292 CORNISH DEDICATIONS. 



According to this, the family belonged to the West of 

 Britain, and Gwethenoc and James were twins, Winwaloe 

 being born somewhat later. The Life of S. Winwaloe is more 

 explicit. After describing the ravages of the Saxons and the 

 great plague which devastated Britain (446 — 47), it goes on to 

 mention the flight of many of the natives to Armorica. " Inter 

 quas autem fuit vir quidam illustris — nomine Fracanus, Catovii 

 (Cadoi) regis Britannici, viri secundum soeculum famosissimi, 

 consobrinus. . .Cujus etiam prsedicti regis erat terra Nomnise 

 (Dumnonise)." 



Gwen Teirbron was the sister of Amwn Ddu, the father of 

 S. Samson, also of Pedredin, father of S. Padarn. She was first 

 cousin to S. Illtyd. This being so, it is quite impossible that the 

 plague described in the Life of S. Winwaloe should be the Yellow 

 Death, which raged from 547 to 550 ; but must be that earlier 

 plague spoken of by Gildas, and which swept the island in the 5th 

 century. The writer refers by name to Gildas, and the whole 

 passage is probably taken from him. 



On reaching the north coast of Brittany, after Fragan and 

 his wife had formed their settlement, they committed their three 

 boys to S. Budoc, who was living an eremitical life in the island 

 of Brehat, but kept there a school for young Britons. 



One day, as the twins left their class, and all the other lads 

 indulged in romps, they lighted on a blind beggar. Then one 

 annointed his eyes with spittle, and the other made the sign of 

 the cross over them. Then, the legend says, he recovered his 

 sight — probably the attempt failed egregiously, but the writer of 

 the biography could not admit this. The man made such an 

 outcry, that a rabble of boys collected round him and drew him 

 and the twins before Budoc, who inquired into the matter. 



Another day, when he was alone, James encountered a leper, 

 who extended his diseased hand for alms. James in an access of 

 compassion, stooped and kissed the loathsome palm. 



After having spent several years under Budoc, the brothers 

 went to the peninsula of Landouart, and founded there a little 

 community, of which Gwethenoc undertook the direction. 



On a certain day when they were harvesting, a harmless 

 grass-snake bit one of the brothers, in whose sheaf it lurked. 



