Emyr Llydaw was the prince of a certain territory in Armorica, and nephew to St. Germanus. He flourished in the early part of this generation, and is noticed here on account of his descendants, whose names appear conspicuous in the catalogue of saints.

Ithel Hael o Lydaw was another Armorican prince, whose children in this and the following generation accompanied Illtyd and Cadfan to Britain, and became saints of the Welsh Church.

To return to the older families, the distinguished hero of the line of Cunedda, during this period, was Caswallon Lawhir. His history as related in Achau y Saint, under the head of Meigyr, is as follows:-"Meigyr, with his brothers, Cynyr and Meilyr, accompanied Caswallon Lawhir, their cousin, to drive the Ffichti out of Mona,* to which island they had retreated from the sons of Cunedda, and had strengthened themselves there. After cruel fighting they drove the Gwyddelians out of Mona, in which Caswallon slew Serigi, the Gwyddelian, with his own hand. This Serigi was the leader

* Anglesey.

of the Gwyddelians and the Ffichti that had overrun Gwynedd from the time of Macsen Wledig. And after driving the strangers out of Mona, the Cymry took courage, and chased them from every part of Gwynedd, so that none remained in the country but such of them as were made slaves."+―This account is important as it records the final expulsion of the Gwyddyl Ffichti from North Wales; and though the precise time of the event is not mentioned, there are reasons for supposing that it took place near the close of the century. There was formerly a chapel near the church of Holyhead, called Eglwys y Bedd or Llanygwyddyl, which, as reported by tradition, had been erected over the grave of Serigi.

Meigyr was the son of Gwron ab Cunedda; he and his brother, Meilyr, are included in the Silurian catalogue of saints, though there are no churches which bear their names. The same may also be said of Sandde ab Ceredig ab Cunedda, who married Non, the daughter of Gynyr of Caer Gawch, by whom he became the father of St. David. The only remaining saint of the family, for this generation, was Gwenaseth, daughter of Rhufon ab Cunedda, who was married to Pabo Post Prydain: but in connexion with the tribe may be mentioned, Tegwedd, the daughter of Tegid Foel of Penllyn, Merionethshire. She was married, first to Cedig ab Ceredig ab Cunedda, by whom she became the mother of Afan of Buallt; and secondly to Enlleu ab Hydwn

*North Wales.

+Translated in the Cambrian Biography.

The author of a "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 seem 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."

Dwn ab Ceredig, by whom she had Teilo, bishop of Llandaff. A church in Monmouthshire, called Llandegfyth, is ascribed to her, at which place, according to Achau y Saint, she was murdered by the Saxons.

It appears that upon the progress of the Saxon arms in the south of Britain, the families of Coel Godebog and many others retreated to the north,* where, as in Wales, the Britons endeavoured to concentrate themselves. Here, however, they were obliged to maintain an unequal contest with the Picts on one side and the Saxons on the other. And though the Britons of Cumberland, and more especially those of Strath Clyde, maintained their independence for some two or three centuries, the chieftains of other districts were not equally fortunate; and when stripped of their territories by the continual aggressions of the invaders, their practice was to seek an asylum in Wales, and, in several instances, to devote their lives to the service of religion. Of the latter description was Pabo Post Prydain, the descendant of Coel in the fourth degree. He first distinguished himself as a brave warrior, but eventually he was obliged to give way and leave his territory in the north. He sought refuge in Wales, and was hospitably received by Cyngen ab Cadell, the prince of Powys, by whom he had lands given to him. He afterwards lived a holy life, and was accounted a saint of the British Church.

To these

*The cause of this migration, which is more probably due to internal warfare, is here given in accordance with popular opinion, as the subject requires a more extensive investigation than could be included within the limits of this Essay. The slow progress of the Saxons has been well described, according to their own authorities, by Mr. Sharon Turner; and it is remarkable that the Welsh records of the sixth century allude to but few instances of conflict with that people. Between them and the Cymry from whom the Welsh are descended, another race of Britons, alike hostile to both, intervened. They were called Lloegrwys, and appear to have been incorporated with the Saxons upon the establishment of the kingdom of Mercia.

particulars may be added, from the Cambrian Biography, that he married Gwenaseth, daughter of Rhufon of Rhufoniog; which is more consistent with chronology than the statement of others who assert that Gwenaseth was the wife of Sawyl, his son. Pabo is considered to be the founder of Llanbabo in Anglesey,† where a stone still remains, bearing his effigy, with the following inscription,-HIC JACET PABO POST PRUD CORPORS......TE......PRIMA. The author of Mona Antiqua is of opinion that he was the earliest saint in that island, though it is clear from other authorities that some of the children of Brychan must have preceded him. His commemoration is November 9.

Talhaiarn, the son of Garthwys of the line of Coel, was a celebrated bard and saint of the congregation of Cattwg. "He composed a prayer which has always been the formula used in the Gorsedd Morganwg or Session of the bards of Glamorgan." His residence was originally at Caerleon, where he was chaplain to Emrys Wledig or Ambrosius, king of Britain; but when that prince was slain, he lived as a hermit at a place in Denbighshire since cailed Llanfair Talhaiarn, where a church was founded and dedicated to him in conjunction with the Virgin Mary.

In another branch of the family of Coel, occurs the name of Cynfarch Oer, a chieftain of North Britain; but who afterwards became a saint in Wales. He is said to have been the

* Cambrian Biography, voce Gwenaseth; and " 'Asaph" in Bonedd y Saint, Myv. Archaiology, Vol. II.

+ As Llanbabo is now a chapel subject to Llanddeusant, it must be supposed that some change has taken place in the relative condition of these edifices if Pabo was the founder of the first of them. It is possible, however, that the chapel was built over his grave at a later period, and dedi cated to him. The stone monument alluded to was discovered, in the reign of Charles the Second, by the sexton while digging a grave; and an engraving of it is given in Rowlands's Mona Antiqua, Second Edition. Cambrian Biography.

founder of Llangynfarch in Maelor, Flintshire, which was destroyed by the Saxons in the battle of Bangor Orchard A. D. 603;* and he is associated with the Virgin Mary as the patron of Llanfair Dyffryn Clwyd,† Denbighshire. His wife was Nefyn, a grand-daughter of Brychan, by whom he was the father of Urien Rheged.

Llyr Merini, of the line of Coel and father of Caradog Fraich Fras, is classed among the saints. Llanllyr, now called Llanyre, a chapel to Nantmel in Radnorshire; and Llanllyr, formerly a nunnery in Cardiganshire, are dedicated either to him, or to another saint of the name of Llyr, a virgin, whose commemoration was kept Oct. 21. Llyr Merini married Gwen, a grand-daughter of Brychan.

The last saint to be mentioned, of the line of Coel, was Madog Morfryn, whose life must have extended into the following century. He was a member of the congregation or monastery of Illtyd, where he is said to have distinguished himself as a teacher ; but he is more generally known as the father of the bard, Myrddin Wyllt.

In the line of Cystennyn Gorneu occurs Geraint ab Erbin, a chieftain of Dyfnaint or Devon, who is called a saint. It does not appear how he merited the distinction; for he was not an ecclesiastic, and it is recorded that he fell fighting at the head of his men in the following century. It is said that there was a church dedicated to him at Caerffawydd or Hereford. An elegy to his memory by Llywarch Hên is published in the Myvyrian Archaiology; and the following passage, according to "Owen's Translation," describes his death:

IN Llongborth I saw hard toiling

Amidst the stones, ravens feasting on entrails,

And on the chieftain's brow a crimson gash.

* Cambrian Biography.

+ Bonedd y Saint, Myv. Archaiology.—Qu. Is not St. Kinemark's, Monmouthshire, dedicated to Cynfarch?

Triad 98, Third Series.

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