OOENISH DEDICATIONS. 523 



of Bangor^ about Fifteen Myle from Bangor, in the yere of our 



Lord 1589 There be many other things in that Countrye 



that are verye grosse and superstitious : As that the People are 

 of Opinion, that Beyno his Oattell will prosper marvelous well ; 

 which maketh the People more desyrous to buye them. Also, 

 it is a common Report amongest them, that ther be some 

 Bullocks which have had Beyno his Marke upon their Eares as 

 soone as they were calved." 



The indignation of the narrator seems to be very unreason- 

 able. One cannot see what difference there is between giving in 

 money, or in kind. But that this was a survival of a sacrifice 

 of a horny animal is possible enough. The custom at Clynnog 

 spoken of, has fallen into disuse only within the present century • 

 till a hundred years ago it was usual to make offerings of calves 

 and lambs which happened to be born with a slit in the ear, 

 popularly called ndd Beuno, Beuno's mark. They were brought 

 to church on Trinity Sunday, and delivered to the churchwardens, 

 who sold them, and put the proceeds into a great chest, called 

 cyff Beuno. This was made of one piece of oak, secured with 

 three locks, which gave rise to the Welsh proverb, when a person 

 attempted any very dij0S.cult thing, " You may as well try to 

 break open S. Beuno's chest." In illustration I may quote a fact 

 from the borders of Dartmoor, that took place as late as 1879. 

 A farmer from Highhampton, whose name I know, but which I 

 do not give, — as he is still on his farm, and my informant 

 requested me not to publish it, — having had bad luck with his 

 cattle, several of which died of disease, on his farm of C, in the 

 parish of M., took a sheep on to the moor above his house and 

 burnt it there, as a sacrifice to the Pixies. After that, his cattle 

 recovered and did well. The particulars were given to me, in 

 1893, by one who had been told them by the farmer himself. 



S. Ckeda, Widow. 



In the life of S. Canice, and in a few stray notices elsewhere, 

 is all we learn about this Saint. 



She was the daughter of Senach Eon, son of Nathi of the 

 Huy Eircc family. He is called Ron or Ronan, king of Leinster, 

 but he was not more than a chieftain. He retired from the 



