century and makes him acquainted with St. Hilary, Bishop of Poictiers, may be attributed to the circumstance that one of his contemporary saints in that island was called Elian, a name which the Welsh give also to St. Hilary. Besides the churches already mentioned, Cybi was the founder of Llangybi in Carnarvonshire. Festival, Nov. 6. According to tradition Cybi and Elian used to meet at a place called Llandyfrydog, between Llanelian and Holyhead, to confer upon subjects of religion. A similar story is told of Cybi and Seiriol of Penmon, who used to hold weekly meetings at Clorach near Llannerch y Medd. "From the circumstance of Seiriol travelling westward in the morning and eastward in the evening, and Cybi on the contrary always facing the sun, they were denominated Seiriol Wyn a Chybi Felyn, -Seiriol the Fair, and Cybi the Tawny." These stories, though obviously fabulous, are chronologically consistent, as the three saints, according to their genealogy, were living at the same time. Elian Geimiad was the son of Gallgu Rieddog ab Carcludwys of the line of Cadrod Calchfynydd, and his mother was Canna, a daughter of Tewdwr Mawr o Lydaw and widow of Sadwrn. The epithet Ceimiad (pilgrim) has by one writer* been changed into Cannaid (bright) to correspond with the Latin Hilarius; but the conjecture was unnecessary, as the sound of the name Elian, which the Welsh have thought convertible with Hilary,† is sufficient to account for the confusion. Elian is celebrated in the superstitions of the Principality ; miraculous cures were lately supposed to be performed at his shrine at Llanelian, Anglesey; and near to the church of Llanelian, Denbighshire, is a well called Ffynnon Elian, which is thought by the peasantry of the neighbourhood to *The author of a "History of Anglesey." ↑ In the Welsh Calendar, St. Hilary is called Elian Esgob. be endued with miraculous powers even at present. His wake is held in the month of August, while the festival of St. Hilary occurs on the thirteenth of January. Beuno was the son of Hywgi or Bugi ab Gwynllyw Filwr and Perfferen daughter of Llewddyn Luyddog of Dinas Eiddyn in the North. He was, therefore, nearly related to Cattwg and Kentigern, with the latter of whom he was contemporary. Few particulars of his life are known, though it must have extended into the following century, as it is recorded that he founded a religious society at Clynnog Fawr in Carnarvonshire in 616. The land, upon which the college or monastery of Clynnog was built, was granted by Cadfan, the reigning prince of North Wales, to whom St. Beuno gave a small golden sceptre as an acknowledgement for the donation. He was in his old age one of the instructors of Gwenfrewi or St. Winefred; his festival is April 21; and the churches and chapels dedicated to him are the following: Berriew, alias Aber-rhiw, V. Montgomeryshire. Llanycil, R. Merionethshire. Gwyddelwern,* R. Merioneth. Clynnog Fawr, R. Carnarvonshire. Carngiwch, a chapel to Edeyrn (St. Edeyrn,) Carn. Penmorfa, R.-1 chapel, Dolbenmaen (St. Mary,) Carn. Aberffraw, R.-1 chapel, Capel Mair (St. Mary,) Anglesey. Trefdraeth, R.—1 chapel, Llangwyfen (St. Cwyfen,) Anglesey. Llanfeuno, a chapel to Clodock (St. Clydog,) Herefordshire. Cannen, the son of Gwyddlew ab Gwynllyw Filwr, is presumed to have been the founder of Llanganten, near Builth, Brecknockshire. Gwodloew, the son of Glywys Cerniw ab Gwynllyw Filwr, is said to have been at first a teacher in the college of Cattwg, and afterwards bishop of Llandaff; but the last assertion is * Built by St. Beuno on land granted to him by Cynan ab Brochwel Ysgythrog, prince of Powys.-Cambrian Register, Vol. I. incorrect, as "Guodloiu" in the catalogue of bishops of Llandaff* must have lived at an age too late for the son of Glywys Cerniw. Meugan or Meigant, a son of Gwyndaf Hên ab Emyr Llydaw and Gwenonwy the daughter of Meurig prince of Glamorgan, was originally a member of the college of Iltutus, from whence he removed to the college of Dubricius at Caerleon, of which society his father was the president. In his old age he retired to Bardsey, where he died. He may be deemed the founder of Llanfeugan, Brecknockshire; and the chapels consecrated to his memory are St. Moughan's under Llangattwg Feibion Afel, Monmouthshire; and Capel Meugan, formerly subject to Llandegfan, Anglesey. Two poems, composed by Meugan, who is thought to have been the same person as the saint, are inserted in the Myvyrian Archaiology. Melangell, the daughter of Tudwal Tudglyd of the line of Macsen Wledig, was the foundress of Pennant Melangell,† Montgomeryshire. She was a sister of Rhydderch Hael of Strath Clyde; and her mother was Ethni, surnamed Wyddeles or the Irish-woman. Festival, May 27. Dingad, the son of Nudd Hael of the line of Macsen Wledig, is called a saint, but no churches are ascribed to him. His wife was Tonwy or Trefrïan, a daughter of Llewddyn Luyddog of Dinas Eiddyn.‡ Llidnerth ab Nudd, a brother of Dingad, and a saint. *He is the eleventh bishop in Godwin's list, and is mentioned as contemporary with Maredudd, king of Dyfed, about A. D. 790. "It is distinguished from other Pen Nants by the addition of Melangell, i. e. Monacella, the patron saint, whose Latin Legend is still extant; her history is also rudely sculptured on the gallery of the church; and several of her relics are still (1811) shown to the credulous, who happen to visit this sequestered spot. The cell of Diva Monacella is in a rock near the church."-Carlisle's Topography. Page 261, antea. Clydno Eiddyn, Cynan, Cynfelyn Drwsgl, and Cadrod, sons of Cynwyd Cynwydion of the line of Coel Godebog, were chieftains of North Britain, who are said to have embraced a religious life.* Cawrdaf, the son of Caradog Fraichfras of the line of Coel, succeeded his father as sovereign of Brecknockshire, and is distinguished in the Triads for his extensive influence, for whenever he went to battle the whole population of the country attended at his summons. He is said to have embraced a religious life in the college of Illtyd; and Llangoed, a chapel subordinate to Llaniestin, Anglesey, is dedicated to him in conjunction with his brother Tangwn. It has been suggested that the name of Llanwrda, Carmarthenshire, is derived from Cawrdaf, though the more obvious meaning of the word is "the church of the holy man," without intending to describe any particular saint. The festival of St. Cawrdaf is Dec. 5; while the wake of Llanwrda depends upon Nov. 12, or All Saints' Day, Old Style. Cadfarch, a brother of Cawrdaf, was the founder of Penegos, Montgomeryshire, and Abererch, Carnarvonshire. Festival, Oct. 24. Tangwn, brother of Cawrdaf, was one of the saints to whom Llangoed, Anglesey, is dedicated. Maethlu or Amaethlu, brother of Cawrdaf, the founder of Llanfaethlu, Anglesey, and possibly of Llandy falle, Brecknockshire. The syllable dy is introduced into the last name upon the same principle as Llandyfaelog is formed from Maelog; both the names so formed occur in Brecknockshire, while the corresponding appellations in Anglesey omit it.§ Festival, Dec. 26. * Cambrian Biography, voce Cynwyd Cynwydion. + Triad 41, Third Series. + Jones's Brecknockshire, Vol. I. p. 70. § Page 231, antea. Tewdwr Brycheiniog, the son of Nefydd ab Nefydd Ail ab Rhun ab Brychan, a saint of whom nothing more is known. than his pedigree. Ciwg, the son of Aron ab Cynfarch of the line of Coel, was the founder of Llangiwg, commonly called Llanguke, in Glamorganshire. Elaeth, sometimes styled Elaeth Frenhin or "the king," was the son of Meurig ab Idno of the tribe of Coel, and Onen Grêg, a daughter of Gwallog ab Llenog. In the former part of his life he was a chieftain in the North, from whence he was driven by a reverse of fortune to spend the remainder of his days in the college of Seiriol in Anglesey, and he is also considered to have been the founder of the church of Amlwch in that county. He was a bard, and a few religious stanzas attributed to him are preserved in the Myvyrian Archaiology. Festival, Nov. 10. Saeran, a saint, is said to have been the son of Geraint, surnamed Saer, or "the artisan,” of Ireland. He was buried at Llanynys, Denbighshire, from which circumstance that church has been thought to have been dedicated to him; but its original founder, according to Llywarch Hên, was Mor ab Ceneu ab Coel. According to Usher, Kieranus filius artificis was an eminent saint who founded the bishoprick of Cloyne in Ireland between the years 520 and 550; and the similarity of the names suggests the idea that he was the same person as Geraint Saer, the father of Saeran, in which case the Welsh appellation ought to have been written Geraint ab Saer. y The period just passed over includes the principal part of the lives of Aneurin, Taliesin, Llywarch Hên, and Myrddin, four bards, of whose compositions a very considerable portion has remained to posterity; and rude and obscure as these poems may seem to a modern reader, they should be received with the indulgence due to their antiquity, for they are perhaps the earliest specimen of a vernacular literature possessed |