458 COBNISH DEDICATIONS. 



"now as some think drownded with sand" says Leland (Itin. 

 iii, p. 18). Tewdrig killed some of the party, and Breaca fled to 

 Pencaer, a fortification on Tregonning Hill, that may still be 

 seen, looking much like an Irish hill castle. Thence she went 

 to Trenowth, now Chenoweth, in the same parish, and thence to 

 Talmeneth (the mountain end) where the site of her chapel is 

 still shown. She founded oratories in all these places. 



I think we must identify Brig with the friend of S. Bridget, 

 and also with the sister of S. Brendan. The quotation from 

 Leland justifies the former, the association with Ere and Senan 

 gives reason for the latter. 



The church of Breage is the only one in Cornwall that is 

 dedicated to this saintly virgin. Her chapels at Trenowth and 

 Pencaer have disappeared. 



Irish nuns wore white woollen mantles and white veils, and 

 in this habit S. Breaca arrived in Cornwall. 



She did not, however, remain in Cornwall, although the 

 tradition was that she was buried there. If she returned with 

 S. Senan, this must have been before 534, when he founded 

 Iniscathy. Her brother died in her monastery, but not till he 

 had prophesied that the " place of her resurrection " should not 

 be at Annadown, but among her own people in "Trageoruon." 



Brig is a feminine noun substantive, and signifies in 

 Gadhelic valour or might. In Welsh Bri, honour or rank, comes 

 from the same. Brigit has the same signification. Briget or 

 Brigit was, as Cormac tells us in his Glossary of Irish words, 

 becoming antiquated in the 9th century, " a goddess whom the 

 poets worshipped, for very great and noble was her protection. 

 Whose sisters were Brigit, woman of Healing, and Brigit, 

 woman of Smith's work («i.e. patroness of the forge), goddesses." 



Brigit's name occurs on the altar found at Middleby, 

 " Brigantise S(acrum) Amandus Architectus ex imperio imp. 

 I.," also on one at Greta Bridge in Yorkshire, " Dese numerise 

 numini Brig et Ian." She was a nature goddess, in later times 

 divided into three, the Brig of Fire, of Life, and of Valour. 

 The historical Bridget stepped into the affections of the Irish 

 and occupied the place formerly given to the mythical Brigit or 

 Brigech. From the Liber Hymnarum, w© see that the old Irish 



