CORNISH DEDICATIONS. 293 



He was in deadly alarm, not being aware that such snakes are 

 innocuous, and it was thought a miracle that he was none the 

 worse for the adventure. 



At last the monastery became so crowded that the twins 

 yearned for a more quiet life, and they retii'ed — the Life says 

 together, but according to the Life of S. Winwaloe, it was 

 Gwethenoc alone who departed, and confided the charge of the 

 Monastery to James. 



There was an islet at no great distance from the settlement 

 that could be reached by boat. However, an unusually low tide 

 happening to occur, the brothers walked on the sand and waded 

 till they reached it, and found there a fresh-water spring. 



Here they established another monastery, which also in time 

 became populous, and the brothers ruled it together as fellow 

 abbots. 



They became so famous that, even whilst they were alive, 

 sailors invoked their aid, when in danger. When they did so, 

 suddenly the heavenly twins appeared in light upon the vessel, 

 one at the head, the other at the stern, and went about handling 

 various parts of the ship, "quasi curiosi," and conducted the 

 vessel safely into port. They had obviously usurped the position 

 of Castor and Pollux. 



The monastery founded by the brothers was afterwards 

 known as S. Jacut-de-la-Mer, on a peninsula, near Ploubalay in 

 Cotes du Nord. It never was an island, but the islet of Ebihens 

 lies beyond it seawards. 



It is said that the brothers one night dreamt that they saw 

 S. Patrick, who informed them that in heaven they would occupy 

 thrones on a level with his own. 



The story is incomplete. It says nothing of their leaving 

 Brittany and visiting their native Cornwall. That they did so is 

 probable ; for we have a foundation of S. Gwethenoc at Lewanick, 

 and this is near the Winwaloe foundations of Tresmere and 

 Tremaine, and the Jacobstow foundation is not far distant fi'om 

 these latter. Hard by was the great Petherwin district of their 

 cousin S. Padarn, and S. Samson's was at Southill. 



At S. Breward were an ancient chapel and a cemetery of S. 

 James. Bones are still found there, and this seems to indicate 



