A saint’s Life of nine lections concerning St Deiniol, bishop of Bangor.

§1

The first lection.
God, marvellous in his saints^{1 Mirabilis Deus in sanctis suis (God, marvellous in his saints). Cf. Psalms 67.36 (Vulgate; modern 68.35) (mirabilis Deus in sanctis suis). Versions of this statement occur frequently in saints’ lives, cf. VSSamsonis(LL), §5; VSWenefrede(Claud), §22; VSDubricii(LL/Vesp), §16, §20; VSTeliaui(LL), §29; VSTeliaui(Vesp), §5.} and glorious in majesty, wanting his saints to be considered glorious by Christ’s faithful, and to be honoured worthily and in a praiseworthy manner, he himself does not cease from marvellously adorning them with innumerable miracles, among whom our lord chose the most blessed Deiniol, bishop and confessor, adorned with the grace of sanctity, marked out with manifold miracles, as pastor of his holy church, and we are by no means able to relate all the miracles which that saviour has deigned to work for the merits of the aforementioned St Deiniol, yet we have drawn out some of them to be made known to your devoutness.^{2 This reference to devotioni vestræ (your devoutness) is ambiguous. It can be used as a title, like ‘your holiness’, and thus could refer to an individual who might have commissioned the lections (DMLBS s.v. deuotio 3), but it could also refer to a group of people, in particular the intended audience of the lections, and this is perhaps more likely in context.} But you, o lord, have mercy upon us.^{3 Tu autem domine miserere nostri (But you, o lord, have mercy upon us). Cf. Psalms 40.11. This line is used frequently to end lections in the liturgy.}

§2

The second lection.
And so the blessed Deiniol, born of a noble British family,^{4 Brytonum is probably used here to refer to the Welsh, although Deiniol’s exact origin is left unclear and he could possibly be from Brittany or Cornwall.} when he was of adult age, having left his parents and his native soil, wanting to lead an eremitic and solitary life (to which the best part is promised, and equally will not be taken away)^{5 Cui optima pars promittitur, adeoque non auferetur (to which the best part is promised, and equally will not be taken away) . Cf. Luke 10.42 (Maria optimam partem elegit quae non auferetur ab ea).} reached a certain mountain, which is now called Deiniol’s Mount,^{6 This is the hill upon which St Daniel’s church now stands, just south of Pembroke. Harris notes that ‘both hill and church are referred to indiscriminately by later writers as “St Daniel’s”’ (Harris 1955: 17).} by Pembroke^{7 Pembroke is the county town of Pembrokeshire in south-west Wales and the site of a major Norman castle, built by Earl Roger of Montgomery in 1093.} in the diocese of St Davids. Deeming that place, because it was separated from the uproar of people, serviceable and suitable for the fruits of divine contemplation to be harvested, he decided in his mind, if God should allow it, to take a stay there, to serve his perpetual lord. But you etc.^{8 The copy of this text in Peniarth 225 uses etc to abbreviate the repeated prayer at the end of each lection, and such abbreviation may well have been present in the lost medieval exemplar, as it is a common abbreviation in liturgical books.}

§3

The third lection.
The lord of the place, accepting him in a kindly manner, granted to him of his own land as much as he thought would be necessary for him for his daily sustenance, together with animals and servants suitable for agriculture. After a hut had been built as a house in the place where now a church of wondrous beauty and size has been built^{9 St Daniel’s church near Pembroke, which this must describe, is an ancient church which, as Harris notes, ‘was annexed to the Benedictine Priory (founded c. 1098) at Monkton near Pembroke. This was a cell of the abbey of St. Martin of Séez in Normandy’ (Harris 1955: 18). On this priory, see Burton and Stöber (2015): 157–9; Coflein s.n. Monkton Priory; Monastic Wales s.n. Pembroke (Priory). The church building at St Daniel’s also impressed early modern antiquaries with it height (Harris 1955: 18).} for that saint’s honour and renown, he served God, the omnipotent creator, most devoutly in fasts, in prayers, and other works of piety. But you, o lord, have mercy upon us etc.

§4

The fourth lection.
With time going by, the cathedral church of Bangor being vacant through the death of its bishop, after those had gathered together to whom the election and provision of a bishop in that church pertained, the grace of the Holy Spirit having been invoked, it was divinely revealed that they should send as quickly as possible to the districts of Pembroke, and that they should choose for themselves for their church a certain hermit, dwelling upon a hill from the southern part of Pembroke, as bishop and pastor. And it was added that he was called Deiniol. But you, o lord, have mercy upon us.

§5

The fifth lection.
They at once sent messengers to the aforementioned district. The messengers, coming there, found that hermit in the place which we mentioned before, and the messengers, having first said their greeting, ask him: ‘What is your name?’ Truly, he responded humbly: ‘I was named Deiniol, but I am not a prophet.’^{10 In the Latin text, Deiniol’s name is always Danielis, and thus identical with that of the Old Testament prophet Daniel.} Then the messengers, gladdened with great delight, stated explicitly the cause of their journey and arrival in order. But he, marvelling more than can be believed, said: ‘How can this come to pass, that you maintain I have been elected as a bishop, since I am a completely illiterate man, and have not been versed in any written knowledge?’ Responding to him, they said: ‘It is the will of God that it should be done so.’ But, overcome by their insistence, and wanting to submit to the divine calling, having left everything which he possessed, he followed them in the name of the Saviour, until they came to the entrance of the see of Bangor. But you, o lord, etc.

§6

The sixth lection.
And at once all the bells of the see were struck without human hand. Moreover, those who were in the see hearing the sound of the bells, having entered the church, finding no-one striking the bells, said to each other that ‘It is a miracle which the lord has worked’, and at once behold the messengers now stood with Deiniol at the doors of the church. Then the clerics of that church, leading Deiniol to the highest altar of the church, and singing Te Deum Laudamus⁠^{11 This Latin hymn in praise of God was used frequently in liturgical offices from the early medieval period onwards (Cross 1957: 1326).} most devoutly, praising the saviour’s mercy.^{12 This sentence lacks a main verb and is possibly evidence for the reduction of a longer Life in creating the material for these readings.} And when St Deiniol had risen from prayer, he was so filled with the ecclesiastical knowledge of all written learning that no-one in Wales^{13 Brytania could refer to either Wales or Britain here, but the latter is perhaps more likely given that the text’s focus in on Wales, where almost all its action takes place.} at that time appeared like to him in knowledge and learning. But you etc.

§7

The seventh lection.
Afterwards, with the due intervals of time, elevated to all minor and major orders^{14 The minor orders represent lower degrees of the clergy, namely, porters, lectors, exorcists, and acolytes in the western church, which are received prior to major orders. Major orders refer to the more senior roles in Christian sacred ministry of deacon, priest, and bishop.} by proper ceremony, he is consecrated as bishop in a praiseworthy manner, and he is enthroned with the greatest joy and that of the people. And so, adorned with the episcopal garment, he showed himself to be loveable to God and all people. But the miracles which on account of his merits the lord deigned to work, both in his life and after his passing, would be too long to tell, for they were very many. On a certain night when that holy man was living on the mountain of Pembroke,^{15 There are two other references to Deiniol dwelling on a hill near Pembroke (§2, 9), which appear to refer to St Daniel’s. Here the reference is to Monte Penbrochiæ, literally ‘the mountain of Pembroke’, but it must still refer to Deiniol’s dwelling at St Daniel’s. As St Daniel’s is so close to Pembroke, it could perhaps be seen as part of the same unit, and thus the mountain of Pembroke might refer to St Daniel’s here.} two malevolent men came there, so that they should steal oxen bestowed to the holy man to plough his land, and, catching hold of the oxen, they started to lead them away. But the holy man in his little dwelling, hearing the clamour of people and animals, saw through a window the thieves leading away the oxen, and, going out, he exclaimed: ‘Wait! Wait a little in the name of the lord!’ But they, hearing his voice, ran faster, and St Deiniol, making the sign of the cross towards the oxen, so that he who had provided them should not bear a loss for his laudable deed, and^{16 The ‘and’ (et) here is superfluous and indeed stops the sentence working grammatically.} at once the thieves were turned into two rocks in that place, standing to this day in the likeness of humans. But the animals are turned to their accustomed pasture. But you, o lord etc.

§8

The eighth lection.
Moreover, at another time, when the holy man could not find the animals with which he should plough his land, behold two large stags came from the forest of Pencoed,^{17 Pencoed is a fairly common Welsh place-name. Here it most likely refers to Pencoed in the vicinity of Lawrenny in southern Pembrokeshire, which is by far the closest Pencoed to Pembroke: ArchifMR s.n. Pencoed.} which was nearby, to the place where there had been land to be ploughed, and, submitting their necks to the yoke, they pulled the plough all day in the manner of tame animals, and, the day’s work complete, they returned to the aforementioned forest. But you, o lord, have mercy upon us.

§9

The ninth lection.
Moreover, at a certain time, the holy man made his way to Jerusalem on devout pilgrimage. Having explored the places of the lord’s Nativity and Passion, and having visited the grave in which the body of the saviour rested, he came to the river Jordan, hallowed by Christ’s baptism, and filled a certain phial from that river, and carried that with him to the summit of the mountain by Pembroke,^{18 This appears to refer to St Daniel’s.} upon which his little dwelling was built, where there was no little shortage of water. Having invoked the name of Christ, he drove in his staff, and poured out onto the ground that water which he carried from the Holy Land, and at once the staff grew into a most beautiful tree, and a spring of the sweetest water flowed out in that place,^{19 This echoes the action of Moses in Exodus 17.5–6, where God commands him to strike the rock at Horeb with his staff and water comes out of it to provide for the thirsty Israelites.} curative of various illnesses, if it should be consumed as a drink.

Also, a certain woman from the districts of Carew^{20 Carew (Welsh Caeriw) is a small settlement in south Pembrokeshire, around four miles east-north-east of Pembroke. It contains a tenth- or eleventh-century inscribed stone in honour of a certain Maredudd (CIMES II: 303–10) and is the site of a Norman castle probably founded around 1100 by Gerald of Windsor, constable of Pembroke (King and Perks 1962).} in the diocese of St Davids was swollen beyond measure, so that she could not be cured by any medical advice. At last, coming to the church of St Deiniol and afterwards to the aforementioned spring, and praying for the saint’s help, she drank from that water for the sake of regaining her health, and before her departure, she came to the entrance of the church, and she cast out from her mouth, with many people standing near and watching, three horrible worms with four feet on each one, and the woman was made healthy from that time. In addition, the wife of a certain man from the districts of Oxford,^{21 As Pembrokeshire was an area of strong Anglo-Norman influence, it is possible that this does indeed refer to someone originally from Oxford. Yet elsewhere the references are to local places in Pembrokeshire and Silas Harris suggests that this may be a corruption of a local place-name (Harris 1955: 17).} having been blind for a very long time, was urged in her sleep through St Deiniol, or more correctly through divine revelation. Having been brought to the said church of St Deiniol, she spent the night there in devout prayers with a certain blind chaplain and many others, and both of them received their vision that night through the merits of that confessor, with our lord Jesus Christ providing, who with God the Father and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, God for ever and ever. Amen. But you, o lord, have mercy upon us.

§10

Prayer of the same.
O God, who chose blessed Deiniol, the bishop, to be a pastor of your Church: graciously grant that we, who are supported by his blessings, may by his prayers be worthy of the glory of eternal happiness, through our lord Jesus Christ etc.

From an old manuscript book.
1602.