142 COENISH DEDICATIOIM-S. 



The Haroldstone (Welsh) Calendar (Brit. Mus. MSS. Addl. 

 22, 720) gives March 9 as the day of S. Felius B.C., but this may 

 be meant for Felix B. of the East Saxons, March 8. 



S. FiNBAR, Bishop, Confessor, 

 Patron of Fowey, where there is a noble church dedicated to him. 

 For short he is called S. Barr. His day according to William of 

 Worcester, as observed there was September 26. 



In 1336 at the rededication of the church, Bishop Grandisson 

 attempted to get rid of him, by putting the church under the 

 invocation of S. Nicolas ; but the old Irish Saint has held his 

 ground stubbornly, notwithstanding. 



Finbar's father was a native of Connaught. His origin was 

 somewhat scandalous, but the story must be given as it is illustra- 

 tive of the severe laws that jprevailed in Ireland for the preservation 

 of female virtue. 



Tighernach was king of Eathluin in Muskerry. His wife had 

 a noble lady staying with her, and at the same time the king had 

 summoned to him a master-smith from Connaught, named 

 Amergin. "The king commanded his household that none of 

 them should form a secret alliance with the lady visitor. Amergin 

 did not, however, hear of the warning, and he bestowed great 

 love and affection to the lady, and her love for him was no less." 

 The king hearing a rumour that all was not as it ought to be, 

 sent for her, and she confessed that she expected to become a 

 m.other, and that Amergin was the father. " If this be so," said 

 the king, " It is right that you should be bound together, and 

 scorched and burnt without respite." 



The king, so says the story, ordered both to be burnt alive, 

 but a providential rain extinguished the flames of the pyre. The 

 facts were, probably, that he was moved by the tears of his wife 

 and the lady, and commuted the extreme penalty of the law into 

 one of banishment. That the law did inflict this penalty we know 

 from another case.*' 



* Book of the Dun Cow, p. 41. 



