CORNISH DEDICATIONS. 465 



The legend is so untrustworthy that we cannot rely on the 

 statement, — that the parents of Brioc were pagans and never- 

 theless sent him to be educated by S. Germanus. 



According to it, Eldruda was warned in a dream to make 

 three staves, — one of gold for her son Brioc, one of silver for 

 herself, and another of silver for Cuerp, — and to lay these aside 

 till Brioc was old enough to be sent to S. G-ermanus. Notwith- 

 standing that they were pagans, they resolved on doing this. 

 But the paganism of these Irish Picts was mixed with a certain 

 infusion of Christianity, otherwise they would not have thought 

 of sending their boy to S. Germanus. And when, later, we are 

 informed that Brioc converted them, we may suppose that he 

 brought them to a clearer knowledge of the truth, and got rid 

 of some of their heathen superstitions. 



Brioc was born in or about 425, and he and S. Illtyd were 

 together with 8. Germanus "in Paris"; and then it was, 

 according to this unreliable Life, that Brioc was ordained. 



Two candidates for the priesthood came to Germanus for 

 ordination, but just as in the Celtic church three bishoi)s were 

 consecrated simultaneously, and necessarily three, so it would 

 seem to have been customary in the Gallic church, (or the Celtic 

 author of the Life thought it was so), that for an ordination 

 there must be three submitted at once to the imposition of hands. 

 To make up the requisite number S. Germanus chose Brioc. 



He now felt restless to return home. If this took place in 

 448 it may have been due to the death of S. Germanus. He 

 travelled to the coast and found a vessel bound for the river 

 Scene ; he went on board, and sailed for his native home. 



On his arrival at his father's residence, it was Samhain, (the 

 pagan New Year's Day), and the family were keeping high revelry, 

 with feasting, toasting, sports and ballad-singing. No sooner 

 did his mother see her son than she rushed to him and 

 overwhelmed him with kisses* and led him to his father, 

 who was almost 'off his head' with delight, and what 

 with the liquor he had imbibed and with pleasure at recovering 

 his son, he wept " and could hardly keep his feet."f " Come, 



* Ruit in oscula. 



fVidens filium prse gaudio flere cospit, complectensque et osoulans vix sese in 

 pedibus prse immeusa Isetitia poterat coutinere. 



