CORNISH DEDICATIONS. 467 



monastery he founded there. Brioc is also a name that has 

 been found there ; there remain two inscribed stones that bear 

 it, though one is to the memory of Brioc son of Banhadlen, 

 and the other to that of Nethasagr son of Muco-Brioo. 



It is uncertain whether the Brioc who was venerated in the 

 Isle of Bute, and who founded a church in Eothsay, and where 

 his festival was observed on the first Wednesday in May, be the 

 same. Celtic saints wandered far ; and we are told that Brioc 

 spent forty years in his native land before he resolved on quitting 

 it. That this cannot have been Ireland is clear, as he is not 

 remembered there at all. His resolve to depart was probably 

 due to the invasion of Oeredig and the expulsion of the Irish 

 from Cardigan and Pembroke (430-50). 



Unable to remain in Wales, Brioc resolved on returning to 

 Gaul. He had collected a large body of followers, to the number 

 of a hundred and sixty-eight, and with them he embarked in one 

 vessel, which was nearly wrecked by fouling a whale. Brioc put 

 into a harbour, for repairs. 



He was now an old man, and unable to walk far, so 

 was conveyed in a cart, and, as he sat, he sang the psalms. One 

 evening, as he was chanting vespers in the cart, a pack of wolves 

 appeared, whereupon the brethren fled, and left the old abbot 

 in the vehicle, which was at once surrounded by the pack. He 

 shouted at the top of his voice, and presently some of the brethren 

 ventured near, to see the wolves still around the cart, yet none 

 of them as yet had fallen on the old man. Happily, at the 

 moment, up came the chief of the neighbourhood, Conan by 

 name, who soon drove the wolves away and received S. Brioc 

 with much kindness. Brioc baptized Conan, after having 

 subjected him to a fast of seven days. 



The site of this adventure was, probably, the head of the 

 estuary of the Camalan, near Egloshayle. Padstow Bay was 

 about the only harbour into which he could have put on his way 

 to Brittany. 



That Conan gave him large lands in the neighbourhood is 

 probable, as here is situated the important parish of S. Breock, 

 one of the richest in North Cornwall. The caer of the chief 

 must have been at Pencarrow where are extensive remains of 



