ON SAINT BURIENA
VIRGIN IN CORNWALL A PROVINCE OF ENGLAND.
A Collection concerning the cult, from more recent English Writers.
CommentaryBuriena, Virgin, in Cornwall a Province of England (S.)
G. H.
[1] Among the Damnonii, ancient peoples of Britain, is at this time the province of Cornwall or Cornwallia, in whose promontory, or Penwith hundred or jurisdiction, is a village to S. Buriena dedicated: concerning which William Camden in his Britannia, of the aforesaid Cornwall treating, these things writes: A little village now to that promontory sits Saint Buriens, Her Church formerly Eglis Buriens, that is the Church of Buriena or Buriana called, to Buriena a religious Irish woman sacred: for the Irish Saints and their own native ones this nation as tutelary ever so regarded, that almost all towns to them it consecrated. To this one, as report relates, the right of asylum granted King Athelstan, when from the Scilly isles here victor he had landed. It is certain that he a church here built, and under William the Conqueror of Canons here there was a College, and the adjacent territory to them belonged. Thus Camden. Mentions also John Speed, in his Theatre of the empire of great Britain, and a College of Canons. the place of S. Buriena. John Wilson in the Anglican Martyrology, about the year MDCVIII printed, at this XXIX May celebrates her memory in these words nearly. In Cornwall and the place Saint Buriens, the commemoration of S. Buriena the Virgin, who in Ireland from parents of great nobility born, into England set out, where in great virtue and good life through years very many she lived, and in true sanctity great, and in works of miracles excelling, at length to her Spouse migrated. Her memory is in truth celebrated, both in Ireland and great Britain, Memory 29 May and especially in Cornwall, in whose promontory a place from her is named Sainte Buriens, and from a long time there an illustrious church, to her honor was erected. Thus Wilson, alleging old monuments of Cornwall, and the Register of the same Church there.
[2] Wilson follow Henry Fitz Simon in the Catalogue of the Saints of Ireland, and Philip Ferrarius, in the general Catalogue of those who are not in the Roman, who besides the Anglican Martyrology cites the Tables of the Exeter Church, in which she has veneration, and Acts to be preserved are said: which we have not seen, nor had Michael Alford, who treats of her in the Annals of the British Church at the year CCCCLX, num. VI, where he inquires whence the Cornwall land full of Irish Saints: and that done he says on occasion of S. Benignus, who in Ireland a disciple of S. Patrick came to Glastonbury, and of S. Kieran or Piran in Cornwall resting. His Life we illustrated at the day V March: of S. Benignus to be treated it will be III November. Again at the year DCCCCXXXVI, of the reign of Athelstan XII, the same Alford, of the right of asylum to the church of S. Buriena conceded, treats. At last in the Index he says, her name among the Saints in the Anglican Martyrology once placed at XXIX May to have been, wondering or perhaps ill bearing, and 19 June. that in the second edition of the year MDCXL her memory was translated to the day XIX June: where meanwhile is cited the Catalogue of the Saints of Ireland: but in it is related S. Buriena at this XXIX May. If yet the Acts by Ferrarius cited be found and with us be communicated, willingly at the said XIX June again of this Saint we shall treat.