of Pope Eleutherius, who first sent it to the Isle of Britain, without being destroyed any time between them, A.D. 607. And after Austin came as above stated, he found in the part of the Britons, an Archbishoprick and seven Bishopricks, strong with learned bishops of religious and holy life, and many monasteries devoted to the service of God, and keeping strict rule and order. And among these, there was in Dinas Bangor, a noble monastery, in which it is said that there were so many, that after they had been divided into seven parts, that there would be three hundred monks in each part, so that their number altogether was 2,100, and the Priors and Prelates ruled them. And they all supported themselves by the labour of their hands. And Dunawd was Abbot over them. He was a man wonderful for his learning in the Arts (kelvydodeu) A.D. 608. And this Dunawd, when Austin wanted to get his submission from the bishop and to join him in preaching to the Saxons, then by numerous proofs and authority of the holy Scriptures, that they ought not to submit to him, for they had an Archbishop of their own, and that the nation of the Saxons was taking the lands of their ancestors from them. Upon which intense hatred sprung up between them, and they would have no more to do with their creed or company any more than with dogs, A.D. 609. And upon which Edelflet, King of Keint (Kent), when he saw that the Britons would not obey Austin and despised his speech, was greatly displeased on that account. And he sent a message to Edelfryt, King of Scotland, and the other petty kings of the Saxons, to collect an army, and to come with him to Dinas Bangor to take revenge on Dinawd, and on the other bishops with him, and to trample them down and destroy them; upon which they all came with an immense army to the parts and country of the Britons. And then they came to Caer Lleon, where Brochmael Ysgy throwc, the Prince of Caer Lleon (Chester) was then staying. And to this city there came from all parts of Wales innumerable monks to look after the health of their people and race, and most of them from Dinas Bangor. And having collected their army together from all parts, they began to fight. And Brochmael had a less number of knights than Edelflet, and at last Brochmael was obliged to leave the city, but yet not before he had destroyed an immense number of his enemies, and had to take to flight, A.D. 610. And after Edelflet had taken the city, and found out the cause of the monks coming to that place, he commanded their arms to be taken from them; and thus on that day twelve hundred of them obtained the crown of martyrdom, and obtained a heavenly

seat, A.D. 611. And after having committed this cruelty they went to Bangor; and when the Britons heard of this cruelty and madness, they assembled together from all parts, namely, Bledrws, Prince of Cornwall, Maredudd, King of Dyfed, Cadvan ab Iago, King of Gwynedd, and having commenced the battle, they defeated Ethelflet, who was wounded, and compelled him to take to flight, and with that they killed of his army 10,306, and on the part of the Britons they lost Bledrws, Prince of Cornwall, who was commander-in-chief in this battle, A.D. 612."

I must here insert an adventure1 that King Brochmael Ysgythrog met with one day with a recluse whilst he was hunting in Mechain in Mochnant Uwch Rhaiadr."

"There was in former times in Powys, a certain most famous Prince, by name Brochmael Ysgythrog, and Consul of Caer Lleon (Chester), who at that time dwelt in Pengwern Powys, which signifies the Head of Powys Marsh, but is now called Salop and whose domicile or habitation stood in that spot where the College of St. Chad is at present situate. Now the same illustrious Prince gave his domicile or palace aforesaid, of his own free will, for the use of God, and at the same time from a sense of his own duty, for eleemosynary purposes, made a perpetual grant of it for himself and his heirs. At length, when upon a certain day in the year of our Lord 604, the said Prince had gone hunting to a certain place which is called Pennant in the British language, within the said principality of Powys, and when the hounds of the same Prince had started a hare, the dogs were following the hare, and he was pursuing to a certain bramble thicket, a thicket large and thorny; in which thicket he found a certain virgin, beautiful in appearance, praying as devoutly as possible, and given up to divine contemplation, together with the said hare lying under the extremity or fold of her garments (with its face turned towards the dogs) boldly and intrepidly. Then the Prince vociferating, 'Catch her, little dogs, catch her!' the more he shouted while he urged them on, the more remotely and further off did the dogs retreat, and fled from the little wild animal howling. At length the Prince, altogether astonished, asked the virgin how long she had dwelt alone on his lands in so

1 From the MSS. of Dr. Powel, Vicar of Rhiwabon.

Cwmmwd Mechain, in Mochnant Uwch Rhaiadr, contains the parishes of Meivod, Llanvihangl yn Ngwynva, Llanwddyn, Pennant Melangell, Llangynog, Llan Hirnant, Llanvyllyn, Llanarmon yn Mechain, and Llansanfraid yn Mechain.

desert a spot? The virgin, in reply, said that for these fifteen. years she had never in any way seen the face of a man. He afterwards asked the virgin who she was, where she was born and sprung from; and she, with all humility, answered that she was the daughter of Iowchel, King of Iwerddon (the Green or Emerald Island), now called Ireland, and 'because the king, my father, had intended me to be the wife of a certain great and noble person of Ireland, I, fleeing from my native soil (God guiding me), came hither, in order that I might serve God and the spotless Virgin with my heart and a chaste body until I should die.' Then the Prince inquired the name of the virgin. To whom she said in reply, that her name was Monacella. Thereupon the Prince, considering in his inmost breast the happy (though) solitary condition of the virgin, broke forth into these words: 'Oh most worthy virgin Monacella! I find that thou art a handmaiden of the true God, and a most sincere worshipper of Christ; wherefore, because it has pleased the Supreme and Almighty God, for thy merits, to give safety to this little wild hare, with safe conduct and protection from the attack and pursuit of the ravenous and biting dogs, I give and present to thee, with a most willing mind, these my lands for the service of God, and that they may be a perpetual asylum, refuge, and defence, in honour of thy name, O excellent virgin; and let neither king nor prince dare to be so rash or bold towards God as that, any man or woman fleeing hither, and desiring to enjoy protection in these thy lands, he should presume to drag forth, provided that they in no way contaminate or pollute thy sanctuary or asylum. On the other hand, if any malefactor enjoying (the privilege of) thy sanctuary, shall go forth in any direction to do harm, then the freeholding abbots of thy sanctuary, who alone take cognizance of their crimes, if they afterwards find the offenders and culpable persons, shall take care that they be given and delivered over to the officers of Powys to be punished.'"-See Hist. of Llangurig, pp. 323-7.

This virgin Monacella, so very pleasing to God, passed her solitary life (in the way mentioned above) for thirtyyears in this same place. And the hares, wild little animals, just the same as cicures, or tame animals, were in a state of familiarity about her every day throughout her whole life; during which time, also, by the aid of the Divine Mercy, miracles and various other favours were not wanting to those who asked for her aid, and sought her favour with inward devotion of heart.

After the death of the said most illustrious Prince Brochmael, his son, Tyssiliaw, held the Principality of Powys; then Cynan (Garwyn), the brother of Tyssiliaw. Cynan was succeeded by his son Selyf Sarff Gadau, and Selyf by his son Mael Mynan, and he by his son Beli, who is said to have been the father of that Guillawg, who is mentioned in the Eliseg inscription as being the ancestor of Cyngen, King of Teyrnllwg, as he is called in the Brut. These kings, however, Cynan and his successors, all sanctioned the said place of Pennant to be a perpetual sanctuary, asylum, or safe refuge of the wretched (thereby confirming the acts of the said prince). The said virgin Monacella, with all solicitude and diligence, took care to appoint and instruct certain virgins in the same part of the country, in order that they might persevere and live holily and modestly in the love of God, and should pass their lives in the service of God, doing nothing else day or night. After this, as soon as the virgin Monacella herself departed this life, a certain man, by name Elissau, came to Pennant Melangell, and wished to violate, ravish, and pollute the same virgins; but suddenly perished there in the most dreadful manner. Whoever has violated the above-mentioned liberty and sanctity of the said virgin has been rarely seen to escape Divine wrath on this account, as may be daily perceived. Praises be to the Most High God and to His Virgin Monacella!

Brochmael Ysgythrawg was slain in the battle that was fought on the banks of the Dyfrdwy or Dee river in 612. He bore sable, three horses' heads erased argent, and married Arddun Benasgell, the daughter of Pabo Post Prydain, or Pabo the Pillar of Britain, on account of his valour in fighting against the enemies of his country. Pabo first distinguished himself as a warrior against the Gwyddelian Picts, but he was eventually obliged to leave his territories in the north, and to retire to Wales. He was hospitably received by Cyngen ab Cadell Deyrnllwg, King of Powys, from whom, as well as from his son, Brochmael Ysgythrawg, Pabo received a

grant of lands. He afterwards retired into Môn, and there founded the church called after him, Llanbabo, and where a stone still remains, bearing his effigy, with the following inscription: "HIC IACET PABO POST PRUD CORPORS.... TE.... PRIMA." This stone was discovered in the churchyard in the reign of Charles II, and is engraved in Rowland's Mona Antiqua.

By his consort Arddun, Brochwael had issue three sons -1, Tyssiliaw, his successor; 2, Cynan Garwyn, who succeeded his eldest brother; and, 3, Mawan, Lord of Cydewaun, who gave lands at Aber Rhiw and Bettws y Cedwg in Cydewaun, to St. Beuno, to build churches there, and both these churches are dedicated to St. Beuno.

TYSSILIAW, King of Powys, succeeded his father in 612. How long he reigned we do not at present know.

One of the ancient Welsh chronicles has been assigned to Tyssiliaw, and a copy, under the name of Brut Tyssiliaw, is printed in the Myvyrian Archaiology. He was the founder and patron saint of the following churches; Meivod in Cwmmwd Mechain, Llandysilio in Ystrad Deuddwr, Llandysilio and Bryn Eglwys in Iâl, Llandyssilio ym Môn, Llandysilio yn Nyved, Llandysilio, Gogof in Ceredigion, and Sellack and Llandysilio in Herefordshire. He is also said to have been a bishop of Llan Elwy, now called St. Asaph.