86 CORNISH DEDICATIONS. 



Dagan was an ardent supporter of the Irish modes of 

 tonsure and paschal computation. 



How it was, we do not know, but by some means he was 

 brought into communication withLaurentius, immediate successor 

 to Augustine at Canterbury (605-619). Augustine had failed 

 to come to terms with the British Bishops, who were offended 

 at his arrogance. Laurence attempted to effect an union with 

 the Scotic (Irish) Bishops. 



Bede gives us the beginning of a letter sent to them, in 

 which reference is made to Dagan. 



"To the lords, our very dear brethren, the bishops and 

 abbats throughout the land of the Scots, Laurence, Mellitus and 

 Justus, bishops, servants of the servants of G-od : — 



" When the apostolic see sent us, as it's wont has been in 

 all parts of the world, to preach in these western parts to the 

 pagan races, it happened that we entered the country before we 

 were properly acquainted with it. We have venerated both the 

 Britons and the Scots with great reverence for their sanctity, 

 believing that they walked in the way of the universal Church. 

 But since we have got to know the Britons, we have supposed 

 that the Scots are superior to them. Now, however, we have 

 learned by means of Bishop Dagan, who has come to Britain, 

 and of Abbat Columbanus among the Gauls, that they do not 

 differ from the Britons in their manner of life. For when 

 Bishop Dagan came to us, he not only would not take food with 

 us, but would not even take food in the same guest-house in 

 which we were eating." Dagan had passed through Wales. 

 Popular tradition pointed out the place of his landing on 

 Strumble Head, where also stood a Capel Degan, commemorating 

 his visit there. About this more presently. 



In Wales, among the British, he had heard of the 

 conference at Augustine's Oak, and had felt the resentment that 

 had been provoked by the rudeness of Augustine, shown to men 

 he venerated profoundly, and he hotly took their side against the 

 Italian Missioners. 



Nevertheless, he is represented as a man of very mild 

 disposition, — pra-placidum he is called by Marianus O'Gorman, 

 who, though a very late authority (1167), probably drew from 

 much earlier materials now lost. 



