Caradoc

ON SAINT CARADOC, PRIEST, HERMIT IN SOUTH WALES.

IN THE YEAR 1124.

Caradoc, Priest, hermit in South Wales (Saint)

G. H.

[1] Transsabrine Britain, which the Romans, because they had occupied it later, called "Britannia secunda," inhabited by the Silures, Demetae, and Ordovices, the Anglo-Saxons called the Seat of the Britons and Cambria; now we commonly call it Wales, still at this time containing twelve Counties or provinces. In the Southern part of this Wales Saint Caradoc the Priest and anchorite passed his life, born in the province of Brecknock, Saint Caradoc which the inhabitants call Breghennock

or Brecknock-Shire. But being cultivated in the studies of letters, he lived in the hall of Rees, Prince of South Wales, where he took up the care of hunting hounds. Silvester Giraldus in book 1 of the Itinerarium Cambriae, chapters 11 and 12, makes mention of Rees, born in Brecknock, and asserts that he was born of his father the Prince Theodore, and killed by the treachery of his own at Brecknock, with his son Gruffino (from whom another Rees is sprung) and his daughter Nesta he serves Prince Rees, left behind, from whom Henry I King of England begot a son named Henry, whom with the King's consent afterward Gerald of Windsor took as his wife. Further, Saint Caradoc, having left the court of Rees, departed to the province of Glamorgan, and to the Episcopal city of Llandaff on the river Taff, he dwells in the church of Saint Teilo situated not far from the sea; and there in the church of Saint Teilo the Bishop, whose Acts we have illustrated on February 9, he served God for some time, in the Eastern part of the said province: whence having set out to the Western part, in the Gower peninsula he lived in the church or chapel of Saint Kined, and of Saint Kined, which Camden still shows on his maps, concerning which we shall treat more fully on the Kalends of August, on which day Saint Kined is venerated.

[2] Then moved by an Angelic inspiration, Saint Caradoc migrated into the province of Pembroke, and by the Bishop of Menevia (which we now call St. Davids, whose Acts we have given on March 1) made Priest at Menevia, was consecrated as a Priest, and lived partly there, partly in some island: but harassed by pirates, he finally lived in the monastery of Saint Ismael: sent by the Bishop to the monastery of Saint Ismael, in the small region of Ros he spent the rest of the time of his life. Some things which then happened there, Giraldus tells thus in chapter 11. "This to me seems noteworthy: that to Richard, Castellan of the aforesaid place, namely son of Tankard, when yet he had very many and upright brothers, and was the youngest of all, with the others dead before him, the whole inheritance devolved. He foretells the succession to Richard the Castellan. It happened to the aforesaid Richard, while still a boy, that a holy man, whose name was Caradoc, lived a hermit's and holy life at Saint Ismael's in the Ros province, to whom the boy was often sent both by his father and by his mother, and because he was accustomed to frequently bring gifts of foods, he obtained such favor in the eyes of the good man that he very often promised him, with his blessing, the happiness and paternal inheritance of all the brothers. It happened moreover at some time that the aforesaid Richard, because of a flooding rain, turned aside to the hermit's house: and when the dogs, he makes the dogs obey him at his nod. which he had brought with him to the hunt, neither by calling, nor by coaxing, nor even by offering food, he could bring to himself; the holy man, smiling and gently nodding to them with his hand, immediately as all came to him received them." Thus there.

[3] Saint Caradoc died in the year of Christ 1124, on the Lord's Day in the Octave of Easter, which in that year fell on April 13; and Easter itself was celebrated on April 6, Moon cycle 4, Sun 13, he dies on Sunday "in Albis" in the year 1124, April 13. Dominical letters F E. Concerning his burial the said Giraldus recalls these things: "In the course of time, when Caradoc had already closed his last day, and had completed the course of his failing life with a happy end; his body, which by the free pen of his last will he had bequeathed to the Church of Menevia, Tankard, father of Richard, detained by violent presumption: but immediately seized by a grave sickness, he quickly revoked the mandate. He who impedes the burial is punished three times. When this had happened to him once and again, the third time, both the disease relaxed and the mandate; when the body was being carried toward Menevia through the sand of Niwgol, and the cloud being loosed into overflowing rain, and the whole retinue drenched with rain, the leaders of the sacred conveyance coming out from hiding, find the silk pall, the silk pall covering the bier is immune from the rain. with which the bier had been covered, unharmed and free from all moisture of the showers. And thus the body being brought to Menevia, with frequent flashing of miracles both present and following, in the church of Saint Andrew and Saint David, in the left aisle, next to the altar of the holy Proto-martyr Stephen, it was buried with due celebration." Thus Giraldus, Archdeacon of Menevia and Brecknock, who still flourished and wrote in the same 12th century and the beginning of the following. Nor do we doubt that he used ancient Acts of the Life then still extant: A compendium of the Life from Capgrave, from which also Jean Capgrave could have excerpted his compendium of the Life, which we subjoin, edited by himself in the Legenda Angliae, printed in London in the year 1516. Nicholas Harpsfield, in the 12th century of the Ecclesiastical History of England, chapter 46, asserts that "Giraldus illustrated his name with posterity by many and elegant writings: whether Giraldus wrote a larger work, among which he wrote the life of Ethelbert the martyr, of David of Menevia, of Remigius and Hugh, Bishops of Lincoln, and of Caradoc the Priest and hermit." John Pitseus mentions these Lives in his book On the Writers of England, and says that one book was written by Giraldus On the Life of Caradoc the Priest. Meanwhile Harpsfield gives a Compendium of the Life from the Itinerarium of Giraldus and the Legenda of Capgrave. Others mention him. Michael Alford, in volume 4 of his Annals of the English Church, for the year 1124, nos. 4, 5 and 6, treated of Saint Caradoc, and drew his material from Capgrave, Giraldus, and Harpsfield. Menard in his Benedictine Martyrology inscribed Saint Caradoc on January 31 in these words: "In the territory of Ros, of Saint Caradoc the Confessor"; and in book 2 of the Observations he gives some things taken from Harpsfield: with both Menard and Harpsfield cited, Gabriel Bucelinus composed a larger encomium in his Benedictine Menology: but by what authority both of them relegated him to January 31 or ascribed him to the Benedictine order, they do not indicate.

COMPENDIUM OF THE LIFE.

From the Legenda of Jean Capgrave.

Caradoc, Priest, hermit in South Wales (Saint)

BHL Number: 1561

FROM JOHN CAPGRAVE.

[1] The friend of God Caradoc, originating from Cambria, and from the province of Brecknock, Saint Caradoc a noble Welshman sprung from parents not lowly, drew his original line: and given to the studies of letters, while he feared the rod and the words of his teachers, made no small progress in learning. At last, having left the disciplines of letters, approaching the court of Rees, Prince of South Wales, he took care to subject himself to his service. And the Prince, loving him with great affection, assigned him the keeping of two hunting hounds which he loved. For he was affable, liberal, and well-mannered: in the lyre and musical instruments also he was very learned. And when for some time he had been devoted and diligent in the service of that Prince, he lives in the court skilled in music, with the Lord disposing it happened that he lost the said hounds by fortuitous chance: so that his chosen one might pass to more profitable and desirable things, leaving such vanity. Whence the Prince and his lord, very offended, threatened him with mutilation of limbs and death. To whom Caradoc answered: "If my long and laborious services are so little regarded, as is evident from those words, having lost the Prince's dogs, he departs: I shall hereafter bestow my labors and service on that Prince, who knows how to give an abundant reward for a little labor: who does not prefer dogs to men; nor with death, but with eternal life rewards his servants." Without delay, making a staff for himself from his spear, he vowed to God, he vows a monastic life: that from that day and thereafter he would lead a celibate and monastic life.

[2] Having taken with him certain companions, he directs his journey toward the Church of Llandaff and its Bishop. And while proceeding through the mountains they lacked victuals, the Lord, who does not desert His servants in need, provided victuals sufficiently and abundantly. For finding a doe pierced by an arrow, they caught it without difficulty, and prepared food from it for themselves. he divinely obtains food: So Caradoc coming to the Bishop, received from him the clerical tonsure: and in the church of Saint Teilo for some time served God. he dwells in the church of Saint Teilo, Seeing at last that place, because of the excessive frequency of men, less suited to his religion and purpose, withdrawing thence, he came to the church of Saint Kined, which was then as it were deserted. afterwards in Saint Kined's, Therefore having built a hut next to the cemetery, clearing the place of thorns and brambles with great labor, scarcely after three days was he able to enter the church. So also once it happened at Menevia. For when the city of Menevia had been laid waste by pirates brought in long ships from the islands of the Orkneys, with the sins of the inhabitants demanding it, with frequent infestation for about seven years; a certain religious priest, by rooting out thorns and brambles, scarcely on the seventh day came to the tomb of the holy Confessor David.

[3] When Caradoc had for some time illuminated that monastery by his praiseworthy manner of life, an Angel of the Lord appeared to him, saying: "Brother Caradoc, you should not long dwell here, nor complete the course of your life according to your purpose, God disposing otherwise, here: for the Church of Menevia shall be honored both by your life and death." Coming therefore to Menevia, he becomes a Priest. within a short time he deserved to be promoted to the Priesthood. And when he was increasing from virtue to virtue, a certain girl swelling with a horrible and dropsical tumor, he heals a woman with dropsy, he touched with his hand, and immediately both the languor and the tumor vanishing, he restored her to full health. He refreshed the masons and workers of a certain church of his, he refreshes many with few fish, on a certain Friday, with a few little fishes. Twelve herrings having been offered to him, when a certain one was asking for alms, since he had nothing else at hand, having ordered them to be given with his servant, and the servant being slow; behold another arriving gave him twelve denarii, which together with the herrings he bestowed on the poor man with cheerful countenance, saying: He finds the herrings given to the poor man back in the pantry: "Receive the gift of God: for not for us, as I estimate, but rather for you God has sent this to us." In the evening the minister coming, found the herrings where they had first been placed.

[4] When after these things he was rendering devout service to God on an island, named Arius, carried off by Norwegians, Norwegian pirates coming in, seize him and his companions, and lead them to their ships: and the south wind blowing according to their wishes, sailing all night, in the morning they saw themselves near the island. Seeing which, the barbarians and unbelievers, the same being divinely hindered, he is restored: struck with fear and horror, let the holy man with his own go to the shore. And when he had sent his companions to the land from the Island, Satan was present to him and visibly appeared in human form; to whom he said: "Why, wretch, do you persecute me in vain? You will find nothing in me through the grace of God." And the demon: "Lest you should remain alone here, he drives away the demon offering himself as a servant: and without a servant, surely I have come intending to serve you, unasked." "Go," said the man of God, "Satan, enemy of the human race, for I do not care for your services." Again, when the holy man wearied with great labor of hands,

was taking off his tunic and throwing off his belt, Satan was there, and stealthily took away the belt with a purse. His labor finished, seeking the belt, and compels him to restore the stolen belt: and being unable at all to find it, he saw the evil one not far off joking and leaping, and said: "Have you, wretch, carried away what was lost? I adjure you by the name of the Lord, that you restore what has been taken, even though unwilling." And so it was done.

[5] And since in that island, because of the incursions of the barbarians, he could no longer remain, the Bishop of Menevia assigned him the monastery of Saint Ismael in the province of Ros, he dwells in the monastery of Saint Ismael commonly called Ysam. Where, while he was serving God, drawing out a little time, Flemish men, strong in arms, came in, sent there by Henry I, King of the English, with their wives and children; who expelling the Welsh began to inhabit the land. And when they had expelled the inhabitants of the region, they strove by every means to cast out Caradoc. Because of stolen sheep and cattle, Whence when a certain cruel man, named Richard Tankard, had retained his sheep and cattle, by whose milk he was wont to refresh the poor, shut up for two days; the man of God, moved by this, poured forth prayers to God, that this cruelty and obstinacy should not long remain unpunished. Without delay: the wife of the same man came, suppliantly asking the holy man he is punished. that he would deign to implore divine aid for the unexpected fall of her young man: for suddenly he had fallen to the ground as it were dead. And when at the prayers of the Saint he had recovered, and was in no way humbled or corrected; while intent on hunting, a certain stag preceding him all the way to the seashore; and he urging his horse with spurs, from a certain rock cast himself into the precipice and immediately expired: neither of the stag, nor of the young man's body, could anything afterwards be found.

[6] From the monastery of Saint Ismael for the space of seven stadia the sea drew itself back at the prayers of Saint Caradoc, gave a dry way to the man of God. He removes the sea by prayer: At a certain Easter time, as he was preparing himself for the ministry of the altar, behold two men, clothed in stoles, carrying a golden table, were seen to enter to him: and there was written on the table: "Follow us: for we have food to eat which you know not." The writing having been read through, he understood that the day of his death was at hand. And wishing to know the day. "When," he said, he knows his impending death, "shall I feast at your banquet with my brothers?" "At the supper," they said, "of the Lamb prepare yourself": and adding nothing further, they departed. But on the following Wednesday, being seized by fever, he said to the brothers: "Know, dearest Brothers, that on the Lord's day my soul, released from the prison of the flesh, will migrate to the Lord whom it has loved and desired." he dies in the year 1124. He died in the year of the Lord 1124; and in the church of Menevia was given to burial with great honor.

[7] His uncorrupted body found, is transferred. But after many years, when his body was being transferred, a great crowd of men having gathered, it was found uncorrupted and uncontaminated. Whose finger when William of Malmesbury, a monk and distinguished historian, tried for the sake of devotion to cut off and perhaps to carry away with him; the Saint, as if feeling the cutting off of his limbs, having drawn his fingers into his fist and folded them at once into his palm, withdrew his hand from the sleeve. At seeing which the terrified monk humbly begged pardon of the Saint.