CORNISH DEDICATIOlSrS. 365 



became blind, and founded a monastery at no great distance from 

 that of her mistress. 



The story now becomes entangled with that of Modwenna 

 and the other Monynna, and in the Salamanca Life to the same 

 saint are attributed foundations at Fochard in Louth and Killeevy 

 in Armagh. The occasion of the revolt in the monastery was 

 apparently the too great strictness of Monynna' s rule, for we are 

 told that, whilst she was lavish to strangers and beggars, she 

 half-starved the sisters, and S. Ibar was forced to interfere. 



Probably owing to the troubles she had with her nuns, and 

 to the confusion into which her affairs had fallen through 

 mismanagement, she resolved on obtaining a rule from Britain, 

 and she sent Brig to Eosina or Ty Gwyn, to obtain one from S. 

 Mancen or Mawgan, who was then head. This can hardly have 

 been later than 530. She had long ago lost S. Ibar, who died 

 early in her Career, in 500 or 503. Brig remained sometime in 

 Menevia, and returned at last with the desired rule. 



The story goes that Brig saw two white swans fly from the 

 cell in which Monynna was engaged in prayer, and fondly 

 supposed that these were angels who had visited her. 



The Salamanca Life says that in her last moments Monynna 

 was ministered to by S. Ibar, whom it calls Herbeus, but this of 

 course is impossible, unless it were fabled that her old guide and 

 friend appeared to her in spirit. 



We now come to the question whether she be the same as 

 the Mwynen, daughter of the Irishman Brynach. It is possible. 

 The Brychan family had many connexions with precisely that 

 part of Ireland Avhere she lived. Mogaroc, reputed son of 

 Brychan, was Abbot of Delgany in Wicklow, Conon or Cynog 

 was for a while also in Wicklow, Mobeoc, another, in Wexford, 

 Cairbre in the same county, so also was another Elloc, and a 

 daughter, Cairine, also in Wexford. This points to a very close 

 connexion between the Brychan family with the south-east of 

 of Ireland, and this same family occupied north-east Cornwall. 



As we have seen, when Monynna desired a rule, she sent 

 into Wales for it. Considering the connexion, it is probable 

 that the Brychan colony in Cornwall would endeavour to obtain 

 a woman of their own family to organize the religious schools 



