ON ST. KEBIUS, BISHOP IN WALES,
IN THE SIXTH CENTURY
PRELIMINARY COMMENTARY
Kebius, bishop in Wales (S.)
BY C. D. S.
[1] Two Lives of St. Kebius, The memory of St. Kebius In Welsh Cybi or Kybi or Kubi has been preserved by the genealogical tables of the Welsh saints [Myvyrian Archaiology of Wales, 2nd ed. (Denbigh, 1870), pp. 420, 421; Rice Rees, An Essay on the Welsh Saints (London, 1836), p. 113; Taliesin Williams, Iolo Manuscripts (1848), p. 104 (500), no. 71, p. 117 at the end (516); W. J. Rees, Lives of the Cambro British Saints (Llandovery, 1853), p. 267 (and 594), no. 30. These agree in building up this genealogical table (Rice Rees, l. c.):] and two Latin Lives of him inserted in the British Museum codex Cotton Vespasian A. XIV, of the twelfth century, and the calendar written at the head of the same codex, and finally the abridgement of the Life which John Capgrave published at the beginning of the sixteenth century from the collection of John of Tynemouth Nova Legenda Anglie, ed. C. Horstman (Oxford, 1901), vol. II, pp. 100 – 102. One of the ancient Latin Lives was published in the year 1853 by W. J. Rees Work cited, pp. 183 – 87, but so disfigured by the drowsiness of the scribe who took it from the codex that the learned Kuno Meyer judged he must take upon himself the task of purging that edition by reviewing its errors In the periodical Y Cymmrodor, vol. XIII (1900), pp. 87 – 88. The other recension, however, hitherto unpublished, accurately copied from the codex itself, we present here for the first time. That both were rendered into Latin from the same older Welsh Life will scarcely be called into doubt by anyone who has considered that in both exactly the same things are narrated in exactly the same order in somewhat dissimilar words, as usually happens with various translators of the same text. The shorter one, however, which is read in Tynemouth, is manifestly an abridgement of the Life published in 1853, the very words of which are copied in it in more than one place. Further, at what time the Welsh Life or either Latin translation was written [Certainly not later than the twelfth century, as is established from the age of the codex in which it is written down] can be determined by no sufficiently probable indication.
[2] who more probably At what time St. Kebius lived may be gathered after a fashion from the genealogical tables cited above,
he had as father Gerannus [The grandfather and father of St. Kebius are listed among the saints in some ancient genealogies of the saints (Iolo Mss., p. 116 514 – 15, p. 136 539 – 40, p. 139 [543])], as grandfather Erbinus, as great-grandfather Cystennyn Or Custenin, in Latin Constantinus Gorneu or Corneu [That is, the Cornishman, otherwise Goronog (Iolo Mss., p. 118 [517])]. That Constantine, however, can easily, though not certainly, be reckoned the same as the one who in other documents is called Constantine the Blessed In Welsh Cystennen Fendigaid or Constantine the Armorican In Welsh Cystennen Llydaw Cf. Iolo Mss., p. 132, end of the page (535 beginning) and held the rule of the island Britons from the year 433 to the year 443 Rice Rees, Welsh SS., pp. 93, 127. Yet another Constantine or Cystennyn is mentioned in the Welsh documents, surnamed Goronog or Gorneu, who is read to have taken up the rule of the British nation, or of a great part of it, in the year 542 Rice Rees, work cited, pp. 89, 94, 242. If the former of these interpretations is judged the truer, it must be concluded that Kebius, Constantine's great-great-grandson, flourished about or a little after the middle of the sixth century; if the latter, that he was born almost a whole century later [Besides, a third Constantine can be brought forward, father-in-law of King Peipiau, who is related to have given a certain property to the church of Llandaff in the time of St. Dubricius (Liber Landavensis, ed. W. J. Rees, p. 69; ed. Evans and Rhys, p. 72); but he flourished in the sixth century, and accordingly from the age of this Constantine we are led to the same conclusion, as regards the age of Kebius, as from the later opinion just mentioned. But it is indicated by no document whatever that Kebius belonged to his stock].
[3] in the sixth century The former interpretation is confirmed by the kinship of Kebius with St. David, bishop of Menevia, who with St. Dubricius took part in the synod of Llanddewi Brefi, assembled between the years 550 and 569 [Haddan and Stubbs, Councils … (of) Great Britain and Ireland, vol. I (1869), p. 116]. For Kebius's mother, Gwen by name, was the daughter of Gyngyr of Caer Gawch in Menevia [Myvyr. Archaiol. (ed. 1870), p. 421, col. 1, lines 6, 13, 18. Cf. Rice Rees, work cited, pp. 162, 266], who also had another daughter, Nonna, the mother of St. David Myvyr. Arch., p. 415, col. 1, lines 1 – 3. Cf. Rice Rees, at the place cited.
[4] to have lived A distinguished confirmation too would be furnished by a certain poem published among the ancient monuments of the Welsh tongue Myvyr. Arch., p. 134, in which poem it is expressly indicated that Kebius took part in the synod of Llanddewi Brefi. But that that poem is as ancient as is asserted Rice Rees denies on the ground of its manner of writing Work cited, p. 266, note.
[5] it seems, Finally the same opinion about the age of St. Kebius can also be confirmed from the tradition noted in his Life End of c. 5, where it is narrated that the saint once entered into concord with Fintan through the labour of St. Enna, abbot of Aran, if this Enna indicated in this place is judged — which seems quite likely — to have been St. Enda or Endeus the abbot, who is believed to have died about the year 540 [Colgan, Acta Sanctorum Hiberniae, at the 21st of March (p. 714); Acta Sanctorum, March vol. III, p. 268, no. 7]. But he is also related to have been a contemporary of King Ethelic Life, c. 4 and of Maelgwn, king of Gwynedd Life, c. 11; and these, so far as one may rely on the authority of Welsh traditions, lived a little before or about the middle of the sixth century.
[6] in assigning his time Further, from the age of Kebius now determined with sufficient probability, it appears with what a shameful anachronism the saint's Life labours, which teaches that he was a contemporary of St. Hilary of Poitiers and was ordained bishop by him Life, cc. 2, 3, whereas Hilary they err gravely, flourished almost two hundred years before him. Rice Rees judges that this error arose from the fact that Kebius is related to have been intimate with a certain saint named Elian, surnamed Ceimiad or the Pilgrim, who, if popular tradition is given credit, used frequently to meet with him while Kebius was living in the island of Mona; and Elian in the Welsh tongue sounds the same as Hilarius in Latin; for in the Welsh documents Hilary of Poitiers is commonly called Elian esgob Rice Rees, work cited, p. 267. in the rest they are uncertain. But how genuine the other traditions are which are read collected in the Life of St. Kebius cannot be ascertained, other sufficiently certain documents being lacking.
[7] Besides the monastery, of which he was bishop, Of what see Kebius was bishop is nowhere indicated; whence Chastelain called him a regionary bishop Martyrologe universel. But Rees more probably judged that he was adorned with this title because he presided over a monastery founded by himself in the island of Mona Life, cc. 9, 11, since, according to the ancient rite among the Celtic Christian peoples, the abbots of the principal monasteries exercised episcopal functions both in their own house and in the surrounding region [Cf. Haddan and Stubbs, work cited, vol. I, p. 142; J. W. Willis Bund, The Celtic Church of Wales (1897), p. 217 ff.]. The place in which the monastery was founded was long called Caergybi That is, the monastery of Kebius from the name of the holy man, but afterwards, down to our own times, it received the name Holyhead Cf. Sam. Lewis, Topographical Dictionary of Wales, under Holyhead.
[8] some churches are distinguished by his name Besides Caergybi, three churches are also recorded which acknowledge Kebius as patron and are called by his name Llangybi, of which two are situated in Wales, one in the county of Carnarvon, the other in the county of Cardigan [Myvyr. Arch., p. 741, no. 37, and p. 744, no. 33; Lewis, work cited, under Llangybi] near Llanddewi Brefi or Lanndewy-Brevi; but the third of the same name is situated in the English county neighbouring Wales which is called Monmouth Myvyr. Arch., p. 750; Lewis, Topogr. Dict. of England, under Llangybi. Further, in the English county of Cornwall two other churches glory in Kebius as patron, although the villages in which they are situated are not distinguished by his name, namely Duloe and Tregony Cf. Lewis, work cited, under Duloe and Tregoney; yet it is by no means established that they were founded by our St. Kebius himself or that he stayed in those places.
[9] and springs. Especially celebrated for the cult of St. Kebius is the Spring of Kebius Ffynnon Gybi near the church of the village of Llangybi in the county of Carnarvon, where very many stools and other instruments and tablets, formerly hung up there in testimony of health received or of some other benefit, once showed that many sick had been cured; yet no account of any singular miracle has come down to us. Some superstitious traditions and customs too, as usually happens among the expressions of popular piety, are said to have prevailed [Cf. Walter Williams, Some Traces and Traditions round Llangybi, in Archaeologia Cambrensis, 6 Ser., vol. IV (1904), pp. 111 – 18; Baring-Gould and Fisher, The Lives of the British Saints, vol. II, pp. 212 – 13]. Another spring too, though not so celebrated, was held in veneration at the village of Duloe in the county of Cornwall [Cf. M. and L. Quiller-Couch, Ancient and holy Wells of Cornwall (1894), p. 52; Baring-Gould and Fisher, at the volume cited, p. 214].
[10] Various days of cult. That St. Kebius died on the sixth day before the Ides of November, or the eighth day of this month, both Latin versions of his Life testify C. 12. Yet, on the testimony of the distinguished Baring-Gould, the ancient Welsh calendars assign another day for recalling his memory, most of them namely the 5th of November, two the 6th, one the 7th, two more recent ones the 13th of August. And in the village of Tregony his feast is celebrated on the 4th of October, and in the village of Duloe on the 9th of November Baring-Gould and Fisher, at the volume cited, p. 211.
I. THE LIFE OF ST. KEBIUS
Kebius, bishop in Wales (S.)
BHL Number: 4639
From the London codex, British Museum, Cotton Vespasian A. XIV, fols. 83 – 85. — Cf. Preliminary Commentary, no. 1.
[1] Kebius, born in Cornwall, St. Kepius was one of the good servants of the heavenly Father, whose feast is kept on the eighth day of November, namely the sixth day before the Ides of November. He was born of the region of the Cornish, between the two rivers Tamar and Limar [Between the rivers called today Tamar and Lynher, between the extreme eastern and southern part of the English county of Cornwall (Cornu Walliae)]. His father was Salomon, son of Erbin, son of Gereint, son of Lud [This genealogy does not agree at all with the stemma drawn from older Welsh documents (cf. above, p. 824, annotation 2). That it deserves no credit is shown by the name of that fabulous Lud, whom they make the founder of the city of London (cf. W. J. Rees, Lives of the Cambro British Saints, p. 279)]. His father was a chief of the soldiery [That is, a petty king of some British people. Cf. Zimmer, Nennius vindicatus (1893), pp. 285 – 86, 289]; he himself was brought up in school.
[2] there for 27 years, afterwards at Jerusalem, afterwards at Poitiers Blessed Kepius was seven years old when he began to read. Afterwards he was in his own region for twenty years. Then he went on pilgrimage to Jerusalem to adore the sepulchre of the Lord. Afterwards he was with the most blessed Hilary, bishop of Poitiers; he spent 50 years; there he was for fifty years; where he gave light to the blind and cleansed lepers, and healed paralytics and mutes, the insane and demoniacs.
[3] [made bishop by St. Hilary, he returns to his country, but, having refused the kingdom, from it] Afterwards he received the episcopal grade from Bishop Hilary Cf. Preliminary Commentary, no. 6. Then he was admonished by an angel of the Lord to return to his own country; there he was for a short space. And so he was asked, as he came, to be king of the Cornish, and he would not accept the power of this present world. Afterwards, when he went out of his own country with ten of his disciples, with these disciples: Maelauc,
Libiau, Peulan [By these were founded, or under their names dedicated, the churches in the island of Mona of Llan-Maeloch (Myvyr. Arch., p. 740, no. 31), of Llan-Llibio (Myvyr. Arch., p. 740, no. 28; Lewis, Topogr. Dict. of Wales, under the word) and of Llan-Beulan (Myvyr. Arch., p. 740, no. 33; Lewis, work cited)], Kengair [Several saints of this name (Cyngar, Cungar) are mentioned in the Welsh documents (Myvyr. Arch., p. 421, col. 2; Rice Rees, Essay on the Welsh Saints, pp. 183, 211, 232; Iolo Manuscripts, p. 104 English version, p. 500, no. 80; ibid., p. 109, last line p. 508; ibid., p. 110 p. 509, no. 12; ibid., p. 114, l. 10 p. 514, l. 5; ibid., p. 116 middle and p. 117, no. 11 p. 515bis, ll. 3 and 5 and no. 11; p. 125 end of p. 525), of whom one was the paternal uncle of St. Kebius (cf. above, p. 824, annotation 2), another the son of Arthog, who had a brother who was the father of St. David of Menevia (Rice Rees, work cited, p. 111), and was accordingly his first cousin, just as Kebius was his first cousin on his mother's side (cf. Preliminary Commentary, no. 3). But we read too, noted among the genealogies of the British saints, another first cousin of Kebius, the son of his brother (Iolo Mss., p. 116 middle p. 515bis, ll. 3 and 5). The authors of the second volume of the Lives of the British saints most recently published (The Lives of the British Saints, by S. Baring-Gould and John Fisher, vol. II, 1908, p. 205) think that that Kengar who is read here as the disciple and cousin of St. Kebius was the paternal uncle of the same saint, and the same as St. Cungar of Congresbury (of whom we treated above, p. 403 ff.); but they bring forward no argument to establish this opinion. And so we have thought it should be neglected as very shaky] and the rest.
[4] he sets out. Afterwards Kepius came as far as the region of Ethelicheaun, and Echelic was king [That Ethelic is said to have been the second-born son of Gluigius (in Welsh Glywys), a certain petty king in the borders of the province of Demetia (which comprised the present Welsh county of Pembroke with part of the county of Carmarthen), and from him the region Etelichion, which fell to him among the nine sons of Gluigius from the paternal inheritance, received its name (Life of St. Cadoc, in W. J. Rees, Cambro British SS., p. 22). The distinguished Baring-Gould and Fisher (Lives of the British SS., vol. II, p. 205) thought that that region was the same which in the Llandaff donations is called Edelyvon (Lib. Landav., ed. 1893, p. 247) and Edelicion (ibid., p. 273) and was situated in the western part of the present county of Monmouth, between the rivers Usk and Rumney], living at that time. St. Kepius came down into the middle of his meadow and pitched his tent there. At first badly received by King Ethelic, And Ethelic sent a certain man to see who were the men who had come down into his meadow. That man, returning to Ethelic, said: "They are monks." And at once Ethelic rose up with all his household to cast the monks out of his land. And immediately Ethelic fell from his horse on the road, and at once his horse died, and at once Ethelic became blind, and all his household. afterwards helped, Then Ethelic prostrated himself on his face and gave his body and soul to God and to St. Kepius; and at once, through the prayer of St. Kepius, Ethelic's men were healed, and he himself, and his horse. Then Ethelic granted in perpetuity to St. Kepius two churches, of which one is called Lankepi [Today Llangibby, 2 1/4 miles distant to the south from the town of Usk in the English county of Monmouth. Cf. Sam. Lewis, Topogr. Dict. of England, vol. II, p. 112], and the other Landaverguir [Baring-Gould and Fisher conjecture (at the volume cited, p. 205), on I know not what foundation, that this place is to be identified with the present village of Tredunnoc, 4 1/2 miles distant to the south from the town of Usk]; and there Kepius left the small variegated bell of his finger. he goes to Menevia, Then St. Kepius, blessing King Ethelic, went out from there to the city Meneu [That is Menevia, which was afterwards called St. David's, a name the city still retains today] of St. Dewi, and stayed there three days and three nights.
[5] thence to the island of Aran in Ireland; From there he crossed over to Ireland, to the island of Aruin [Aruin is the genitive case of the name Aran or Arran, by which is designated an Irish island celebrated for its monastic ruins. Cf. Sam. Lewis, Topogr. Dict. of Ireland, vol. I, p. 76], in which he remained four years, and built a church there in honour of almighty God. Now his cousin Kengar Cf. p. 825, annotation 6 was an old man; for whom St. Kepius bought a cow with her calf, since he could not eat other food on account of his old age. And there his disciples cultivated the land vigorously. And so it happened one day that one of the disciples of St. Kepius, Maelauc by name, went out to dig the land at the door of the cell of Crubthir Fintan [Or Fintan the presbyter. Which of the many Irish saints distinguished by this name Fintan was designated by the surname of Presbyter is established by no sufficiently certain indication. There does indeed occur a certain Cruimther Fintan in the Martyrology of Donegal on the 13th day of July; but since that surname Cruimther is so frequently joined to the names of Irish saints (cf. the Index of persons to the Martyrology of Donegal) that it seems it should be thought as it were a common name for a certain class of saints (as in the Latin liturgical books presbyter or priest), not a proper one, it must not be rashly pronounced that this saint is the same as the one who is read to have been the rival or adversary of St. Kebius]; and Crubthir Fintan, seeing it, came angrily to prevent him, and said: "Do not dig the land at the door of my cell." Then St. Kepius and Fintan went out together to the abbot of the island of Aruin, who was called Enna, and he made peace between them.
[6] in which with Fintan the presbyter And it happened one day that the calf of Kengar's cow went into the harvest of Crubthir Fintan; and the disciples of Crubthir Fintan came and held the calf and tied it to a great tree. And St. Kepius sent one of his disciples to Crubthir Fintam to release the calf; and he did not release it, but Crubthir Fintan still persevered in his anger. St. Kepius, however, prayed to the Lord that the calf might come to its mother; for the old man Kengar was almost dead for lack of milk, he is at enmity, because without the calf that cow gave no milk. God heard the prayer of St. Kebius, and wonderfully sent the calf to its mother, with that tree to which it was tied, and with its roots. Then Crubthir Fintan prayed to the Lord that he might drive away or remove St. Kebius from the island of Aruin, because God loved him; and the angel of the Lord came in sleep to St. Kebius and said to him: "Go from this island to the eastern region." St. Kepius answered him, saying: "May God remove Cribthur Fintam from this island." And the angel said: "So it shall be."
[7] so that he is forced to make for Ireland itself, From there St. Kepius came to the southern region of the country of Mide [The country of Midia, by the sea in the Irish province of Lagenia (Leinster), is called in modern terms the county of Meath], and there he remained forty days and forty nights; and he built a church there, which to this day is called the great church of Mochop [According to the distinguished Baring-Gould, at the volume cited, p. 207, now Kilmore of St. Mochop, near Artaine, in the county of Dublin]. But Crubthir Fintan, hearing that St. Kepius was living there, came and said to him: "Go to another place: this land is still mine." Then St. Kepius fasted three days, that God might show him what he should do about it. And the angel said to St. Kepius: "Go to the east." And St. Kepius did so, and came to the plain of Bregh That plain was situated in the county of Kildare, and remained there seven days.
[8] to change his dwelling in it But Crubthir Fintan his adversary, hearing it still, came to him and said to St. Kepius: "Go to another place." Then St. Kepius said: "I beseech almighty God to show me what I should do." The angel said to him: "Go to the right-hand region." And he did so, and came to the region of Vobvun The site of this region cannot be sufficiently determined, and stayed there twelve days. Still Crubthir Fintan followed him and said to him: "Kepi, go across the sea." Then St. Kepius, angered, said to him: "May all your churches be so deserted that never shall three churches be found singing at your altar in the island of Ireland."
[9] and at last Then St. Kepius sent his disciples to the wood to cut timber for a boat. And indeed at once they cut it and built it. And when the boat had been made, Crubthir Fintan came and said to them: "Get into the boat without hide, if you are servants of God. Psalm 67, 36." St. Kepius answered him with a prophetic answer, saying: "God is wonderful in his saints; the God of Israel himself will give power and strength to his people, to cross over to the island of Mona. blessed be God." And St. Kepius said to his disciples: "Put the boat on the sea." And they put it, and St. Kepius with his disciples entered the boat lacking hide. And at once a violent storm came on the sea, and the disciples were greatly afraid, and St. Kepius prayed God mightily. At his prayer God divided a rock in two, and the boat leapt forth between the two rocks; and at last they put in at the island of Monnia Or, by a more recent name, the island of Anglesey. Then there St. Kepius struck a rock with his staff, and at once water flowed.
[10] Where, a miracle having been worked by his disciple From there St. Kepius came to the place which is called Cundab [The distinguished Baring-Gould thinks this place is probably the same which was afterwards called Llangybi from the name of Kebius, not far from the harbour of Pwllheli in the southern part of the Welsh county of Carnarvon], and stayed there some space. And he said to one of his disciples, namely Caffo: "Go, bring us fire." And Caffo
went to the house of a certain smith, named Magurn. And Magurn asked the disciple: "Where do you come from?" The disciple answered: "I have come from my master Kepius." And Magurnus asked him what he wanted. The disciple answered him: "I would have fire." And Magurnus said: "I will not give you fire unless you carry it in your bosom." And Caffo said: "Put the fire in my bosom." And Magurnus put it; and at once Caffo returned to his master Kepius, carrying the fire placed in his bosom, and not even a fibre of his cowl was burnt. [And St. Kepius said [What follows (And St. Kepius said … to the herdsmen of Rosuir with their mistress) is not read in the other Latin version of the Life of St. Kebius; in this one, however, it is read a little further down (at the beginning of the following chapter, after the words ran swiftly to the hut of St. Kebius for the sake of refuge), but it has manifestly been moved from its place, and perhaps interpolated by the author or copyist of this version. It seemed better to insert it in this place] to his disciple Caffo: "Go away from me; we cannot be together." And he came to the town which is called today Merthir Caffo. And there the herdsmen of Rosuir killed Caffo; and therefore blessed Kepius cursed the herdsmen of Rosuir with their mistress].
[11] and, a controversy with King Mailgun having been settled, Then King Mailgun reigned over the provinces of Gwynedd [Of whom Gildas the Wise in the Historia Brittonum, chapter 62 (ed. Th. Mommsen in MG., Auctores antiquissimi, vol. XIII, 1898, p. 205), and in the epistle De excidio et conquestu Britanniae, chapters 33 – 36 (at the volume cited, pp. 44 – 48), where he censures his monstrous vices at length and vehemently. Cf. on him Sidney Lee, Dictionary of national Biography, vol. XXXV (1893), pp. 305 – 306]. One day it happened that he went out to the mountains for the sake of hunting. And seeing a goat, he urged on his hound to seize it. Then the goat ran swiftly to the hut of St. Kepius for the sake of refuge. And the goat found refuge. And King Mailgun followed it as far as Kepius's hut, and the king said to him: "Let the goat go." And Kepius said: "I will not let it go unless you give it refuge for its life." And the king, angry, said: "If you do not let it go, I will cast you altogether out of this land." And blessed Kepius said: "It is not in your power to cast me out of this land, but it is in the power of God. But yet I will let this goat go to you, if you offer to almighty God and to me all the land which it had gone round before your hound." And the king said: "Gladly will I offer it." And St. Kepius let the goat go, and the hound followed it through the whole promontory, and it returned to the hut of St. Kepius again. And afterwards a conflict arose between King Mailgun and St. Kepius; but he could not resist the servant of God, and therefore he conferred his castle on almighty God and on holy Kepius in an offering of perpetual alms [That castle was thence called Caer Gybi, that is, the castle or town of Cybi, or also Bangor (monastery) of Cybi, but afterwards and today Holyhead, in the extreme western part of the island of Anglesey. In the genealogies of the British saints there are counted among the saints of the college of Cybi in the island of Mona Patrick son of Alfred (Iolo Mss., p. 104 English version, p. 500, no. 73), Gwyddvarch (ibid., p. 104 p. 501, no. 82), Mygnach and Tegvan (ibid., p. 109 p. 507, nos. 175, 176). But they could have belonged to this college, in which no fewer than five hundred saints, that is, monks, were at one time numbered (ibid., p. 151 p. 557, line 8), when Kebius had long since died. At the same time as Kebius, however, if popular tradition is given credit, there lived in the island of Mona two holy men, namely Elian, surnamed Ceimiad or the Pilgrim (cf. Iolo Mss., p. 101 p. 497, no. 21), from whom the church of Llan-Elian received its name (Myvyr. Arch., p. 740, no. 50), and Seiriol of Penmon, with whom Kebius was accustomed to meet frequently to exchange spiritual conversations (Rice Rees, Essay on the Welsh SS., p. 267)].
[12] he ends his life. And there he fell asleep with Christ with great honour on the sixth day before the Ides of November Cf. Preliminary Commentary, no. 10. And a multitude of angels came, and they led his most holy soul to heaven, into the fellowship of the patriarchs 〈and〉 prophets, into the unity of the apostles and evangelists, into the unity of the martyrs and confessors, into the unity of the virgins and of all the holy just, into the unity of the heavenly church, where there is day without night, tranquillity without fear, joy without end; where there are seven eternal things: life without death, youth without old age, gladness without sadness, peace without discord, light without darkness, health without pain, a kingdom without change. Blessed are they who dwell with Abel and Enoch and Noah, with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob, with Moses and Aaron and Joshua son of Nun, and with the twelve prophets and with the twelve apostles, and with all the saints from the beginning of the world to the end, with the twenty orders of angels, with the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, in peace and gladness, and in purity and youth, without hunger and without nakedness, with abundance of the whole body, without any evil, about the young King, bountiful, beautiful, eternal. We beseech almighty God that we may deserve to possess that blessedness through the intercession of blessed Kepius for ever and ever. Amen.
II. THE LIFE OF ST. KEBIUS
Kebius, bishop in Wales (S.)
BHL Number: 4640
From the London codex, British Museum, Cotton Vespasian A. XIV, fols. 91v – 93v. — Cf. Preliminary Commentary, no. 1.
Here begins the life of St. Kebius, bishop, on the sixth day before the Ides of November.
[1] Kebius, born in Cornwall, So then blessed Kebius, one of the good servants of the heavenly Father, sprang from the region of the Cornish, of illustrious birth; the ground of whose nativity lay between two rivers which are called Tamar and Limar. His father is called Salomon, son of Erbin, son of Gereontus, son of Lud, formerly a chief of the soldiery. However, in the first years of his boyhood he was brought up in the schools of letters.
[2] there for 27 years, Blessed Kebius was seven years old when he began to be instructed in letters. Thereafter he lived twenty years in the region of his nativity. Then indeed he set out on pilgrimage to Jerusalem to adore the Lord's sepulchre. afterwards at Jerusalem, afterwards at Poitiers he spent 50 years; From there he made for St. Hilary, bishop of Poitiers; with whom he lived almost fifty years, and there indeed he gave light to the blind, cleansed lepers, cured paralytics, loosed the tongues of mutes, healed the insane, and cast out evil demons from the possessed by the power of the Holy Spirit.
[3] [made bishop by St. Hilary, he returns to his country, but, having refused the kingdom, he sets out from it.] Afterwards he is gladly promoted to the grade of pontiff by the most blessed Hilary, prelate of Poitiers, and was admonished by an angel of the Lord to return to his country; and doing this, he stayed there a little while. At that time he was earnestly asked to reign also over the people of the Cornish, but he utterly refused to accept the power of the present world. Thereafter, then, returning to his country, he was then accompanied by disciples, whose names are subjoined: namely Meliauc, Libiau, Paulin, Kengar, with six others.
[4] At first badly received by King Ethelic, At length St. Kebius came to the region of Etheliciaun, King Ethelicus being alive at that time. And so St. Kebius came down into the middle of the meadow of the aforesaid king and pitched his tent there. On which account he directed a man to search out who were the men who without his nod had presumed to come down into his meadow. Returning to the same king, he said: "They are monks." And at once King Ethelicus rose up with all his household, to cast the monks out of his fief. But immediately he fell on the road from his steed, and the horse soon expired, the same king being nonetheless at once blinded with all his house. afterwards helped, Wherefore the same king, prostrate on his face, earnestly besought blessed Kebius for pardon for himself and his men, and commended his body and soul to God and to the same man. At once indeed, through the prayer of the same saint, the aforementioned Ethelich with all his attendants together with his horse was restored to health. For the rest, the king likewise gave St. Kebius two churches in perpetuity, of which one is called Lankebi, and the other Landeverguir; in which he left his small and variegated bell. he goes to Menevia, Then holy Kebius, blessing King Ethelic, went on to Menevia, the city of St. David, and stayed there three days and as many nights.
[5] thence to the island of Aran in Ireland; From there he crossed over to Ireland, to the island of Aryin, in which he sat for fully four years and built a church in honour of the Almighty. Now his cousin, Kengar by name, was an old man; for whom the aforesaid man of God bought a cow with a calf, in which with Fintan the presbyter since he could eat no solid food for old age. So then the disciples of kindly Kebius cultivated the earth vigorously there. On a certain day indeed it happened that a certain hearer of the aforesaid holy man, whose name was Melauc, went out to dig the earth before the door of the cell of a certain manikin named Crubthirfintam. And that man, seeing it, very angry, prevented him as quickly as possible, saying: "Do not dig the ground before the door of my dwelling." For which reason holy Kebius and the aforesaid Crubthirfinta went together to the abbot of the island of Aryin, called Enna, that they might be made at peace. And this was done; for, made at peace with one another, they withdrew.
[6] he is at enmity, At length one day it happened that Kenegar's calf was grazing the harvest of the aforesaid Crubthirfinta; and his dependants, seeing this, held the calf and tied it to a great tree. And so St. Kebius sent one of his disciples to Crubthirfinta, to release the calf; but he, refusing, persevered in his anger. But holy Kebius besought the Lord that the same calf might return to its mother, since indeed the old man Kengarus was troubled by want of milk; for that cow gave no milk when the calf was absent. So God heard his prayer and wonderfully directed the same calf to its mother with the tree, torn up by the roots, to which it was bound. Then Crubthirfinta besought the Lord that he might drive away or remove kindly Kebius from the island of Aruin, because God had been his lover. On which account the angel of the Lord came to him, saying: "Depart hence to the eastern region." St. Kebius, answering him, said: "May the Lord remove Crubthirfinta from this island." And the angel said to him: "So it shall be."
[7] so that he is forced to make for Ireland itself, From there he set out to the southern part of the country of Mide, and there forty days with as many
nights he stayed. He also built a church there, which to this day is called the great church of Macop. But indeed the often-mentioned Crubthirfinta, perceiving that the man of God was staying there, came to him, saying: "Go elsewhere; for this land is still of my right." Then blessed Kebius, continuing in fasts for three days, very earnestly besought the Almighty to show him what was to be done. And the angel of the Lord addressed him, going on: "Go to the east." And he did what he was bidden, going forward into the plain which is called Bregh, and sat there seven days.
[8] to change his dwelling in it But the aforesaid adversary of the same saint, hearing that kindly Kebius was staying there, came to him, saying: "Go forward to another place." Then the blessed man opened his mouth thus: "I beseech almighty God to make plain to me what I should do." The angel of the Lord said to him: "Pass hence to the right-hand province." And he did so, and set out to the region of Vobiun, and stayed in that place twice six days. Not yet did Crubthirfinta cease to persecute him; but pursuing him he said: "Withdraw hence and cross the sea." Then the holy man, very angry, said to him: "May all your churches be so deserted that never shall three be found in the island of Ireland."
[9] and at last Then St. Kebius directed his disciples to the wood, to cut material for building a boat. to cross over to the island of Mona. When this had been cut, they at once built the boat. And the aforementioned Crubthirfinta, coming nearer, said to them: "Get into the boat without hide and cross the sea, if you truly stand as servants of God." St. Kebius addressed him with a prophetic answer, saying: "God is wonderful in his saints; the God of Israel himself will give power and strength to his people codex plebis, blessed be God. Psalm 67, 36." But holy Kebius said to his hearers: "Put the boat on the sea." And they at once put it on. So the kindly man with his disciples entered the boat lacking hide. And at once a violent storm arose, and greatly terrified his disciples, throwing them into confusion. But the Lord, hearing the aforesaid saint praying to him very earnestly, parted an enormous rock into two parts; and in a wonderful way the boat, leaping up by the divine nod, clung between the two rocks, and at last they put in at the island of Monia. So holy Kebius struck a certain rock with his staff, and at once water flowed out.
[10] Where, a miracle having been worked by his disciple From there he came to the place which is called Cunab, and stayed there for some while. And one day he ordered Caffo, a certain disciple of his, to bring fire. And he, obeying his preceptor, goes on to the house of a certain smith, named Magurnus. Asked by him whence he had come, he answered: "From my master Kebius." And he, inquiring what he wanted: "Fire," he said, "I would have." Magurnus said to him: "I will not give you fire unless you carry it in your bosom." And Caffo answered: "Put the fire down in my bosom." And he put it down. And at once Caffo returned to Kebius his teacher, and brings out to him the fire laid in his bosom, and not even the fringe of his toccula was burnt, which kind of garment indeed is used in Ireland.
[11] and, a controversy with King Mailgun having been settled, For at that time King Mailgun governed all the provinces of Guenodotia, which in English is called Snaudune. One day it happened that he was going to the mountains or promontories for the sake of hunting, and, spying a goat, he urged on his umber or hound to seize it. But it, consulting for its life, soon fled for the sake of refuge to the hut of blessed Kebius. Wherefore at once King Mailguntius, pursuing the goat, made for the dwelling of holy Kebius and demanded it of him with threatening words, saying: "Let the goat go." But he answered: "By no means will I let it go, unless you give it refuge for its life." On the other hand the king: "If you do not let it go, I will expel you from this place." And the man of God goes on: "It is not in your power to drive me back from this land; but it is of the divine power to do with me whatever it pleases. Yet on this condition will I let this goat go to you, that you grant to almighty God and to me all the land which it shall circle, your dog having been urged on after it." To this the king: "Gladly," he said, "will I furnish it." So blessed Kebius let the goat go; and it codex quam, fleeing at once through the whole promontory, the aforesaid dog pursuing it, at last, having circled no small space of ground, returns again to the hut of the aforementioned man of God. Then again a conflict of altercation arose between King Mailgun and kindly Kebius; but he was by no means able to resist the servant of God. Therefore the king conferred his castle on almighty God and on his faithful dependant Kebius as perpetual alms for the salvation of his soul.
[12] he ends his life. Where now silicer' So the codex; the passage is corrupt he remained to the end of mortal and transitory life, and there, having happily completed the course of his days, on the sixth day before the Ides of November he fell asleep in the Lord, through whom he lost death and found life everlasting. Where he continually dances and exults codex exultet in the heavenly kingdom with the God of gods and King of all kings, enjoying eternal glory, which God prepared from the foundation of the world for himself and for those who love him; where there is day without night, tranquillity without fear, joy without sorrow, life without death, youth without old age, peace without dissension, light without darkness, health without pain, a kingdom without change, where God will be all in all, food, clothing and the other things that a pious mind can wish. Matthew 25, 34. Who lives and reigns through all ages of ages. Amen.