CORNISH DEDICATIONS. 151 



King Alfred held him in high esteem, and frequently con- 

 sulted him. When Alfred was in retreat at Athelney, surrounded 

 by marshes, and almost in despair of being able to drive the 

 Northmen away, he lay down one night to sleep, but was unable 

 to obtain rest. Neot was with him, and during the night cheered 

 his flagging spirits with hopes. The colloquy with King Alfred 

 seems to have formed the subject of a ballad, of which Leland 

 has given a few lines extracted fi'om the Latin life [Ibid, iv, p. 

 127). 



It was due to the encouragement given him by S. Neot, that 

 Alfred rallied his troops at Selwood. 



Much legend has attached itself to 8. Neot, such as the 

 having the same fish in his well day by day to serve as his 

 food, and his calling stags to harness themselves to his plough. 

 This legend is illustrated in one of the fine old windows of S. 

 Neot's church. 



The saint died in 877. 



The earliest life of the Saint is in Anglo- Saxon, and was 

 published by G. C Gorham, in his " History and Antiquities of 

 Eynesbury and St. Neot," London, 1820, 2nd Ed., 1824. 



A second Life, in Latin, written in the 12th century, was 

 published by Mabillon, and is reprinted in the " Acta Sanctorum." 



There is a modern Life by Whitaker, Loud., 1809 , which is 

 misleading. It does, however, contain two ancient Latin Lives 

 from MSS. in Oxford, one in Latin elegiacs, the other in prose 

 with Latin hexameters interspersed — probably that from which 

 Leland quoted. A life by John of Tynemouth is in Capgrave's 

 " Nova Legenda." 



S. Neot's bones remained in Cornwall till 974, when they 

 were stolen and carried off to the newly -founded monastery of S. 

 Neot's, Huntingdonshire. 



His Festival is on July 31, but curiously enough Whytford 

 gives Jidy 8. 



At St. Neot's the Feast is kept on the last Sunday in July. 

 The Holy Well there is in good condition. 



Anciently Menhenniot (Men-hen-niot) was probably dedi- 

 cated to him. The name signifies " The old stone of Neot." 



