354 CORNISH DEDICATIONS. 



detested by the Saint for her vicious life. This, however, means 

 no more than that she was disinclined to embrace the monastic 

 life, and chose to be married instead. 



The education of S. Mevan was entrusted to S. Samson, and 

 when the latter resolved on going to Armorica, he threw in his 

 lot with his uncle. They were together in Cornwall, and whilst 

 Samson was at Grolant, Mevan founded churches at Mevagissey 

 and S. Mewan, and Austell, his devoted friend, planted his llan 

 between those of Samson and his companion and guide. His 

 favourite retreat would seem to have been where is now the Holy 

 Well and Chapel of Menacuddle, i.e. the Cuddigle (cell or 

 retreat) of Mevan. 



When Samson arrived in Brittany, he placed Mevan as 

 Abbot at Lanmeur, and employed him in political missions, to 

 provoke an insurrection against Conmor, the usurping prince of 

 Domnonia, in favour of Judual, the hereditary' prince, who was 

 sheltering at the court of Childebert. On one of the these 

 expeditions, across the forest of Brecilien, Mevan came on a 

 clearing that had been made by a British settler, named Cadfan, 

 who having no children, proposed to Mevan to settle at a suitable 

 distance, found a lann., and he undertook, on his side, to make over 

 his 'plou on his death so that all the land and its colonists, over 

 which and whom he had jurisdiction, should pass under the 

 authority of an ecclesiastical chief. To this Mevan consented, 

 and thus originated the Abbey of S. Meen in Montfort. 



Judual recovered his crown in 555 with the assistance of S. 

 Samson, and, on his death in 580, was succeeded by his son 

 Juthael (Hoel III), who died in 605 ; when the third son of 

 Juthael, named Hoeloc (Alan II J, usurped the throne, being of a 

 masterful character, and Judicael, the eldest son, to save his 

 throat, became a monk at S. Meen. Mevan encountered trouble 

 with the usurper. Hoeloc threw one of his own servants into a 

 dungeon with the intent of starving him to death. Mevan 

 interceded with the prince but in vain ; however, by the 

 connivance of the gaoler, the poor wretch was enabled to escape, 

 and he took sanctuary with S. Mevan. Hoeloc was highly 

 incensed and went to the monastery and demanded his servant. 

 When Mevan refused to surrender him, he violated the sanctuary 



