Att text: The Life of St. Oudoceus is typically attributed to an anonymous 12^th century Llandaff cleric (Evans, 1893; Sims-Williams, 2003). However, Davies (1979) argued the work shares stylistic similarities with Caradoc of Llancarfan’s other writings.

Evans, J.G. (1893) The Text of the Book of Llan Dâv. Oxford: Clarendon Press.
Sims-Williams, P. (2003) The Celtic Inscriptions of Britain: Phonology and Chronology. Oxford: Blackwell.
Davies, J.R. (1979) The Book of Llandaff and the Norman Church in Wales. Cardiff: University of Wales Press.

¹ There was a man called Budic, son of Cybydan, a native of Cornugallia. After being driven from his homeland, he came with his fleet to the region of Dyfed in the time of Aircol Lawhir, who was king there. While he stayed in that country, he married Anauued, daughter of Ensic, whose mother was Gwenhaf, daughter of Llefoniw. By Anauued he had two sons, Ismael and the martyr Tyfei, who is buried at Penally. While Budic remained in Dyfed, messengers were sent to him from his native land of Cornugallia, urgently asking him to return with all his family and, with the help of the Britons, to take possession of the kingdom of Armorica. Their king had died, and in a council they had unanimously declared their wish that Budic should succeed him, since he was of royal descent. When he had heard and warmly accepted this message, he took his wife, who was then pregnant, together with all his family, and sailed with his fleet back to his homeland. He ruled over the whole region of Armorica, which in his time was said to extend as far as the Alps. His wife gave birth to a son, who was named Oudoceus. When the boy reached a suitable age, Budic sent him to be educated, for he had previously promised Saint Teilo in Britain that, if he were granted a son, he would commend him to God, just as he had already done with his two brothers mentioned above. From his earliest years Saint Oudoceus began to excel in learning and eloquence, surpassing his contemporaries and companions alike in moral character and holiness.

² And after a very long time, the Yellow Pestilence came upon Greater Britain. It was called “yellow” because all who were struck by it became yellow and deathly pale. It appeared to people like a column of watery cloud, with one end trailing along the ground and the other raised aloft, moving through the air and passing over the whole land like rain sweeping along the bottoms of the valleys [cf. Exodus 13:21]. Whatever living creature it touched with its pestilential breath either died at once or fell sick to death. If anyone attempted to treat those who were ill, not only did the remedy have no effect, but the terrible disease brought both physician and patient to death together. After a very long time it ceased, through the prayers of Saint Teilo and the holy men of Britain. And so that the ancient people should not be utterly destroyed, a divine voice came to Saint Teilo, commanding him to go with his clergy and people to Cornugallia, later called Cerniw Budic. There he found his nephew Oudoceus, distinguished for his gentleness and learning, skilled in both kinds of law, and shining like a candle on a candlestick [Matthew 5:15].

³ After receiving these instructions, Saint Teilo, Archbishop of Llandaff, of the church of Saint Peter the Apostle, returned to his native land, with his nephew accompanying him. Oudoceus grew so greatly in goodness and knowledge that, by the election of clergy and people, he succeeded to the bishopric of the Church of Llandaff. He was chosen by the clergy Merchwyn and Elwared, and by Cynfyn the master; and by three abbots: Cadgen, Abbot of Illtud; Cyngeu, Abbot of Cadmael; and Cednig, Abbot of Docunni; and by the laity: King Meurig and his sons Athrwys and Idnerth, Gwyddwell and Cetiau, Brochwael, Cynddog, Llywouerth, Cadwalader, and all the princes of the whole diocese. Saint Oudoceus was sent with the same clergy, Merchwyn, Elwared, and Cynfyn, together with messengers from the three abbots and from the king and princes, to the blessed archbishop at the city of Canterbury, where he was consecrated bishop of the Church of Llandaff, founded in honour of Saint Peter.

⁴ King Meurig, with his two sons and his wife Onbrawst, daughter of Gwrgan the Great, and the three abbots of the three monasteries, together with all the princes of his kingdom and all the household of Saint Dubricius and Saint Teilo of the Church of Llandaff, received him with joy. They granted and confirmed to him the same privilege that had previously been given to Saint Dubricius and Saint Teilo and to their successors, with all its dignity and freedom. They went around the whole circuit, with the king holding the four Gospels in his hands and confirming the endowment of the holy church, the holy cross going before and the holy choir following, with the chief pastor singing: “May peace be within your walls, and prosperity within your palaces” [Psalm 122:7], and “Glory and riches shall be in his house, and his righteousness endures for ever” [Psalm 112:3]. By the sprinkling of holy water over all the boundaries he confirmed the same privilege as had formerly been granted to Saint Dubricius: that the church should be free from governor or deputy governor, exempt from attendance at secular courts either within or without, free from military expeditions and from watch duty by land or sea, and possessing its own complete court, full and entire like a royal court, together with its place of refuge, in whose sanctuary a fugitive might remain safe without human protection, not for a fixed time only but for ever, as long as he wished; and with the bodies of the kings of southern Britain granted and committed to Llandaff for ever. And just as the Church of Rome holds dignity above all the churches of the catholic faith, so the Church of Llandaff surpasses all the churches of southern Britain in dignity, privilege, and excellence, with full common rights for present and future inhabitants in fields and waters, woods and pastures, and with its boundaries extending from Cynlais within the Taff and the Ely, the whole territory reaching as far as the sea.

⁵ For some time he held the whole diocese in peace, from Mochros to the island of Teithi, until King Cadwgan, at a certain moment, through the instigation of the devil [John 13:2], wounded one of the clergy of Bishop Oudoceus. From this act a spark of trouble arose: the king was inflamed with anger and sought to drive the holy man out of his territory, beyond the Crafnell to where it flows into the Uysc; through the Uysc to Cily, to the Allt Lwyd above Bychlit, to Cecyn Pennypynmarch, to Guornoyd, to Rhydnant, to the centre of Dinmarchlythan, to Ol y Gabr, to Bron Cateir, upwards to the source of the Guerinou, to the summit of Buch yr Vyncul, to the Brydell, to Hal Ruma, to Maen Bardd at the spring of Nant y Bardd, then along Nant y Bardd downwards until it flows into the Dour; along the Dour downstream to the confluence of the Guormuy; following the Guormuy along its whole course to its source; from the source of the Guormuy to Cair Rein; from Cair Rein to the source of the Taratyr; from there along it to where it flows into the Guy; along the Guy until it falls into the Hafren; and along the Hafren throughout its length, past the island of Echni, to the estuary of the Tywi.

⁶ Saint Oudoceus, after reaching full maturity, visited the thresholds of Saint Peter and received the privilege of Saint Dubricius and Saint Teilo, together with the apostolic dignity, which was confirmed to his descendants for ever. He then desired to visit the places where holy men lived, and with great devotion sought out the dwelling of Saint David, out of reverence for him and because he made daily mention of him in his prayers. Wishing to take holy relics with him, he gathered them and carried them with the utmost veneration. He also took from his residence at Llandeilo Fawr some relics of the disciples of his maternal uncle, Saint Teilo, and placed them together with the others in a chest made suitable for that purpose.

⁷ And as he travelled through his diocese towards his church at Llandaff, with his attendants reverently carrying the relics, singing psalms of praise, and with the holy cross going before them, when they reached the road of Pennalit in Cydweli, certain men came out from the rocks of Pennallt bearing ill will towards the holy man. They said, “Shall those clergy, who are laden with gold and silver and, as it were, with the treasures of Saint David and Saint Teilo, escape from our hands? No—let them be seized; and once we have taken all their wealth, we shall enrich ourselves with a great weight of gold and silver.” Filled with envy and greed, they attacked with great violence those who were carrying the chest. But when they stretched out their hands and levelled their spears against the holy man and his companions, their eyes, which had sinned against them, were struck blind, and their arms, which were ready to shed the blood of a just man, became stiff, so that they could neither draw them back nor extend them in any way.

⁸ Saint Oudoceus, seeing the affliction and near death of his assailants, knelt down and began to pray to God on their behalf, fulfilling the divine command saying, “I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that he should turn from his way and live” [Ezekiel 18:23]. The afflicted men, for their part, acknowledged their crime and begged for forgiveness; and when the prayer of the holy man was heard, they regained their sight and recovered the use of their limbs. Having then performed the penance laid upon them in proportion to their offence, they promised, through fasting, prayer, and almsgiving, perpetual obedience to the holy man and his successors, and to the Church of Llandaff, together with an amendment of life.

⁹ Saint Oudoceus, being thirsty after his exertions, and being more accustomed to drink water than any other drink, came to a spring in the valley of Llandaff, not far from the church, so that he might drink. There he found women washing butter, according to the custom of the land. He sent his messengers and disciples to them, asking that they would lend a vessel from which their pastor might drink. Mockingly, like mischievous girls, they replied, “We have no other cup except what we are holding in our hands, namely the butter.” The man of blessed memory took it and shaped it into the form of a small bell. He lifted his hand drank from it. It remained in that form thereafter, becoming golden in appearance, so that to those who saw it, it seemed to be made entirely of the purest gold. By divine power it has from that day been reverently preserved in the Church of Llandaff in memory of the holy man, and it is said that by touching it, healing is given to the sick.

¹⁰ When Einion, king of Glewyssig, was hunting among the rocks and woods by the River Wye, as was his custom, he marvelled greatly at the course taken by a stag, which was being chased by dogs amid the sound of horns and huntsmen through the valleys. Yet divine protection preserved it throughout [cf. Psalm 91:1–4], until it reached the cloak of Saint Oudoceus. There it lay down, rested, and caught its breath, and was safe, like one who has reached harbour after shipwreck, or who has come to joy after sorrow. The huntsmen remained at a distance with the dogs, struck dumb and astonished; and bending their knees before the Lord [Philippians 2:10], they now regarded as a neighbour and a friend what they had previously pursued as an enemy.

¹¹ Saint Oudoceus, a man of advanced years and prudent maturity, was serving God beside the brook Caletan near the River Wye, without his cloak—the same cloak on which the stag had lain and by which it had gained safety and protection. He showed kindness towards the gentle creature, which the power of God had subdued. King Einion and the hunters, filled with amazement, bent their knees and lifted their hands towards heaven, asking forgiveness of the Lord and of Saint Oudoceus with great devotion, as though they had committed a crime [cf. Ezra 9:5]. First the king granted him peaceful possession of the stag; afterwards he gave to God, to Saint Dubricius, Saint Teilo, and Saint Oudoceus the bishop, and to all the bishops of Llandaff for ever, all the territory which he had encircled throughout the whole day while following the track of the stag. That course, passing over mountains, streams, and rocks, was to mark for ever the boundaries of the lands of the church.

¹² After this land, with its boundaries, had been granted to him and received the name Llan Einion, the holy man increased still further in virtue. The place was secluded and rich in fish and honey, and there he built a dwelling and a suitable oratory. He lived there with his household, having resigned the honour of the pastoral care of Llandaff, not because he failed to satisfy the people, but because he did not satisfy himself in the responsibility entrusted to him. Having therefore laid aside the pastoral office, he chose to lead a religious life in retirement. He gathered some brethren to himself and lived in fellowship with them for many years, leading a holy life—an outstanding life, advancing day by day in perfection. All who came to him for counsel were refreshed by his fatherly guidance. He was never sparing of labour; indeed, people of every rank came to him from all directions, so that through his weighty yet gentle and dignified counsel on sustaining and patiently bearing affliction, which they commonly received, they might obtain safe protection from him—especially widows and orphans of every kind [James 1:27]. Illustrious in outward bearing, he was no less illustrious in virtue: he shone in teaching and was eminent in reputation.

¹³ While he was engaged in prayer, mingled with tears and sighs, one of the brethren came to him and said, “Good father, come out and see the timber that has been prepared for your buildings.” When he went to look, see: the good and just man Gildas the Wise, the historian of all Britain as he is called in the chronicles, who at that time was living as a hermit on the island of Echni, was crossing the middle of the river in a boat, bringing with him the very timber in question as though it were his own. He had found it in the heart of the wood, without an owner and far from human dwellings. When Saint Oudoceus saw him, he called out, telling him either to put down the building timber on the ground, or else, in a brotherly spirit, humbly to seek forgiveness from God and from man for what he had done. Gildas paid no heed to the warning; having said a prayer, he crossed over in the boat. Then, as if moved by a certain holy indignation, brother Oudoceus took up an axe, not to strike a man, but so that the power of God might be shown through him in one of God’s creatures for ever. The axe fell upon a solid stone and split it completely in two, as though it had been cut by skilled hands. These stones are not hidden from those who pass that way: lying near the bank of the River Wye, they remain always in view, bearing the marks of that wondrous blow and standing unmoved.

¹⁴ Only a few of the many miracles of this holy man of blessed memory have been committed to writing, for many accounts were either destroyed by fire or carried far away in the ships of exiled people. What has since been discovered and recovered from ancient memorials of the elders or from the oldest writings has therefore been preserved in memory and set down in writing. And when his holy and glorious life was complete, having gained many lands both for himself and for his Church of Llandaff, he rested in the Lord on the second day of July [cf. 1 Thessalonians 4:14].