^9 He was
enriched
with virtues and graces, having been honoured and obeyed, as if he were an Apostle.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v5
Junii.
' See "Nova Legenda Anglise," fol. Ivi. ,
Ivii.
7 At the l6th of May, he notes Carantoc,
in " Catalogus Actuum Sanctorum qui\: MS. habentur, ordine Mensium et Uierum. "
* These are furnished from a Manuscript, belonging to the Cottonian Library, London, and classed Vespasian A 14, at fol. 90. They are of a very Iegendai7 character, and they were procured for the BoUandists, through the kindness of the learned Sir William Du^dalc, author of the " Monasticon Angli- caniim," in three folio volumes, with other erudite works.
9 See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus iii. De S. Carentoco scu Cernatho K])isc. Abbate in Wallia et Ilibcrnia. pp. 584 to 5S7.
" See " Lives of the Cambro-British Saints. "
" See pp. 97 to loi, ibid.
'- May16.
'3 See pp. 396 to 401, ibid.
''' ItisclassedVespasianA. xiv. ,fol. 90. '5 See ''Essay on the Welsh Saints," p.
209. London, 1836,8x0.
'" See "Lives of the Saints," vol. v. , May
16, pp. 215, 216.
'' Vicar of Stockcross, Berks,
'^ In a Paper, read May iSth, 1872, and
published in "Journ. al of the Royal Institu- tion of Cornwall, 1874," number xv.
"'Edited by William Smith, LL. D. , and Henry Vv'ace, M. A.
"^ See vol. i. , pp. 383, 384.
''' See zV'/^/. , p. 403.
^' See " Kalendars of Scottish Saints,"
p. 298,
'''• See ibid. , p. 377.
^* In the Leabhar Breac copy. See
"Transactionsof the Royal Irish Academy," Iri>li Manuscript Series, vol. i. , part i. On the Calendar of Ocngus, p. Ixxxvii.
^^ See " The Irish Version of the Historia Britunum of Nennius," edited by Rev. James Henthorn Todd, and by the Hon. Algernon Herbert, Additional Notes, No. xxii. , p. cxi.
—
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
the Senchus Mor,^^ which states, that St. Cairnech of Tuilen took part in its composition, as also, because Crantock^? in Cornwall is called after this saint. According to some accounts, this holy man was the son of Keredic,^^ Ceredig, or Keretic, a chief who swayed the country of Keredigion, or Keredicia,^9 now Cardiganshire. 3° His mother is styled Anne, and according to some ac- counts, she was a cousin to the Blessed Virgin Mary. 31 There is still extant an Epistle, written by St. Patrick, to the soldiers of a chieftain called Coroti- CUS. 32 He was only nominally a professor of Christianity. He is said to have landed in Ireland, at the head of pirates, and, after committing every kind of outrage, he carried off a number of baptized believers, for the purpose of selling them as slaves to the heathen Picts. It has been conjectured,33 that this chieftain was Ceredig, Caredig, or Cereticus, son of Cynedda,34 as the name is commonly given by Latin writers, and who was also the father of our saint. 35 This conjecture is strengthened, by a statement in the Life of St. Crantock, that Ceredig's territory, in his old age, had been devastated by hordes of Irish. 3^ What else could have been expected, but that fierce retri- bution should be sought by these people, whom he had so grievously
May 1 6. ]
477
-° See "Ancient Laws of Ireland," senchus nion. introduction to Sen- clius Mor, and -AcligAbAiL ; or Law of Dis- tress, as contained in the Harleian Manu- scripts," vol. i. , part i. , Preface, p. xxvii. Also, vol. ii. , part ii. , Preface, p. viii.
^^ A parish in the centre of the west coast, Cornwall. See Redding's " Illustrated Itinerary of Cornwall, 1842," p. 220.
'^ The Cottonian Manuscript, Vesp. A 14
states, that this Keredic had many sons, of
whom Carentocus was one. The genealogy
of Keredic is thus given : he was Mak Canones, Opuscula, et Scriptorum quoe
Cuneda, Mak Ethern, Mak Patern, Pes supposed to be used for the Greek word Trats meaning "son "—Ludant, Mak Tacit, Mak Kein, Mak Guorchem, Mak Doli, Mak Gurdoli, Mak Donni, Mak Guordonni, Mak Amguolie, Mak Amguerit, Mak Omnid, ]Mak Dubunn, Mak Britguenin, Mak Etigen, Mak Aballath, Mak Canabeth, Mak Beli. These were the sons of Cuneda : his eldest Tipipann, who died in the territory of Mann Gudodin—now tlie Isle of Man—while his father Cuneda and his brothers did not go there, but Merian his son divided the posses- sions of his father among his brothers ; the second son was Ismael, the third Kumann, the fourth Dunann, the fifth Keredic, the sixth Alxilach, the seventh Emmann, the eighth Dogmaile, and the ninth Etern. These were the boundaries of their posses- sions : from the River called Donbyrduiu —conjecturedtohavebeentheTyvydividing the shires of Pembroke and Carmarthen to another River, called Guonn or Quon supposed to be the Conway, at the mouth of which is Aberconwy. This includes a tract of West British country, embracing all the southern part of Ceretica, which was situated opposite the Wexford coast, in Ireland. See the Bollandists' "Acta Sanctorum," tomus iii. , Mail xvi. De S. Carentoco sen Cer- natho Episc. Abbate in Wallia et Hibernia, p. 585,andnn. (a,b,c),p. 587.
supersunt, Fragmenta ;" scholiis illustrata a Joachimo Laurentio Villaneuva Presbytero, pp, 240 to 255.
33 By Rev. James Henihorn Todd, in " St. Patrick, Apostle of Ireland," chap. ii.
3'* See his genealogy, extracted from the Welsh records in S. R. Meyrick's " History and Antiquities of the County of Cardigan," Introduction, p. 18. London, 1S08, 4to.
3S See, also, Rev. Rice Rees' " Essay on the Welsh Saints," p. 135.
3* In the Saxon and Welsh additions to the "Hisioria Britonum," dcccclxxvii. , in the Harleian Manuscript, No. 3859, be- longing to the British Museum, there is a "map Ceretic guletic," as noticed in William F. Skene's " Chronicles of the Picts, Chronicles of the Scots, and other early Me- morials of Scottish History," p. 15- In the Preface to that work, at p. xcv. , Mr. Skene hashimfirst,onalistoftheBritishKingsof Strath Clyde. Noticing this, an ingenious correspondent, Mr. William Birch, 88 Lower Clanbrassil-street, Dublin, thinks he was probably the tyrant Coroticus—mentioned in the saint's " Epistle " to that tyrant. In a letter, dated August 19th, 1885, and ad- dressed to the writer, Mr. Birch adds : "no doubt, according to the Pedigree—of the above-mentioned—Cereticus, he was con- temporary with Pope Celestine, St. Patrick andNiall-mor. But,Ithinkthisconnection
^* This territory is said to have been named after him. See //'/(/.
3° According to Cough's Camden's " Bri- tannia. " the Britons called it Sire Aber-tivy, and ancient writers Ceretica, over which the famous King Caratacus ruled. See vol. ii. ,
P-
524-
3' According to the Cottonian Manuscript,
classed Vesp. A. 14, fol. 90.
3= See the text of tiiis Epistle, with some
learned comments, by the editor, in " Sancti Patricii, Ibernorum Apostoli, Synodi,
478
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [May i6.
——
wronged. 37 Seeing that the great Irish Apostle had terrified the soldiers of Ceredig, by denouncing God's judgments upon them, and upon their chief, when stigmatizing them as " fellow-citizens of devils and murderers of the brethren of the Lord," what more likely to have happened, ^^ than that Cran- tock—being fully aware of the enormity of those crimes, committed by his father's troops, and of the terror which the saint's scathing denunciation had struck into their hearts—should have fled for mercy to St. Patrick, rather than lead guilty soldiers against the avenging host ? By the Welsh writers, how- ever, this saint is claimed, as having been the son of one among their chief- tains, and he was known as Carannog. By the mediseval hagiologists, his name is given as Carantocus, But, there is much diversity of opinion regarding his pedigree. One account has it,39 that Carantocus—probably not
differing from Maccarthinn. ^o Bishop of Clogher
sister of St. Patrick. ^^ By some writers, Carantoc is said to have been a rela- tion to David'*3 and to Cuby,^Mvho are very celebrated Welsh saints. Again, he is thought to have descended from Cunedda Wledig, a prince of the Strath Clyde Britons, and who is placed second on the list of holy families. s His family being Welsh, we naturally turn for information to the Welsh Pedigrees of the Saints ; and, in these, we find it stated, that he was the son of Corun, the son of Caredig,-*^ or Ceredig, the son of Cunedda Wledig. He is said to have had a brother, named St. Tyssul. -*? Notwithstanding, in an ancient Manuscript, which gives an account of the family of Brychan of
withNiall-mortobeagreatmistake; for, even allowing 60 years to a generation, Niall-mor could not be contemporary with Pope Celestine or St. Patrick ; but, with this allowance of 60 years to a generation we will exactly have Niall-mor contemporary with Careiicus, King of Britain, as my enclosed paper will show, &c. , while it looks curious andveryinteresting. " Thenfollowsthislist of British Kings, and the years of their respective reigns :
Arthur reigned for . Constantine II. .
Conan
Vortipor
Malgo
Careticus . . . 27 Cadwan . ,
. .
. .
. .
Cadwallan English Total
. 4 . 30 -4 . 6
. .
. 22 -43
Afterwards is given, in like form, the list of Irish Kings, with their respective reigns :
Years. . 36
172
—was son to Darerea,''' the
May 1 6. ]
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
479
Brecknock, Crantock is stated to have been the son, and not the grandson, of Ceredig. This, too, is in harmony with the legendary life above-mentioned. When his father grew old and became incapable of wielding the sword against the Scots, who at that time devastated his territory, the elders of his people requested their king, to resign the sovereignty, in favour of his son Carantoc, in order that they might have a leader, who could go forth with them, to repel their troublesome invaders. This, however, Carantoc refused to do, and he wished rather for religious retirement. After spending his youth at home, in great purity and innocence, retiring from his father's house, Carntock stole away with a wallet and staff. He lived in a cave, known as Edilg, ac- cording to one account, and there he read Canonical Lessons, from the Old and New Testament. He is said, early to have embraced a religious life, and to have retired to a place, called Guerit-Carancanc, where he remained for some time. "*^ But, St. Carantoc was impelled by a Divine inspiration to follow another course. He crossed over to Ireland, having been attracted by the fame of St. Patrick,49 who was then labouring there. He is classed, among the disciples of the great Irish Apostle. s° Yet, it is said, that both had many clerics as their followers, and that they accordingly took counsel together, when it was resolved, that Patrick should go to the left, and Caran- toc to the right, while they were to meet each year,5^ it is to be presumed, for the purpose of holding a spiritual conference. At this lime, the Scots had invaded Britain, under their leaders Briscus,^* Thubaius, Machleves and Auxatus. ss That invasion happened thirty years, before the birtli of St. David, son to Sant or Xanthus and, apparently, mistaking the drift of this
;
statement,54 it has been supposed,^s that Carantoc preached the faith in Ire- land for thirty whole years. He was very well received by the Irish people, whogavehimthenameofCernath,orCernach. Ifwegivecredencetothe statement of John of Tynmouth,56 he must have been very successful in his labours; for, we are told, that the churches and cities in the region of Legenia57 were exalted underhis name, thathe converted districtsof Irishmen, which were enchained by the superstitions of magicians, and that he was honoured by kings. 5^ He was constantly attended by a white dove, which the people sup- posed to be his guardian angel.
^9 He was enriched with virtues and graces, having been honoured and obeyed, as if he were an Apostle. While meek and humble, Carantoc was also firm and faithful ; he made many become penitent ; while he was constantly engaged pouring forth prayers and thanks to God. Literary works have been ascribed to Carantoc, from some expres- sions contained in his Acts f° and, besides the part he said to have had, in compiling the Senchus Mor, it is thought, writings of a religious character
45 See his Life in vol. iii. of this work, at the 17th of March, Ait. i.
s° See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga," Quinta Appendix ad Acta S. Patricii, cap. xxiii. , p. 266.
5' See Ussher's " Britannicarum Ecclesia- rum Antiquitates," cap. xvii. , p. 441.
Sanctorum," at the i6th May, tomus iii. , p. 585 , from a transcript, with some additions. s? Nq doubt, a misprint for Lagenia, the
Latin name for Leinster.
ss xt is inferred, because his Latin Acts
state, " Beati Cernachi opera leguntur in Hibernia per totam patriam," thai his Life and Miracles must have been written, in tlie Irish language.
s= William Camden calls liim Brichus, in
Apparatu Britannia. "
55 Camden calls him Auspacus.
s-tjohn Capgrave has it, that Carantoc the Saints," vol. v. , p. 215.
began his missionary course in Ireland, thirty years before St. David's birth.
55 By Father Michael Alford, at A. D. 4S9. See " Fides Regia Britannica, sive Annales Ecclesice Britannie^e," &c. , tomusi. , num. 7.
56 Vespasian A. XIV. , printed in the "Acta
^° See " Ancient Laws of Ireland," SOII - ChUS niOK. Introduction to Sencus Mor, and ^XchgAbAit ; or Law of Distress, as contained in the Harleian Manuscript, vol. i. , part i. Preface, p. xix. Dublin, 1865,
et seg. , Svo.
59 See Rev. S. Baring-Gould's " Lives of
—
4§o LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [May i6.
were compiled by bim. ^' It bas been conjectured, tbat tbey were translations of writings, wbich bad been efficacious in tbe conversion of Druids in Gaul andBritain. Tbesemaybavebeenadapted,also,toimpresstbeDruids,Poets and Brehons in Ireland. His intimate acquaintance witb tbe Druidical system in Britain, and witb facts relating to conversions effected tbere, sbould eminently fit bim for sucb a task. ^^ Wbetber tbe present saint, or tbat one bearing tbe name Cairnecb, venerated at tbe 28tb of Miircb, be tbe Carnecbus Moel,
wbo wrote the Acts of bis master St. Ciaran, bas been questioned isprobable,theholymanveneratedonthisdayismeant. Weareinformed, tbat St. Carnigb founded, in the fifth or sixth century, a monastery at Dulane ^^ or Duleene ^5—the modern equivalent for Tuilen, or Tulan, a parish in the baronyofUpperKells,andcountyofMeatb. Wemayinfer,thathehada missionary station, in that place. He became a zealous coadjutor of the great Irish Apostle ; and, for many years, he fulfilled all tbe duties of his ministry. He converted innumerable souls, by his preaching and miracles, to tbe Faith of Christ. ^^ Among the three saints,^? chosen to revise tbe Pagan Laws of Ireland, and to make them harmonize with Christianity, Cairnech is specially named. An incident may be mentioned, also, which shows bow prominent and beneficent his position at Dulane must have been. In a collection of fragments,^^ taken from ancient historical manuscripts,^^ it is said, 7° tbat Muir- cheartach Mac Erca,7i monarch of Erinn, having been captivated by a Ben- shee, drove bis queen, her children and her friends of tbe clanns of Conaill and of Eogbain—tbe O'Donnells and O'Neills—from the palace of Cleitech, ontheBoyne. Then,tbeyfledtoSt. Cairnecb,whotookthemallunderhis protection. "Thereupon," it is added, "the saint cursed tbe palace, and when tbe queen's friends departed to their own country, he gave them his blessing, and be appointed three insigfiia,'''^ for their war standards. " We are told, moreover, that . ^t. Cairnech of Dulane appointed the Afiosach,3. s one of
the three battle insignia for the O'Neills and O'Donnells. This word means literally"Monthly,"or"ofMonths. " Tberelicwasprobablyacalendar. 73 Subsequently, Carantoc is thought to have returned to his own country, with many companions, and he lived for some time in a cave. The dove once more fluttered before bim, darted away, and then came back, as though desi- ing him to follow. It led him through tbe forest, to a smooth grassy spot, and there it rested, on the coast of Cardiganshire. Tbe surrounding scenery is
*' See ibid. , vol. ii. , part ii. . Preface, p. V.
^ See ibid. , p. vii.
^3 See Colgan's " Acta Sanctorum Hiber- nise," Martii v. Appendix ad Acta S. Kierani, cap. iv. , p. 473.
*•• It is shown, on the "Ordnance Sur%-ey Towniand Maps for the County of Meath," sheets 10, li, 16, 17.
*5 Here, on this day, the founder's festival wasobserved. See Rev. A. Cogan's " Uio- cese of Meath, Ancient and Modern," vol. i. , chap, xxiii. , pp. 133, 134.
'^ See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga," Quinta Appendix ad Acta S. Patricii, cap. xxiii. , p. 266.
''' WiththesewereassociatedthreeKings, and three Bards, who are thus named :
" Laeghaire, Core. I )airi, the hardy ; Patrick, Bcncn, Cairnech, the just ; Ross. -! , Dubhthach, Fcrghus, with
science ;
These were the nine pillars of the Senchus Mor. "
—Preface to " Senchus Mor," vol. i. , p. xiii. ** Contained in the "Yellow Book of Lecain. "
^^ Now preserved, in the Library of Trinity College, Dublin.
'° See Professor O'Curry's " Lectures on the Manuscript Materials of Ancient Irish History. " Appendix CI. , p. 599.
'' He reigned, from A. D. 504 to 527. The particulars of his reign are noticed, in Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the Four Masters," vol. i. , pp. 164 to 177.
'' One of these is saiil to have been the celebrated Cathach or Battler of theO'Don- nells. It contained a copy of the Psalms, or (Jospels, written by St. Columba. It is yet preserved—although greatly defaced and stained—within a silver case, in the Royal Irish Academy's Museum,
f'^
but, it
May 1 6. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 481
pleasingly diversified, and here, St. Carantoc expressed an intention of build- ing a church. 74 He is said to have had a small chapel or an oratory, among the rocks, on this part of the coast, where his days were spent in religious seclu- sion. 75 A church still bearing tlie name of Llangranog,? ^ alias Lann-Garanog, or the church of Carannog, was tluis founded by him. There is also a rock, near a small harbour in the parish. That rock bears some resemblance to a large chair. It is called, by the native peasantry, Eisteddfa Carannog,^? or Cranwg. 78 St. Carantoc sailed down the Severn,79 and he landed at Dind- raithov,. where Cato^°—sometimes written Cathon—and Arthur were living. Elsewhere, we do not find the name of Cato in history,^^ and, it seems likely, there is a false reading, for some other British name. The former renowned British king has his history well interlarded with fable ; and, one of those won- derful stories is found in connexion with our saini. A great serpent had devas- tated the Carr, a marshy district in South Wales. We are told, that an altar of marvellous colour fell out of heaven, and that Carantog took possession of
it. While he was conveying it in a boat over the Severn, tliat altar fell over- board into the sea. However, he declared, that the Almighty would wash it withHiswaves,tothatplacewhereitmustbesetup; while,hewenttoKing Arthur and enquired, if he knew, that it had come ashore in any part of his dominions. " Bind me the serpent in the Carr, and 1 will tell thee," replied the king. Then Carantoc went to the morass, and called the venemous beast, when it came to him. Casting his stole about it, that serpent was brought into the hall, where the king and his knights sat. Carantoc fed it, and after- wards he let the serpent go, commanding it not to injure man or beast. King Arthur had intended to convert the altar into a table, for himself and for his knights, as it had been miraculously washed ashore. However, he then gave it to the holy man, who set it up at a place called Carrow^^—interpreted Cardigan—where he built a church. ^3 This donation, the king confirmed by a
deed. After crossing the Severn, other accounts have it, that Carantoc obtained a grant of land from King Arthur, near the port of Guellit, and built there a church, which was called Carrun, or Carrow. That church, no doubt, was the building of which Leland^+ speaks, when he tells us, that Karantoc con- structedanoratory,andataplace,calledGuerithKarantauc. Mostproba- bly, it was that spot, where the Parish Church of Crantock—on the Irish Sea in Cornwall—is built. There, too, it is thought by some writers, that the holy and venerable old patriarch spent the remainder of his days. Before the Con- quest, there was a collegiate church at Crantock ; however, the sand which
73 See Professor O'Curry's "Lectures on Moel Badell. "—Samuel Lewis' " Topogra- the Manuscript Materials of Ancient Irish phical Dictionary of Wales," vol. ii. .
History," Lect. XV. , p- 336. T-AccordingtotheCottonianManuscript,
classed Vesp. A 14, fol. 90, this happened before he went to Ireland.
"5 See Samuel Lewis' " Topographical Dictionary of Wales," vol. ii. , p. 48.
76
p. 49.
^9CalledinLatinSabrina. Itflowsbe-
tween Monmouthshire and Gloucestershire, into the Bristol Channel, south of Wales.
^° Probably, Cador is meant.
^' Much the same account is given, by This parish is in the Union of New- Capgrave, Alford, Ussher, and the Salisbury
castle-Emlyn, lower division of Moythen Martyrology.
Hundred, Cardiganshire, South Wales. ^- In the British language, it is said,
77 See "Lives of the Cambo-British that Car means "a marsh," while Caer
Saints," p. 398.
7^ " By some writers, the name is supposed
to be derived from its having been anciently a place of meeting for the bards ; and on the summit of an eminence in the immediate vicinity is a large tumulus, in form resem- blingan inverted pan, and thence called Pen
means "a fortress," or "city. " Skinner places Carrow, or Carew, in the County of Devon ; but, the Bollandists think, it is to be sought for, in some part of Wales,
^3 gee Rev. S. Baring-Gould's " Lives of the Saints," vol. v. . May 16, pp. 215, 216.
^^ See "Itinerary," vol. iii. , p. 196. IH
_
482 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [Mat 16.
had blown up along this coast has nearly obliterated the remains of that college, but the holy well remains.
' See "Nova Legenda Anglise," fol. Ivi. ,
Ivii.
7 At the l6th of May, he notes Carantoc,
in " Catalogus Actuum Sanctorum qui\: MS. habentur, ordine Mensium et Uierum. "
* These are furnished from a Manuscript, belonging to the Cottonian Library, London, and classed Vespasian A 14, at fol. 90. They are of a very Iegendai7 character, and they were procured for the BoUandists, through the kindness of the learned Sir William Du^dalc, author of the " Monasticon Angli- caniim," in three folio volumes, with other erudite works.
9 See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus iii. De S. Carentoco scu Cernatho K])isc. Abbate in Wallia et Ilibcrnia. pp. 584 to 5S7.
" See " Lives of the Cambro-British Saints. "
" See pp. 97 to loi, ibid.
'- May16.
'3 See pp. 396 to 401, ibid.
''' ItisclassedVespasianA. xiv. ,fol. 90. '5 See ''Essay on the Welsh Saints," p.
209. London, 1836,8x0.
'" See "Lives of the Saints," vol. v. , May
16, pp. 215, 216.
'' Vicar of Stockcross, Berks,
'^ In a Paper, read May iSth, 1872, and
published in "Journ. al of the Royal Institu- tion of Cornwall, 1874," number xv.
"'Edited by William Smith, LL. D. , and Henry Vv'ace, M. A.
"^ See vol. i. , pp. 383, 384.
''' See zV'/^/. , p. 403.
^' See " Kalendars of Scottish Saints,"
p. 298,
'''• See ibid. , p. 377.
^* In the Leabhar Breac copy. See
"Transactionsof the Royal Irish Academy," Iri>li Manuscript Series, vol. i. , part i. On the Calendar of Ocngus, p. Ixxxvii.
^^ See " The Irish Version of the Historia Britunum of Nennius," edited by Rev. James Henthorn Todd, and by the Hon. Algernon Herbert, Additional Notes, No. xxii. , p. cxi.
—
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
the Senchus Mor,^^ which states, that St. Cairnech of Tuilen took part in its composition, as also, because Crantock^? in Cornwall is called after this saint. According to some accounts, this holy man was the son of Keredic,^^ Ceredig, or Keretic, a chief who swayed the country of Keredigion, or Keredicia,^9 now Cardiganshire. 3° His mother is styled Anne, and according to some ac- counts, she was a cousin to the Blessed Virgin Mary. 31 There is still extant an Epistle, written by St. Patrick, to the soldiers of a chieftain called Coroti- CUS. 32 He was only nominally a professor of Christianity. He is said to have landed in Ireland, at the head of pirates, and, after committing every kind of outrage, he carried off a number of baptized believers, for the purpose of selling them as slaves to the heathen Picts. It has been conjectured,33 that this chieftain was Ceredig, Caredig, or Cereticus, son of Cynedda,34 as the name is commonly given by Latin writers, and who was also the father of our saint. 35 This conjecture is strengthened, by a statement in the Life of St. Crantock, that Ceredig's territory, in his old age, had been devastated by hordes of Irish. 3^ What else could have been expected, but that fierce retri- bution should be sought by these people, whom he had so grievously
May 1 6. ]
477
-° See "Ancient Laws of Ireland," senchus nion. introduction to Sen- clius Mor, and -AcligAbAiL ; or Law of Dis- tress, as contained in the Harleian Manu- scripts," vol. i. , part i. , Preface, p. xxvii. Also, vol. ii. , part ii. , Preface, p. viii.
^^ A parish in the centre of the west coast, Cornwall. See Redding's " Illustrated Itinerary of Cornwall, 1842," p. 220.
'^ The Cottonian Manuscript, Vesp. A 14
states, that this Keredic had many sons, of
whom Carentocus was one. The genealogy
of Keredic is thus given : he was Mak Canones, Opuscula, et Scriptorum quoe
Cuneda, Mak Ethern, Mak Patern, Pes supposed to be used for the Greek word Trats meaning "son "—Ludant, Mak Tacit, Mak Kein, Mak Guorchem, Mak Doli, Mak Gurdoli, Mak Donni, Mak Guordonni, Mak Amguolie, Mak Amguerit, Mak Omnid, ]Mak Dubunn, Mak Britguenin, Mak Etigen, Mak Aballath, Mak Canabeth, Mak Beli. These were the sons of Cuneda : his eldest Tipipann, who died in the territory of Mann Gudodin—now tlie Isle of Man—while his father Cuneda and his brothers did not go there, but Merian his son divided the posses- sions of his father among his brothers ; the second son was Ismael, the third Kumann, the fourth Dunann, the fifth Keredic, the sixth Alxilach, the seventh Emmann, the eighth Dogmaile, and the ninth Etern. These were the boundaries of their posses- sions : from the River called Donbyrduiu —conjecturedtohavebeentheTyvydividing the shires of Pembroke and Carmarthen to another River, called Guonn or Quon supposed to be the Conway, at the mouth of which is Aberconwy. This includes a tract of West British country, embracing all the southern part of Ceretica, which was situated opposite the Wexford coast, in Ireland. See the Bollandists' "Acta Sanctorum," tomus iii. , Mail xvi. De S. Carentoco sen Cer- natho Episc. Abbate in Wallia et Hibernia, p. 585,andnn. (a,b,c),p. 587.
supersunt, Fragmenta ;" scholiis illustrata a Joachimo Laurentio Villaneuva Presbytero, pp, 240 to 255.
33 By Rev. James Henihorn Todd, in " St. Patrick, Apostle of Ireland," chap. ii.
3'* See his genealogy, extracted from the Welsh records in S. R. Meyrick's " History and Antiquities of the County of Cardigan," Introduction, p. 18. London, 1S08, 4to.
3S See, also, Rev. Rice Rees' " Essay on the Welsh Saints," p. 135.
3* In the Saxon and Welsh additions to the "Hisioria Britonum," dcccclxxvii. , in the Harleian Manuscript, No. 3859, be- longing to the British Museum, there is a "map Ceretic guletic," as noticed in William F. Skene's " Chronicles of the Picts, Chronicles of the Scots, and other early Me- morials of Scottish History," p. 15- In the Preface to that work, at p. xcv. , Mr. Skene hashimfirst,onalistoftheBritishKingsof Strath Clyde. Noticing this, an ingenious correspondent, Mr. William Birch, 88 Lower Clanbrassil-street, Dublin, thinks he was probably the tyrant Coroticus—mentioned in the saint's " Epistle " to that tyrant. In a letter, dated August 19th, 1885, and ad- dressed to the writer, Mr. Birch adds : "no doubt, according to the Pedigree—of the above-mentioned—Cereticus, he was con- temporary with Pope Celestine, St. Patrick andNiall-mor. But,Ithinkthisconnection
^* This territory is said to have been named after him. See //'/(/.
3° According to Cough's Camden's " Bri- tannia. " the Britons called it Sire Aber-tivy, and ancient writers Ceretica, over which the famous King Caratacus ruled. See vol. ii. ,
P-
524-
3' According to the Cottonian Manuscript,
classed Vesp. A. 14, fol. 90.
3= See the text of tiiis Epistle, with some
learned comments, by the editor, in " Sancti Patricii, Ibernorum Apostoli, Synodi,
478
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [May i6.
——
wronged. 37 Seeing that the great Irish Apostle had terrified the soldiers of Ceredig, by denouncing God's judgments upon them, and upon their chief, when stigmatizing them as " fellow-citizens of devils and murderers of the brethren of the Lord," what more likely to have happened, ^^ than that Cran- tock—being fully aware of the enormity of those crimes, committed by his father's troops, and of the terror which the saint's scathing denunciation had struck into their hearts—should have fled for mercy to St. Patrick, rather than lead guilty soldiers against the avenging host ? By the Welsh writers, how- ever, this saint is claimed, as having been the son of one among their chief- tains, and he was known as Carannog. By the mediseval hagiologists, his name is given as Carantocus, But, there is much diversity of opinion regarding his pedigree. One account has it,39 that Carantocus—probably not
differing from Maccarthinn. ^o Bishop of Clogher
sister of St. Patrick. ^^ By some writers, Carantoc is said to have been a rela- tion to David'*3 and to Cuby,^Mvho are very celebrated Welsh saints. Again, he is thought to have descended from Cunedda Wledig, a prince of the Strath Clyde Britons, and who is placed second on the list of holy families. s His family being Welsh, we naturally turn for information to the Welsh Pedigrees of the Saints ; and, in these, we find it stated, that he was the son of Corun, the son of Caredig,-*^ or Ceredig, the son of Cunedda Wledig. He is said to have had a brother, named St. Tyssul. -*? Notwithstanding, in an ancient Manuscript, which gives an account of the family of Brychan of
withNiall-mortobeagreatmistake; for, even allowing 60 years to a generation, Niall-mor could not be contemporary with Pope Celestine or St. Patrick ; but, with this allowance of 60 years to a generation we will exactly have Niall-mor contemporary with Careiicus, King of Britain, as my enclosed paper will show, &c. , while it looks curious andveryinteresting. " Thenfollowsthislist of British Kings, and the years of their respective reigns :
Arthur reigned for . Constantine II. .
Conan
Vortipor
Malgo
Careticus . . . 27 Cadwan . ,
. .
. .
. .
Cadwallan English Total
. 4 . 30 -4 . 6
. .
. 22 -43
Afterwards is given, in like form, the list of Irish Kings, with their respective reigns :
Years. . 36
172
—was son to Darerea,''' the
May 1 6. ]
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
479
Brecknock, Crantock is stated to have been the son, and not the grandson, of Ceredig. This, too, is in harmony with the legendary life above-mentioned. When his father grew old and became incapable of wielding the sword against the Scots, who at that time devastated his territory, the elders of his people requested their king, to resign the sovereignty, in favour of his son Carantoc, in order that they might have a leader, who could go forth with them, to repel their troublesome invaders. This, however, Carantoc refused to do, and he wished rather for religious retirement. After spending his youth at home, in great purity and innocence, retiring from his father's house, Carntock stole away with a wallet and staff. He lived in a cave, known as Edilg, ac- cording to one account, and there he read Canonical Lessons, from the Old and New Testament. He is said, early to have embraced a religious life, and to have retired to a place, called Guerit-Carancanc, where he remained for some time. "*^ But, St. Carantoc was impelled by a Divine inspiration to follow another course. He crossed over to Ireland, having been attracted by the fame of St. Patrick,49 who was then labouring there. He is classed, among the disciples of the great Irish Apostle. s° Yet, it is said, that both had many clerics as their followers, and that they accordingly took counsel together, when it was resolved, that Patrick should go to the left, and Caran- toc to the right, while they were to meet each year,5^ it is to be presumed, for the purpose of holding a spiritual conference. At this lime, the Scots had invaded Britain, under their leaders Briscus,^* Thubaius, Machleves and Auxatus. ss That invasion happened thirty years, before the birtli of St. David, son to Sant or Xanthus and, apparently, mistaking the drift of this
;
statement,54 it has been supposed,^s that Carantoc preached the faith in Ire- land for thirty whole years. He was very well received by the Irish people, whogavehimthenameofCernath,orCernach. Ifwegivecredencetothe statement of John of Tynmouth,56 he must have been very successful in his labours; for, we are told, that the churches and cities in the region of Legenia57 were exalted underhis name, thathe converted districtsof Irishmen, which were enchained by the superstitions of magicians, and that he was honoured by kings. 5^ He was constantly attended by a white dove, which the people sup- posed to be his guardian angel.
^9 He was enriched with virtues and graces, having been honoured and obeyed, as if he were an Apostle. While meek and humble, Carantoc was also firm and faithful ; he made many become penitent ; while he was constantly engaged pouring forth prayers and thanks to God. Literary works have been ascribed to Carantoc, from some expres- sions contained in his Acts f° and, besides the part he said to have had, in compiling the Senchus Mor, it is thought, writings of a religious character
45 See his Life in vol. iii. of this work, at the 17th of March, Ait. i.
s° See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga," Quinta Appendix ad Acta S. Patricii, cap. xxiii. , p. 266.
5' See Ussher's " Britannicarum Ecclesia- rum Antiquitates," cap. xvii. , p. 441.
Sanctorum," at the i6th May, tomus iii. , p. 585 , from a transcript, with some additions. s? Nq doubt, a misprint for Lagenia, the
Latin name for Leinster.
ss xt is inferred, because his Latin Acts
state, " Beati Cernachi opera leguntur in Hibernia per totam patriam," thai his Life and Miracles must have been written, in tlie Irish language.
s= William Camden calls liim Brichus, in
Apparatu Britannia. "
55 Camden calls him Auspacus.
s-tjohn Capgrave has it, that Carantoc the Saints," vol. v. , p. 215.
began his missionary course in Ireland, thirty years before St. David's birth.
55 By Father Michael Alford, at A. D. 4S9. See " Fides Regia Britannica, sive Annales Ecclesice Britannie^e," &c. , tomusi. , num. 7.
56 Vespasian A. XIV. , printed in the "Acta
^° See " Ancient Laws of Ireland," SOII - ChUS niOK. Introduction to Sencus Mor, and ^XchgAbAit ; or Law of Distress, as contained in the Harleian Manuscript, vol. i. , part i. Preface, p. xix. Dublin, 1865,
et seg. , Svo.
59 See Rev. S. Baring-Gould's " Lives of
—
4§o LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [May i6.
were compiled by bim. ^' It bas been conjectured, tbat tbey were translations of writings, wbich bad been efficacious in tbe conversion of Druids in Gaul andBritain. Tbesemaybavebeenadapted,also,toimpresstbeDruids,Poets and Brehons in Ireland. His intimate acquaintance witb tbe Druidical system in Britain, and witb facts relating to conversions effected tbere, sbould eminently fit bim for sucb a task. ^^ Wbetber tbe present saint, or tbat one bearing tbe name Cairnecb, venerated at tbe 28tb of Miircb, be tbe Carnecbus Moel,
wbo wrote the Acts of bis master St. Ciaran, bas been questioned isprobable,theholymanveneratedonthisdayismeant. Weareinformed, tbat St. Carnigb founded, in the fifth or sixth century, a monastery at Dulane ^^ or Duleene ^5—the modern equivalent for Tuilen, or Tulan, a parish in the baronyofUpperKells,andcountyofMeatb. Wemayinfer,thathehada missionary station, in that place. He became a zealous coadjutor of the great Irish Apostle ; and, for many years, he fulfilled all tbe duties of his ministry. He converted innumerable souls, by his preaching and miracles, to tbe Faith of Christ. ^^ Among the three saints,^? chosen to revise tbe Pagan Laws of Ireland, and to make them harmonize with Christianity, Cairnech is specially named. An incident may be mentioned, also, which shows bow prominent and beneficent his position at Dulane must have been. In a collection of fragments,^^ taken from ancient historical manuscripts,^^ it is said, 7° tbat Muir- cheartach Mac Erca,7i monarch of Erinn, having been captivated by a Ben- shee, drove bis queen, her children and her friends of tbe clanns of Conaill and of Eogbain—tbe O'Donnells and O'Neills—from the palace of Cleitech, ontheBoyne. Then,tbeyfledtoSt. Cairnecb,whotookthemallunderhis protection. "Thereupon," it is added, "the saint cursed tbe palace, and when tbe queen's friends departed to their own country, he gave them his blessing, and be appointed three insigfiia,'''^ for their war standards. " We are told, moreover, that . ^t. Cairnech of Dulane appointed the Afiosach,3. s one of
the three battle insignia for the O'Neills and O'Donnells. This word means literally"Monthly,"or"ofMonths. " Tberelicwasprobablyacalendar. 73 Subsequently, Carantoc is thought to have returned to his own country, with many companions, and he lived for some time in a cave. The dove once more fluttered before bim, darted away, and then came back, as though desi- ing him to follow. It led him through tbe forest, to a smooth grassy spot, and there it rested, on the coast of Cardiganshire. Tbe surrounding scenery is
*' See ibid. , vol. ii. , part ii. . Preface, p. V.
^ See ibid. , p. vii.
^3 See Colgan's " Acta Sanctorum Hiber- nise," Martii v. Appendix ad Acta S. Kierani, cap. iv. , p. 473.
*•• It is shown, on the "Ordnance Sur%-ey Towniand Maps for the County of Meath," sheets 10, li, 16, 17.
*5 Here, on this day, the founder's festival wasobserved. See Rev. A. Cogan's " Uio- cese of Meath, Ancient and Modern," vol. i. , chap, xxiii. , pp. 133, 134.
'^ See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga," Quinta Appendix ad Acta S. Patricii, cap. xxiii. , p. 266.
''' WiththesewereassociatedthreeKings, and three Bards, who are thus named :
" Laeghaire, Core. I )airi, the hardy ; Patrick, Bcncn, Cairnech, the just ; Ross. -! , Dubhthach, Fcrghus, with
science ;
These were the nine pillars of the Senchus Mor. "
—Preface to " Senchus Mor," vol. i. , p. xiii. ** Contained in the "Yellow Book of Lecain. "
^^ Now preserved, in the Library of Trinity College, Dublin.
'° See Professor O'Curry's " Lectures on the Manuscript Materials of Ancient Irish History. " Appendix CI. , p. 599.
'' He reigned, from A. D. 504 to 527. The particulars of his reign are noticed, in Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the Four Masters," vol. i. , pp. 164 to 177.
'' One of these is saiil to have been the celebrated Cathach or Battler of theO'Don- nells. It contained a copy of the Psalms, or (Jospels, written by St. Columba. It is yet preserved—although greatly defaced and stained—within a silver case, in the Royal Irish Academy's Museum,
f'^
but, it
May 1 6. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 481
pleasingly diversified, and here, St. Carantoc expressed an intention of build- ing a church. 74 He is said to have had a small chapel or an oratory, among the rocks, on this part of the coast, where his days were spent in religious seclu- sion. 75 A church still bearing tlie name of Llangranog,? ^ alias Lann-Garanog, or the church of Carannog, was tluis founded by him. There is also a rock, near a small harbour in the parish. That rock bears some resemblance to a large chair. It is called, by the native peasantry, Eisteddfa Carannog,^? or Cranwg. 78 St. Carantoc sailed down the Severn,79 and he landed at Dind- raithov,. where Cato^°—sometimes written Cathon—and Arthur were living. Elsewhere, we do not find the name of Cato in history,^^ and, it seems likely, there is a false reading, for some other British name. The former renowned British king has his history well interlarded with fable ; and, one of those won- derful stories is found in connexion with our saini. A great serpent had devas- tated the Carr, a marshy district in South Wales. We are told, that an altar of marvellous colour fell out of heaven, and that Carantog took possession of
it. While he was conveying it in a boat over the Severn, tliat altar fell over- board into the sea. However, he declared, that the Almighty would wash it withHiswaves,tothatplacewhereitmustbesetup; while,hewenttoKing Arthur and enquired, if he knew, that it had come ashore in any part of his dominions. " Bind me the serpent in the Carr, and 1 will tell thee," replied the king. Then Carantoc went to the morass, and called the venemous beast, when it came to him. Casting his stole about it, that serpent was brought into the hall, where the king and his knights sat. Carantoc fed it, and after- wards he let the serpent go, commanding it not to injure man or beast. King Arthur had intended to convert the altar into a table, for himself and for his knights, as it had been miraculously washed ashore. However, he then gave it to the holy man, who set it up at a place called Carrow^^—interpreted Cardigan—where he built a church. ^3 This donation, the king confirmed by a
deed. After crossing the Severn, other accounts have it, that Carantoc obtained a grant of land from King Arthur, near the port of Guellit, and built there a church, which was called Carrun, or Carrow. That church, no doubt, was the building of which Leland^+ speaks, when he tells us, that Karantoc con- structedanoratory,andataplace,calledGuerithKarantauc. Mostproba- bly, it was that spot, where the Parish Church of Crantock—on the Irish Sea in Cornwall—is built. There, too, it is thought by some writers, that the holy and venerable old patriarch spent the remainder of his days. Before the Con- quest, there was a collegiate church at Crantock ; however, the sand which
73 See Professor O'Curry's "Lectures on Moel Badell. "—Samuel Lewis' " Topogra- the Manuscript Materials of Ancient Irish phical Dictionary of Wales," vol. ii. .
History," Lect. XV. , p- 336. T-AccordingtotheCottonianManuscript,
classed Vesp. A 14, fol. 90, this happened before he went to Ireland.
"5 See Samuel Lewis' " Topographical Dictionary of Wales," vol. ii. , p. 48.
76
p. 49.
^9CalledinLatinSabrina. Itflowsbe-
tween Monmouthshire and Gloucestershire, into the Bristol Channel, south of Wales.
^° Probably, Cador is meant.
^' Much the same account is given, by This parish is in the Union of New- Capgrave, Alford, Ussher, and the Salisbury
castle-Emlyn, lower division of Moythen Martyrology.
Hundred, Cardiganshire, South Wales. ^- In the British language, it is said,
77 See "Lives of the Cambo-British that Car means "a marsh," while Caer
Saints," p. 398.
7^ " By some writers, the name is supposed
to be derived from its having been anciently a place of meeting for the bards ; and on the summit of an eminence in the immediate vicinity is a large tumulus, in form resem- blingan inverted pan, and thence called Pen
means "a fortress," or "city. " Skinner places Carrow, or Carew, in the County of Devon ; but, the Bollandists think, it is to be sought for, in some part of Wales,
^3 gee Rev. S. Baring-Gould's " Lives of the Saints," vol. v. . May 16, pp. 215, 216.
^^ See "Itinerary," vol. iii. , p. 196. IH
_
482 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [Mat 16.
had blown up along this coast has nearly obliterated the remains of that college, but the holy well remains.
