¹ A certain king named Keredicus had many children, of whom one, named Carantocus, a boy of good disposition, began to fulfil the things that are pleasing to God. Then the Scots came and occupied almost the whole region by fighting. And King Keredicus, worn out with age and wars, since he could not resist his enemies, was told by the elders of his people: “You are old, lord, and can fight no longer: we must ordain your son Carantocus as king.” Hearing this, Carantocus, loving the heavenly King more than an earthly kingdom, and his Lord’s will more than human favour, took to flight; and having bought a scrip and staff from a pauper, he set out on his journey, and following a dove sent before him by God, came to a certain very pleasant place, where he built a church, began to remain, and paid his devout praises to God.

² For embracing purity and innocence from his boyhood years, at length he went to Ireland, drawn by love of St Patrick. And when he had come there, taking counsel they said they should separate, one to the left and another to the right, because many clerics were walking with them; and they agreed to meet once in the year. Now Carantocus began to dwell in Ireland thirty years before the birth of St David the bishop; and wherever he went, an angel of the Lord in the likeness of a dove accompanied him; and he changed his name in their tongue to Cernath. Wherever he went, he worked miracles and wonders, and healed many thousands of men afflicted with vain diseases, namely the blind, the lame, the deaf and the dumb, and those held by any infirmity whatever. For the works of blessed Cernacus, who is also Carantocus, exceeding wondrous and praiseworthy, are read of in Ireland, and the grace which was given to the apostles was also fulfilled in him. For he proved a marvellous soldier of Christ and a spiritual abbot, a long-suffering teacher, declaring what is just to all. Living for many years, he forgave incredible crimes of sinners and poured out innumerable prayers through every day and night.

³ And after he had converted many peoples in Ireland to the faith and God had shown many miracles on his account, he came to his own region of Ceredigion, to his cave, with many clerics. And the Lord gave him an honourable altar from on high, whose colour no one could discern; and coming at last to the river Severn, he cast the altar into the sea, that it might go before where God willed him to come. At that time Catho and Arthur were reigning in that country; and Arthur came searching round about to find a huge and terrible serpent which had laid waste many fields. Then Carantocus came and greeted Arthur, who joyfully received a blessing from him. And the saint asked him whether he had heard where his altar had come to land. And he said: “If I have a price, I will tell you.” “What price,” said the saint, “do you wish to ask?” The king said: “That you draw out the serpent which is near you, if you are a servant of God, that we may see.” Then the man of God went and prayed to the Lord: and at once the serpent came with a great noise, like a calf running to its mother; and it bowed its head before the old man of God, like a servant obedient to his master, meek and gentle of eye. And he put his stole about its neck, and led it like a lamb. And its neck was like a bull’s neck, and the stole could scarcely go round it. And they went together to the fortress, and having greeted King Catho, they were well received by him. And the man of God brought the serpent into the midst of the hall, and some tried to kill it, but the saint did not allow it to be killed, but said that it had come by the word of God to destroy the sinners who were in that place, and to show God’s power through it. And the saint went outside the fortress gate and loosed it, and commanded it to depart and never presume to harm anyone. And so it came to pass.

⁴ And the man of God recovered his altar, which Arthur had thought to make into a table for eating — but whatever was set upon it was hurled far away. After this a voice came to the man of God from heaven bidding him cast the altar into the sea; and when he had done this, he sent to Catho and Arthur to ask about the altar. And it was reported to them that it had come to land at the mouth of a certain river. And the king said: “Give him twelve portions of land where the altar was found.” And when a church had been built there, he began to live. And not long after, a voice came to him again from heaven that, leaving the land of his birth, he should go as a pilgrim to Ireland. Where in a good old age, full of holy works, he rested in peace, on the seventeenth day before the first of June, and was buried in his own city which is called Chernac after his name.

A Further Story #

¹ [Added in the Tiberius manuscript.] For it is read in the Lives of the Fathers that it was reported to a certain bishop that two matrons were living unchastely. He, disturbed at this, suspected that perhaps others also were of the same kind; he turned to begging God, that he might be made certain of it. Now after mass, while each one came to communion, by their faces he discerned the souls — to what sins each soul was subject. For of sinners indeed he saw black faces, but of some, faces as it were scorched by heat, with red and bloodshot eyes; but of others, faces bright and garments white. And while some received the Lord’s body, it burned them and set them on fire; but to others it became as a light in them, and entering through the mouth it illumined their whole body. Among the women there came also those two women who had been accused to that bishop: and they had a clear and honourable countenance and were clothed about with a white robe; and when they had been made partakers of the mysteries of Christ, they were illumined as by a light. And the bishop, marvelling, begged the Lord that he might have knowledge of this vision. And by an angel of the Lord, appearing to him, he inquired about those two women whether that first accusation was true or false. The angel affirmed that all the things which had been said of them were true; and that in the receiving of Christ’s body their faces were splendid and they had a white robe, because they had repented of their deeds, and departing from them, had deserved to obtain pardon by tears and groans and the alms of the poor and by confession; and having obtained the divine change and been absolved of their crimes, they live henceforth soberly and justly and piously. But the bishop said that he marvelled not so much at the change of those women — for this has happened to many — but at the gift of God, who not only did not add torments to them, but even deigned to give them so great grace. The angel said: “You marvel at this justly, as a man; but our Lord, since he is by nature good and merciful to those who depart from their own offences and approach him by confession, not only does not suffer them to go into torments, but even turns aside his anger from them and makes them worthy of honour. For so did God love the world that he gave his only-begotten Son for it: when therefore they were enemies, he chose to die for them — how much more does he absolve from punishments those made his household and doing penance for the things they had committed? Know therefore this, that no sins of men overcome the clemency of God — only let each one by penance absolve the evil deeds he formerly worked by good deeds. For since God is merciful, he knows the infirmity of the human race and the strength of the passions and the devil’s power and cunning; and to men indeed falling into sins, as to sons, he is forgiving and awaits their amendment, having patience with them. But to those who turn and entreat his goodness, as to the infirm he is compassionate and at once absolves their torments and gives them the good things prepared for the just.” But the bishop said to the angel: “I beg you, tell me also the differences of the faces and to what sins each one of them is subject.” “These,” said the angel, “who are of splendid and cheerful countenance, live in sobriety and chastity and justice. But those who have black faces are the workers of fornication and lust and are given to other crimes and offences. But those who appeared bloodshot and red are living in malice and injustice, lovers of detractions, blasphemers, deceivers, and murderers.” Again the angel said to him: “Help them if you desire their salvation: for for this reason also you obtained the effect of your prayers, that by admonitions and entreaties you might make them better through penance.”