as were approved in the age;* and the Triads assert that he went about the country preaching the faith in Christ without pay or reward to all ranks of people, for which reason he was counted one of the three blessed visitors of the Isle of Britain. It is mentioned by John of Teignmouth that he built monasteries and churches throughout the whole region of Ceretica; and that he rebuked Maelgwn Gwynedd, from whom he had received certain injuries in an excursion of that prince into South Wales: but no other incidents of the time spent at Llanbadarn are recorded, upon the truth of which any reliance may be placed. At the expiration of the twenty one years he returned to his native country, where he was made bishop of Vannes. A dissension, however, broke out between him and the other Armorican bishops; upon which a synod was convened, and a reconciliation effected. Notwithstanding this, he continued to dread their hostility, and retired to the Franks, among whom he remained till the close of his life. He subscribed the decrees of the council of Paris,† which was held in the year 557, and is commended both as an abbot and a bishop in the writings of Venantius Fortunatus, a Latin poet of Gaul, who was his contemporary. One of his early biographers, quoted by Usher, says that three days were held sacred to his memory; April 15, being the anniversary of his death; June 20, in remembrance of his consecration as bishop; and Nov. 1, on account of his reconciliation with the prelates of Armorica. * They are thus summed up by Sulgenus: "Orans, jejunans, vigilans, lachrymansque, gemensque, Hospitibus pandens aditum, sitientibus haustum, Ægrotis curam, nudis miseratus amictum; Prudens quæque gerens, perfecit cuncta potenter." + Usher, Cap. XIV. Cressy; who gives the following references,-1. 7. Epig. 3. and 1. 3. Epig. 52. In Tydecho, the son of Amwn Ddu ab Emyr Llydaw, and cousin to Cadfan, left Armorica, and settled in company with his sister, Tegfedd, in the district of Mawddwy, Merionethshire, where he founded the church of Llanymmawddwy, to which the neighbouring churches of Mallwyd and Garthbeibio, both dedicated to him, were formerly subject. this retreat he is said to have suffered from the violence and oppression of Maelgwn Gwynedd, the prince of North Wales; upon whom, as the legend relates, he retaliated with such a host of miracles, that the tyrant was glad to make amends, and grant him several immunities. Tegfedd also was forcibly carried away by another chief, named Cynon, who in like manner was compelled to restore her unhurt, and purchase the peace of the saint by a grant of the lands of Garthbeibiot He is considered to be the patron of Cemmaes, Montgomeryshire, and a chapel was consecrated to his memory in the parish of Llandegfan, Anglesey. His festival is Dec. 17. It is uncertain whether Amwn Ddu, the father of the preceding, left Armorica at the same time with Cadfan, but it is recorded that he quitted that country, where he had been sovereign of a district called Graweg; and settling in Wales, he married Anna, a daughter of Meurig, the prince of Glamorgan, by whom he had two sons, Samson and Tathan, who were afterwards eminent for their sanctity. It is said that he enjoyed the friendship of Dubricius, as well as of Iltutus of whose institution he became a member; and that he resided in a small island near Llantwit Major, until he removed to a desert on the shores of the Severn, where he seems to have passed the remainder of his life. The locality of this desert is not well defined, but it would appear that Anna settled in the *They now form separate benefices, but are described as chapels to Llanymmawddwy in the Taxation of Pope Nicholas. + See a Welsh poem inserted in the Cambrian Register, Vol. II. p. 375. Achau y Saint, Silurian copies. same quarter, and built a church there, which was consecrated for her by Samson.* Gwyndaf Hên ab Emyr Llydaw, an Armorican and brother of Amwn Ddu, married Gwenonwy, another daughter of Meurig, by whom he was the father of St. Meugan. He was a confessor or chaplain in the monastery of Illtyd, and afterwards superior of the college of Dubricius at Caerleon. In his old age he retired to Bardsey, where he died. He may be deemed the founder of Llanwnda in Carnarvonshire, and of another church of that name in Pembrokeshire. Hywyn, the son of Gwyndaf Hên, is said to have accompanied Cadfan from Armorica, which makes it probable that he was the issue of a former marriage. He was confessor to the congregation of saints assembled in the Isle of Bardsey, and the foundation of Aberdaron, on the opposite coast of Carnarvonshire, from whence pilgrims generally crossed over to the island, is ascribed to him. According to the Life of St. Maglorius,† Umbrafel, another brother of Amwn Ddu, married Afrella, a third daughter of Meurig. He is not noticed by the genealogists, but the “Book of Llandaff" states that after having been ordained a priest, he was appointed abbot of a monastery in Ireland, by his nephew, St. Samson.‡ Trinio, the son of Difwng ab Emyr Llydaw, was a saint who emigrated with Cadfan, and afterwards settled in the Isle of Bardsey. He was the founder of Llandrinio, Montgomeryshire.§ Dochdwy, whose genealogy is unknown, accompanied Cadfan to Bardsey, where he was ordained a bishop: it does not * Liber Landavensis, as quoted by Usher. + Apud Surium, tom. 5. Oct. 24. Usher, cap. XIV. § Chapels-Llandyssilio (St. Tyssilio,) Melverley (St. Peter,) and New Chapel (Holy Trinity.) appear that he derived the title from any particular see; but it is recorded that he was entrusted with the care of the diocese of Llandaff during the absence of Teilo, who was invited to Bardsey to regulate the affairs of the monastery upon the death of Cadfan. He is, perhaps, the founder of two churches in Glamorganshire, called Llandoch or Llandocha.* Mael, a companion of Cadfan; he is the saint, in conjunction with Sulien, of the churches of Corwen, Merionethshire, and Cwm, Flintshire, and their joint festival is May 13. Sulien, called also Silin, a son of Hywel ab Emyr Llydaw, is said to have settled in Bardsey. He was the founder of Llansilin and Wrexham, Denbighshire, and of Eglwys Sulien, Cardiganshire. The chapels of Capel Silin under Wrexham, and Capel Sant Silin in the parish of Llanfihangel Ystrad, Cardiganshire, both in ruins, were called after him. His commemoration is Sept. 1. which led Browne Willis to confound him with St. Giles, whose festival occurs on the same day. Cristiolus, another son of Hywelt ab Emyr Llydaw, and cousin to Cadfan, is reputed to be the founder of Llangristiolus, Anglesey, and of Eglwys Wrw, and Penrydd, Pembrokeshire. Ecton attributes also to him the church of Clydai, Pembrokeshire, of which, however, he must have been the restorer, if it be true that the original founder was Clydai, the daughter of Brychan. Festival Nov. 3. Rhystud, a brother of Sulien and Cristiolus, was the founder of Llanrhystud, Cardiganshire; and it is said that he was for some time bishop of Caerleon upon Usk; in which capacity he must have served as suffragan to the prelates of Menevia or Llandaff; the expression, however, may mean no more than that he was abbot of the monastery established *Anglice Llandough. † According to some accounts, he was a son of Hywel Fychan ab Hywel, ab Emyr Llydaw. there by Dubricius. His wake was held on the Tuesday before Christmas. Derfel, called also Derfel Gadarn, a brother of the preceding, was the founder of Llandderfel, Merionethshire; from whence, his image, made of wood, was taken, and burnt at Smithfield at the time of the Reformation. His festival occurs on the fifth of April. Dwywau, another brother of the preceding, is the patron saint of Llanddwywau, a chapel under Llanenddwyn, Merionethshire. Alan, an Armorican and one of the sons of Emyr Llydaw, appears to have left his country and become a saint in the college of Illtyd or Iltutus. The three following were his sons:- D Lleuddad ab Alan, a member of the college of Illtyd; after the death of Cadfan he was appointed abbot of the monastery of Bardsey, in consideration of which dignity he was also styled a bishop. Next to his predecessor, he has been esteemed the guardian saint of the island; and there are poems extant, in praise of the protection, which he afforded to pilgrims on their passage to the sacred cemetery.* Llonio Lawhir ab Alan was a member of the college of Illtyd, and afterwards dean of the college of Padarn at Llanbadarn Fawr. He was also the founder of Llanddinam, Montgomeryshire; and it is said that there was a church dedicated to him in Cardiganshire, which, if it be identified with the modern name 66 Llanio," must have been a chapel to Llanddewi Brefi. Llynab ab Alan accompanied Cadfan to Britain, where, like his brothers, he became a member of the college of Illtyd. In his old age he retired to Bardsey. The statement, in Achau y Saint, that he was archbishop of Llandaff, is probably a mistake, as it is inconsistent with all other accounts of that see. * Myv. Archaiology, Vol. I. p. 360, and Cambrian Register, Vol. III. |