Att text: Lhuyd (1707), based on tradition and earlier antiquarian reports, attributes The Life of St. Dubricius to Galfrid (Geoffrey), brother of Urban, the early 12^th century bishop of Llandaff. More recent scholarship attributes the work to the same milieu, but without naming a specific author.

Lhuyd, E. (1707) Archaeologia Britannica.
Guy, B., 2019. The Cult of Saints in Early Medieval Wales. Cardiff: University of Wales Press, pp. 17–25.

¹ There was a certain king of the region of Ergyng (Arcbellfield) named Pebiau, called in the British tongue Claforawg, and in Latin Spumosus. He undertook an expedition against his enemies, and on returning he ordered his daughter Eurddil to wash his head. When she attempted to do so, he perceived from the fullness of her body that she was with child. The king, therefore, being angered, ordered her to be sewn into a sack and cast headlong into the river, that she might suffer whatever should befall her; but this occurred contrary to expectation, for as often as she was placed in the river, so often was she, by the guidance of God, driven back to the bank. Her father, then indignant that he could not drown her, resolved to destroy her by fire. A funeral pyre was therefore prepared, into which his daughter was thrown alive. Yet in the morning, the messengers who had been sent by her father to discover whether any of her bones remained found the woman holding her son in her lap, at a place where a stone has been set as a witness to the marvellous birth of the boy; and the place is called Madle, because there the holy man was born. This recalls the preservation of the faithful from the fire [Dan 3:27]. When the father heard of this, he ordered his daughter and her son to be brought before him; and when they came, he embraced the infant with a father’s affection, as is customary, and kissed him. But the child, in the restlessness of infancy, touched with his hands the face and mouth of his grandfather, and not without divine appointment; for by the touch of the infant’s hands he was healed of the incurable disease with which he was afflicted. He had continually emitted foam from his mouth, which two attendants who were always with him could scarcely wipe away with cloths.

² He, when he realised that he had been healed by the touch of the infant, rejoiced exceedingly, like one who has reached a harbour after suffering shipwreck. And he who at first had been like a roaring lion was now changed into a lamb [1 Pet 5:8; Isa 11:6], and he began to love the child above all his sons and grandsons. He made him heir of that place, Madle (that is, mad, good, lle, place, from where Madle, a good place), and also of the whole island, which took its name from his mother Eurddil, that is, Ynys Eurddil, which others call Macs Mail Leckea. From that hour he increased in stature and in knowledge; and being sent to a school of learning, he advanced gladly and with great devotion. Though a child in years, he soon attained the maturity of a man, possessing great prudence and eloquence in the imparting of knowledge. When he had become a man in growth, age, and wisdom, and was skilled alike in the new law and the old, his reputation spread throughout the whole of Britain, so that from every region not only untrained scholars came to him, but learned men and doctors also flocked to him for the sake of study — especially Saint Teilo, Samson his disciple, Ufclwy, Merchwyn, Elgwored, Gwmyn, Cynwal, Arthfod, Cyngar, Arwystyl, Junabui, Cynfrari, Gworfan, Aelhaearn, Iddnen, Gwardogwy, Gwernabwy, Ieuan, Aiddan, and Cynfarch. With these he maintained two thousand clergy for seven successive years at Henllan, on the banks of the Wye, in the study of divine and human learning, setting before them in his own life an example of religious discipline and perfect charity.

³ And during another period of time he remained for many years with his numerous disciples in his native region, namely Ynys Eurddil, directing their studies. He chose a place convenient for woodland fishing, in a corner of that island on the banks of the Wye, and gave it the name Mochros — that is, moch, hogs, and rhos, a place — for in the British tongue Mochros signifies the Place of Hogs. Nor was this name given without cause, for during the preceding night an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Take care that the next day you go all about the place which you have resolved upon and chosen; and where you shall see a white sow lying with her piglets, there lay a foundation and build, in the name of the holy Trinity, a dwelling and an oratory” [Matt 28:19]. The man of God, having awoken from sleep and being, as was his custom, mindful of the angelic command, immediately went round the place with his disciples; and just as the voice of the angel had foretold, a white sow with her young rose up before them. There he at once founded and built an oratory and a dwelling, where for many years he lived in ordered fashion, preaching and instructing clergy and people alike. His teaching shone throughout all Britain like a lamp set upon a stand [Matt 5:15], and the whole British nation preserved the true faith without any taint of false doctrine.

⁴ As the holy man shone in the doctrine granted to him, and was also distinguished by noble lineage and eminent eloquence, virtue increased throughout his land, and the people found a more abundant entry into paradise [Matt 7:13–14]. And the more the labour of his body increased, the more he rejoiced because of the greatness of the burden, looking forward to a recompense in a dwelling of the heavenly country [John 14:2]. The sick were healed and cured of many afflictions through the laying on of his hands [Mark 6:5]. And that I may recount one thing among many, Dubricius of blessed memory visited the dwelling of Saint Illtyd during the season of Lent, in order to correct what required amendment and to confirm what ought to be observed. For there dwelt in that place many most holy men, and also many who were stirred by envy. Among those who lived there was brother Samson, son of Amon, who obtained from the said father that at the episcopal seat, on the day of his ordination, first as deacon, secondly as priest, and thirdly as bishop, a white dove should descend upon his head; and this was seen by the holy archbishop and by Abbot Illtyd throughout the whole course of his ordination [Matt 3:16]. The administration of the house of Saint Illtyd was divided among the brethren: ecclesiastical matters were carried out by those to whom they were best suited, and the various offices were apportioned among the community [Acts 6:2–4]. The care of the cellar was, by the judgement of his superiors, entrusted to Saint Samson, who day and night served the clergy to their satisfaction and was also pleasing to the common people.

⁵ On a certain day, when he had filled the cups of the guests and all the vessels of the cellar had been emptied because of the great rejoicing occasioned by the visit of Saint Dubricius and his household, it was alleged by a man of envious spirit that the steward had entirely wasted the drink. For this man had once held the same office, and having been deprived of it, he envied brother Samson because of the generosity of his hand. When Samson heard the murmuring of the community against him and was ashamed at so great a complaint, he came to Saint Dubricius and related everything in proper order, saying, “Holy father, glory of your country, help me.” Saint Dubricius, hearing his request, prayed to God that he might deliver Samson from the distress he was suffering; and moved by fatherly affection, he went with Samson into the cellar. And, as it is written, “The Lord is wonderful among his saints” [Ps 68:35]. He raised his hand pronounced a blessing; and when the blessing had been spoken — marvellous to relate — the vessels were immediately filled again to overflowing, as though they had at that very hour been replenished in the usual manner. Thus the malicious work of envy was removed, the vessels were renewed, and what had been given away through generous bestowal was restored by prayer as a recompense.

⁶ As the people were accustomed to hasten to Saint Dubricius for help, and to recover the health of both soul and body, there came a certain wealthy man of royal descent named Gwyddgeneu. Kneeling before him, he begged that he would free his daughter Arganhell, who was possessed by a demon and so grievously afflicted that, even when her hands were bound with cords, she could scarcely be restrained from throwing herself into the river, or into the fire, or from destroying everything around her with her teeth. O how excellent a thing it is to serve God, who governs all things and brings them into subjection to his will. The devout father, having heard his entreaty, prayed to the Lord, and falling to the ground with streaming tears, begged God that, through the intercession of Saint Peter, prince of the apostles, and of all the saints, he would bring relief to the afflicted woman. Immediately, in the presence of her father and relatives, the cords were broken, the evil spirit departed entirely from her [Mark 1:26], her health and soundness of mind were restored, and she received again her former condition, now in every respect improved. She then at once acknowledged her own frailty, and being filled with the Holy Spirit, renounced the world; and preserving the chastity of virginity, and remaining under the protection of the holy man, she lived a reformed life until her death.

⁷ The holy man, observing that his strength was no longer sufficient for himself or for the people, and being worn down by infirmity and old age, resigned the burdensome office of bishop. For many years thereafter he lived in solitude, leading the life of a hermit with many holy men and his disciples, who supported themselves by the labour of their hands, on the island of Bardsey Island, and there he brought his life to a glorious end. This island, according to ancient British custom and proverbial usage, is called the Rome of Britain, because of the perilous sea-passage that leads to it, its remoteness at the far extremity of the kingdom, and its sanctity; for there were buried in it the bodies of twenty thousand holy confessors and martyrs. It was renowned also for being surrounded on all sides by the sea, having a high promontory on the eastern side and a western shore that was level and fertile, with a gently flowing spring. It was partly maritime and abounded in dolphins; it was entirely free from serpents and frogs; and no one died there during the lifetime of a brother older than himself.

⁸ And just as those who survived him had honoured him and regarded him as a father while he was still bodily present among them, so afterwards they had recourse to him as an intercessor with God and as the protector of all the saints of the whole island of the entire country. Only a few miracles out of many have been committed to writing, because the records were either destroyed by the fires of enemies or carried far away in the fleets of citizens driven into exile. But what was later discovered and recovered from the tombs of men of old and from the writings of very ancient authors — namely, where he was buried in the burial-place of the holy men on Bardsey, the precise spot, by whom and how he was buried, and in whose reigns he was later removed from there to Llandaff — we commit to writing and to memory. This took place in the time of Pope Calixtus II, Henry V, Ralph d’Escures, Henry I of England, David of Bangor, and Urban of Llandaff.

⁹ On Sunday, the fourteenth day of November in the year of our Lord 612, Saint Dubricius, bishop of the church of Llandaff, departed this life. On Friday, the seventh day of May in the year 1120, a leap year, he was removed from the island of Bardsey Island by Urban, bishop of the same church, with the approval and consent of Ralph, metropolitan of the church of Canterbury, and with the assent and presence of David, bishop of the church of Bangor, and also in the presence of Gruffudd ap Cynan, king of North Wales, and with the acclamation of all the clergy and people. On Sunday, the twenty-third day of May, he was received into his church of Llandaff, when a procession was held and the holy cross was carried, together with a great number of relics. Upon his arrival there was an abundance of rain, which was greatly needed by the people, for not even a single drop had fallen for more than seven weeks throughout the whole district of Glamorgan.

¹⁰ On Wednesday, the second day of June, the same bishop of blessed memory, after the labours he had endured and in thanksgiving for the great joy granted both to himself and to the church in having obtained so great a patron, and after fasting and prayer had been observed, called together his canons, his brother Esni, who was dean of the same church and a man of chastity and great prudence, and also his chaplain Isaac, a man of notable shrewdness and ability. When the sacred relics of Saint Dubricius had been laid upon the ground, they were gathered together so that they might be prepared, the dust separated, and washed with water after so long a journey. Out of reverence for so great a treasure and for the whole country, they placed them with their own hands into three basins before the altar of Peter the Apostle and of the holy confessors Dubricius, Teilo, and Oudoceus. Immediately, at the contact of the holy relics, the water on all sides began to bubble in a marvellous way, as though a great red-hot stone had been thrown into it. They marvelled not only at the bubbling throughout the entire basin, but also because they perceived that the water had become very hot. Nor did this occur only for a brief moment, but for as long as they together moved the relics in the water, so long did the heat increase until the washing was completed. And it was not only sight and touch that bore witness to this miracle, but hearing also, for the sound of the bubbling of the heated water was plainly heard.

¹¹ These things having been seen, heard, and felt — for “the Lord is wonderful among his saints” [Ps 68:35] — the bishop took a bone from the arm and, in his great joy, placed it into the water. When it reached the bottom, it moved of itself there for more than an hour, no one touching it, but solely by the power of God. Since he alone had first observed this, he called the dean, who was nearby, so that he might see the movement of the bone and the water, and also the chaplain, for every testimony should be confirmed by the mouth of two or three witnesses [Deut 19:15; Matt 18:16]. And they gave thanks to God for so great a miracle.

¹² When this had been witnessed, the relics of Saint Dubricius were placed, for the praise and exaltation of the Church of God, in a tomb prepared for the purpose, in the old monastery, before the altar of Saint Mary, on the north side.

¹³ And the same prelate of blessed memory, observing the smallness of the place — which measured twenty-eight feet in length, fifteen in breadth, and twenty in height, with two aisles, one on either side, both of very modest size and height, and a porch of circular form measuring twelve feet in both length and breadth — with the counsel of Ralph d’Escures, and with the agreement of all the clergy and people of the same church, began to build a larger monastery in honour of Peter the Apostle and of the holy confessors Dubricius, Teilo, and Oudoceus. This work was begun on Wednesday, the fourteenth day of April in the year 1120; and having received for himself and for his church letters from the lord archbishop, together with a blessing and a pardon granted to all who would lend their assistance, the work was duly commenced.