¹ A certain king of Albany, named Cau, begot twenty-four sons by his queen, of whom one, named Gildas, a boy of good disposition, was given to the study of letters and elegantly instructed in the liberal arts; crossing the sea, he stayed in Gaul for seven years for the sake of learning, and returned to Britain with a great mass of various volumes. His fame being heard, very many scholars, to be instructed in various sciences, flocked to him from all sides; nor could anyone like him in virtues be found in that land. Like a hermit he fasted, was assiduous in prayers, wearing a most rough hair-shirt next to his flesh. Whatever was given to him by the rich, he at once bestowed on the needy and poor. He never tasted meat; he took herbs with barley bread, mixed with ashes, for food, and drank a little water from the spring. So great was the emaciation appearing in his face on account of continual abstinence that to onlookers he seemed as though feverish. Entering the river water at midnight he rendered praises to God, and returning to the oratory after this he devoted himself to prayers on bended knees until day. Clothed only in a single garment, lying upon a rock, he took little sleep. Heavenly rewards were his desire; he ordered his disciples to spurn, and admonished them to despise, the things that pass away in this world.

² Now when he began to preach in the region of Epidanus, his voice was divinely impeded and held back. The people therefore wondering, the saint ordered those standing by to go out, so that he might learn whether the hindrance to his preaching was caused by any of them. And when all had gone out and he still could not speak the word to the people, he asked whether anyone was hiding in the church. To whom Nonnita, the mother of Saint David, being pregnant, replied: “I, wishing to avoid the crowd, am hiding here beside the wall.” When she had gone out at his command, he began to preach to the entering people as he wished; and when the sermon was finished, he revealed a most holy and God-chosen deed. “A holy woman,” he said, “about to bear a most holy son chosen by God, remained in the church: and so I could not preach, divine power holding back my speech. That boy will be endowed with so great grace that none can be compared to him in our times.” Gildas, crossing to Ireland, converted many of the people to the faith. And when his brother Howel was killed by Arthur, he returned to Britain; and the princes and clergy flocking to him on account of his holiness, he gave the kiss to the king humbly seeking pardon, and, pardoning his enemy, blessed him.

³ After these things Saint Gildas went to Rome and, as is told in the life of Saint Cadog, offered a bell to pope Alexander. For he wrote a book of the four evangelists, held in great veneration by the inhabitants, which no one would dare to open to look at; and unless the volume had first been set before them, they did not consider peace and concord restored between enemies. Finally the man of God dwelt on a certain island of the river Severn, and, founding a church there on a certain rock, he spent the nights sleepless in prayer. And when he had no fresh water except raindrops retained on the rocks, he produced by his prayers from the rock a spring flowing for ever. At last, sorely afflicted by pirates, and his servants driven into exile with all the spoils, leaving the island he came to Glastonbury; and honourably received by the abbot, he instructed the brothers and the people, and wrote a short history of the kings of Britain. A church being built not far from Glastonbury upon the river, wearing a hair-shirt he led the hermit’s life; to him holy men from distant parts of Britain came, to hear his wisdom and teaching. After some space of time he fell into sickness, and knowing that the day of his departure was at hand, he summoned the abbot of Glastonbury, asking him that when the course of his present life was finished he would have his body carried to the monastery to be buried there. The abbot consented. And when the saint departed, on the fourth kalends of February, many saw an angelic brightness around his fragrant body. After the tearful commendation was completed, the holy body was carried by the brothers to the monastery, and with great lamentation and most worthy honour was buried in the middle of the old church’s pavement, in the year of the Lord 512.

An account. #

¹ Queen Ultrogotha, desiring to see Saint Carileph on account of his abstinence and holiness, and to hear words of edification from him, sent messengers to him offering him all the fields of that royal estate in whose part he resided, if he would come to her — she would give him the lands. But the man of God replied to them: “Say to your lady: whatever strength I obtain by prayer is hers. Yet let her be certain of this: as long as I live, I shall not look upon a woman; nor shall a woman’s step tread this community, which I built at God’s command. For it does not befit us, who are reckoned of the household of God, to offer our sight to women, and as it were to sell our soul — the soil of the human race — to the enemy; and therefore let her recall her mind from this intention, and give the part of her estate to whom she wishes.”