" However, he learned, the charac-
ters were so old and so obliterated, with the exception of a few words here and there, that no person could read them, or draw any meaning from them.
ters were so old and so obliterated, with the exception of a few words here and there, that no person could read them, or draw any meaning from them.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v5
v.
, May I.
39 Nennius, speaking of the Island of Bri-
it has been universally acknowledged, that this saint was a native of the " Coriticiana regio," the position of such territory is not known with certainty.
37 See M. le Dr. Hoefer's " Nouvelle Bio- graphic Generale," tomevii. , col. 390.
3^ The Rev. Alban Butler assigns different
opinions, respecting the province of Coriti-
ciana, " which some take for Cerctica, now
Cardigansliiie ; others for the Coretans,
situated on the Trent, now in Staffordshire
and Derbyshire others will have it to be —;
May I. ]
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
19
tian faith, always retained it, even when their fellow-countrymen, the Britons,39 were oppressed by the Saxon, and driven for refuge, towards inaccessible and remotepartsofWales. AccordingtoAndrewSaussayj^oSt. Briocissaidto have been an Englishman by birth—for he places that province of the Cori- ticiana in England—but, for this remark, he has been corrected by Dean Cressy, who notes, "he should have said a Brittain. "^' Henschennius seems to entertain an opinion, that this saint was a native of that part of England, known as Coretana. The same writer also remarks, that the Coretani were known to have been a people of the Britons, subject to the Romans, and to have held that part, in which the large Mercian kingdom extended, from ocean to the bounds of the Ceretici. At the year of Christ 586, we read in Matthew of Westminster, that the Archbishops, Theonus of London and Tha- diocus of York, seeing all the churches hitherto subject to their jurisdiction destroyed, fled into Cambria, of which Ceretica forraed a part. ^" Many of the clergyandpeopleimitatedtheirexample; while,thesearesupposedtohave beensubjectsofThadiocus,knownasCoretaniorCoritani. Hence,thebirth and age ofSt. Brioc are thought to bereferable to that time. ^3 The "Coriticiana regio"'*^ is said to be the country of theCeretes,to the west of ancient Cambria, or modern Wales, and it was opposite the coast of Ireland, according to some writers. In Latin, this tract was named " Ceretica " or the " Cereticana regio," being shown at present as Cardigan-shire. Such an opinion, so far as the birth of this saint is concerned, seems to rest for a foundation, on the similarity of these names, Coriticiana, and Ceretica, or Cereticana, as also on the circumstance, that Brioc had been the son of a Breton nobleman, the termBretonusuallyreferringtotheinhabitantsofWales. Othersderivethe origin of our saint from that country, belonging to the ancient Coritans or Coritaves, who were situated on the River Trent, and who inhabited the pre-
sent counties of Stafford and Derby. ts Having found in the geographer Ptolemy's works a Corinium, near the Severn, and about the source of the Thames, where the present county ofGloucester lies, and as there appears to be no great difference between the Coriticiana regio and the Coriniana regio^ M. Abbe Tresvaux is inclined to believe, this might be the part of the country, where St. Brieuc was born. Besides, this situation was sufficiently near to Cambria ; whence, it would seem, were derived those parents, of whom St. Brieux was bonL-^^ There are other writers, such as le P. Albert and Bertrand
tain, says, that its inhabitants consist of four different people, the Scots, the Picts, the Saxons, and the Ancient Britons. See the curious version in Irish of the Historia Bri- tonum, or History of the Britons, which has for its title LeAbhA^ 'bt^eAchnAcli Amifo pf, for an account of these early colonists of our Islands. This work has been edited, with a Translation and Notes, by James Henthorn Todd, D. D. , M. R. I. A. , and by the Hon. Algernon Herbert ; it was published by the Irish Arch^ological Society, at Dublin, in 1848.
*° In his " Martyrologium Gallicanum," at the 30th of April.
"*' See his "Church History of Brittany," Book ix. , chap, xiv. , pp. 189, 190.
*^ See " Flores Historiarum," pp. 198 to 200.
^ In the Life of our saint, as published in L'Abbe Tresvaux's edition of Lobineau's " Vies des Saints de Bretagne," we are told, that our saint's father lived in that part of Great Britain, " cortnue alors sous le nom de Coriticiana regio. "
^s Their supposition has been founded on the circumstance, that St. German of Aux- erre had not been known to the Ceretes, but only to the Coritans.
** Nor was it very distant from those places, where St. Germain of Auxerre preached, so that St. Brieuc could easily have gone to hear and see him. This same writer states, that he consulted the truly learned Dr. John Lingard, in 1834, regard- ing this matter. He replied, that according to his opinion, the Coritician tribe inhabited that part of the country, known as the county of Cardigan, at the present time. He
*3 See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus i. , i. Maii.
Acta S. Brioci, Commentarius Prjevius, said, also, that in any case, it ought to be sect. 4, p. 92, held as certain, that St. Brieuc had been a
Breton. See Lobineau's " Vies des Saints de Bretagne," par M. L'Abbe Tresvaux, tome i. , n. i. , p. 71.
*' Saussay says "nobili editus stirpe. "
" Martyrologium Galiicanum," at Apiilis
XXX.
^ Thus he is named, by Albert le
Grand.
*9 In the Proper Office of our saint, we
read, in the first Lesson : " Briocus nobilis genere, ex gente Corriiiciana, non sine alto Numinis concilo editus est. "
5° See M. Michaud's " Biographic Univer- selle Ancienne et Modeme," tome v. , p. 528.
5? See Lobineau's "Vies des Saints de Bretagne," par ]NL L'Abbe Tresvaux, tome i. , pp. 71, 72.
5* St. Geraian of Auxerre is said to have travelled and preached in Britain, about the year 429, and to have prolonged his life until the year 520. An account of St. Germanus, Bishop of Auxerie, will be found in "Histoire Literaire de la France," tome ii. , Cinquieme Siecle, sect, i. , ii. , pp. 256 to 261.
5' By Father Hennschenn.
^° Cressy in his " Church History of Brit- tany," Book ix. , chap, xiv. , p. 190, and at theyear439,observes,that "CertainIrish Historians would challenge S. Briocus to their countiy, as having been born in the
—
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [May I.
d'Argentre, whohavewishedtomakeoursaintanativeofCornwall. However, this latter district was formerly called Cornubia or Kerno. v.
Brioc was of a distinguished line/7 and son to a nobleman of great distinc- tion, called Cerpus, or Cerpo. *^ He lived in a province, named Corrititiana. *? Others call it Carticiana ;S° and, while some persons take it to have been the country of Cornouailles, others will have it to be Ceretica, now Cardigan- shire. The supposition most generally entertained is, that this territory formed a portion of the British Isles. s' His mother is called Eldruda; and, this name is thought to have been derived, from a Breton word, composed off//, andofdriid. ,saidtomean"illustrious,"or"well-beloved,"52byAlbert le Grand, who most probably took the ancient Acts of St. Brioc, as authority. The name Eldrude is supposed undoubtedly to have been a Saxon one ; and, Henschenn pretends, from this clue, we may derive the conclusion, that our saint was not born, until some time had elapsed after the Saxons' arrival in England. Thisconjectureshouldfavourtheopinionofthose,whoplacehis birth, at the time when St. Germain of Paris S3 lived, about the year 550,5* or a little latter. But, we are not obliged to suppose, that Eldruda was solely a Saxon name ; for, it was also a Breton one ; being compounded from the re- duplicative preposition ^//and Drud. ^^ According to some authorities, Brioc was born, early in the year 409,s^ or 410. 57 This chronology supposes, that he was a disciple of St. Germanus, Bishop of Auxerre,58 to whom his parents had committed him, and who brought him to Gaul, This is thought,59 to strengthen the opinion of St. Brioc having been a Coretan. ^° Hennschen deems it scarcely probable, that St, German's labours and fame reached the Ceretici of Wales, as they were more rude and uncultivated than other Britons. ^'
5' Dr. Lanigan has only a passing allu-
sion to St. Briocus, without hazarding any
statement of his own, as to the country of territory of Cork. But his having been a
his birth. Yet, he gives references to Ussher and Camden. See " Ecclesiastical History of Ireland," vol. i. , chap, i. , sect, ix. , and nn. 78, 79, 80, p. 21.
5= See M. Michaud's " Biographie Univer- selle, Ancienne et Modeme," tome v. , p. 528.
53 His feast occurs, at the 28th of May. His Life has been written, by Fortunatus of Poitiers. St. Germain died, a. D. 576.
5^ See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus i. , Maii i. Acta S. Brioci, Commentarius Praevius, sect. 2, p. 92.
55 See Lobineau's " Vies des Saints de Bretagne," par M. L'Abbe Tresvaux, tome i. , n, 2, p. 71.
5* See Baillet's " Vies des Saints," tome ii. , p. 24.
disciple of St. Germanus, who had nothing to do with Ireland, proves him a Brittain. And whereas, Bishop Usher conjectures that the master of St. Briocus might have been ano- ther St. Germanus, Bi>hop of Paris, who lived in the following age : His living with Conanus and relation of kindred to him de- monstrate him both a Brittain, and more ancient than the youni^er St. Germanus. "
^' Yet, the BoUandist writer observes, as Briocus flourished towards the close of the sixth century, it might be possible, that he had been born among the Ceretci, in Cam- bria or Wales, or among the Coretani, who had been banished thither. Or, might not the mother of our saint, supj. osed to have been a Saxon by birth, and perhaps also a pagan, have married a Briton, Cerpo, when
May I. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 21
Neither had the Pelagian heresy reached them, nor were the Saxons desirous of carrying their conquests, into those remote regions, which they inhabited. ^* Following the account of Andrew Saussay, who makes St. Germain of Aux- erre ^3 to be a contemporary and master of St. Brioc, the birth of this latter holy man should be referred to the fifth century. However, it is thought, that the original Acts ^4 of St. Brioc had only mentioned a St. Germanus, simply as having been his instructor; and that, subsequently, conjectures were added to distinguish this St. Germanus, as having been of Auxerre, according to some writers, or as having been of Paris,^5 according to others. In the time of the former, the Corritician province had been converted entirely to the Christian faith, although Pelagianism had spread among the Britons, subdued and formed into a tributary Roman province ;^^ while, in the time of St. Germain of Paris, a vast horde of Pagan Saxons had invaded the Island of Great Britain. ^7 However, the Britons continued to preserve the Christian faith, during this time, and therefore, it is thought, that both the parents of St. Brioc had been Christians. ^^ St'll, it has been asserted, his father and mother had been pagans, previous to the time of his birth. °9
That Brioc was destined foran exalted degree of sanctity, in the inscrutable decrees of Divine Providence, appeared, from miraculous revelations made to his mother, while she was asleep. These happened in the middle of the night, and when she was not less involved in a natural darkness, than in the shadow of idolatrous errors. An angel then appeared and told her, she should give birth to a son, who would be dear to the Almighty, who should be crowned with Divine gifts, as likewise become an athlete and a propagator of the Chris- tianReligion. Shewasalsowarnedtoadmonishherhusband,thatheshould avoid the foolish worship of idols. Our saint's mother was astonished, but according to the Holy Angel's command, she related to her husband what had occurred, and delivered to him that message, thus divinely transmitted. But, the husband would not believe, what his wife had told him regarding this matter, even when more than once related. His infidelity continued, until the third night, after this vision already described. Then, the angel appeared to him, while asleep, and repeated what had been already told to Eldruda. When this angel had departed, and morning began to dawn, Cer- pus informed his friends, about all he had heard and seen. Immediately, he broke into pieces those idols, which he had heretofore worshipped. After-
that Cerpo followed his bishop, retiring into Cambria, and might not our saint have been the issue of their marriage in this latter country ? Such is Henschennius' other con- jecture, but, he says, if we admit his supposi- tion, our saint must have been coniempo- raneous with St. German of Paris.
*^ See " Acta Sanctorum," tomus i. , Mail i. Acta S. Brioci. , Commentarius Prsevius,
sect. 5, p. 92.
^3 His feast occurs, at the i6th of July.
^'' These are said to have been preserved
at Auvergne, in the Discalced Carmelite House of Claremont, as Lewis Jacob, a Car- melite—who had published some books at Paris—informed Hennschenn. The latter was anxious to preserve this Tract, or a transcript, when dealmg with the Life of St. Brioc, and he applied for that purpose to the Rev. Father Josephus Ignatius a S. Amonio, a Discalced Carmelite "ex Toparchis de Robec.
" However, he learned, the charac-
ters were so old and so obliterated, with the exception of a few words here and there, that no person could read them, or draw any meaning from them.
^^ A History of the Life and Writings of St. Germanus, Bishop of Paris, is given by tlie Benedictines, in their " Histoire Lite- raire de la France," tome iii. , Sixieme Siecle, sect, i. , ii. , pp. 310 to 317.
*' According to Fatlier Godefrid Hen- schenn.
^^ To these, St. Augustine and his com- panions were sent as missionaries, by Pope St. Gregory the Great, in the year 596. See Rev. Dr. Lingard's "History of England," vol. i. , chap, ii. , p. 75-
'^ See *' Acta Sanctorum," tomus i. , Maii i. Acta S. Brioci. Commentarius Prsevius, sects. 2, 3, pp. 91, 92.
°^ From the account of our saint, as con- tained in the Proper Office of Brieux church.
2 2 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [May i.
wards, he began to distribute the half of those goods he possessed, for the support and nourishment of poor persons. '°
A due course of time being completed, the mother of our saint gave birth to her son. By Divine monition, the infant was named Brioc. From his mosttenderyears,heledanangelicandapurelife. Whileofimmatureage, his morals were those of a sage, whose sagacious mental powers appeared directing the physical organization of a mere youth. He was observed to advance daily towards perfection, neither spending his youthful years in those trifles, that usually engage children's attention, nor in the idle sports of those, who were of an age to become his play-fellows. When Brioc had attained years, at which his tender age might be formed to useful pursuits ; mindful of that command she had first received from the Angel, his mother delivered him,7' to the care of St, Germain,7^ to receive suitable instruction. But, it is said, that his father wished him to be kept at home, as not intending he should be initiated into Holy Orders, because he destined Brieuc to become heir of his possessions. However, the Angel of God warned his father, that he ^should not oppose his own to the Divine will. He was admonished to commit his son to St. Germain's care. 73 As St. Germain of Paris was not known to have held any peculiar connection with the Britons, Henschen- nius is inclined to disbelieve, that our saint had been committed to his care. He rather thinks, that St. Brioc was sent for his instruction to the neighbour- ing Island of Hibernia, which, after it had received the faith from St. Patrick, became a common school for the Britons and Gauls. Here, he says, that many Germans, or rather Gormans, are known to have flourished, to one of whom, perhaps, our saint had been entrusted for instruction. At a more adult age, it has been conjectured, that Brioc returned into his own country of Britain. In this place, it is thought, that he laboured usefully among his kinsfolk. It is said, also, that he built a monastery there. Then, he passed over to Armorica, also known as Lesser Brittany. ? '* At the time of this voy- age, a certain Count Rigual is stated to have ruled over a part of that country. The era of his government, could it only be discovered, should tlirow addi- tional light on St. Brioc's precise period. 's
CHAPTER II.
ACTS OF ST. BRIEUC WHILE UNDER THE DIRECTION OF ST. GERMANUS—HIS MIRACLES —ORDAINED PRIEST—ST. BRIEUC VISITS GREAT BRITAIN—HE RETURNS TO FRANCE —IDOLATRY THERE PRACTISED—HIS PARENTS AND OTHER INHABITANTS OF BRITTANY ARE CONVERTED TO CHRISTIANITY—HE BUILDS A CHURCH AT GRANDE- LANDE—FORMER CLOSE RELATIONS BETWEEN GREAT AND LESSER BRITAIN—ST. BRIEUC FOUNDS A MONASTERY AT LANDEBAERON—HE AFTERWARDS SETTLED AT THE PLACE, SINCE KNOWN AS SAINT BRIEUC-DES-VAUX—COUNT RIGUEL BESTOWED THE HOUSE AND LANDS OF CHAMP-DU-ROUVRE, WITH ALL THEIR DEPENDENCIES, AS AN ENDOWMENT.
At an early age, Brieuc's father had resolved on committing his son to the charge of St. German, and he sent some persons with him as companions. *
'" The editor adds, in a note, that he does not believe St. Brioc's nation or father had been addicted to the worship of idols. See ibid. Acta S. Brioci, sect, i. , p. 93, and n. (])), p. 94.
'' Supposed to have been bishop of Paris, He ruled from the year 555, or the following year, until a. d. 576, when he died, on the 28th of May. See an account of this holy bishop, in Rev. Alban Butler's " Lives of the
' Such is a statement, contained in the Fathers, Martyrs and other principal Proper Office, read in Brieux church. Saints," vol. v. , May xxviii.
May I. ]
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
23
When they had visited that pious Bishop, full of God's holy spirit, Germanus was enabled to declare the boy's name, his country, and his race, as also to predict, that like a sunbeam, he should enlighten the Christian world, and that he should prove an eloquent gospel preacher. While Brioc saluted the holy Bishop, and humbly knelt at his feet, a white dove flew downwards, and settled on our saint's head. Then, Brioc's master and host congratulated the youthful stranger, on his arrival. In a short time, the boy made great proficiency in all kinds of learning, while he showed the excellence of his disposition, and his studious habits. Nor did he less advance in piety than in learning. When he had not exceeded the tenth year of his age, Brioc distri- buted to the needy, not alone many of his effects, but even those garments, with which he was clothed. Among other charitable acts related, on a cer- tain occasion, he was met by a leper, who asked him for an alms. Beino- sent for water, Brioc held a vessel in his hand, and this he gave to the mendi- cant, as he had nothing else to bestow ; for, his compassionate disposition did not suffer him to unheed any supplication. The boy was then accused to St. German, as a thoughtless waster of monastic effects. But, at this junc- ture, he fell on his knees before the altar, and poured forth prayers and tears. " A brazen vessel of admirable beauty was miraculously sent him. presented to his master, who was enabled to judge of the wonderful manner, inwhichhisdisciplewasfavouredbyGod. 3 Inanotheraccountconcerning Brioc, thatSt. German, in whose-. presence the miracle was wrought, and who had been our saint's teacher, is said to have been St. German, Bishop of Auxerre. 5
This latter holy man, and St. Loup,^ Bishop of Troyes, passed over to Great Britain, a. d. 429 or 430, when their reputation quickly spread throughout that wholeIsland. 7 Men,women,andchildren,flockedincrowdsfromallquarters, especially when it had been announced to them, that these holy and learned men had come to hold a public disputation with the Pelagians, in Verulam. ^ Among the number, St. Brieuc, who was then about twenty years of age, felt desirous of hearing these venerable men. He was presented by his parents to St. German, or rather he offered himself to this holy Bishop. The latter observed the young man's excellent natural qualities, his admirable sweet- ness of disposition, modesty of deportment, agreeable manners, a mind capa- ble of receiving instruction, a docile spirit, a happy training, combined with a variety of other talents and gifts. Therefore, Germanus received him with
great joy. At the same time, the bishop told those clerics, who accompanied him, that he had already formed the highest expectations, regarding Brioc's future career. Afterwards, St. German returned from the Island of Britain to
" See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus i. , Maii i. Acta S. Brioci, sect. 2, p. 93.
7* It is stated, that the people of this pro- vince were called Bretons, because they came at an early period from Great Britain, flying from the barbarians who ravaged it. See " Histoire Literaire de ! a France," tome ii. , Cinquieme Siecle, p. 366.
75 See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus i. , Mali i. Acta S. Brioci, Commentarius Prsevius,
* His feast occurs, at the 29th of July.
s See " Biographic Universclle Ancienne et Moderne," &c. , sous la direction de M. Michaud, tome v. , p. 528.
* The Benedictines have set forth the par- ticulars of his Life and Writings, in " His- toire Literaire de la France," tome ii. , Cin- quieme Siecle, sect, i. , ii. , pp. 486 to 494.
^ See Constantius, Vita S. Germani, lib. i. , cap. 23.
sect.
Chapter ii.
hundred of historians,
5,
p. 92.
s Now St. Alban's, in the
Cashio. Accordingto the Roman
it was founded by the Britons, at an earlier period than London. It was surrounded by a rampart and fosse, at the time of Csesar's invasion. It is situated, in the county of
—"According to the Pro- per Office of this saint.
" See Lobineau's " Vies des Saints de Bre- tagne," par M. LAbbe Tresvaux, tome pre- mier, pp. 73, 74.
3 See " Acta Sanctorum," tomus i. , Maii Hertford. For a fuller description, see i. Acta S. Brioci, sect. 3, p. 93. Lewis' "Topographical Dictionary ofEng-
This he
24 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [May i.
France, towards the end of a. d. 430, or about the commencement of 431, taking with him, as stated, his new disciple, as also a St. Iltut. This com- panionship formed a reciprocal advantage for both, while they had an addi- tional pleasure, it is said, to find St. Patrick,? the future Apostle of Ireland, at Auxerre, where all of these holy persons spent some time in company. ^**
From what has been already observed, it may be seen, that these conflicting accounts regarding our saint's acts must have been sufficiently perplexing, to divide the opinions of learned men, concerning that person to whom St. Brieuc had been confided in his youth. A Legend of St. Serge," and an ancient Breviary of the diocese of St. Brieuc, state positively, that St. Ger- main of Paris was his master, and that the parents of our saint sent him to Paris, at the age of ten years. This account might be supposed to bring greater weight with it, than all contrary reasons, that could be advanced ; and, it should necessarily oblige us to defer the period, at which St. Brieuc lived, to 120 or 140 years later, than in the other case. However, this Legend contains an apparent contradiction. For, it supposes, that St. German, the master of our saint, had been more than twenty-five years a Bishop ; but, this computation cannot agree with St. German of Paris, as his episcopate did not extend beyond twenty or twenty-one years, that is from a. d. 555 to
576. '= In a simple and in an indeterminate manner, it has been stated, ^3 that St. Brieuc was instructed by St. Germain, without further specification, and that he had the happiness of finding, in the same school, St. Patrick and St. Iltut. '• That opinion, which makes St. Brieuc a disciple of St. German of Auxerre, has been adopted, in St. Brieuc's Proper Office, printed in 1782, and in the Proper Office of St. Treguier ; it is also an opinion of the Abbes Deric, Rufifelet '5 and Tresvaux. '° To the latter, it seems the one best sustained by argument, and most consonant with the facts of history.
Under his master, this young and valiant soldier of Christ began to contend against the assaults of Satan, by rigorous fasts, that he might the better over- come carnal temptations, which are usually the most dangerous and fatal to a novice,inthewaysofaspirituallife. Bythesemeans,hewasabletocontend against the enemy of man's salvation, even when his approaches were directed against other persons. On a certain occasion, the wicked spirit had terrified an
land," vol. i. , pp. 20 to 22.
" See his Life, in vol. iii. of this work, at
17th of March.
39 Nennius, speaking of the Island of Bri-
it has been universally acknowledged, that this saint was a native of the " Coriticiana regio," the position of such territory is not known with certainty.
37 See M. le Dr. Hoefer's " Nouvelle Bio- graphic Generale," tomevii. , col. 390.
3^ The Rev. Alban Butler assigns different
opinions, respecting the province of Coriti-
ciana, " which some take for Cerctica, now
Cardigansliiie ; others for the Coretans,
situated on the Trent, now in Staffordshire
and Derbyshire others will have it to be —;
May I. ]
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
19
tian faith, always retained it, even when their fellow-countrymen, the Britons,39 were oppressed by the Saxon, and driven for refuge, towards inaccessible and remotepartsofWales. AccordingtoAndrewSaussayj^oSt. Briocissaidto have been an Englishman by birth—for he places that province of the Cori- ticiana in England—but, for this remark, he has been corrected by Dean Cressy, who notes, "he should have said a Brittain. "^' Henschennius seems to entertain an opinion, that this saint was a native of that part of England, known as Coretana. The same writer also remarks, that the Coretani were known to have been a people of the Britons, subject to the Romans, and to have held that part, in which the large Mercian kingdom extended, from ocean to the bounds of the Ceretici. At the year of Christ 586, we read in Matthew of Westminster, that the Archbishops, Theonus of London and Tha- diocus of York, seeing all the churches hitherto subject to their jurisdiction destroyed, fled into Cambria, of which Ceretica forraed a part. ^" Many of the clergyandpeopleimitatedtheirexample; while,thesearesupposedtohave beensubjectsofThadiocus,knownasCoretaniorCoritani. Hence,thebirth and age ofSt. Brioc are thought to bereferable to that time. ^3 The "Coriticiana regio"'*^ is said to be the country of theCeretes,to the west of ancient Cambria, or modern Wales, and it was opposite the coast of Ireland, according to some writers. In Latin, this tract was named " Ceretica " or the " Cereticana regio," being shown at present as Cardigan-shire. Such an opinion, so far as the birth of this saint is concerned, seems to rest for a foundation, on the similarity of these names, Coriticiana, and Ceretica, or Cereticana, as also on the circumstance, that Brioc had been the son of a Breton nobleman, the termBretonusuallyreferringtotheinhabitantsofWales. Othersderivethe origin of our saint from that country, belonging to the ancient Coritans or Coritaves, who were situated on the River Trent, and who inhabited the pre-
sent counties of Stafford and Derby. ts Having found in the geographer Ptolemy's works a Corinium, near the Severn, and about the source of the Thames, where the present county ofGloucester lies, and as there appears to be no great difference between the Coriticiana regio and the Coriniana regio^ M. Abbe Tresvaux is inclined to believe, this might be the part of the country, where St. Brieuc was born. Besides, this situation was sufficiently near to Cambria ; whence, it would seem, were derived those parents, of whom St. Brieux was bonL-^^ There are other writers, such as le P. Albert and Bertrand
tain, says, that its inhabitants consist of four different people, the Scots, the Picts, the Saxons, and the Ancient Britons. See the curious version in Irish of the Historia Bri- tonum, or History of the Britons, which has for its title LeAbhA^ 'bt^eAchnAcli Amifo pf, for an account of these early colonists of our Islands. This work has been edited, with a Translation and Notes, by James Henthorn Todd, D. D. , M. R. I. A. , and by the Hon. Algernon Herbert ; it was published by the Irish Arch^ological Society, at Dublin, in 1848.
*° In his " Martyrologium Gallicanum," at the 30th of April.
"*' See his "Church History of Brittany," Book ix. , chap, xiv. , pp. 189, 190.
*^ See " Flores Historiarum," pp. 198 to 200.
^ In the Life of our saint, as published in L'Abbe Tresvaux's edition of Lobineau's " Vies des Saints de Bretagne," we are told, that our saint's father lived in that part of Great Britain, " cortnue alors sous le nom de Coriticiana regio. "
^s Their supposition has been founded on the circumstance, that St. German of Aux- erre had not been known to the Ceretes, but only to the Coritans.
** Nor was it very distant from those places, where St. Germain of Auxerre preached, so that St. Brieuc could easily have gone to hear and see him. This same writer states, that he consulted the truly learned Dr. John Lingard, in 1834, regard- ing this matter. He replied, that according to his opinion, the Coritician tribe inhabited that part of the country, known as the county of Cardigan, at the present time. He
*3 See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus i. , i. Maii.
Acta S. Brioci, Commentarius Prjevius, said, also, that in any case, it ought to be sect. 4, p. 92, held as certain, that St. Brieuc had been a
Breton. See Lobineau's " Vies des Saints de Bretagne," par M. L'Abbe Tresvaux, tome i. , n. i. , p. 71.
*' Saussay says "nobili editus stirpe. "
" Martyrologium Galiicanum," at Apiilis
XXX.
^ Thus he is named, by Albert le
Grand.
*9 In the Proper Office of our saint, we
read, in the first Lesson : " Briocus nobilis genere, ex gente Corriiiciana, non sine alto Numinis concilo editus est. "
5° See M. Michaud's " Biographic Univer- selle Ancienne et Modeme," tome v. , p. 528.
5? See Lobineau's "Vies des Saints de Bretagne," par ]NL L'Abbe Tresvaux, tome i. , pp. 71, 72.
5* St. Geraian of Auxerre is said to have travelled and preached in Britain, about the year 429, and to have prolonged his life until the year 520. An account of St. Germanus, Bishop of Auxerie, will be found in "Histoire Literaire de la France," tome ii. , Cinquieme Siecle, sect, i. , ii. , pp. 256 to 261.
5' By Father Hennschenn.
^° Cressy in his " Church History of Brit- tany," Book ix. , chap, xiv. , p. 190, and at theyear439,observes,that "CertainIrish Historians would challenge S. Briocus to their countiy, as having been born in the
—
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [May I.
d'Argentre, whohavewishedtomakeoursaintanativeofCornwall. However, this latter district was formerly called Cornubia or Kerno. v.
Brioc was of a distinguished line/7 and son to a nobleman of great distinc- tion, called Cerpus, or Cerpo. *^ He lived in a province, named Corrititiana. *? Others call it Carticiana ;S° and, while some persons take it to have been the country of Cornouailles, others will have it to be Ceretica, now Cardigan- shire. The supposition most generally entertained is, that this territory formed a portion of the British Isles. s' His mother is called Eldruda; and, this name is thought to have been derived, from a Breton word, composed off//, andofdriid. ,saidtomean"illustrious,"or"well-beloved,"52byAlbert le Grand, who most probably took the ancient Acts of St. Brioc, as authority. The name Eldrude is supposed undoubtedly to have been a Saxon one ; and, Henschenn pretends, from this clue, we may derive the conclusion, that our saint was not born, until some time had elapsed after the Saxons' arrival in England. Thisconjectureshouldfavourtheopinionofthose,whoplacehis birth, at the time when St. Germain of Paris S3 lived, about the year 550,5* or a little latter. But, we are not obliged to suppose, that Eldruda was solely a Saxon name ; for, it was also a Breton one ; being compounded from the re- duplicative preposition ^//and Drud. ^^ According to some authorities, Brioc was born, early in the year 409,s^ or 410. 57 This chronology supposes, that he was a disciple of St. Germanus, Bishop of Auxerre,58 to whom his parents had committed him, and who brought him to Gaul, This is thought,59 to strengthen the opinion of St. Brioc having been a Coretan. ^° Hennschen deems it scarcely probable, that St, German's labours and fame reached the Ceretici of Wales, as they were more rude and uncultivated than other Britons. ^'
5' Dr. Lanigan has only a passing allu-
sion to St. Briocus, without hazarding any
statement of his own, as to the country of territory of Cork. But his having been a
his birth. Yet, he gives references to Ussher and Camden. See " Ecclesiastical History of Ireland," vol. i. , chap, i. , sect, ix. , and nn. 78, 79, 80, p. 21.
5= See M. Michaud's " Biographie Univer- selle, Ancienne et Modeme," tome v. , p. 528.
53 His feast occurs, at the 28th of May. His Life has been written, by Fortunatus of Poitiers. St. Germain died, a. D. 576.
5^ See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus i. , Maii i. Acta S. Brioci, Commentarius Praevius, sect. 2, p. 92.
55 See Lobineau's " Vies des Saints de Bretagne," par M. L'Abbe Tresvaux, tome i. , n, 2, p. 71.
5* See Baillet's " Vies des Saints," tome ii. , p. 24.
disciple of St. Germanus, who had nothing to do with Ireland, proves him a Brittain. And whereas, Bishop Usher conjectures that the master of St. Briocus might have been ano- ther St. Germanus, Bi>hop of Paris, who lived in the following age : His living with Conanus and relation of kindred to him de- monstrate him both a Brittain, and more ancient than the youni^er St. Germanus. "
^' Yet, the BoUandist writer observes, as Briocus flourished towards the close of the sixth century, it might be possible, that he had been born among the Ceretci, in Cam- bria or Wales, or among the Coretani, who had been banished thither. Or, might not the mother of our saint, supj. osed to have been a Saxon by birth, and perhaps also a pagan, have married a Briton, Cerpo, when
May I. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 21
Neither had the Pelagian heresy reached them, nor were the Saxons desirous of carrying their conquests, into those remote regions, which they inhabited. ^* Following the account of Andrew Saussay, who makes St. Germain of Aux- erre ^3 to be a contemporary and master of St. Brioc, the birth of this latter holy man should be referred to the fifth century. However, it is thought, that the original Acts ^4 of St. Brioc had only mentioned a St. Germanus, simply as having been his instructor; and that, subsequently, conjectures were added to distinguish this St. Germanus, as having been of Auxerre, according to some writers, or as having been of Paris,^5 according to others. In the time of the former, the Corritician province had been converted entirely to the Christian faith, although Pelagianism had spread among the Britons, subdued and formed into a tributary Roman province ;^^ while, in the time of St. Germain of Paris, a vast horde of Pagan Saxons had invaded the Island of Great Britain. ^7 However, the Britons continued to preserve the Christian faith, during this time, and therefore, it is thought, that both the parents of St. Brioc had been Christians. ^^ St'll, it has been asserted, his father and mother had been pagans, previous to the time of his birth. °9
That Brioc was destined foran exalted degree of sanctity, in the inscrutable decrees of Divine Providence, appeared, from miraculous revelations made to his mother, while she was asleep. These happened in the middle of the night, and when she was not less involved in a natural darkness, than in the shadow of idolatrous errors. An angel then appeared and told her, she should give birth to a son, who would be dear to the Almighty, who should be crowned with Divine gifts, as likewise become an athlete and a propagator of the Chris- tianReligion. Shewasalsowarnedtoadmonishherhusband,thatheshould avoid the foolish worship of idols. Our saint's mother was astonished, but according to the Holy Angel's command, she related to her husband what had occurred, and delivered to him that message, thus divinely transmitted. But, the husband would not believe, what his wife had told him regarding this matter, even when more than once related. His infidelity continued, until the third night, after this vision already described. Then, the angel appeared to him, while asleep, and repeated what had been already told to Eldruda. When this angel had departed, and morning began to dawn, Cer- pus informed his friends, about all he had heard and seen. Immediately, he broke into pieces those idols, which he had heretofore worshipped. After-
that Cerpo followed his bishop, retiring into Cambria, and might not our saint have been the issue of their marriage in this latter country ? Such is Henschennius' other con- jecture, but, he says, if we admit his supposi- tion, our saint must have been coniempo- raneous with St. German of Paris.
*^ See " Acta Sanctorum," tomus i. , Mail i. Acta S. Brioci. , Commentarius Prsevius,
sect. 5, p. 92.
^3 His feast occurs, at the i6th of July.
^'' These are said to have been preserved
at Auvergne, in the Discalced Carmelite House of Claremont, as Lewis Jacob, a Car- melite—who had published some books at Paris—informed Hennschenn. The latter was anxious to preserve this Tract, or a transcript, when dealmg with the Life of St. Brioc, and he applied for that purpose to the Rev. Father Josephus Ignatius a S. Amonio, a Discalced Carmelite "ex Toparchis de Robec.
" However, he learned, the charac-
ters were so old and so obliterated, with the exception of a few words here and there, that no person could read them, or draw any meaning from them.
^^ A History of the Life and Writings of St. Germanus, Bishop of Paris, is given by tlie Benedictines, in their " Histoire Lite- raire de la France," tome iii. , Sixieme Siecle, sect, i. , ii. , pp. 310 to 317.
*' According to Fatlier Godefrid Hen- schenn.
^^ To these, St. Augustine and his com- panions were sent as missionaries, by Pope St. Gregory the Great, in the year 596. See Rev. Dr. Lingard's "History of England," vol. i. , chap, ii. , p. 75-
'^ See *' Acta Sanctorum," tomus i. , Maii i. Acta S. Brioci. Commentarius Prsevius, sects. 2, 3, pp. 91, 92.
°^ From the account of our saint, as con- tained in the Proper Office of Brieux church.
2 2 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [May i.
wards, he began to distribute the half of those goods he possessed, for the support and nourishment of poor persons. '°
A due course of time being completed, the mother of our saint gave birth to her son. By Divine monition, the infant was named Brioc. From his mosttenderyears,heledanangelicandapurelife. Whileofimmatureage, his morals were those of a sage, whose sagacious mental powers appeared directing the physical organization of a mere youth. He was observed to advance daily towards perfection, neither spending his youthful years in those trifles, that usually engage children's attention, nor in the idle sports of those, who were of an age to become his play-fellows. When Brioc had attained years, at which his tender age might be formed to useful pursuits ; mindful of that command she had first received from the Angel, his mother delivered him,7' to the care of St, Germain,7^ to receive suitable instruction. But, it is said, that his father wished him to be kept at home, as not intending he should be initiated into Holy Orders, because he destined Brieuc to become heir of his possessions. However, the Angel of God warned his father, that he ^should not oppose his own to the Divine will. He was admonished to commit his son to St. Germain's care. 73 As St. Germain of Paris was not known to have held any peculiar connection with the Britons, Henschen- nius is inclined to disbelieve, that our saint had been committed to his care. He rather thinks, that St. Brioc was sent for his instruction to the neighbour- ing Island of Hibernia, which, after it had received the faith from St. Patrick, became a common school for the Britons and Gauls. Here, he says, that many Germans, or rather Gormans, are known to have flourished, to one of whom, perhaps, our saint had been entrusted for instruction. At a more adult age, it has been conjectured, that Brioc returned into his own country of Britain. In this place, it is thought, that he laboured usefully among his kinsfolk. It is said, also, that he built a monastery there. Then, he passed over to Armorica, also known as Lesser Brittany. ? '* At the time of this voy- age, a certain Count Rigual is stated to have ruled over a part of that country. The era of his government, could it only be discovered, should tlirow addi- tional light on St. Brioc's precise period. 's
CHAPTER II.
ACTS OF ST. BRIEUC WHILE UNDER THE DIRECTION OF ST. GERMANUS—HIS MIRACLES —ORDAINED PRIEST—ST. BRIEUC VISITS GREAT BRITAIN—HE RETURNS TO FRANCE —IDOLATRY THERE PRACTISED—HIS PARENTS AND OTHER INHABITANTS OF BRITTANY ARE CONVERTED TO CHRISTIANITY—HE BUILDS A CHURCH AT GRANDE- LANDE—FORMER CLOSE RELATIONS BETWEEN GREAT AND LESSER BRITAIN—ST. BRIEUC FOUNDS A MONASTERY AT LANDEBAERON—HE AFTERWARDS SETTLED AT THE PLACE, SINCE KNOWN AS SAINT BRIEUC-DES-VAUX—COUNT RIGUEL BESTOWED THE HOUSE AND LANDS OF CHAMP-DU-ROUVRE, WITH ALL THEIR DEPENDENCIES, AS AN ENDOWMENT.
At an early age, Brieuc's father had resolved on committing his son to the charge of St. German, and he sent some persons with him as companions. *
'" The editor adds, in a note, that he does not believe St. Brioc's nation or father had been addicted to the worship of idols. See ibid. Acta S. Brioci, sect, i. , p. 93, and n. (])), p. 94.
'' Supposed to have been bishop of Paris, He ruled from the year 555, or the following year, until a. d. 576, when he died, on the 28th of May. See an account of this holy bishop, in Rev. Alban Butler's " Lives of the
' Such is a statement, contained in the Fathers, Martyrs and other principal Proper Office, read in Brieux church. Saints," vol. v. , May xxviii.
May I. ]
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
23
When they had visited that pious Bishop, full of God's holy spirit, Germanus was enabled to declare the boy's name, his country, and his race, as also to predict, that like a sunbeam, he should enlighten the Christian world, and that he should prove an eloquent gospel preacher. While Brioc saluted the holy Bishop, and humbly knelt at his feet, a white dove flew downwards, and settled on our saint's head. Then, Brioc's master and host congratulated the youthful stranger, on his arrival. In a short time, the boy made great proficiency in all kinds of learning, while he showed the excellence of his disposition, and his studious habits. Nor did he less advance in piety than in learning. When he had not exceeded the tenth year of his age, Brioc distri- buted to the needy, not alone many of his effects, but even those garments, with which he was clothed. Among other charitable acts related, on a cer- tain occasion, he was met by a leper, who asked him for an alms. Beino- sent for water, Brioc held a vessel in his hand, and this he gave to the mendi- cant, as he had nothing else to bestow ; for, his compassionate disposition did not suffer him to unheed any supplication. The boy was then accused to St. German, as a thoughtless waster of monastic effects. But, at this junc- ture, he fell on his knees before the altar, and poured forth prayers and tears. " A brazen vessel of admirable beauty was miraculously sent him. presented to his master, who was enabled to judge of the wonderful manner, inwhichhisdisciplewasfavouredbyGod. 3 Inanotheraccountconcerning Brioc, thatSt. German, in whose-. presence the miracle was wrought, and who had been our saint's teacher, is said to have been St. German, Bishop of Auxerre. 5
This latter holy man, and St. Loup,^ Bishop of Troyes, passed over to Great Britain, a. d. 429 or 430, when their reputation quickly spread throughout that wholeIsland. 7 Men,women,andchildren,flockedincrowdsfromallquarters, especially when it had been announced to them, that these holy and learned men had come to hold a public disputation with the Pelagians, in Verulam. ^ Among the number, St. Brieuc, who was then about twenty years of age, felt desirous of hearing these venerable men. He was presented by his parents to St. German, or rather he offered himself to this holy Bishop. The latter observed the young man's excellent natural qualities, his admirable sweet- ness of disposition, modesty of deportment, agreeable manners, a mind capa- ble of receiving instruction, a docile spirit, a happy training, combined with a variety of other talents and gifts. Therefore, Germanus received him with
great joy. At the same time, the bishop told those clerics, who accompanied him, that he had already formed the highest expectations, regarding Brioc's future career. Afterwards, St. German returned from the Island of Britain to
" See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus i. , Maii i. Acta S. Brioci, sect. 2, p. 93.
7* It is stated, that the people of this pro- vince were called Bretons, because they came at an early period from Great Britain, flying from the barbarians who ravaged it. See " Histoire Literaire de ! a France," tome ii. , Cinquieme Siecle, p. 366.
75 See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus i. , Mali i. Acta S. Brioci, Commentarius Prsevius,
* His feast occurs, at the 29th of July.
s See " Biographic Universclle Ancienne et Moderne," &c. , sous la direction de M. Michaud, tome v. , p. 528.
* The Benedictines have set forth the par- ticulars of his Life and Writings, in " His- toire Literaire de la France," tome ii. , Cin- quieme Siecle, sect, i. , ii. , pp. 486 to 494.
^ See Constantius, Vita S. Germani, lib. i. , cap. 23.
sect.
Chapter ii.
hundred of historians,
5,
p. 92.
s Now St. Alban's, in the
Cashio. Accordingto the Roman
it was founded by the Britons, at an earlier period than London. It was surrounded by a rampart and fosse, at the time of Csesar's invasion. It is situated, in the county of
—"According to the Pro- per Office of this saint.
" See Lobineau's " Vies des Saints de Bre- tagne," par M. LAbbe Tresvaux, tome pre- mier, pp. 73, 74.
3 See " Acta Sanctorum," tomus i. , Maii Hertford. For a fuller description, see i. Acta S. Brioci, sect. 3, p. 93. Lewis' "Topographical Dictionary ofEng-
This he
24 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [May i.
France, towards the end of a. d. 430, or about the commencement of 431, taking with him, as stated, his new disciple, as also a St. Iltut. This com- panionship formed a reciprocal advantage for both, while they had an addi- tional pleasure, it is said, to find St. Patrick,? the future Apostle of Ireland, at Auxerre, where all of these holy persons spent some time in company. ^**
From what has been already observed, it may be seen, that these conflicting accounts regarding our saint's acts must have been sufficiently perplexing, to divide the opinions of learned men, concerning that person to whom St. Brieuc had been confided in his youth. A Legend of St. Serge," and an ancient Breviary of the diocese of St. Brieuc, state positively, that St. Ger- main of Paris was his master, and that the parents of our saint sent him to Paris, at the age of ten years. This account might be supposed to bring greater weight with it, than all contrary reasons, that could be advanced ; and, it should necessarily oblige us to defer the period, at which St. Brieuc lived, to 120 or 140 years later, than in the other case. However, this Legend contains an apparent contradiction. For, it supposes, that St. German, the master of our saint, had been more than twenty-five years a Bishop ; but, this computation cannot agree with St. German of Paris, as his episcopate did not extend beyond twenty or twenty-one years, that is from a. d. 555 to
576. '= In a simple and in an indeterminate manner, it has been stated, ^3 that St. Brieuc was instructed by St. Germain, without further specification, and that he had the happiness of finding, in the same school, St. Patrick and St. Iltut. '• That opinion, which makes St. Brieuc a disciple of St. German of Auxerre, has been adopted, in St. Brieuc's Proper Office, printed in 1782, and in the Proper Office of St. Treguier ; it is also an opinion of the Abbes Deric, Rufifelet '5 and Tresvaux. '° To the latter, it seems the one best sustained by argument, and most consonant with the facts of history.
Under his master, this young and valiant soldier of Christ began to contend against the assaults of Satan, by rigorous fasts, that he might the better over- come carnal temptations, which are usually the most dangerous and fatal to a novice,inthewaysofaspirituallife. Bythesemeans,hewasabletocontend against the enemy of man's salvation, even when his approaches were directed against other persons. On a certain occasion, the wicked spirit had terrified an
land," vol. i. , pp. 20 to 22.
" See his Life, in vol. iii. of this work, at
17th of March.
