¹ This is the story of Collen, son of Uchdedd, son of Gwynog, son of Kydebog, son of Kowrda, son of Kyriadoc the Boar-Lord. Kyriadoc the Boar-Lord fathered his son while practising the craft of smithing, and because of that labour his boar was greater than any other. For this reason he was called Kyriadoc the Boar-Lord, son of Llŷr the king. Llŷr was married to Margred, daughter of the Earl of Oxford.

² The mother of Saint Collen was Ethinen, an Irishwoman, daughter of Mathylwch, a lord in Ireland whose dominion was the region now called Arlowan. There was discord between Ethinen and one of her husband’s concubines, and the concubine had her sent away to this island to be brought up there.

³ On the night when Collen was conceived, he saw his mother in a vision: a dove flew towards her and struck her beneath the breast, drawing out her heart, then flew with it towards heaven; and from the place to which it went, it returned again. He entered the place where she was staying and settled her where she dwelt, caring for her honourably, and then the dove departed from her sight. At that time Collen was a boy of seven years, learning the service of God and of the Lady Mary. He did not cease from study, and when he reached youth he went to Orléans in France to learn, where he remained for six months.

⁴ At that time Sullan son of Postat was at war with the Greeks, and there was frequent fighting between the men of Rome and the Greeks. A harsh war also broke out between them and the Christians, and many Christians were killed. In those days the Christians often fled from place to place.

⁵ Then there came a man called Pyras, declaring that he would take up arms to fight in the name of the Faith, and proposing that one man should be appointed to fight on behalf of the Christians, and likewise that the pagans should appoint one man to fight for them. The Pope agreed to arrange this, so that on the appointed day one man would fight in the name of Christ’s faith. When the pagans heard this, it was agreed that whichever of the two champions gained the victory, the Faith would be his. Because of this the Pope went to seek guidance from his followers and to ask counsel from all alike. Heavy with care and sorrow, he withdrew and came to where the image of the Lord Jesus Christ hung upon the cross, and he said: “O true God, make Your counsel known.”

⁶ Then a voice came from above him, commanding him to go to the Gate of Hanton at the first hour of the day, and saying that there he would find the one whom God wished to be given to fight on behalf of the Faith. And so the Pope travelled over sea and land until he came to that gate.

⁷ When he arrived there, he saw a handsome man, and that man was Collen. The Pope explained his purpose to him, and Collen answered him honourably. God went with him across the field to where a man called Pyras was stationed, with his champions gathered around him. They had anointed Pyras on his head and body, and the ointment was a miraculous balm.

⁸ Pyras then ordered Collen to come close and fight him. Collen took his sword and laid the Gospel across it in the form of a cross. Then they advanced together, and Collen struck Pyras a slight wound on the arm. The pagan then asked Collen to grant him the mercy of his God, so that God would make him whole of the wound at once through the miraculous ointment he carried. Pyras drew out the box of ointment and placed it in Collen’s hand. Collen took some of the ointment and applied it to the wound, and it was healed immediately.

⁹ Collen then took the box of ointment and threw it into the river, so that none of them might gain benefit from it. They came together again for a second encounter, and Collen struck him beneath the armpit, so that his heart was seen to quiver, and he fell to the ground.

¹⁰ Then Pyras said to Collen: “Under your protection I beg you that I should not die except by your leave.” And he said again to Collen: “Unless I follow you, may God the Most High—whom you love and whom I now love—judge me. From this hour I will do wrong no more, and I desire to go further with you, so that I may gain some share in the joy that is in the Kingdom of Heaven” [Matthew 5:3].

¹¹ At these words Collen was deeply moved and granted him his protection. Then the Pope baptised him, and after that the whole nation of the Greeks believed and were all baptised. After Collen had won the victory, he received a gift from the Pope: a relic, namely the lily that had miraculously flowered at the choosing of the champion, when it was revealed that none was more worthy than the Son of the Virgin, symbolised by the pure lily in the vessel with its fair blossoms. The lily flowered at that time, and the Pope gave it to Collen.

¹² Collen brought it back to this island, and it is said that the lily is still at Caer Ifrangon. He then came to Cornwall, and from there went on to the monastery of Glastonbury. He served faithfully until he was received into the community, and after only a year he was chosen as Abbot. He then asked the bishop’s permission to lead a life stricter and harsher than that of an abbot, and went out to preach and to strengthen the Catholic faith among the people. For three years he proclaimed the word of God and the Catholic faith to them. He then returned to the monastery, where he spent five years guiding the community. After this he grew angry with the men of that land because of their wrongdoing, and he cursed them.

¹³ fterwards he went up to the mountain of Glastonbury and lived in concealment beneath a small rock, in a hidden place away from the road. One day, while he was in hiding, he heard two men speaking about Gwyn ap Nudd, saying that he was the king of Annwn. Collen thrust his head out from his hiding place and said: “Away with you, weak men! Those are nothing but devils.”

¹⁴ “Be silent,” said one of them, “or you will truly suffer for it — and that at his hands.” And so they departed from Collen.

¹⁵ Later, as he listened before opening the door of his hiding place, he heard someone asking whether the man within was there. Collen answered, “I am here.” “Who is it that seeks him?” Collen asked. “I am sent by Gwyn ap Nudd, king of Annwn,” came the reply, “to command you to come with me to speak with him on the top of the hill before midday tomorrow.” Collen did not go.

¹⁶ The next day another messenger came, half red and half blue in appearance, asking Collen to come for an audience with the king on the hilltop before midday the following day. Collen did not go.

¹⁷ Then a third messenger came, commanding Collen to come and meet the king at midday, and saying: “If you do not come, Collen, you will be the worse for it.”

¹⁸ Then, in fear, Collen rose and took holy water, placing it in a small vessel at his side, and went up to the top of the hill. When he arrived, he saw the fairest castle he had ever seen, with horses and men fully armed upon them, and the finest horses he had ever saw. At the gate of the fortress he saw a handsome man, who invited him inside, saying that the king awaited him for dinner.

¹⁹ Collen entered the castle, and there the king sat upon a chair of gold. The king welcomed Collen with honour and invited him to come to the table and eat. But Collen said to the king: “I will eat nothing of the leaves of the wood without Collen’s leave.” The king said: “Have you ever seen men better clothed than these here, in red and blue?” “Those colours are good enough,” said Collen, “for such clothing.” “And what kind of clothing is that?” asked the king. Collen replied: “Red on one side is the sign of burning, and blue on the other side is the sign of cold.”

²⁰ Then Collen drew out his small vessel and sprinkled the holy water upon them. Immediately they vanished from his sight, castle and all, and nothing remained except the green turf of the hill.

²¹ That night he returned to his hiding place and prayed to God for a place where he might live out his penance for as long as he should live. That night he received a command from God, telling him to rise the next morning and walk on until he met a horseman, and that this horseman and the company around him would be his place of protection and service until Judgement Day [Matthew 25:31–46].

²² And so it came to pass: he met the horseman at the place called Rhysfa Maes Cadfarch. He rode with him through his territory, and in the middle of that land he made his hermitage. In that hermitage Collen lived all his life, and there he was buried. His soul went to eternal joy, and he is a saint in whom miracles are worked even to this day. While he lived upon this earth, clothed in flesh and blood, he worked great miracles through faith.

²³ And thus ends the Life of Collen.