O A TOUR ROUND NORTHWALES. 



naftery, fome fay by Cynwyl or Conge- 

 lus, about the year 530, who was made 

 the firft abbot*, and others by Pelagius 

 the monk, a native of Wales, who had 

 been a ftudent here in his youth ;" he 

 was a man of great learning, who, hav- 

 ing travelled through France, Italy, 

 Egypt, Syria, and other Eafiern coun- 

 tries, was made a biiliop abroad ; and it 

 was after his return that he is faid to 

 have converted this houfe -f . 



This monaftery was remarkable for 

 it's valuable library; and Speed J, from 

 it's great age and number of learned 

 men, fays it " was truly acknowledged 

 " to be the mother of all the other in 

 " the world." Nennius, or Niniaw, a 

 difciple of Elvod, who lived in the fe- 



* Jones's Welsh Bards, p. n. 



+ Holinflied's Chronicle, I. 26, 148. Rowland's Monn 

 Antiq. p. 1 79. Some have afierted that Pelagius was never 

 in this kingdom. 



$ Spead's Chronicle, I. 206. 



venth 



