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suspect that its ancient name may have been Bannium or Benniwith an addition, and this may have been Venta or Ventum, descriptive of its bare upland character. In the Cognatio de Brychan, Brychan is said to have been born at Benni, which is almost certainly this place. Jones, in his History of Brecknock, gives Caer Bannau as a name in use for what is now merely known as Y Gaer. So also Cliffe, in his Book of South Wales, 1847; but the form has no existence. The town was walled about, and contained villas and streets and hypocausts, and the entire hillside reveals Romano-British occupation. It stood on the Via Julia

Montana, at its junction with a road from the south that descended into the Brecon basin by the Afon Tarell, and above another that entered it, descending the Honddu. It must have been a place of no little importance; and what is more, it seems to have suddenly come to an end. It was destroyed, and no other town was built on its site. Here, then, we have several elements united that lead us to suspect that Y Gaer or Caer Fenni was the Beneventum to which Cadoc retired, and where he was slain, when the Saxons, after the taking of the city of Gleva, poured over the undefended district to the west, and the basin of Brecon was open to them through its two portals to the west, fatally gaping to invite an invader from that quarter.

Hither Elli might easily come every year with his report as to the condition of Llancarfan. Hence, without difficulty, the body of Cadoc might be translated to his principal monastery when the Saxon grip was relaxed.

There is, however, an objection. The walls of Bannium are of cut stone. Possibly enough Lifris may have made a blunder in saying that the original circumvallation was of earth; he may have supposed that the ruined stone walls were due to Cadoc, who, in fact, may only have repaired them.

One curious feature in the story is the taboo placed on any Briton penetrating into the town. This looks much like the result of intense national animosity. Lifris, indeed, gives his explanation. He says that the rule was established because those who held the town were afraid lest the Britons should steal away the sacred relics. This is the sort of explanation that would occur to the mind of a monk, but we may be quite sure that it was not the real meaning of the taboo. Perhaps for a while the Saxons held Bannium and would not allow any Briton within its walls as a military precaution. Lifris wrote at a period when body-snatching was practised extensively, and the relics of a saint meant money, when S. Petroc was carried to Redon, the relics of S. Neot to Huntingdonshire, and those of S. Maglorius were filched from Sark. There is no record of when the body of S.

Cadoc was taken back to Llancarfan. It was early, and its removal was followed by a flood. "The fine flowing fountain that was near the city came like a sea over the city, and the inhabitants presaged its being overwhelmed." 1 This may mean no more than that the Usk and the Yscir came down in a torrent owing to a thundercloud having burst.

At the time when the Danes were harassing the coast in the ninth century, the body of Cadoc was at Llancarfan.2

We are not told what was the age of Cadoc when he died. The following chronological scheme can be tentative only and approximate:

S. Cadoc born

Founds Llancarfan

Goes to Ireland for three years

Settles in Brecknock at Llanspyddid

Death of Gwynllyw and return to Llancarfan

Leaves for Scotland, consigning his abbey to Gildas
Departs on pilgrimage to Rome and Jerusalem
Council of Llanddewi Brefi

circ. 497

circ. 518

circ. 523-6

circ. 526

circ. 527

circ. 528-9

circ. 544

circ. 545-6

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We have included in this scheme a visit of Cadoc to Ireland, for King Ainmire summoned Gildas and other saints to restore the flagging Christianity in the isle, and although the Vita S. Cadoci says nothing about any visit made late in life to Ireland, yet it is not improbable that he may have responded to the call; and the Irish regarded him, along with Gildas and David, as having done something to revive religion, and Cadoc was credited, as already said, with having furnished them with a form of the Mass. 3 It is, however, possible that Cadoc may have contented himself with furnishing a liturgy, and not have gone to Ireland in person.

The following churches in Wales are under the patronage of S. Cadoc or Catwg:-Llangattock-juxta-Usk, Llangattock Lingoed (? formerly Llangatwg Lennig), Llangattock Feibion Afel (" of the sons of Abel "),

1 Cambro-British Saints, p. 76.

2 Ibid., p. 77.

3 " "Hi ritum celebrandi missam acceperunt a sanctis viris de Britannia, scilicet a Sancto David, a S. Gilda, et a S. [Ca]doco." Catal. Ord. SS.

in Hibernia," Haddan and Stubbs, Councils, etc., ii, p. 287.

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Penrhos (anciently Llangatwg Penrhos), Caerleon, Raglan and Trevethin, in Monmouthshire; Llancarfan, Llanmaes, Pendoylan (Pendeulwyn), Pentyrch, Gelligaer, Cadoxton-juxta-Barry, Cadoxton-juxtaNeath (Llangatwg Glyn Nedd), and Port Eynon, in Glamorganshire; Llangattock and Llanspyddid in Brecknockshire; and Llangadog Fawr in Carmarthenshire. A meadow, Cae Maen Catwg (his stonefield), is near Gelligaer church; and a Pistyll Catwg is given among the possessions of the canons of Llancarfan. Gwyddfa Gatwg (his mound) is situated in a dingle in the parish of Llanegwad, in Carmarthenshire. There was formerly a church dedicated to him in the parish of Monmouth, near the Castle, which was conferred by Withenoc, lord of Monmouth in the eleventh century, on the Benedictine monks of S. Florence of Saumur at Monmouth. In the Valor of 1535 (iv, p. 359) is mentioned a chantry, "Cantar' de S'to Cadoc' infr' D'n'm de Bergeveny" (Abergavenny). There is a farm, called Llangatwg, in the parish of Llanedern, near Cardiff, which is no doubt the site of a dismantled chapel.

There was also formerly a capella, now ruined, Llangadog, under Kidwelly, in Carmarthenshire, and another of the same name under Amlwch in Anglesey.

According to a monumental inscription dated 1507, there was formerly a statue (imago) of the saint in Cadoxton-juxta-Neath church.1 The Cadoc cult in Wales was practically confined to the south-eastern parts.

In Brittany, Cadoc was highly venerated, especially in the diocese of Vannes. When the Thirty of the Franco-Breton party prepared to march from Josselin to fight the Thirty of the Anglo-Bretons at the Tree of Mil-voye in 1351, they paid their vows and offered rayers before the altar of S. Cadoc in the principal church of Josselin.2

At Gouesnac'h, near Fouesnant, in Finistère, is a chapel of S. Cadou ; some years ago this chapel had a painted ceiling of wood, on which were represented scenes from the life of S. Cadoc. But, as on the occasion of the Pardon, regrettable abuses had crept in, or rather old pagan usages were continued, the Pardon was suppressed, and the chapel was allowed to fall into ruin. Of late years, the chapel has

1 For a supposed figure of him in the niche over the south doorway of Llancarfan church, see C. B. Fowler, Rambling Sketches in Diocese of Llandaff, Cardiff, 1896, plate 7. It has now disappeared.

2 De la Villemarqué, in his Pièces Justificatives to his La Légende Celtique, has published a hymn to S. Cadoc attributed to the Thirty Bretons. It is an impudent forgery. He also gives a ballad dialogue between Cadoc and Merlin. It is also a quite recent composition, passed off as an antique.

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