TO BANGOR ISCOED. 129 



It an unlverfity, for the increafe of learning, and 

 the prefervation of the Chriflian faith in this reahn ; 

 and it produced for an age fo unenlightened many 

 learned men. It is faid by fome writers to have 

 been converted into a monaftery about the year 

 530 by Cynwyl or Congelus, who was created the 

 firfl abbot *. Others fay that Pelagius the monk, a 

 native of Wales, v/ho had ftudied here in his youth, 

 after having travelled through France, Italy, Egypt, 

 Syria, and various other countries, was made a 

 bifliop, and on his return to England converted 

 this houfef. 



The monaftery of Bangor was rich in manu- 

 fcripts, and univerfally celebrated for its valuable 

 library : and Speed flates, that from its great age, 

 and the number of its learned men, it was acknow- 

 ledged to be the parent of all the other monafleries 

 in the world. 



At the arrival of Auguftine, who was miffioned 

 about 596, from pope Gregory I., to convert the 

 Englilh Saxons to Chriftianity, this monaftery ap- . 

 pears to have been in. a very flouriiliing ftate. There 

 were at this time as many as 2400 monks : a hun- 

 dred of thefe, in turns, palTe'd one hour in devotion, 

 fo that the whole twenty-four hours of every day 

 were employed in facred duties |. Bede fays there 



* Jones's WelfK Barda, p, 1 i. 



f Holiiiflied, i. 26. 148. Rowlands, 179. Some writers have 

 aderted that Pdagias was never in this kingdom. 

 J Speed, i. 206. 



VOL. II, K were 



