of which rushes in the Aulne. Here
they found an islet called then Thopepigia, now Tibidy, and resolved
on settling upon it.
They landed, erected their cells, and made a garden.
But the soil was scanty, and the winds from the Atlantic howled and
tore over the bare surface of the isle. Nevertheless, the little community
clung to it for three years. However, the conviction wasforming in the
mind of Winwaloe that the site was undesirable and that he would
be forced to quit it.
Then, one day, occurred a striking incident.
Winwaloe, who was still young, was wont to sit on a stony height,
with his young disciples round him, where he and they could be shel-
tered from the sea-winds, consequently with the East and South before
him — the mainland rich with woods and pleasant pastures, and with
here and there the blue smoke stealing up and then drifting away from
some little farm.
And as he thought he looked, and saw that it was neap tide. Then
on a sudden what had long been simmering in his mind took form, and
broke into resolution. He started up, and bade his pupils follow him in
chain, each holding the hand of another, and one with his right hand in
his own. So Winwaloe, holding his staff in his right, and with the left
conducting this living chain, descended to the beach, and led the way
through the shallow water to the mainland.
In the Life this has been converted into a miracle, but the miraculous
element is unnecessary here.^
Having reached the mainland, Winwaloe proceeded to select a suit-
able habitation, and chose a spot well sheltered, on which he reared
what was afterwards the famous monastery of Landevennec, where the
tortuous Aulne falls into the Brest harbour. " It is a mild and pleas-
ant spot," says the biographer of Winwaloe, " where every year the
first flowers open, and where the leaves are last to fall. A place shel-
tered from every wind save that from the East, a natural garden,
enamelled with flowers of every hue." ^
1 Vitni-a. Cart. Land., p. 62. . " ^ Ibid., pp. "65-6.
S. Winwaloe 357
The whole region is favoured. It now hves on the London market,
suppljdng the earhest peas, cauliflowers, strawberries ; and where
those who are not gardeners are fishermen. But when Winwaloe
settled in a pleasant nook, with his back to the rough west winds and
his face to the rising sun, inhabitants were sparse. The original popu-
lation, short, sallow, with beady eyes, and dark hair, kept aloof, sus-
picious, steeped in paganism, and shunning the invading Britons and
Irish who enserfed them.
At Rumengol above the Faou creek they assembled at a red stone,
if tradition may be trusted, to offer sacrifice of human blood. Fiacc
of Sletty had already planted some Irish monks at Lanveoc and Ninidh
at Lagona. But the colonists from the Emerald Isle were only occa-
sional, and the colonies were not constantly replenished ; whereas a
tide strong, and showing no signs of slackening or ebbing, began to
ripple over the land from Britain, to submerge the ancient population,
and to absorb the Irish colonies.
Grallo was King of Cornugallia, a rough and cruel man with but a
smattering of Christianity ; but Winwaloe obtained great influence
over him, and succeeded in somewhat softening his natural coarseness
and savagery.
The country was covered with timber, and, where the bare downs
rose above the foliage, they were thick strewn with the memorials of the
prehistoric dead, gaunt tall stones, standing up as sentinels, singly or in
rows or in circles, in which the dead had been burned, and the ancient
people had met for their consultations.
Winwaloe and his young monks constructed their church of felled
trees, and with the branches wattled their huts, and plastered them with
the ooze from the river bed.
Grallo would have given Winwaloe land in many places, for land was
not worth much in a country so thinly populated, and monkish colonies
would do a great deal towards the civilization of the natives, and help
to prevent them from combining against the immigrants. But the
abbot declined the grants till Landevennec was thoroughly established,
and his pupils properly disciplined. Eventually, when he had filled
his monastery, and had many docile monks, chief among whom was
the faithful and apostolic-minded Tudy, he gladly accepted grants
and planted lanns in all directions. Later, long after his time, the
monks forged a series of donations to entitle them to hold land
wherever they liked.
We are not informed of S. Winwaloe having gone to Cornwall, but it
is very probable that he did so, or that he sent disciples there to estab-
lish daughter monasteries, where recruits might be gathered for the
3 5 8 Lives of the British Saints
parent house. Indeed, so sparse was the population in Brittany, that
he must necessarily have looked to Britain to supply him with disciples.
His biographer describes him as a man of moderate height, with a
bright and smiling countenance. He was very patient and gentle in
his deahngs with men. He always wore a habit of goatskin. He would
never sit down in church, but ever stand, kneel, or prostrate himself.
He slept on birch-bark fibre, and ate girdle cakes baked in ashes, or
dumplings with vegetables, and a little cheese or fish, but no meat,, and
his drink was cider. In Lent he took but two good meals in the week.'-
He was so simple-minded that he was easily deceived. His disciple
Rioc came to him one day with a long face to tell him that he had
received tidings that his mother was dying — perhaps by this time dead,
— and to entreat leave of absence that he might visit her and close her
eyes. Winwaloe at once gave the desired permission, and Rioc de-^
parted. After a suitable holiday Rioc returned, and Winwaloe sym-
pathetically inquired after the old lady. Then Rioc informed him
that when he had arrived at home she was already dead, but he had
prayed, and invoked the merits of his dear master, and his mother had
recovered. Winwaloe actually believed the story. ^
Perhaps another tale told by Wurdistan shows us a further instance
of his simplicity. One night, Tethgo, a monk who had his cell nearest
to that of the abbot — and these cells were separate huts — heard a great
hubbub in the abbot's wattled hut, and went to see what was the
matter. He found Winwaloe, in the presence of a hideous being, piay^
ing, crossing himself, bidding it depart and not molest him ; and the^
creature, after having prolonged the scene sufficiently, quietly with-
drew. If this be not an invention of the biographer, it is an account of
one of the more frolicsome young pupils dressing up like a devil tO'
frighten his old master. If so, he certainly completely imposed 'on
him. 3 Something of the same sort of thing occurs in the Life of S..
Martin, but there it was the pagan natives who dressed themselves up>
like Duses or demons, and as heathen gods and goddesses, so as to terrify
him. Mercury was a sharp, shrewd wag, and bothered the saint greatly,,
as he admitted to Sulpicius, but Jupiter was a " stupid sot." At mid-
winter it was a common practice for young people to disguise themselves
and go a " mumming," and these practical Jokes played on the saints,,
when in a state of spiritual exaltation, were easily transformed by the
credulous into actual apparitions of evil spirits.
Wurdistan gives a pleasant picture of the monastery hke a hive of
^ Vita in Cart. Land., pp. 73-4.
2 Ibid., pp. 84-5. Wurdistan, of course, tells the story as, if the woman had
actually been resuscitated. * Ibid., f p., 69-71,.
S. Winwaloe 3 59'
bees, all engaged orderly in their several tasks, and all under the direc-
tion of the " king bee," who was the abbot. i
One day Winwaloe was visiting King Grallo, and he passed a number
of boys at play. One of these, on seeing him, left his game, and ran to
the abbot, knelt at his feet and begged to be admitted into his com-
munity. Winwaloe looked into his fresh face, blessed him, and bade
him return to his companions and to his sports. But the lad would not
be put off. When Winwaloe went on his way, he saw that the boy
followed at a distance. He turned and said, " My son, go home. My
way is long and arduous and rough."
" Then I wiU tread in your footprints," promptly answered the lad..
As his parents raised no objection, Winwaloe took the young aspirant
after monastic perfection with him to Landevennec, on his return from-
visiting Grallo.^
The boy's name was Wenael, or in its later form Gwenael, the son of
British settlers caUed RomeHus and Lsetitia. He became one of the
most attached disciples of Winwaloe, and remained with him for forty-
three years, till the death of the abbot.
Winwaloe died on March 3, on Wednesday in the first week in
Lent, after having celebrated the Holy Mysteries, and sung the Psalms
of the Office, supported on right and left by two monks. ^
The question of the date of the death of Winwaloe has been already
discussed, under S. Gwenael,* his successor, and 532 has been taken,
as the year in which he died.
We are not informed as to the age of Winwaloe when he passed from
his labours to his reward. He is spoken of as " full of days."
We are further informed that he abandoned the eating of meat when,
aged twenty-one, and never again touched it.
That he spent some little time in Leon, on the estate or tribal land of
his mother Gwen, near Ploudalmezeau, is not stated in the Life, but
rests on local tradition, that points out the site of his cell and shows his
holy well. Nor is it at all unhkely that he should go first of all to lands
where his father and mother exercised jurisdiction and authority, and.
do what he was able there to further the spiritual welfare of the tribe
in that part.
Rhiwal is said to have extended his rule over Domnonia in the reign of
^ Vita in Cart, hand., p. 66.
^ Vie de S. Guenael, in Le Grand, from lections in the Breviaries of Quimper,
Vannes, and Landevennec. Also a Vita in Menardus, in his Martyrolog}', 1629,
^ " Sanctus ergo Wingualoeus, senex venerabilis . . . plenus dieram . . .
quinto nonas Martias quarta feria in prima quadragesimse hebdoniada . . ..
obiit." Vita in Cart. Land., pp. 101-2. * iii, pp. 177-9. '
360 Lives of the British Saints
■Clothair, but he must have arrived with his fleet many years previous,
and it would be only after some stay in the country that he was able to
establish himself as prince over it. He is, moreover, spoken of as being
in the neighbourhood of the Champ de Rouvre, and estabhshed there,
as a man of some authority when Fracan and Gwen arrived.
If we assume that Winwaloe died at the age of 76, then the date of
his birth was 457, and Rhiwal had settled in Domnonia some few years
previously.
The approximate chronology of the Life of Winwaloe will be this : —
The saint was born on the arrival of his mother in Brittany . . 457
He was sent to Budoc to be trained at about the age of 10 . . 467
At the age of one and twenty he abjures the use of meat . . 478
Leaves Budoc at about the age of twenty-three for Leon . . 480
Remains at Lesguen for about four years, and moves to Tibidy . 484
Removes to Landevennec, visits Grallo, and obtains his consent . 487
Takes Gwenael as a disciple. ...... 489
Winwaloe dies " full of days " . . . . . . 532
The saint was at first buried in his cell, or locus fenitenticB, but the
body was transferred later, on April 28, to the church of the monastery.
His relics were carried off when the monks of Landevennec fled from
the Northmen in the tenth century, for the abbey was destroyed by
them in 913 or 914.
When Mathuedoi, Count of Poher, fled to Athelstan, with a number
•of Bretons, the abbot and monks of Landevennec, or some of them,
-were with him, as appears from a charter in the Cartulary of that
abbey.* Alan Barbetorte recalled them, about 937.
, What became of the body of S. Winwaloe is uncertain. It is prob-
.able that it was conveyed to Chateau-du- Loire, in Maine, for he is there
venerated as patron.
Winwaloe (in Breton and French Guenole) has March 3 for his day in
almost all the Brittany Calendars, but April 28 in the Quimper Brevi-
ary of 1835, the day of his translation, and November 3 in the Vannes
Breviary of 1660. He is not entered in the Welsh Calendars.
j - In the eastern counties of England there is a couplet still current
relating to the festivals at the beginning of March : —
" First comes David, then comes Chad,
Then comes Winwell (Winnol) as if he were mad."
Or "roaring mad." The reference is t o the stormy weather (" Whin-
-wall storms ") at this season of the year. There is a great fair on his
' Cart. Land., p. 156.
S. Winwaloe 361
day at Downham Market, and the saying in the district is, " There
is always a tempest on Downham fair-day."
Winwaloe is patron of Wonastow, near Monmouth. The church is
called in the Book of Llan Ddv ^ Lann Gunguarui, later Llanwarw,
which embodies one of the many forms of the saint's name. The
extinct chapels of Llandevenny, near Magor, and Llanwynny, also in
Monmouthshire, are said to have been dedicated to him.^
In Devon he is patron of Portlemouth. Bishop Brantyngham, in his
Register, October i8, 1372, gives, " Ecclesia Sancti Wonewalai de
Portlemouth." In the Inquisition, " Sancti Wynwolay." The saint
is represented on the very fine screen.
In Cornwall, dedications to S. Winwaloe are : The Parish Church of
Landewednack (Bronescombe's Register, 1279 ; Grandisson's, 1310,
1314). The Chapel of Gunwalloe. Here is his Holy Well, which,
being on the beach and within reach of high tides, has become choked
with sand. It was customary to clear it out previous to the Feast.
The Parish Church of Tremaine. The Church of Towednack. The
Church of Tresmere. A chapel at Cradock in S. Cleer (Stafford's
Register, 141 7).
There was once a church dedicated to him at Norwich, situated near
S. Catherine's Plain, and also a priory at Wareham, near Stoke Ferry
in Norfolk, founded towards the end of the twelfth century. Wenlock
in Salop, is most probably not dedicated to him.
The Feast at Landewednack is on June 20, but the celebration begins
on the nearest Sunday to that date. The Feast at Gunwalloe is on the
last Sunday in April, in reference to the day of his translation. The
Feast at Towednack is on April 28. The reason for transfer from March
3 to the end of April is to avoid keeping the feast in Lent. His feast
was observed in the Isle of Tibidy anciently on the first Sunday in
June. 3
In Brittany he is patron, not only of Landevennec, but also of Con-
carneau, Loquenole or Locunole, and the He de Seine, and of Le Croisic
and Batz, in Loire Inferieure.
' P. 201 ; on p. 320, Wonewarestow. On the name see what has been said,
iii, p. 164. The Taxaiiooi 1254 gives for it " Eccl. Sancti Wengel," and " Vicar
de Sancto Wingelo." The original form of the saint's name occurs in Cart. Land.,
p. 103, as Guingualoeus, which is the Welsh Gunguarui, with one lingual substi-
tuted for the other. A cleric named Guingual appears in the Book of Llan Ddv,
p. 169. The familiar form To-win-oc or To-guen-oc is that found in Lan-devennec
and Lan-dewednack. In modern Welsh this would be Tywynog, and is found
in the Lann Tiuinauc of the Book of Llan Ddv, p. 275, believed by Mr. Philli-
more to be Gannerew, near Monmouth (Owen's Pembrokeshire, ii, p. 301), which
bears the Welsh form of his original name.
2 Camfyro-British Saints, p. 5o6. ' Cart. Land., p. 173.
362 Lives of the British Saints
The Church of Loquenole, near Morlaix, is a very rude and early archi-
tectural monument, containing some of the oldest early Norman work
in Brittany. The number of chapels in which Guenole is honoured is
very great.
He is invoked in the early Litanies (tenth century) published by
Mabillon and Warren, in that of S. Vougai, and in the eleventh century'
Litany published by D'Arbois de Jubainville.^
He is represented at Plougastel as an old man in monastic habit and
hood, with a staff in one hand, an open book in the other. This is a
statue of the sixteenth century. A better and earlier statue is in the
Chateau of Kernuz, near Pont I'Abbe.
S. WULVELLA, Virgin, Abbess
One of the sisters of S. Sativola or Sid well, and of S. Jutwara or
Aude.
If the Sativola of Exeter be the Sicofolia of the Life of S. Paul of
Leon, then she was also his sister.
She is the patron of Gulval, in Cornwall, on Mount's Bay, which
Bishop Grandisson's Register gives as " Ecclesia Stae Welvelae de
Lanystly," 1328, and in the same year as " Vicaria Sanctae Welvelae de
Lanistly." In Bishop Stafford's Register, 1413, " Ecclesia Parocjiialis
Sanctae Gulvelae alias Wolvelae de Lanestly."
The Will of William Bachyler, September 14, 1410, contains a be-
quest to the Church " Sanctae Golvelae." ^ Ecton, in his Thesaurus
Rerum EccL, calls Laneast the church of S. Gulwell. But Laneast
is dedicated to the two sisters S. Sativola and S. GulveUa.
Gulval has been supposed by some to be dedicated to S. Gudwal,
Bishop, but this is inadmissible in face of the notices in the Episcopal
Registers. The Church of S. Paul, brother of S. Wulvella, if we allow
the relationship, is separated from Gulval only by a portion of Madron
parish.
In the Life of S. Paul we are told that he went to visit his sister, at
the extremity of Britain on the coast, and that he remained there as her
guest till his vessel was ready to carry him over to Armorica.^ Whilst
' Revue Celtique, xi (1890), p. 136.
2 Bishop Stafford's Register, ed. H, Randolph, p. 396.
' " Tandem sua germanae sororis in eodem opere nomine descriptae, quae ini
illiiis patriae extremis finibus, id est, in httore maris Britannici degebat, domum
S. WINWALOE (GU1&N0L6).
From statue at Kernuz, Pont V Ahhi.
S. Tnyr Gwent 363:
with her she complained to him of the encroachment of the sea, and he
banked it out for her.^ At Gulval was her community of rehgious
women ; they would need clerics near them to minister to them in holy
things ; and we may suppose that Paul made his foundation hard by for
this purpose, and left some of his disciples there, but for good reasons
did not put his community of young men too near to the house for
women.
Bosuval, a farm in the parish, was probably, judging from the name,
WulveUa's original settlement (Both-Wulvell).
As already intimated, Wulvella is also patroness of Laneast, along,
with her sister Sativola. In a window at Laneast she is represented,
in fifteenth century glass, as an aged abbess, crowned, and with staff
and veil.
Gulval Holy Well was at one time greatly resorted to.^ There is-
also a Holy Well at Laneast in good condition. Likewise there are a
Holy Well and Cross of S. Gulval at Ashburton, on the confines of the
parish of Staverton, the church of which is dedicated to S. Paul, now
supposed to be the Apostle, possibly formerly of Paul of Leon. Ash-
burton Fair is on the Tuesday or Thursday nearest to November 12,
which is the day of S. Gulval's feast at Gulval on Mount's Bay, now
observed on the Sunday nearest to that day.
The day of S. Gudwal, Bishop, is on June 6.
WulveUa is apparently the female saint on the Berry- Pomeroy screen,,
represented as holding a lantern, having been confounded with S.
Gudula ; and at Kenn, beside her sister Sidwell ; and also at Wolbor-
ough, where she occurs, as a crowned abbess, along with her sister ; and.
at Torbryan.
S. YNYR GWENT, Prince, Confessor
Ynyr is usually given as the son of Dyfnwal H6n, and great-grandson
of Maxen Wledig and Elen.* He was Prince of Gwent, and his seat of
prospero cursu pervenit. Ibique cum eadem jam tunc temporis sacrosancta.
virgine Deo dicata, quousque omnia quae .ad usum navigandi necessaria esse
videbantur, prseparata fuerant, hospes honorabilis hospitatus est." Vita S.
Pauli, ed. Plaine, Analecta Boll., i (1882). The only sister named before was
Sicofolia ; so we must suppose that she was with Wulvella there at the time.
1 Supra, p. 78.
2 Lysons' Cornwall, p. ccii ; Gilbert's History of Cornwall, iii, p. 121,
8 His descent is not given in the usual saintly pedigrees. According to the Life-
364 Lives of the British Saints
principality was at Caerwent. His wife was Madrun, daughter of
Gwrthefyr Fendigaid, and grand-daughter of the infamous Gwrtheyrn
Gwrtheneu, or Vortigem. By her he had three sons and a daughter. ^
The sons were Iddon, Ceidio, and Cynheiddon, and the daughter
Tegiwg, all counted as saints. He was succeeded by Iddon.
He is mentioned in the Life of S. Beuno. That saint was sent by his
parents to be instructed by Tangusius, or Tangwn, who succeeded
Tathan as abbot at Caerwent. He was well received by the good king
Ynyr, who " gave him a gold ring and a crown ; also he became a
disciple and monk to S. Beuno, and gave him three estates in Euas " ^
(Ewyas). Thereon Beuno founded Llanveyno.
Ynyr is said to have founded the churches of Abergavenny and
Machen,^ in Monmouthshire, but neither of them is to-day dedicated
to him.
Very little is known of him by Welsh historians. But he may possi-
bly be the Eneour who was a founder on a large scale in Leon, in Brit-
tany.* If our supposition be correct, he there founded three pious,
which reveals the fact that he must have passed the seas at the head of
a large body of British emigrants. It is more probable that this took
place on the occasion of the breaking out of the Yellow Plague, in 547,
than that he should have fled so late as 577, when came the Saxon in-
vasion of the basin of the Severn. His three pious are Plouneour-Trez,
or the plebs of Ynyr on the Shore, Plouneour-Menez, his plebs on the
Mountain, and Plouneour Lanvern, his plehs near his Lan in the Alder-
grove, where the civil settlement was beside the ecclesiastical colony.
It is traditionally held in Brittany that his sister, who is called S'<=
Thumete, accompanied him. In the tenth or early eleventh century
Litany in the Missal of S. Vougai, he is invoked asEneure.^ In the
■Cartulary of Landevennec Plouneour is called Plueu Eneuur.^ In the
twelfth century Life of S. Goulven it is " parochia Enemori." '
of S. Tathan his father was Caradog, King of Gwent ; see Owen's Pembrokeshire,
ii, p. 285. The name Ynyr, in Breton Ener, is derived from the Latin Honorius.
A S. Ynyr is entered in the lolo MSS., p. 141, as a son of Seithenin, but he is
.clearly confounded with Cynyr of Caer Gawch, S. David's grandfather, whose
name continually occurs in late documents as Gynyr and Ynyr.
1 It would appear that he had another daughter, Morfydd, who became the
wife of King Gwaithfoed (Dr. J. G. Evans, Report on Welsh MSS., ii, pp. 350,
.352)-
2 Llyvyr Agkyr LI., pp. 119-20.
^ lolo MSS., pp. 148, 221. According to the Life of S. Tathan it was Caradc,'^
-jthat founded the college at Caerwent, and not Ynyr ; see supra, pp. 212—3.
* Stephan, I'Eglise de PlounSour-Trez, Landerneau, 1903, pp. 9, 94.
* Revue Celtique, xi (1890), p. 136.
8 Cart. Land., ed. De la Borderie, p. 167.
•' Saint Goulven, by De la Borderie, Rennes, 1892, p. 223.
S. Ynyr Gwent 365
There is no certainty that Eneour is Ynyr Gwent, but there are cer-
tain reasons that lead to the supposition that they are the same. That
he was a man of very considerable importance cannot be doubted when
he was able to found three -plehes with those he brought over with him ;.
and he came to Leon, which was colonized from Gwent.
That he was one of those who accompanied Paul of Leon is hardly
possible. Ynyr, Prince of Gwent, was a man of too much importance-
to have remained unnoticed among the disciples of Paul, of whom the
biographer records the names of fourteen. It is far more probable that
he headed an independent migration at the time of the Yellow Plague,,
when, as we know from the Life of S. Teilo, there was a rush out of South
Wales across the sea to Brittany.
Ynyr, if the identification be allowed, landed on the broad sandy
iraeth of Plouneour, where stands now the huge menhir of Pontusval,.
standing over 30 feet high, now surmounted by a cross. Thence he
moved to Guerlesquin, where he was regarded as patron and called S„
Iner, or Saint Tiner.^ He has, however, been displaced to make way
for S. Tenenan, but his statue remains in the church.
His second flou was on the Monts d'Arrez, Plouneour-Menez, where
also he has been thrust from being patron to be supplanted by a saint
of whom more is known, and who figures in the Roman Martyrology.
His third -plou was that near his ecclesiastical settlement of Lanvern.,
This is in a different part of the country, in Cornouaille, and not far
from Pont I'Abbe, in the Bigauden district. His reputed sister
Thumete is venerated at Kerity Penmarch near by. In the same-
neighbourhood is Ploneis, of which Church S. Eneour was also patron.
At Plouneour-Trez is his Holy Well in the garden of the presbytere..
He is represented by a statue in the church as a hermit, and is there
called by the inhabitants Guyneour. But at Plouneour-Menez is a
statue of him habited as a mitred abbot with pastoral staff. The-
patronage of Plouneour-Trez has been transferred to S. Peter. The
church has been rebuilt, in passably respectable flamboyant, and the
windows have been fitted with modern French glass of the usual tawdry-
style, representing various epochs in the ecclesiastical history of
Brittany.
In the peninsula of Gower, and in the Deanery of West Gower, is a,
benefice which is officially described as " Llanrhidian with Llanyr-
newydd (or Penclawdd)." The chapelry, given under this curiously
, 1 Joanne, GiogyapUe du FinisUre. " S. Eneour, emigre breton, venu du pays.
de G-went ou de la Cambrie, vers la fin du v= siecle on le commencement du vi','"
etc. Stephan, I'Eglise de Plouniour-Trez, 1903, p. 9.
366 Lives of the British Saints
corrupted form Llanyrnewydd, occurs in the list of parishes in Peniarth
MS. 147 (c. 1566) as Llanininewyr, on Speed's map (1610) as Llannyen-
were, and in BYOwneWiWis's Parochiale Anglicanum [I'j'^zY ^^ Llan-
gwe3mowr. Wilhs gives the dedication of the chapel to S. Gweynowr,
with festival on November 10 ; but no saint of that name is commemor-
ated in the Welsh Calendars. The initial letter of Willis's spelling we
owe to his imagination, and there can hardly be a doubt that the
: aint implied is Eneour.
Eneour's name does not occur in any of the ancient Breton Calendars,
but the fete is celebrated at Plouneour on the first Sunday in May,
and the second of September. Garaby has inserted S. Eneour on May 4,
and calls him Enemour. He has been followed by De la Borderie,
Kerviler, and Gautier du Mottay ; but Garaby does not seem to have
had any authority for May 4 ; he placed the feast on that day solely
because the Pardon at Plouneour-Trez was kept on the first Sunday in
May.
The Thumete regarded as sister of Eneour may possibly be Tegiwg,
the daughter, actually, of Ynyr. As it did not comport with what was
thought in later ages correct, that the hermit or abbot should have a
•daughter, she was made out to be his sister.
The name, under the form Eneuiri, is perhaps found on an inscribed
stone now in the chapel at Goodrich Court, Herefordshire. ^
S. YLCHED
Ylched or Ulched is regarded as the patron saint of the parish of
Llechylched, " Ylched's Stone," in Anglesey, but the Welsh genealogies
have nothing to say of a saint of the name. Whether a male or female
we do not know.
The calendar in the Grammar of John Edwards of Chirk, 1481,
gives May 9 as " Gwyl Ylchett," but Browne Willis and others ^ give
January 6.
' P. 191. 2 Khys, Welsh Philology, p. 401.
3 Bangor, 1721, p. 279 ; N. Owen, Hist, of Anglesey, 1775, p. 56 ; Angharad
Llwyd, Hist, of Anglesey, 1833, p. 303. For the parish-name compare that of
Llechgynfarwy, also in Anglesey, the Lech-names indexed in the Book of Llan
Ddv, p. 409, etc.
S. YSGWN, Confessor
YsGWN was the son of Cystennin Gorneu,i and the brother of Digain
and Erbin. In another document,^ under the form Ysgin, he is made
to have been son of Erbin ab Cystennin Gorneu, and so brother of
■Geraint.
Another Ysgwn is once enumerated among the Saints, ^ the son of
Llywarch Hen and father of S. Buan. In the copies of the old Bonedd
y Saint in Peniarth MSS. 16 and 45, however, he is not entered as a
saint, only as the father of S. Buan.
S. YSTINAN, see S. JUSTINIAN
S. YSTYFFAN, Confessor
YsTYFFAN, or Styphan, i.e. Stephen, was the son of Mawan or
Mawn ab Cyngen ab Cadell Ddyrnllug, prince of Powys.* In late docu-
ments he is often given the epithet " Teilo's Bard," which owes its
origin to a misreading.^
Ystyffan is the patron of Llanstephan, in Carmarthenshire, and Llan-
stephan, in Radnorshire, both of which have parishes adjoining them
with S. Teilo as patron, viz. Llandilo Abercowin and Llandilo Graban,
testifying to the close friendship that is traditionally believed to have
■existed between these two saints. Ffynnon Styffan, his holy well, is
near the church in the village of the Carmarthenshire parish under his
invocation. It is walled over, and has always a plentiful supply of
good water, to which tradition ascribes healing properties.
He is probably the Ystyffan intended by the second of the eight
" Bishops of Glamorgan alias Kenffig," or Margam, in a catalogue
given by lolo Morganwg," but which is unauthenticated.
Ystyffan is credited with having composed the stanzas entitled
■" Englynion Cain Cynnwyre " ;'' but the authorship is impossible.
' lolo MSS., p. 137. 2 Myv. Arch., p. 431.
' lolo MSS., p. 128. His name is occasionally spelt Ysgwyn, as in Peniarth
MS. 12, and Myv. Arch., p. 418.
» Peniarth MSS. 16, 45 ; HafodMS. 16 ; Cardiff MS. 27 (p .117) ; Myv. Arch.,
p. 430 ; lolo MSS., pp. 105, 130. The proto-martyr is usually called in Medijeval
Welsh Ystyphan Ferthyr.
' See supra, p. 242. ^ lolo MSS., p. 361 ; Liber Landavensis, p. 625.
' Myv. Arch., pp. 835-6. Another poem, on p. 758, of a proverbial character,
is doui)tfulIy ascribed to him.
368 Lives of the British Saints
The poem is of an adagial or moral character, and consists of thirty
triplets, each commencing with the catch- words " Cain cynnwyre "
(" Beauteous early-rising "), which, however, have nothing to do with
what foUows so far as the subject matter is concerned.. They are of
the same type as the " Eiry Mynydd " and " Gorwynion " stanzas.
One of the " Sayings of the Wise " triplets runs ^ : —
Hast thou heard the saying of YstyfEan,
Teilo's bard, of quick answer ?
" Man desires, God confers "
(Dyn a chwennych, Duw a ran).
One of the seven questions said to have been proposed by Catwg the
Wise to seven wise men of his college at Llanfeithin, or Llancarfan, was-
the following to Ystyffan — " What is the greatest folly in man ? " to-
which he replied, ' ' To wish evil to another without the power of inflict-
ing it." - But the text is quite late.
1 lolo MSS., p. 252. 2 Myv. Arch., p. 776.
APPENDIX
GENEALOGIES OF THE WELSH SAINTS
A. BONHED Y SEINT
From Peniarth MS. 16 (early thirteenth century), fo. 53.
Dewi . m . Jant . m . kedic . m .
keredic . m . cuneda wledic . o
nonn verch kenyr o gaer gawch y
mynyw y mam.
Docuael . m . ithael . m . kere-
dic . m . kuneda wledic.
TyJJul . m . co2un . m . ke . m .
ku . wledic.
Pedyr . m . co2un . m . ke . m .
ku . wledic.
Teilyaw . m . enjych . m . hy-
dw'n . m . ke . m . ku . wledic.
Auan buellt . m . kedic . m . ke
. m . kune . wledic. A thecued
verch tegit voel o benllyn y mam.
Gwinlleu . m . kyngar . m .
garthaOc . m . ke . m . ku . wledic.
Kynuelyn . m . bleidud . m .
meirya'On . m . tibyaOn . m . ku .
wledic.
EinnyaOn vrenhin yn Ueyn.
A Jeiryoel ym penmon. A meir-
ya'On yny cantref.
Edern . m . beli . m . Run . m .
maelgwn . m . catwallawn llaOhir
. m . EinyaOn yrth . m . cuneda
wledic.
Catwaladyr vendigeit . m . yago
. m . beli . m . bel run . m .
maelgwn . m . catwallawn lla6hir
. m . einyaOn yrth . m . cu .
wledic.
Deinyoel . m . duna6t . vwrr
. m . pabo . pojt . p2ydein. A
dwywei verch leenna'O.c y vam.^
AJJa . m . Jawyl benuchel . m.
pabo poJt p2ydein. A g6en-
najjeth verch riein . o rieinwc y
mam.
Kyndeyrn garthwyj . m . ewein
. m . vryen. A denw verch llu
lewdwn lluyd o dinaj eidyn yny
gogled y vam.
Go2wJt . m . gOeith hengaer
. m . elfin . m . vryen. Ac euro-
nwy verch klydno eidyn y vam.
Cadell . m . vryen.
Buan . m . yjgw[n] . m . lly-
warch hen .
lleudat yn enlli. A baglat yg
coet alun ac eleri ym pennant
gwytherin yn rywynnyaOc. A
thegwy A thyuriaOc . yg kere-
digyaOn ij coet . meibyon dyngat
* The mothers of Deinioel and Assa are transposed in the original, but
rectified in a later hand, and so printed here.
VOL. IV. '"^ B B
370 Lives of the British Saints
, m . nud hael . m . Jenyllt . m .
kedic . m . dyuynyeual hen . m .
ydnyuet . m . maxen wledic. A
thenoi verch lewdwn lluydaGc o
■dinas eidyn yny gogled eu mam.
Catuan Jant yn enlli . m . eneaj
ledewic olydaO. AgOen teirbaon
merch emyr llydaO y vam.
Henwyn . m . gOyndaJ hen o
lydaO . periglaOr catuan. Ar
Jeint a vu yn enlli yn vn oej ac
wynt.
Kynan a dochdwy. A mael a
Julyen. A thanwc. Ac eithraj.
A llyvab. A thegwyn. A doe-
thant y gyt achatuan yr enyj hon.
Padarn . m . petrwn . m . emhyr
llydaO keued'w y catuan.
Tydecho . m . annvn du . m .
emyr llydaO keuend'w y catuan.
TrunyaO . m . dyvwng . m .
emhyr llydaO keuend'w y gatuan.
maelrys . m . gwydno . m .
emhyr UydaO keuend'w y gatuan.
Tygei y maej llan glaJJaOc.
A therillo yn dineirth yn roj.
meibyon . ithael hael o lydaO. A
llechit yn arllechwed chOaer
Tidunt.
Kyby . m . Jelyf . m . Gereint
. m . erbin . m . cujtennyn go2neu
. m .
Yejtin . m . Gereint . m . erbin
. m . cujtennyn go2neu.
Padaic . m . Aluryt . m . G020-
nwy . o waredaOc yn arvon.
Catuarch Jant yn aberech yn
Ueyn. A thangwn yn llangoet
ymon. A maethlu yg carnedaOi
y mon . meibyon caradaOc vrei-
churaj . m . Uyr marini.
Beuno . m . hengi . m . gwyn-
lliw . m . gliwij . m . tegit . m .
cadell. A pherferen verch lew-
dwn lluydaOc yny gogled y vam.
Kemmeu Jant . m . g6ynniw
. m . gliwij . m . tegit . m . cadell.
Cadwc Jant . m . gwynlliw . m .
gliwij . m . tegit . m . cadell . o
lann gadwc yg went.
TyJilyaO . m . baochuael yjgi-
thraOc . m . kyngen . m . cadell .
dyrnlluc. Ac ardun verch pabo
pojt- p2ydein y vam.
llywelyn 02 trallOg . m . tego-
nwy . m . teon . m . g'Oineu den
vreudwyt .
gOrnerth Jant . m . llywelyn . 02
trallwng.
Melhayarn yg kegitua ym
powyj . allwchayarn yg ketewyng.
A chynhayarn yn eidonyd . mei-
byon hygaruael . m . kynd2wyn
o lyjtin wynnan yg kereinyaOn.
Gwythvarch y meiuot . m .
amalaruj tywyJJaOc y pwyl.
Styphan . m . . mawan . m .
kyngen . m . cadell . dyrnlluc.
Ped2aOc . m . clemj tywyJJaOc
o gernyw.
Tutclyt. A Gwynnoedyl. A
merin. A thudno . yg kyngre-
daOdyr. A Jennenyr meibyon
Jeithennin vrenhin o vaej gwydno.
A 02eJgynnwyJ mo2 eutir.
PeriJ Jant cardinal o Ruein.
Bodo a Gwymin. A b2othen
Jant . meibyon Glanna6,c . m .
helic voel . odyno helic . gOyr
heuyt a 02eJgynnwyJ mo2 eu tir.
Tyvryda6c ymon. A dyeuer
y motyuarru yn tegeingyl. A
theyrnaOc yn dyffryn clwyt. A
thudyr yn dar ewein . yg keuei-
Appendix
371
lyaOc baodyr oedynt . meibyon
hawyjtyl gloff. A marchell eu
chOaer. A thywanOed verch
amlawt wledic eu mam.
keidaO . m . enyr gOent . mad-
2un merch' wertheuyr vrenhin ||
end.
B. BONHED SEINT KYMRY
From Peniarth MS. 45 (late thirteenth century), p. 286.
Dewi mab Jant . mab kedic
. m . keredic . m . cuneda wledic.
A non uerch kynyr o caer gaOch
yiiam.
Dochuael . m . ithael . m . kere-
dic . m . cuneda wledic.
TeilaO . m . eujjyllt . m . hidOn
dOn . m . keredic . m . cuneda
wledic.
Auan buellt . m . keredic . m .
cuneda wledic. A thecued uerch
tegit uoel o pellyn jniam.
Gwynlleu . m . kyngar . m .
garthaOc . m . keredic . m . cuneda
-wledic.
K5Tiuel3m . m . bleidud . in .
meira6n . m . tybiaOn . m . cuneda
wledic.
EinaOn urenhin yn lle57n. A
Jeiryol jon pen mon. AmeiryaOn
yny cantref . meibon jrwein dan-
wyn . m . eina6n yrth . m . cune-
da wledic.
Edem . m . beli . m . run . m .
maelgOn . m . catwallaOn UaOhir
. m . einaOn yrth . m . cuneda
wledic.
Catwaladyr uendigeit . m . ca-
tuan . m . lago . m . beli . m .
run . m . maelgOn . m . catwall' .
llaOhir . m . einaOn jnrth . m .
cuneda wledic.
Deinyol . m . dunaOt u6rr . m ,
pabo pojt prydein. AdOywei
uerch leennaOc jruam.
AJJa . m . Jawyl pen uchel . m .
pabo poJt prydein . AgwenJJaeth
uerch rein . orieinOc yuam.
kyndeyrn garthwys . m . ywein
. m . vryen. AdenyO uerch
Ie6d6n luydaOc OdinaJ eidyn }my
gogled y uam.
Go2uJt . m . gweith hengaer
. m . uryen. Ac euronOy uerch
clydno eid}^ y uam.
Cadell . m . vryen.
Buan . m . yJgOn . m . Uywarch
hen.
lleudaf yn enlli. AbaglaO yg
coet alun. Ac eleri ym pennant
AthegOy. AtheuriaOc yg kredi-
gyaOn is coet . meibon dingat
. m . nud hael . m . fenyllt . m .
kedic . m . dyuuynwal hen . m .
idnyfet . m . maxen wledic. Ath ■
enoi uerch leOdOn luydaOc odinaf
eidyn yny gogled jmam.
Catuan Jant yn enlli . m . eneaj
ledewic olydaO Agwen teir b2on
uerch emyr llydaO yuam.
Henwyn . m . gwyndaf hen
olydaO periglaOa catuan.
Ar Jeint auu yn enlli yn un oes
ac wynt k5man adocliwy. Amael.
3 72 Lives of the British Saints
AJulyen. A than 6c. AcethriaJ.
Allywen. Allyuab adoethant gyt
Achatuan yr 301 y J hon.
Padem . m . petrOn . m . emyr
llydaO keuynderO y catuan.
Tedecho . m . annun du . m .
emyr llydaO . keuynderO y catuan.
TninyaO . m . diOng . m . emyr
llydaO . keuynderO y catuan.
maeleris . m . gOydno . m .
emyr llydaO . keuynderO y
catuan.
Tegei glaJJaOc y maej llan.
Atherillo yn ro5.meibyon ithael
olydaO. Allechit yn arllechwed
chwaer udunt.
Kybi . m . Jelyf . ni . gereint . m .
erbin . m . cujtenin co2neu.
Padric . m . aluryt . m . go2o-
nOy owaredaC/c yn anion.
Catuarch Jant yn aberech yn
lleyn. AthangOn yn llan goet
ym mon. Amaethlu yg came-
da02 ym mon . meibon caradaOc
ureichuras . m . llyr marini.
CadOc Jant . m . gwynUiO . m .
gliOys . m . tegit . m . cadell .
olan cadOc yg gwent.
TeJJilyaO . m . baochuael yjgi-
thraOc . m . kyngen . m . cadell
dymllOch. O ardun uerch pabo
pojt p2ydein y uam.
Uywelyn 02 trallOng . m . tego-
nOy . m . teon . m . gwineu deu
ureudOyt.
G02nerth Jant . m . Uywelyn 02
trallOng.
Elhayarn yg kegitua ym powys.
A UOchhayarn yg kedewein.
Achynhayarn yn eidonyd . meibon
hygaruael . m . kyndrOyn olyjti-
nwynnan yg kereinaOn.
GOyduarch ym meiuot . mala-
rus tywyJJaOc y pOyl.
Styphan . m . mawan . m ,
kjTigen . m . cadell dyrnllOch.
Tutclyt agynodyl. A meirin.
Athutno. A Jeneuyr meibon
Jeitheninn urenhi o uaef gOydno
ao2eJgyn^ mo2 eu tir.
TjmrydaOc ymon. AteyrnaOc
yn d5/ffryn clOyt. Athudur yn
darywein yg keueilaOc baodyx
oedynt . meibon awyjtyl gloff.
A marcell eu chwaer . athywan-
wed merch amlaOt wledic eu
mam.
KeidaO . m . ynyr gwent a
madrun merch wertheuyr uendi-
geit y uam.
Elen keinyat . m . alltu rede-
gaOc . m . cardudwys . m . kyngu
. m . yJpOys . m . catdraOt calchu-
ynyd . athecnaO uerch te6d62
ma62 y uam.
Elaeth uren' . m . meuruc . m .
idno. Ac Omen grec uerch waU-
aOc . m . lleennaOc y uam.
DyunaOc Jant . m . medraOt
. m . ca62daf . m . caradaOc urei-
churaj.
Nidan y mon . m . . . g62uy0
. m . pajken . m . uryen.
Eurgein uerch uaelgOn gOyned
. m . catwallaOnllawir . m . einaOn
yrth . m . cuneda wledic.
LlonyaO llaOhir . m . alan fjr-
gan . m . emyr llydaO.
Gwynya'Oc. Anoethon meibon
gildaj . m . ca6.
GOahei . m . caO openyjtryweit
yn arOyJtIi.
Garmon . m . ridicus. Ac yn
oej gOrtheyrn gOrtheneu y doeth
Appendix 373
yr ynyj hon. Ac 0 ffreinc pan eurdeyrn . m . gOrtheyrn gOr-
hanoed. theneu. . . .
Dona y mon . m . Jelyf . m . Peblic Jant yny caer yn aruon
kynan garwyn . m . baochuael . m . maxen wledic amheraOdyr
yJgithraOc . m . kyngen . m . ruuein. Ac helen uerch eudaf
cadell dyrnllOch . m . brutus . m . y uam .
ruduedel urych . yraa y teruyna bonhed Jeint
kymry.
S. ASAPH
The prologue to the imperfect Life in the Red Book of S. A saph, in the Episcopal
Library, p. 42.
VITA SANCTI ASSAPH.
Gloriosissimi Confessoris et Pontificis Assaph pa?ni nri vitam
p loca diversa, monast^ia Cathedrales et Baptismales Eccas
diligenti affeccoe quaesivi. Cu igitur Assaven Ecca p beatu Kenti-
gemu sit fundata sedificata et solempnit^ consecrata admiratione
dignu quare non Kentigernens : sed Assavens : ^fata intitulatur
Ecca, hinc est q'* de ;pd sedis fundacoe et fundatoris munificentia
fabricacois et consecracois honorificentia quae in vita bi Kentigerni
stilo traduntur latiori in jpsensti opuscule dictamine com-
jphendunt^ breviori. Demu de Eleccoe et CreacoeSt' Assaph, com-
;^macoe et consecracoe et conversacois ipius dulcedine de corpis
uniformitate viribus et decore, cordis virtutibus ac sanctitate, ac
miraculof illustracoe ad populi devocoem et aliqualem Cleri instruc-
tionem, familiaris affeccois aliqua licet pauca intendo pare. Cii
dictator se ad loquendum ;pparat sub quantse cautelae studio loquatur
attendat ne si obscure ad loquendii rapitur erroris vuln^e audientium
corda feriant^.et cum fortasse sapiente se videri desiderat, virtutis
compaginem insipient^ absidat [abscindat], saepe etenim dictatoris
virtus amittitur cum ap** audientiu corda obscuritas quaerat®. Qui
eni ea dictant quae audientium corda intelligere nequeant, non auditor
utilitatem sed sui ostentatione faciunt. Hoc igit^ opusculu ex uno
libro Latino et diu^sis codicil! nro vulgari conscriptis Storiographof
Wallensiii narracoibj simplici dictamine tanqua penes poplm duxi
compaginand moderacois sicut penes temperiem, ut simplicioribus
sit appetibile, nee aliis nimis inutile vl contemptibile heat^.
3 74 Lives of the British Saints
S. BEUNO.
There are two distinct lists of the persons whom Beuno is said to
have raised from the dead. One gives seven, and the other six.
(i) Harleian MS. 3,325 (sixteenth century), fo. 1456 ; apparently
the older version.
Llyma henwav y sevthnyn/A gyfododd bevno o veirw [yn/lyw
nid amgen/Gwenvrewy Ael hayarn/Tegiwg/y glas/Dyngad vardd/
Dinial a voddes/Llorkan wyddel.
(2) Additional MS. 31,055 (1594-6), fo. 21&. (Also in Peniarth
MS. 75, sixteenth century, fo. 21.)
Llyma henwae y rhai a gyfodes Bevno o veirw yn vyw/llorcan
wyddel / Aelhayarn / Deinioel vab. Deinioel varch dv o Bowys/
Gwenvrewy/a Thegiwc vz ynyr Gwent.
S. CAWRDAF
CYWYDD CAWRDA SANT
From Llyvyr Hir Llywarch Reynolds (early seventeenth centuryl, p. 112* ; collated
in the more important readings with Llanstephan MS. 47 (c. 1630), p. 303.
Mab a roed mwya brawdwr tri chrair a wnair ar i nod
i Degav gynt ag yw gwr a thri henw athro hjmod
korff hir kywir offeren kawrda penn gorseddfa r saint
kawrda kyff karadog hen kadfarch a chynfarch unfaint
ny wnaeth hwnn anoethineb gwilia i ddelw a goelian
wyr Einon vrth orn i neb gwiliwch i lyfr ai gloch Ian
awdiir kynheddfaledig ^ gwelwch bawb och amgeledd
hyd y nef vry a diiw n vrig a chwyr byth ewch ar y bedd
penn raith ag or ^ saithwyr mae mann i gamv mwnai
pennaf or saint pan vo r * syrr i bawb ar hwnn i bob rai
glan i roed golaini r hain gwelais hydd mewn glwysyddhir
glaw a thravael gwlith ryvain maen mawrda y min mordir
dwr a ddaiith dros diroedd ar gwelwch y vronn yny * gylch vry
dyddiav gweddiav daear ywch ' grwndwal ef ach * gwrendy
y dailwng broffwydoliaeth pob kymro a glywo r gloch
or dwfr oer ar Gawrda vaeth ^ o ddavty a ddaw atoch
* We are indebted to Mr. Llywarch Reynolds for a transcript of this poem.
' Kynedd fawl edig. ' ar (for ac) vn. * vy'r.
' Gawrdaf aeth. * vro ny, ' ynych. ^ voch (for ef ach),..
Appendix
375
a vynno help i vyw n hir
i berechwon ^ ve bwrir
gorav nawdddir ar dir da
llenn ag ardal llann Gawrda
gorav or holl gaiirav yr hawg
yw kaer wydr mab karadawg
diiw a roddes dir yddaw
Daniel aii ^ wyr dan i law
mae jesu yny kymisiwn
mae gair y tair Mair at hwnn
lljma blwyf llawen i blaid
lie brainiol llv barwniaid
Gythjm ^ ny wna n erbyn neb
tir kawrda twr kywirdeb
teg yw anreg ty y gwr
wrth ddangos wrthav vngwr
bwrw a wnaf ir ffyrfaven
bwrw arch air ir * borch wena
troi enaid vn ir trwn s da
twr y deml i troid yma
llawen yw nef wenn i vod
awdiir •= vndiiw ar drindod
llwyddodd a vynnodd y vo
llwyddiant ir tenant dano
lie da byth rag Hid a bar
Haw ddiiw dros i holl ddaear
Howel ap Rainallt
ai kant \Flor. c. 1460-90]^
S. COLLEN
BUCHEDD COLLEN
From Hdfoi MS. ig (1536), p. 141.
Llyma ystoria kollen ai vvchedd kollen ap gwynoc ap kydeboc ap-
Kowrda ap Kyriadoc vyraich vyras Kyriadoc vyreichvyras a vjrriwodd
i vyraich yn gwnevthvr Addvc ac or byriw hwnw y bv vwy i vyraich
nor Hall ac am hyny y kelwid ef vyreich vyras ap llyr vyrenin hwnw
a w yn priod a margred verch iarll Rydychen Mam goUen sant oedd
Ethinen wyddeles verch vathylwch arglwydd yn y werddon yr arglwy-
ddieth bono a elwir yrowan Rwngkwc ar ethinen hono a gad o vn o
law vorrynion y wraic briod ef ac anfoned ir ynys hon yw magv Ar
nos y kad kollen Ef a welai i vam Dyrwy i hvn glomen yny hedec
tvac ati hi ac yni byrathv hi dan ben i bron ac yn Tynv i chalon allan
ac yny hedec a hi tvar nef ac or He yr aeth a hi yn dyvod a hi ac yni
hyroddv i mewn ir lie y dynasai ac yn i gosod jmy He dynasai gida
gerogle tec ac yna y glomen aeth oi golwc hi Ar kollen hwnw ir yn
vab seithymylwydd a vv yn dysgv gwysynevthv duw ar arglwyddes
vair y bv Ef heb orffowys ac yni vabolaeth ef aeth i orlians a ffyraink
i ddysgv ac yno ybv gollen chwemis ac yn yr amser hwnw yr roedd
svlan ap postat yn. Ryvelv gida gwyr griy a mynych rryvel oedd ar
wyr Rvfain ar rryved ryvel oedd rryngthvnt ar kristynogion a Uadd
1 be echwen.
' tyddyn.
Deiniol ai.
^ twrn.
' adur.
3 7^ Lives of the British Saints
llawer or kristynogion ac yni gyrv i ffo yn vynych o amserr ac yn
yr amser hwnw y doeth gwr a elwid byras a dywedud y kymerai ef
ari law ymladd yn enw y ffydd a hwynt yp pykanied ar roe yr vn
gwr i ymladd ar vn gwr aroe y kristynogion ac yna kytvno a wnaeth
y pab ar beri erbyn dydd byr vn gwr i ymladd yn enw ffydd grist
ac addyvod y pegan pa vn bynac a gaer gore kyredv or ddwy bylaid i
hwnw ac y w ffydd ar hyny yr aeth y pab i ostegv i wyr ai nekav a naeth
pawb Ef a thyrwm a thyrist yr aeth ar y pab hyny a myned a naeth
He yr oedd ddelw yr arglwydd Jessu grist ar y groes a dywedud val
hyn o tyti y gwir dduw mae dy gyngor ac ar hyny y doeth lief vwch
i ben yn erchi iddo vo vyned i borth hantwn ar kynta agarvvydde
aoc ef mai hwnw oedd val y mynai dduw yw Roi drosto i ymladd
a myned anaeth y pab ar dyraws y mor a thir hyd yno y porth A ffan
ddoeth yno ef a welai wr addwyn ar gwr hwnw oedd gollen am mynegi
anaeth y pab iddo i ddamvniad iddo a chyroesawy a anaeth koUen
neges yn anrryddvs a dyw wedud duw adyvod gida gef hyd ymaes
a osodesid ar gwr a elwid byras a ddoeth yno ai bylaid yni gylch ac
am i ben basyned ac y yng horvn y vasyned yr oedd eli gwyrthyvawr Ac
erchi i anaeth i gollen ddyvod nes i ymladd ac ef A chollen a gymerth
i gledde ynoeth ac a roes yvengil ir groes y kyledde ac yna y tyrowsant
i gyt ac yna y byriowodd ychyd die arr law kollen gantho vo yr hwn
a elwit byras ac yna y keisiodd y pygan gan gollen ym Roi a
chyredv yw dduw ef ac ef ai gwnai ef yn Jach or byriw yn yr awr
bono ar eli gwyrthyvawr oedd gidag ef ac yna y tynodd byras
y bylwch ar eli ac ai roes yn Haw gollen A chymervd peth or eli anaeth
kollen ai rroi ar y byriw ac Jach vv yr awr hono Ac yna kymervd y
bylwch ar eli ai davylv yn yr Avon Rac kael or vn ohonvnt or lies
oddiwrtho Ac yna y tyrowsan ynghyd yr ail waith ac y tyrewis kollen
ef dan i gesel oni welit i av ai ystgyvent ac yntef aeth ir Uawr Ac yna
y dyvod byras kollen dy nawdd na chai myn dail heb kollen ac yna
y dyvod byras wrth gollen oni chaf vi myvi ath vilia di gar byron
duw y gorvchaf dduw yr hwn y kyredi di iddo ac y kyredaf vinef yr
awr hon dy voti yn gwnevthvr kam am vyvi a mi a vynaf vymeddyddio
pellach val y gallwyvi gael Ran or llywenydd ysydd ym yradwys nef
gida thydi ar geirie hyn a ovynodd kollen yn vawr ac yna yroes kollen
nawdd iddo ac yna y bedyddiodd y pab ef ac yna y kyredodd holl
gennedyl y grix ac y bedyddyiwyd hwynt oil Ac yna Achwedi kael
y gore o gollen ef a gymerth iganiad igan y pap ar pab ai rroddes
ac a roddes Grair iddo nid amgen nor lili a vylodevodd garbyron
ypekanied pan dd3r(?od vn o honvnt nat oedd wirach eni mab ir vorwyn
no bod y y lili kyrinion ysydd yny pot akw a bylodav tec arnvnt
Ac yna y bylodevodd y lili hwnw ar lili hwnw a roes y pab i gollen
Appendix 377
Ac yna y dvc kollen ef ir ynys hon ac yvo a ddywedir Mai ynghaer
ivjrrangon y mae y lili hwnw eto ac yna ydoeth kollen i geirniw i dir
ac oddyna y doeth i vynachyloc glansymbyri ac y gwnaethbwyd
ef yny k3n:evydd ac ni bv yno ondyri mis oni ddeffoled ef yn abad
Ac yna y kymerth ef ganad i bylwyf i ddwyn bvchedd a vai drymach
a chaledach no bod yn Abad ac yna yraeth ef i byregethv ac i edyrech
perygler ffydd gytholic ymysg y bobyl Ac y bv ef yn pyregethv geirie
duw ar ffydd gytholic ymysg y bobyl a hyny dair bylynedd ac y doeth
ef hyt yr vn lie ir vynachyloc ac yno y bv ef bvm mylynedd yn dyrigo
ac yna y llidiodd ef wrth wyr i wlad am i kamav ac a roes i velldith
vddvn Ac yna yr aeth i vynydd glassymbyri ac anaeth yno gvddigyl
dan ebach kareg mewn lie dirgel oddiar y ffordd Ac val yr oedd ef
ddiw3iTnod yni gvddigyl ef a glowai ddav ddjm yn siarad am Wyn
ap ynvdd ac yn dywedvd Mai hwnw oedd vyrenin anwn ac estyn
anaeth kollen i ben allan oi gvddigl a dywedvd tewch yn wan ni
does or hai hyny ond kythyrelied taw di heb yr hwyntav ti a gai yn
wir ymliw a thi gan hwnw A chav y dyrws anaeth kollen Ac yn lleiges
ef a gylowai kyn igori drws kvddigyl vn yn govyn a oedd y gwr o
vewn yna ydyvod kollen ydwyf pwy ai govyn myvi sy ganad i Wyn
ap nvdd brenin Anwn i erchi iti ddyvod i mddiOan ac ef i ben y byryn
erbyn haner dydd yvory Achollen nid aeth Athyranoeth llymar vn
ganad athyrwsiad ar naill haner yn goch ar Hall yvi. las amdano
yn erchi i goUen ddyvod i ymddiOan ar brenin i bryn erbyn haner
dydd dyranoeth A chollen nit aeth llyma yr vn ganad yn dyvod y
dyrydedd waith yn erchi i gollen ddyvod imddiOan ar brenin haner
dydd ac oni ddoi kollen ti a vyddi waeth A chollen yn ovynoc yna
a godes i vynv ac anaeth ddwr bendiged ac ai roes mewn pisser ar i
glvn ac aeth i ben y byryn Affan ddaeth yno ef a welai y kastell teka
ar a welsai irioed a meirch a bechin yni marchogeth ar i kevyne a
gore pwynt i meirch ac ef a welai wr addywyn ar vn van y gaer ac
yn erchi iddo ddyvod i mewn a dywedud vod y brenin yn i aros am
i ginio A dyvod anaeth kollen i vewn y kastell affan ddoeth yr oedd y
brenin yn eiste mewn kader o avr A chyroesawv kollen a wnaeth y
brenin yn anrrydeddvs ac erchi iddo vyned i vwyta ir bwrdd ac yna
y dyvod kollen wrth y brenin ni vwytaf vi ddail y koed heb kollen
heb y brenin A welaisti wyr gwell i tyrwsiad no rain yma heb y brenin
o goch a glas heb kollen da ddigon yw i trwsiad ynhw or rryw
drwsiad ac ydiw heb kollen par y ryw trwsiad yw hwnw heb y
brenin ac yna y dyvod kollen koch y sy or naill dv arwyddokav
i Uosgi ar tv glas y sy yn arwyddokav mai oerni yw Ac ar hyny
y tynodd kollen isiobo allan ac a vwriodd y dwr bendiged am i
pene ac ar hyny yr aethant ymaith oi olwc ef hyd nad oedd yno
3 7^ Lives of the British Saints
yr vn na chastell na dim ond y twmp pathe gleision Arr noson hono
y doeth adref yw gvddigyl ac y gweddiodd ar dduw am gael lie i
barseddv Dra vai vyw Ar noson hono i kavas ef rrybvdd oddiwrth
dduw i erchi iddo godi y bore dyranoeth a cherdded oni gyvarvydde
ac ef varch ac yna marchogeth hwnw a chimynt ac a varchoge yn
gwmpas yny dydd hwnw a dywedud mai hyny vydde i noddyva ai
bylwy ef hyt dydd bjnrawd Ac velly y kyvarve ac ef y march yn y
He a elwir rrysva Maes kad varch ac ai Marchogess ef yn gwmpas i
bylwy ac ynghanol y noddyva hono y gwnaeth ef gvddigyl ac yn y
kvddigyl hwnw y bv gollen tra vv vyw ac yn y kvddigl hwnw y kyla-
ddwyd kollen ac yr aeth i enaid ir llywenydd Tyragwyddol ac y mae
yn sant ynyn ef yn gwnevthvr gwyrthiav yny yr awr hon Affan oedd
ef ar y ddaiar hon yn dwyn kic a chynawd yr oedd yn gwnevthvr
gwyrthief mawr o aches i ffydd Ac velly y tervyna bvchedd gollen.
S. CURIG
Appended to Biiched Ciric — a Life of SS. C3n:iacus and Julitta — in Llanstephan
MS. 34 (end of sixteenth century), p. 301.
Cydnabyded paub y mod y cafas Ciric Sant y anrhydedii yng Hjnury
a gogoniant ac anrhyded o blegid i uerthiaii Y mae tref ^ yng Hymry
ynghyphinyd fair gulad a eluir Lafi Giric. Nid amgen y tair gulad
noc Aruystli, a Melienyd a Charedigion . ac yny dref hornio yr oed
euythyr y Giric a eluid Maelgun a manach oed ef . A danfon a unaeth
i ueission y gynniil y ymborth y Geredigion a phafi yttoedynt yn
dyfod ai meirch ai pynnaii tii a thref y kyfarfii ac huynt heluyr Maelgun
Guyned ac a rddassant y duylau ar vedyr torri y phettaneii a duyn
y buyd. Ac yno y trigaud y duylau urth y phettaneii ac y liisguyd
huynt hyd ynghiidigyl Maelgun y manach ac yno o fraid y galod y
Sant y gilung truy uediaii ac yno y cyrchyssant at Vaelgun Guyned dan
lefain am y damuain Hunnu. Ac yno Maelgun Guyned a falchiod
j'ndo ehiin heb fedylio an ofn Diiu a gyrrii a unaeth la'uer o vonedigion
y gyrchii Maelgtin y manach attau. A phan doeth y guyr hynny le
y guelsynt dy Vaelgun y colyssant leiifer y lygaid. A hynny a glybii
Maelgun Guyned ac yno y medyliaud yntaii dinystyr y Sant ac yno
y colaud yntaii y lygaid ef ai hoi uyr ac y gbrfii arnau dyfod at y
Sant y erchi triigared idau. Ac yna y gue'diaud Maelgun y manach
ar Giric ac y cafas Maelgun Guyned y oluc ef ai uyr. Ac yno y rhodes.
* Margin, in later hand, plwyf.
Appendix 3 79
MaelgTin Gujmed diroed maur praph y Vaelgun y manach a Chiric
yn dragyuydaul jnn rhyd heb rent na guestva y vrenhin nac y Escob
yn dragyuydaul yr hunn y syd y henuaeii ai phinniaii fal hynn. Or
le a eluir Aber Pergant hyd y le a eluir Aber Biidiio ac or le hunnu
hyd ynghol Bydiio. Ac o gol Bydiio hyd yn rhyd y myneich ac o
dyno hyd yn rhos Batti ac y ros Nather ac hyd yn neiiad Maelgun
ac o djmo hyd jti rhyd Visuail ac o dyno hyd y Marchan ac o dyno
hyd y Galedryd ac odyno hyd y Rhithrant a Galam ac o dyno hyd
yn Aber Pergant.
A hefyd yn yr amser hunnu Diic MeHenyd a rodes ir dyuededic
Sant ynn gardod yr hunn a eluid MaelDiic MeHenyd hunn a rodes
y tir o Aber Pergant hyd yn rhyd Egelan ac o dyno hyd Geilgum ac
o dyno hyd ynglascum ac o dyno hyd ynglan Guy ac o dyno hyd yn
Aber Geiigant.
Rhodion y Tyuyssauc a eliiid Caredic nid amgen Caredigion yn yr
vn amser i Giric Sant or Dervol hyd y'mlaen y Gerdinen ac o dyno
hyd y mlaen nant Eneinnauc ac o dyno hyd y mlaen nant Elain ac
o dyno hyd y mlaen y nant Dii ac o dyno hyd y Bigel ac o d5Tio hyd
yn eistedfa Giric ac o dyno yn vniaun dros y mynyd y Ian Guy. ac
o ystlys Guy hyd y Deruaul. Y rhai a rodes y rhodion hynn bendith
Diiu a Chiric a gousant yn draguydaul ar neb a uresgynno 3Tigham
ar y tir hunn meldith Diiu a Chiric agayph yn oes oesoe^. Amen.
S. CYBI
VITA S. KEBII
From Cotton MS. Vespasian A. xiv, fo. 946,
Incipit Vita Sancti Kebii efiscopi. vi. Idus Nov'.
I. Igitur beatus Kebius unus ex bonis seruis uranici patris ex
regione Cornubiorum illustrium natalium oriundus '. cuius natiuitatis
fundus infra duo flumina que Tamar nuncupantur atque limar extitit.
Cuius genitor Salomon uocatur filius Erbin filius Gereonti filius Lud.
dim princeps milicie. Ueruntamen in primis pueritie annis in literarum
gimnasiis fuit educatus. 2. Beatus uero Kebius septennis erat quando
Uteris cepit informari . deinceps autem . xx*' annis in sui deguit
natiuitatis regione. 3. Deinde quippe ierosohmam peregre profectus
est '. dominicum adorafurus sepulphrum. Exiil uero petiit sanctum
Hilarium Pictauensem episcopum. quo fere quinquaginta annis
380 Lives of the British Saints
deguit necnon illo quidem cecos illuminauit . leprosos mundauit .
paraliticos curauit . mutorum linguas absoluit . uesanos sanauit .
ab inerguminis sancti spiritus uirtute cacodemones eiecit. 4. Postea
a beatissimo Hylario presule pictauensi ; in gradum pontificis gratanter
promouetur . conmonitusque est ab angelo domini quatinus repa-
triaret ^ . quod et faciens ; ibique paruum temporis stetit. 5. Qua
tempestate postulatus admodum ut et super gentem cornubiorum
regnaret ; ceterum prorsus seculi presentis accipere potestatem renuit.
Deinceps igitur ad patriam rediens deinde comitatus discipulis quorum
nomina subiciuntur. Meliauc scilicet . Libiau . Paulin . Kengar .
cum reliquis. 6. Denique sanctus Kebius peruenit ad regionem Etheli-
ciaun Ethelico Rege tunc temporis superstite. Descendit itaque
sanctus Kebius in medio prati premissi regis . illucque tentorium suum
tetendit ; qua de re direxit ille uirum perscrutari qui essent homines
qui sine nutu ipsius descendere in eiusdem prato presumpserunt.
^ui reuertens ad eundemRegem t dixit. Monachisunt. 7. Et statim
surrexit Ethelicus Rex cum omni familia sua quo de feudo suo Monachos
eicerent ; at protinus in uia de sompnipede cecidit . equusque mox
exspirauit . rege nichilominus eodem cum omni domu sua confestim
•excecato. Qua propter idem basileo in facie prostrato . beato Kebio
ueniam sibi suisque enixius supplicauit ; deo nee non et eodem uiro
corpus et animam suam commendauit. Ilico nempe per orationem
eiusdem sancti memoratus Ethelich cum omnibus satellitibus suis
unacum equo sospitati ^ restitutus est. 8. De cetero Rex itidem duas
ecclesias sancto Kebio perpetuo donauit . quorum una Lankebi .
alia uero Landeuer Guir uocatur . in qua paruam ac uariam nolam
suam dimisit. Tunc agius Kebius benedicens Ethelic Regi ; perrexit
Meneuiam ciuitatem sancti Dauid . ibique tribus diebus totidemque
uoctibus commoratus est. 9. Inde autem transfretauit hiberniam
ad insulam Arvin '. in qua plane iiii""^ annis sedit . et in honore omni-
potentis ecclesiam construxit. Consobrinus itaque ipsius uocabulo
Kengar erat senex . cui prescriptus uir del emit uaccam cum uitulo
■quoniam nullum solidum cibum pre senectute commedere quiuerat.
Ergo almi Kebii discipuli fortiter ibidem tellurem coluerunt. 10.
■Quadam nempe die contigit quod quidam auditor prenotati sancti
uiri cui nomen Melauc exiit . qui terram coram ostium cubiculi cuius-
dam homunctionis nomine Crubthirfintam foderet. Idem autem uir
id prospiciens admodum iratus '. quantocius prohibuit eum dicens.
Noli solum ante ianuam habitaculi mei fodere. Quo circa agius
Kebius et prelibatus Crubthirfinta pariter abbatem insule Arvin Enna
1 Originally ■written repatriauit, corrected by same hand.
^ Altered from sospiti.
Appendix j 8' i
uocatum uti pacificarentur petierunt. Quod et factum est. Nam
pacificati adinuicem ; recesserunt. Denique quodam die contigit
quo uitulus Kengari i depasceretur messem prefati Crubthirfinte quod
eiusdem clientes conspicando tenuerunt vitulum . necnon ad arborem
magnam innexuerunt. ii. Sanctus itaque Kebius quendam ex
discipulis suis ad Crubthirfintam uti solueret uitulum transmisit ;
at ille renuens . in sua iracundia perseuerauit. Agius uero Kebius
exorauit dominum quatinus idem uitulus ad matrem suam remearet .
quoniam quidem Kengarus senex inedia lactis uexabatur . bos enim
ilia nil lactis absente uitulo prebebat. 12. Igitur exaudiuit deus depre-
cationem illius . et mirabiliter eundem uitulum ad matrem cum arbore
radicitus auulsa cui uinciebatur direxit. Tunc Crubthirfinta depre-
catus dominum ut fugaret deleretue de insula Aruin almum Kebium .
quia deus amator ipsius extiterat. Qua de re uenit angelus domini
ad eum '. dicens. Discede hinc '. ad orientalem plagam. Cui sanctus
Kebius respondens '. inquit. Deleat deus Crubthirfintam ex hac
insula. Dixitque ei angelus. Sic erit. 13. Inde profectus est ad
australem partem regionis Mide '. ibique . xl. diebus cum totidem
noctibus commoratus est. Construxit etiam inibi ecclesiam que
hue usque ecclesia magna Macop '. nuncupatur. Uerum enimuero
sepedictus Crubthirfinta percipiens quod uir dei eo maneret t uenit ad
eum dicens. Vade alias . adhuc enim ista terra mei iuris est. Tunc
beatus Kebius ternis ieiuniis contdnuans diebus . obnixius omni-
potentem fiagitans ; quatinus eidem ostenderet quid agendum foret.
Angelus autem domini affatus est ilium prosequens. Perge ad orien-
tem. Fecitque iussa ; progrediens in campum qui uocatur Bregh '.
ac sedit illic septenis diebus. Audiens autem eiusdem sancti pre-
scriptus aduersarius almum Kebium ibi manere : uenit ad eum dicens
Ad alium locum progredere. Tunc beatus uir ; taliter ora resoluit.
Exoro deum omnipotentem . quo mihi quid agam manifestet. Cui
angelus domini. Transi hinc '. ad dextralem prouinciam. Fecitque
ita. 14. Profectusque est ad regionem Uobiun '. atque eo loci bis
senis commoratus est diebus. Necdum Crubthirfinta destitit eum
persequi '. ceterum ilium prosecutus ait. Recede hinc ; et transfreta.
Tunc agius uir nimis iratus ; ait illi. Omnes ecclesie tue in tantum
sint deserte ut nunquam tres inueniantur in hibernie insula. 15.
Tunc sanctus Kebius direxit discipulos suos ad siluam ut materiam
fabricandi lembum inciderent. Qua precisa ; statim lembum con-
struxerunt. Prememoratus autem Crubthirfinta properius adueniens t
ait illis. Intrate in lembo sine corio . salumque traicite ; si uere
die serui consistitis. Quern sanctus Kebius prophetico responso affatus
1 Altered from Kenegari.
383 Lives of the British Saints
inquiens. Mirabilis deus in Sanctis suis . deus israel ipse dabit uirtutem
et fortitudinem plebis sue benedictus deus. Ast agius Kebius audi-
toribus suis inquid. Ponite lembum in ponto. At illi confestim
inposuerunt. Almus igitur uir cum discipulis suis lembum corio
carente ingressus est. Ilico namque tempestas ualida surrexit .
discipulos suos oppido perturbando perterruit. Dominus uero sanctum
prelibatum se enixius orantem exaudiens ; enormem scopulum in
duas partes diduxit . miroque modo lembus sursum diuino nutu
prosiliens inter duos scopulos adhesit . demumque monie insule
applicuerunt. Agius itaque Kebius rupem quendam baculo percussit ;
€t actutum latex emanauit. 16. Inde uenit ad locum qui dicitur
Cunab ^ ; eoque aliquandiu commoratus est. Quodam uero die
precepit caffo cuidam discipulo sue ut ignem afferret. At ille pre-
ceptori suo parens ; ad domum cuiuslibet fabri nomine Magurnus
progreditur . a quo unde uenisset interrogatus respondit. A magistro
meo Kebio. At ille quid uellet sciscitans '. ignem inquid habere
uellem. Cui Magurnus. Focum tibi non dabo '. nisi in sinu tuo
gestaberis. Responditque Caffo. Depone ignem in sinu meo. At
ille deposuit. Ilico uero reuersus est Caffo ad Kebium didascalum
suum '. depromitque ei focum in sinu eius reprositum 2 . nee saltim
est conbustum fimbria de coccula eius . quo quippe genere uestimenti
in hibemia potitur. 17. Namque tunc temporis ; Mailgun Rex
omnes Guenodotie prouincias . que Anglice Snaudune nuncupatur
moderabatur. Quodam die contigit quod ad montana siue pro-
munctoria uenandi gratia graderetur capreamque conspiciens ; um-
brem seu molosum suum instigauit ut earn comprehenderet. At ilia
uite consulens ; mox causa refugii ad casulam beati Kebii confugit.
18. Qua propter confestim rex Mailgunnus insequens '. capram habi-
taculum agii Kebii petiit . illamque uerbis comminacibus ab eo exegit ;
dicens. Dimitte capream. At ille respondit. Nequamquam ^ dimit-
tam '. nisi dederis ei uite refugium. E contra rex. Si minus dimiseris
; expellara te de loco isto. Et prosequitur uir dei. Non est in tua
potestate me repellere de terra ista t ceterum diuine potentie est
facere . de me quicquid sibi sederit. Ueruntamen ea conditione
tibimet istam capream dimittam ; ut deo omnipotenti michique
tribuas totam terram quam ipsa cane uestro post earn instigate *
girabit. Ad hec rex. Libenter inquid exhibebo. Dimisit itaque
beatus Kebius capream . quam continuo per totum promunctorium
' The 3rd letter (originally n) has a dot below and a curved lino above, thus
Cunab.
2 Sic, re_p^iiu. ' Sic, Nequaquu.
^ Altered to insiigante (?) or instigando (?). ,
Appendix 383
€am prelibato cane persequente fugiens ; demum ad prenotati uiri
dei tugurium girato haut minimo soli denuo rediit intersticio. 19.
Denique rursus altercationis conflictus inter regem Mailgun et almum
Kebium ortus est t ceterum nuUatenus famulo dei resistere ualuit.
Iccirco basileus castellum suum deo omnipotenti fidelique suo clienti
Kebio in perpetuam elemosinam pro salute anime sue contulit . quo
iam Silicemus finem mortalis et transitorie uite mansit ibidemque
■dierum suorum feliciter cursum consummato ; 20. vi. Idus No-
Tiembris obdormiuit in domino . per quem mortem perdidit et uitam
sempiternam inuenit . ubi iugiter in celesti regno cum deo deorum et
rege cunctorum regum tripudiat . et exultet perfruens eterna gloria
quam preparauit a constitucione mundi deus sibi . et diligentibus se '.
ubi est dies sine nocte . tranquillitas sine metu . gaudiam sine mesticia.
uita sine morte \ iuuentus sine senectute . pax sine dissensione . lux
sine tenebris . sanitas sine dolore . regnum sine commutatione . ubi
deus erit omnia in omnibus . uictus uestis et cetera que uelle potest
mens pia. Qui uiuit et regnat per omnia secula seculorum amen.
S. CYBI
TEULU CYBI SANT and Y SAITH GEFNDER SANT
From Llyvyr John Brooke 0 Vowddwy (c. 1600), p. 451. (See Dr. J. G. Evans,
Report on Welsh MSS., ii, pp. 346, 359.)
Teulu Cybi Sunt ^ ««»^^ S^f^"^^^ ^'^'^^ ^ S^yb-
wyllir ynghywydd Cowrda
Da oedd Gybi a'r deuddeg ] Sant.
inorwyr Dewi, a Chybi achubant | beu-
Daniel Mwrog haeldeg. nydd
Cenau, Cyngar, ar garreg ^wyn Beuno yn warant
Cynvarwy, Adwarwy deg. Dingad, Cynfarch a bar-
chant,
Padern, ac Edern, Maelog windeg ^ Deinioel a Seirioel Sant.
I cyff ,
Capho vab vn ofeg. Llyna'r saith eurfaith arfer | gan
Llibio, Peulan angwaneg, feudwy
Trwy awr dda yw'r tri ar ddeg. gwynfydig bob amser
A fu'n y maen graen grender
Cybi ai deulu oedd y xiij. a'r saith a weles y ser. ,
384 Lives of the British Saints
Y Saith hyn (si credis) a aethant i Rufain i weddio am law, He tii
buasai ddim er ys tair blynedd, a'r defnyn cyntaf a ddisgynnodd ar
lyfr Cadfarch, ac y dywawd yntef, Bid cof gennych wyrda, mai ar
fy llyfr i y disgynnodd y defnyn Cyntaf, ac y dywedasant hwythau
Co-wrda . ac felly yr aeth arno dri henw, Cynfarth, Cadfarch, Cowrda.^
S. CYNDEYRN OR KENTIGERN
GRANTS MADE TO HIM BY MAELGWN GWYNEDD
From the Red Book of S. Asaph, p. 117.
Heec experientia inventa p qiida Enianii Epm Assaphefi in q°dam
libro antique Londonijs de Libtatib?, Privilegijs, Donaconib?
traditis, concessis et confirmatis 5'^° Kentigerno suisqj successoribus
eoruqi tenefi & libere tenefi. Anno Dni M.C.C.L.° VI.°
Notum fiet q'^in tempore cujusdregisDyganwynoieMalginietcujusd
regis Powysie, noie Maye quida vir venit ex la? orientali noie Kentigernus
ad quanda Civitatem noie LlanElwy et cum eo turba multa Clericoru,
militu et ministf, numero Trecen?, que qf de Kentigernu Rex Maye
constituit & ordinavit in toto suo Dnio quia tunc suu Dominii Epalis
gubernacois offa esset destitutii et plenarie exhaustu, et tunc Malginus
Rex dedit illi Sco Kentigerno ilia scam civitatem Llanelwy ad libamina
et sacrificia faciend, necnon ad cetera dia offia celebrand, sine aliq°
Dnio vel reditu regali imgpetuum. Et cu hoc jpdcus Rex Malgin?
dedit et concessit eid Sco Kentigerno alias villas annex ad succurend
serviend illi civitati Llanelwy gsustencoe ;pd Kentigerni suor succes-
sorii sine aliq° Dnio vel reditu regali imgpetuii ut ;^dic? est quaru
villarii noia sunt haec Altemeliden, Llanhassaph, Bryngwyn, Disserth,
Kilowain, Llansanan, Bodeugan, Henllan, Llanuvyth [Llan]gernyw,
[Brajnan, [Bodjgynwch, [Marjchaled, Meriadog, Movionog, Hendre
Newydd, Pennant, Llanarthu, Havenwen juxta Llanyvyth, Bodnod,
Malodyr, Bodvalleg, ac Ardney y menllyn, et alias villas, ac q™ plures
alias villulas Dnus Rex MalginJ) dedit ^fato Kentigerno suisq., suc-
cessorib? sine aliq° tribute vel reditu regali imppetuum. Et quicunc^
fuerit transgressor alien/* ]pd lit)tatum donacionum id ^d villis vel
villulis ab oib$> tribubus anathema et maledictus fiat in infinita secula
seculorii. Amen.
' Teulu Cybi Sunt is in Mostyn MS. no, p. 189, attributed to Hywel Rheinallt
[flor. c. 1460-90).
Appendix 385
Ut original camt', et quicunqi ;pd auditor et defensor contra rebell
untajverb vel signo cont^ infringefi humoi liljtat' et donaces concess
eid SCO Kentigerno suisq^ successorib? questiones transgress : contro-
vers excitand a tribus gsonis, Pre", Filio & Spu S"", ac ab omni choro
ecclesiastic benedictionibS' repleat"^ g infinita secula seculoru.
Et ad illud tempus queda discordia orta et mota fuit in? duos
milites in cur' Malgini et Kedicu Draws seu de ludes. Et Kendicus
gcussit filiii Malgini regis cum cornu bibali ^ sup caput suum usq^ ad
sanguinis effusione, qua de ca Kedicus fugit et venit ad civitatem
munita Llanelwy, in q^ quide civitate Kentigernus erat g imunitate
securitate, & defensione illi Kedic a dicis sco et civitate hend. Et
tunc ;^dus Malginus misit buragianii et alios plures ministros cum.
eo ad querend Kedicum ^d et p*q^m inven^t illu Kedicum ad metas
et limites illius see civitatis LlanElwy, oes equi eorum ceci factisunt.
Et tunc statim illi equites converterunt se ad Malginu rege et narra-
verunt Regi ilia ardua et imgspa quae conting^ant illis, hac tabula
declarata, seu his rumorib? declaratis, tunc ille solus Malginus venit
cum illis ad metam et limites illius civitatis et illico ille rex cecus feus
est et descendit desuper equum suum et tunc sui milites adduxerunt
ilium regem cecum cora Sco Kentegerno. Et ille rex prociibens oravit
eund Kentegernu pro venia sibi impetranda, deinde incessanter postu-
labat dcm scm ut oculos suos creatos signo crucis signaret, quib? signo
crucis p eund scm signatis, statim rex oculos apuit et vidit, laudes
Deo et Sco reddens, intuens illii Kedicii facie ad faciem secum sedeil.
Et tunc ait illi, Es tu ibi ? Et ille respondit. Sum hie imunitate et
defensione venerabilis sci. Et illo die Rex Malguinus g restitucoe
aie et invencoe luminis oculoru dedit illi Sco Epo illius civitatis Llanelwy
spaciu imunitatis et defensionis septe annoru et septem mensium &
septem dierii et unius diei prim. Et cum illo spacio postea iiTiunicoe
et defensioe imgpetuum. Et propter ilia mysteria a Deo & dco sco
collat' dcus Rex Malginus augmentavit diversas donacoes vz' plures
villas ad serviend Deo & Sco Kentigerno in dco cultu sine aliquo Dnio-
vel reditu regaliimppetuum. Quarii villariinoiasunt hsec : Berryng,.
Dolwynan, Bodlyman. Et dedit plures alias villas cum illis et iste
donacoes facte g Malginum Regem extendunt metas et limites.
Epatus Sci Kentigemi ejusqi succesi : ab urbe Conway usqj ad riuu
latus Glatiri jux^ Dinas Basing. Et dcus Malginus ista vltia sibi
dedit ob restitucoe occuloru suoru, et ad ista ^da fidelr observanda
ab Gibs' fidelib9 & custodienda ^dcus Malginus Rex testes idoneos
tam Clicos quam Laicos ad ista noavit vocavit Clicos Scum Danielem
quonda Epum Bangorens et Patronu, Scm Terillum et Scm Grwst..
1 " Bibulo " written above it, and " a drinking-horn " in margin.
VOL. IV. CC
386 Lives of the British Saints
Laicos, Malginum Regem, Rwyn filiu ejus et Gwrgnan senescallu ejus.
Meta et limites ?re imunitatis scae civitatis LlanElwy, existunt in
longitudie o Adwy Lleweni usq^ locum vocatum Penissaf i Gell Escob
usqj locum vocatum Pont yr wddar, viz* spacium . . . miliaris in
longitudie et unius miliaris in latitudie. Et si quis violaverit ;^dca
imunitate (q^' absit) seu ad hoc consilium auxiliii vel favore dederit
aut fecerit occulte vel expresse, excoicatus est ab oi choro ecclesiastico
et etia indignacoem ompis Dei, btje Mariae Virginis, Scorumqj Assaph
& Kentigerni, 373 Scorii & Scarii se noverint incursuros. Et quicunqj
j5dcam imunitate non servaverit Dijs officijs ibm celebratis et cele-
brand destituitur et Dei maledicone repleaf . Amen g infinita secula
seculorum.
S. CYNHAFAL
CYWYDD CYNHAFAL SANT
From Additional MS. 31,055 (1594-6). fo. 40a.
Y Ceidwad rhag gwaew adwyth
i glaf a Ivdh glwyfae Iwyth
ciirio bvm rhag gwaew or byd
Cynhaval cwyno hevyd
Cwynais haint nyd cynnes hwyl
claf a gwyn clwyf ag anwyl
vn o drychlam yn drachloph
wyf a glyw 'n glaf i glvn gloph
arogl awyr a glywaf
or glvn gloph ir galon glaf
Gelyn a dhaeth yr glvn dhig
gwaew anianol gwenwynig
deuryw adwyth draw ydoedh
dyfr a gwaed hyd y vrig oedh
cainc o nych accw'n y cnawd
cynn v'elor yn cnoi vaelawd
cennad a wnai cnawd yn iach
Cynhaval rhag gwaew'n hyfach
d'wrthiae draw diwarth a drig
dy ras a dynh waew ysig
adhef yt y wedhi vau
a yrh gwewyr or giau
yth vyw'n deg yth vendigwyd
accw er Ihadh y Cawr Ihwyd
Enlhi gawr ai'n Ihew gorwylht
ath waew'n ei gorph a than gwylht
briwedic obru 3'doedh
briw gwaew a than bregeth oedh
y oeri losg ar y Ivn
y phoe'r diawl y phrwd Alvn
o cheisiodh och yw asen
Eli yn holh Alvn hen
Aeth deirgwaith wedy argoedh
yn dir sych vn diras oedh
Ar lann a chwrh Alvn ch\vyrn
y Ihosges ei holh esgyrn
y Ihe hwnn olh a henwir
alwan yn hesb Alvn hir
gwnavt y dhuw gynt wedhiau
gelyn y Cawr or Glynn caii
dyn a wnaeth daioni'n ol
dibech oedhyd buchedhol
ymwaredwr mawr ydwyd
a mach dyn am iechyd wyd
Appendix
387
y dodhi nych dydh a nos
y daeth iechyd oth achos
ffynnon tau ^ hoph ennaint oedh
ffrwd nod a phardwn ydoedh
Ami yn hon ymlaen henaint
ydoedh help y dodhi haint
v'enaid yw vy niod win
vrig y phrwd vawr gyphredin
ciil wyf a dyn claf ei dal
cynn ei hyfed Cynhaval
gwann adyn gann waew ydwyf
gwedhiwr yt gweidhi'r wyf
edrych hyn ar drych anhvn
a golch glwyf o gylch y glvn
ag or aelod gyrr eilwaith
archoUwaew mawr ^ erchyll
maith ^
o dervyn oer dyro vi'n iach
ar gwaew ymaith or gomach
dod dhau bwnc dedwydh eu bod
dwy arch yra drwy iach amod
iechyd ym om nychwaew dwys
am rhoi wedy 'mharadwys.
Gruff, ap Jeun ap Ihn vychan
[Flor c. 1-470-1530).
S. DEINIOL
THE LIFE OF S. DEINIOL
From Peniiwth MS. 225 (1602), p. 155.*
LeGENDA 9 LECTIONU DE SCTO DANIELE EPO BaNGORIESI.
Lectio I.
Mirabilis Deus in Sanctis suis, et gloriosus in maiestate volens sanctos
suos a Chri fidelibus gloriosos reputari, et digne ac laudabiliter venerari,
ipe mirabiliter innumeris n5 desistit decorare miraculis, inter quos
beatissi™ danielem episcopQ et confessore, sanctitatis gra decoratu,
dfis noster multimodis miraculis insignitii, ecciiae suae sanctae prselegit
in pastorem, et oia miracula quae idem Saluator meritis prsedicti sancti
danielis opari dignatus est, nequaqj ufiicim9 enarrare, aliqua tame
«x illis devotioni vestrse duxim? intimanda. Tu ante dne miserere nri.
Lectio secUda.
Beatus itaqj daniel ex nobili prosapia Brytonii oriiidus, cu eet
adultje aetatis relictis paretibj et solo natali, heremitica et solitaria
cupiens ducere vitam, cui optima ps pmittitur, adeoqj no auferetur,
ad queda monte qui nUc mons danielis nucupatur iuxta penbrochiam
'menevesis dioecesis pvenit, cosiderans quia illii locii a, tumultii hominii
' ^ Al. y ti (in MS.). '^ Al. oer. ^ Al. waith.
* We have to thank Sir Edward Anwyl for the copy of this Life, whi ch occurs
in this MS. only.
388 Lives of the British Saints
segregate carpendis divinse coteplationis fructib? vtilem et idoneu,
statuit in mote si deus pmiserit, ibidem mora trahere, suo ppetuo
dno serviturus. Tu aute, etc.
Lectio tertia.
Que dns loci benigne suscipiens, de solo suo tantii sibi cocessit,
quatii ad victum quotidianQ sibi necessariii fore existimaret, vna cii
aialibg et ministris vtilibus ad Agricultura costructo in domu tugurio
in loco vbi niic ecciia mirse pulchritudinis et magnitudinis in ipius sancti
honore et noie fabricata e, in ieiunijs, in orationibS ac alijs opib^
pietatis, Deo oipoteti Creatori devotissime seruiebat. Tu aute dne
miserere nri.
to
Lectio 4'
Procedete tpe, ecciia cathedi'ali Bagoriesi p morte pontificis sui
vacate, illis ad quos in eade ecciia potificis electio seu pvisio ptinebat
in vnu cogregatis, invocata spus sancti gra, divinitus revelatii est,
qd ad ptes penbrochise quatocius mitteret, et quedam heremitam
sup motem ex pte australi penbrochise comorantem, sibi ecclesiae
suae eligerent in episcopii et pastorem, adiectuqi est quod daniel vocare-
tur. Tu aute dne miserere nri.
Lectio quinta.
Qui statim nucios miseriit ad ptes prsedictas. Venietes niicij
ibidem ipiim heremitam in loco que prffidiximS* inveneriit, nQcijqj salu-
tatioe praemissa, interrogat eii quale nome habes. Jlle vero humiliter
respSdit, ego daniel nucupatus sum, sed no gpheta. Tiic niicij gavisi
gaudio magno, itineris sui & advetus causam seriatim expresserut.
Jlle vero vltra qua credi potest admirans ait, qualiter hoc fieri potest
vt me asseritis in episcopu electu, cii sim vix omnio illiteratus, nee
aliqua scietia literatoriam cognovi. Cui respodentes dixerunt, voliitas
dei est vt ita fiat. Jlle vero devictus eorii instantia & divinse vocation!
obtempare volens, relictis oibus quae possidebat, sequutus est eos in
noie saluatoris, vsq., dum veniret ad ingressii civitatis Bangoriesis.
Tu autem dne, &c.
Lectio sexta.
Statimqj oes Campanse civitatis absq, manu hominis sut pulsatae ;
Audietes aute . . ^ qui in civitate fuerut, sonitii campanaru, ingressi
eccliam, nullum pulsante campanas invenietes, dixerut adinvice quod
miraculii est quod doming opatus est, & statim ecce niicij cQ daniele
^ A short word occurs here which it is difficult to read. Perhaps ii.
Appendix 389
ad valuas ecciise iam steterut. Tuc clerici eiusdem ecclise ipum
danielem ad summu eccliae altare deducetes, et. Te Deli laudam?
devotissime catantes, Saluatoris laudantes clemetia Et cu ab oratioe
Sanctus Daniel surrexisset, oium literaru scientia ecclesiastica ita
repletus est, qj nullus in Brytania illi tuc similis videbatur in scientia
et literatura. Tu aute, &c.
Lectio vij.
Debitis postmodu tempis interstitijs ad oes minores & maiores or-
dines rite gmot/*, in episcopu laudabiliter consecratur, et inthronizatur
cu maxia & populi iuciiditate. Potificali igitur infula decoratus,
deo et oib9 hominib^ amabile se exhibuit, miracula vero quae dns
ipius meritis, tam in eius vita, qua post trasitii eiusdem opari dignatus
est, plixu nimis foret enarrare ; erat eni niulta valde. Quadam nocte
cii vir ille sanctus in mote penbrochi^ morabatur, venerut duo malevoli
hoies illuc, vt boves ad terra sua arandam scto viro comodatos fura-
retur, & coprehendetes boves eos abducere ceperiit. Audiens vero vir
sctus in hospiciolo suo, strepitum hoium & amlu, vidit p fenestra
fures, abducetes boves, & exiens clamavit, expectate, expectate modicu
in noie dni. At ipsi voce ipsius audietes velocius cucurrerut ; Sanctoqi
Daniele signu Crucis faciente erga boves ne ipe qui eos accomodaiDatg
facto suo laudabili, damnii reportaret & statim fures versi siit in duos
lapides in code loco, ad instar hoium stantes vsq^, in hodiernii die.
Alalia aute ad pascua cosueta coiDtuntur. Tu aute diie, &c.
Lectio octava.
Alio aute tpe cu vir sctus n5 inveniret alalia cii quib? terra sua
araret, ecce veneriit de sylua pencoet quse ppe erat, duo cerui magni
ad locu vbi terra aranda extiterat, & coUa sua iugo submittetes, tanqj
bestise mansuetae tota die aratru traxerut & ope did c5pleto, ad sylua
predicta reuersi sunt. Tu autem diie miserere nri.
Lectio nana.
Quoda aute tpe vir sctus hierusale causadevotse pegrinatiois pgebat.
Plustratis locis nativitatis & passiSis dnicae, visitatoqi sepulchro in
quo corp? requieuit Saluatoris. Venit ad flume Jordanis Chfi bap-
tismate cosecratii, et quada phialam ex aqua ilia impleuit, & eandem
secQ detulit vsq., ad cacume motis iuxta penbrochia sup que costructu
erat eius habitaculQ vbi no modica extitit aqu^ penuria. Jnvocato
Chn noiebaculiifixit,et aqua ilia qua de terra seta portauit, fundebat
in terra, & statim baculus creuit in arbore pulcherrima, & fons aquae
3 go Lives of the British Saints
dulcissimae ibide emanauit, segritudinum di versa V si in potii sumpta
fuerit, curativa.
Quaeda etia mulier de ptib^ Caerwy Menevesis diecesis vltra modii
extitit inflata,ita quod nullo potuit cosilio medico V liberari. Tande
ad eccliam sancti danielis, & postea ad fonte predictii accedens,
oransqi scti adiutoriii, ex aqua ilia potauit causa recupandje sanitatis,
& ante ipsius recessu, in ostiii ecciise veniebat, & ex ore sue eiecit,
multis astatib^ & videntib^ tres vermes horribiles cii quatuor pedib^
in singulis, & salua facta est mulier ex ilia hora. Preterea vxor
cuiusda viri de ptib? oxoniis diutissie cseca, admonita in somnis p
sanctii daniele imo verius p revelatioem divinam ad dicta eccliam
sancti danielis adducta, in oratioib? devotis ibide cii quoda Capellano
caeco et alijs mltis pnoctauit, et vterqj eoll visu recepit eade nocte
meritis ipsius Cofessoris, prestate diio nfo Jesu Chfo, qui cQ dec pre
& spu sancto viuit et regnat Deus p oia secula seculo2/ Amen.
Tu ante diie miserere nfi.
Oro de eodem.
Deus qui beatti daniele antistite, eccHe tuje pastore esse voluisti,
cocede ppetuis vt qui eius beneficijs innitimur geternse beatitudinis
gloria suis precibS' mereamur p dfiu nrum Jesu Chriim, &c.
Ex libra manuscripto antiq. 1602.
TRANSLATION OF THE SAME.
The Legend in Nine Lessons of S. Daniel, Bishop of Bangor.
Lesson i.
God, wonderful in His saints, and glorious in majesty, desiring His saints to
be accounted glorious by the faithful of Christ, and to be venerated in a worthy
and laudable manner, continues to adorn them wonderfully Himself with un-
numbered miracles. Among them, our Lord preferred to be pastor of His Holy
Church the most blessed Daniel, Bishop and Confessor, adorned with the grace
of holiness, and distinguished for many kinds of miracles. We could not relate
all the miracles which the Saviour has thought good to work b}'" the merits of
the aforesaid S. Daniel, but we have thought that we must commend some of
them to the notice of your devotion.
But do Thou, 0 Lord, have mercy upon us.
Lesson ii.
The blessed Daniel, then, sprung from a noble race of the Britons, when he came
to man's estate, having left his parents and his native country, and wishing to lead
the life of an eremite and a solitary (to whom the better part is given, and shall,
moreover, not be taken away) came to a certain mountain, which is now called
Daniel's Mount, near Pembroke, in the Diocese of Menevia, thinking that that
Appendix 391
place, removed from the noise of men, was suitable and fit for enj oy ing the fruits
of Divine contemplation, and resolved, if God permitted, to remain in that same
mountain to serve his eternal Lord.
But do Thou, 0 Lord, etc.
Lesson Hi,
The lord of the place received him kindly, and gave him as much of his own land
as he thought necessary for his daily sustenance, together with animals and ser-
vants suitable for agriculture, a cottage being constructed for his dwelling on the
spot where now is a church of wondrous beauty and size, built in honour and
in the name of the same saint ; and in fastings, in prayers, and other works of
piety, he most devoutly served the Almighty God, his Creator.
But do Thou, 0 Lord, etc.
Lesson iv.
In course of time, the Cathedral Church of Bangor becoming vacant through,
the death of its Bishop, those to whom the election or provision of a Bishop in
that Church pertained met ; the grace of the Holy Spirit was invoked, and it
was revealed from heaven that they should send without delay into Pembroke,
and choose a certain eremite dwelling on a mountain in the southern part of
Pembroke, to be Bishop and pastor of their Church, and it was added that he
was named Daniel.
But do Thou, O Lord, etc.
Lesson v.
They at once sent messengers to the aforesaid part. The messengers, coming
there, found the eremite in the place we named before, and, having first greeted
him, ask him, " What is thy name ? " He humbly replied, " I am called Daniel,
but am no prophet." Then the messengers rejoiced with great joy, and told him
in detail the object of their journey and arrival there. But he, being incredibly
S,stonished, says, " How can this be, that you claim me as Bishop-elect, since I
have hardly the elements of learning nor any knowledge of letters ? " In reply
they said, " It is the will of God that it should be so." And he, being overcome
by their insistence, and wishing to obey the Divine call, left all that he had, and
followed them in the name of the Saviour, until they arrived at the entrance of
the city of Bangor.
But do Thou, 0 Lord, etc.
Lesson vi.
And at once all the bells of the city were rung without the hand of man. But
when the people who were in the city heard the sound of the bells they went
i«to the Church, and, finding no one ringing the bells, said to one another that
it was a miracle which the Lord had wrought ; and immediately, lo, the messen-
gers vrith Daniel now stood at the Church doors. Then the clergy of that Church,
conducting Daniel to the High Altar of the Church, and singing with the utmost
fervour the Te Deum laudamus, praised the Saviour's mercy. And when S.
Daniel arose from prayer he was so endowed with all ecclesiastical knowledge
that no one in Britain seemed then hke him in knowledge and letters.
But do Thou, 0 Lord, etc.
Lesson vii.
After the due intervals of time, being duly promoted to all the lesser and
greater Orders, he is consecrated Bishop with great honour, and enthroned, to-
the exceeding joy even of the people. And so, attired in the pontifical chasuble,
he showed himself loving to God and to all men. But it would be too long a.
392 Lives of the British Saints
task to enumerate the miracles which the Lord thought good to work through his
merits, both during his lifetime and after he had passed hence ; for they were
very many. One night, whilst the holy man dwelt on the mountain in Pem-
broke, two evilly disposed men came thither to steal the oxen which had been
given to the holy man to plough his land, and, taking the oxen, began to lead
them away. But the holy man in his dwelling, hearing the noise of the men
and animals, saw through his window the thieves taking the oxen away, and
went out, and shouted, " Wait, wait a moment, in the name of the Lord." But
they, hearing his voice, ran the faster, and S. Daniel, making the sign of the
Cross towards the oxen, lest he who had given them should suffer loss for his
praiseworthy deed, immediately the thieves were turned into two stones on
the spot, standing like men, unto this day. But the animals returned to their
accustomed pastures.
Bttt do Thou, 0 Lord, etc.
Lesson viii.
Another time, when the holy man could not find animals with which he might
plough his land, behold, there came out of Pencoed wood, which was nigh,
two great stags to the place where the land was to be ploughed, and, submitting
their necks to the yoke, like tame beasts, drew the plough all day, and, when
the day's work was ended, returned to the said wood.
But do Thou, O Lord, etc. '
Lesson ix.
Once the holy man went on a religious pilgrimage to Jerusalem. When he
had gone over the places of the Nativity and Passion of the Lord, and had visited
the Sepulchre in which the body of the Saviour rested, he came to the river
Jordan, hallowed by the Baptism of Christ, and filled a vial of the water, and
took it away with him to the top of the mountain near Pembroke, on which his
dwelling had been built, where there was no little dearth of water. Having called
upon the name of Christ, he drove in his staff, and poured out the water which
be had brought from the Holy Land upon the ground, and immediately the stafif
grew into a most beautiful tree, and a fountain of the sweetest water sprang
up on the spot, capable of healing diverse diseases, if taken as a drink.
A certain woman from near Caerwy, in the Diocese of Menevia, was so extra-
ordinarily swollen that she could get no relief tlirough any advice of the physicians.
At last she came to the Church of S. Daniel, and afterwards to the aforesaid
fountain, and, praying for the help of the saint, drank of that water to recover
her health, and, before going away, came to the Church door, and cast forth
from her mouth, in sight of many bystanders, three horrible worms with four
feet each ; and the woman was made whole from that hour. Moreover, the
wife of a certain man from near Oxford, who was for a very long time blind,
b)eing warned in dreams by S. Daniel, or rather, by Divine revelation being
brought to the said Church of S. Daniel, passed the night there in devout prayers,
in company with a certain blind chaplain, and many others, and each of them
received his sight the same night through the merits of the self-same Confessor,
with the help of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who with God the Father and the Holy
Spirit liveth and reigneth God for ever and ever. Amen.
Btit do Thou, O Lord, etc.
Prayer concerning the same.
O God, Who didst will the blessed Bishop Daniel to be a pastor of Thy Church,
Grant perpetually that we who do lean on his benefits may, by his prayers, attain
the glory of everlasting felicity, through our Lord Jesus Christ, etc.
From an ancient MS., 1602.
Appendix
393
S. DEINIOL
CYWYDD I DDEINIEL BANGOR
From Cardiff MS. 7 (1564-5), p. 687.
LlYMA GOWYDD I DDEINIEL BANGOR A WNAED PEN YDEILADWYD
YR YSGOBTY YN OEDRAN KrISD 1527.
Mae y mangor dryssor a drig
yn gadarn fyndigedig
ag vn or saith gefnder gwyn
santeiddia saith saint oeddyn
deiniel ni wnaeth odineb
fo fynnai na nai neb
mevdwy ydoedd medwydy
pen fv ar fraich penfro fry
duw iesv ai dewissodd
yn dad i fil daedifodd
ag ni wyddiad yn tad ta
ladiniaith o bvd yna
ni a dwaenai garai oi gob
oni wisgwyd e yn esgob
dwad kanv ti dewm
i gaerav krisd ar gwr krwm
gwr mvl a gae rymadeg
bigail duw yn dwyn bagal deg
mae n falsomwm ne flas mel
son dynion am sain deiniel
amyl iewn yn fymlaen i
wrthiav hwn wrth i henwi
ychen gwar i gyfarwr
lladron ai dvgon or dwr
deiniel yn lie reidionav
a roes y keirw ir iav
rroir lladron brychion i brig
akkw i orwedd fal kerrig
a bvn gwedi chwyddo i bol
gan wenwyn drwg gwenwynol
o ras y sant pen roes hon
yn i ffen ddwr oi ffynon'
afrifed bryfed heb wres
beiriog oi chorff a boeres
galwn bawb rrag yn gelyn
deiniel sant dy ras yn.
[The remainder not relevant]
Syr dauid Trefor
pson llanallgo yn y kyfamser ai
kant.
S. DOGED
OWDL S. DOGET
From Jesus College MS. 15 = cxl (early seventeenth century), p. 497,
OwDL S'^ DOGET FRENIN A a fynno gweirio gwared, yn ddi-
dranc
y ddwy droed y gerdded
aed ar hynt a da i rhed
oed dydd agos at ddoged
MERTHYRWR FAL Y GWELAIS
EF YN SGRYFENEDIG YN Y
LLYFR GWYN Y RYDERCH
394 Lives of the British Saints
gweled gan ddoged ddigon, o
wrthie
y ddiwarthu dynion
aur a gae fru gar y fron
aer a ffennaeth yr ffynnon
Y mae ffynnon Ion o lin, y dugied
hwn ywr doged frenin
a dwr gwell no dau or gwin
a wna gwared yn gwerin
gwerin a glubu guriaw, fyngolwg
om lied wg am Uidiaw
gwirion a fynnai gweiriaw
gwared gan ddoged y ddaw
Ef a ddaw oi law lewych, ymgolwg
ymgeledd os chwenych
af adref ef a edrych
afal y drem fal y drych
Edryched doged hygar, fanwylud
fy nolur am karchar
a dyged on ym digar
eli o nef ai lawn war
yn wared ny ddaw enwiredd y neb
ani bech y fuchedd
ony ddel yn ddialedd
y fyfm bod o fewn bedd
lie rhinwedd yw bedd gwybydded
y fail
a fynno kael gwared
llyma r gro llu mawr gred
llawr tegwch lie rhoed teged
y weled ddoged gar y ddeigain,
sant
pen saint ynus brydain
yn y deml wen oi damwain
ym olwg gloyw mal y glain
gleiniau oi wrthiau wrthym, y
delom
ond y dylwyth ydym
gwr a gynnail gair genym
gwir i daw a gwared ym
yroedd ynn y gil oerwuddenmig
am aur a rifwyd mawr o ryfig
o neidio ir awyr naid yr ewig
oi fodd ym bwriodd fal ar big,
dy ddrain
ai flaen ai ddeu flaen yn ddieflig
o ddyno y deythym yn adwythig
am ysgwydd yn don om bron ym
brig
yn wtw Iwys awdm- yn loesededig
yn keisio mudo rwymedig, i
klwyf
ym plwyf He ddydwyf yn llydde-
dig
y llygad ny ad yn enwedig
ym gysgu ar blu awr heb lewig
am breichiau llodau o wall a dig
y sudd yn vswudd ag yn yssig
a glain goriadau egluredig
y gwr oedd ddi dwyll ag vrddedig
yn fyw bu gadarn fab y gedig
aur agoriadau wyr garedig
orwyr gynedda boen dal wfedig '•
aur a gloyw assur gwr eglwysig
a roir ar y draed ar aur a drig
a gwisgadoed aur gwisgedig
enwau ar fennau ar fenig gwynion
oreuro y ddwyfron a ffon a ffig
Y gwyr a messur y gor miwsig
assod ^ aberth y su debig
a gwyr gwlad tomas S* emig, ne
nofi
wen o gaer garon yn gwir girig
Peniarth MS. 225, loewdal Wledic.
' Ibid,, y osod.
Appendix
395
ami koffa yddaw mil keffig o friger aurer arno ai nerthan 2
ami kanu yw ddelw mal cyn- , vn wrthie a beuno
ddylig a yrr oi fardd er a fo
ami iawn bwyll iniawn gain bellen- oi boen fanwyl ban fynno
nig lion
y dawr aur oi, fron hud ar y fru ^ Jevan llwyd brydudd ai kant
\Flor. c. 1460-90].
Y farch ai taflassau at berth ddreiniog ai lygad a flodd ar y rudd,
heb allu o neb ryw feddig ymwared yddo, a duw ar sant ai gwnaeth
yn holl iach er y fod yn 11a wn yssig a briwie, y dduw bor diolch ame.
S. DWYNWEN
CYWYDD I DDWYNWEN
From Peniarth MS. 112 (1610), p. 368
P-
Y verch wenn o Vrecheinoc
ar chwarael ^ avr ar i chloc
Merch annwyl y mraych ynys
morwyn yn Llanddwyn ai Uys
Merch ni ad amarch i ni
Dwynwen mam pob daioni
Merch Vrychan gloyw arian glych
arglwyddwaed * eryr gwleddwych
Santes y mynwes Menai
ai thir ai heglwys ai thai
Pennrhynn lie ami dyn da
Llanddwyn mewn gorlliw hindda
Rhandir a welir i wenn
dinas a nawdddir Dwynwen
ffynhonniav gwrthiav dan go
oer yw r dyn ni red yno
Teml dec ty ami dyn
minteioedd y min towyn
Merched o amrafael wledydd
meibion vil vyrddion a vydd
■^ Ibid., ar ei vric.
' chwarel.
; collated with Cardiff MS. 7 (1564-5),
278.
Kleifion rhwng i ffynhoniav
Krvplaid a gweiniaid yn gwav
Bronnydd val llvoedd brenin
pobl or wlad pawb ar i lin
Taprav kwyr pabwyr er pwyll
pibav gwin pawb ai ganwyll
Kryssav yn llawn brychav gar
bronn
miragl wrth godi meirwonn
Pob neges gan santes wenn
a gaiff dyn wrth gyff Dwynwen
Jechyd a golvd a gaid
synwyr a hawshav enaid
Vo roed oi brie glenhigion
vo roed avr tec ar draed honn
Bottymav a gleiniav glan
ar i phais a orffwyssan
Chwevgeiniav yn drolav a dric
noble i gadw n blygiedic
Gwryfav a rydd gwyr iefainck
^ Ibid., nerthau.
^ argewyddwaed.
396
Lives of the British Saints
grottiav rhyd ffrydiav o ffrainck
Ar saethe dan greirie ^ r grwyn
a vwrid draw ir vorwyn
A gad ar dir gida r donn
parth a phenn porth y ffynnon
Da lie bo dan bwyll a bai
kyhoeddvs ^ i kyhvddai
A lleidr ni all adel
mwnai na dim mann i del
Ysbys y dengys i dwyll
a chenioc bach a chanwyll
Wrth edrych yn entrych nef
i roi nod ir eneidief
Mae n dda galw yn ddwy golon
Jessv ar ferch o sir Von
Awn i Landdwyn at Ddwynwen
a chwyr garllaw Nvwbwrch wenn
Awn atti an gweddi yn gv
awn a thvs i nith Jessv
Awn i ynnill ynn vnion
nef o law merch lana y Mon
Awn atti ar yn glinief
awn dan nawdd Dwynwen i nef.
Sr Dafydd Trefor ai Kant.
{Flor. early sixteenth century.)
S. DYFNOG
CYWYDD I DDYFNOG
From Llanstephan MS. 167 (end of seventeenth century), p. 331.
Dyfnog wr dwfn a garaf
am a dal foes mi ai dy-laf
dof ith eglwys ddwys yn Ddol
Llanrhaidr mewn He rheiol
dy ddelw di addolwn
dy liw yn wir dy lun a wnn
yn y nef ith gartrefwyd
da gida Duw geidwad wyd
dy wrthiau am diwarthawdd
yn y man hwnn ym yn hawdd
Pistill o waith hapusteg
a roed it wr radau teg
mawr ei glod miragl ydyw
ffrwd groiwdeg or garreg yw
ffynnon or eigion a red
ragorawl i roi gwared
triagl heb swnd or grwndwal
ni wyr dyn yn aur a dal
Rhaidr gras i bob nasiwn
1 greigie.
er rhad a hap y rhoed hwnn
dwfr rhagorol feistrolaeth
presen ni wyr pris a wnaeth
prif afon seion y sydd
berw llawn a bair llawenydd
arwydd enwog Jorddonen
gradd a ffonsoi gwraidd ai phen
gwneuthur yn eglur a wna
uwch ei deml iechyd yma
golchi clwyf o gylch cleifion
a bwrw eu haint a bair honn
erioed gwneuthur yr ydoedd
y claf yn iach coelfaen oedd
Dyfnog hael da ofyn ced
breua gvl'r a bair gwared
attad y rhed y gwledydd
wrthit sal o wrthiau sydd
pob cul afiach pob clefyd
pob gwann o bedwar bann byd
2 kywheddvs.
Appendix
397
pob efrydd rhwym afrwydd rhus
pob nifer pob anafus
ebrwydd fydd yn rhydd ir rhain
mawredd oth wrthiau mirain
pob dall gweled ni allai
glod dy nerth gweled a wnai
pob byddar cynnar eu ced
yn glaiar gwnai i glywed
dy ras ami a droes yma
pob mud i ddwedyd yn dda
gwewyr oerion gair irad
ar frech wenwynig oer frad
ith bistill ced cyrched cant
gwych feddwl ag iach fyddant
oth fraint lie mynnaist oth fro
bennadur sant benydio
oemi y d'wT arnad oedd
garw gadarn or garreg ydoedd
hynn a droes fawr einioes fri
einioes yn iechyd ini
tra fuost difost ofeg
urddwr dysg ar y ddaiar deg
rhodres byd nai wrhydri
mewn ystad nis mynnaist di
gvvrthod yr holl bechodau
cordio'n fraisg caru Duw'n frau
gwisgo Crist a gwasgu'r croen
rhawn dewbais nid rhan diboen
a haiarn cadarn yn cau
fu ith gylch o faith gylchau
ni fynnaist nerth aberthwr
yn dy bryd ond bara a dvVr
er ynnill gwlad y tad hen
berffaith heb drangc na gorffen.
Jncerti authoris.
S. GWENFREWI or WINEFRED
BUCHEDD GWENFREWI
From Llanstephan MS. 34 (end of sixteenth century), p. 189,
Lyma vuched y uyry vendigedic Guen Vreuy y Santes
uyrthuaur a gafas gan duu ras a guyrthiatj yny byd
hunn ac yny nef.
Yngorleuin ynys Brydain y mae gulad a eluir Cymry ac or nail
dii idi y mae terfynaii Loegyr ac or tii aral eigiaun mor yny gogylchynxi
a Saint gynt yni chyfanhedii ac er hynny hyd hediu yny theckaii
o uyrthiaii cyfulch. Ac o rif y Saint hynny yd oed ur da santaid
arderchauc cyfulch Beiino oed y enu a hydyr ymhob liossogruyd
saint oed ef. Ac uedy tremygii o honau dref y dat a gogoniant y
byd ac ymurthod o honau ay argyuediis edylder er ymoglyd ef, [ef]
a unaethpuyd yn Vanach ac ar fyrder yn ur perphaith yng Christ.
O dyna guedi adeilad o honau egluyssaii yn amrafaelion leoed a gossod
brodyr yndiint y uassanaethii diiu ef a dysguyd o duyfaul ueledigaeth
i fyned ymaith y geisiau y le a uelai diiu y fod yn da idau y bressuyliau.
39^ Lives of the British Saints
A chan deuyssau or yspryd glan a cherded o honau er les i lauer, ef
a doeth i lys gur da cyfoethauc. Tybyt oed y enu, a mab y bennadiir
goraii oi ulad oed ac ni odefai gamfraint or byd arnau nac ar y rieni :
onid kynnal bonhed y genedyl a unai o defodaii da, ac ymdangos
yn rhagoriis ymhob camp . ac uedy dyfod y gur da hunn Beiino at
y gur a dyuetpuyd vchod ef a derbynniuyd yn arbennedic ' ac yn
anrhydediis, ac ni bii hir yny dangosses y sant a oed yny vedul. Galu
y gur da attau a oruc a manegi idau achaus i dyfodiad fal hynn Argluyd
heb ef o nefaul rybyd ym hanfoned attad ti. Canys guedy kyvan-
hedii o lionof yn lauer o leoed a chael o honof bressuyliay ^ guediis
gan fy mryd arn euylys ni alaud vy yspryd i hagen orphouys yn vn
le . namyn duyfaul ysbryd Angel yn dysgii ym gof uyau y le aral. Ac
o dyna guedy cael o honof i lauer o bressuylfae a ryngynt bod ym y
doethym i attat ti heb uybod paham ym hanfones duyfaul lyuodraeth
yma. Canys ni thebygaf i damueiniau hynny heb aches rhyu yspryd.^
Canys duyfaul liiniaeth a guplaa arfaeth dyn ymhob peth ac urth
hynny os ti a vfydhaa ym damiinedaii y perthyn y guneiithiir. Vy
nyfodiad i yu y lafiiriau iechyd y ti ac (am hynny) ystyria urth fy
archaeii yn amynediis a medylia y dealiis honaut yn graph. Urth
hynny mi ath uediaf di yny gyniattaych di oth dref tadaul dylyed
gyfrann y duu ac y minhaii y adailad egluys o honaf i yno y uassanaethii
Diiu yndi ac yu uediau beiinyd o hynny alan di'os dy iechyd. Sef
a oriic yntay Dybyt uedy medyliau o honau uneiithyr y euylys.
Canys barnai y fed yn ur teilug o glod ac anrhyded. Ac yna atteb
a unaeth or geiriaii hynn. Jaun yu y mi rodi rhaii y Diiu or hunn
a rodes yntaii y mi a diolch idau y rodion or mod y galem. A thithaii
y syd yn cael daun arnaf i o fod yn lauen gennyf yrodi ytti yr hunn
yd uyd yn y erchi ac a unn i vod ynn les ym. Ac urth hynny rhydo-
lynga om plegid i am hetifedion o hediu alaxi y uassanaethii diiu .
achaus vn ferch yssyd ym didanuch bydaul dec * heb vn gobaith etived
yn ol honno . mi ai gorchymynnaf hi y ti : ac ath uediaf yny eiriolych
ar dy argluyd liiniaethii y chyfarchuel urth i fod ef a drychafel fy
lauenyd innaii o honi hi. Ac uedy dyuediid hynny rhodi y plas hunnu
ir gur da guynvydedic i adailad egluys yndau ac y dodi gueission yu
guassanaethii ac yntaii a syffiiidaud yr eidau ef o dyno y le aral gyf erbyn
a hynny val y galai ueled cyfanned y Sant bob aur or dyd. Ve rygausei
y Sant y gariad ef ai fedul yn gymeint ac yd oed digrif ganthau edrych
ar y le yd oed y Sant yndau achaus aghenrhaid a barai vdiint na
chaent gyd ymdidan yn uastad. Ac val yd oed y Sant ynn rhodi
y uaith yr egluys yntaii a dodei y duylau y hiin ar y guaith ay dreiilai
•■ Margin, rhybuchedic. ^ Margin, ijae, for -iay. ^ Margin, rhinued ysbys.
* Margin, ac. _
Appendix 3 99
y hiin yn ehalaeth ac oy lafiir ac oi drausgluyd. Ar gur da sant yn
canii opherennaii yn fynych ac yntaii ai uraic ai ferch (henu y verch
oed Guenfreuy) a deiiynt y uarandau. A phaii oed y gur da sant
yn pregethii geiriaii Diiu yr bobyl y doe y voruyn i uarandau ar uas
Diiu . ac ef a dysgai idi yst3n:iau yn gal ac yn graph yny chalonn bob
peth ar a dyuettai. Yr hunn ni adai Diiu idi yn ofer cyn guydai
beth vydai rhac lau. Canys y voruyn uyryf a oed Demyl y Diiu a
gjnnrierai o chuannauc damiined yr hynn a glyuai yn graph gofiadiir
a medyliau a unai ar dangos yn baraud o ueithredoed yr hyn a giidiai
yni medul ehiin. Ac yn vynych y kymerai gennad gan y rhieni y
vyned at uas Diiu ac oi sychedic vron ef hi a gymerai ac a yfai bob
peth a dyuedai ef oi velys enaii. A chynn bai annuyl hi a charedic
gan y rhieni a hi ynn vn etifed heb obaith muy da oed ganthiint fynychii
o honi at y gur da sant y gymryd dysc y ymoglyd rhac gorderchiad
yu chadu yn Ian a hitheii gan y hannoc o uarder diiu yn tyfii beiinyd
uel uel o bryd a doethineb yn gyflaun or yspryd glan na fynnai ur
fyth namyn ymgadu urth Diiu ehiin, a dyuedai fod yn iachach idi
ymruymau a diiu or dechraii a hi yn guybod vod ymryd y rhieni y
rhodi y ur dedfaul y gynnal tref tad a hi a gredai fod yn oreii idi
ymrodi i Grist Ac yn yr amser hunnu y tynnuyd medul y uyryf nid
-amgen or nail dii ofn i rhieni rhac ydyn y galu drychefyn o diurth y
medul da y briodi : or tii aral cariad Diiu ynny chymel y berpheithiau
ar vrys yr hynn a gyraerassai yny medul. Ai hathro a dysgassai
ydi garii Diiu ac ymadau ai thad ai mam a chanlyn Crist. | Y hoedran
hagen eidil ac anadfed oed yny lesteiriau. Ac oni alai amgen cuplaii
y harfaeth hi druy y gur da sant y rhieni a gytiinai a hi a thaii laf iiriau
■0 rad Diiu perivdiint gytiinau a hi am hynny. | A dyfod a oriic hi
attau ef yny le yd oed yn guedio mal y cynattai a gostung o honi gar
i fronn ac yn hy mynegi idau y medul a dyuediid. | Rhadaii duyfaul
eiriaii a haeod dy enaii di ynof i. | Myfi a deuissais heb hi urthod hoi
edylder y byd o hynn alann y gadu vyngueryddaud er anrhyded y
Diiu. I A phaii glyuas y sant hynny cyphroi oi uarder a lyuenyd o
ueled duyfaul had yn eginau yndi a dyuediid y parai yu rhieni dyfod
y gyd ynghyd ac y lafiiriaii ore y gale y uneiithiir yr hynn oed yny
adoluc. A hefyd medai ef dylyed oed idau ef gaphael hynny . canys
•daroed yu rhieni hi darostung yu adoluyn ef y uneiithyr pob peth ar
a fynnai. I Ac o achos rhylenui y medyliaii o rad ac vdiint erchi i bob
dyn annoc y merch y garii Diiu. | Ac uedy adnabod o honiint gan y
gur da sant damiined y merch golung y dagraii a unaethant a bendigau
Diiu a chanhiadii yu rhybiichedic ^ yr huii yr oed yn y erchi vdiint,
1 Margin, added in later hand, ddamvned. Peniarth MS., 22$ reads ya ry^u-
chedic yr . . .
40 0 Lives of the British Saints
ac erchi y Diiu fod yn nerth idi. Ar daoed maur a oedynt ^ a uasga-
rassant y anghenogion a nerthii y sant a gueission Diiu. | A phan
uelson y merch yn mynnii cadu priodas urth vab Diiu pob da ar a
gyniilyssynt ar rheidiaii y gynesgaedii guassanaeth duyfaul ac yn
y garii druy briidder maur a ymruymassant y diiu gan gerded yn
vniaun phordyguirioned. | Sef a oriic y foruyn pan gafas y damiined
lauenhaii yn vaur ac o chuant yr yspryd glan eiste a unaeth dan draed
y sant guynvydedic heb gael dogyn o uarandaiu ar y geiriaii a draethei
ef ae enaii o ogoniant Diiu. I Ac uedy canhiadii idi y heuylys o hyn
rhedec a unai o galonn hyfryd ar hyd y phord yngorchmynnaii Diiu
gan edrych a fai idi rhac lau ac val y douaid y Prophuyd. Lauen oed
genthi bressuyliau yn hy Diiu beiinyd oy chuedyl.^ Ac yna nid arhoe
hi dyfodiad y rhieni yr egluys namyn bryssiau or blaen . ueithiaii erail
y guiliae yn yr egluys y nos ac yn vynych annoc a unai hi yr sant
bregethii a thraethii moesaii a biiched y gur puys. Ac or hoi amyned
y lauenhae pan glyuai datgan y ragoraii ai deguch ai alii. | A digrifach
oed genthi hynny no hoi oliid y dayar. A chyd bai hi tyner o oedran
perphaith ac aren o galofi a moesaii a phob camp da ar a uedai ar
dyn, a oed amyl arni hi, heb chuenychii kam i neb, namyn duyfaul
rad [oed] yn gyflaun yndi. Nid oed vychan gan Diiu amdani canys
tec o uynebpryd a hiiaudl o ymadrod a guedus o gorph yn gubul .
ac or achos hynny y cyfodes defnyd ydi y ymrysson a gelyn kenedyl
dyn. Canys pan uelas y kythrel hi yn lafiiriau yn yr hynn a berthynai
oi hiechyd ai vod yntaii yn coli lauer oy hachaus hi, ac yn guanhaii
yny ulad honno, dechraii a oriic yn gubul gyfodi ynny herbyn ac ni
pheidiaud oni debygaud darfod idau y gorchfygii hi val na alai argy-
uedii arnau o hynny alan ac ynny mod hunn y dechreiiaud.
Guedi gorphen o Veiino uaith y egluys druy nerth Diiu ai chyssegrii
i Diiu, y rhai agos a doent idi yn vynych. A pheiinyd hayach y
doent rhieni y uyry yno i uarando geiriaii Diiu. Ac yn hynny Diiusiil-
guaith y damchuai naud ^ yu rhieni hi fyned yr egluys y uarando
opheren ar voruyn y merch ar ryu achos angen a gymheluyd y drigau
gartref . Ac ar hynny dyma Garadauc ab Alauog frenin yn dyfod y
meun ar foruyn ehiin yn eiste urth y tan. A phan adnabii hi vab y
brenhin kyfodi a oriic hi yn vfyd a gofyn beth a vynnai. Yntau a
ofynnaud idi pa diied yd aethoed y thad hi ac a douad fod idau lauer
o amdidanaii a hi. Ar voruyn a attebaud. Vynhad i heb hi a aeth
yr egluys ac o byd neges yt ac ef aro ychydic ac ef a dau yn ehegyr.
Ny thebygai hi vod na thuyl na brad ganthau tii ac atti hi. Y ynni
ef ai euylys oed yu gorderchii ac or achos hunnu yn myned oy buyl.
' Ibid., a oedh vdhvnt. 2 Ihid., hoedl. ' Ibid., damweiniawdh.
Appendix 401
A phan cjouad y voruyn fod yn rhaid idau aros y thad yr attebod y
guas ieiianc Kydsynnia di a myfi. a guybyd vymod yn vab y vrenhin ac
y galaf i dy diualii di o oliid ac o anrhyded os ti a gydsynnia a mi :
a hynny yr uyf i ynn i adoluyn yt. Sef a oriic hi pan uybii y vod ef
yn traythii am orderchiad diigochi i huyneb a chymryd arni vod yn
druc genthi y gordiues ynn anghouair heb uisgau amdani a dyuediid
urthau. Dioer heb hi canys mab y vrenhin uyd druy nerth diiu os
tydi am priotta diogel yu ym gaphel lyflalinder o gyfoeth bydol :
eissioes arc yny del vynhad i ac ynghyfrung hynny mi a af yr ystauel
y ymgueiriau ac a deiiaf drachefen yn ehegyr. Sef achos y dyuedai
hi hynny y geissiau l<ilio o i urthau ennyd aur a gueled ydoed hithaii
y dyn triian uedy ennynii oi chariad hi. A hi a uydiad y bydai hyfach
y gelyn arni yn absen i rhieni . urth hynny y I--eisiai hi ymdiangc
oy lau ac yny diued y caniadod ef idi fyned yu ystafel. Kan tebic
oed ganthau y doe drachefen yn gyueiriach heb olyd. A hithaii a
aeth alan y drus dieithyr a rhedec rhyngthi ar egluys. Ar guas a
uybii y pho hi yny le, a chyndarogi o lid a oriic ac ysglyfii y gledyf yn
fiian ai hymlid ac ef ai gordiuedaud yn haud a dyuediid urthi yn
hygar fal hynn. Kyii no hynn y kerais i dy di, ac y damiinais ymuasgii
a thi a thithaii yn pho rhagof : ar aur honn yn le guir guybyd di oni
bydi di vn a mi oth vod y ledir dy benn ar cledyf hunn. A throi
a oriic y voruyn tii a drus yr egluys ac edrych yn ofaliis a uelai neb yn
dyfod yu nerthii. Ac uedy na uelai neb yn dyfod ymhoelyd at y
guas a dyuediid. A mab y brenhin tragyuyd a braudur yr hoi dynion
ym prioded i ac ef, ac ni alaf i gymryd aral ac ni thuylaf i dydi ny
fynnaf i neb cnid efe ac ni alaf i dy fynnii di yn disyrhaed idau ef.
Ac am hynny tyn dy gledyf a guna a vynnych o achos ny vynnaf neb
onid ef . A phaii glybii yr ysgymmiin uas hunnu i dirmygii vely tynnii
y gledyf a oriic a lad y phenn ac yna y diguydaud penn y voruyn
yr laur yn yr vn le y tardaud phynnon loyuaf a thecaf y syd yn lithrau.
yn uastad er hynny hyd hediu ac yn rhodi iechyd i lauer o gleifion
o uyrthyaii y uynvydedic foruyn uyry. |
Ac yn emyl yr egluys y las i phenn hi y penn a dreiglaud o diyno
yr egluys ar corph alan . canys gouayred ysyd or le y las hi yr egluys.
A phaii uelas y nifer y penn yn dyfod dan y traed rhyfedii a unaethant
yn vaur a meltigiau y neb a uhaethoed y ueithred honno. Yna y
doeth y thad ai mam a gueled y merch yn varu a diguydau a unaethant
dan guynau ac uylau a doliiriau a gueidi yn vchel. A chynnurf
dirfaur a gyfodes 3m yr egluys gafi baub yn kuyno coli y voruyn 'a
phaui) yn tostiirio urth y doliir. Y sant a glybii y kynnurf a thebygii
mae kyrch a oed yn dyfod ambefi y nifer. Ar nifer oed yn sevyl a
gueled y voruyn a daroed idau i chyssegrii y diiu uedy y lad yn greiilon
vol.. IV ° ^
40 2 Lives of the British Saints
Doliiriau a unaeth ef yn driian ar gur ay ladassai yn sevyl yn greiilon
lidioc yn emyl y corph ac yn sychii y gledyf guaedlyd ynguyd paub.
Ac o achos y vod yn vab y vrenhin ni thebygai fod arnau dial or byd
er y gyflavan honno ny bii arnau yntaii ofyn dyn er guneiithyr hynny.
A lidioc vii gan y sant ueled y valched ay vostiach yn guneiithiir y
gyflafan honno a dynessaii a oriic attau a phenn y voruyn rhung y
duylau ac edrych yn uyneb y guas a dyuediid urthau fal hynn. Yscy-
miinedic iaun heb ef y halogaist darpar dy deguch ath ieiiengtid a
theilyngdaud dy voned or gyflafan hon. A phaham driian na byd
adifar gennyd y ueithred honn ? Ti a gynhyruaist y dangneued ac
a halogaist yr egluys ath escymmiin var gennyd. Yrth hynny caii nad
arbedaist yr egluys ac nad arbedaist bechii Diiu Siil. Minnaii a archaf
ym hargluyd diiu dalii y ti 3^1 dianfod y ueithred anheilung a unaethost.
Ar aur y dyuad ef hynny y lynckaud y dayar ef a myned y enaid ay
gorph y vphern> A phaub ar a uelas hynny a ofnhaod yn vaur o
ueled y guyrthiaii disyfyd hynny. A chiissanii y penn a oriic y sant
ac uylau a guasgii y penn urth y corph val y biiassai gynt a buru
y vantel ar y hyd a chuythii ynn y phroenaii ai rhieni heb adii y dyhii-
dau yn kuynau y merch ac yntaii a erchis vdiint deui ; ac a nessaod
tii ar alor y ganii opheren a phaub ai hymdired ar diiu ac yn gobeithau
ac yna pregethii a oriic yr bobyl o ymadraud tyuyl a dyuediid ymhlith
pethaii erail a oruc ryrodi gofiined y Diiu or voruyn uenfydedic a
therfynii arni o angaii kyn kael amser o honi y daly y Diiu i hadeuid.
Ac ef a dyly paub ostung ar daleii y gliniaii y uediau diiu am y chyfodi
yn vyu gan uybod o honiint y kephynt lauer o les yn ol oy hachos.
A hynny a unaethant gan dostiiriau goli y voruyn yn anamser. Ac
Tiedy guediau yn hir y gur da sant a gyfodes y duylau tii ar nef a
guediau fal hynn.
2 Argluyd Jessii Grist dros dy gariad ti yr ymurthodes y uyry honn
a phethaii dayaraul ac y chuenychaud bethaii duyfaul a rhai nefaul :
ninnaii a aluh arnat yn darostyngedic a guarandau ni yn drigaroc a
chyd guyppon ni vod yn uyryf honn a diodefaud er dy gariad ti yn
lauenyd nef ac nad oes arni eisiaii yn help ni. Guarando di hagen
■drigarockaf dad dy veibion yssyd ith uediau yn vfyd a chydsynnia
an guedi, par dangos dy fod yn vrenhin ac yn argluyd corphoroed ac
■eneidiaii, dyro y henaid yndi drachefyn yn drigaroc fal y galo glodfori
dy enu di. Ac uedy hir ysbaid druy gyfarch uel daf a chanmaul
ymchuelyd attad tithaii diiu hoi gyfoythauc y Tad ar mab ar yspryd
glan druy vyuyd a gogoniant yn oes oesoed ac yna y dyuad paub
Amen.
^ Llynn tawdd ai Uynkawdd ir Uawr (Tudur Aled).
2 Margin, Gijedi Beiino
Appen dix 403
Y voruyn a gyfodes o gysgii a sychu y dom ar chuys o dar y huyneb
ar nifer a oed yny chylch yn gyflaun o lauenyd ac anrhyded. Ac
yna guedy cyssyldii o diiu y penn ar y corph yn y mod goraii ac y
biiassai er i oed y trigod byth tra fii byu a chraith biiruen ar liin edaii
gyfroded ynghylch y munugyl phord y torrassid y ardangos y guyrth-
yaii a unaethoed Diiu erdi. A phobyl y ulad honno a dyuad mae
Breuy ^ oed i henu hi yna ac o achaus yr edaii uenn oed ynghylch y
mynugyl y geluid hi o hynny alan Guenn Vreuy. Ac ef a dyuaid rhai
hefyd uedy y myned hi or byd hunn uedy liynny nad ymdangosses
hi y dyn er ioed na uelai yr aruyd guynn hunnu ynghylch y mynugyl.
A hynny a dengys bod yn rhangaud bod idi uneiithiir moliant yr
diodefaint hunnu pan dangossei hi hynny yn amluc y gynifer guaith
jt: ymdangosses. Y le hagen y gordiueduyd ^ y guaed hi yndau a
eluid kynn no hynny Sychnant ^ ac uedy diguydo penn y uyryf val
y dyuetpuyd vchod y tardaud phynnon deckaf a gloyuaf ar a fii ac y
syd yn berui er hynny hyd hediu ac yn rhodi guared y dynion ac
anifeiliaid o bob clefyd Ac oi henu hi y cafas y le hunn y enu nid amgen
Phynnon Guen Vreuy. Ac y mae i guaed hi yny phynnon kyn ired
mal y guyl paub ae m3mno ar main guedy rheui y guaed arniint heb
fyned byth er dufr or byd o d'arniint a hefyd y myssogyl y syd ar y
kerric yn arrogylfaur megis ystor.* Hynod hefyd yntaii gan baub
or ulad honno fod y phynnon ar kerric guaedliid fal y dyuedassan ni
vchod yn parhaii yn yr vn ansaud er dangos y guyrthiaii ac yn aruyd
galii o honi gynhorthuyau y neb ai guedia hi. Pobyl y ulad honno
rhai o honiint nid aduaeniint Diiu nai gyfiaunder kyii no hynny.
Pan uelsant gyfodigaeth y uyryf ar guyrthiaii amluc am y phynnon
ar guaed, diguydau dan draed Beiino uynfydedic sant a oriigant ar
erchi y bedydio ac yntaii ai bedydiaud huynt yn rhybiichedic ac ai
bregeth ai cadarnhaod jmguassanae-th Duyfaul.
Pa phiiriif uedi y chyfodi a pha diued fii yr eidi ni a dyuedun yn ol.
1 Margin, in later hand, Breuy oed i henu hi . o achaijs yr ede uen oed ynghylch
i muniigyl y gehjid hi o hynii alan gijenfryuy. Tudur Aled, however,
Nod o amgylch nid ymgudd
Nod yr arf yn edav rudd.
^ Margin, nefuyd. Peniarth MS. 225, gordhineuwyt
' Margin, in later hand, Sychnant y gelwid y le y kyfodod ffynnon Gwenvrevy.
* Main gwiw arogl mewn gweryd
Mwsg o ban yn mysgv byd
Mann per ar bob maen purwyn
Main ag 61 gwaed mwnwgl gwyn
Beth ydiw r 61 byth a drig
Bond i gwaed bendigedig
Daigrav val kawad egroes
Dafnav Krist ar vannav kroes (Tudur Aled)
404 Lives of the British Saints
Guedy kyfodi ono yntaii ^ y uyryf o feiru mal y dyuedassam ni
vchod eiste a oriic y hi yn hyd y dyd dan draed y sant a guediau yn
uediis a gurando y bregeth ar dysc a bregethaii ydi tii ac at Diiu.
Ac uedy hynny ymafael a oriic ai draed ac erchi idau yn ostyngedic
guisgau y dalaith am y phefi. Canys fy rhieni heb hi a ganhiadaud
hynny ymi a thithaii a aduaenost vy medul i a bod yn ysgeiilys genyf
bob drythyluch bydaul er cariad diiu y hiin : ac ni dylir na orphenner
fynghyssegrii fal y damiinaf ac ni alaf fyned o diurthyd yny rodych
ym abid rheol y crefyd y dangos fy mod yn lauvoruyn y Diiu : urth
hynny gyssegredic dad nac anfod uneithiir fy namiined ond guna yf
hynn yd uyf yny adoluyn it yn di anfod. Ac yna galu a unaethant
ar rieni y uyry a manegi vdiint y medul ae harfaeth a dyuediid ryga-
phael o honi rad ysprydaul gan diiu a bod yn da ganthau yntaii uneii-
thiir y heuylys hi. Ac huyntaii a ganniadassant hynny yn lauen
rybiichedic ac yn digrif ganthynt ueled ditheuyd y march tii ac at
Diiu. A Beiino a vendigaud y guise ai thalaith ynn rheoleii y crefyd
yn dogyn. A hithaii yn lauen uedy cael y damiuied hi a gafas ar
fyrder gyfaruydyd a pherphaithruyd yr hoi vrdas gan y gadu. Ac
o dyna beiinyd y sant yn lauenhati fuyfuy rhac maint y santeidruyd
hi. Ac ef a eluis attau rieni y uyryf ac a dyuad urthiint yr ymadrod
hunn. Chuchui heb ef am herbynnaud i yma gyntaf ac a rodassoch
ym bob peth ac a adolygais yuch. O dyna chui a rodassoch y mi y
le hunn y uassanaethii diiu ac a laf iiriassoch y gupplaii yn ystic achaus
duyfau] daun a phruythaud a nefaul oleiini ynoch ac yn ych merch;
ystyriuch yn garedic y rhad a gausoch a gueluch a phryderuch gerded
phord yr iechyd ar a dangossed yuch or blaen Ac yr aur honn y hep-
koruch chui fynghyfyrgolder i Diiu y syd ym galu y le aral a byduch
chuithaii urth dysc a chynghoraii a anghreiphiuyd yn ^ auch merch
a guybyduch yn le diaii nad y chui ych hiinain y dyry hi gred iechyd
namyn ir bobyl yn gubyl rhac lau. A throi at y voruyn. Diiu yssyd
heb ef yn gorchymyn y ti gyfanhedii y le hunn ai bressuyliau a dysgii
erail heb orphouys fod y viiched fal y dysgaist dithaii genyf fi. Canys
tiabrynaist fiidiigoliaethaDiiu a dyn a uelas dysgii lauer oth gariad
ti yny byd hunn o anghreipht dy fiidugoliaeth. Ac o hynn alan tydi
biaii cyfanhedii y le hunn a guerydon gyd a thi yn guassanaethii Diiu.
A guybyd di nad yma y byd dy huedel ^ Canys uedy y bych di yma
saith mlyned ymhoen dy gorph yn guassanaiithii Diiu rhaid yu yt
gan dysgii yn duyfaul gofuy le aral druy dy anfon o Diiu y oleiihaii
tyuyluc kalonnaii lauer. A chopha hynny a diaii y byd anrhydediis
' Margin, Bevno.
' Margin, y. ^ Peniarth AfS. 225/y bydli diwedh dy hoedl di.
Appendix 405
dy gof 3my byd hunn ac y gobruyi ar diiu gaphael o lauer uared oi
gofidion druot ti. Ac yna uylau a thristaii yn faur a oriic y uynvy-
dedic uyryf pan oed Beiino yn myned.
Ac 3ma Beiino ai kymerth hi erbyn i lau ay du}m i lann y phynnon
ai dodi ar vn or main a oed yno ac y syd etto yngofer y phynnon a
hirnnu a eluir maen Beiino. A ueli di 3niia etto ol dy diodefaint lyma
y maen yn biirgoch oth uaed er dangos dy vyrthyrii di er Diiu. Ar
guaed a fyd fyth yn ir er anrhyded tragyuyd i ti ac yn dysc i lauer.
Ac urth hynn copha fynghynghoraii i a datgan i erail yn anrhydediis
ac huy a deiiant rhac lau yn les i lauer.
Tri pheth a rodes Diiu yt ac yr neb ath anrhydedo yn ol. Y cyntaf
yu nad oes neb ryu dyn nar dufyr y syd yn rhedec drostyn na neb
hagen a alo golchi y guaed o di ar y main namyn bod fyth yn uaedlyd
y dangos galii Diiu ai ogoniant ath diuairded dithai.
Yr ail pa ofid bynnac or byd a fo ar y neb ath uedio ac a geisio
guared gennyd ef ai caiph y uaith gyntaf ne yr ail neii yr drydyd
beth bynnac a archo ar a fo kyfiaun ef ay cayph yma ac yny nef.
Y trydyd yu pan eluyfi ymaith mi a gerdaf gan lau y mor yr le
a uelo Diiu [yn da] jon yu gyfanhedii a chyd boed pel rhofi a thi diiu
a orchymynnaud yti fynghophaii oth rodion bob bluydyn. A phan
fo paraud gennyd yr anrhec a anfonych ym dyro ynn y phynnon a
gad ido uneiithiir a fynno ac ef a dau druy nerth Diiu ar hyd y mor
}m di lugur sych hyd attaf.
Ar tri pheth hynny a gefaist gan diiu a datgan lauer dyn rhac lau
er cophaii dy glod fyth. Ac uedy darfod idau dyuediid hynny ef ai
diic hi drachefen yr egluys ac a dyuad urthi fal hynn. Lyma heb ef
y Demyl a adeilais i a lauer ath rieni di hefyd a adauafi yti o dyna
kynniil di ath Dad lauer o uerydon y uassanaethii Crist a chynnal
dy reol ath vrdas yn di dramguyd a dysc y fiichedockaii fal y dysgais
innaii dy di. A guybyd di y dengys Diiu y uyrthiaii ai nerth er les
y lauer yny le hunn ac y adnabod ac eiiil y neb a bressuylio ymaf ef
a gaiph dynion ac anifeiliaid uared yny le hunn. A byd dithaii phiiryf
ac exampyl iechyd i baub ar ath uelo A mi a af o dyma y le aral ath
gof a vyd ym kalonn.
Ac uedy dyuediid hynny kymryd y fagyl ^ dechraii kychuyn a
hoi dodrefn y dy a phob peth a rodassai phydlonnion idau er diiu ac a
adeuis ef y le hunnu yr uyryf vendigedic ac yu chydymdeithesse ac
yna guedy gorchymyn paub y Diiu ai gado yn iach kerded a oriic ef
ac vn ysgolhaic y gyd ac ef ac edrych drachefyn ar Yenn Vreuy ac
uylo a oriic rhac dihired ganthau y gado. A hithaii o achos y eiriaii
ef ai fynediad ymaith yn uylau ac yn tristaii yn vaur ac yn dyuediid
y gadau heb gyngor heb geiduadaeth ymhlith drygaii ac yn diphaith
4o6 Lives of the British Saints
genthi heb ymgeled y thadmaeth a lauer yn profi y disteui. A hitheii
ay kyfhebryngaud ef heb lau yr egluys ac yn didanuch maur genthi
hynny. Ac ni alai neb attal ar y phord y huylau rhac tosted ganthiint
ueled y drych hi. Ar Sant o vaur uarder yn golung y dagreii. Ac
eissioes terfynii a fynnaud ar y guynfan honno a rhedec ymaith o i
urthi a drychafel y lau ai chroesi ai ganlyn a unaeth y uyryf tre i
guelas. Ac o dyna y troassant adre ac ni alai deui ai huylau rhac
dihired oed genthi am y hathro. Ac uedy lithrau ychydic o amser
cophaii a oriic y uyryf fendigedic y hymchueledigaeth ai moliant
ai diodefaint a phregethaii Beiino y hathro kymryd a unaeth uastad-
ruyd guraul jTidi ac ym urthlad a thristuch ac ymrodi y uasanaethii
Crist y gur a gofiassai gadu y diuairdeb hi idau ef tra fai fyu. 0
dyna kyniil atti ferched bonedigion a dysgii vdiint garii diueirdeb a
dirmygii edylder y byd a gostung dan ued Crist a thruy reol y crefyd
guassanaethii Diiu. A phan uelas rhai egliirder y chyfarchuyl hi ai
hynaus briidder ai hysprydaul rad y dechreuassant y guisgau ynn
vynachessaii ar ol y crefyd. A hithaii ai gunaeth ac a fii vigail da
yn dysgii vdynt gadarnhaii [yn] yr Euengil a dysc y Saint rhac brad
y kythraiil : ac annoc vdynt garii Diiu yny calonnaii ac ni pheidiaii yn
uastad a dysgii vdiint uassanaethu Diiu a bod o honi hi yn uassan-
aethgar vdiint. Ac ar ychydic o amser hi a doeth ar oriichelder
nerthoed mal y dangossai hi fod Crist a doethineb Diiu ai nerth yny
chalonn. Canys or nail barth y gunai urthiaii amluc mynych or parth
aral y dangossai hi dysc ac iechyd a genaii gloiu yn phruythlaun ac
y tyfoed y chofent o nerthoed gan beri o honi hi vdiint huy y hadnabod
hi ac adnabod Diiu. A lauen oed yntaii gan y genfaint Ian honno o
fod y cyfriu famaeth a honno yny blaen a gueled campaii da yn amyl
arni ac adnabod a uneynt fod nefaul [rad] yn tyuynnii arni yn phruy-
thlaun aches yd oed hi yn uastad yn lafiiriau dangos biiched nefaul
y baub a charii Diiu. Huyntaii a dechreiiassont fod yn deilung. Hi
a ostyngai galonnaii dynion diiyfaul yn vfyd idi a dynion phydlon
ai hanrhydedai ac yn digrif gan baub fod yn agos atti o achos i daioni
ai dysc ai gurthiaii yn gloyuhaii y ulad oi hachaus ar guerydon a oed
gyd a hi yn gueled hynny yn digrifo ar les fuy fuy ac yn myned uel
uel. Ac fal yd oed hi fely yn lafiiriau gueithredoed da a nefaul oleiini
ynghylch ogylch oi hachaus kophaii a oriic hi eiriaii y hathro ar danfon
idau y rhyu dlus a hynny a gyiihelis yny bryd a lafiirio hi ai morynnion
a guneiithyr Capsiil ^ uediis y uas Diiu. A phan doeth y dyd y
dylyai danfon yr anrhec sef oed hynny Diiu calan Mai hi a doeth a
lauer or guerydon gyd a hi hyd y phynnon [yr le] y gorchymynnassai
Veiino dodi yr anrhec a chymryd y gapsiil a oriic hi ai phlygii meun
1 Ibid., Cassul.
Appendix 4^7
touel guynn ai furu yny phynnon a pheth rhyfed ni uelid y dufyr ynn
gulychii dim ar y liain vchaf namyn i-hedec yn sych ar hyd y phrud
yr afon faur ac yr mor ac a doeth gan donnaii erbyn y pylgain hyd y
traeth le yr oed y Sant yn kyfanhedii. A phan oed Beiino y bore ar
Ian y mor yn dyfod or egluys y rodio, lyma ryfedod ar y dufyr ac ef
a adeuis y tonnaii ar y traeth ryu syppyn guynn. A nessaii a oriic
y edrych beth oed. A phafi edrychaud ef a gafas gapsiil neuyd heb'
ulychi dim ami. A medyhau a unaeth ef am y defaud a rhyfedii y
gueled hi yn sych yny mor. Ac efe doeth cof idau yno Venn Vreuy
y garedic uyryf am anfon y tlus idau bop bluydyn ai vuru yny phynnon
ac yr adnabii druy yr yspryd glan mae hi ai danfonassai idau ac mae
angyhon ai haruenaud dros for idau hyd yno . ai chymryd a unaeth a,
diolch i diiu ai dodi yn yr egluys y arfer o honi a lauen fii ganthau y
gophaii or uyryf a bod y chlod ai hegliirder yn goleiihaii y ulad..
Ac erchi a unaeth y Diiu rodi rhad a nerth idi y drossi kyduybod.
erail ar duyuolder. O dyna bob Diiu calan Mai bop bluydyn y dan-
fonai hi anrhec yu hathro tra fii fyu yny mod y dyuedassom ni vchod..
A chyd bai lauer rhyngthiint ynghylch dec mildir a deiigain neii fuy
ef a dauai yn oed vn nos ar uyneb y mor hyd ymhorthua y hathro.
Ac am hynny y geluid ef Beiino gasiil sych am dyfod y gasiil ar uyneb-
y mor yn sych attau. Ac yn hynny pann oed Veiino yn gyflaun o
uyrthiaii a champaii da ac yn gadau y byd hunn a myned y deyrnas-
nef y gurthiaii ar anrhyfedodaii a unaeth yn fyu ac uedy y faru yd'
ys yn y dangos ac yn bendiadnod ef a dyuedir uneiithiir o honau,
muy o urythiaii yn faru noc yn fyu. A phan doeth at Venn Vreuy
y varuolaeth ef hi ai kyfhebryngaud ef a dagreii lauer a guediaii a
dyuediid a oriic hi nad oed didanuch d5miaul uedy hynny a biin vii
genthi gyfanhedii y le yd oed yndau uedy hynny. Ac ymhen ychydic
o amser guedy maru y rhann fuyaf oi chydymdeithesseii cophaii y
le yr oed yndo a dyfod cof idi y hathro ai eiriaii y bydai raid idi gof uyau,
le aral ymhenn y saith mlyned ac ysgayliissau y hadailiadaii ac anod.
fii genthi orpheii yno y fluydyn honno ac o achaus bod y thynn ar
le aral ni alai orphouys tra fai yno. Ac uedi myned yr amser heibiau.
a hitheii yn baraud y fyned ymaith drychafel y duylau ar Diiu a oriic
ai hoi galonn ac erchi idau y throssi yr le y bai da gantho ef ac y bai-
les y erail a bendigau y le y biiassei yndau ac erchi y Diiu puy bynnac a
delai yr egluys hoiio y uediau ac y geissiau guared er y chariad hi y rodr
vdynt. Ar uedi honno a glybii Diiu megis y tystia lauer o genedloed
a gafas guared yno o amryu heiniaii a dangossir guedi datgan yr
ystoriae. A gofalii a oriic Guenn Vreuy am gyuaruydyd idi tii ai
hjmt ai harfaeth. Ac val y bydai nosuaith yn cysgii nychaf lef yn
dyiod atti fal h5mn. Cymer vn voruyn gyd a thi a dos hyd at uas.
4o8 Lives of the British Saints
Diiu y syd ym Hotfarri a chymer gyngor pa le yd elych y bressuylio.
Ar Sant hunnu gur maur oed gar bronn diiu ac jm cerded druy orchy-
mynnaii diiu ai gyfiaunder yn didic. Ac efe a dyuedir uneiithiir o
Diiu uyrthiaii tec nid amgen kyfodi o honau phynnoii or daiar a
drychafel y lau ai bendigau ac erchi y Diiu puy bynnac o dyn claf
a ymdrochei ynny phynnon honno y vyned adref yn iach. Ac vely
y bii megis y tystiaud lauer a gafas iechyd yno . a lauer o uyrthiaii
a unaeth uedy i faru.
A ladroii gynt a aethant hyd y mynuent Dier y Sant a dyuetpuyd
vchod ac a gaussant deii farch 5^0 ac ai diigant. Ar guyr y bioed
y meircli a doethant y geissiau y meirch yny le y gadaussent . ac uedy
nas causant huynt y guybiiant y duyn yn ledrad a myned adref a
oriigant a duyn canhuyle ganthiin a chyrchii yr egluys a dodi y kan-
huyle ar yr alor ac uedy nad oed oleiiad yndynt na than yu goleiio.
Guediau a unaethant ar rodi o diiu ar Sant oleiiad vdiint. Ar sant
a uarandeuis y guedi a goleiio y canhuyle gar y bronn ac yna muy
f ii y deissif gar bronn y Sant a gobeithau cael y da drachefen a dygessid
ar gam ac nis tuyluyd y medul canys uedy darfod yr ladron ai dygasynt
huy adau y ulad ai dianck edrych a unaethant pa hyd y dathoedynt.
A phan edrychyssant yd oedent yn troi ynghylch y fynuent. Ac yna
■ofyn maur a aeth arniint rhac y cael yno a guybod na bydai di boen
vdynt o delid. Troi ar draus phord aral ac ni bii uannach yna nerth
Diiu no chynt canys paii oed diaii ganthynt y myned ymhel ar dyd yn
goleiihaii yr oedynt uedy dyfod yr vn le ac yn disgynnii yn y fynuent
ar auenaii am y duylau. Ar guyr a golassai y meirch nid aethant or
le hunnu onid aros yn yr egluys a guediau Diiu ar Sant a gobeithiau
cael nerth yn ebruyd. A phan doeth y bore huynt a doethant or
egluys ac a uelsant y meirch ar guyr ai dygassai yny dala ar y porth.
A bendigau Diiu a diolch ir Sant a unaethant a chymryd y meirch a
gilung y ladron ymaith yn di boen. Am hynny yntaii y gelir dyalt
fod yn faur gan Diiu gobruy y Sant yd anfoned Guenn Vreuy attau
fal y dyuedassom vchod. Y gyssegredickaf uyryf a orchymynnaud
y Diiu y le ai chydymdeithion a chymryd vn foruyn gyd a hi a chyrchii
ymaith ac uyth mildir oed hyd y le yd oed y Sant Dier oed y enu a
hi a doeth hyd yno ac ef ai derbynniaud yn anrhydediis ganmoledic
a gistung i uediau yn gyntaf a oriigant ac yna eiste eil daii a mynegi
or uyryf achos y dyfodiad idau yn gubyl. Ar gur da sant a attebod
idi fal hynn. Dioer heb ef ni unn i etto dim o i urth y kyngor hunn
namyn trie heno gyd a mi y edrych beth a fo da gan Diiu y fynegi
ynni. A lauen fii genthi hithaii hynny Canys guydiad hithaii yr
atteb nefaul a dathoed atti y dysgai y sant idi beth a dylyai y uneiithiir.
Ac fal y bydai y sant hunnu yn guediau y nos mal y gnottai nycha:f lef
Appendix 4^9
or nef yn dyfod ac yn dyuediid urthau. Arch di ym caredickaf verch
i Guenn Vreuy santes fyned hyd at Sadurn sant hyd yn Henlan a hi
a glyu ganthau ef beth a dylyo y uneiithur neii pa le y terfyno y chuedel.
A thrannoeth y bore galu a oriic Dier y uyryf attau ac ni chelaud rhagdi
ar a glyusai yn duyfaul a dangos idi y phord at y sant hunnu a dyuediid
mae gan hunnu y kae ysbyssruyd ar y hynt. A Guenn Vreuy a
f ii lauen o fod yn diaii genthi gael hysbyssruyd gan Dier fod i hargluyd
yn ymgledii am dani a chymryd kennad y sant a chyrchii hi ai chymde-
ithas tii ac at Sadurn. A phan doeth hi lauen fii ef urthi : ac ef a
erchis idi drigo y nos honno gyd ac ef. A thrannoeth ef a fanegei idi
y neges. A hynny a unaeth hi. A hi a dyuad mae o orchymyfi Diiu y
doethoed attau ef y dysgii idi pa dii y kyrchai. A thrannoeth y bore
Sadurn sant a dyuad urthi fal hynn. Y mae le heb ef a eluir Guytherin
yn laun Saint depholedic gan Diiu ac yn anrhydediis gan y bobyl y
le hunnu y crchymyn y ofuy ai bressuylfa yno tra fych fyu y dysgii
erail. Yno y mae gur maur y gampaii ai nerthoed yn Abad Eleri yu
y enu. Gur oed ef guastad y uedi a diiuiol o i urth bethaii bydaul ai
ynni o gubul ymhethau nefaul. Ac at hunnu yr erchis Diiu ym beri
yt fryssiau. A thi a. gephi fynegi yt a unelych tra fych di fyu. Canys
yno y mae guerydon uedy i kyssegrii ac uedy rhodi y proses ^ i Diiu
ac oi mebyd yn cadu y diueirdeb huynt a fydant uel uel oth dysc di
ac o anghyriphtiaii Diiu. A chyd boed cyfiaun geiduad yny cadu
huy ynguassanaeth Crist, huynt a fydant ystigach oth dyfodiad ti.
Ac ef a fyd muy golaii duyfaul yn tyuynnii arnadynt. A phan glybii
hi ennui y guerydon lauen a fii a dyuediid mae gyd ar rhai hynny yd
oed da genthi drigau . ac erchi peri kyfruydyd yn gyntaf ac i gelid
idi tii ar le hunnu. A Sadurn sant a anfones y Diagon gyd a hi hyd
at Eleri. Ac yntaii ehiin ai hebryngaud dalm. Ac uedy ymdidan
lauer o nadynt am y le yd oed hi yn myned idau ac am bob peth a
berthjmai am hynny ymhoeliid a oriic y sant ac erchi y bendith. A
hi a erchis i diiu rodi lauer o daioni idau ef . Ac ar hynny yd ymadeuis
y Sant a hi. Ar Sant a doeth adref drachefen. A hithaii a nessaaud
yr le yd oed y harfedyd. Ar gur da Sant a dyuetpuyd vchod nid amgen
Eleri a uybii druy yr yspryd glan y bod hi yn dyfod parth ac yno.
Ac ef a gerdaud yny herbyn yn ebruyd ac a fii lauen urthi mal y
dylyai ac ef ai derbynniaud hi yn anrhydediis megis y guedai yr
phydlonaf voruyn diiu. Ar Diagon a dathoed o di urth Sadurn sant
gyd a hi hyd yno a fynegis yr gur da sant hunn mal y dangossai Diiu
ydy athro ef o duyfaul ueledigaeth bob peth ar a fuassai ac ar a dylyai
fod rhac lau. Ac vely yr anfoned hithaii attau ef yr le hunnu o orchy-
myn, Diiu. Ac uedy y chresauy hi or sant yn gyntaf yn anrhydediis
1 Ihid., profes.
4 1 o Lives of the British Saints
ef ai diic hi yr egluys y uediau ac uedy terfynii y uedi ef a erchis idi
fod yn hyfryd lauen ac o dyna ef ai geluis attau y ymdidan yn gyfrina-
chol a hi a gofyn idi beth oed yny medul y .uneiithiir. Kyn guypuyf
vi phiiryf dy viiched di oi dechraii ac megis y dechreiiaist di gaphel
rhinuedaii da ac megis y las dy benn ac mal y mae dy uaed yn dangos
aruydion dy faruolaeth da oed gennyf dyued o honaut dy hiin ath
enaii pa achos y lafiiriaist dyfod yr hynt honn. Ar uyryf a attebaud
idau fal hynn. Y neb a fynegis ytti yr hynn a fanegaist di ymi yr
aur honn mi a debygaf fanegi o honau yt yr hynn yssyd ym bryd
a pha ham y doethym yma urth hynny. Canys Diiu am hanfones
i attad ti. Derbjmn dithaii fi a luniaetha fyngorchuyl o hyii alaii
megis y rhydangossed yt o nefaul ueledigaeth. Ar gur da sant hunnu
a gafas yny gyngor uediau y nos honno y geissiau guybodaeth gan
Diiu am y neges hunnu ai guedi. A guediau oni hithaii yn vfyd
am fanegi am hynny. Ac val y byd y sant yn guediau a Guenn Vreuy
hefyd yn guediau ac yn guihau, vo dangossod yr yspryd glan hyspyss-
uy d am y neges hunnu y Eleri Conphessor cyssegredic ac ef yn gor-
phouys pan ydoed y dyd ar nos yn guahanii ; a lauenhaii yn faur a oriic
ef a dyfod y bore le yd oed Venn Vreuy ai guasgii attau a dyuediid idi
fod diofaluch a diogeluch o hynny alan idi byth ai chymryd erbyn y
lau ai dujm y gofent y guerydon a oed yny le hunnu fal y dyuedassom
ni vchod . a thraethii a oriic urthynt yr ymadrodion hynn. Byduch
iauen hyfryd hygaraf ferched canys maur urthiauc yu in faint y goleiini
a fynnaud duyfaul drigared diiu y dyuynnii arnauch chui. Lyma
heb ef y diauyuys uyry honn ^ attauch y drigau ac y viichedockaii
gyd a chui megis y boch diuidiach yn guassaethii Diiu ai biiched hi
ai help ac y capho hithaii dal gan Diiu am ych dysgii : Lyma heb ef
Yenn Vreuy y voruyn a glyusoch lauer o i urthi a dirmygaud gynt
am hed a byguth y neb a fynnassei y gorderchii ac yny diued er cadu
y diueirdeb a deuissaud dorri i phenn. A lyma y uyry y mae aruydion
budiigoliaeth yn ymdyuenygii yr egluys ac yr ulad honn. A honn ehun
a uyx y cayph gan Diiu palym merthyroliaeth a biidygoliaeth Con-
phessor y gyd a hi y douad y drigau yma gyd a chui ac y aros y diuar-
nod. Ac y hi a geisiaud y nef oi gobruyon ac y mae y le hi ynghadu
ymhlith guynfydigion ferthyri . urth hynny byduch lauen am y
dyfodiad ac anrhydeduch yr y suit nefaul hunn y syd yn auch plith
a dysguch yn astiid y gueithredoed a dysgybluch urthi. Canys y
gorvchaf ai hanfones hi yma y dysgii o honauch urthi y gaphael
gobruy o honauch gyd a hi yn y nef a bod y le hunn tra byrhapho y
byd yn glodforiis oi hachaus hithaii. Ac uedi y geiriaii hynny troi
^ Margin, in later hand, Di-awyddus. Peniarth MS. 225, y dhihewyt dyuot
y wyry honn.
A.ppetidix 411
a oriic ar vn or argluydessaii a oed vam idau ehiin a phrelades ar y
lail oed lianod. Y ti heb ef garedickaf vam y gorchmynnaf i geidua-
daeth y uyry honn yssyd garedic gan diiu yn uanredaul calyn di y
hi a disgybla urthi a phrydera ymhob peth ar a berthyno idi a dilyn
y bod ymhob peth jni gal a guybyd di a guybyded paub o hanauch
mae o duyfaul ueledigaeth y danfoned hi yma attauch chui. A hefyd
ba muyaf a vo ych amgeled chui am dani hi muyaf fyd pryder diiu
ai gaiduadaeth. ynghylch y le hunn. Ac uedy darfod idau dyuediid
hynny yd aeth ef ymaith ac y trigaud hithau Guenn Vreuy gyd a
lauvorynnion Crist o hynny alan ac yna hi a dangosses goriichelder
crefyd a champaii ydy chydymdeithessaii val y douad or blaen jr
Sant bendigedic o uastadi"uyd a glendid ac iechyd 5m vn phiinyd a
phe i bai yna yn dechraii myned ynghrefyd guastadaul ymarbed ac
ymardel a cheiduadaeth dayoni ac uedy guastad santeidruyd ac
vfyd gyfaruel oed yndi, ar guerydon erail yn kymryd taduys anrhyded
ac vfiiddaud genthi hi ac yny guneiithyr ynn rhac vlaenuraic vdiint
ymhob iechyd a phob adfuynder ac yny hanrhydedti ynn faur ar
brelades a oed arniint nid amgen no mam Eleri. Theon oed y henu.
a oed yn cadu o diuid amgeled ac yn guneiithiir pob peth oi chyngor
yn fuy noc o gyngor yr hoi uerydon rhac guastatted yd oed yn guiliau,
ac yn ymarbed ac yn traythii o damynedaii gulad nef gan olung
dagraii phruythlaun o bob vn o honiint. A Theon yn argluydes vaur y
haudiirdaud a goriichel y chrefyd ac ystic ymhob gueithred da ac er
daed genthi bob vn or guerydon muy oed genthi hi Yenn Vreuy nac
Eleri ai frodyr hefyd. A phaub or ulad a deuynt y edrych arni fal y
torryssid i phefi dros gariad Crist. A dyuediid y guneiithiir o Diiu.
hi yn fyu. A phuy bynnac a uelai y graith ar y mynugyl ny elynt attal
y huylau am y merthyroliaeth. A dydguaith yd aeth Eleri y glostyr
y mynachessaii y ofuy Guenn Vreuy ac i draethii geiriaii Diiu urthi
ac uedy ymdidanii onadiint y Sant yr hunn oed yny fryd. Lauen
heb ef yu gennyf dy dyfod yr le hunn urth fynghladii am cophaii.
uedy buy faru. A mi a erchais i Diiu yn fynych anfon yr le hunn
nebiin oi ueision neii oi forynnion urth fynghladii ac y anrhydedii y
le hunn yn fy ol i. Nid fely debygaf i heb y Guenn Vreuy y byd noc
in liniaethaud Diiu rhaid yu itti fod yn ol y gladii f'argluydes i dy
vam di : ac o dyna ymhenn ychydic o flynydoed y cledi ^ fynghorph
innaii a gorphen dy viiched dithaii (^tuy dangnefed y fyned at Diiu
nef y gymryd a rodaist yu gadu.
Ar Sant pari glyuas hynny a aeth ymaith ac ef a doeth yn ehegyr
y phrophuydoliaeth hi. Canys yn ebruyd uedy hynny y clyfychod
1 Corrected in margin, gladu.
412 Lives of the British Saints
Theon ac y guahanaud y henaid ai chorph. Ac yna y hadnabii hi yd
ai o di urth y chofent ac yna kuynau yn faur a unciethant ac uylau am
goli y mam ai golchassai huy oi pechod ac ai magassai ynguassanaeth
Diiu ai didanii huynt a oriic hi a dyuediid na dylent guynau dyfod
biiched da yn ol vn druc. Canys gyd a Diiu y mae digrifuch a solas
ar lyuenyd ac yma y mae y tristuch ar doliir ar kuynfan. Ac erchi
vdiint fod yn lauen o achaus y bod hi ynn myned or le yd oed y le oed
iiel a chuitheii a dyleuch yn amynediis odef fy mynediad a chui yn
caphel y uynfydedic Guen Vreuy gyd a chui yr honn a dysc yuch bob
peth a berthyno ar iechyd . edrychuch arni hi a dysgybluch urthi a
guybyduch y byd Diiu nerth yuch ymhob peth o byduch urth i chyngor.
Ac uedy y geiriaii hynny cymryd gan Eleri Conphessor gymiin o gorph
Crist ai uaed ac ymdif vannii or byd ^ a thalii i henaid i Diiu a hi a
gladuyd yn anrhydediis.
Ar gur da sant a orchmyfioed y Yenn Vreuy gaduedigaeth y guerydon
erail. A chyd keisiai hi urthod hynny ar dalm rhac ofyii Diiu hi a
gymerth y baych hunnu arni. 0 hynny alan nid oed a alai datcanii y
hystigruyd hi a maint yd oed yn poeni y chorph a maint y chariad ai
hegliirder tii a phaub . namyn paub ai carai o bel ac agos fal y dylynt.
Ar guynfydedic Eleri ar saint pennaf a oed yn trigau yng Hymrii a
darostyngynt ydi ac ai hanrhydedynt hi a goreiiguyr y ulad yn damii-
nau i phorthi a phaub o blegid y phregeth a droed at Diiu. A ladron
ar defeisuyr ^ pan glyuynt y phregeth a gymerynt adifairuch yny
calonnaii ac a arafheynt ac a gymerynt benyd ar fyrder nid oed neb
yny ulad ni chaphai les oi hachos ac ni elid dyuediid maint lyuenyd
Eleri am hynny a phregethii a unae yn fynych yr bobyl oi hachaus
a dyuediid y hanfon o diiu y oletihaii pobyl phydloii y ulad honno.
Canys anneirif o gleifion a gafas iechyd oi guyrthiaii hi pan uafi ^
bynnac a delai atti hi ef a ai yn iach hyfryd adref a delai yn drist ef
ai adref yn hyfryd lauen.
Ac yna y damchueinaud ar uynfydedic uyryf yn guassanaethii Diiu
oriichel frenhin lyma yr argluyd Jessii yn mynnii duyn y lau voruyn
o gaethiued y byd hunn y orphuyssua dragyuydaul yn hysbyssii idi
yn y egluys a hi yn guediau bod yii agos i therfyn yn dyfod A phan
uelas hi y galu ac adnabod bod diiu yn y gobruyau, dechreii ymbaratoi
a oriic hi y gyrchii lyuenyd teyrnas diiu ac yna guediau a unai hi
beiinyd o hyd nos yn yr egluys a heb adii dim y dyd heb uneiithyr
ar a dylyai a mynegi yr guerydon a oed gyd a hi bod y dyd yn agos.
Vylau a oriigant a thristaii a hithaii yn profi y didanii a dyuediid na
^ Peniarth MS. 225, divlannv or byt hwii,
' Ibid., ay threiswr. ^ Jbid., pa wann.
Appendix 413
dylyent dristaii er i myned hi o ansaud lygredic yr ansaud ni elir y
lygrii ac o driieni yr lyuenyd a dyuediid y dylyent lauenhaii am y bod
yn myned at y hargluyd le y galai eiriol drostynt ac annoc arniint
ymoglyd rhac ystriu y kythreiil ai duyl a discybly urthi hi megis y
caphent fod Diiu.
Ac uedy dyuediid hynny y Eleri doliiriau a oriic amdani a damiinau
a unai y chyphessii a thre fai yn aldiided y byd can guydiad y bod o
rad yr yspryd glan a chyd elai hi o dralaud y byd hunn y lyuenyd
tragyuyd aniodefiis oed ganthau goli y didanuch ai daun ynghynurys
y byd> Ac yntaii o huyl biigail da yn dyfod yu gofuy ac yn ymdidan
a hi ac y beri idi bob peth ar a uypai y fod yn les ydi. Ac yn hynny
J" dechreiiaud y uyryf lesmeiriau o ueuyr yn y chorph a guanhaii
beiinyd fuy fuy . hi a adnabii y bod yn darfod a drychafel y diiylau
ar Diiu bod yn geiduad ac yn escob yu henaid ac nas gattai yn ysgafaeth
y kythreiil a galu Eleri Conphessor a chymryd y chyniyn a unaeth.
A phan uelas yguerydon hi yn guanhaii doliiriau a unaethant. Ac
yna y dyuad hi eiriaii didaniis fal hynn. Na thristeuch chui fy merched
yn ormod er gadau o honofi y gyf archuel hunn a myned y driigared
Diiu ar aur honn y mae yn lauen genyfi urthod gur dayarol a hoi
drythyluch y byd dros gariad diiu Ac urth hynny guybyduch chui
fy mod yn myned at y gur a deuisais y mlaen yr hoi fyd . a mi a uelaf
yn oes oesoed y gur y tremygais i fy hiin a hoi drythyluch fynghynaud
er i gariad a chuithaii a dylyuch garii y rhyu argluyd a hunnu ai
damiinaii ai geisiau ymlaen paub a chadu yr ammod ar gred ar diuid-
ruyd a adausoch a chui a eluch oi nerth ef aros ych dyd yn di bryder a
moglyd brad ych gelyn y gael tragyuydaul dangnedef. Ac edrychuch
mae peth amherhaiis ysgafn yu yr hunn a ueluch ach lygaid cnaudaul
ac ny dylyuch rodi bryd ar yr hunnyssydhediu ac a diflanna yfory ;
na deuissuch beth tranghedic ymlaen y da ny derfyd byth yny le y
mae tangnedef a diogelruyd a lyuenyd tragyuyd. Ac uedy y uedi
honno erchi y Diiu argluyd gymryd y henaid rhug i duylau. Ac yna
y trydyd dyd o vis calan gayaf a hi yn guediau y talaud y henaid yn
lau y Creaudyr ynghydymdeithas Engylion a phaub ar oed yny le
yn gueled hynny yn ymolung o dagreii a chuynfan. A phaub yny
chuynau ar guerydon a oed yny chyd oesi o dirfaur guynfaii am y
hargluydes ac athro i iechyd. A phaub yn kuynau y mynediad. Ac
yna y doeth Eleri yu dyhiidau ac erchi vdynt deui. Ac uedy gor-
■chymmyn y henaid y Diiu dechreii paratoi pob peth ar a berthynai til
ac at aruylynt y uyryf fendigedic a pheri duyn y chorph yr egluys yu
gyueiriau fal y dylent ai dodi yny gueryd yny le yr archassai y hiin
a chuynfann a gridfan gan baub gyd a hi Yn yr vn vynuent honno y
1 Ihid., ae adaw ynghynwrf y byt.
414 Lives of the British Saints
mae corphoroed lauer o Saint gurthvaur yn gorphouys A hjmottaf
rhai y syd yno Cybi a Sevan ' y nail y syd yn gorued yuch y phenn
ar lal yny phyryf ar ilyn ^ y mae hithaii a hynny y gopha erail etto
y bod yn uyr maur a mynychii onadiint y le hunnu o achaus y Saint
a oed yno ac etto yny guledyd hynny y mae egluyssaii yny cophaii
ac yn dangos y guyrthiaii gar bronn Diiu a dynion yn amluc. Or tii
aral idi y mae Theon a dyuetpuyd vchod yn gorphouys. Nid oes a
laypo rhif o Saint a gladuyd yno onid Diiu. A chyd a rhai hjTiny y
mae y yynfydedic Venn Vreuy yn aruydokaii y le hunn o nerthoed
ac yn yni dyuynygii o aneirif uyrthiaii. Ac uedy y meiru y maent
yn guneiithiir gujnrthiaii ar baub a delai yu guediau yr le hunnu . ar
cleifion yn cael guared o heintiaii ai doliiriaii.
Ac jmihenn lauer o vlynydoed y Guynfydedic Eleri yn oriichel o
vendith a dirfaur berpheithruyd a aeth or viiched honn at yr argluyd
yn gyflaun o bob santeidruyd ac adfuynder a chrefyd ac a gladuyd
yny egluys ehiin ac y mae yn guneiithyr guyrthiaii er hynny hyd
hediu ac oi uyrthiaii yn goleiihaii y le hunnu yn faur gan anrhyded
a theilyngdaud. Yny le kyntaf y bu gyfarchuel Guenn Vreuy yndau
y mae phydlonnion yn mynychii idau yu anrhydedii ac yno y byd
anrhyfedodaii mynych or rhiaul uyrthiaii yuynfydedic uyryf a thorfqed
o bobloed phydlaun yn rhedec yno yn gadae heruyd adnabod caphael
guared oi gofydion a elai yr phynnon egliir a gyfodes or le y diguydaud
y phenn pan las ac a edrychai y main ynguaelod yr afon yn uaedliid
y ardangos y merthyroliaeth heb alu y dileii.
Got a oed yny ulad honno a merch oed idau yn dales er penn y
ganyssid a chlybod a unaeth fed lauer yn caphel guared gan Venn
Yreuy . ar ferch beiinyd yn erchi y duyn yr phynnon. A hi a dugpuyd.
Ac uedy y duyn a golchi y phenn yny phynnon yn gyntaf ac yna dyfod
yr egluys y uediau heb gysgii dim . ar bore erchi a unaeth y gadii
y gysgii ychydic a chyueiriau le idi y orphouys a chysgii ychydic.
Ac yna dephroi a dyuediid y guelai yn da. Ac edrych a oriic y thad
arni a mynegi y baub a unaeth diiu a Guenn Vreuy erdi a chyphroi
paub y foli y Santes. Ac ef aeth adref ef ai verch ac o achaus y guyr-
thiaii hunnu paub ynn pregethii gurthiaii y uryf a phaub a delai yno
y geisio guared a aent drychefyn gan gaphel y gofiinedaii. A hynny
a dangossid druy yr anghreipht y syd yno.
Ef a damchueinaud fod gynt cofodi kyfiuryf yny guledyd hynny
ac anfon or gur bonedickaf a chyfoethockaf rybyd yu gymydogion ai
kydymdeithion y ymoglyd huynt ai da. Ef a doeth ladroii ac a
ymlidiassant y gennad ac yntaii a phoes y egluys Guenn Vreuy y
' Ibid., Senan. ^ Ibid., yn y phurv ar eulun.
Appendix 415
gymryd y naud ai elynnion ai holrheaud ac yntaii a disgynnaud ac a
ruymaud y farch urth y drus a phan ueles y elynnion yn agos attau
ef a phoes hyd att yr alor Ac vn ar ladron oed greiilonach nor laij
a doeth ir fynuent heb ofn Diiu nar Santes a chymryd y march a neidio
arno a myned ymaith ac ef heb gophaii gobruyaii Guenn Vreuy. Y
gur y bioed y march pan doeth alan ny chaf as y varch yny le y gadausai
a dyfod drychefen yr egluys a chuynau urth Diiu ar Santes y syrhaed
a gausai ac na chaphai heduch yny hegluys ac erchi i Yenn Vreuy
gophaii y syrhaed ai thremig a dial yn ebruyd ar y gur a doeth yu
hegluys 5m bedestyr ac a aeth alan yn farchur. Ac ymhenn ychydic
0 amser y dangosses Guenn Vreuy dyfod cof idi y hamarch a unaethyd
yny phlas canys y gur a dygassai y march o di urth y drus a doeth
doliir yndau dygnaf or byd ar doliir a lithraud oi gorph yn gubul yr
braych dehaii idau a chymin f ii doliir y dyn triian hunnu ac y mynnai
y faru rhac y boen vely . nychaf y doliir yn tyfii fuy fuy hyd nad oed
neb ryu fedyginiaeth a alai y glaearii ac ni pheidiaud yn y dreuod y
fraych a diguydau yn gubul o di urth y gorph . ac ni chaphai y dyn
triian orphouys gan doliir yni boeni oni doeth ydy hegluys hi Guenn
Vreuy a chyfadef ychuedyl ac erchi madeiiaint. Ac yna o driigared
y uyryf fo a ostegaud ychydic oi doliir arnau a thrigau yno o honau
y dysgii puyl y erail ac yn dychryn yr neb a damiinai ysbeilio erail
ac yn dysc y baub nad amharchai gyssegyr am yr hyder ar kam ryfic
a unaethoed o foliant Guenn Vreuy ac [fal] y erchynt y thriigared
yn vfyd ar dyn a aethoed ar march yn kymryd penyd yn vfyd ac
yn gyhoydoc a mynegi y fyned yn amharchiis yu phlas ac ydy hegluys
a drychafel y lau yny herbyn a guard paub na unelynt y Iryfryu.
Ar bobyl a oed yn gadaii o bob parth yn rhedec y edrych y rhyfedaud
ac yn guneiithiir moliant yr uyryf.
A rhyfed aral nid oed lai a unaeth Guen Vreuy. Ladron gynt a
■gausant fiiuch ar dir y hegluys a heb perchi y uynfydedic y duyn yn
ladrad ac ofn fii ganthynt eissioes y hymlid or neb a oed agos yno urth
01 y fiiuch a dyfod degarhiigain dan vbain ar fiiuch yn myned yny
dayar hyd y daiUin. A phan uelas y ladron hynny troi y phord aral
a oed galed a charegauc a unaethant jmy le thebygynt gael y hoi nar
fiiuch . ac eissioes nid oes gyngor, nid oes ystryu na nerth yn erbyn
diiu Canys guedy kyrchii o honiint y phord garregauc yny le y tebygynt
oraii alii ymgiidiau yno y dechreiiod y henuired ymdangos ac yna y
trauai y fiiuch y thraed yny dayar ar bob cam hyd y gliniaii hyd paii
oed amluc y hoi yny dayar ar kerric ar y phord sych ac huynt yn
tybiaid y bod yn kerded phord dirgel amlyckaf y dangossai diiu a
guyrthiaii y uyryf oi kerdediad huynt. A phan uybii y neb y bioed
y fiiuch y duyn yn ledrad huynt ai hymlidiassant huy a nifer maur
4i6 Lives of the British Saints
gyd ac huynt ac yn cael ol y fiiuch yny tir caled ar kerric a dilyn ol
y fiiuch a galu ar Yenn Vreuy ac erchi y nerth a gueled y gurthieii
yn amluc a galii ar redec y holrhain. A phan glybii y ladron drust
y nifer a oed jmy hymlid ofnhaii a unaethant y dala a throi y fiiuch
0 i ar y phord ac ni elynt ymgiidio. Canys y nifer a oed yny hymhd
a gephynt y hoi ar y kerric ar tir kalettaf a huyntaii yn gadarn y
medul or gurthiaii . ac yny diued pan ueles y ladron nad oed phord.
vdynt y diangk gadau y fiiuch a unaethant meun luyn a pho ac ymgii-
dio. Ar guyr a golassai y fiiuch ai cafas ehiin uedy pho y ladron ai
dygassei a chymryd y fiiuch ac ymhoeliid drachefen ac edrych a drigai
01 y ladron ar y kerric ac nid oed dim. Ac yna y guybiiant mae gurthie
Guenn Vreuy a unaethoed hynny a rhoi y fiiuch yr neb y pioed. A
lauer dyn a doeth y edrych yr ol ar guyrthie. A phen uelas y ladron
hynny ofnhaii a unaethant a dyfod yr egluys a dyuediid ar gyhoed
mae ynt huy ai gunaethoed rhac ofyfi y poeni (fal y dyn am y fraych)
A phan uelas paub hynny ofynhaii guneiithiir druc ar dir Gueii Vreuy
a unaethant.
A leidyr aral a doeth gynt o hyd nos y dir Guen Vreuy a duyn cyfruy
yn ledrad A phan uybii y guyr y bioed y duyn dyfod a oriic gar bronn
alor Giien Vreuy ac ymadrod guynfaniis dan uylau a dyuediid mae
druc y caduei hi yr eidau ef ac oni danfoni di y kyfruy yn ebruyd y
mi, mi a beidiaf a thy di ac a af ar Sant aral a ymardeluo am kuyn i.
Yna druy y uynfydedic uyryf efe a glyuas y goriichaf fraudur. A dial
duyfaul a dangosses diiu a Guenn Vreuy ar y leidyr yn amluc. Canys.
diaflic a doeth yndau yn ehegyr ai anrheithiau o loyfer y lygaid ac
yna y diic y rieni ef y egluys Guen Vreuy ac ef a gymheluyd arnau.
gyfade y chuedel ynguyd paub ai fod ynghiid ac ny alaud ymhoylyd
ar y hen ansaud ony fanegaud y le yd oed y kyfruy yr perchennauc a
oed yn eiriol ar y Santes drostau druy y uedi am fadaii idau y chuaen
honno. Ac uedy hynny ef a gafas y ansaud drachefen ac ni feidiod.
neb o hynny alan uneiithiir argyued y dim ar a berthinai yr Santes a
gyrrii a unai ef dychryn ac arrynnaic ar y traisuyr ar ladroii or angreipht
ariithyr a gyfarfoed ac efo.
Ac ef a datgennir pethaii rhyfed gan y gadarnhaii o dynion guirion
am y phynnaun a dyuedassom ni vchod y thardii or dayar yny le y
diguydaud penn y uyryf pail dorred. Pan vurier meibion bychain.
yndi a fo clefyd or byd ar y kyrph ond y buru ymherfed y phynnaun
oi mamaii neii y kyfneseifieid erail a ant yu derbyn huynt y uared
yn iach hyfryd. A honnaid a chyhoedauc yu gan hoi Gymrii puy
bynnac y bo cryd arnau neii uayu yny aylod buried y dufyr arnau.
neii ynteii kymred y kerric guaedlud a gayph yny phrud a guasged
urthau ac yfed y dyfur o i amdaniint ac ef a gayph iechyd. Rhai
Appenatx 417
hefyd a dysgir yn duyfaul y fyned yr le hunnu ac yn fynych y dauant
jmo lauer gan y hannoc or vnrhyu uyryf y nos druy y hiin ac huy a
ymhoelant drachefen gan gaphel y damiined.
Ar ofer y phynnaun ynteii y mae melin oraii or byd yn freiniaul
urth dir y Santes ni lestair arni falii byth nac er gormod o ulybur glau
neii eira, nac er gormod sychdur rheu neii des. Ac uedy dyfod ladron
idi a duyn y hayarn huynt ai gossodassant myun melin aral. Beth
uedy hjmny ? Tra fii yr hayarn yno na throi or fehn na chaphel les
yny byd ni elid A phafi uelas y mehnydion huy yn coli huynt a dyny-
ssant ymaith yr hayarn a gymersynt gan y ladron ac ai buriassant
alan ar aur honno troi or felin yn gystal ac y biiassei oreii er ioed. Ac
yna kyinryd or ladron yr hayarn ai dodi myun melinaii erail ac ni
unaent y neb dim les yny le bydynt. Ac yna y guybiiant mae diiu oed
5m peri hynny ac o adifairuch y duyn adre y felin y phynnon Venn
Vreuy ac erchi madeiiaint yr Santes . ac am hynny ai gyfriu y mae
pobyl y ulad yn moli diiu ar Santes ar neb a chuenychai ysbeiliau
erail yno ny lyvassai rhac y hofynn hi. Ac fal y dyuedassam ni vchod
y le bii gyntaf gyfarchuel Guenn Vreuy a gafas yr anrhyded muyaf
y uneiithiir gurthiaii golaii a rhodi guared yu gelynnion ac y damii-
nedaii yr neb ai harchai druy obruyon y uynfydedic uyryf megis y
prophuydod Beuno . a megis y guediaud ar Diiu vendigau y le hunnu
ai oleiihaii o nefaul ofuy. Val hynny y mae amluc ryurandau o Diiu
y guedi hi heruyd y gurthiaii a doeth ynn ol . a muy o lauer yu y
guyrthiaii yno noc yn y le y mae y corph yn gorphouys. Canys tebic
yu fod yn fuyaf gan diiu y le y dechreiiaud drossi attau ac y mae amluc
aruydion y merthyrohaeth bob amser eissioes . ymhob vn or deii y
mae duyfaul nerth yn lafiiriau guared pob clefyd druy uedi y uyryf
yn rhodi gueled yr deilion a chloued yr bydair, a cherded yr criipled.
A phaub a del yno a gaphant y gurthie yr hunn a archant er clod ein
hargluyd ni Jessii Grist an Diiu hoi gyfoethauc yr hunn a fii a uledycha
gyd ar Tad ar Yspryd glan heb dranck heb orphen Amen.
Guedy myned y uynfydedic Yenn Vreuy or byd hunn yr nefolion
dyrnassoed a guneiithiir anneirif urthiaii o honi guedy lithrau lauer
o fiynydoed a Wiliam Bastart yn vrenhin y kyntaf or normaniaid ac
a uladychaud yn Loegyr y dechreiiaud Rosser iarl (gur adfujm o
defodaii a chrefyd) adeilad mynachloc yny Muythic ar y gost ehiin
ac o dyna gossod yndi Abad a Chofent y uassanaethii Diiu. A chyn
penn talm o amser (o driigared Diiu) kynydii y le hunnu ar les iechyd
i lauer ac yn adfuynder duyfaul arogleii yr neb a gyfanhedo y ulad
honno. Ac uedy kynydii or brodiir hynny ar nerthoed keisiau a
orugant yr hynn a berthynaii vdynt y geisiau. Cuynau yn fynych
bod arniint eissiau guedilion y Saint y uneiithiir creiriaii o nadiint
VOL. IV.
EE
4 I B Lives of the British Saints
y deckaii y mynachloc. Canys yng Hymrii y clyusent fod lauer o
gorphoroed Saint yn gorued ac nad oed y kyfryu yny gulad jmhuy.
Medyliau a unaethant o bob phord pa phiiryf y gelynt gaphel vn a
honiint. Ac uedy hynny guybod xnae y Sant yr ymardelynt huy o
honau ac a anrhydedynt yny byd hun ac ai hardeluai huyntaii ac ai
cadarnhae gar bronn diiu. Lauer oed yn Gonphessoriod rhagegliir
kyfulch yno ac huyntaii yn damiino kaphel yr hunn a anrhydedynt
yn bennaf . Ac ef a damchueinaud clefychii vn or raenych kyii orthry-
med ac na chae y brodyr erail lonyd ^ rhac maint y doliir. A guediau
Diiu a unaethant yn vfyd darostyngedic er dyfod guared idau. Ac
€rchi yn fynych yr egluyssaii agos attiin uediau drostau. Ac uedy
clyued o Venych Caer aflonyduch y braud gostung a oriigant ar eii
gliniaii y erchi y Diiu rodi guared yr braud. Ac uedy hynny kanii
saith psalym adifairuch. Vn o honynt a Randulph oed y enu a
Supprior oed a gur miil y vedul a hunnu a gysgaud ac ef a uelai druy
y hiin y voruyn deckaf a fii er ioed yn sefyl gar y fronn ac ynn dyuediid
urtho yn fonedigaid lednais fal hynn. Paham neii dros buy y guediuch
i ynych kuyn ? I Ar manach a attebaud. Braud heb ef kydymaith
ymi yssyd glaf yn orthrum ac yd ym ni yn guediau diiu drostau. | Mi
a unn heb hi nad ydiu y braud hunnu urth fod y fryd ac o damiinuch
iechyd idau aed vn o honauch y phynnon Guenn Vreuy a chaned
opheren yn yr egluys y syd yno a cliofio Guenn Vreuy ac ef a gayph
uared heb olyd. Ac uedy dyuediid hynny diflannii. Ar manach a
vedyliod yr hynn a uelsai ac nis datganaud ef y ueledigaeth rhac ofyii
y uatuar oi gydymdeithion a dyuediid mae elylgerd a uelsai. Ac
ymhefi y deiigeinfed dyd hayach ar braud yn orthrum glaf yn gorued
ef a doeth y chuedel at Venych Caer fod y braud yn myned uaeth uaeth
y ansaud. . | Ac uedy ymdidan lauer amdanau a thostiiriau y fod fely.
Y manach a uelsai y ueledigaeth a gymerth hyder yndau a datgan
ar ostec y freiiduyd. a phaub ai credaud Canys clyusid guyrthiaii y
uyryf urth hynny y credassant. Ac huynt a anfonassant daii vanach
y dref y phynnon y ganii opheren ynyr egluys dros iechyd y manach
claf. Ac yn yr aur y canuyd yr opherenn yno efe gafas y braud claf
yny muythic y iechyd ac a fii lauen y gydymdeithion am hynny. Ac
ymhenn ychydic o amser y braud a f iiassei glaf a diicpuyd yr le hunnu
y diolch y Diiu a Guenn Vreuy rodi iechyd idau, ac uedy guediau o
honau yn yr egluys ac yfed dufyr y phynnon a guneiithiir pob peth
ar a berthynai idau. Ef a ymhoelaud drachefyn yu Vynachloc yn
hoi iach achos y vendigedic uyryf a drigaud ynghalonneii y brodyr
ac yn deduyd ganthynt pei gelynt gaphel ychydic oi chyssegredic
1 Margin, in later hand, lonyduch.
Appendix 4^9
gorph hi. A chyd bai anod hynny a chyd tebygynt nas gelynt huynt
a gausant 5my kyngor y brofi, ac ni elid dim yn erbyn euylys Duii :
Guediau a unaethant ar fod diiu yn driigaroc ganhorthuy vdynt y
gur oed diogel y galai orfod ar beth dyrys anaud | Ac yn yr amser
hunnu yd oed Henri vrenhin y gur maur tangnefediis yn guladychii
ac yn hedychii dibrydder yr hoi ynys oi audiirdaud a phaub yn galii
cerded yn dilestair dangnefediis phord y mynnynt. Ac yna y danfones
y Cofeint a dyuetpuyd vchod gennadaii mynych y Gymrii daii ofyii
pa le yd oed y Saint kyfylchaf yn gorphouys, ac y geisiau guybod pa
dii yd oed bed Guefi Vreuy. Ac uedy cael dyfyny ar y le yd oed y
hesgjnrn yn gorphouys lauenhaii yii faur a unaethant. Ac o dyna
kyrchii at Esgob Bangor a oed brelad yno a chyd synniau ac huynt
ac adau y nerthii o honau A huynt a unaethant benadiiriaid y ulad
yn vn a huynt ai bonedigion. | Vedy hynny hyfryd fiiant amueled
bod jm rhuyd rhacdiint y negessaii y gael symiidau esgyrn y Santes.
Ac ar hynny y bii faru Henri frenhin ac y bii gynnuryf maur ynyr
ynys ac a lesteiriuyd argluydiaethaii. | Stephan vrenhin guedi hedychii
pob le ay uastataii, Herberin Abad y Muythic ^ a gafas yny gyngor
anfon hyd at Robert y Brior ef hyd yng Hymrii ar tad Ricart manach
or ty gyd ac ef. | Y Prior hunnu a fiiassei fuy y lafiir no neb or lail yn
anfon lethyraii a chennadeii yr ulad honno y geisio y neges hunnu.
Ac ef a attebuyd idau. Os ef y hiin a delai dyuediid y caphai y neges
yn lauen. Ac yntaii y Prior a gyrchaud yn gyntaf at Esgob Bangor
ac odyno at Dyuyssoc y ulad ac efe fiiuyd lauen urthau. Ac uedy
mynegi o honau achaus y dyfodiad ai hynt Efe dyuad yr esgob urthau
y geiriaii hynn. | Ni thebygafi heb ef gymryd o honot ti y lafiir hunil
heb gennad diiu ac egluys y uynfydedic uyryf o gatfyd am na uyl hi
y rhai eidi y hiin yny hanrhydedii fal y dylyai y mae yn mynnii y
duyn y le aral yu hanrhydedii o estronion. Canys y rhai eidi y hiin
yny haiisgaiiliissau. Ac urth hynny da gennyf i yr hynn y syd da
genthi hitheii ac vn a fydaf i a chui rhac y hanfod hi. ] A chyd bydun ni
halog o bob aflendid mi aun yn hy hyd y bed ac a rodun yr esgyrn
kyssegredic y chui oni bai rhaid ym gyttiinau a chyphredin y ulad.
Canys ych lafiir chui a gueledigaethaii y syd yn dangos fod yn da
genthi hi hynny . urth hynny om kennad am haudiirdaud euch i yr
le y mae y uyryf fendigedic yn gorphouys a mi a debygaf y byd rhai
amhorth yuch neges ac er hynny gobeithuch chui yn da . Canys y
voruyn a beris y chui y lafiir hunn ach nertha. A minaii a anfonaf
gennadaii at y gur y mae corph y uyryf yn gorphouys yn href y dad
y fynegi idau fy euylys i ac y dangnefedii y neb a fo amhorth yuch.
^ Margin, added later, yn amser Styphan frenin.
420 Lives of the British Saints
Ac yna y golung ar naud diiu O dyna y kerdassant ar hyd y phord
yn y doethant yr le yd oed gorph yr anrhydediis Venn Vreuy yd
oedynt yno seithuyr i gyd . nid amgen y Prior a dyuetpuyd vchod a
chyd ac ef gur anrhydediis Prior Caer [Leon] Vlmar oed y enu ac
opheiriad santaid a eluid Jdon a hanoed or genedyl honno, a braud
or vynachloc a dygassai gyd ac ef a thryuyr erail Ac fal y bydynt vely
yn cerded ynghyd ac yn ymdidan am y neges . nychaf ur bonhedic
or ulad yn cyfarfod ac huynt ac yn gofyn puy oed y Prior ac uedy
mynegi ido pa vn oed . ef a dyuad fal hynn urth y prior. | Dyred ti
yma a mi a fynegaf yt euylys guyr Guytherin. Yno y mae esgyrn
Guenn Vreuy Santes ac adnebyd di y bod yn kyphroi ynn orthrum
anfod yth erbyn am dy dyfod y geisio duyn corphoroed y Saint ar a
gymmiinuyd gyd ac liuynt. | Ac yn le guir nad er ofni tyuyssauc nac
er byguth argluydi, nac er chuant goliid y cephi di gydsynnio a thi
yno am hynny. Ac uedy darfod ido dyuediid hynny myned ymaith.
Ar Prior ai gydymdeithion a dristassant yn faur o achaus y geiriaii
hynny heb uybod beth a unaent na pha dii y trossynt. Ac eissioes
troi a oriigant ar Diiu a dissyf arnau anfon ysprydaul nerth vdiint
ac erchi yr gur a dangnefedoed tymestl y mor dangnefedii y rhai oed
yny herbyn ai kytiinau a huynt a chan ymdired yn yr yspryd glan
kerded rhacdiint yn hyfryd ac uedy y dyfod yn agos yr le yd oed
esgyrn y Santes y Prior a gafas yny gyngor anfon daii oi gydymdeithon
gyd a Phrior Caer ac opheiriad a aduaeniad y ulad a thrigau y nos
honno ar y maes glas alafi. A gofal maur a oed arnau o achos y genaduri
a glyusai. A lyma uedy darfod Pylgein a Lauds y guelai ef eiiliin
guraic anrhydediis adfuyn yn dyuediid urthau. | Kyfod y fynii yn
gyntaf ac y gelych ac arch yth argluyd beidiau a gofalii ac ai dristaii
a gobeithied urth Diiu y cayph lyuenyd maur kyii el o dyma. Canys
y neb y doeth ef yr ulad honn oi gariad ai anrhyded a bair idau y euylys
ai damiined. Ac agos yu idau y gael ac ef a ymchuel adref yn lauen.
Ar Prior y hiin a uelas ueledigaeth aral yr vn nos honno. Ef a
uelai nebiin ur crefydiis a fiiassei Abad arnau gynt yny Muythic ac
ef a fiiassei varu ynn gyflaun o henaint. Gotphre oed y henu ac ef a
doe attau ac erchi idau beidiau ai ofalii a dyuediid urthau. Na fyd
lafiir/ bid da dy obaith a ni a orfydunn ar yfi gelynnion druy nerth
Diiu a ni a gaun yn ehegyr yr hynn yd ym yny damiinau . ac ar hynny
y difannaud o di urthau ymaith.
Ac val y bydynt y boreii glas dyd yn ymdidan am hynny ac yn
digrif gan y neb ai guarandauai nychaf gennad yn dyfod attynt yu
hyfrytaii ac yn erchi vdynt dyfod yny hoi a thruy nerth Diiu huynt
^ Written later, Iwfr.
Appendix 421
a gephynt y neges. A phaii doethant gyfitaf guediau Diiu a galu
attau yr opheiriad yn hygar ai uediau Diiu am y borth. | Ar opheiriad
a attebaud fal hyn. Ef a elir heb ef fy nuyn i yn vn a chui yn haud
Canys mi a adnabiiym euylys Diiu ar uyryf a mynegi fal y guelsai druy
y hiin [gan dyuediid] Val yd oedufi i nos Base yn yr egluys honn yn
guediau o hyd nos yn aros dyuediid Pylgain, ac uedy dyuediid fy
lasuyr ac yn goguydo y orphouys ychydic . mi a uelais freiiduyd am
hofnes yn faur am bygythio o bydun yn erbyn dim o hynny. | A mi
a debygufi nad oedun yn kysgii yn drum ond hepian nychaf y guelun
uas ieiianc gunaf a theckaf a uelsai dyn er i oed ac osged angel arnau
ac yn dyfod attaf ac yn dyuediid urthyf kyfod y fynyd. Sef a uneii-
thiim i tebygii mae erchi ym dyuediid pylgain. Atteb ido . na chyfodaf
nid amser dechraii guassanaeth. ] Ac jma y kiliuys ef o i urthyf i ac y
kysgais yno nychaf yr vn guas yn dyfod attaf o neuyd ac yn hyrdii
yn phestach ac yn dyuediid cyfod . cyfod. A minnaii a dyuedais
yx vn ymadrod a dodi fy mantel am fymhenn ac ymrodi y gysgii .
ac ymhenn talym nychaf y guas ieiianc yn dyfod a dodi y lau ar fy
mantel ac yny thynnii i am fymhenn ac yn dyuediid urthyf y dryded
uaith. Cyfod, cyfod, cyfod a dyred ym hoi. | Ac yna y kyfodais i
debygun ar frys ac a doethym yny ol hyd ar fed Guenn Vreuy ai
dangos ym ai fys. Edrych di heb ef y le hunn a chopha ynn graph
y geiriaii a dyuettuyf yt. Os dau neb yma yn y fluydyu honn neii
amser aral a fynno dyrchafel y corph kyssegredic rhacku mogel rhac
y urafyn ac o myfi furu y prid gad ido ac o myii duyn yr esgyrn na
liid yn namyn nertha ef ymhob peth. Ac o thremygy neii o guelygy
fy ymadrodion i a arched yn duyfaul ytty guneiithiir ef a derfynir dy
hoedyl druj' hir nychdod.
Ac uedy dyuediid hynny diflannii ymaith a mi a debygaf mae
angyliaul lef ueledigaeth oed. Ac urth hynny guybyduch i y kyd
lafiiriaf a chui y geisio ych neges a phaub y mae vdiint drigfa yny dref
hoii a baraf vdjmt uneiithyr ych euylys chui A dyueduch urthynt yr
hynn a fynnoch ac huynt ach gurandauant druy nerth Diiu. | Ac yna y
dyuad y Prior achaus y dyfodiad a dyuediid y gueledigaetheii ar
damchueinaii a daroed vdynt ac mae o dysc y Santes ai hannoc y
gunaethynt y lafiir hunnu. Ac ef a diic y nifer yn vn ac ef hayach.
Ac jma y kyfodes gur dieflic a dyuedyd yny herbyn nad oed iaun duyn
kyrph y Saint or le yr hanoedynt y ulad aral. A dyuediid yny herbyn
yn greiilon ac erail yn keisiau y ostegii. Yno yr archuyd vdynt fyned
ynn i kyngor ac yna y diicpuyd y gur yn vn ac huynt. | Ac yna o gyd
gyngor y kenaduyd y neges vdynt. A diolch a oriic y Prior ai gydym-
deithion y diiu ac vdynt huyntaii ac erchi dangos y le meun mynuent
le mae kyrph y Saint yn gorphouys ac ny chledir neb yno namyn y
42 2 Lives of the British Saints
Saint. I A chymint yu y le hunnu ganbobyl y ulad ac nad af neb oi
feun onid y uedio. I Ac yny canol nid amgen o vuch benn Guenn
Vreuy y mae cappel prenn a phobloed yny hanrhydedii ynn fynych
ac yno y kyrch paub ar a fo haint a doliir arniint y geisiau guared ac
ny bydynt yn hir ony gephynt uared Ac nid oes anifail a lyfasso pori
yny fyiiuent honno vuch benn y Saint canys yr aur y porant huynt
a fydant faru | 0 dyna ef a datgenir y ur o dyno duy fiyned
kynn dyfod y brodyr hynny yno gunaythiir o honau giiranay o gruyn
amrud' sef yd oed deruen hyduf yn tyfii y mynuent y Saint ac yny
chadu yn gyfan er muyn y Saint er yn oes oesoed ar gur hunnu a gafas
yny gyngor dynny rhisc y prenn y gypheithiau y cyranay. A phaii
dreuis y prenn ef a lynaud y fuyal yny prenn ai freichiaii a uyuaud
ac a lynaud urth y mynybr ac yn gueidi ac yn lefain a lauer o dynion
yn uylau a phaub yn tostiiriau urthau ac yn gofyn paham y gunai
hynny. Ac yntaii a fanegis y cubul or damuain a phaub a erchis
idau gymryd adifeiruch a chyphessii yr amarch a unaethoed yr Saint
ac erchi madeiiaint vdynt. Ac yntaii yn dianfod ai gunaeth ai rieni
a doethant ar fed Guenn Vreuy a guediau arni am fadeiiaint am a
unaeth Ac val yd oedynt yn guediau ar gur yr oed y gofid arnau yn
erchi trugared y \'enn Vreuy y golynguyd yn rhyd y freichiaii idau
yn iach. A diolch y dtiu a unaethant a Guenn Vreuy gan y hanrhydedii
ac y mae y deruen ar dyrnod arni etto y dangos y gurthiaii. Ac uedy
dyfod y brodyr a dyuetpuyd vchod yr fonuent y Prior a gerdod or
blaen heb neb yn dangos idau yny doeth ar fed Guenn Vreuy ac a
fedraud arnau o dysc Diiu a sefyl o oriic vuch benn y bed a dyuediid
o duyfaul darogan mai hunnu oed y bed hi. Ac yna gyrrii y lygion
o diurthynt a dyuediid or menych ar yscolheigion a oed yno y sahnae
Daii or menych nid amgen Prior Caer a manach aral a doeth orvyna-
chloc gyd ar prior a gladassant ^ y dayar ac uedy vdynt dyphygiau
hayach a chussii o dra lafiir huynt a doethant hyd esgyrn y uynfydedic
a phaii a y causant huynt a diolchassant y Diiu yn darostyngedic
vfyd a thynnii yr esgyrn or prid ai rhuymau myun touelaii a myned
ar esgjnrn gurthvaur tii ac adref yn lauen a damiinau gueled gurthiaii
gan yr esgyrn. A Diiu a dangosses vdynt y heuylys am hynny. Canys
paii doeth nos huynt a gymersant letty ac yna huynt a glyuynt dyn
claf yn y gongyl yn ochain . a gofiin a unaeth y Prior pa beth a darroed
idau. Dioer heb huynt nychii y mae ac aliissen maur yr neb a unelai
les idau. Ac yna bendigau dyfur a unaeth y prior a dodi peth or
prid o bengloc y uyryf yndo ac erchi yr claf y yfed. Ac uedy y yfed
ef a erchis gyueiriau idau le y gysgii a chysgii talym a unaeth a phan
dephroes diolch i Diiu ar uyryf y fod yn iach ac am y gurthie hunnu
• Written later, gloddiasant.
Appendix 42 J
y credaud y cennadaii yn gadarnach ac y biiant lauenach ac anrhydedii
y Santes am uarandau ar i guediaii.
Ac ymhenn y saithved dyd or pan doethant yr muythic y danfonas-
sant gennadaii yr vynachloc y fynegi gael o honynt y neges A phafi
glousant hynny lauenhaii a unaethant yn faur ac ymgynghori a dodi
y creirieii hynny yn egluys Sant Silin a oed ym horth y Gaer a dyuediid
na dylid y duyn yr vynachloc suit kymin a hunnu heb audiirdaud esgob
ai fendith a dyfod or hoi bobyl yny herbyn. | Arymadrod hunnu a^
ryngod bod y baub. Ar prior ail uaith a anfoned at yr Esgob y
gymryd y gyngor ef pa phiiryf y gunaent am yr hyn a genadassai
diiu vdynt a chyda hynny y gossoded menych y dyuediid guassanaeth
nos a dyd ger bronn corph y uyryf fendigedic yn vfyd anrhydediis
ac yn guiliau y creiriaii yn graph ai cadu A phobloed phydlon oi cylch
5m dyfod y uiliau ac y uediau ar y santes. Ac yd oed yn yr vn dref
honno neb vn uas ieuanc yn nychii er ys lauer dyd uedy coli phruyth
y hoi aelodaii hyd na alai godi y benn. | A phan glyuas ef y chuedyl
a dyfodiad y uyryf yno : gorchymyn a oruc gyueiriau march idau
a myned arno ai gymdeithion yny gylch yny gynnal yr egluys le yr
oed esgyrn y santes ac yno y bii ef y nos honno yn guiliau ac ynghylch
hanner nos ef a glyuai bob cyssult ar y helu yn doliiriau. A thrannoeth.
ar y dyd gorphouys ychydic a oriic ar opheiriad yn dechraii y opheren
ef a gryfhaod ychydic a phaub yn annobeithiau urthau. Ac uedy
, yr Euengil cyfodi a oriic a myned y ophrum yr alaur a diolch y Diiu
ac yr santes i iechyd a chyrchii adref ar y draed ac ef uedy dyfod yno
ar freichiaii. | Ar gurthiaii hunnu a gyhoeded ar hyd y ulad ac a.
gyphroes paub yu hanrhydedii. Ac yna paub a ofynnai pa bryd y
bydai Dranslasion Sef yu hynny dyd drychafedigaeth. Ar Prior a
doeth o i urth yr esgob ac a ossodes dyd y hynny yn derfynnedic. |
Ac yscolheigion a lygion a doethant yr guys hunnu. Ac val yd oedynt
yn aruain y corph kyssegredic ar menych yn duyn croessaii a physt
kuyr or blaen a phaub ar dal i gliniaii yn adoli y dangosses diiu yno
urthiaii maur tec. ] Val yd oed y menych ar guisgoed teckaf ar creiriaii
ar lyfraii ganthiint yny procesion ef a doeth kauod vaur o lau o bob
tii vdynt heb dim yn kuympo arnynt buy . ar nifer yn gueled y dyfur
yn defnynnaii crogedic vuch y pennaii heb syrthiau ar y creiriaii nac
ar y guisgoed vn dafyfi or glau a nefaul nerth yny kynnal onid aethant
hyd yr egluys ai gossod ar yr alor a gyssegruyd er anryded y Bedyr
a Phaul yny le y rhodir iechyd y gleifion druy anrhyded yr uyryf
vendigedic ar glod a moliant y Diiu yr huii y mae anrhyded a moliant
a daioni yn oes oesoed Amen
Ac vely y tervyna biiched Guenn Vreuy Santes.^
'^ Mr. Timothy Lewis kindly copied the latter part of this Life for us.
424 Lives of the British Saints
S. GWYNDAF HEN
HIS "SAYINGS"
From Additional MS. 31,055 (1594-6), fo. 1566 ; collated with copy in Llanover
lolo MS. II, p. 159.
LhYMA EIRIiE GWYNDA HEN.
Hyn a vynnech ei wneuthur, cais yn hir, a phraw, a gwedy hynny
gwna.
Hynn a vynnech y dhywedyt, medhylia beth a dhel oi dhywedyt,
Ac OS da dyweit, ac onyd e taw.
Gwelh yw dyn a odhefo na gwr cryf, A phwy bynac a vo arglwydh
ar ei vedhwl, hwnnw a orvydh.
Po vchaf vo dy stat bydh vfudhaf oth weithret ath vedhwl.
Na chais ryngv bodh y nep onyd y dhew.
Pawb ar a litio ei varnwr vrowdwr neur dharvii ei varnv.
Mai y mac y dhaear y gronyn a haeer, velhy y mac y cnawt bras
y pechawt.
Gwelh yw bot yn vvudh gyda rhai duwiol dielw, na rhannv yspail
y rhai tlodion gyda rhai beilch.
Na chais vot yn vrowdwr, ony elhi di orvot ar enwiredh y bobul.
Bychan yw y tan a dhiphodho er anadl dyn, Ac velhy mae bychan
y cariat a orphwys yr gair.
Gelyniaeth gan dhew yw medhyliae cam.
Cyraer di vy nysc i, ac nyd vy arian.
Rhai a rodhant rann oi da, a vydhant cywaethawc, a rhai a dreisiant
erailh a vydhant tlawt.
Meileindra gan dhuw yw chwedleu celwydh.
Cas yw gan gywaethawc dyn tlawt yn gymydawc ydhaw.
Y nep a garo gwin a bwydse melys, ny bydh cywaethoc vyth.
Cerdhet pop ieuanc y briffordh, a phan vo hen nac aet iarni.
Gwrando yr hwn ath greawdh, ac er ei vot yn hen, na thremygaf
€f.
Pop cypydh a vynnai vot yn hir ei vuchedh.
Pwybynac a wrandawai y gau enwir a vydh ei wasanaeth.
Appenaix '42 5
S. lEUAN GWAS PADRIG
BUCHED JEUAN GUAS BADRIC
From Llanstephan MS. 34 (end of sixteenth century), p. 306.
Jeiian ap Tiidr ap Elidan ap Ouain vychan ap Ouain ap Eduin
vrenhin a aned yny luyn ynghefen meirch ac a unaeth Diiu erdau
■uyrthiaii yn oedran deudegmluyd. Cyntaf guyrthiaii myned a unaeth
y edrych ar uyr yn disbydii a chanfod neidyr yn ymcanii brathii vn
or guyr a chjmiryd or mab bendigedic Jeiian ap Tudr drup yny lau ac
ymdiphin rhac y pryf meldigedic y creadiir o dyn nid amgen no rhoi
y lestyr rhung y dyn ar neidyr ar neidyr yn ceisio brathii y dyn efo
a holes y pryf y lestyr yn daii banner. Ac yno y rhoes y mab bendi-
gedic y uedi ar yr argluyd Jessu Grist ar na bai neidyr yny tir hunnu
hyd dyd braud. Ac fely y cafas ac ni bii etto yr vn yny tir, a phuy
bynnac a fo ophrymol yr guynfydedic Jeiin ni una pryf guenuynic y
niued idau. Hefyd yn yr vn rhyu dir Yng Heinmeirch yr oed brain
ac adar yn difa lafiiriaii y bobyl ac yn fuya lafiir Tiidyr ap Elidin tad
y bendigedic Jeiin. A phan glybii Jeiian y dad jm kuynfaii rhac
maint gormes y brain ar adar efo aeth y guynfydedic vab Jeiian ap
Tiidyr yr maes ac yrroed y brain ar adar oi flaen y ysgiibor y dad.
A phan uelas Tiidyr y vab yn cael gan yr argluyd Jessii y cyfryu rod
a honno ef a erchis ydy vab fyned y dysgii guediau Diiu. Ac yna y
kymerth Jeiian vendith y dad ac yr aeth hyd at Badric Sant yr hunn
oed Archesgob y Myniu yny kyfamser hunnu. Ac yno Jeiian disgybyl
y Badric Sant hyd yny doeth yr angel ac erchi y Badric vyned y
Yuerdon y uedio Diiu ac y doe yno fab yny le ni enid hyd ymhenn dec
mlyned arhugein yn ol hynny. Ac yna yn aeth Padric y drigau ac
Jeiian ap Tiidyr y disgybyl a lauer o disgyblon gyd ac huynt y Yuer-
don. A diuarnod ar ol hynny efo aeth Padric Archescob y dyuediid
opheren ac a erchis ydy disgybyl Jeiian uas Padric vyned ynol tan
ac yr aeth ac yr erchis ir Cog roi tan attau ac a dreuis y coc o chuare
ysgjrmer a oed yny lau yny maruar ac a godes y tan ar y ysgymer ac
a erchis yr bendigedic Jeiian uas Padric gymeryd y tan hunnu. Ac
yntaii ai cymerth yny arphed ac a aeth at Badric. A phan furiod
y tan ir laur nid argyuedassei dim ar i dilad. A phan uelas Padric
y disgybyl yn guneiithiir gurthiaii oi flaen ehiin yno ef a erchis Padric
ido fyned ydy ulad e hiin y uneiithyr gurthiaii a help ydy genedlaeth
y hiin. Ac yna y cymerth y guynfydedic Jeiian y gennad gan y athro
ac y doeth y lann y mor ac ni uelai ef dim help idau y dyfod dros y
mor. Ac yny man hunnu y rhoes Jeiian y daii lin yn noethion ar y
laur y adoluc ydy argluyd help a chymorth y dyfod dros y mor. A
4-2 6 • Lives of the British Saints
phan ydoed yn niued i uedi ef a uelai lech las yn nofio ar uyneb y mor
ac yn dyfod yn vnion yr lann le yr ydoed ac yna y guybii mae honno
yr oed yr argluyd yny ganhiadii idau y dyfod yr mor ac yu furu yr
ynys honn. Ac yna y doeth ef ar y lech o garrec ac a nofiod y garrec
dano oni doeth y dir Men yr lafi. A phan doeth ir tir yr oed arno
syched ac efo a adolygod ydy argluyd help i gaphel diod. Ac yno y
treuis y guynfydedic Jeiian uas Padric bic i phonn yny dayar ac yno
y codes phynnofi dec, ar yr yfod Jeiian diod. Ac yny fan honno y mae
phynnon i uas Padric hediu a heno . ac o dyno y doeth ir luyn yng
Heinmeirch ydy dref tad y hiin ac yr amcanod uneiithyr kiidigyl yno
i uediau diiu ac y mae idau yny luyn yng Heinmeirch dair phynnon
ar dec. Giiedy hynny ef a danfones y tad or nef y Angel at y guyn-
fydedic Jeiian uas Padric y dyuedM idau na yr argluyd Jessu Grist
uneiithyr o hono ef y giidigyl yny fann honno namyn cerded o hono
ai uyneb yny Dehaii hyd pan uelai lurch yn cyfodi ac yny le y cotte
yr lurch pan i guelai yn cyfodi guneiithyr y gydigyl ac fely y gunaeth
ac y doeth hyd y le a eluir kerric y drydion ac yno yr adeilod y giidigyl
yny le i mai egluys i Jeiian uas Padric a Mair Vagdaleii.
Ac vely y terfyna biiched Jeiian uas Padric.
S. LLAWDDOG or LLEUDDAD
BiJCHED LEUPOC ST.i
From Llanstephan MS. 34 (end of sixteenth century), p. 309.
Brenhin oed gynt yn yr Assu a eluid Dingad ^ ap Niid hael ap Senyl *
ap Dyfnual ap Ednyued ap Antoni ap Maxen ap Lyr yr hunn a ladod
Erian amherodyr. Y Dingad hunnu a dyrnassod ac a fii vrenhin
Bryii Biiga ac a briodes uraic a eluid Jevoi verch Leiidiin o Dinas
Eydyn yny gogled a deiidec o blant oed ido ac ynguassanaeth Diiu
bob vn o honynt, ac vn a eluid Loudoc ac a urthodes teyrnas y dad
ai rioluch ac euylys y byd eithr kymryd gyd a Baglan y fraud henaf
ido le i uassanaethii Diiu yn vfyd. Leudoc ai beiinyd y le dirgel y
uediau Diiu. Ai frodyr yntaii ai goganod o uraged, ac yntaii yn
guassanaethii Diiu. Yno yr erchis Baglan i Henuyn gymryd cloch y
uassaneiithii ac edrych pa le yr oed Leudoc yn myned. Ac jmo y
tiriod ef y Ynys y Saint. Yno y gofynnod Cadfann beth a geisiai ef
^ Margin, in later hand, Lleudad : medd arall. ' Tyngadr.
' Seissyllt ap Cedic ap Dyfnwal hen, ap Hen ap Maxen Wtedig.
Appendix , 427.
yno ac oni thrigai yno erchi ido fyned y phord.ymaith. . Sef a unaeth
Leudoc yrarodi yr crefyd yr hunn a eluid crefyd Austin ac yri dair
rhann i rhanneii ef y nos. Vn rhafi ynguassanaeth y vrodyr yr ail
rhan i orphouys ar drydyd i uassanaethii Diiu. Yno y gorchmjoiod
Cadfann yr uerin gymryd Leudoc yn Abad arnyn yny ol ef Cladii
Cadfann a oriic Leudoc ai venych, a chuedy hynny Abad fii Leudoc
Yno y kenfigennod Escobiaid Cyrary urtho ef . Arn hynny yr iassoed
y bagleu y^ vn fagyl yn y le a eluir yr aur honn brynn y bagleii. Yno
y doeth Leudoc ai ganonuyr ai gloch yny lau ac y croesses huynt ac
yno yr aethant yn rhyd. O dyno y doeth le 3^: oed phynnon ac y
Lymerod phioled o laeth ac y burriod ir phynnon ac yno y dosbarthod
ceudoc y laeth o di urth y dufyr yn rhyd ac y phaelod ar y leil y
dosbarth. Yno y credod yr escobiaid y fod ef yn uel noc huynt ac
y rhoessant bob vn o honynt idau randir oi tir huynt. Ac yno tra
fii fyu ef y bii yn cuplau saith ueithred y driigared a guneithyr gur-
thiaii fal vn or Apostolion nid amgen deilon i ueled criipled y gerded,
miidion y dyuediid, bydeir y glyued. Ac ymhenn ennyd ef a doeth
Angel or nef atto ac a dyuad urtho. 0 Leudoc amser yu ytti vyned
or byd hunn a m3med at Grist argluyd. Yno y cyfodes Leudoc y
uyneb at Jessti ac y dyuad. Diolch yd uyf y Diiu a greod nef a dayar
ytti uarando arnaf i. Yno y dyuad yr Angel urth Leudoc. Kymer
a fynnych oth venych gyd a thi. Ac yna y geluis ef y ganonuyr gar
y fronn ac y dyuad urthyn huy . y saul a fynno dyfod gyd a mi ef a
gayph dyfod. Yno y dyuedassant huynteii ni a doun y gyd, gyd a
thi. Nac ef heb yr Leudoc. ni dau gyd a mi ond yr henaf y lail triged
yma yn guassanaethii Diiu. Tri arch a erchis Leudoc yr Angel. Vn
yu na bai faru y ganhonuyr ond o henaf y gilyd tra geduynt orch-
mynnaii Diiu. Yr ail yu y dyn a glader o feun yr ynys honno nad el
y enaid y vphern ac a gatuo braint yr ynys honno. Ac ar yr ymdidan
hunnu y dyuad yr argluyd fiat, fiat. Ac yno pan darfii idau urandau
opheren y kymerth y argeuyd atto. A phaii oed ef yny uely y guelai
ef y nef yn agored ac engylion yn dyfod or nef yr laur ac [yn myned]
or laur yr nef ac y guelai y drindod Sef yu hynny y Tad ar mab ar
Ysbryd glan , a phedyr a Phaul a choronaii aiir ar y pennaii ar pro-
phuydi ar Padriairch ar merthyri, ar perigluyr ar guerydon ol a hoi
angylion yny dyrfa honno yd oed peduar Angel yn guassanaethii Diiu .
ac eistedfa vrenhiniol gar bronn uyneb y goriichel Dad. Ac mi a!
uelun hoi radeii nef yn canii caneiiaii nefol. Bendigedic a fo y neb
a gymeraist di ac a deuissaist. Ac jma y clyuynt lafar y goriichaf
Diiu yny uahaud ac yn dyuediid amser yu ytti dyfod yr uled gyd
ath vrodyr Leudoc ir le yd ys ith uahaud.
Ynys y syd yny mor a eluir Enli ac idi y doeth daii vanach or Dehaii
428
Lives of the British Saints
y henuaii Diiu ai guyr . ynn nessaf ir rheini y bii Malysged ac Gynaid
a Liiusianus a Ciprianus pereriniaid yn guneiithyr gurthiaii. Ar
Gynaid hunu myun gogof y bii yn duyn y vouyd ai ymborth ef oed
deigyr o dyfur yu yfed yr liunn y syd guedy hynny yn iachaii cleifion
Ac am hynny gyntaf y geluir hi ynys y Saint. Yno y bii ur a eluid
Blaidnerth vraud ac a unaeth aberth gyntaf yno ac a gafas yntaii
•deyrnas gulad nef. Poed gwir fo. Amen y ninnaii y chaphel.
Ac vely y terfyna biiched Leudoc.
S. LLAWDDOG or LLEUDDAD
CYWYDD I LOWDDOG
From Additional MS. 14,871 (1617), fo. 2766.
Vn sant ac a enwais i
ytyw vnllythr ty Enlli
Mab brenhin ym mhob brynar
bryn buga oedd bren byw gwar
Llowddog fy llw a oddef
lleuddad ap Dingad yw ef
Nefoedd y sy'n ei afael
a'i rinwedd hwnt wyr Nudd hael
Llowddog heb far na lludded
ei wyrth grym a nerthai gred
Efo a wnai fwy o nerth
i bawb lie bai ei aberth
Genfigennu y buant
preladiaid esgobiaid gant
A'i baglau oil o bob gwlad
yn wylau a welad
Llowddog niferog o'i fodd
yn lie Du\y a'i neillduodd
Gwnaeth llowddog eurog yn gall
wrth ei werin wyrth arall
Bwriwyd hwnt fegis berw tonn
o lethr ffin laeth i'r ffynnon
dattodes deutu ydiw
1 So in MS.
' Canonicus.
Some Pope probably.
3 I.e.
y dwr a'r llaeth wedi'r lliw.
Gyrrodd ef o'r gwraidd afiach
gleifion wyr o glwyfeu'n iach
Gwrthodes a gwjnrth ydoedd
dyrnas ei dad ems Duw oedd
At Faglan ei frawd anwyl
llowddog aeth gwell oedd eu
gwyl
Henwyn a'i gloch wen yn glau
hyd tir saint a'i troes jmtau.
yno'dd oedd drwy r hen ddeu-
ddeg
yn lie Duw yn Enlli deg
. . rian ^ a'i gwnaeth yn Sia-
nawn ^
i Awstin wrth eistau'n iawn
Tair arch yn y Fonwent draw
a dueddodd Duw iddaw
Meirw ei Sianons ^ o ffons ffydd
.an gwyl o hyna i gilydd
I'r ia nid a'r vn do
yr enaid a roer yno
Mae'n bryd i gyd yn vn gwyn
No doubt an Adrian or Hadrian.
Chanons.
Appendix
429
ar lowddog wi'ol addwyn
Ni ad ef er vn na dau
raib o lef ar ei blwyfau
Yn galed yn y gwely
oi lys fraith a weles fry
Gweles nef eglwys weii oedd
yn egored 3m gaeroedd.
Y wlad ei choed a'i hadyd
llowddog oil a'i llwyddo i gyd.
Llowddog a roddo llwyddiant
ar ei blwyf a'i wyr a'i blant
Ar bob 6g ac ar bob iau
ac ar erydr gororeu
Ar bob rhych ac ar bob bryfi
ar bob grwn ar bob gronyn.
Llowddog yw vn allwydd gwar
allwydd yw i'r holl ddaiar
Llowddog, bum well o'i addef,
lle'dd awn oil, yw allwydd nef
Lewys Glynn Kothi a'i K.
{Flor. c. 1450-86.]
S. LLONIO
OWDL LLONIO SANT
From Llanstephan MS. 53 (c. 1647), p. 166.
ogoni-
Yma mro llonio llvniwn
ant
yn gynar meddyliwn
y pryd oer i pryderwn
i bo bridd i bawb i rwnn
Y pryd hwnn galwn er gwiliaid
Uawnwedd
llonio yw blwyfoliaid
penn rano r penn ar enaid
penaf yw r help pann fo rhaid
penn fo r farn gadarri i gydio
vthraidd
ai weithred yn pwyso
del in barn dial ni bo
wrth y Uinjm wyrth llonio
daeth lie i pyrth graddwyrth er
gwreiddiad llydan
jm Uadin mae r traethiad
draw e wreiddiodd drwy roddiad
lonio deg alan i dad
yw dad fo llonio fel llynn bv
gynyii
beganiaid yw erbyn
a lladd hwnt y llvoedd hynn
a wnae rym yn i rwymyn
grymiad egoriad gwiwradd fv
lonio
folianwr nefolradd
a henw r gwr hwnn ar gwiwradd
fv waed y llv wedi lladd
gwedi rhoi i geli i galon oi barch
bv gonffesor kyfion
e ddoer gwr oedd ar goron
o lydaw hyd y wlad honn
Daliai nghyd rhywfyd rhywfas
yma gof
am gael nef yn dyrnas
am y kof ymai kafas
hoiw frynn o lann hafren las
43 o Lives of the British Saints
o dai draw gwrai drygarog
hoiwrym
lie kyredd llais keiliog
dwyn yn glav dan yn i glog
a wnae ddinam yn ddoniog
gwardd i bias o gas a geisynt
llonio
Uyna beth nis gellynt
boddair gwr bv ddvr gerynt
mal i gwnn gas maelgwyn gynt
Pob rhodd gwnn ddevfodd gann
ddvw a geisiodd
ei rhoddodd yr hoiwddvw
e roe i weddi ar wiwddvw
i was ai farch isoi fyw
Maelgwyn hir rhoes dir isoi dy
iawn barch
ni by ryfedd hyny
yn vn fraint o wna n fry
i yml aber miwl obry
Mal noddfa yma emyn odidog
i dodai r holl derfyn
end a weddai yn dyddyn
a roesai i wrai rac wynn
Down yma gida gwawdwaith
galon oil
gael i nawdd drwy deiriaith
jesv n gwbl sy vn gobaith
syr sion a wyr siars yn iaith
gwyddiad Ddvw gwiwdad oi
odiaeth lonio
laned i ddwyfoliaeth
gweled yw nodded a wnaeth
baedd i gael byddygoliaeth
byddygoliaeth ffraeth a ffrwy-
thawdd yma
amod hir i trigawdd
alw ynn o nef lonio nawdd
moes ynn oil maes enillawdd
Pair i gref nawdd ef yn i ddydd
llonio
pair bann i myno pei ar benn
mynydd
Da fv n llawawenv vn llonydd
lonio
da wr fv lonio i daer aflonydd
er bod draw lydaw yn wledydd
llonio
dyma ef lonio dymai filienydd
Moli blwyf iddwyf yn i ddydd
llonio
ai dy e llonio da yw llywenydd
trevlent nad ofnent defnydd
ffawd aeddfed
wrth win drwy yfed werth naw
o drefydd
gwnaethon rhoent roddion rhent
rydd i weiniaid
a gwnevthvrgweiniaideigwnaeth
ar gynydd
bygylen treisien trasydd fyngy-
Iwr
ni bv bygylwr neb heb i gilydd
Mae mistad keidwad koedydd a
glynav
a chida glynav iechyd a glenydd
a llanerch rhyw serch a rhosydd
a bronn
a moesav mwynion, a maes a
mynydd
ag eos gyfnos a gwydd a llwj^n
klyd
llysiav a hadyd a llais hedydd
nid kysdal hyd ial had o wydd
gwaedffrwyth
breiniav mwyn dylwyth brynn a,
min dolydd
bid fy mro tra fo trefydd a serch
Appendix
a thyrf a llanerch a thref lly wenydd
bid warant ffyniant y ffydd
gymhenddoeth
431
A menn drwy gowoeth yma n
dragowydd.
Hvw Arwystl
\Flor. c. 1540-70.]
S. LLWCHAIARN
CYWYDD LLWCHAIARN
From Peniarth MS. 100 (sixteenth century), p. 347 ; collated with dbpy in
Llanstephan MS. 167 (early seventeenth century), p. 222.
K. LLWCHAYAEN FILWR A SANT :
O LAMEREWIG.
Ond o'r ^ fonwent ar faenawr
vchod y mae iechyd mawr
Gair aeth draw gwrthiav a drig
lie mawr yw llam yr ewig
Llawer aed djni ^ lie r ydwyd
Uwch hayarn wynn Hew chwyrn ^
wyd
Mewn y pall mae wyneb hael
mae hap kanfod mab kynfael
Ach or * vnfraych arianfryd
■da iawn yw kael dyn oi ^ kyd
kefnder ith rodder a thrig
bevno dwyfawl bendefig
Ditheu yn wr Dvw ath wnaeth
■do wisg abid ^ esgobaeth
Doethost di dan weddiaw '
iso i frynn dros hafren draw
klowech yno klych vnwaith
yn kanv gynt kynn y gwaith
krys a wnaid kei ^ ras ynol
3m rhawn a oedd ^ rhinweddol
Naw mis naw nos daethost di
a naw dydd yn dy weddi
1 Kad 'ar. ^ ir. ^ llawchyrn, -• arch ar,
= yw. <* da wysc abad. ' er gweddiaw.
^ yn rhawn oedd yn.
Ath ddevlin hwnt ith lanhav
ar faen glasoer fv n gleissiav
Akw eilwaith i koeliynt
yn wir ywch gael naw arch gynt
Vn o dair oedd yn dy raid
gadech honn i gadw ych enaid
Ail gwrthod pob pechod pvr
ag anoethed i gwneythvr
Kedwaist orchmynav n keidwad
keraist di dwyn krist dy dad
Llyna dair oil yn dy rann
aeth filoedd oth o falan ^°
Ola tir 11 a welid ti
a ddaw 3m o ddaioni
Dynion a da danad oedd
iach yn wrthych ach nerthoedd
Nawfed rann fod yr enaid
nefoedd ir hwnn a fydd rhaid
Nertha ni wrth y naw arch
dy nawdd i bob dyn oedd barch
Ymwaredwr mawr ydych
milwr sant mal Jorys wych
Tra ffryder ^^ tri ffry ydoedd
tri a fv n Uadd trefn well oedd
Mae vn a dim mwy nid el
8 ku.
1° aeth ifil oedd ath folan.
11 tair.
Troffyrder.
432 Lives of the British Saints
yn drwch ^ yngod archangel
Gobrwy ladd gwiber o law
Jorys oedd ai ras iddaw
Llywiech ewig llwchayarn
neitiodd i bwll hyd dydd barn
Ni chaid einioes ich dynion
heb roi kwmp ir ewig honn
Dy fagl fab di fygwl fodd
dy firagl ai difyrodd
Doed ras dvw byth dros dy benn
d'wrthiav hyfryd wrth hafren
Dy firagl oedd hyd for ^ glas
draw a ddyblwyd ir ddevblas
Lie da well well dwy allawr
a ffarhav mae offrwm mawr
Seintwar yw dy ddayar di
sant ywr ystys hwnt trosti
Jacha darn vwch y dyrnas
enlli draw nid llai dy ras
E gair gwann ai gwyr genych
firagloedd gant farglwydd gwych
Gwirion difai gwrando i farn
gwellaech evog llwch hayarn
Ath nerth ^ vddyn wrth * weddi
am iawn a cham a wnaeth i
Oed am vn y ^ damvnodd
a saif ar Rys yw fwy rodd
Gwelwyf oil gael fy wllys
gwna wrthiav rhawg nerthv Rhys.
Sion Keri ai kant.
[Flor. c. 1500-30.]
S. MECHELL (MALO)
XYWYDD I FECHELL SANT ^
From Llanstephan MS. 125 (c. 1640), p. 206.
Deillion efryddion ar frys
Mechyll Her wyd am owchys
oi gofid ai die afiach
ag yn vn awr y gwnai'n iach
fab gwyn go hoyw fab gloyw glan
o Ludaw walch gwlad lydan
Brenhinoedd yw di achoedd di
paladr corff Lludd ap Peli
ar holl Gred ni aned neb
oth ddoniav ath ddoethineb
pe degoes fai d' einioes di
ail dawn oedd ar ol d'eni
nith glowed yn dywedyd
ond enwav Crist yn y cryd
wrth ffynnv dy ddysgv'n dda
bv'r vn Duw a Sain Brenda
yn y dysc ni chaed ' ysgol
o ben dyn na bai yn d'ol
a dywerdyd nid rhaid oedi
o ddechrav dy wrthiav di
ar for trwm garw fy'r tremynt
di blyc fv dy gyscv gynt
ar Jessv deg a roes dir
danad nid oeddyd enwir
a ffan ith weled tranoeth
yn galw ar dduw eglvr ddoeth
gweddio ddoeth Gymro ith gad
a mor donnav mawr danad
1 dwrch. 2 yd fro. 3 waith.
" This poem was taken from an imperfect copy.
in the MS. Two hnes are missing at the end.
^ V written above the e.
* ath. ' ai.
It is given here as it stands.
Appendix
433
pob amser troi llawer llv
ith oes at gyfraith Jessv
dan y nef dwyn yn vfudd
Jddeon ffolion ir ffydd
troi rhag cethern vffernol
5nTieii"w oth wyrth mawr ith ol
. . . wrth raid Byganiaid gynt
wedi diffoddynt
cyfodi cawr oi fawr fedd
jm hor erw yn hir orwedd
ai enaid oedd bob vnawr
bygan mewn vfEerndan mawr
myned ar cawr ir bedydd
troi galon yn ffynon ffydd
a throi'n ddwys a tharo'n ddig
ladron geirwon yn gerig
milgwn a gwyr Maelgwn gynt
a leddaist mor ffol oeddynt
Arglwydd y dilwydd devlu
oth wg heb olwg i bv
gr dwyn ei olwg ar daith
Yr olwg a roir eilwaith
tir rhvdd i ti i rodded
ar gwyr grym gorav o Gred
llawen fv rhag ofn llias
gadw r plwy i gyd ar plas
y gras a roes Duw ar Grog
fowmerth ith ysgyfarnog
y tir i bv rediad hon
doniog sy rydd ir dynion
y tan a roed attad ti
di lesc ar dyb dy losci
tan grym ni chlowid vn gwres
a fv enyd yw fynwes
er rhoi dwr ar bob rhyw dan
o led pob aylwyd lydan
Jessv gwyn a roes ganwyll
olav i ti i waled twyll
gwared llei rwyd yn gorwedd
a roi yn bawb or vn bedd
pob claf a ffob anafys
a roen 'n rhvdd heb arwain r;y's
ni sai yn yr Ynys hon
awr dywyllwg ir deillion
nid grym cyn myned tan grwys
vn treigl ond at yr Eglwys
Pradwys yw dy eglwys di
addwyn ddawn nef sydd ynddi
ir cor pan droist or moroedd
Y Manaw deg mayn A.^ oedd
oth orav gwyrth ith avr gob
ith wiscwyd yn ddoeth escob
ystyrio yn llwyr dystoria
a dyn gwyr o dan ag ia
dy fawr wyrth a byrth y byd
vchel a droes yn iechyd
S. MORDEYRN
CYWYDD I FORDEYRN
From Cardiff MS. 23 (c. T-iiii^, p. 252, collated with the fragmentary copy^in
Hafod MS. 10 (c. 1620), fo. 346.
CowYDD MOLiANT I VoRDEYRN ystyr help ystor yw hwn
Sant anrhydedd yn Nant- Mordeyrn aur durn dad ^
GLYN. Barwn hendir Brenhindad
Y sant nefol addolwn Wy>^ ^yt frS' euraid dy frig
' Mo.devrn evr devrn dad.
VOL. IV. FF
434 Lives of the British Saints
wladwr Cynedda wledig
or vn waed o ran ydoedd
Dewi a thi da waith oertd
Vn or tair Llin Brenhinol
teyrn wyt tau air hwj''nol
dy waith ydoedd wasneuthu
Duw er yn fab dy ran fu
pennaeth llawer oth geraint
ganmol swydd vgein mil Saint
Trwy r mor heb gelu r lielynt
yn llv gwir i enlli gynt
Cof ydyw y cyfodes
sarn oi blaen siwrnai bu les
gwedi cau cyngau fal cynt
mor oi hoi mawr o helynt
daethost ni buost bwl
duw fo wyddiad dy feddwl
ar dy farch euraid ei fwng
da ei wyllys fu dy ollwng
Benrhaith at dy gymdeithion
rhyd brig y dwfr dilwfr don
cloch wyd ni wnaeth gwlychu
earn dy farch er crynned fu
da fab yn arwydd dy fod
y mae r henw or mor hynod
buost ban ddaethost ieuthydd
blaenor a Chonffessor ffydd
da fu dy gof ofeg ^
ymblith dawn o Enlli deg
ith gartre dan y nefoedd
ac i ddyffryn Nantglyn oedd
lie maenol anianol nerth
ty gwiw gwbwl teg aberth
atli fedd yn lie ith ddiweddwyd
ac wrth fur o gwrthfawr wyd
ath, lun ni bu waith lanach
o glwyf a wnai glaf yn iach
Mordeyrn hil Edeyrn Iwyd
ymwaredwr mawr ydwyd
d}^! a ddelo dan ddolur
ith dy o fewn gwaith dy fur
pob efrydd claf ac afiach
o druan wedd a dry'n ^ iach
gwr wyd i roi gwared rhydd
torri gwewyr tragowydd
byddair ni chlyw air na chlod
gloyw bur a wnayd i glybod
Rhoi'r dall olwg ni phallai
rhoi'n ei bwyll yr hwn ni bai
Rhodd nid bychan ychwaneg
rhoi'r mud yn doydyd yn deg
mawr rasol ith ganmolwyd
meddig bendigedig wyd
A ddel o blegid ei dda
ith demel ath dy yma
ni ddwg haint da fraint yw fro
flwyddyn anifail iddo
llu a redant lle'r ydwyd
llawn ddawn ei Uawenydd wyd
llawer rhodd fellu 'r heuddi
o gwyr teg ac aur iti
mur gwlad ai muragl yd wyd
Mowrdeyrn nerth Mordeyrn wyd
Cadw dy blwyf rhag clwyfau
cyfion a rhentolion tau
pan elom ni ddygom dda
bid amod or byd yma
dwg ni oil diogan wr
i dy dduw dy weddiwr
Dafydd ap Hn ap Madog
ai cant. [Flor. fifteenth century.]
^ gof ath ofeg.
^ droi n.
Appendix
435
S. MWROG
CYWYDD I FWRROG SANT
From Llanstephan MS, 167 (c. 1692), p. 334.
Mawr iw dy wrthiau 'r awron
Mwrrog sant mawr rowiog son
Bugail y Cor baglog cwyn
benn rhaith ail Beuno Rhuthyn
Duw a roes on da yr aeth
ywch ragor wych rowiogaeth
gwrthiau mawr eu gywerthydd
jm dy feddiant sant y sydd
pob claf a phob dyn afiach
heb fost a wnaethost yn iach
y deilliaid ger bronn d'allor
yn dy gylch o fewn dy gor
gwnaethost iddynt yn unawr
gweled mil goleuad mawr
a gwneuthur mi ai gwnn wyth-
waith
i rai ni cherddai y chwaith
redeg ar dy waredydd
heb un ffonn Mwrrog benn Hydd
dof ith orsedd fucheddol
dyn wyf ai neges yn ol
clyw o Wynedd fyngweddi
clwyfus ofalus wy fi
gwyr fyngalon or fronn fry
gwaiw hiraeth gwae ai hery
nid hiraeth meibion maeth medd
am gyrr i farw om gorwedd
o chuddiwyd gwyr gwych addwyn
cant o rianedd au cwyn
meibion Jfan mae'm obaith
Fychan y deuan or daith
am Jthel mi a euthum
medde bawb or modd i bum
gwae fi bryderi dyrys
gwyr fy mron gwewyr am Rys
er gallel o ddichellwyr
roi llenn gel ar Jeirll iw gwyr
Mwrrog gwna 'm ymwared
am ddau o benn creiriau cred
gwyddost lie mae dau flaenor
mewn castell ym machell mor
cyfod dy fagl yn draglew
Cur y t\Vr ar cerrig tew
tynn er dy fendith Jthael
or tyrau hwnt wr tra hael
par unwaith help ir ynys
J wlad yr haf weled Rhys
minne a wnaf mynn y nef
yn ddinidr pann ddon adref
roddi dau liin ar dy law
ag aur er i gywiraw
cei fendithion uwch Conwy
ag ym Mon ti gei mwy
cei lawer o badreuau
cei glod am ddyfod ar ddau.
Jncerti authoris.
436 Lives of the British Saints
THE TWENTY THOUSAND SAINTS OF BARDSEY
CYWYDD I'R UGAIN MIL SAINT
From Llyvyr Hir Llywarch Reynolds (early seventeenth century), p. 105.'
Mi af i Ivnaw - vy medd
ir ynys oddiar wynedd
tir gwnaid ^ i gael enaid glan
Troea megis tir jaiian
Enlli dir yn lie i dad
hoew wynn gwr hen i gariad
dav nid aeth koviaeth kovaint
ail * sel ir jgainmil saint
aitthon dros vawrdon vordwy
hynn o saint oi ^ hynys hwy
a gyrrv hawl or gwyr hjmn
gennad at lewdad Iwydwyn
a phob vn o hanvn hwy
oedd viid ond y ddav vaudwy
gweddiyson gwiw ddasaint ^
i lies ' oil y llv o saint
i odro ^ ir hain wedy r hawl
bywch yddynt wyr biicheddawl
ywch benn y ffynnon honno
yn llaeth ir aeth ar i llo
bwyd y ddav ' vnwedd i" o dda
lawer val Galelia
baglav yx hain bv glaer hynny
oedd ar vrynn y ddaear vry
tyvysant val tw voesen
o anian pridd yn vn prenn
pob vn yn llwyn yn dwyn dail
o gywoeth a ^^ ryw gwiail
a wyllys diiw oedd velly
i roi yntwy nyr vn ty
gwedy yddynt gyd addaw
gorffen i treth gyrff hynt draw
gweniaith lydan gwnaeth lewdad
gweddio diiw gwiw ddiiw dad
a phawb a gavas i ffonn
draw i rwyvo drwy r avon
pabav a roes pawb ar ^^ vn
piirdan nawdd pardwn yddvn
el i nef yn Ian yvydd
aent draw lie mae enaid rydd
aed vn ir vedrod yno
angof vydd j angav vo
nida r ail vrawd na diawl vrys
ar enaid korff or ^^ ynys
oes vn He ynys Enlli
oil yny hyd well na hi
kyvailles yw kavell saint
i ddaear y 1* maddaiiaint
rwymo ny ad travad ^^ trwm
brytaen erw ^^ brytaen wrwm
1' brynarwyd a hewyd honn
brynar i beri rynion ^^
ag esgyrn ni aii gwisgwn
saint a roe sy yny trwn ^^
trwn delwav tirion dalwrn
talbwrdd saint tal byrddav swrn
1 We have to thank Mr. Llywarch Reynolds for a copy of this and the following
poem. The copy has been collated with those in (i) Llanstephan MS. 47 (c.
1630), p. 288, and (2) Llanover MS. B. i, fo. 65 a. The important variant readings
only are given.
^ Ivniaw (i). " gnaid (i) ; gwniad (2). * i (i), (2).
' yw (i), (2). 0 ddausaint (i). ' yw Uys (i). » ordro (i), (2).
» dda (2). i» vnwyd (i), (2). " o (i), (2). " yn (i) ; ir (2).
'^ yr (i), (2). 1* ne i ddaear (i) ; i ddaear nef (2). '= tra v^d (2).
>" bryd tan airw (i). i' This couplet is transposed in (i), and (2).
'' rinion (i), (2).
^' saint ai rad S}' ny tir hwnn (i) ; saint a roed sy ny tir hwn (2).
Appendix
437
glan yw r ddol glain aiir ^ ddolef
gardd a wnaeth y gwirddiiw net
mae n llawr honn main allor haf
medrodav mel mydrodaf
OS gwelir megis gwiwlain ^
esgyrn mewn ysgrinav main
minnav af a cherdd davawd
atyn vry yw ty yn vrawd
at jevan abad dwyvol
o ganon nef gwnawn ny ol ^
mae brodorion ywch konwy
o jgain mil ag vn mwy
brytwn yw brawd Dewi ner
brawd Dyrdan bwriad dewrder
di anael chwech * Daniel chwyrn
y mrawd yw y mro deyrn
baeno mab da i benwn
Derfel ap Howel heb ^ hwnn
gwyr vn waed gwerin * ydynt
gwyr vn dad gwerin diiw ynt
eithr od aeth alaeth olwg
ethrod draw am waithred ' drwg
paren a daisyven saint
ym ddiwedd a maddaiiaint.
Howel ap davyddap jeunap
rys ai kant.
\Flor. c. 1450-80.]
CYWYDD ARALL FR UGAIN MIL SAINT.
From Llyvyr Hir Llywarch Reynolds, p. 107.*
Awn i En ri yn rod ^
o nwyf ^^ biir i nef ^^ barod
down ir ardd dyna r vrddas
ar draws goror glwysor ^ ^ glas
ir jmys bob ryw vnawr
ag wrthi mae gwrthav mawr
jgain mil a ganmolwn
o saint draw a sy ny trwn ^^
yno i rof vy nigovaint
er Uesav "• * ir llv o saint
ar sieklav golav gwiwlan
ar pvmp ffenestr gloew restr ^^
glan
ymhenn bach am hwyneb j
yn wr hen ynyr haini
an gwyr oil yny gaer wenn
an gwirddiiw yny gardden
lie trig esgyrn bendigaid
noddfa ny phlyga i phlaid
pedwar di alar dolef
patrwn yw heb poetri nef
llewdad daiinawlad ^^ jn oedd
a Phadarn gwr hoff ydoedd
Dewi ennill dewiniaith
Dyi"dan ny rann yn benn raith
ar graig honn i' er gyrrv ko
a gaid vendigaid jago
ar borthwen ar aberthwyr
a bro saint lie brysav ^^ wyr
ar abad val glaisad glan
1 yr (i) ; ar (2).
2 gwylain (i), (2). ' o ganon o gwnawn yw ol (i). * chweg (2).
5 yw (2). « gwirion (i), (2). ' mewn gwaithred (i), (2).
8 Collated with the copies in (i) Llanstephan MS. 47, p. 291, and (2) LI anover
MS. B. I, fo. 66b.
* Awn i enlli rri yn rrod (i). " nwyn (i),
12 glwysfor (i). " draw sy yny trwn (i), (2)
" lestr (i), (2). >* daunaw gwlad (2)
(2) '■^ nenn (i), (2).
" Uiawsav (i), (2).
1' hen (i). ^' brysiav (i)
43^ Lives of the ^-.titish Saints
aiir i wenllaw or winllan
ar prior ywch y mor maith
da i ladin a di lediaith
dav o lin nef dav Ian ^ od
a dav angel diiw yngod
gweddiais ^ gweddvs oedd
rag marw yn rwygo moroedd
hoenwyn * yw r braisgwyn geyr
bronn
ar dir yn aber daron
mvdais i borth y maiidwy
i aber mawr heb roi * mwy
ar donn oer i adenydd
ymwarchad ar bad i bydd
ar hwylwynt ar mor heli
ar bob tynn yny herbyn hi
och ir donn aigion agwrdd
o 5 mjmtai deg maint i dwrdd
mor gesig Saesnig heb son
mil o elltydd moel wyllton
ag or wybr yn gaer obry
gwal gae o ddwr gwilgi ddii
troes ynghefn trais anghyfnerth
tir ^ mor yn vn tra mawr nerth
mor Groeg y mrig yr agwn
a mor tawch yma r hyd hwnn
mor Mondiil bvm yw ddilyd
mewn dan haiil Mondwin ' i hyd
gyrrwyd vi hyd ar goryn
ir dwr dan nawdd Diirdan wynn
ymrwyllais or mor allan
mal glaisad at lewdad ^ Ian
a genais ag a ganwyf
ir pennaig a wyr py nwyf
ny chaiswn or trwn nid raid
am hynn ond nef ym henaid
Thomas kelli
ai kant
\Flor. c. 1480.]
1 lin (i). 2 gweddiais j (i). • hoewyn (i). * rai (i)
s a (i). " tri (i). ' Mowndin (i). ' Laiddad (i).
ADDENDA ET CORRIGENDA
VOL. I.
p. 36, 1. 29, for Prydynn read Prydyn.
P- 37. 1- 5. for Llywel read Hyvvel.
P. 41, 1. 3, for Zozimus read Zosimus.
P. 42, n. 12, for Fernandes read Jornandes.
P. 64, 1. 24, for Protessus read Protasius.
P- 77. 1- 9. /c MS. is read MS. was once ; and after but it add is now in the
Bodleian, and
P. 78, 1. 28, for Eley read Eleigh.
1. 36, /of Dickenson read Dickinson.
P. 84, last 1., for is certainly considerably later read was added to later.
P. 87, 1. 36, for 1650 read 1550.
P. 88, 1. 14, for Eley read Eleigh.
P. 117. S. AiDAN. Since the publication of Vols. I and II and the printing
of Vol. Ill the valuable Vitce Sanctorum Hibernice, by the Rev. C. Plummer,
Oxford, 1910, has taken place. He gives in I, pp. 34-45, a Vita S'' Edani
sive Moedhog ep. de Ferna, from the MS. in Bishop Marsh's Library, Dublin.
The recension printed by Colgan and by the BoUandists were taken from
this. Another Life is that printed by Rees in his Lives of the Cambro-British
Saints. " This edition, however, is so inaccurate, and the recension is
of such great interest," says Mr. Plummer, " that I have printed it entire
in an appendix" (II, pp. 295-311). There are other MS. Lives, for which
see Mr. Plummer's Introduction, I, pp. Ixxvi-lxxvii.
" The chronological setting of the Life is, on the whole, consistent. Maedoc
himself died in 626. The other Saints with whom he is brought into rela-
tions are Molaisse of Devenish (d. 564 or 571) ; Ita (d. 570 or 577) ; Columba
(d. 597) ; David (d. 601, traditional date) ; Molua of Clonfert MuUoe (d.
609) ; Munnu of Taghmon (d. 635). Of the secular princes who come
into the story Ainmire died in 569 or 576, Aed, son of Ainmire, in 598,
Brandub of Leinster in 605. In the case of Guaire Aidhne, the free-handed
King of Connaught, there is a difficulty. Maedoc's visit to him is said to
have been thirty years before the king's death. But Guaire did not die
till 663 or 665 ; and taking even the earlier of these two dates the visit
would fall after Maedoc's death." But the apparent anachronism is got
over by the understanding that there were two Bishops of Ferns of the
same name, one dying in 624 or 626, and the other in 656.
The two Lives are quite independent of each other. In that from Bp.
Marsh's Library there is no mention of the saint's being in Wales and with
S. David.
P. 128, 1. 8, for lement read element.
,, S. AiLBE. In Plummer's Vites SS.Hibern., I, pp. 46-64, is a Vita $''
Albei from a copy in the Library at Trinity College, Dublin, collated with
one in Bishop Marsh's Library. These, and a MS. in the Rawlinson Collec-
tion in the Bodleian, and that in the Salamanca Codex " all clearly go back
to a common original. S. is certainly nearest to that original. ... M.
and T. omit many interesting points in S., and both of the latter recensions
show a tendency to tone down or omit points in their original which were
likely to give offence or not to be understood."
439
44 o Lives of the British Saints
p. 132, 11. I, g, for sons of Guill vead sons of GoU.
P. 142, 3rd paragraph, 11. 2-5. But it is doubtful if it did stand there. It is
not an interpolation . . . Constantius, as it is not found in the texts of S.
Corneille de Compifegne and S. Germain des Pres.
P. 145. We find that there is no foundation for the statement that the parish
church of Christ Church was formerly dedicated to S. Alban ; but he had
at one time a chapel within the parish dedicated to him, on Mount S. Alban.
Coxe, in his Historical Tour through Monmouthshire, published in 1801 (ed.
1904, pp. 103-4), mentions it as situated "on an eminence to the east of
Caerleon, overlooking the Usk." It had then disappeared, but its site
was well marked. Christ Church was also known as that of the Holy-
Trinity, as early as the twelfth century and as late as the Valor of 1535.
P. 152, middle of p., extract from Geoffrey ; for lib. ix read lib. xi ; for Trucidavit,
trucidavit ; for quarumdum, quorundum ; for afiicit, affecit.
P. 155, n. 3, and elsewhere. The " Amwn Ddu Brenin Grawec (yn Llydaw) "
of the lolo MSS. is an error derived from the " Annhun (du) rex Grecorum "
of the Cognatio de Brychan and the Harleian MS. 3859 pedigrees, and
" Annwn du vrenhin groec " of Jesus College MS. 20, by whom is meant
Mark Antony, who, in the partition, had the eastern or Greek half of the
Empire. Grawec, therefore, does not stand for Bro Werec'h, or the Vanne-
tais.
P. 159, n. 2. The name Aneurin, more correctly, Aneirin, is derived from the
Latin Honorinus. See Y Cymmrodor, xxi. (igoS), p. 82.
P. 165. It may be mentioned that there was a S. Anno, Archbishop of Cologne,
in the eleventh century, who is commemorated on December 4 ; but he
was not the sort of man likely to receive a cult in Wales. See Baring-
Gould, Lives of the Saints, xv, pp. 29-48,
P. 176, 1. 9. Lancaut represents Lann Ceuid, and not Lann Coit. See ii, p. 116.
P. 178, 1. 12, for at an earlier period read at a much later period.
P. 184. In spite of the statement of Bp. Forbes and others it is highly impro-
bable that the names Asheg and Tobar Asheg (with others) have any relation-
ship at all with the personal name Asaph. See Celtic Review, iii, p. 288.
The Gaelic aiseag (pronounced ashig) means a ferry or crossing.
P. 187, 1. 24. Penn-Ohen, or Penychen, was a cantref of East Glamorgan.
P. 193. The extract from Edward Lhuyd was given from a copy in Gwallter
Mechain's handwriting. Since the appearance of the vol., part iii of
Lhuyd's Parochialia has been published, as supplement to Arch. Camb.
for 1911, where the extract may be found, with a few variations, on pp.
27 and 29.
P. 196. S. Barruc. In the Chantries Certificates of 1548, in the Record Office,
it is stated under the parish of Wenvoe, in Glamorgan, " There is w*hin
the same p'ishe one acre of Meddow callid saynt Barrowgis acre gyven to
fynde light before saynt Barrowg," i.e., an image of him, apparently in
Wenvoe.
P. 204. S. Belyau. The name became Beilio, then Bilo (cf. the name Teilo).
In Llanvillo are Ffynnon Filo, and AUt Filo, an eminence to the west of
the church. The parish feast was on the first Monday in March (Theo.
Jones, Breconshire, ed. 1898, p. 445).
P. 210, n. 4, for Llanymynch read Llanymynech ; and dele S. before Bennion's.
P. 219. Add, with reference to Gwyddelwern, the following note from Lhuyd's
Parochialia, ii, p. 49, " They were formerly us'd to besprinkle Cattle with
an ew bough and the water of fynnon Beuno."
P. 222, 1. 20, for Cholirs read Choirs ; and next 1., for Beiddan read Bleiddan.
P. 261. To the list of Lives of S. Brendan add : Vita S" Brendani in Plummer's
Vitee SS. Hib., I, pp. 98-151, printed for the first time from a MS. in the
Rawlinson Collection in the Bodleian. On this Life see Plummer's article
Addenda et Corrigenda 44 1
in Zeitschrift fur Celtische Philologie, V, pp. 124 ff. ; also in tlie Vitis SS.
Hib., I, pp. xxxvi-xi . A second Vita Brendani is from a MS. in tlie Bod-
leian, formerly in the Abbey of Valle Crucis in Denbighshire. It is given
in the Appendix to II, pp. 270-92 ; introduction to it, I, pp. xlii-xUii.
P. 262 1. 10, aftey Brendan is read commemorated in the diptychs ; and, in n.
3, dele 238.
P. 271, 1. 28, for Mell read Mel.
P. 304, •. 4, for 1650 read 1550.
VOL. II.
P. I, 1. I, for gedigrees read pedigrees.
P. 6, 1. 32, for Codfan read Cadfan.
P. 17, 1. 25, for eregi read erigi.
Pp. 33-6. With what has been said relative to the identification of Beneventum,
cf. Arch. Camb., 1909, pp. 239-40.
P. 45, 1. II. It is more probable that Llangadwaladr, now Bishton, was named
after S. Cadoc's disciple, noticed on the next page. The place was granted
to Llancarfan in the time of Bp. Berthguin. See Cambro-British Saints,
p. 93, and cf. Book of Llan Ddv, pp. 180-3.
P. 56, 1. 9. S. Kennox much more probably stands for S. Cynog's. See ii,
p. 271, n. 4.
P. 72, 1. 2, for Gwyddllew read Gwyddlew.
P. 77, 1. 31, for Newgate read Newgale.
P. 81. Add to last paragraph: Singularly enough, the whole neighbourhood
round about Crantock Church, and far beyond the limits of the churchyard,
is filled with human skeletons orderly buried, and often in stone graves,
not coffins. ^Vherever any digging is done in meadows, roadway, or round
existing cottages, such skeletons are found. Seven were turned out in
a row a year or two since, when an old malt house was altered into cottages.
P. 102. S. Celer. To the first paragraph add the following from Edward
Lhuyd (1699), Parochialia, iii (1911), p. 76. His festival was observed at
Llangeler on June 21. " Not far from the Church at ye bottom of a steep
hUl issueth a fountain. Over y« fall thereof a little Chapel is erected. Hither
every summer infirm people make a frequent resort but particularly from
y* 21 of June to y^ feast of S*^ Peter there will be such a concourse of people
that no fair in Wales can equall it in multitude out of an opinion y' y
Saint endued it with such a vertue as will cure all infirmities. ... In
ye Churchyard there is a place we*" I may properly call a Caemitery (in Welsh
it is call'd Lhech) where after bathing the infirm must lie down to sleep w"'
as many as doe are perswaded will recover, otherwise not. This saint's
sepulcher is by tradition s'' to be near y* door on 3^ south side of y" Church."
P. 106, 1. 10. Llangeneu Fawr and Fach are places situated in a depression
on the slope of the Frenni Fach, in N: Pembrokeshire.
P. 114. Add to the last paragraph — His skull, at any rate, was kept as a relic
in Llangennith Church in the second half of the fifteenth century, and used
for swearing upon. In an indenture of 1472 two men are bound to abide
by the award of an umpire, who adjudged that " the seyde John (Mauncell)
shall swer to the seyde Hugh (Owen) in the chirche of Langenytt upon
Seint Kenythis hedde, and ye seyde Hugh to brynge fourth the relicke
bytwyne 9 at bell in ye mornynge and 3 at afternown a sonday the 21st day
of March next," etc. (Birch, Descript. Catal. of Penrice and Margam Abbey
MSS., 1904, 4th ser., pt. ii, p. 114).
P. 116, last paragraph. As confirming the suggested dedication of Kewstoke,
in N. Somerset, to S. Cewydd, and an indication of his presence still further
South, we may mention that this year (1913) an inscribed stone, of the
442 Lives of the British Saints
Romano-British period, was discovered at Parracombe, in N. Devon, with the-
name Cavudi, which may very well commemorate Cewydd. There can be
no doubt as to the dedication of Steynton Church to him. In Dugdale,
Monast., 1825, iv, p. 503, is a Royal grant (inspeximus) , of 25 Edward i, to
Pylle Priory, which includes " ecclesiam Sancti Kewit de Steintona."
Another Cil Cewydd is a township of Forden parish, Montgomeryshire.
P. 119. S. CiARAN. To the authorities add ; Plummer, Vitcs SS. Hib., I, pp.
217-33, from the Life in Bishop Marsh's Library, Dublin. See alsb Intro-
duction, I, pp. li-liv. There are three Irish Lives of Ciaran of Saighir,
one at Brussels among the O'Clery MSS., a second among the Stow MSB.
in the Royal Irish Academy Library. The Life printed by O'Grady in
his Silva Gadelica " is a mere i8th century translation of the M. text,
and is of no independent value whatever."
P. 213, last paragraph, which we derived from a MS. of Gwallter Mechain, differs
in several respects from Lhuyd's version in Paroch., iii, p. 88. " Ffynon
wen is a spring in y> parish to y= West tradic'only said to be very medicinal
& effectual to cure distempers. Y" times of repairing to it is Ascension
Eve : they wash in y* spring : & y" repaire to a stone hard by called
Llech gyby : W^ is supported by other stones : & by 5'* stone y^ sick
person lyes all y' night after his washing in y« spring." Unt see ibid., 'p. 68.
P. 269, n. I, 1. 2. for Jares read Jones.
P. 276, 1. 25. " Gwyl Gynwil " is entered on January 8 in the Calendar in
Additional MS. 14,886 (1643-4).
P. 285, 1. 15, for invoked in the Litany read commemorated in the diptychs.
P. 308, n. 2, 1. 2, for three read four.
P. 326, 1. 2, for 226 read 225.
P. 400, n. 2, last 1., for 1893 read 1895.
P. 412, 1. I. That Edren was a female saint is shown by the Liber Communis
of S. David's Cathedral, where the church of S. Edrens is called " Eccla
Stse Edrina; " (1490-1565) ; Jones and Freeman, S. David's, 1856, pp.
375. 378, 383, 386, 388.
P. 422, end of S. Eiliwedd. But the De Bohnns, Lords of Brecon, lived in
. the fourteenth century in their Castle of Plepy, near Walden, and many
of them were buried in Walden Abbey. They carried her veneration to-
Essex.
P. 443, 1. I, for 1820 read April, 1818.
P. 446, 1. 9 (heading), for Goddsgorfawr read Gosgorddfawr.
P. 448, 1. 19, for Thesu read Ihesu.
P. 463, 1. 28, for invoked in the Litany read comniemorated in the diptychs.
P. 473, 1. 32, for invoked in the Litany read commemorated in the diptychs.
P. 474, add to n. 3 — " Eurgain ferch Faelgwn Gwynedd a roes y gannwyll
wrth yr adar gwylltion, ac ni thoriasant i ddangos He buasai Uewyrch y
gannwyll i'w chariad a welsai ef f-wy na dwy filltir o ffordd oddiwrtho ""
(Llanover lolo MS. 59, p. 116).
VOL. III.
P. 20. S. FiNBAR. The Life of S. Barr or Finbar from Bishop Marsh's Library
has been published by Plummer, Vitce SS. Hib., I, pp. 65-74. Another
Life is in the Rawlinson MSS., in the Bodleian. There is one Irish Life
in the Book of Fermoy, but it is imperfect ; also in the Stowe MSS., and in
Brussels. See Introduction, I, pp. xxxi-xxxii.
P. 49, head-line, for Gaerint read Geraint.
P. 141, 1. I, for miniti read minihi.
P. 204. For a local legend respecting the foundation of Capel Gwladys, in
which she is represented to have eloped with a youth of Monmouth [sic].
Addenda et Corrigenda 443
and to have been married, ultimately with her father's consent, on the
spot where now stands the Chapel, and in commemoration of which ceremony-
it was built, see LXen Gwerin Blaenau Rhymni, Pengam, 1912, pp. 24—6.
P. 237, 1. 40, for Tatham read Tathan.
P. 325. To the list of Authorities for S. Itha add the Vita Sctcs Itce Virginis
from the MS. in Bishop Marsh's Library, Dublin, published by Plummer,
Viits SS. Hib., II, pp. 116-30 ; the Introduction, I, pp. Ixxii-lxxiv. There
is another Latin Life of Itha in Rawlinson's Collection, and in Fleming's
Collectanea Sacra, Louvain, 1677.
Mr. Plummer says, " M. & R. cover much the same ground, though R.
is shorter and certainly less original. M. itself may be an abbreviation
of a longer Life " ; there are passages in it which indicate this. One curious
and noticeable point is that, on mention of a miracle performed on a certain
Feargus, who was suffering from inflammation of the eyes, the biographer
casually remarks, " cujus filius adhuc vivit." The Life as we have it most
certainly does not belong to the second generation after the Saint, but
this appears to point out to what we do possess being a redaction at a much
later date of an earlier Life. That it is a composite production is shown
by its twice recording the same incident, § xvii and § xxxiv.
The Vita gives an account of a great battle fought by the Huy Conaill
in which victory was obtained by the intervention of S. Itha by her prayers.
This battle was fought in 552.
In the Life published by Mr. Plummer there is no mention of Itha having
suffered from cancer, or the daol. In it she is said to have died of extreme
old age. Her death was almost coincident with that of Aengus of Clon-
macnois, for which the Annals of Ulster give two alternative dates, 570
and 577.
P. 393, n. I, last 1., for Mackraith read Machraith.
P. 405, end of last paragraph, add — B. Willis, Paroch. Angl., pp. 180, 188, gives
the festival at the Llandyfaelog in Breconshire, and at that in Carmarthen-
shire, as on March i. The festival of Tyfaelog occurs on February 26 ia
the Calendars in Peniarth MS. 219, the Prymers of 1546, 1618, and 1633,
and in Allwydd Paradwys.
P. 460, 1. 22, for Maglorious read Maglorius.
„ 1. 30, for mer known as read erly known as.
P. 472, 1. 12, for Maglorious read Maglorius.
INDEX
The numbers in bolder type refer to the Life or notice of the Saint.
Aaron, S., martyr, i. 101-3
Aaron, S., hermit, i. 103-4
Abban, S., i. 3-4
Abelnyc, iii. 188 •
Aber, i. 224
Aber Cai, ii. 51
Abercius of Hierapolis, i. 8
Aberdaron, iii. 264
Aberedw, ii. 11 6-7
Abererch, ii. 9, 95-7 ; iv. 375
Aberffraw, i. 218
Abergarwan, ii. 103
Abergele, ii. 432
Abergorlech, ii. 316
Abergwerydwyr, ii. 386
Abergwili, ii. 316
Aberhafesp, ii. 265 ; iii. 246, 378
Aberllychwr, iv. 37, 60
Abernant, iii. 368
Aberporth, ii. 276
Aberyscir, ii. 258
Achebran, S., i. 105-7
Acombury Camp, iv. 108
Acta Sanctorum, i. 83
Adelfius, ii. 10
Adwen, S., i. 107-8
Aedd Mawr, ii. 156
Aeddan, i. 116
.S;gidius, iv. 203
Aelgyfarch,. S., i. 108
Aelhaiam, S,, disciple of Dubricius,
i. 109
Aelhaiarn, S., disciple of Beuno, i.
109-12 ; iii. 380 ; iv. 279, 370,
372. 374
Aelrhiw, S., i. 11 2-4
Aelwyd Feuno, i. 215
Aengus mac Nadfraich, i. 34
j?Esculapius, iv. 222
Afan, S., i. 114-S, 116; iv. 49. 369,
371
afanc, ii. 318-9
Afarwy, S., i. 115
Afran, S., i. 116
Afrella, S., i. 161-2
Afrogwy, S., i. 115
Agam's Cross, iv. 41
Aghaboe, ii. 60
Aidan, S,, of Ferns, i. 116-26, 127-8;
ii. 300 ; iii. 394-5 ; iv. 439
Aidan, S., of Lindisfarne, iii. 19 ; iv. 15
Aidan, S., of Mavurn, i. 127-8
Aidan mac Gabran, iii. 42-3, 380
Ailbe, S., i. 128-36, 241 ; ii. 204, 206,
290-2 ; iii. 143-4. 147 ; 'V. 439
Ailfyw, S., V. Ailbe
Ainmire, K., ii. 31, 304—5 ; iii. 123—5
Aircol Lawhir, iii. 387 ; iv. 30, 230,
236, 289
Alan, S., i. 136-8 ; iii. 377 ; iv. 429
Alauc, iii. 189
Alba, ii. 293
Alban, S., i. 138-46 ; iv. 440
Albinus. iv. 273
Aldate, S., ii. 426-8
Aleth, i. 246 ; iv. 300
Alexander, archimandrite, i. 24—5
Alfred, K., iv. 7-8
Alfryd, iv. 52
Algar, S., ii. 435
AUeccus, Allectus, S., i. 146-7 ; ii.
51, 425 ; iv. 90-1
AUeluiatic Victory, iii. 57, 78
Allen, S. i. 147
AUor Hywyn, ii . 264
- AUorius, S., i. 172
AUouestre, S., i. 176
AUtu, ii. 69
Almedha, S. v. Eiliwedd
Alpinus, ii. 450
Altarnon, iv. 22-3, 25
Alud, S., ii. 419-20
Alun, Coed, Maenor, i. 192
Alun, R., ii. 255 ; iv. 386
Alvandus, iii. 135-6
Amaethlu, S., iii. 407
Ambrosius, S., i. 148-50
Ambrusca, S., i. 151
Amesbury, i. 148, 150 ; iii. 472
Amlawdd Wledig, family of, i. 98
445
44-6
hidi
ex
Amlwch, ii. 425
Amo, S., i. 165-6
Amon, i. 154, 156-7 ; v. Amwn
Amphibalus, S., i. 143—4, 151— 3
Amroth, ii. 445
Amwn Ddu, S., i. 153-7, 160-2 ; iv.
137-8, 140-1, 143-6, 312, 370, 372,
440
Ana, i. 164
Anauved, iv. 30
Andras, S., i. 157
Anef, Ane, S., i. 157-8
Aneurin, S., i. 158-60 ; iv. 440
Aneurin, Bard, i. 159-60
Angar, i. 158
Angawd, i. 158
Angell, iii. 463
Anhun, S., v. Annun
Anianus, ii. 423
Anlach, i. 304-6, 308—9 ; ii. 18
Anna, Anne, S., i. 160—5 '• i'^- "S^, 145
Anne, mother of B.V.M., i 162-5, 264
Anne of Bohemia, i. 163
Annhun, Antonius, i. 153
Anno, S., i, 165-6 ; iv. 440
Annun, S., i. 166 ; iii. 399
Annun Ddu, v. Amwn Ddu
Apollo Maponos, iii. 392
Aran, ii. 204, 206, 251 ; iii. 402 ; iv.
380
Aranwen, S„ i. 167
Arddun Benasgell, S., i. 167-8, 302 ;
iv. 370. 372
Arder^'dd, Battle of, ii. 237-8 ; iii. 183
Arccluta, ii. 93 ; iii. 103
Argoestle, S:, i. 176
Arianell, S., i. 168
Arianwen, S., i. 167
Arilda, S., i. 169
Aristobulus, i. 175
Armel, S., i. 173
Arniorica, its history, i. 39—65
— its colonization, i. 39-49, 154 ;
ii. 220-3 ;
— emigration from, i. 42 ; ii, 1—4 ;
— Irish Saints in, i. 45 (map),
60-3 ;
— Welsh Saints in, i. 64
Arnold, M., East and. West, ii. 209
Arthbodu, Arthfoddw, S., i. 170
Arthen, S., i. 169-70
Arthfael, Arthmael, S., 170-3
Arthmail, K., ii. 31
Arthneu, S., i. 173-4
Arthog, ii. 248
Arthur, Iv., i. 119, 127 ; ii. 29, 259-60 ;
iii. 203, 237, 283-5, 305 ; iv. 41,
45-<5, 49, 235
Arvan, S., i. 174 ; iii. 4
Arwystl, S., i. 174-6
Anvystli, i. 174—5 ; ii- 192
Asaph, S., i. 177-85 ; ii. 236, 238 ; iv.
369, 371, 386, 440 ; prologue to
Vita, iv. 373 ;
— Cathedral and Diocese, i. 181-2
asceticism, i. 19—22
Asser, iv. 139
Athan's, S., iv. 213
Athewenna, S., i. 107
Athoclus, Ab., iii. 313-4
Aude, S., i. 185-8
Augulus, S., i. 189
Augustine, S., i. 37 ; ii. 383—4 ; iv.
308-11
Aurelius Ambrosius, i. 148-50
Austean Sea, iv. 155
Austell, S., i. 189-90
Avia, S., V. Ewe
Azenor, S., i. 330-7 ; iv. 195
Bacellinus, S., ii. 181
Bach, S., i. 190-1
Bachall Isu, iv. 71
Bachan, ii. 18-9, 35
Bachla, S., i. 193-4
Badon, Mount, Badbury, iii. 94
Baglan ab Dingad, S., i. 192 ; iii. 264
370 ; iv. 369, 371, 426, 428
Baglan ab Ithel, S., i. 192-4
Bala Lake, ii. 278
Balaam, i. 13, 21
Ballingham, i. 328 ; ii. 3S0 ; iii. 337
Ballygrif&n, iv. 312
Bally Samson, iv. 148
Banadlinet, i. 305 ; ii. 264
Bangar, ii. 247
Bangor, Card., iii. 316 ; — Carn., ii.
328 ; iv. 264 ; — on Dee (Iscoed),
i. 302 ; ii. 9, 275, 326, 383-6 ; iv.
298-9; — Teifi, ii. 316
Banhadla, ii. 264
Banhadlen, S., i. 194
Banhadlwedd, i. 305
Banhenig, i. 210, 340
Bannauc, ii. 22, 93
Bannaventa, iv. 54-6
Bannium, i. 308-9 ; ii. 35-6
Banugar Sacerdos, iii. 433
Banwen, ii. 34
Bar, S., v. Finbar
111. d ex
447
Baidsey, ii. 4-5, 7, 255 ; iii. 370-3 ;
iv. 426-8, 436-8
Bargoed, iii. 204
Barren, Barry I., i. ig6
Barri, Ab,, i. 196
Barruc, Barrwg, S., i. 194-6 ; ii. 30 ;
iii. 163 ; iv. 440
Barry I., i. 194-6 ; iii. 163
Bartholomew, S., ii. 423
Bath, ii. 294
Battle, ii: 265
Beddgelert, ii. 102-3
Bedwas, i. 196 ; iv. 254
Bedwellty, ii. 18 ; iv. 194
Bedwin-i, S., i. 197
Bedwj'r, Bedivere, iii. 203, 237
bees, introduced to Ireland, i. 121 ; ii.
300. 354
Begelly, i. 222
Belerus, S., i. 197-203
Bell ab Benlli, ii. 256 ; iii. 71
Belyau, S., i. 204 ; iv. 440
Benadel, i. 305
Bendigaid, the epithet, i. 225-6 ; ii. 45
Benedict of Gloucester, ii. 376
Beneventum, i. 32—6 ; iv. 441
Benignus, S., v. Beon
Benlli Gawr, ii,, 255-6 ; iii. 68-71 ; iv.
177. 386
Benni, i. 304
Beon, S., i. 204-6
Bernach, S., v. Brynach
Bernard, S., i. 326
Berriew, i. 211, 218
Berrys, S., i. 206-7
Berwyn, S., i. 207-8
Betgues, R., i. 196
Bethan, Bechan, S., i. 31 1-2, 317 ; iv.
287
Bettws, Carm., ii. 316 ; — , Glam., ii,
317; — , Mon., ii. 317; — Cede-
wain, i. 218 ; — Leiki, iii. 368 ;
— Perwas, iv. 94 ; — Wyrion
Iddon, iii. 290
Beulan, S., i. 208
Beuno, S., i. iii, 191, 208-21, 340 ;
iii. 188-92, 379 ; iv. 218, 304, 364,
370. 372, 383, 397-407. 417. 440 ;
Book of, iv. 279-81 ; list of persons
raised from dead by, iv. 374
Bicanus, iii. 304-5
Bidofydd, S., i. 68 ; iii. 218
Bigail, Bigel, S., i. 221-2
Bigauden, i. 337 ; iii. 65-6
Bill, iii. 412
Bishops, Celtic, position and duties,
i. 10, 29-30
Bishopston, Bishton, ii. 45, 245 ; iv.
238, 441
Blaenpenal, ii. 316
Blaenporth, ii. 316
Blaiddnerth, iv. 428
Blefed, iii. 303
Bleiddian, S., i. 222-3 i ii'- 3^5-6
Blenwyd, S., i. 158, 223
Blessed, Isles of the, iii. 328
Bletherston, iii. 259
Bliglyd, iv. 266
Boconnoc, ii. 169-70
Bod Angharad, iv. 103
Boda, S., i. 223-4 i iii- 232-3 ; iv. 370
Bodedern, ii. 406
Bodeugan, iii. 479
Bodewryd, ii. 477
Bodfan, S., i. 223-4
Bodfari, ii. 341-2 ; iv. 408
Bodferin, iii. 476
Bodmin, iv. 95, 98-100
Bodrychwyn, iv. 113
Boducat, S., iii. 410— i
Bodust, iv. 347
Bodvean, i. 328
Bodwrda, ii. 345
Bodwrog, iii. 505 ; iv. 281
Boia, ii. 297-8 ; iv. 226, 228
Bokerly Dyke, iii. 90—2
Bolgros, iii. 335 ; iv. 307
Bona Dea, i. 164—5
Bonny Clobby, iii. 12
Boromha tribute, i. 124 ; iii. 488
Borrow, Geo., i. 16-7
Bothmael, S., i. 328-9
Botmenei, iv. 95
Bottwnog, i. 218 ; iii. 246
Boudica, iii. 117
Boughrood, ii. 265
Bovium, iii, 308, 310
Bran Coyn, i. 304
Bran Fendigaid, S., i. 224-7
Brandubh, K., i. 123-5
Branock, S., i. 325
Branscombe, i. 261
Branwalader, S., i. 227-8, 260
Braunton, i. 325-7
Brawdy, ii. 316 ; iii. 370
Brazil, enchanted land, i. 237
Breaca, S,, i. 229-32
Brechfa, iv. 238
Brefi, ii. 318 ; v. Llanddewi Brefi
Brehant, iv. 76
44H
Indt
ex
Brenda, S., i. 232-3 ; iv. 432
Brendan, S., i. 227-8, 233-62 ; iii. 161,
413-5. 417. 420-1, 434; iv. 440-1
Brewi, iii, 190
Briac, S., i, 262-4
Briavel's, S., i. 289, 291, 300
Brice, S., i. 206-7
Bride, S., dedications, i. 283-4
Bridell, ii. 316
Brieuc, S., i. 300
Brig, Brigid, S., i. 229-32
Brigid, S., of Kildare, i. 264-85 ;
birth, 268-9 ; founds Kildare,
276 ; death, 281-2 ; dedications,
283-4
Brigid, S., of Cil-Muine, i. 285-8
V. Ffraid
Brioc, S., i. 288-301 ; iii. 65-6 ; iv.
197, 292 ; V. Tyfriog
Briomaglus, i. 289, 291
Briton Ferry, iv. 176
Brittany, dioceses of, iv. 47-8 ; v.
Armorica
Brochwel Ysgythrog, S., i. 301-3 ; iii.
464 ; iv. 297-9, 370, 372
Bronllys, ii. 418
Brothen, S., i. 303 ; iv. 370
Brotseach, i. 268-71
Broweroc, i. 56, 155 ; ii. 4 ; v. Grawec
Bruinech, i. 341—3
brwyniaid, i. 288
Brychan, S., i. 30-1, 36, 130, 303-21 ;
ii. 264 ; iv. 16-8
Br)'cheiniog, i. 308, 317 ; iii. 437 ;
iv. 108
Brynach, S., i. 316, 321-7 ; ii. 149-50,
218-9 ; iv. Ill
Bryn Buga, Usk, ii. 11, 343-4 ; iv. 426
Bryn Eglwys, iv. 303
Brynhild, iv. 335-7
Buallt, i. 114
Buan, S., i. 328 ; ii. i ; iv. 369, 371
Buarth Byrnach, i. 326 ; — Caron,
ii. 136; iii. 383; — Gadfan, ii.
6 ; — Llwni, iii. 383 ; — Seiriol,
iv. 179
Buches Dydeclio, iv. 284
Budgual-an, Buddwal, S., i. 328
Budic, iii. 323 ; iv. 29-31, 227, 233-4
Budmail, S., i. 328-9
Budoc, Ab., i. 329-37 ; iii. 201
Budoc, Bp., i. 337
Budoc, Mk., i. 338-40
Bugi, S., i. 340 ; iii. 188
Buriena, S., i. 340-3
Buttock, S., i. 330
Bwchwdw, S., iii. 505
Byddair, iv. 89
Byrnach, S., v. Brynach
Cadell, S., ii. i ; iv. 369, 371
Cadell Ddyrnllug (Deyrnllwg), i. 35-6,
95 ; ii. 255 ; iii. 70-1
CadeUing, iii. 70
Cadfael, ii. 15
Cadfan, S., ii. 1-9 ; iii. 370, 373 ; iv.
44, 203-4, 225, 370-1, 426-7
Cadfan, K., i. 213 ; ii. 45 ; iii. 192
Cadfarch, S., ii. 9—10 ; iv. 370, 372
Cadfrawd, S., ii. lo-i
Cadgyfarch, S., ii. 11
Cado, ii. 11— 2, Si, 93
Cadoc, S., the Elder, ii. 12-4
Cadoc, S., ii. 14-42 — visits Ireland,
17-8,31 ; Scotland, 22-3 ;
Brittany, 23-9 ; dispute with
Gildas, 28 ; with K. Arthur
and others, 29-30 ; leaves for
Beneventum, 32 ; killed, ibid. ;
chronology; 37 ; dedications in
Wales, 37-8 ; in Brittany, 38-9 ;
festival, 39 ; Catwg Ddoeth, 40-1
i. 18, 195 ; ii. 8, 57, 302 ; iii. 31-3,
109-10, 117-8, 151, 202-4, 236-
41. 305-7. 394. 483-4 ; iv. 21, 100,
108, 125, 242, 370, 372
Cador, S., ii. 11-2
Cadoxton-juxta-Neath, ii. 31
Cadrod, S., ii. 42
Cadw Hen (Ddoeth), ii. 41
Cadwaladr, Ab., ii. 28, 46; iv. 441
Cadwaladr Fendigaid, S., ii. 43-6 ; iv.
369, 371
Cadwallon, K., i. 213 ; ii. 43
Cadwallon Lawhir, ii. 46-7, 235-6 ; iv.
196
Cadwallon Lyw, i. 177-8
Cadwr, S., ii. 47
Cadwy, S., ii. 11-2
Caedmon, ii. 2
Caemen, Cymmun, S., ii. 47-9
Caenog, S., i. 167 ; ii. 49
Caerau, ii. 386 ; iii. 166
Caer Banhed, ii. 22 ; iv. 77
Caer Beris, iv. 94
Caer Dathal, iv. 212
Caer Einion, ii. 192
Caerfarchell, i. 304 ; iii. 437
Caer Gawch, ii. 277, 289
Caer Gwyroswydd, iv. 207
Index
449
Caer Gybi, ii. 208-9, 211-2 ; iii. 130
Caerleon, i. 101-3 ; ii. 10, 38, 376-7
Caer Liwelydd, ii. 192
Caermorfa, iii. 109 ; iv. 22
CaerpMUy, ii. 11 1-2 ; iii. 12
Caersaint, i. 213
Caer Sallog, iv. 173
Caer Seon, iii. 508
Caer Wedros, ii. 266
Caer Wenddoleu, iii. 183
Caerwent, ii. 35 ; iv. 212—4
Caer Werydd, iii. 199
Caerworgorn, i. 197-9, 292 ; iii. 304,
308 ; iv. 60-1, 68
Caer Wrangon, iv. 377
Caerwy, Carew, ii. 329 ; iv. 390, 392
Caer Wynt, ii. 171
Caer Wythelin, iii. 248
Caffo, S., ii. 49-51, 208 ; iii. 116 ; iv.
382-3
Cai, S., ii. 51
Cai, Sir Kay, ii. 51, 260 ; iii. 203, 226,
237
Caian, S., ii. 51
Cain, S., ii. 55
Cain Wyry, S., ii. 52-5 ; iv. 287
Cainnecli, S., ii. 18, 56-61, 185 ; iii.
393
Cairbre, ii. 180-1
Cairnech, S., ii, 61-7 ; 82—4, 89—90 ;
iv. 247-8
Calchfynydd, ii. 42 ; iii. 216
Caldey I., ii. 370—1 ; iii. 309 ; iv. 76—7,
89-90, 132, 143, 147-9
Calendars and Martyrologies — Breton,
i. 86 ; Cornish, 76-8, 84 ; English,
78-84 ; Irish, 84-6 ; Scottish,
86; Welsh, 65-76
Callwen, S., i. 315 ; ii. 67
Ca.mbria, iv. 95
Cambuslang, ii. 22
Cammab, S., ii. 67, 247
Cammarch, S., ii. 68, 247, 266
Camrose, iii. 324
Canao, iii. 122
Candida, S., ii. 68-9 ; iii. 166-7 ; i^- ^9
Candida Casa, iii. 450—1 ; iv. 27
Canice, S., ii. 56, 60
Canna, S., ii. 69-71, 436 ; iv. 126-7
Cannen, S., ii. 67, 71—2, 247
Cannou, ii. 71
Canten, ii. 72
Canton, ii. 71
Cantref, ii. 258
Cantre'r Gwaelod, i. 175
Capel Callwen, ii. 67 ; — Degan, ii.
282, 284 ; — Lulo (Ulo), iv. 311 ;
— Ogwr, iv. 287 ; — Santesau,
iv. 346 ; — Trillo, iv. 263 ; —
Tydyst, iv. 267
Capgrave, his Lives of Saints, i. 4
Caradec, S. ; v. Carthach
Caradoc, S.,= Caradec, ii. 72—5; iv.
244-5, 248 ; = Carannog, h. 88;
iv. 244
Caradog, son of Bran, i. 224-6
Caradog Freichfras, Carados Brebras,
i- 30. 333 ; ii- 9. 95 ; iv. 41-2, 46,
375
Caradog, K. of Gwent, iii. 418-9, 430-
I ; iv. 212-3
Caradog, son of Alawg, iii. 188-9, 191 ;
iv. 400—2
Caradog, Mk., ii. 75-8, 115
Caradog, of Llancarfan, ii. 14
Caradog, Master, ii. 434
Caranfael, i. 171 ; iii. 381
Carannog, S., ii. 61-62, 66, 72, 78-90 ;
iv. 244-5, 247-8, 293-4, 441
Carantacus, ii. 89
Carantoc, S., v. Carannog
Caratacus, i. 226
Carentmael, i. 171
Carevong, ii. 266—7
Carhampton, ii. 81, 87
Carmunnock, ii. 22
Carngiwch, i. 218
Carn Ingli, i. 323
Carnwyllion, iii. 235
Caron, S., ii. 135-6 ; iv. 106, log-io ;
V. Ciaran
Carrog, i. 191
Carrov, ii. 81, 87
Carthach (-agh), S., i. 245 ; ii. 17-8,
72-5, 88, 125, 129 ; iv. 200-1
Carwed and Carwyd, SS., ii. 90-1
Castell Cadog, ii. 17 ; — CoUen, ii.
161 ; iv. 238
Castennec, iii. 11 3-4
casula, iv. 190
Casulsych, the epithet, i. 219-20
Caswallon, ii. 46-7, 436-8
Cas Wenan, iii. 182
Catacus, ii. 40
Catamanus, ii. 2
Catbodu, ii. 40
Cathan, Cathen, S., ii. 91—2
Cathbhuaidh, ii. 239
Cathmail, S., ii. 15, 40
Cathwallanus, i. 178
G G
450
Index
Cato, ii. 40-1
Catraeth, battle of, i. 160
Catwardd, S., ii. 386
Catwg, S., ii. 71-2 ; v. Cadoc
Caw, i. 36, 159, 310 ; ii. 12, 23, 92-5
Cawrdaf, S., ii, 95-7 ; iii. 205 ; iv.
209, 374-5 {Cywydd), 383-4
Ceadwalla, ii. 44-5
Cedig, ii. 287, 349
Cedig Draws, iv. 385
Cedol, S., ii. 98
Cedris, ii. 100
Cedwyn, S., ii. 98 ; iii. 398
Cefn Mamoel, iii. 394
Cegidfa, i. no ; ii. 254
Ceidio, Ceido, S., ii. 99-100 ; iii. 399 ;
iv. 371-2
Ceindrych, S., ii. 100 ; v. Cerdech
Ceingair, S., ii. loi
Ceinmeirch, iii. 295—6 ; iv. 425-6
Ceinwen, Ceinwyry, S., ii. 52-5
Ceinwr, ii. 54—5
Ceitho, S., ii. 101-2 ; iii. 225-1
Celer, S., ii. 102-3 ; iv. 441 ..i-""'
Celert, ii. 102-3
Celestine, Pope, iv. 55-8, 62-5, 67-9
Cellan, ii. 67
Celyn Foel, S., ii. 104
Celynin, S., ii. 104—5 '< ™- 225-7
Cemmaes, iv. 285
Cenaf, ii. 71, 435 ; iii. 166 ; iv. 216
Cenarth, ii. 400 ; iii. 373
Cenedlon, S., ii. 257, 455
Ceneu, S., ii. 105-6
Ceneu, Bp., ii. 106
Ceneu, ii. 52 ; iv. 383
Cennech, S., ii. 56-61
Cenwyn, S., ii. 106-7
Cenydd, S., ii. 107-15 ; iii. 115-6 ; iv.
441
Cerdech, Cerdych, S., ii. 100 ; iii. 183
Ceredig, ii. 80, 84
Ceretica, i. 290
Ceri, ii. 199
Cerrig Ceinwen, ii. 54
Cerrig y Drudion, iii. 295-7 '• iv-
426
Cerrig y Gwyddyl, ii. 47 ; iv. 196
Cerwydd, ii. 90
Cewydd, S., ii. 115-7; i'v- 441-2
Challoner, Bp., i. 81-4
Chateauneuf, iv. 234
Chester, battle of, i. 302 ; iv. 298-9
Chirk, iii. 220 ; iv. 304
Chulmleigh, ii. 403
Cian, S., ii. 118 ; iv. 92
Cianan, Kenan, S., ii. 118-9
Ciara, Piala, S., iii. 25-6
Ciaran, S., i. 341—2 ; ii. 119—38 ; iii.
440 ; iv. 105—5, 442 ; V. Caron
and Piran
Cieui, S., iv. 197
Cit.^ . S., ii. 247
Cig^va\ S., i;. Ciwa
Cilccniiiin, ii. 106-7
"g^auel, 1,130
Ci^fan, Siii. 373
Cil ii44. ?,''ii. 293
Cilrhe'dyn, iv. 238
Cil Sjint, iii. 233
Cilyd-1, S., ii. 138
Cilyr.naenllwyd, i. 322
Cinfic, S., ii. 139
Cinuiir, S., ii. 244-5
Cirgue.n, iv. 50
Ciwa, ,Kewe, S., ii. 139-46, 253
Ci-wg, S., ii. 146-7
Claudia, S., ii. 147-9
Clechre, i. 310, 323 ; ii. 149
Cledwyn, S., ii. 154-5
Clegyr Fwya, ii. 297-8
Clematius, his inscription at Cologne,
iv. 313-8
Clement, S., ii. 263
Clether, S., i. 323 ; ii. 149-51
Clocaenog, ii. 49 ; iii. 458 ; iv. 264
Clodfaith, S.-, ii. 151 ; iii. 168
Clodock, ii. 154 ; iii. 160-1
Cloffan, S., ii. 151-2
Clonard, iii. 34-5
Clonfert, i. 255, 257
Clorach, ii. 209 ; iv. 179, 293
Clwyf Tegla, iv. 220
Clydai, S., ii. 151, 152, 155
Clydno Eiddyn, ii. 152
Clydog, S., ii. 152, 153-4 : "i- 384
Clydwyn, S., ii. 149, 154-5
Clynnog, i. 213-5 ; i^- 279-80
Coedana, i. 157
Coed Cernyw, ii. 177, 340 ; iii. 131
Coed Helen, iii. 259
Coel, i. 36, 91-2 ; ii. 155-6
Coeleion, ii. 192
Coemgen, S., ii. 202 ; iv. 95-6
Coetlann, iii. 113
Cof, S., ii. 156
Cofen, S., V. Cwyfen
Cognatio de Brychan, i. 303-4
Colfa, ii. 294, 317
Colgan, John, i. 85-6
Index
451
CoUen, S., ii. 157-61 ; iii. 463 ; iv.
375-8 {Buchedd)
CoUfrewi, iii. 190
Colman, S., ii. 162-4
Cologne, iv. 312-47
Colonia Londinensium, ii. lo-i
Columba, S., ii. 164-9
Columba, Columcille, S., i. 3, 259 ;
iii. 16—8 ; iv. 17
Conaid, S., iii. 484
Conan Meriadoc, v. Cynan Meiriadog
Congresbury, ii. 249-50, 252
Conlaetli, Bp., i. 277-9
Conmore, i. 7, 51, 53, 171-2 ; iii.
1 18-21, 222-3, 277-8 ; iv. 47-8,
82-3
Conoc, S., ii. 169-70
Consecration of churches, Celtic mode
of, iii. 22
Constantine, K. of Domnonia, ii.
170-6, 177 ; iv. 99
Constantine (Gorneu), ii. 177-80, 250
Constantine the Great, ii. 178
Constantine the Usurper, ii. 171,
177-80
Constantius, iii. 52-3
Copaia, S., iv. 107
coracle, punishment adrift in, i. 61
Corbre, S., ii. 180-1 ; iii. 384
Corentine, S., i. 6 ; ii. 181-4 ; iv.
276-7
Coritica, i. 289-90
Cornubia, Cornugallia, Comouaille, i.
42-3, 49, 51-3 ; iv. 29-30
Cornwall, Saints of, i. 30-4
Coroticus, ii. 80, 84
Corth, S., V. Cymorth
Corwen, iii. 400 ; iv. 203-4
Cothraigh, iv. 58
Cowair, S., v. Cywair
Coychurch, ii. 185 ; iii. 302
Crafgoed, ii. 355
Craig Gwrtheyrn, iii. 74
Crallo, S., ii. 69, 184-5
Creda, Crida, S., ii. 185-7
Credan, ii. 187-8
Creed, S. ii. 186-7
Cregruna, ii. 317
Creirwe, iv. 355
Cressage, iv. 170
Crewenna, S., ii. 188-90
Criccieth, iii. 460
Crida, Creda, S., ii. 185-7
Crinow, iv. 238
Cristiolus, S., ii. 190 ; iii. 215
Crochan Caffo, — Llanddwyn, ii. 50*
391
Cron Chonaill, iii. 303
Croyland, ii. 294—5
Crubthir Fintan, ii. 206-7 ; 210-1 ; iii.
402 ; iv. 380-1
Crunwear, ii. 445 ; iv. 238
Cuach, S., V. Ciwa
Cubert, ii. 214
Cuby, S., V. Cybi
Cuhelyn, S. ii. 104, 191
Cuillus, iii. 283—4
Culbone, ii. 168
Cumbria, iv. 95
Cunedda, i. 35, 49, 93 ; ii. 191-2
Cuneglas, iii. 116
Cunetus, S., ii. 27S
Cungar, S., v. Cyngar ab Geraint
Curig, S., ii. 192-20D, 272 ; iii. 300,
336 ; iv. 378-9
Curiosopitum, Quimper, i. 49
curse, Saints to, enemy of the tr be,
i- 13-7
Cury, ii. 184
Cusop, ii. 116
Cuthbert, S., i'. 229
Cwm, iii. 400 ; iv. 204
Cwm Cawlwyd, ii. 92
Cwrda, S., ii. 96 ; iii. 205
Cwyan, S., ii. 200 'z o^
Cwyfen, S., ii. 201-2
Cwyllog, S., V. Cywyllog
Cybi, S., ii. 49-51, 202-15, 251-2, 299 ;
iii. 229, 402 ; iv. 13, 103-4, 179.
370, 372. 379-83 {Vita), 383
{Teulu), 414, 442
Cyfeilliog, ii. 215-6
Cyfelach, S., ii. 215-6
CyfEyllog, S., ii. 216
Cyfiewyr, Cyflifer, S., ii. 217
Cyfyw, S., V. Cynfyw
Cyhelyn, S., ii. 191
Cyhylyn, S., ii. 217 ; iii. 248
Cyllin, S., ii. 218
Cymmun, S., ii. 47-9
Cymorth, S., i. 321-2 ; ii. 218-9, 257
Cynan, S., v. Cynon of Armorica
Cynan, Kenan, S., ii. 224—8
Cynan Garwyn, i. 211, 213, 302
Cynan Genhir, S., ii. 219
Cynan Meiriadog, i. 53-4 ; ii. 220-4 I
iii. 256 ; iv. 326-7
Cynbryd, S., ii. 228-9
Cyndaf, S., ii. 229-30
Cyndaf, ii. 208 ; iv. 382
452
Indi
ex
Cynddylig, S., ii. 230
Cyndeym, Kentigern, S., i. 5-6, 178-
85 ; ii. 231-40, 305 ; iii, 150 ; iv. 15,
114-6, 369, 371, 373, 384-6
(Maelgwn's grants)
Cyndeyrn ab Cyngar, S., ii. 240-1
Cyndrwyn, iii. 255, 381
Cynfab, S., ii. 241
Cynfall, S., ii. 241
Cynfarch, S., ii. 242 ; iv. 383-4
Cynfarch, S., of Chepstow, ii. 242
Cynfarch ab Meirchion, S., ii. 146,
241-2, 252
Cynfarwy, S., ii. 243 ; iv. 383
Cynfelyn ab Bleiddud, S., ii. 243-4 ;
iii. 388 ; iv. 369, 371
Cynfelyn Drwsgl, S., ii. 244
Cynfor, Cynfwr, S., ii. 154, 244-5
Cynfran, S., ii. 229, 246
Cynfyw, S., ii. 67, 247 ; iv. 370
Cyngan Foel, S., ii. 247
Cyngar ab Caw, S., ii. 247-8
Cyngar ab Garthog, S., ii. 248
Cyngar ab Geraint, S., ii. 144, 146, 205,
248-53 ; iv. 154. 380-1, 383
Cyngen, Prince of Powys, ii. 254 ; iv.
208, 267
Cyngreawdr, iv. 268
Cynhafal, S., ii. 254-6 ; iv. 386-7
(CywydA)
Cynhaiarn, S., ii. 256 ; iv. 370, 372
Cynheiddon, S., da. Brychan, ii. 256-7
Cynheiddon ab Ynyr, S., ii. 257
Cynidr, S., ii. 258-61, 417-8, 456
Cynin, S., ii. 49, 261-2
Cynllo, S., ii. 263-4 I iv. 44
Cynog, S., i. 305, 317 ; ii. 68, 170,
264-71
Cynog, Bp., ii. 271-2
Cynon, S,, of Armorica, ii. i, 272-3 ;
iv. 44, 370-1
Cynon, S., of Manaw, ii. 273
Cynon, of Mawddwy, iv. 217
Cynor, S., v. Cynfor
Cynwal, -an, S., ii. 273-4
Cynwr, S., v. Cynfor
Cynwyd, S., ii. 274-5
Cyuwyl, S., ii. 275-7 ; iv. 442
Cynwyl Elfed, ii. 276 ; — Gaio, ii. 19,
276 ; iii. 225-7
Cynydyn, S., ii. 277 ; iv. 49
Cynyr, of Caer Gawch, ii. 245, 277, 289,
306-7 ; iv. 364
Cynyr, ii. loi ; iii. 225-6
Cynyw, S., v. Cynfyw
Cyr, S., ii. 199
Cyriacus, S., ii. 193-200 ; iii. 335-6
Cystennin Gorneu, S., i. 36, 94 ; ii.
171, 177-80
Cywair, S., ii. 278
Cywyllog, S., ii. 51, 279
Dagan, S., ii. 48, 279-85
Dalis, iii. 218
Dalldaf, ii. 261
Danadlwen, i. 194
Daniel, S., v. Deiniol
Dannwc, S., iv. 211
Darerca, S., iii. 490, 492—3
Darowen, iv. 261, 269-70
David, S., ii. 285-322 — Lives,
285-7 ; birth, 291 ; the name
Dewi, 292, 316 ; founds monas-
teries, 294-5 ; Boia, 297-8 ; Synod
of Brefi, 300-2 ; goes to Brittany,
303-4 ; date of death, 305-6 ;
festival, 308-10 ; shrine, 314-5 ;
dedications 316-22
i. 3, 6, 325 ; ii. 109 ; iii. 22, 32—3,
200, 339-42, 351-2, 405, 410 ; iv.
22-4, 32, 41, 47, 72, 113, 159, 172,
186-7, 228-9, 369, 371
David's, S., city and see, ii. 286—7, 302 ;
iv. 226, 230
Dawe, S., ii. 253
Day, S., ii. 322-3
decollations, iii. 189-91
Decuman, S., ii. 323-4 ; iv. 216
Dedyw, S., ii. 155, 325 ; iv. 2
Degan, S., v. Dagan
Deganwy Castle, i. 286
Degwy, S., v. Tegwyn
Degyman, S,, v. Decuman
Deifer, S., v. Diheufyr
Deiniol, S., ii. 325- 32 ; iii. 149-50, 438,
498 ; iv. 177, 264, 369, 371, 383,
385, 387-90 (Legenda), 390-2
(trans, of same), 393 [Cywydd)
Deiniol the Younger, S., Deiniol-en
-fab, ii. 332 ; iv. 374
Deirdre, iv. 198
Deleau, S., iv. 227
Delw Fyw, i. 11 2-4
Deneio, Denio, i. 218 ; iv. 268
Denis, S., iii. 321
Denw, ii. 232-4
Deorham, battle of, iv. 33, 236
Derfel, S., ii. 333-6 ; iv. 437
Derien and Neventer, SS., ii. 336-8
Deroch, i. 262-3 ; iv. 272
Indi
ex
453
Deruvianus, S., v. Dyfan
Derval's, S., ii. 336
Dervela, iii. 418, 430
Derwe, S., ii. 338-9
Dethgen, S., iii. 385
Deuce, iii. 445
Devereux, S., ii. 380
Devynock, ii. 265, 268-9, 395. 398
Dewchurcli, iii. 156
Dewi, S., V. David
Dewisland, ii. 289
Dewsall, ii. 318
Dewstow, ii. 317
dharna, i. 18
Dial's, S., ii. 336 ; iv. 287
Diarmid, K., i. 255—7
Dicta Cafonis, ii. 41
Dier, S., v. Diheufyx
DigaiQ, S., ii. 177, 340
Diheufyr, Deifer, S., ii. 340-2 ; iv.
127-8, 370, 408-9
Dihewyd, iii. 217—8
Dihoc, ii. 107-8, no
Dilwar, S., ii. 342-3
Dina, ii. 269—70
Dinam, iii. 377
Dinan, iii. 268
Diaas, i. 324
Dinas Emrys, iii. 74
Dinas Ffaraon, iv. 37
Dindraethwy, ii. 12, 81 ^
Dindyrn, iv. 252
Dineirth, Dinerth, iv. 263
Dingad ab Brychan, S., ii. 343
DiQgad ab Nudd Hael, S., ii. 344 ; iii.
369-70 ; iv. 369, 371, 383, 426
Dingerein, Dingereint, iii. 49-50 ; iv.
235
Dingestow, ii. 343-4
Dinmael, ii. 192 ; iii. 400
Dinmorfael, iii. 504
Dioceses, none in early Welsh Church,
iv. 231—2
Dirdan, S., i. 194 ; ii. 344-S ; iv. 437-8
Dirinig, S., ii. 345
Dirinon, ii. 320 ; iv. 23—4
Dirmyg, ii. 345
Disserth, ii. 116-7 ; v. Dyserth
Disticha Catonis, ii. 41
Dixton, iv. 288
Dochau, S., V. Cyngar ab Geraint
Dochdwy, S., ii. 251, 34S-6 ; iv. 44,
370-1
Dochfael, S., iv. 371
Docho, monastery of, iv. 135, 152
Docunni, ii. 249
Docwin, S., V. Cyngar ab Geraint
Doewan, S., ii. 346-7
Doged, S., ii. 347-9 ; iv. 393-5 (Owdl)
Dogfael, Dogwel, S., ii. 349-51 ; iv.
223-4, 283, 369, 371
Dogfan, S., v. Doewan
Dogfeiling, ii. 192
Dogwel, S., V. Dogfael
Dol, City and See of i. 6 ; iii. 312, 408,
416, 485 ; iv. 47, 135-9, 161-2, 169
Dolarddun, i. 168
Dolgan and Dolgar, SS., ii. 351
Dolgynfelyn, ii. 243
Dolhywel, ii. 317
dolmens, i. 21
Dolwyddelan, iii. 218
Domesday, i i. 187
Dominica, S., ii. 351—2
Domnech, S., ii. 353
Domnoc, Modomnoc, S., ii. 300, 353-4,
398
Domnonia, princes of, i. 51
Dona, S., i. 212 ; ii. 354-6 ; iv. 373
Donats, S., ii. 386—7 ; iii. 199
Donatus, S., ii. 382
Donwenna, S., ii. 388
dragons, i. 7-8 ; ii. 45, 81 ; iv. 83-4,
158
Drayton's Polyolhion, i. 316
c3jDredenau, SS„ ii. 356-9; iv. 13
Dremrudd, the epithet, i. 52 ; iv. 108
Drichan, i. 304-5
Druids, i. 12, 15
Drustic, iii. 14—5
Dubhtach, Duach, Bp., iv. 259
Dubhtach, poet, i. 271 ; ii. 4—5
Dubhtach, father of IBrigid, i. 268-71,
275
Dubricius, S., ii. 13, 39, 359-82 ; iii.
307-8 ; iv. 141, 147-8, 151, 228,
230-2, 307-8
Dunawd, S., ii. 275, 382-6 ; iv. 369,
371
Dunawd, father of Ursula, ii. no ; iv.
326
Dunawd, da. Boia, ii. 297—9
Dunlang, i. 270, 275
Dunodig, ii. 192
Dun Tredui, ii. 12
Dunwyd, S., ii. 386—7
Durdan, S., v. Dirdan
Dutelich, iii. 238
Duvianus, S., ii. 394
Dwna, S., v. Dona
454
Index
Dwyfael, S., ii. 387
Dwygyfylchi, i. 224 ; iii. 232-3
Dwyn, Dwynwen, S., ii. 387—92 ; iv.
117. 395^6 {Cywydd)
Dwywai, S., ii. 392-3, 394 ; iv. 369,
371
Dwywan, ii. 394
Dwywg, S., ii. 393 ; iv. 288
Dyddgen and Dyddgu, SS., ii. 393 ;
iii. 385
Dyfaenog, S., iv. 289
Dyfan, S., ii. 394-5 ; iii. 9-10, 361-2 ;
iv. 288
Dyfanog, S., ii. 395-6 ; iii. 341 ; v.
Tyfanog
Dyfnan, S., ii. 396
Dyfnig, S., ii. 396 ; iv. 347
Dyfnog, S., ii. 265, 397-8 ; iv. 372,
396-7 {Cywydd)
Dyfnwal Hen, S., ii. 398
Dyfodwg, S., iv. 291
Dyfrig, S., v. Dubricius
Dyfrig ab Brychan, i. 311
Dyfrwyr, SS., ii. 398-405 ; iv. 237
Dygwy, S., V. Tegwyn
Dyserth, i. 283 ; ii. 202
Easter, i. 28-9 ; ii. 431-2 ; iii. 177-8
Eborius, Bp., iii. 298
Echni, Flat Holm, i. 195 ; ii. 14, 30-1 ;
iii. 32, no, 126, 163 ; iv. 33, 253
Edeirnion, ii. 192 ; iii. 503
Edelig, ii. 205 ; iv. 380
Edeltruda, S., ii. 405
Edelygion, ii. 205 ; iii. 235
Edern, S., ii. 405-7 ; iv. 369, 371, 383
Edeym, S., ii. 405, 407-10 ; iii. i ;
iv. 373
Edi, S., ii. 410-1
Edith, S., ii. 410
Ednyfed, S., ii. 411
Elnyfed Fychan, iii. 216
Edren, S., ii. 411-2; iv. 442
education, i. 10-2, 198
Edwen, S., ii. 412-4
Edwin, K., ii. 43, 412-3
Efrddyl, S., ii. 363, 414-5
Egloskerry, ii. 196 ; iv. loi
Ejlwys Ael, ii. 45
Eglwys Brewis, i. 207
Eglwys Cymmun, v. Eglwys Gymmun
Eglwys Each, i. 190-1 ; ii. 413
Eglwys Fair a Churig, ii. 198
Eglwys Gain, ii. 53
Eglwys Gunniau (Guiniau), iv. 227
Eglwys Gymmun, u. 47-9. 262
Eglwys lail, ii. 258
Eglwys Ilan, iii. 359
Eglwys Nynyd, iv. 22
Eglwys Rhos, ii. 429
Eglwys Wen, Denb., iii. 437
Eglwys Wrw, ii. 190 ; iii. 215
Eglwys Wythwr, iii. 251
Eglwys y Bedd, i. 216 ; ii. 47 ; iv. 196
Egreas, S., v. Eugrad
Egryn, S., ii. 415
Egwad, S., ii. 4I5~6
Egwen, S., ii. 258, 417
Eiddog, S., ii. 467-8
Eiddyn, ii. 152
Eigen, S., ii. 416-7
Eigion, S., ii. 258, 417-8
Eigrad, S., v. Eugrad
Eigron, S., ii. 418
Eilian, S., v. Elian
Eiliwedd, S., ii. 418-22; iv. 442
Einion Frenin, S., ii. 4, 9, 422-4 ; iV.
177. 369, 371
Einion ab Gwalchmai, iii. 216
Eiry mynyd, iv. 302
Eisteddfa Badrig, ii. 288 ; iv. 61 ;
— Gadfan, ii. 6 ; — Granog, ii.
89 ; — Gurig, ii. 193 ; iv. 379 ;
Redyw, iii. 148
Eithir, iv. 43
Eithras, Ethrias, S., ii. 424-5 ; iv.
370. 372
Elaeth, S., ii. 425—6 ; iv. 372
Elbod, S., V. Elfod
Eldad, S., ii. 426-8
Eldruda, i. 289-90, 294—5
Elebouban, S., iii. 137—8
Elen (Luyddog), S., v. Helen
Eleri, S., ii. 428-30 ; iii. 189-90, 249,
299; iv. 250, 369, 371, 409-14
Eleri = Meleri, S., iii. 466
Elern, Elernion, i. no
Eleuther, ii. 446
Eleutherius, Pope, iii. 352-7, 360
Eleven Thousand VV., iv. 312-47
Elfan, S., ii. 430-1 ; iii. 361-2
Elffin, S., V. Elphin
Elfod, S., ii. 431-3
Elfyw, S., V, Ailbe
Elgar, S., ii. 76, 331, 433-5 ; iii. 149
Elgud, S., ii, 435
Elgyfarch, S., v. Aelgyfarch
Elhaiarn, S., v. Aelhaiarn
Elian, S., ii. 47, 69, 71, 204, 435-44 :
V. 372
Index
455
Elicguid, S., ii. 444
Elidan, S., ii. 194, 196, 198, 444-5
Elidon, iii. 365
Elidyr, S., ii. 445-6
Elifer, S., ii. 446
Eliseg, Pillar of, ii. 254 ; iii. 75
Eliud, S., iii. 200 ; iv. 227 ; v. Teilo
Elizabeth of Schonau, iv. 341-2
Elldeym, S., ii. 446-7 ; iii. 288
Elli, S., ii. 32-4, 36, 447-9
Ellyw, S., ii. 448
Elnog, S., ii. 433
Eloan, S., ii. 449-50 ; iii. 267-8
Elphin, S., ii. 450-1 ; iii. 508
Elwad, S., ii. 432-3
Elwedd, S., ii. 419
Elwyn, S., v. Eloan
Elyw, S., ii. 448
Emly, i. 135
Emrys Wledig, i. 148-50
Emyr Llydaw, S., i. 36-7, 96-7, 154 ;
ii. 2, 451-2
Enchiridion, Cadoc's, ii. 30
Enclydwyn, S., iv. 266
Enda, S., ii. 204, 206-7, 210 ; iii. 375 ;
iv. 380-1
Enddwyn, S., ii. 452
Endelienta, S., ii. 452-5
Endelion, S., ii. 453-5
Eneas Lydewig, ii. i
Eneour, S., iv. 364-6
Enfail, S., i. 312 ; ii. 455 ; iv- 286
Engan, ii. 423-4
Enghenedl, S., ii. 455-6
Enlli, Ynys, v. Bardsey
Enoch's, S., ii. 232 ; iv. 250
Enoch, deacon, iv. 131-2, 144
Enoder, S., ii. 456
Enodoc, S., V. Gwethenoc
Ensic, iv. 348
Envel, S., ii. 456-8
epilepsy, iv. 220
Erbin, S., ii. 177, 458-9! iv. 370,
372
Erbistock, ii. 458
Ere, Erth, S., ii. 459-^3
Erfyl, S., ii. 4^3-4
Eric of Edersceol, . i. 33
Ermyn's Hill, S., i. 173
Ernin, S., ii. 464-S
Eruen, S., v. Cinfic
Esgyn Gaenog, ii. 49
Ethbin, S., ii. 466-7; iii- 292
Ethelfrid, iv. 298-9
Ethelwin, ii. 431
Ethni Wyddeles, ii. 157 ; iii. 463 ; iv.
375
Ethrias, S., v. Eithras
Eudaf, i. 89, 90, 94 ; iii. 256
Euddog, S., ii. 467-8
Euddogwy, S., iv. 29
Eugrad, S., ii. 51, 468-9 ; iv. 90-1
Eunius, S., iii. 245—6
Euny, S., ii. 470-4
Eurbrawst, i. 311-2, 315
Eurdeyrn, S., v. Edeyrn
Eurfyl, ii. 464 "^
Eurgain, S., ii. 474 ; iv. 372, 442
Eurgen, S., v. Eigen
Eurnach, i. 327 ; iv. 196
Euronwy, iii. 150
Euryn, S., i. 158 ; ii. 475
Eutigern, ii. 407, 410
Eval, S., iv. 306-7
Ewe, S., ii. 475-6
Ewen, S., iii. 265
Ewenny Priory, iii. 311
Ewryd, S., ii. 477
excommunication, iv. 34-5
Fagan, S., v. Ffagan
fair days, Welsh, i. 65-6
Faith, S., iii. 20 ; iv, 290
fakirs, i. 19-21
fasting against, i. 17-21, 256, 34E-2;
ii. 25, 207
Faustinus, S., ii. 181
Faustus, S., ii. 407-9; iii. 1-3, 73;
iv. 117-8
Febric, S., iii. 3-4
Felis, i. 311
Fenni, Y, ii. 35-6
Feock, S., iii. 4-9, 451 ; iv. 349
Fergus, iii. 150
Ffabiali, S., v. Pabai
Ffagan, S., iii. 9-10, 361-2
Fferws, R., iii. 4, 150
Ffili, S., ii. H2 ; iii. 1 1-3
Ffinan, S., iii. 13-9, 37 ; iv- 15
Fflewyn, S., iii. 19-20, 149
Ffos Gyrig, ii. 199
Ffraid. S., i. 266, 283-8 ; ii. 202, 246 ;
V. Brigid
Ffrymden, iv. 3
Ffwyst, S., iii. 20
Ffynnon, v. Wells, Holy
Fiacc, S., V. Feock
Fidalis, S., i. 68
Fidelis, S., iii. 218, 387 ; iv. 235-6
file, i. 15
456
Index
Finbar. S,, iii. 20-4 ; iv. 442
Findchua, S., i. 13-5, 21
Fingar, S., iii. 24-30
Finnbar, S., iii. 14
Finnian, S., of Clonard, ii. 18, 21-2,
295 ; iii- 30-7, 123-4, 230, 242-3
Finnian, S., of Moville, iii. 13-9
Fintan, S., v. Crubthir Fintan
Five Saints of Pumpsaint, iii. 225-7 ;
V. Pumpsaint
Flemings, ii. 76-7
fliuellen, iii. 210, 389
Forest, Friar, ii. 334
Four Saints of Llangwm, ii. 139
Foy, iv. 290
Fracan, S., iii. 37-42, 168-9 ; iv. 354
Frigidian, S., iii. 15, 18-9
Fuller's Worthies, i. 310 ; ii. 5 ; iii.
189
Fursey, S., i. 252 ; iii, 145-7
Gafran, S., iii. 42-3
Gallgo, S., V. AUeccus
Gallt Melyd, iii. 474
Gallt yr Ancr, iii. 219
Gannerew, iv. 361
Garai, S., iii. 43
Garmon, S., v. Germanus
Garmon ab Goronwy, S., iii. 63
Garn Llwyd, ii. 17, 371
Garthbeibio, iv. 217, 284-5
Garth Benni, iii. 154
Gartlieli, iii. 206
Garthmadryn, Garth Mathrin, i. 308 ;
ii. 105
Garway, iii. 155
Garwed, ii. 91
Gastayn, Gasty, S., ii. 264 ; iii. 44
Gelert, ii. 103
Gelligaer, ii. 38
Gelli Gawrdaf, ii. 95-6
Gelliwig, i. 30, 197 ; ii. 203 ; iv. 46,
159
Genealogies of Welsh Saints, i. 86-98
Genoc, S., iii. 242—3
Genys, S., iii. 44-6
Geoffrey of Monmouth, iv. 226
George, S., ii. 246
George-super-Ely, S., iv. 308
Geraint, S., ii. 203 ; iii. 46-52
Gerascen, iii. 50
Gereinwg, iii. 48
Gerennius, K., iii. 49 ; iv. 233, 235
Germanus, S., of Auxerre, i. 142 ; iii.
52-60 ; iv. 55-6, 62-8, 71, 206
Germanus, S., Bp. of Man, i. 291-3, 301,
315 ; ii. 2, 13, 255-6 ; iii. 57, 59,
60-79, 304-6. 308, 314 ; iv- 17-^,
68, 70, 372
Germanus (Germoe) mac Guill, S., iii.
80-1
Gerontius, iii. 46-7
Gerrans, S., iii. 50
Gerwyn, S., i. 207-8
Gildas, S., iii. 81-130 — Lives, 81-2 ;
date of birth, 82-102 ; dates of
life, 102, 125-6 ; at Llantwit,
104-6 ; at Menevia and Llancar-
fan, 109-11 ; in Brittany, writes
De Excidio, 112-22 ; in Ireland,
123-4 : death, 124-5 ; his Lorica,
128-9
i. 26, 120, 338-40 ; ii. 21-3,
2901, 295; iii. 11-2, 309; iv.
33-4
Gildas-Aneurin, S., i. 158-60 ; iii. 82
Giles, Silin, S., iv. 203-6, 305
Gileston, iii. 391 ; iv. 206
Giraldus Cambrensis, i. i ; iii, 187
Gistlianus, S., v. Gwestlan
Gladesbury, ii. 317
Glannog ab Helig, iii. 261-2 ; iv. 178.
Glasbury, ii. 258
Glasgow, name and arms, ii. 232, 239
Glasgwm, ii. 294, 317
Glassog, S., iii. 130— i
Glastonbury, i. 204-6 ; ii. 294, 314 ;
iv- 377 ; — Tor, ii. 158, 160
Glastonbury of the Gael, iv. 58—9, 69
Gloiu, iii. 158-9
Gluvias, S., iii. 131
Glyn Achlach, ii. 202
Glyn Rhosyn, v. Vallis Rosina
Glywys Cernyw, S., iii. 131-2, 221
Glywysing, iii. 132
Gnawan, S., ii. 18 ; iii. 132-3
Gobannium, iii. 143
Gobhan, S., v. Govan
Goddeu, iii. 216
Godebog, ii. 156
Gododin, the, i. 159-60
Gofor, S., iii. 133, 507
Gogarth, iv. 268
Goleu, S., iii. 133-4
Goleuddydd, ii. 348 ; iii. 134
Gomond, S., iii. 134
Gonant, S., iii. 134
Gonery, S., iii. 134-8
Gorfyw, S., iii. 206 %
Gorsedd Prayer, the, iv. 207
Inde,
'X
457
Gorslas, iii. 381 ; iv. 282
Gorwenydd, iii. 208, 235
Gothian, S., iii. 140, 249, 251
Goueznou, S., v. Gwyddno
Goulven, S., iii, 138-43
Govan, S., ii. 202 ; iii. 143-7
Grace, S., iv. 107
Gradifael, S., v. Gredifael
Grail, Holy, iii. 314—5
Grallo, K., ii. 182-3 ; iv. 29-30, 122
Grandisson, Bp., i. 5, 77-8
Grawec, i. 155 ; iv. 137-8, 440 ; v.
Broweroc
Gredfjrw, S., iii. 147-8
Gredifael, S., iii. 19, 148-9
Greit, S., ii. 434 ; iii. 149-50
Gresholm, iii. 163
Grimbul, Islands of, ii. 447 j
Grim's Dyke, iii. 92-4
Grwst, S., iii. 150 ; iv. 264, 369, 371,
385
Gualehes, S., i. 195 ; ii. 30 ; iii. 163
Gudwal, S., iii. 150-4, 162
Guean, iv. 40, 43
Guelf family, the, ii. 404 ; iv. 169, 237
Guened, iv. 46
Guenole, S., v. Winwaloe
Guenessi, iii. 73-4
Guerir, S., iv. 7-8
Guerith Carantauc, ii. 79-81
Guernabui, S., iii. 154
Guiharan, iii. 275—6, 279-80
Guilsfield, i. no
Guiniau, Gunniau, S., iv. 154
Guinnius, S., iii. 155, 247 ; iv. 41, 45,
47. 352
Guipper, S., iv. 41, 45
Guistlianus, S., v. Gwestlan
Guitelinus, ii. 217
Gulval, iii. 153 ; iv. 362-3
Gundleus, S., v. Gwynll3rw
Gunguarui, S., iv. 361
Gunthiern, S., iii. 160
Gunuinus, S., iii. 155
Gunwalloe, iv. 361
Guorboe, S., iii. 155
Guordocui, S., iii. 156
Guorvan, S., iii. 156-7
Gurguare, iii. 154
Gurhaual, S., iii. 157
Gurmaet, S., iii. 157, 387 ; iv. 235
Guron, S., iii. 157-8 ; iv. 98
Gurthiern, S., iii. 158-60 ; iv. 16-7
Guruid, S., iii. 160
Gurvan, Si, ii. 154 ; iii. 160-1
Gurwal, S., iii. 151, 161-2
Guyer, Guier, S., iii. 162
Gwainerth, S., iii. 162-3
Gwaithfoed, ii. 91
gwalady, i. 228
Gwalehes, S., v. Gualehes
Gwaredog, iv. 52
Gwarthan, S., iii. 163-4
Gwarw, S., iii. 164 ; v. Winwaloe
gwa3, iii. 295-6 ; — Padrig, iv. 71:
— Teilo, iv. 232
Gwawl, iii. 165, 235
Gwawr, S., ii, 278 ; iii. 164-5
Gwawrddydd, S,, iii. 165, 183
Gwddyn, S,, v. Gwyddyn
Gweirydd, S,, iii, 165-6
gwelygordd, i. 317
Gwen, S,, of Cornwall, iii, 166-7
Gwen, S,, of Talgarth, iii, 168
Gwen Teirbron, S., ii, 8 ; iii. 37-9,
168-71, 332 ; iv. 354-5, 370-1
Gwenabwy, S,, iii, 171— 2 ; iv, 350
Gwenael, S,, iii. 172-81 ; iv. 359
Gwenan, S., iii. 182
Gwenassedd, Gwenaseth, S., i. 178 ;
iii. 182 ; iv, 369, 371
Gwenddoleu, ii, 237—8 ; iii. 183
Gwenddwr, ii, 380
Gwenddydd, S., iii, 165, 183-4
Gwendoline, S., iii, 168, 242
Gwenfael, S., iii, 184
Gwenfaen, S,, iii, 184-5
Gwenffrwd, iii, 190
Gwenfrewi, Winefred, S., ii. 341,
428-30 ; iii. 185-96 ; iv. 127-8,
193, 250. 374. 397-423 {Buchedd)
Gwenfrewi, S., da. Brychan, iii. 196
Gwenfron, S., iii. 196 ; iv. 351
Gwenfyl, S., i. 315 ; ii. 67, 464 ; iii.
184, 197
Gwengustle, S., iv. 17-9
Gwenhwyfar, ii. 406 ; iii. in
Gwenlliw, S., Iii. 197
Gwenllwyfo, S., iii. 197-8, 385
Gwenlo, i. 212 ; iii. 188
Gwennole, S., v. Winwaloe
Gweno, iii. 227
Gwenog, S., iii. 198
Gwenonwy, S., iii. 198-9
Gwenrhiw, S., i. 315 ; iii. 199
Gwerddonau Llion, iii. 43
Gwerfyl, ii. 464
Gwernabwy, iii. 154
Gwerydd, S., ii. 386 ; iii. 199
Gwespyr, i. 219
458
Indt
ex
Gwestlan, S., ii. 295-6 ; iii. 200
Gwethenoc, S., ii. 8 ; iii. 200-2, 222,
224, 332-4 ; iv. 351
Gweynowr, S., iv. 366
Gwgon Gwron, ii. 98
Gwidol, iii. 218
Gwinear, iii. 27—8, 30
Gwithian, S., iv. 159-60
Gwladys, S., ii. 15 ; iii. 202-4, 236-40;
iv. 442-3
Gwladys Rufiydd, ii. 149
gwledig, ii. 192
Gwnen, S., v. Gw^men
Gwnws, S., V. Gwynws
Gwodloyw, S., y. Gwyddloyw
Gwrai, S., v. Gwrliai
Gwrci, S., iii. 208
Gwrdaf, S., iii. 205
Gwrddelw, S., iii. 205-6
Gwrddogwy, S., v. Guordocui
Gwredog, i. 213, 219 ; ii. 216
Gwrfaed, S., v. Gurmaet
Gwrfan, S., v. Guorvan
Gwrfwy, S., V. Guorboe
Gwrfyw, iii. 206
Gwrgeneu, S., iii. 231
Gwrgi, S., iii. 207 ; iv. 91
Gwrgon, S., v. Gwrygon Goddeu
Gwrhai, S., iii. 43, 207-8, 377 ; iv.
372. 430
Gwrhir, S., iii. 208
Gwrin, S., ii. 396 ; iii. 208-9 ; iv. 347
Gwrin Farfdrwcli, i. 194 ; iii. 437
Gwrmael, S., ii. lo-i ; iii. 209
Gwrnach, i. 327
Gwrnerth, S., iii. 209-10, 388-9 ; iv.
302, 370, 372
Gwron, iii. 158
Gwrthefyr, S., iii. 210-4
Gwrtheli, S., v. Gwrddelw
Gwrtheyrn, i. 98 ; iii. 63, 72-5, 77, 158,
160
Gwrtheyrnion, iii. 72, 74
Gwrthmwl, iii. 214
Gwrthwl, S., iii. 214
Gwrtyd, S., iv. 267
Gwrw, S., iii. 215
Gwrwst, S., V. Grwst
Gwryd, S., iii. 215-6
Gwrygon Goddeu, S., ii. 42 ; iii. 216-7
Gwyar, S., iii. 217
Gwyar, da. Amlawdd Wledig, ii. 249
Gwyddaint, i. 213 ; iv. 280
Gwyddalus, S., iii. 217-8
Gwyddelan, S., iii. 218-9, S^o
Gwyddelwern, i. 211-2 ; iii. 379; iv.
440
Gwyddfa Catwg, ii. 38
Gwyddfarch, S., ii. 211 ; iii. 219-20;
iv. 297-8, 302-3, 370, 372
Gwyddfardd Cyfarwydd, ii. 41
Gwyddlew, S., ii. 72 ; iii. 221
Gwyddloyw, S., iii. 221—2
Gwyddneu and Gwyddrud, ii. 312
Gwyddno (Goueznou), S., iii. 202,
222-4
Gwyddyn, S., ii. 411 ; iii. 224-5
Gwyl Mabsant, i. 65
Gwyn, S., iii. 225-8
Gwyn ab Nudd, ii. 158-9 ; iii. 228 ;
iv. 377
Gwynan, S., i. 315 ; iii. 230-1
Gwynasedd, iii. 182
Gwyndaf Hen, S., iii. 228-9, 47S-80 ;
iv. 424 (his " Sayings ")
Gwyndeg, S., iii. 229
Gwyndy Teilo, iv. 239
Gwynell, S., iii. 229-30
Gwynen, S., iii. 230-1, 368
Gwynfyl, S., iii. 197
Gwyngeneu, S., iii. 231
Gwynhoedl, S., iii. 231-2 ; iv. 370, 372
gwyniad, iii. 310
Gwynin, S., iii. 23Z-3 ; iv. 370
Gwynio, S., iii. 233
Gwynlleu, S., iii. 234 ; iv. 369, 371
Gwynllyw, S., i. 6 ; ii. 15, 21, 371 ;
iii. 202-4, 234-41 ; iv. 370, 372
Gwynllywg, iii. 235
Gwyno, S., iii. 164, 225—7, 241— 2
Gwynog, S., ii. 56; iii. 116, 172, 241,
242-7, 393 ; iv. 21, 372
Gwynoro, S., iii. 134, 225-7
Gwynws, S., i. 315 ; iii. 44, 46, 247
Gwyrfarn, S., iii. 248
Gwythelin, S., ii. 217 ; iii. 248
Gwytherin, S., iii. 248-9
Gwytherin, iii. 189-90, 192-3, 249 ;
iv. 193, 250, 409
Gwythian, S., iii. 249-51
Gwythyr, S., iii. 251
Gyffylliog, ii. 279
Gynaid. S., iii. 251 ; iv. 428
Hajarme, iv. 299-301, 303
Harmon's, S., ii. 195
Haroldston S. Issel's, iii. 324 ; iv. 349
Haroldston West, iii. 395
Hartland, iv. i
Hawarden, ii. 329-30 ; iii. 189
Inde.
'X
459
Hawystl, S., i. 176 ; iii. 252
Heilin, S., iii. 252-3
Helan, S., iii. 253—4
Heledd, S., iii. 254—5
Helen, Elen Luyddog, S., ii. 156 ; iii.
255-60 ; iv. 373
Helena. S., ui. 255-6, 258
Heli, Campus, iv. 41, 44
Helicguid, S., v. Elicguid
Helie, Helye, S., v. Heilin
HeUg ab Glannog, S., iii. 260-2 ; iv.
178, 370
Helios, iv. 98
Hendy Gwyn, iv. 74
Heneglwys, ii. 180-1 ; iv. 384
Henfjmyw, ii. 316 ; iv. 22
Hengest, iii. 210-2
Hengroen, ii. 276
Henisweryn, ii. 108, iio-i
Henllan, Card., ii. 316
HenUan, Denb., ii. 341 ; iv. 127-8,
409
Henllan, Hentland, Heref., ii. 365-6,
380
Henllan Amgoed, ii. 316
Henllwyn, Yr, ii. 292
Henry's Mote, i. 324
Henwg, S., iii. 262-3
Henwyu, S., iii. 263-5 J iv. 44-5, 370-r,
426, 428
Herbauld, Herbot, S., iii. 265-7
Hereford, see of, its claims, iv. 226
Hemin, S., ii. 465
6 ^' Herve, S., iii. 270-81
hesgyn, iii. 134
Hestia, i. 266
Hetinlau, S., ii. 2
hexameters of John, son of Bp. Sulien,
iv. 48
Heyope, ii. 317
Hia, S., ii. 338-9 ; iii. 26-7, 267-9
Higden, iii. 189
Hilarius, Hilarus, ii. 428
Hilary, S., ii. 203-4, 43^-7, 440,
443-4, 458 ; iii. 298-9 ; iv. 379-80
Hilda, S., ii. 53
Himant, iii. 302
Hoarve, S., iii. 270, 273
Hoarvian, iii. 272—5
Hodnant, ii. 310 ; iii. 307-8, 316
Hoedloyw, S., iii. 269-70
Hoergnoue, S., ii . 270
Hoembiu, Huerve, S., ii'. 270-81
Hogalen Tudno Tudglud, iv. 269
Hoiemin, S., iii. 281-2
Holywell, iii. 187-8, 192-4
Honorinus, iv. 440
Honorius, iii. 339-41
Hoolf, Count, iv. 320—2, 338
Hope, ii. 242, 252
Horsa, ui. 210—3
Horsel, iv. 339
Huail, S., iii. 104, 106, 172, 283-s
Huallu, iv. no
Hubberston, ii. 316
Huerve, S., iii. 270-81
Hunydd, S., iii. 285
Huui, S., iii. 286
Hy Baird, iii. 64-6
Hy Bairrche, i. 32—3
Hy Cinnselach, i. 32
Hy Connla, i. 33—4
Hychan, S., iii. 286 ; iv. 286
Hydroc, S., iii. 286-8
Hydwn Dwn, iv. 227
Hygarfael, i. no
Hyldren, S., iii. 288
Hjnvel, S., iii. 288-9
Hywgi, S., V. Bugi
H3rvvyn, S., v. Henwyn
Ibar, S., i. 274-5
Ida, S., V. Itha
Idan, S., iv. 16
Iddew, S., iii. 289-90
Iddon, S., iii. 290 ; iv. 218, 230,.
236
Idloes, S., iii. 291, 458
Idnerth, iv. 49
Idunet, S., iii. 291-3
lestyn, S., iii. 293-5 ) iv. 39, 370
leuan Gwas Padrig, S., i. 116 ; 295-8 ;
iv. 425-6 {Buchedd).
Ifor, S., iii. 298
Ilan, S., iii. 298-9
liar, S., ii. 443 ; iii. 299-300
Hid, S., iii. 300-1
Hid, S., Joseph of Arimathaea, ii. 229,.
416 ; iii. 300—1
Hid, S., Julitta, ii. 198-9 ; iii. 300
lUid, S., iii. 301
Illog, S., ii. 185 ; iii. 301-2
Illogan, S., iii. 302-3
lUtyd, S., ii. 12-4, 24, 371-2 ; iii.
303-17, 401 ; iv. 61, 76-7, 130,
134-6, 141-2, 151, 164, 266
Ilston, ii. 274 ; iii. 315
Ilud, S., ii. 199, 419 ; iii. 300-1, 335
Imram, i. 239
Ina, S., iii. 318
460
Index
Increpatio of Gildas, date of, iii. 98,
129-30
incubation, iv. 220-2
Indract, S., ii. 352 ; iii. 318-20
Insula Glannauc, iv. 178
Insula Sanctorum, ii. 4
interdict, by Oudoceus, iv. 34
Invention of the Cross, iii. 256
loUan, K., i. 275—6, 279
lolo and lolo MSS., i. igS, 222 ; iv.
61, 280
lorwerth Hirflawdd, i. 167 ; ii. 49 ;
iv. 223
lorwerthion, Powys, i. 367
louguil, louhil, S., iii. 387
'iTTTTO/xaxoj, ii. 10
Ireland, Saints of, in Cornwall, i. 30-4 ;
pedigree of early Kings of, i. 99 ;
early Christianity in, i. 119-20;
Three Orders of Saints of, i. 120 ;
supposed pre-Patrician Bishops in,
i. 131
Isan, S., iii. 320—1, 324
Isanus, Ab., iii. 313—4, 321
Iserninus, iv. 64
Ishmael's, S., iii. 321
Isho, Issui, S., iii. 321-3
Ismael, S., iii. 323-4 ; iv. 28, 235-6,
349
Issel, $., V. Usyllt
Issell's, S., ii. 76 ; iii. 324 ; iv. 348
Issey, S., iii. 322, 325, 331
Issui, S., V. Isho
Itha, Ita, S., i. 248-9, 257-8 ; iii.
324-31 ; iv. 198. 443
Ithel, S., iii. 254
Itton, ii. 330
lustic, iv. 348
Ive, S., of S. Ive's Bay, v. Hia
Jacobus, son of Brocbwel, iv. 299
jaculum Constantini , iii. 154
James, Jacut, S., iii. 332—3
Jaoua, S., iii. 333-S ; iv. 83
Jarmen, S., i. 174
Jerusalem, pilgrimages to, ii. 303 ; iv.
41-2, 45, 229-30
Joavin, S., ii. 226
Joevin, S., v. Jaoua
John of Tynemouth, i. 4-5, 80
Jordan, iv. 389, 392
Jordanston, ii. 96 ; iii. 205
Jfoseph of Arimathaea, v. Hid
Judhuarn, priest, ii. 15
Judnou, S., iii. 335
Julian, S., iv. 203-5
Julian's, S., i. 102 ; iv. 303
Julitta, S., ii. 193-200, 445 ; iii. 300,
335-6 ; V. Hid
Julius, of Caerleon, i. loi— 3
Junabui, Junapeius, S., iii. 336-7, 385
Junanau, S., iii. 337
Juncus, S., iii. 337
Just, S., iii. 338-9
Justinian, S., ii. 395 ; iii. 339—42
Justinus, iii. 293
Jutwara, S., i. 185-8 ; iii. 335 ; iv. 76
Ke, Kea, S., v. Cynan (Kenan)
Kemmeu, S., ii. 67, 71—2, 247
Kenan, Cianan, S., ii. 118— 9
Kenan, Cynan, S., ii. 224—8
Kenderchurch, ii. 258, 399
Kenelm, S., ii. 257
Keneth, S,, v. Cenydd
Kenffig, ii. 139
Kenneth, Cainnech, S., ii. 56, 60-1
Kennox, S., ii. 56 ; iv. 441
Kentchurch, ii. 53
Kentigern, S., v. Cyndeyrn
Kenwyn, ii. 54
Kergia ! Kergia ! i. 211
Kerian, S., v. Ciaran
Kessog, S., iv. 194
Kewe, S., v. Ciwa
Kewstoke, ii. 116, 145 ; iv. 441
Keyne, Cain, S., ii. 52-5
Keynsham, ii. 52—4
Kieran, S., v. Ciaran
Kifhg, ii. 139
Kigwa, S., V. Ciwa
Kildare, i. 266-7, 276-8
Kilkenny, ii. 60
Kill-hart, ii. 103
Kilmadock, iii. 395
Kilpeck, ii. 317-8
Kinmark, S., ii. 242, 367
Kirik, S., ii. 196, 199
Knonkell, S., ii. 273
Kyle, ii. 156
Laleston, ii. 116, 317
Lampaul, iv. 79—80, 83
Lampeter, iv. 89
Lampha, iv. 290
Lamphey, iv. 290
Lamprobi, iv. 107
Lanbordan, iii. 502
Lann Celinni, ii. 105
Lann Cerniu, ii. 177
Index
461
Lann Custenhin Garth Benni, A. 177
Landa Magna, i. 294 ; iv. 197
Landauer Guir, ii. 205 ; iv. 380
Landeda, ii. 248
Landerneau, iv. 245, 247, 249, 293—4
Landevennec, iii. 181 ; iv. 356-7, 361
Landewednack, iv. 361
JLandndma B6c, iv. 53
Lann Ebrdil, ii. 414
Langeleu, ii. 448
Langueth, ii. 171, 239 ; iv. 115-6
Lann Gunguarui, iv. 361
Lann Guorboe, i. 109 ; iv. 307
Lann Liuit, iii. 433
Lann Menechi, ii. 377
Lanpabu, i. 297 ; iv. 272
Lanririd, iv. 266
Lansalos, iv. 182
Lansemin, i. 304
Lanteglos, iv. 351
Lann Tipallai, iv. 290
Lann Tituill, iv. 287
Lann Tiuinauc, iv. 361
Lann Uvien, iv. 25-6
Lann Vannar, iii. 433
Lanwaur, iii. 165 ; iv. 88—9
Lasrean, S., iii. 23—4
Lassair, S., i. 273
Laudatus, S., iii. 369, 372
Laurus, S., iii. 346-7
Lavan Sands, iii. 261
Lavernock, iii. 477
Lawrenny, ii. 78 ; iii. 370
Leckwith, ii. 444
leek, wearing of, ii. 309-10
Leofric, v. Lifris
Leominster, ii. 294—5
Leon, colonization of, i. 46, 51
Leonard, S., iii. 376
Leonore, S., iii. 342—6
lepers, i. 279
Lerins, iv. 63-4, 71
Lesneven, iii. 141
Lesser Britain, its history, i. 39-65
Letha, Letavia, i. 63
Letterston, iv. 206
Leubri, S., iii. 346-7
Leudonia, Leudonus, ii. 232 ; iii. 374
Leutiern, S., iii. 348
Levan, S., ui. 349-50
Lew Trenchard, iv. 102
Lezant, iv. 172-3
Liber Pontificalis, iii. 353-4. 356
Libiau, S., ii. 154 ; iii. 35i
Lidnerth, S-, iii- 376
Lifris, Leofric, ii. 14-5, 23, 33
Ligessauc, ii. 259-60
Lily, S., ii. 309 ; iii, 351-2
Limeneia, iii. 339
Lin henlan, ii. 288
Lisci, ii. 298
Lisvane, iii. 208
Lisworney, iv. 25, 286
Little Dewchurch, ii. 317-8
Locronan, iv. 122—5
Lombards, iii. 64
Lothus, iii. 374
Louenan, Bp., iv. 134, 271
Loughor, iv. 37
Lucia, S.. iii. 230, 367-8 ; iv. 346
Lucius, S., ii. 394, 417, 430 ; iii. 9-10,
352-62, 459
Ludchurch, ii. 445
Ludgvan, S., iii. 362—4
Lugaid, K., iv. 187-8
Lughtiern, S., iii. 348
Lumphanan, iii. 19 ; iv. 15
Lupus, S., i. 222-3 ; iii- 55. 364-5, 366
Luther, i. 164
Luxeuil, i, 263
Luxulyan, ii. 200 ; iv. 206, 304
Lythan, S., i. 223 ; iii. 365-6
Llaethnant, iv. 284
Llamined Angel, iii. 366
Llamyrewig, iii. 381—2 ; iv. 431—2
Llanafan, supposed see of, i. 114-5 ;
iv. 49
Llanandras, i. 157
Llananno, i. 165—6
Llanarmon churches, iii. 77
Llanarth ii. 316 ; iii. 405 ; iv. 238
Llanarthen, i. 169
Llanarthney, i. 173-4 ; ii. 316
Llanasa, i. 182
Llan Awstl, iii. 252
Llanbabo, iv. 38-9
Llanbadarn churches, iv. 49-50
Llanbadarn Fawr, iv. 44, 170 ; sup-
posed see of, ii. 271—2 ; iv. 45—6, 49
Llanbadoc, iii. 395 ; iv. 51-2
Llanbadrig, iv. 52-3
Llanbedr, iv. 89
Llanbedrog, iv. loi
Llanberis, ii. 118 ; iv. 92-3
Llanbister, ii. 263
Llanblethian, iii. 365-6
Llanboidy, i. 322, 324
Llancarfan, i. 5, 120, 247, 260 ; ii.
23-4. 39 ; iii- 32, 37. 61-3, 413.
416-8, 420-1, 430 ; iv. 441
462
Indi
ex
Llancillo, iii. 482 ; iv. 202, 304, 307
Llandaff, founder of, iv. 232 ; dedica-
tion of, iv. 36, 437 ; see of, iv. 35
U,an Dav, Book of, iv. 226, 232
Llandanwg, ii. 425 ; iv. 210-1
Llandawke, ii. 262
Llanddegwel, iv. 224
Llanddewi Brefi, Synod of, ii. 25, 109-
10, 212, 300—2 ; iii. 62 ; iv. 72
Llanddowror, ii. 399-40 ; iv. 33, 238
Llanddulas, ii. 229, 317
Llanddwyn, i. 220 ; ii. 388-91 ; iv. 395
Llandebie, iii. 286 ; iv. 282
Llandecwyn, iv. 225
Llandefalle, iii. 407 ; iv. 290
Llandegai, iii. 131 ; iv. 215
Llandegfan, iv. 216, 285
Llandegla, -ley, iv. 219-23
Llandegvetli, iv. 217, 236
Llandegwning, iii. 232
Llandeilo Fawr, iv. 32—3, 237—9
Llandeilo Ferwallt, ii. 245
Llandeilo'r Fan, iii. 157
Llandeloi, iv. 238, 243
Llandenny, iv. 249
Llandevaud, iv. 215
Llandevenny, iv. 361
Llandinabo, ii. 369 ; iii. 337
Llandinam, iii. 377—8
Llandingat, ii. 343-4
Llandocha, v. Llandough
Llandogo, iv. 29, 35-6
Llandough, ii. 249-52, 346 ; iv. 153-4
Llandovery, ii. 343
Llandow, iv. 254
Llandridion, iv. 262
Llandrillo, iv. 263-4
Llandrinio, iv. 265
Llandrygarn, iv. 264
Llandudclyd, iv. 266
Llandudfwlch, iv. 243
Llandudno, iv, 268
Llandudoch, ii. 349-50 ; iv. 275, 283
Llandwrog, iv. 280-1
Llandybbo, iv. 285
Llandydystyl, iv. 267
Llandyfan, iv. 288
Llandyfeisant, iv. 290
Llandyfriog, i. 291, 294, 300 ; iv. 292
Llandygwydd, iv. 224
Llandyrnog, iv. 255, 260
Llandyssilio, iv. 297, 303
Llandyssul, iv. 305-6
Llanedarn, ii. 407
Llanedy, ii. 410— i
Llaneinion, iv. 36
Llaneirwg, iii. 362, 386, 467
Llanelen, iii. 259
Llanelian, ii. 424
Llanelidan, ii. 444-5
Llanelieu, ii. 448
Llaneliver, ii. 446
Llanelltyd, iii. 315
Llanelwedd, ii. 419
Llanehvy, i. 178-9, 181-2 ; ii. 236
Llanengan, ii. 423—4 ; iv. 273
Llanerchaeron, iv. 24
Llanerchllwyddog, iii. 384
Llanerchymedd, iv. 39
Llanfaban, -on, iii. 391
Llanfaes, ii. 317 ; iv. 28
Llanfaglan, iii. 264
Llanfair Dyffryn Clwyd, ii. 242
Llanfair Talhaiarn, iv. 207
Llanfair y Mynydd, iv. 89
Llan Fawr, i. 294 ; iv. 89
Llanfechain, iii. 77-8
Llanfechell, iii. 433-4 ; iv. 433
Llanfedwy, iii. 459
Llanfeirian, iii. 460-1
Llanfeirig, iii. 483
Llanfeithin, ii. 17; iii. 483; iv. 207,
214
Llanferres, i. 206-7
Llanfeuno, i. 218
Llanffinan, iii. 13, 18-9 ; iv. 15
Llanffydd, iv. 290
Llanfigan, iii. 479-80
Llanfigel, i. 222
Llanfoist, iii. 20
Llanfor, ii. 329-30 ; iii. 498-9 ; iv.
129
Llanforda, iii. 502
Llanfrynach, i. 324
Llanfyllin, iii. 489
Llanfyrnach, i. 322, 324
Llangadell, ii. i
Llangadfan, ii. 4, 7
Llangadfarch, ii. 10
Llangadog, i. 3 ; ii. 19, 38, 316
Llangaffo, ii. 50
Llangain, ii. 53, 55
Llangammarch, ii. 68 ; iv. 303
Llangan, ii. 69, 71, 185
Llanganten, ii. 72
Llangarran, ii. 330
Llangasty, iii. 44
Llangathen, ii. 6, 91
Llangatwg, ii. 37-8
Llangedol, ii. 98
Indt
ex
463
Llangedwydd, ii. 9
Llangedwyn, ii. 98
Llangefni, ii. 252—3
Llangeinor, ii, 52—5
Llangeinwen, ii. 54
Llangeitho, ii. 102
Llangeler, ii. 102 ; iv. 441
Llangelynin, ii. 104
Llangeneu, ii. 105-6 ; iv. 264, 441
Llangennech, ii. 56, 61
Llangenydd, ii. 76, iii, 113-5; iv. 441
Llangenys, ii. 250-2 ; iii. 46
Llangernyw, ii. 340
Llangeview, ii. 247, 317
Llangewydd, ii. 94, 116
Llangian, ii. 118 ; iv. 92
Llangibby, ii. 205
Llanginning, ii. 261
Llangloffan, ii. 151— 2
Llanglydwen, ii. 155
Llangoed, ii. 9, 95 ; iv. 209
Llangoedmor, ii. 263
Llangolman, ii. 162
Llangors, iv. 72
Llangorwen, iv. 41, 50
Llangoven, ii. 202 ; iii. 145 ; iv. 26
Llangower, ii. 278
Llangrallo, ii. 185
Llangranog, ii. 87-9
Llangristiolus, ii. 190
Llangua, ii. 139
Llanguian, ii. 200
Llanguicke, ii. 146
Llangunnock, i. 320 ; ii. 265
Llangunnor, ii. 245
Llangurig, ii. 193-6, 198 ; iv. 378
Llangwm, ii. 139 ; iii. 286, 487
Llangwnadl, iii. 231-2
Llangwyryfon, iii. 368 ; iv. 345
Llangybi, iv. 380, 442
Llangyfelach, i. 3 ; ii. 215-6, 294
Llangyndeym, ii. 240
Llangynfarch, ii. 242
Llangyngar, ii, 242
Llangynhafal, ii. 254
Llang3mheiddon, ii. 257
Llangynvyl, ii. 276
Llangynyw, ii. 247
Llangystennin, ii. 177
Llanhamlach, i. 305 ; iii. 315
Llanharan, i. 103
Llanharry, ii. 116 ; iii. 43, 315
Llanhennock, iii. 263
Llanhesgyn, iii. 133
Llanliilleth, iii. 254-5, 315
Llanhowell, i, 299 ; iii. 289
Llanidan, ii. 413 ; iv. 4, 14-6
Llanigon, ii. 417
Llanildas, iii. 112
Llanilid, ii. 198—9
Llanillteme, ii. 446
Llan Illtut, iv. 89-90
Llanirwydd, ii, 99 ; iii, 160
Llanishen, iii, 313, 321
Llanllear, iii, 386
Llanlleianau, iv. 22
Llanlleonfel, iii. 184, 389
Llanllowell, iii. 289, 387
Llanllugan, iii. 378-80 ; iv. 303
Llanllwni, iii. 378, 383
Llanllyfni, iii. 147—8
Llanloudy, iii. 337
Llanmadock, ii. iii ; iii. 395
Llanmaes, ii. 38 ; iii, 10
Llanmerchan, iii. 436
Llanmerewig, iii. 382-3 ; iv. 431-2
Llanmorfael, i. 225 ; iii. 504 ; iv.
37
Llannefydd, iv. 3—4
Llaunon, iv. 22, 24
Llannor, ii. 330 ; iii. 498-9
Llanover, iii. 133, 507
Llanpumpsaint, iii. 226-7
Llanrhaiadr Dyffryn Clwyd, ii. 397 ;
iv. 396
Llanrhaiadr ym Mochnant, ii. 347
Llanrheithan, iv. 109-10
Llanrhian, iv. no
Llanrhidian, iv. in
Llanrhychwyn, iv, 113
Llanrhydd, iii. 479
Llanrwst, iii. 150
Llansannan, iv, 193—4
Llansannor, iv. 195
Llansantffraid churches, . 283
Llansawel, ii. 19 ; iv. 176
Llansilin, iv. 203, 206
Llansoy, iv. 296
Llanspyddid, i, 305, 308 ; ii. 18, 35
Llanstadwell, iv. 274
Llanstephan, iv. 367
Llanstinan, iii. 341
Llanthetty, ii. 325
Llanthony, ii. 310, 317
Llantilio Crossenny, iv. 236, 238
Llantood, iii. 315
Llantrisant, Angl., iii. 42, 297 ; iv.
194 ; — , Glam., iii. 242. 315 ; iv.
291
Llantrithyd, iii. 315 ; iv. 266
464
hidex
Llantwit, i. 26 ; iii. 304-17 ; iv. 89
90 ; abbots of, iv. 137-8 ; inscribed
stones at, iii. 314
Llantwit Vardre, iv. 291
Llantyddud, iv. 266
Llanufydd, iv. 3-4
Llanust, iv. 347
Llanuwchllyn, ii. 329-30
Llanvaches, ii. 380 ; iii. 392
Llanvaenor, iii. 433
Llanvapley, iii. 390
Llanvetherin, iii. 248-9, 476
Llanvillo i. 204 ; iv. 440
Llanwarthen, iii. 164
Llanwarw, iii. 164
Llanwddyn, iii. 224-5
Llanweirydd, iii. 166
Llanwenarth, iii. 162
Llanwerydd, ii. 386 ; iii. 199
Llanwnda, iii. 228-9
Llanwnell, iii. 229—30
Llanwnen, iii. 230, 368
Llanwnog, iii. 243, 246-7
Llanwnws, iv. 45
Llanwonno, iii. 241 ; iv. 291
Llanwrda, ii. 96 ; iii, 205
Llanwrin, ii. 396 ; iv. 347
Llanwrtyd, ii. 317 ; iv. 267
Llanwyddelan, iii. 379-80
Llanwynio, iii. 233 ; iv. 45
Llanwynny, iv. 361
Llanwynog, iii. 246
Llanybyther, iv. 89
Llanychaer, ii. 316
Llanychaiarn, iii. 382
Llanychan, iii. 286
Llanychllwydog, ii. 154, 316 ; iii. 383
Llanycil, i. 218
Llanycrwys, ii. 316
Llan y Gwyddyl, ii. 46-7 ; iv. 196
Llanymawddwy, iv. 283, 285
Llanynys, ii. 317 ; iii. 498 ; iv. 129-30
Llanyre, iii. 362, 386
Llanyrnewydd, iv. 365-6
Llan y Saint Llwydion, ii. 180 ; iii. 384
Llanywern, ii. 258
Llawdden, S., v. Lleuddun
Llawddog, S., v. Lleuddad ab Dingad
Llawhaden, i. 119, 121
Llecheu, S., iii. 366-7
Llecligynfarwy, ii. 243
•^ 6"-- -" Llechid, S., iii. 367; iv. 370, 372
Lleian, S., v. Lluan
Lies, iii. 360-1
Lleuci, S., iii. 367-8 ; iv. 346
I Lleuddad ab Alan, S., iii. 369
Lleuddad ab Dingad, ii. 5, 7, 400 ;
iii. 264, 369-74 ; iv. 44, 369, 371,
426-8 (Buchedd), 428-9 (Cymydd),
438
Lleuddun Luyddog, i. 210, 224, 232-3 ;
iii. 374-5 ; iv- 250
Lleufer Mawr, I leurwg, iii. 360-2
Llewddog, S., v. Lleuddad ab Dingad
Llibio, Hermit, v. Libiau
Llibio, Mk., ii. 25, 205, 210 ; iii. 375 ;
iv. 380, 383
Llidnerth, S., iii. 376
Lliw, R., ii. no
Llongborth, Langport, iii. 48
Llonio, S., iii. 377-8, 383 ; iv. 372,
429—31 (Owdl)
Llorcan Wyddel, S., i. 211 ; iii. 378-
80 ; iv. 374
Llowes, iii. 389 , 401-3, 405
Lluan, S., iii. 380-1 ; iv. 282
Llud, S., ii. 419 ; iii. 300
Lluyddog, the epithet, iii. 256
Llwchaiarn, S., iii. 381—3 ; iv. 370,
372, 431— 2 (Cywydd)
Llwni, S., iii. 383
Llwyddog, S., ii. 154 ; iii. 383-4
Llwydian, S., ii. 180 ; iii. 384
Llwyfo, S., iii. 385
Llychlyn, iv. 177
Llydaw, ii. 221 ; iv. 68, 303
Llyddgen, S., iii. 385
Llyfab, S., iii. 385 ; iv. 370
Llynab, S., iii. 385
Llynclys, iii. 71
Llyn Syfaddon, iii. 44
Llyr, S., iii. 386 ; iv. 346
Llyr Merini, iii. 386-7
Llys Brychan, i. 308, 320 ; ii. 19-20,
265
Llys Caswallon, ii. 47
Llysfaen, ii. 246
Llys Helig, iii. 261
Llysronydd, iv. 286—7
Llystin Hunydd, iii. 285
Llystin Wynnan, iii. 381
Llyswen, iii. 405
Llysyfran, iii. 360
Llywel, S., ii. 317 ; iii. 387 ; iv. 238
Llywelyn, S., iii. 209-10, 220, 388-9 ;
iv. 202, 370, 372
Llywelyn ab lorwerth, iv. 113
Llywen, S., iii. 389 ; iv. 372
Llywernog, iii. 477
Llywes, S., iii. 389
Indt
ex
465
Mabenna, S., iii. 390
Mable, S., iii. 390
Mabon, S., iii. 391-2
Machen, iii. 132
Maches, Machuta, S., iii. 392-3 ; iv.
212-3
Machraith, S., iii. 246, 393
Machu, Machudd, Machutus, S., v.
Malo
Macliau, iii. 122-3, 244-5
Maclovius, S., v. Malo
Macmoil, S., ii. 18, 21, 57 ; iii, 393-4
Mac Tail, iv. 188-9
Madley, ii. 363, 365, 414
Madog ab Gildas, S., iii. 394-5 ; v.
Aidan, of Ferns
Madog ab Owain, S., iii. 395
Madog Morfryn, S., iii. 395-6
Madog, the Pilgrim, S., iii. 396 ; iv. 171
Madron, S., iii. 396-8
Madrun, S., i. 166 ; ii. 99 ; iii. 398-9 ;
iv. 364, 371-2
Mael, S., ii. i ; iii. 399-400 ; iv. 44,
,203-4. 370-1
Mael, Duke of Melienydd, ii. 194
mael, iii. 296
Maelgwn Gwynedd, i. 324 ; ii. 29—30,
193-4, 208-9, 236 ; iii. 309, 377-8,
, 401, 434 ; iv. 41, 45, 178, 283-4,
378-9, 384-6, 430^
Maelgwn, Mk., ii. 193-4 ; ™- 400-1 ;
iv. "378-9
Maelgyn Hir, iv. 207
Maelher, iv. 272
Mael Myngan, i. 212
Maelog, Meilig, S., ii. 51, 205-6, 210 ;
iii. 401-6, 460 ; iv. 119, 380, 383 ;
V. Tyfaelog
Maelon, S., iii. 401, 405
Maelon Dafodrill, ii. 388
Maelrys, S., ii. i ; iii. 406 ; iv. 44, 370,
372
Maenarch, iii. 391
Maen ar Golman, ii. 164
Maen Cetti, ii. iii, 317
Maen Huail, iii. 283-4
Maenor Deifi, ii. 316
Maenor Fabon, iii. 391
Maenor Gain, ii. 53
Maenor Wyno, iii. 242
Maentwrog, iv. 279, 281
Maerun, iii. 476
Maes Garmon, iii. 57, 78
Maesmynys, ii. 317
Maethlu, S., iii. 406-7 ; iv. 290, 370, 372
Maglorius, S., iii. 407-10, 460 ; iv.301
Maglos, iii. 400
Magna, i. 130
Magnenn, S., v. Mawnan
Magnus, S., iii. 410
Magonius, v. Mawon
Magor, ii. 45
Mais Mail Lochou, ii. 366
Maitiun, Maitrun, S., iii. 410-1
Mallteg, S., iii. 411
Mallwyd, iv. 285
Malo, S., i. 247 ; ii. 353 ; iii. 161,
411-34 ; V. Mechell
Malysgedd, iii. 251 ; iv. 428
Mamouric, iv. 25-6
Manacca, S., iii. 434-5
Manaccus, Mancus, S., iii. 435
Mancen, S., v. Mawgan and Meugan
Manoravon, iii. 391
Manorbier, iv. 90
Manorowen, iii. 132
Maponos, iii. 392
Marcan, S., iii. 435-6
Marcellinus, S., ii. 181
Marcellus, -a, ii. 181 ; iii. 436-8
Marchell, S., da. Tewdrig, i. 304-9;
iii. 436-7
Marchell, S., da. Brychan, i. 194 ; iii.
437
Marchell, S., da. Hawystl Gloff, iu,
437-8 ; iv- 371-2
Marchwiel, ii. 329 ; iii. 438
Marcross, iv. 138, 152, 170
Margam, iii. 436
Margaret Marios, S., ii. 262
Marinus, iii. 476
Mark Conomanus, K., iv. 77-8, 81
Marown, iv. 109
Marshfield, iii. 476
Marthaerun, S., iii. 439
Martin, S., iii. 439-40
Martletwy, ii. 181
Maruan, S., iii. 441 ; iv. 120
Mathaiarn, S., iii. 439
Mathern, ii. 482 ; iv. 253-4
Mathrafal, iv. 298, 303
Mathru, ii. 400
Matkorn yv ych bannog, ii. 319
Matle ii. 363, 365
Matoc Ailither, S., ii . 396 ; iv. 171
Matronia, iii. 398
Maucan, Maucen, S., ii. 288, 291, 293,
306-7 ; iii. 6, 13-4, 479, 481 ; iv.
60, 72, 256 355 ; V. Mawgan and
Meu gan
H H
466
Index
Maudetus, S., v. Mawes
Maughan's, S., ii. 361, 379 ; iii. 418,
433
Mauganius, iii. 481
Maun, Mawon, iv. 60, 67
Mauritana, iv. 40, 44
Mawes, Maudetus, S., i. 328-9 ; iii.
441-9 ; iv. 276
Mawgan, S., iii. 449-53, 479 : '"■
Maucan
Mawn, Mawan, i. 211
Mawnan, S., iii. 4S3— 7
Mawon, Padrig = Sen Patrick, iv. 54-5,
58, 60-1, 67-8
Maxen Wledig, i. 34—5, 90, 92 ; ii.
220-3 ; iii. 256
Mechell, -yll, S., iii. 418, 433 ; iv.
432-3 (Cywydd) ; v. Malo
Mechell, Marchell, iii. 437
Mechydd, S., iii. 457
Medan, S., iii. 457-8
Meddvyth, S., iii. 291, 458
Meddwyd, Meddwid, Medwida, S., ii.
49 ; iii. 458 ; iv. 264
Medran, S., iii. 397
Medrod, iii. 458-9 ; v. Modred
Medwy, Medwinus, S., iii. 361-2, 459
Meen, S., v. Meven
Meidrym, i. 304 ; ii. 316
Meidr y Saint, iv. 49
Meifod, iii. 219-20 ; iv. 297-8, 300-4
Meigan, S., iii. 459
Meigir, S., iii. 460
Meilig, S., V. Maelog
Meilir, S., iii. 407, 460
Meirchion, K., iii. 309-11, 316
Meiriadog, ii. 223
Meirin, -yn, S., iii. 476
Meirion, S., iii. 460-1 ; iv. 369, 371
Meirionydd, iii. 461
Mel, S., i. 271-2, 281 ; iii. 461-3
Melanus, S., iii. 362
Melangell, S., iii. 225, 463-6
Melaria, Non, S., ii. 289 ; iv. 22
Melboc, Melboi, ii. 40 ; iii. 32, 37
Melchu. S., u. Mel
Meleri, S., ii. 430 ; iii. 466
Meliau, Melyan, S., iii. 467-9, 471-2
Meliden, iii. 474
Meline, ii. 349
Mellitus, S., iii. 474
Mellon's, S., iii. 362, 467
Mellonius, S., i i. 362, 466-7
Mellte, iii. 285
Melor, S., iii. 467-73
Melwas, iii. iii
Melyd, S., iii. 473-4
Meneduc, i. 314-5
Menefrida, S., iii. 474-5
Menez Bre, iii. 277-8 ; iv. 47, 165
Merchguinus, S., iii. 475
Mergualdus, ii. 245
Merin, S., iii. 475-7 ; iv. 370, 372
Mernog, S., iii. 477
Merryn, S., iii. 477
Mertherderwa, ii. 338
merthyr, its meaning, i. loi ; ii. 265,
400, 473 ; iii. 507-8
Merthyr, Carm., ii. 455
Merthyr Caffo, ii. 50 ; — Clydog, ii.
154 ; — Cynog, ii. 268 ; Dovan,
ii. 394 ; — Euineil, ii. 455 ; iv.
286 ; Gerein, iii. 48-9 ; — Gliuis,
iii. 131 ; — Issiu, iii. 321 ; —
Mawr, iii. 133, 507 ; iv. 238 ; —
Meirion, iii. 460 ; — Tudhistil, iv.
267; — Tydfil, iv. 286
Methrum, i. 304
Meubred, Mybard, S., iii. 477-8
Meugant, Meugan, S., ii. 65 ; iii. 228,
449, 478-81, 506 ; V. Maucan
and Mawgan
Meugant Hen, S., iii. 481
Meurig, S., ii. 373 ; iii. 481-3 ; iv. 34
Meuthi, S., ii. 15 ; iii. 237, 483-4 ;
iv. 211, 214 ; V. Tathan
Mevagissey, iii. 322, 331
Meven, S., i. 189 ; iii. 484-6
Michael, S., dedications to, iii. 156, 311
Michael's Mount, S., ii. 53
Michaelston-y-Vedw, iii. 362
Milburgh, S., i. 204
ininihi, i. 57
Minver, S., iii. 474-5
Minwear, iii. 475
Mirgint, S., iii. 486-7
Misach Cairnech, ii. 66-7
Mita, S., iii. 330
Mochonoc, ii. 269-70
Mochop, S., ii. 207, 210
Mochros, Moccas, ii. 365-6 ■
Moddwid, S., v. Meddwyd
Moderan, S., iii. 499-501
Modez, S., V. Mawes
Modomnoc, S., v. Domnoc
Modred, ii. 170, 226 ; v. Medrod
Modwenna, S., i. 286-7 ; iii. 490-1,
493-4, 497
Moel Fenlli, ii. 5, 255 ; iii. 71
Mogorman, iii. 64, 67
Index ■
467
Mogue, S., i. 126
Molacca, S., ii. 300
Mold, i. 113-4
Moling, S., iii. 487-90
Monacella, S., v. Melangell
Monington, iii. 251
Monynna, S., i. 286-7 ; iii. 24, 490-7
Moore, Tom, iv. 191
Mor, S., iii. 410, 497-9 ; iv. 129
Mor, sister of S. David, i. 130
Moran, S., iii. 499-501
Morbred, S., iii. 478
Mordaf, S., ui. 501-2
Morddal, iii. 214
Mordeyrn, S., iii. 502-4 ; iv. 433—4
(CywycLd)
Morfael, S., iii. 504
Morgan Mwynfawr, K., ii. 97'; iii. 156
Morhaiarn, S., iii. 504
Morinus, deacon, ii. 372 ; iv. 159-60
Morken, ii. 235
Moroc, S., iii. 506
Moronoc, S., iv. 120
Morwenna, S., iii. 496-7
Mothers of the Saints, i. 317-8 ; ii. 289
MoviUe, id. 16
Moylgrove, iii. 509
Much Dewchurch, ii. 317-8
Muinis, S., v. Mel
Mula, S., iv. 187, 192
Munghu, Mungo (Kentigern), S., i.
234, 240
Mwchwdw, S., iii. 505
Mwrog, S., iii. 480, 505-6 ; iv. 383,
435 (Cywydd)
Mwthwl, iii. 214
Mwynen, Mwynwen, S., iii. 474, 496,
507
Mybard, S., v. Meubred
Mydan, S., iii. 458, 507
Myfor, S., iii. 133, 507-8
Mygnach, S., ii. 211 ; iii. 508
Myllin, S., v. Moling
Mynachlog Ddu, ii. 349
Mynach Naomon (Nawmon), iii. 132
Mynno, S., iii. 509
Mynydd Cyfor (Cymorth), ii. 257
Mynydd Islwyn, iv. 270
Mynyw, Hen 'Fynyw, ii. 293
Naas, ii. 305
Nadauan, iii. 306 ; iv. 195
Nailtrum, S., iii. 410
Nantcarfan, v. Llancarfan
Nantcwnlle, iii. 234
Nantglyn, iii. 502-4 ; iv. 433-4
Nant Gwrtlieyrn, iii. 75
Nantgyndanyll, ii. 330
Nantmel, ii. 263
Natalis, S., iv. 186
Navigatio S. Brendani, i. 239
Nectan, S., iv. 1-2, 20-1
Neddern Brook, iv. 212
Neffei, S., iv. 2-3
Nefydd, S., iv. 3-4, log
Nefyn, S., iv. 26-7
Neithon, iv. i
Nennius, his Historia, i. 208 ; iii. 356
Neot, S., iii. 162 ; iv. 4-10
Nethan, S., iv. 21
Neubedd, ii. 325
Neuyth, iv. 3
Ne venter, S., v. Derien
Nevern, i. 323-6
Neveth, S., iv. 3
Nevin, iv. 27
Newborough, ii. 50, 208
Newcastle, Glam., iii. 315, 376
Newlyna, S., iv. 10-4
Newton Nottage, iii. 157
Nidan, S., iii. 19, 507 ; iv. 14-6, 372
Nil, S., iv. 261
Nimannauc, iv. 41, 45
Ninian, Ninidh, Ninnio, S., ii. 471 ;
iii. 450-2 ; V. Maucan
Ninian, S., v. Nynniaw
Ninnocha, S., i. 314-5 ; iv. 16-9
Nissien, S., iii. 321
Noe, S., iv. 20
Noethon, S., iv. 20-1, 372
Nolton, iii. 395
Non, Nonnita, S., ii. 204-5, 214-5,
289-91, 320-1 ; iii. 109, 351 ; iv.
22-5, 172-3, 369, 371 ; Chapel
of, ii. 291-2
Nonni, iv. 22
Northop, ii. 474
Noyala, S., v. Newlyna
Nudd, S., iv. 25
Nuvien, S., iv. 25-6
Nwy, S., V. Noe
Nwython, S., v. Noethon
Nyfain, S., iv. 26-7
Nynniaw, S., iv. 27, 243
Nynniaw, ii. 319, 363
Odran, S., iii. 287-8, 397
Ogofau, iii. 226-7
olambh, i. 2
Olave, S., iii. 241
468
Index
Onbrawst, iii. 482
Onbrit, S., iv. 27-8
ordeal of boiling water, iv. 41, 45
Orleans, ii. 157
Orlygr, iv. 53
Orme's Head, iv. 268-9
ormests (keurey, giants), ii. 266-7
Osmail, iii. 323 ; iv. 28
Oswael, iv. 28
Oswald, S., iv. 28
Osweilion, ii. 192 ; iv. 28
Oudoceus, S., iv. 28—36, 231-2, 237,
253
Ouen, Audoenus, S., iv. 37
Ouessant, iv. 79
Owain, S., iv. 36-7
Owain ab Urien Rlieged, ii. 232-3
Oxenhall, i. 162, 165
Oxwich, iii. 315
Pabai, Pabiali, S., iv. 37-8
Pabo, S., i. 167, 177-8 ; ii. 326 ; iv.
38-9
Pabu, iv. 38, 272—3
Padarn, S., ii. i ; iii. 335-6 ; iv.
39-51, 94. 157. 229, 370, 372, 383
Padog, S., iv. 51-2
Padrig ab Alfryd, S., ii. 211, 216 ; iv.
52-3, 54. 61, 370. 372
Palladius, S., i. 198-203 ; iv. 54-9,
62-8
Pantasa, i. 182
Pant-y-polion, iv. 73
Parracombe, iv. 442
Pasgen, S., iv. 2-3, 53-4
Paternus, S., of Avranches, iv. 40, 43,
48 ; of Vannes, iv. 40, 43, 46, 48,
50-1 ; V. Padarn
Patrick, S., Apostle of the Irish, i.
201-3, 292 ; ii. 288, 293 ; iii.
58-9, 296, 450, 461-2 ; iv. 52-3,
54-71, 1 1 8-9, 183-4, 425-6
Patrickchurch, iv. 71
Patrishow, iii. 321—2
Paul and Thecla, Acts of, iv. 219, 222
Paul, S., of Leon, v. Paulus Aurelianus
Paul Hen, iii. 184, 231
Paul Penychen, ii. 13-4, 16, 24, 250-1 ;
iii. 305-6
Paulilianus, iv. 181
Paulinus, S., ii. 292-4 ; iii. 452 ; iv,
72-S, 103, 228
Paulus Aurelianus, S., i. 186-7 ! iii-
1 41-3 ; iv. 75-86
Pawl, S., iv. 73-5
Pawl Hen, iv. 74-5, 103
Peblig, S., iv, 86-7, 373
Pebydiog, ii. 277, 289 ; iv. 22
Pedita, ii. 325
Pedrog, S., v. Petroc
Pedrogl, iv. 95
Pedrwn, Petran, S., iii. 336 ; iv. 40,
44. 88, 370, 372
Pedyr, S., iv. 88-9, 369
Peibio, ii. 319, 363
Peirio, S., ii. 51 ; iii. 313 ; iv. 89-90
Peithian, S., iv. 90-1
Pelagius, ii. 301, 385 ; iii. 54-5
Pelunyawc, iv. 73
Penally, ii. 370-1 ; iv. 32-3, 227, 237,
289
Penar-lag, iii. 189 •
Penasgell, the epithet, i. 167-8
Penboyr, iii. 373
Pencarnou, iii. 204
Pencarreg, iv. 71
Penderin, ii. 265, 410
Pendine, iv. 238
Pendoylan, ii. 38, 386-7, 452
Penegoes, ii. 10
Peneurog, ii. 382
Pengwern, i. 303 ; iv. 303
Penhow, iii. 286
Penial, iv. 211
Penitcntials, ii. 300-2 ; of Finnian,
iii. 35 ; of Gildas, iii. 117, 128
Penllech Elidyr, ii. 445
Penmachno, iv. 266
Penmaenmawr, iii. 232 ; iv. 178
Penmark, i. ig6
Penmon, iv. 177-9
Penmorfa, i. 218
Penmynydd, iii. 149
Pennal, iv. 21 1
Pennant Melangell, iii. 464-6
Penrhiwceiber, iii. 193
Penrhos, ii. 276
Penstrowed, iii. 208
Pentraeth, iii. 48
Pentyrch, ii. 38
Pen y Pyrod, ii. no
Pepiau, ii. 363, 414
Perceval, iv. 91
Peredur, iii. 207 ; iv. 91
Perfferen, ii. 91
Peris, S., ii. 118 ; iv. 91-4, 370
Peritorius, iv. 91
Perranzabuloe, ii. 130, 136-7
Perwas, S., iv. 94
Peteova, S., iv. go
Index
4.69
Peter, S., dedications to, iv. 89
Petherwyn, iv. 46—7
Petra Meltheu, ii. 201
Petran, S., v. Pedrwn
Petroc, Pedrog, S., iii. 132, 235 ; iv.
94-103, 155. 370
Petrox, S., iv. loi
Peulan, S., i. 208 ; ii. 205, 210 ; iv.
103-4, 380, 383
Peulin, S., v. Paulinus
Phili, iii. 12
Philibert, S., iii. 11-2
Piala, S., iv. 104
Picts, iv. 228
Pilgwenlly, iii. 240
Pinnock, S., ii. 269; iv. 104-5
Piran, S., iv. 105-6 ; v. Ciaran
Pirus, Ab., iv. 89-90, 136—7, 143—4,
148
Pistyll, Carn., i. 218
Plagues, iv. 139
Plescop, i. 156-7
Pleucadeuc, ii. 40
flou, i. 50, 58
poeth, iv. 279 Q
Pol de Leon, S., v. Paulus Aurelianus
Pompasa, S., iv. 106-7, 272'
Pomponia Graecina, ii. 147-8
Pont Canna, ii. 71
Pontfaen, i. 323-4
Pont Run, iv. log
Porchester, iv. 94
Porius, iv. 90
Porlock, ii. 380
Port Eynon, ii. 38
Forth Hantwn, ii. 158 ; iv. 376
Porthkerry, ii. 198-9
Portscatho, ii. 12
Portskewett, iv. 212
Post Prydain, iv. 38
Poulentus, K., iii. 305
Powell, Edward, i. 310
Prawst, i. 315 ; ii. 46
Prendergast, ii. 316
Priestholm, iv. 178-9
Probus, S., iv. 107
Proistri, i. 312, 315 ; iv. 2, 54
Publicius, iv. 87
Pudens, ii. 147-8
Puifin Island, iv. 178
Pulcherius, S., ii. 48
Pumpsaint, i. 68 ; ii. 101-2, 105 ; in.
225-7
PwUcrochan, ii. 324
Pwllheli, iii. 261-2
Pwyl, Y, iii. 219
Pyon, iv. 222
Quimerch, iii. 295
Quonoc, S., iv. 261
Raglan, ii. 38, 294, 317
Rain-Saint, Welsh, ii. 117
Ramsey Island, ii. 395 ; iii. 339-41 ;
iv. 290
Regin, iv. 108
Relecq, Le, iv. 83
relics, ii. 36, 314-5 ; iv. 32
reliquary at Llanidan, iv. 15
Repton, ii. 294—5
Restitutus, iii. 64, 67 ; iv. 117
Rhain, K., i. 178 ; ii. 30 ; iv. 108-9
Rhandirmwyn, iv. 72—3
Rhayader, ii. 263
Rhedjnv, S., v. Gredfyw and Ridicus
Rheinwg, iv. 108
Rheithian, S., iv. 109-10
Rhiallu, S., iv. no
Rhian, S., iv. iio-l
Rhibrawst, i. 315
.Rhidian, S., i. 327 ; iv. in
Rhieingar, ii. loi
Rhieinwg, i. 178
Rhiell, S., iv. 11 1-2
Rhiellwg, iv. 11 1-2
Rhirid, iv. 266
Rhithwlint, i. 211
Rhiw, i. 112— 3
Rhiwal, K., i. 50-1, 297-9 ; iii. 41
Rhiwlen, ii. 317
Rhodwydd Geidio, ii. 99
Rhosbeirio, iv. 90
Rhoscolyn, iii. 184
Rhoscrowther, ii. 324
Rhos Fynach, iv. 263
Rhosilly, ii. 112 ; iii. 11 ; iv. 204-5
Rhosyr, i. 165-6 ; ii. 50
Rhuddlad, S., iv. 112, 113
Rhufawn, i. 178 ; iii. 182
Rhufoniog, i. 178 ; ii. 192 ; iii. 182
Rhuis iii, 112-3
Rhun ab Maelgwn, ii. 30, 445 ; iv. 386
Rhun (Rhain) ab Brychan, iv. 108-9,
286
Rhun (Rhiain Hael), i. 178
Rhuthyn, iii. 300
Rhwydrys, S., iv. 112-3
Rhychwyn, S., iv. 113-4
Rhydderch Hael, ii. 237-8; iv. 114-7
Rhyddlad, S., v. Rhuddlad
470
Index
Rhygyfarch, ii. 286 ; iv, 226
Rhys ab Tewdwr, ii. 75
Rhystyd, S., ii. 389; iv. 117
Ricemarchus, v. Rhygyfarch
Ridicus, Rhedyw, iii. 61-2, 67, 148
Ridoch, S., V. Rydoch
RieinguHd, iii. 304-5 ; iv. 126
Rioc, Riocatus, S., iii. 1-2 ; iv. 117—
20, 358
Rivanon, iii. 272-7
Roch, S., iv. 261
Rockfield, ii. 257, 455
Roma BritannisE, ii. 4
Ronan, S., v. Ruan
Ronecli, Steep Holm, iii. no, 126, 419
Roscarrock, Nicolas, i. 78, 88, 310
Rosemarket, iii. 324
Rosenes, ii. 224-6
Rosnat, ii. 293 ; iii. 452 ; iv, 256-7
Rosuir, ii. 50, 208
Ruabon, iii. 391
Ruadhan, S., iv. 121
Ruan, Ronan, S,, iii. 441 ; iv. 120-5
Rumon, S., iv. 123-5
Runston, iv. 26
Rydoch, S., ii. 13 ; iv. 125
Sadwrn Farchog, S., ii. 69 ; iv. 44,
126-7, 128
Sadwrn, S., of Henllan, iv. 127-8, 409
Sadyrnin, S., iv. 128—9
Saeran, S., iii. 498 ; iv. 129—30
Saighir, ii. 124
Salmon of Knowledge, i. 9 ; iv. 92
Salomon, S., v. Selyf
Samarws, S., iv. 211
Samled, S., iv. 130
Samson, S., i. 5, 154-6, 160-2, 170 ;
ii. 372, 376-7 ; iii. 304, 312-4,
407-8, 430-1 ; iv. 41—2, 45, 47—8,
90, 96-7, 130-70, 233, 312
Samson ab Caw, S., ii. 94 ; iv. 138, 171
Samuel Chendisel, iv. 175
Sanant, iv. 183
Sanctan, S., iii. 396 ; iv. 171, 193
Sanctus, S., iv. 172
Sandde, ii. 287 ; iv. 172
Sannan, S., v. Senan
Sant, ii. 287-8, 292 ; iv. 22-3, 172-3
Sanwyr, Sannor, S., v. Senewyr
Saran, S., iv. 129
Sarllog, S., iv. 173
Sam Badrig, iv. 71 ; — Dewi, ii. 318 ;
— Elen, Helen, iii. 258 ; —
Wddyn, iii. 225
Sarum, Old, iv. 173
Sativola, Sidwell, S., iv. 76, 78, 174-5
Saturninus, S., iv. 126-8
Sawyl Benisel and Benuchel, i. 177 ;
ii. 14, 19-21, 24 ; iii. 306, 396 ;
iv, 17s
Sawyl Felyn, S,, ii, 19 ; iv. 176
Scseva, S,, iv. 106-7
Scattery Isle, iv. 188-92
Scuthin, S., i. 259 ; ii. 299, 304 ; iii.
24
Segin, S,, iv, 176
Segontium, iv, 87
Sein Henydd, Swansea Castle, ii, 112
Seiont, iv, 87
Seiriol, S,, ii, 209, 212, 423 ; iv. 177-80,
369, 371. 383
Seissyllwg, iv. 112
Seithenin, K., iv. 194-5, 268
Sellack, iv. 303
Selyf, Salomon, S., ii. 203 ; iv. 180-2,
379
Selyf Sarfigadau, ii, 355 ; iv. 182
Senacus, iii. 263
Senan, S., i. 116; ii. 299; iii. 194;
iv, 182-94, 199. 414
Senchus Mdr, revision of, ii. 82—4
Senewyr, S., iv. 194-5, 37°- 372
Senghenydd, ii. 111-3 ; iii. 12, 235
Sennara, S., iv, 195
Sen Patrick, Patrick Magonius, iv.
59, 69
Senwara, S,, iv, 195
Serf, Servan, S,, ii, 231, 233—4
Serigi "Wyddel, ii, 47, 209 ; iv. 196-7
Setna, S,, v. Sithney
seven, the number, ii, 401—5
Seven Bishop-Houses, iv, 239, 252
Seven Saints of Brittany, iv, 169
Seven Saints of Llanddowror and
Mathry, ii, 398-401
Severn Sea, iv, 149
Severus, S,, iii. 58
Sezni, S., iv, 199
Sicofolia, S,, iv. 174
Sidonius, S., iv. 199
Sidwell, S., V. Sativola
Siliau, iv. 204
Silin, Giles, S,, iv, 203-6, 305, 423
Silio, iv. 297, 303
Silwen. iii. 47
Simaus, S,, i. 299, 301 ; iv. 197
Sith, S,, iv, 198
Sithney, iv. 199-201
Siviau, S., v. Simaus
Index
471
Skenfrith, i. 283
skull, S. Teilo's, iv. 239-40
Sletty, iii. 6, 9
Socrates, S., iv. 201—2
Soi, S., V. Tysoi
Solomon, iv. 180
Sophias, S., ii. 40
Southill, i. 155 ; iv. 158-9
Soy, iv. 296
Stackpole Elidyr, ii. 446 ; iv. 238
Stephen and Socrates, SS., iv. 201-2
Steynton, ii. 116 ; iv. 442
Stinan, S., v. Justinian
Stiperstones, The, iv. 251
Stows Missal, ii. 283
Stradweul, iv. 274
Strata Marcella, iii. 438
Styphan, S., v. Ystyfian
Sucat, S. Patrick, i. 201-2 ; iv. 58
Sulbiu, S., iv. 202
Sulgen, iv. 203, 205
Suliac, iv. 296, 301, 303—4
Suliau, S., V. Tyssilio
Sulien, S., iii. 399-400 ; iv. 44, 203-6,
370. 372
Sully, ii. 1
Swithun, S., ii. 117
Sychnant, iv. 403
Tadeocus, S., iv. 288
Talgarth, iii. 168, 196, 203, 236
Talhaiarn, S., iv. 206-8, 209
Taliessin ab Henwg, ii. 153 ; iii. 263
Talmach, i. 243
-tamos, iii. 205
Tanglwst, S., iv. 208, 286
Tangusius, S., iv. 209
Tangwn ab Caradog, S., ii. 9, 95 ; Iv.
208-9, 370, 372
Tangwn ab Talhaiarn, iv. 207, 209-10
Tangwyn, iv. 207-9
Tangwystl, S., iv. 208, 267-8
Tangyntwn, iv. 209
Tankard, Tancred, ii. 77
Tanwg, S., iv. 44, 200-1, 370, 372
Tanwyn, iv. 209
Tara, i. 123, 257
Tathalius, iv. 21 1-2
Tathan, S., ii. 15-6 ; iii. 237, 393, 484 ;
iv. 146, 209, 211-4; V. Meuthi
Tathana, S., iv. 213
Tatheus, S., iv. 211
Tauanauc, S., iv. 290
Taunton, iv. 209 / .
Tavauc, S., iv. 214-5
Techo, ii. 2 ; iv. 283
Tecniant, iv. 216
Tecwyn, S., v. Tegwyn
Tegai, S., iv. 215-6, 370, 372
Tegau Eurfron, ii. 9
Tegeingl, i. 178
Tegfan, S., ii. 69, 71, 211, 350, 435 ;
iv, 216, 283
Tegfedd, S., da. Amwn Ddu, iv. 216-7,
284
Tegfedd, da. Tegid Foel, iv. 217, 224,
369, 371
Tegid Foel, iv. 217
Tegiwg, S., i. 214 ; iii. 398 ; iv. 217-8,
366, 374
Tegla, S., iv. 219-23
Tegonwy, S., iv. 223, 370, 372
Tegwedd, S., v. Tegfedd, da. Tegid
Foel
Tegwel, S., ii. 350 ; iv. 223-4
Tegwen, S., iv. 224
Tegwy, S., iv. 224, 292, 369, 371
Tegwyn, $., iv. 44, 224, 225
Teilo, S., ii. 263, 303 ; iii. 49 ; iv.
30-5, 41, 161-2, 226-42, 369, 371 ;
his skull, iv. 239-40 ; v. Eliud
Teilo churches, iv. 237-9
Teilo Fyrwallt, S., iv. 227
Teirhron, the epithet, iii. 168, 332
Teithfall, S., iv. 243
Teleri, iii. 466
Teloi, S., iv. 243—4
Telych, i. 324
Tenenan, S., ii. 85-6 ; iv. 244-9
Tenni, S., iv. 249-50
Tenoi, S., ii. 234 ; iii. 158 ; iv. 20,
250, 370-1. 411-2, 414, 426
Teon, S., iv. 251, 370, 372
Terethianus, S., iv. no
Ternoc, S., ii. 85 ; iv. 247-9, 293-6
Tethgo, S., iv. 276-7, 358
Tetta, ii. 325
Teuderius, S., iv. 255
Teudur, iii. 156
Teulyddog, S., iv. 235, 251-2
Teuyth, iii. 188
Tevredaucus, S., iv. 292
Tewdrig, K. of Garthmadryn, i. 304, 306
Tewdrig, K. of Morganwg, iv. 252-4
Tewdrig, K. of Cornwall, i. 31—2 ; ii.
225-6 ; iv. 98
Tewdrig, K. of Cornubia, iv. 31
Tewdwr, S., iv. 255
Teyrnog, S., iv. 255-61, 282, 294, 370;
372
472
Index
Thadioceus, iv. 251, 288
Thaw, R., iv. 195
Thecla, S., iv. 219-20, 222-3
Thegonnec, S., iv. 260, 261-2
Thelo, S., iv. 227
Theneu, Thenew, S., ii. 232-3 ; iv. 250
Theodore, S., iv. 255
Theodoric, Hermitage of, iv. 254
Theodosius, Emp., i. 197-8 ; iv. 61,
64-5
Theonia, S., ii. 429 ; iv. 250
Theonus, iv. 251
Thirteen Royal Treasures of Britain,
iv. 269
Thule, I. of, i. 135
Thumete, S., ii. 475-6 ; iv. 364, 366
Tihoeth, i. 218 ; iv. 279-80
Tighernach, S., iv. 255-61, 262
TiluU S., iv. 261
Tintagel, iii. 399
Tintern, iv. 252-4
tooth, luminous, iii. 275
Toquonoc, S., ii. 264 ; iv. 261-2
Toulidauc, S., v. Teulyddog
Towednack, iv. 361
Towyn, ii. 4-7 ; iii. 165, 183
Trallwng, ii. 317 ; iii. 209, 388
Trawsfynydd, i. 166 ; iii. 399
Treacle Chapel, S., iv. 223
Trebabu, iv. 273
Tre Bran, iii. 301
Trechmor, iii. iig-21
Tredunnoc, ii. 205
Trefdraeth, i. 218
Treffynnon, iii. 187
Trefilan, iii. 259, 298
Tregaian, ii. 51 ; iii. 366
Tregarantec, iv. 294
Tregaron, ii. 135—6
Tregoning, ii. 262
Tregynon, ii. 272—3
Tre Iddon, iii. 290
Treiddyd, S., v. Tryddid
Tre Iwrdan, ii. 96
Trelech, iv. 238
Tremeirchion, ii. 392
Tresilian, iv. 205
Trevethin, ii. 38
Trevigan, iii. 479
Trev/alchmai, iii. 504
Tricurium, iv. 156
Tridian, S., iv. iii, 262
Trillo, S., ii. 49 ; iv. 263-4, 37°' 372.
385
Trimsaran, iv. 129
Trinio, S., v. Trunio
Triphena, iii. iig— 20
Trostrey, ii. 317
Trunio, S., ii. i ; iv. 44, 265, 370, 372
Trwyn y Wylfa, iii. 261
Tryddid, S., iv. 265-6
Trygan, S., iv. 264
Trylokaynoc, iv. 264
Trynihid, iii. 305, 307, 310 ; iv. 266
Tual, S., V. Tudwal
Tuathal, iv. 271
Tubrawst, ii. 254
Tudclyd, S,, iv. 266, 370, 372
Tudec, Tudy, S., iv. 275-9
Tudful, S., V. Tydfil
Tudglid, S., iii. 165 ; iv. 267, 268
Tudglud, " Clydesland," iv. 114
Tudhistil, S., iv. 267-8
Tudlith, S., iv. 287
Tudno, S., iv. 268-9, 37°. 37^
Tudur, S., iv. 269-71, 370, 372
Tudwal, S., i. 262—3, 296-7, 299 ; ii.
196-8 ; iii. 135, 342-4 ; iv. 106-7,
271-4
Tudwal's Islands, S., iv. 273-4
Tudwal Befr, iii. 285 ; iv. 271
Tudwal Tudglud, iv. 114, 269
Tudweiliog, ii. 201 ; iv. 274
Tudwen, S., iv. 275
Tudwg, S., iv. 275-6
Tudwystl, S., iv. 267-8
Tudy, S., i. 328-9 ; iv. 276-9
Tugdual, S., V. Tudwal
Tutbistyl, iv. 267
Tuthe, a demon, i. 329
Tutuc, iv. 289
Twenty Thousand Saints of Bardsey,
ii. 5 ; iii. 372-3 ; iv. 436-8 (two
Cywyddau)
Twinell's, S., iii. 180, 233, 246 ; iv. 353
Twrcelyn, ii. 94, 279
Twrch Trwyth, ii. 145, 253
Twrog, S., i. 218 ; iv. 260, 279-82
Tybie, S., iv. 282
Tybyd, v. Tyfyd
Tydain Tad Awen, iv. 208
Tyddud, S., iv. 266
Tydecho, S., ii. 1-2, 350 ; iv. 44, 216-7,
Z83-5, 370. 372
Tydew, S., iv, 287
Tydfil, S., ii. 455 ; iv. 109, 286-7
Tydieu, S., iv. 287
Tydiwg, S., iv. 275, 288
Tyfaelog, S., iii. 401, 404-5 ; iv. 290,
443; V. Maelog
Inde.
'X
Ml>
Tyfaen, S., iv. 288-9
Tyfai, S., iv. 276, 289-90
Tyfalle, S., iv. 290
Tyfanog, S., iv. 290-1 ; v. Dyfanog
Tyfodwg, S., iv. 291
Tyfriog, S., i. 271, 300 ; iv, 292, 369
371 ; V. Brioc
Tyfrydog, S., iv. 292-3, 370, 372
Tyfyd, Tybyd, i. 212 ; iii. 188 ; iv.
398-402
Tygwy, S., v. Tegwy
Ty Gwyn, ii. 288, 290, 292-3 ; iii.
13-4, 450-2 ; iv. 60, I'^b-'i
Ty Gwyn ar Daf, ii. 293-4 '< i'^- 73~4
Tygynog, iv. 261
Tyneio, S., iv. 268
Tyno Helig, iii. 261-2
Tyrnog, S., iv. 247, 255, 260-1, 293-6
Tysoi, S., iv. 296
Tyssilio, S., i. 211 ; ii. 68 ; iii. 219-20,
378-80 ; iv. 296-305, 370, 372
Tyssial, S., iv. 305-6, 369
Tythegston, iv. 275
Ufelwy, S., ii. 367 ; iv. 306-11
Ugnach, iii. 508
Ulched, S., V. Ylched
Ulo, S., iv. 311
Ultrogotha, Q., iv. 163-4
Umbrafel, S., iv. 146, 311-2
Upton, iv. 206
Urban, Bp. iv. 232
Ursula, SS., and 11,000 VV., iii. 368 ;
iv. 312-47
Usk, ii. II
Ussoldus, S., iv. 311, 349
Ust, S., ii. 396 ; iii. 209, 33^-9 ; iv.
347
Ustig, S., iv. 348
Usyllt, S., iii. 324 ; iv. 28, 30, 227,
348-9
Uzmaston, iii. 324
Vallis Rosina, ii. 288, 293, 296
Van, The, ii. 265, 267
Vaynor, iii. 168, 193. 19^, 242
Veep, S., iv. 349
Venec, S., Chapel of, ii. 8
Venus, iii. 113-4
Verwick, iv. loi
Vetterinus, S., iii. 249
Vetus Rubus, ii. 292-3
Victor, iii. 251
Victory, Synod of, ii. 25
VigiUus, S., i. 221-2
Villemarqu6, De la, ii. 28
Virgil, ii. 28 ; iii. 118
Viroconium, iii. 217
Vitalis, S., iii. 217
Vochriw, iii. 203, 236
Vodhyd, S., v. Meddwyd
Vorch, S., iv. 349
Vortigern, iii. 399 ; v. Gwrtheym
Vortimer, S., iii. 210—4
Vortiporius, iii. 210 ; iv. 90
Vougai, S., iii. 8
Vylltyg, S., iii. 405
Walden Abbey, iv. 442
Warnac, S., iv. 350
Wells, Holy, of SS.—
Aelhaiarn, i. 112
Aeliw, i. 113
Asaph, i. 183-4
Baglan, i. 193
Barruc, i. 196
Bernard (Brynach), ii. 219
Beuno, i. 216, 219
Brochwel, i. 303
Cadfan, ii. 6
Cadfarch, ii. g-io
Caffo, ii. 50
Canna, ii. 70
Caradog, ii. 78
Caron, ii. 136
Cawrdaf, ii. 10, 95
Ceitho, ii. 102
Celer, iv. 441
Celynin, ii. 104-5
Clether, ii. 150
CoUen, ii. 160
Cwyfan, ii. 202
Cybi, ii. 209, 212-3
Cynfran, ii. 246
Cynhafal, ii. 254
Cynllo, ii. 263
Cywair, ii. 278
Dier, ii, 342 ; iv. 222
Dyfnog, ii. 397-8
Efio, ii. 432
Eilian, ii. 439
Elaeth, ii. 425
Elan, iii. 218-9
Elian, ii. 440-3
Enddwyn, ii. 452
Erfyl, ii. 464
Garmon, iii. 77-8
George, ii. 246
Gofor, iii. I33
Govan, iii. 144
474
Index
Wells, Holy, of SS.—
Gredifael, iii. 149
Gwenfaen, iii. 185
Gwenfrewi, v. Winefred
Gwenog, iii. 198
Isho, iii. 322-3
Llechid, iii. 367
Lleuddad, iii. 374
Non, iv. 24
Padrig, iv. 52-3
Pedrog, iv. 102
Peris, iv. 92-3
Seiriol, ii. 209 ; iv. 177, 179
Tegla, iv. 220—2
Teilo, iv. 239-40
Trillo, iv. 263
Tudwen, iv. 275
Tydecho, iv. 285
Winefred, iii. 189-92, 194-5 ; i'^-
403
Ffynnon Fyw, ii. 199
Ffynnon Wen, ii. 213; iv. 442
Llanddwyn Wells, ii. 389-gi
Welsh Bicknor, ii. 177 ; iii. 154
Wenael, S., iv. 359
Wendron, S., iv. 350-1
Weneppa, S., iv. 350
Wenn, S., iii. 166-7
Wentloog, iii. 235
Wenvoe. i. 320 ; iii. 185 ; iv. 440
Weonard's, S., iii. 162
were-wolf, iv. 122
Weroc, Count, ii. 4; iii. 119-20; iv.
18, 44, 46
Wethenoc, S., iv. 351
Whitchurch, Denb., iii. 437-8
Whitchurch, Pemb., ii. 316
Whitchurches, iii. 167, 169-71
White, S., ii. 68-9 ; iii. 167, 169-70
Whitechurch Canonicorum, ii. 68—9
Whitford, i. 219
Whitland, iii. 451 ; iv. 74
Whitstone, i. 164
Whitton, ii. 317
Wig, Wick, ii. 364 ; iii. 112
Willet, ii. 87
William of Worcester, i. 76, 318
Willow, S., iv. 351-2
Wilson, Bp., i. 80-3
Winefred, S., v. Gwenfrewi
Winforton, ii. 259
Winiau, S., iv. 136, 153-5, "57. '^o,
353
Winnin, S., iii. 18
Winnoc, Winnow, S., iii. 180, 233 ; iv.
3S2-3
Winwaloe, S., ii. 8-9, 183-4, 466-7 ;
iii. 164, 173, 177-81 ; iv. 276-7,
353-62
Wita, S., ii. 68-9
Withur, Count, iv. 81-3
Woednovius, S., iii. 222, 224
Wolves Newton, iii. 230
Wonastow, iii. 164, 242 ; iv. 361
Woolo's, S., Newport, iii. 204, 238-40
Woolston, iii. 193
Worm, R., iii. 155
Worm's Head, ii. no
Wormet, S., iii. 157
Wormonoc, iv. 75
Worthenbury, ii. 329
Wrekin, ii. 217
Wrexham, iv. 205
"Wrinston, iii. 209
Wulvella, S., iv. 76, 78-9, 362-3
Wymer, S., iii. 23
Wynnin, S., iii. 233
Xanthus, ii. 287 ; iv. 172
Ychen bannog, ii. 318-9
Yellow Plague, i. 11 ; ii. 26, 302-3 ;
iv. 232-3
Yhuel, S., iv. 306
Ylched, S., iv. 366
Ynyr Gwent, S., i. 210 ; iv. 213, 217-8,
363-6
Ynys Brychan, i. 305 ; — Byr, v.
Caldey ; — Cedwyn, ii, 98 ; —
Dyfanog, ii. 395 ; — Enlli, v. Bard-
sey ; — Gerwyn, i. 325 ; — Gyn-
haiarn, ii. 256 ; — Lannog, iii.
262 ; iv. 178 ; — Moelrhonion, ii.
330; — Seiriol, iv. . 178; —
Weryn, ii. 108, iio-i ; — yr
Hyrddod, iii. 339
Yrth, the epithet, i. 321
Ysfael, iii. 323 ; iv. 28
Ysgwn, S., iv. 367
Ystalyfera, ii. 317
Ystinan, S., v. Justinian
Ystrad Dyfodwg, iv. 291
Ystrad Gynlais, ii. 265 ; iii. 235
Ystrad Meurig, iii. 483
Ystrad Owen, iv. 37
Ystudfach, iii. 274
Ystumllwynarth, iv. 109
Ystyffan, S., iv. 367-8, 370. 372
Yves, S,, i. 17
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Jones, David, Trosnant Lodge, Pontypool, Mon.
Jones, Rev. D. J., St. Theodore's Vicarage, Port Talbot.
Jones, [the late) Edmund J., Fforest Legionis, Pont-Nedd-Vychan, Neath.
Jones, Edward, 12, Barforth Road, Peckham Rye, S.E.
Jones, Edward, Maesmawr Hall, Caersws.
Jones, H., Advertiser Office, Llangollen.
Jones, {the late) Rev. J. Tycelyn, Bodelwyddan, Rhuddlan.
Jones, Professor J. Morris, Llanfair Pwll, Anglesey.
Jones, Lewis, Journal Office, Rhyl.
Jones, Lewis D., 3, Edge Hill, Garth, Bangor.
Jones, {the late) Owen, Dolawel, Blaenau Festiniog.
Jones, Rev. R. Lloyd, Derry Ormond Rectory, Cardigan.
Jones, Rev. T. Llechid., Yspytty Ifan Vicarage, Bettws-y-Coed.
Jones-Bateman, {the late) Rev. B., Sheldon Rectory.
Jordan, Rev. Albert, Llanbadarn Fawr Rectory, Radnorshire.
Joyce & Sons, High Street, Newport, Mon.
Kane, Rev. Thos. P., Cathohc Church, Llandrindod Wells.
Kemble, H. W., Knock, Broadford, Isle of Skye.
Laws, {the late) Edward, Brython Place, Tenby.
Leeds, Henry E., i, Compton Road, Brighton.
■Lemon, Rev. Dr. T. W., Poughill Vicarage, Bude.
Letts, Charles, 8, Bartlett's Buildings, E.C.
Lewis, Mrs., Greenmeadow, Tongwynlais.
Lewis, Rev. H. Elvet, 37, Highbury New Park, N.
47 8 List of Subscribers
Lewis, Rev. J. Hamer, Dioc. Inspector of Schools, St. Asaph.
Lewis, The Rt. Hon. J. Herbert, M.P., Caerwys, Fhntshire.
Lewis, {the late) D. Rees, Plas Penydarren, Merthyr Tydfil.
Lewis, Robert, 62, Green Street, Grosvenor Square, W.
Lewis, Rev. Canon, Ystradj^fodwg Vicarage, Pentre, Rhondda.
Llandaff, The Right Rev. Bishop of. The Palace, Llandaff.
Llangollen Free Library (per. T. Carno Jones), Llangollen.
Lloyd H. Meuric, Delfryn, Llanwrda.
Lloyd, Professor J. E., Gwaendeg, Bangor.
Lloyd, Rev. J. E., D.D., Penucharoe, Cefn, St. Asaph.
Lloyd, Llewelyn, Oakdene, Cadnant Park, Conway.
Lloyd-Price, R. J., Rhiwlas, Bala.
Manchester Reference Library, (Chas. Sutton, Librarian), King Street,
ilanchester.
Manley, Rev. H. J., Llanbedrog Rectory, Pwllheli.
Marshall, Isaac, Sarnesfield Court, Weobley.
Martin, {the late) Edw. P., The Hill, Abergavenny.
Masters & Co., Ltd., 78, New Bond Street, W.
Matthews, Thos., Eryl, Llandebie.
Merthyr, The Right Hon. Lord, The Mardy, Aberdare.
Meyrick Library, The (E. E. Genner, Librarian), Jesus College, Oxford.
Mitchell Library, The (F. J. Barrett, Librarian), Glasgow.
Morgan, Rev. D. Watcyn, The Vicarage, Llanelly.
Morgan, Rev. J., The Rectory, Llanrwst.
Morgan, Lt. -Colonel W. Ll., R.E., Bryn Briallu, Swansea.
Morgan, Rev, W., Manafon Rectory, Berriew.
Morrice, Rev. Canon, J. C, Maentwrog Rectory, Tanybwlch.
Morris, Abr., Gwynfa, Gold Tops, Newport, Mon.
Morris, John, 18, Parkfield Road, Liverpool.
Morris, R. Jones, Gwrach Yn^^s, Talsarnau.
Morris, T. E., 8, Fig Tree Court, Temple, E.C.
Mostyn, The Right Hon. Lord, Mostyn Hall, Flintshire.
National Library of Wales, (John Ballinger, Librarian), Aberystwyth.
Newell, Rev. E. J., Neen Sollars Rectory, Salop.
Newport Corporation Free I^ibrary, Newport, Mon.
NiCHOLL, Iltyd, Ham, Llantwit Major.
Norman, George, 12, Brock Street, Bath.
Oheix, M. Andre, La Ville-aux-Veneurs, Cotes du Nord.
Owen, Rev. C. Fred, The Vicarage, St. Clears.
Owen, Rev. D. C, Bodlondeb, St. Asaph.
Owen, Edward, 3, Queen Anne Street, Westminster.
Owen, Henry, D.C.L., Poyston, Haverfordwest.
Owen, Rev. O. Lilian, i5, Argyle Road, Anfield, Liverpool.
Owen, Rev. Canon R. Trevor, Bodelwyddan Vicarage, Rhuddlan.
Parker & Son, 27, Broad Street, Oxford [two copies).
Parry, Joseph, Woodbury, Waterloo, Liverpool.
Peate, J. Morgan, 43, King's Cross Road, W.C.
Pegge, Ernest L., Gelli Dochlithe, Crynant, Neath.
Penzance Public Library, Morral Gardens, Penzance.
Phillimore, Egerton G. B., Corris, Merionethshire.
Phillips, Rev. T. C, Skewen Vicarage, Neath Abbey.
Phillips, Rev. Thos., Llanfyrnach Rectory, Pembrokeshire.
Pilley, Walter, The Barton, Hereford.
PooLE-HuGHES, Rev. W. W., The Warden of the College, Llandovery.
Powell, Rev. E. Worthington, Brymbo Vicarage, Wrexham.
Powell, Rev. M. Jones, D.D., The Vicarage, Aberystwyth.
List of Subscribers 479
Preece, {the late) Sir Wm. H., Penrhos, Carnarvon.
Price. Rev. C. P., The Rectory, Machynlleth.
Prichard- Jones, Sir J., Bart., Maes-yr-Hav, Elstree.
Pritchard, Mrs., The Priory, Cardigan.
Pritchard, L. J., Menai Lodge, Chiswick.
Prosser-Morris, Rev, W., Patterdale Rectory, Ullswater.
Pryce, a. Ivor, Diocesan Registry, Bangor.
Pryce, Rev. Lewis, The Warden of Ruthin.
PuGHE- Jones, J. E., 82, Bryn Road, Swansea.
QuARiTCH, Bernard, ii, Grafton Street, W. (eight copies).
QuiGGiN, E. C, Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge.
Redfern, Rev. T., The Rectory, Denbigh.
Rees, E. J., 404, Goodwyn Institute, Memphis, Tenn.
Rees, Hugh, Ltd., Pall Mall, S.W.
Reform Club Library, (W. R. B. Prideaux, Librarian), Reform Club, S.W.
Reichel, Principal Sir Harry, Gartherwen, Bangor.
Reynolds, Llywarch, Old Church Place, Merthyr Tydfil.
Rhvs, The Right Hon. Sir John, D.Litt,, Jesus College, Oxford.
Richards, {the late) D. M., Wenallt, Aberdare.
Riley, Athelstan, S. Petroc Minor, S. Issy, R.S.O. Cornwall.
Roberts, Rev. Canon, Llanddulas Rectory, Abergele.
Roberts, {the late) Edward, Plas Maes Incla, Carnarvon.
Roberts, Rev. G., Uanelly Rectory, Abergavenny.
Roberts, Rev. H. R., Llanengan Rectory, PwllheH.
Roberts, Sir J. Herbert, Bart., M.P., Bryngwenallt, Abergele.
Roberts, L. J., H.M.I.S. Ceinvan, Llandudno.
Roberts, R. Arthur, Public Record Office, Chancery Lane, W.C.
St. Asaph, The Right Rev. the Bishop of. The Palace, St. Asaph.
St. Davids, The Right Rev. the Bishop of. The Palace, Abergwili.
Salmon, Principal D., Training College, Swansea.
Sayce, Professor A. H., Queen's College, Oxford.
Scott-Hall, The Rev. Bishop, W.E., 8, Davenant Road, Oxford.
Simons, Lewis C, i, Hanover Street, Merthyr Tydfil.
SiMPKiN, Marshall & Co., Paternoster Row, E.C. {four copies).
Smith & Son, W. H., Strand, W.C.
Spence- Jones, Very Rev. Dr., (Dean of Gloucester), Pantglas, Golden
Grove.
Sotheran, H. & Co., Strand and Piccadilly {two copies).
Stepney-Gulston, Alan, Derwydd, Llandebie.
Stephens, H. R., Savings Bank Department, Kensington.
Stevens & Brown, B. F., 4, Trafalgar Square, W.C. {nine copies).
Stewart, Rev. H. J., The Vicarage, Cockett.
Swansea, The Right Rev. Bishop of, Cantref Rectory, Brecon.
Swansea Public Library, (S. E. Thompson, Librarian), Swansea.
Syracuse Public Library, New York, U.S.A.
Thomas, The Ven. Archdeacon, Llandrinio Rectory, Llanymynech.
Thomas, Miss, Llwyn Madoc, Garth.
Thomas, Dewi, Euston Station, N.W.
Thomas, D. Lleufer, Whitchurch, Cardiff.
Thomas, Rev. D. W., The Croft, Carmarthen.
Thomas, Rev. Professor E. Lorimer, Llangwm, Lampeter.
Thomas, Rev. Griffith, Troed y Bryn, Carmarthen.
Thomas, Rev. J., Laugharne Vicarage, St. Clears.
Tomlin & Son, W., Trinity Street, Cambridge.
Treherne, Geo. G. T., 26, Brunswick Gardens, W.
Tredegar, {the late) Viscount, Tredegar Park, Newport, Mon.
4^0 List of Subscribers
Tyldesley-Jones, W. E., 2, Inverness Gardens, Campden Hill, W.
Tyler, Mrs. Trevor, Llantrithyd, Cowbridge.
Vaughan, Rev. T. W., The Vicarage, Rhuddlan.
Vaughan, Rev. W. Gwynne, Bettws Vicarage, Newtown, Mont.
Verney, Lady, Plas Rhoscol}^, nr. Holyhead.
Wace, The Very Rev. Henry, D.D., The Deanery, Canterbury.
Wade-Evans, Rev. A. W., Vicar of France Lynch, Glos.
Warren, Rev. Canon F. E., Bardwell Rectory, Bury St. Edmunds.
Westyr-Evans, J. H., Cefn Bridge, Penarth.
Williams, Aneurin, Menai View, North Road, Carnarvon.
Williams, Rev. D. D., 94, Cecil Street, Manchester.
Williams, Mrs. John Ignatius, Hendre Gadredd, Portmadoc.
Williams, Sir John, Bart., G.C.V.O., Blaen Llynant, Aberystwyth.
Williams, Rev. J. R. D., 15, Glanant Street, Aberdare.
Williams, Rev. Ll.. M., Dowlais Rectory, Glam.
Williams, Miss Mary, 6, Sloane Gardens, S.W.
Williams, Rev. Canon R. Camber, The Vicarage, Lampeter.
Williams, Rev. Robert, The Vicarage, Llandilo.
Williams, Thomas, Llewesog Hall, Denbigh.
Williams, Rev. T. Lloyd, The Vicarage, Briton Ferry.
Williams, Rev. W., Glyngarth, Menai Bridge.
Williams, W. J., 42, Rutland Park Mansions, N.W.
Williams, W. Prichard, Cae'r Onnen, Bangor.
Williams, Rev. W. T., Llandyrnog Rectory, Denbigh.
WiLLis-BuND, J. W., 15, Old Square, Lincoln's Inn, W.C.
WiLYM-JoNES, [thti late) Rev. J., Meifod Vicarage, Welshpool.
WooLLAN, J. "H., 42, South Park Road, Wimbledon.
Wrexham Public Library (per George Frater), Wrexham.
Wyman & Sons, Fetter Lane, E.C. (two copies).
Wynne-Jones, Rev. J. W., The Vicarage, Carnarvon.
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