508 CORNISH DEDICATIONS. 



Hael. The former is esteemed to have founded Llangollen in 

 Denbighshire (lolo MS8., p. 506 ; Bonedd y Sant, Myvr. Arch, 

 p. 420). But what one of this family should have to do with 

 Denbighshire is not clear. Caradog's rule was over Galewig, 

 and later Brecknockshire, and CoUen we know settled, for a 

 while at all events, at Glastonbury, where he had a hermitage 

 under the Tor. His father Gwynog is hardly the S. Winnow 

 known in Cornwall. We may suspect that the Denbighshire 

 Saint is actually the grandson of Rhydderch, who has been 

 eclipsed by the better known son of Gwynog. His mother was 

 an Irish woman. 



The romantic legend of S.,Collen in Y Greal (Lon., 1807), 

 pp. 337-341, is from a 16th 9entury MS. Life at Shirburn Castle. 

 Of this I am able to give a summary through the kindness of the 

 Eev. J. Fisher, B.D , who has translated it for me. 



Collen, son of Pedrwn, is mentioned in the Triads as one of 

 the " Three Ineloquent men of the Court of Arthur." But the 

 Collen with whom we have to do is certainly the other, the son 

 of Gwynog. His mother was Ethne Wyddeles (the Irish 

 woman), daughter of Matholwch an Irish princeling. An 

 Ethne is named, in the Irish Martyrologies, on February 26, 

 another on March 29. The mother of S. Columba was also 

 Ethne. Matholwch is, in Irish, Mac Olchu. Olchu was the 

 father of Finnlug, and grandfather of 8. Brendan of Clonfert. 

 If this be the same Olchu, S. Colan and this illustrious saint 

 were first cousins. 



The Welsh Life relates that 8. Collen left Wales and went 

 to be educated at Orleans, where he remained for eight years 

 and a half, during the wars of Julian the Apostate, which is an 

 absurdity. Just at that time, in order to bring to a speedy 

 termination the incessant wars between the Pagans and the 

 Christians, a Pagan of the name of Bras challenged, as the 

 champion of Paganism, to fight any Christian that might be 

 pitted against him, laying down that the losing side should 

 thenceforth adopt the religion of the conqueror. To this the 

 Pope consented, but when he came to look for his man he could 

 find no one that would consent to enter the combat. However, 

 he was directed at last by a voice from heaven to 8. Collen, who 

 was at that time at Porth Hamwnt. The challenge was accepted 



