Carentocus or Cernathus
Acta Sanctorum, May 16
Source text: Public Domain. English translation/apparatus/encoding: CC BY-NC 4.0, Wroot Press.
https://actasanctorum.org/may/day-16/carentocus-or-cernathus.html
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ON S. CARENTOCUS OR CERNATHUS

BISHOP ABBOT IN WALES AND IRELAND.

CENT. V.

[Preface]

Carentocus, or Cernatus, Abbot in Wales & Ireland (S.)

BY THE AUTHOR D. P.

In Wales, formerly called Britannia secunda or Cambria,
toward the South, on the British sea
is a province, formerly Ceretica, now
nearly called the County of Cardigan, [Life drawn out by Dugdale from a Cottonian Ms.] as we more fully
expounded on the Kalends of March before the Life of S. David
Bishop of Menevia, sprung from the royal stem there:
from which also, but somewhat earlier, there arose S. Carentocus;
to the Hibernians, when among them later in sanctity
he flourished, Cernathus. Whose life from the Cottonian Library's
MS. codices drew out, & for us to be transcribed took care,
the best & most learned old man Wilhelmus Dugdale
of Warwick, supreme through England King, as they call,
of Arms, well having deserved of his country by the edition of the Antiquities
of Warwick, & of the monuments of the Pauline among
the Londinians church, & other books of this kind,
but especially of the great three volumes, under the title of Monasticon
Anglicanum; whose even sole frontispiece considered
will appear, how well of the Catholic religion, although he
not yet a Catholic, he thinks. Namely above the head of SS. Gregory and Augustine, Apostles of England, on the one side ancient
Faith & Piety is placed, to be known by the fruits; on the other
Antiquity, raising her head among the clouds, receives light from old
codices; below indeed on one side a suppliant before the altar a pious
King, to God & the Church endows & builds monasteries; on the other
an impious King, with proud mouth thundering, Thus I will, & of monasteries
despoiled & desolated by his command the ruins with threatening
sceptre standing displays: which moreover ought to please all more,
declares the lemma taken from Ovid's Metamorphosis.

--- Not all things has greater age,
Which we should flee.

The same when at the beginning of the first volume he had treated of the first
institution of monks, commending the antiquity of the institute and sanctity
from the opinion of the Ancients, to the same volume then he judged worth the trouble
to subjoin, what about the subversion of monasteries
even the Reformed Neoterics have judged, as they
namely wish to be called.

[2] [the contracted is in Capgrave,] This Dugdale therefore, having received notice of our work and the praised proposal,
in the highest & with most useful studies occupied
age, first what he knew useful to us with a prolix
catalogue indicated; then what we signified to be lacking from it in our Museum
he caused to be transcribed, & among other various
Lives of Saints, also of S. Carentocus, that very one
which Ioannes of Tinmouth had transcribed somewhat more contractedly,
& Ioannes Capgrave had brought to light,
whence our Michael Alfordus took it & re-printed it
in the Annals of the British Church on the year 480 no.
7. [for what reason here it is placed.] The same Camden in his Apparatus of Britain &
Usher chap. 17 on the beginnings of British Churches
page 847, allege: nor little do they seem to grant to it, although
they were not ignorant, that itself, as nearly all other Lives of Welsh &
Hibernian Saints, was written by an author of far later
age, from the tradition of the people, accustomed to add not a little
appearance of fabulosity even to most true things,
clothing them in an utterly insipid manner & with plainly fatuous circumstances.
Hence it happens that such Lives we insert into our work
not otherwise, than as to be read with great indulgence
toward the most simple peoples, & only so long to be tolerated,
as more certain & more worthy of reading monuments are lacking,
from which some notice of those Saints might be drawn;
since to this at least they serve, that the public ancient veneration of them
in the people, obscured by superinduced clouds of heresies,
they may make to shine again with posterity, & about the place and time,
in which they lived & died,
sometimes the curious & pious reader they may instruct.

[3] Thus in the very beginning of this Life is said To all
men believing in God a venerable solemnity, [Cult on 16 May,]
when into heaven was assumed B. Carentocus:
in the end however that he proceeded into the island of Ireland
(from his native Ceretica country namely) & was buried on XVII
Kalends of June: which day of his cult also assigns
the Sarisburian Martyrology in Colganus, in the Appendix
to the Acts of S. Patrick chap. 4 no. 8, adding that he was nephew
on the sister Darerca's side, which would not easily persuade us,
considering each one's birth-place, far from each other
distant, & condition of family too disparate. Richardus
Witfordus in the Martyrology printed in English about the year 1526
also reports Carantacus on the day XVI May; that
it is wonderful that Ioannes Wilsonus in the prior edition of the
English Martyrology omitted S. Carentocus, in the later
deferred to the following XVII May. As regards his age,
it is said in the Life that in those times,
(in which namely S. Carentocus accompanied S. Patrick
into Ireland) the Scotti overcame Britain thirty years
before the birth of S. David, [He passed into Ireland with S. Patrick not in the year 413] which since we have judged
should be referred to the year 445, the consequence would be,
that the said Saints' entry into the Island pertains
to the year 413. But this little moves us, who in
the Appendix to the Life of S. Patrick on XVII March § 4, showed
that not to be trusted is that XXX years' span, which in
designating the Chronology of their Saints so frequently is used
by the Hibernians, gratuitously assuming it convicted in many.
Patrick went indeed in that year according to us into Ireland, [or 433]
but alone; & the barbarians stopping their ears to his preaching,
he returned whence he had come, considering greater power needed by him,
which before the year 433 he did not
obtain. Therefore Usher refers these things hither. But neither then
more than nine companions did S. Patrick lead into Ireland;
Since therefore it is said about him & Carentocus in this one's Life,
that many Clerics walked with them, so that it behooved
both from each other to be separated; to that, rather, [but 445.] in which
S. David was born, year I shall defer Carentocus's entry into
Ireland: because then, as in the Chronotaxis of Patrician
history I said, returning from the Roman excursion Patrick,
preached in Western Britain, ordained monasteries,
& many auxiliary companions in the Hibernian harvest
drew with himself.

[4] It is to be noted furthermore, that he who reduced this life into the form
of a sermon, as we have it, for the festivity of the Saint,
took away its whole exordium, & composed a certain proper shorter one.
The same however, or those who described the Cottonian Codex,
the older exordium, lest it perish,
placed at the end: which not at all to be followed by him judged
the Tinmouthian, restored it again to its place, but prudently
omitted the series of generations, drawn through twenty steps
unto Belus son of Anna, [his fabulous genealogy.] which they say is
cousin of Mary the Virgin. We the Tinmouthian's
example shall thus follow, that neither the latter exordium do we omit,
nor expunge anything, that more manifest
might become the sincerity of our judgment; & better may discern the reader,
what & how far is credible: who at least for amusement of mind
will see a specimen of Hibernian and Welsh ingenuities
in inventing genealogies; which today still
their poets with such supercilium intone, as if they were pouring forth mere
oracles, deceiving the ears of credulous crowd,
& squeezing the purses of those, to whom it is sweet from
so many ages to have their ancestors recensed, great and not at all
truer reproaches of their family they shall hear from the same, if
their bestowing hand they shall draw back.

LIFE

Suspect of much fabulosity.

From a MS. of the Cottonian Library at London, under the effigy Vespasian A 14. fol. 90.

Carentocus, or Cernatus, Abbot in Wales & Ireland (S.)

BHL Number: 1562, 1563

FROM A MS.

OLDER EXORDIUM.

[1] [Fabulous genealogy of grandfather Cuneda] At a certain time was a man by name Keredic.
A King was this man, & had many sons:
of whom one was Carentocus by name, son of Keredic,
Mak Cuneda, Mak Ethern, Mak Patern, Pes a
Ludant, Mak Tacit, Mak Kein, Mak Guorchem,
Mak Doli, Mak Gurdoli, Mak Donni, Mak Guordonni,
Mak Amguoloie, Mak Amguerit, Mak
Omnid, Mak Dubunn, Mak Britguenin, Mak Eugen,
Mak Aballath, Mak Canabeth, Mak Beli, &
Anna his mother, whom they say is Cousin of
Mary the Virgin. Cuneda therefore had sons: Tipipann
firstborn, who died in the region [b]
Mann Gudodin, [& sons,] & his father Cuneda came not here
& his brothers: but Meriann his son divided
the possessions of his father among his brothers. Second
Ismael, third Kumann, fourth Dunann, fifth
Keredic, sixth Abalach, seventh Emmann, eighth
Dogmaile, ninth Etern. This is their boundary,
from the river which is called [c] Donbyr duiu, to
another river which is called Guonn: & they held
very many regions in western Britain. Keredic
however held Kereditia, & from him it is named.
And after he had held it, came [d] Scotti, & fought
with them, & occupied all regions. [Of these one Keredik father of Carentocus:]
But Keredic was old. And the elders said to him,
Old you are, Lord, you cannot fight, you must
ordain one King from your sons. Who is the elder?
[He said to them] Karentoc. They said; He must
be King. But Karentoc loved more the heavenly King
than the earthly kingdom, & his Lord's will
than human favor: & he after he heard,
took flight, lest they find him. But first he bought a better
& came into a place which is called Guerit-Carantanc, &
remained there for some time, & wished there to pray
to God. And when he was there & wished to work,
came a Dove, drew everything that fell from the staff
daily. [who having dismissed the kingdom lived in the desert.] And he said; Lord, where does it draw? And
he resolved in mind: I will go, & see where it draws this.
And he arose, where it went, through forest, through pass.
Came the Dove, descended in the place where the church is today,
& dismissed there. And he saw & said: Here it behooves me
to be, because God willed: & remained for some space,
where to God devoted he paid thanks.

LATER EXORDIUM.

[2] Venerable is the solemnity of this day, to all
men believing in God, when assumed
into heaven was B. Carentocus, son of Cereticus:
who was raised by parents close to Christ, according to
worldly dignity: for it is easy to lead his generation
to Mary mother of the Lord, than which no one
among the Kings of Britons is held higher. But to earthly
kingdoms to tend he did not wish.

HISTORY OF THE LIFE.

[3] From the years of childhood he had innocence, & afterwards
he went into the cave Edilo, & read Canonical
lessons of the new & old Law. Then he proceeded
to the island of Ireland, with Patrick going before. They
however met together unanimously, & [f] were collated unanimously,
as is said, Behold how good & how delightful
it is for brothers to dwell as one. [Ps. 132, 1.] [& with S. Patrick crossing into Ireland] Counsel however they made
between themselves how they should act: & they said that they should be separated
one to the left, & the other to the right;
because many Clerics walked with them [g]… And
Carentocus proceeded to the right side, [h] Patrick
however to the left, & they said that they should meet one
time in the year. In those times [i] the Scotti overcame
Britain; the names of whose Leaders, [k] Briscus,
Thubaius, Machleves, Auxatus thirty years
before the birth of S. David son of [l] Sant. Well Carentocus
was received in Ireland: for it is not difficult
for God to lead His servants. The Angel of the Lord accompanied
with him in the figure of a dove: [he shines with miracles,] & changed his name
in their language to Cernath: & churches & cities
were exalted under his name in the region [m] Legen. And
wherever he went, virtues & innumerable prodigies
he did. By God's nod he healed many thousands
of men, filled with various pains, the blind, lame, lunatic,
& similar to these: whom God enriched
with the highest seats & rewards, to reign with the happy
princes of the heavens.

[4] The Blessed Cernach's works [n] are read in Ireland throughout the entire country, just as are read at Rome the prodigies and perfect life
of B. Peter the Apostle. He is equated with the Apostles,
as is read; Go, teach all nations: And the grace
which was given to the Apostles, [& with Apostolic virtue.] in him was fulfilled. Whatever
you shall loose upon earth, shall be loosed also in heaven,
& whatever you shall bind upon earth shall be
bound also in heaven. Such therefore is to be feared & adored,
who is powerful in the high throne from good
work, & powerful to save bodies on earth, from all
languors. Strong he was & faithful, in peace ministering:
for in a wonderful way he was similar to
the Angels; under the presence of the sun a strong soldier, marvelous,
spiritual, the highest Abbot, longanimous instructor of fidelity,
announcing just things to all the just, herald of the heavenly kingdom.
He lived for many years: to the unbelievers crimes of sins
he forgave, that all might merit to sit in
the highest of heaven, returning thanks to God: & prayers through
each day & innumerable nights he poured forth, most fervent,
holy, & most salutary. This is [to God]
dear Cernacus: [for the conversion of the Hibernians.] helped indeed from heaven & enriched
divinely with great gifts of God, of whom no death
piously did to men. He found indeed grace, with great
labor sought, pious & most pure, signed
through the parable of a most luminous lamp; when as Pastor of the Church
he wonderfully held the golden Ecclesiastical
candelabra. O most light Pastor! O [o] Bishop, holy
& most chaste, following Peter's works in the Apostolic
See, & Paul in doctrine, leading
many regions to the faith. Thus Carentocus led
the Regions of the Hibernians, ensnared in the nets [p] of the magicians,
honored by their Kings.

[5] And afterwards [q] he came again to his own Region
Kereditia, [Returned to Britain,] to his cave with many
Clerics: & there he did many virtues, which
no one can enumerate. And Christ gave him an honorable altar
from on high, of which no one understood
the color. And afterwards he came to the Sabrina [r] river that
he might sail, & cast the altar [s] into the sea, which also went before,
where God willed him to come. In those times
Cato [t] & Arthur were reigning in that country, dwelling
in Diudraithov: & Arthur came going around to
find a serpent, most powerful, huge, terrible,
which had devastated twelve parts of the field [v] Carrum.
And Carentocus came & saluted Arthur: [he is said the noxious serpent of the fields,] who rejoicing
received the blessing from him. And Carentocus
asked Arthur, whether he had heard, where his altar
had landed. And Arthur responded: If I shall have
a price, I shall announce to you. And he said, What price
do you ask? He responded: That you bring forth the serpent which
is near to you, & we may see if you are a servant of God. Then
B. Carentocus proceeded & prayed to the Lord. And
forthwith came the serpent with great noise, like a calf
running to its mother; & inclined his head before
the servant of God, like a servant obedient to his Lord, humble
in heart & gentle in eyes. And he sent his stole around
his neck, & led him as a lamb, nor did he raise
his wings nor claws: & his neck was,
as the neck of a bull of seven years. [called to himself,] Which scarcely could
be encircled by the stole. Then they proceeded together to the citadel,
& saluted [x] Cato. And well were they received
by him. And he led that serpent into the middle of the hall,
& fed him before the people, & they tried to kill
him. He did not let him be killed, because he said that from
the word of God he had come, that he might destroy the sinners, who in Carrum
were, & that he might show the strength of God through him.
And afterwards he proceeded outside the gate of the citadel, [to have driven away by word,] & Carentocus
released him, & ordered him, that departing he should harm no one,
nor return more. And he went out, & remained,
just as the ordination of God before said. And he received the altar, which
Arthur had thought to make into a table, but whatever
was placed upon it, was thrown far. And
the King asked from him, that he might receive Carrum into eternal
deed [y]: & afterwards he built a church there.

[6] Afterwards came a voice to him from heaven, that he should send the altar
into the sea. Then Cato sent Arthur, that he should inquire
about the altar; & it was announced to them, that in the mouth [z]
of Guellit it had landed, & the King said: Likewise give him twelve
parts of the field, where the altar had been found. Afterwards came
Carentocus, & built there a church & it was called
the City [aa] Carrov. But came a voice to him from heaven
& said, that he should go into exile & leave his family.
Here innumerable are buried in that city, [& finally died in Ireland.] nor are their names
named, & he alone proceeded to the island of Ireland,
& was buried on XVII Kal. of June in his city
preclare & best of all his
cities, which is called the city [bb] Chernacli. And he migrated in
peace: & peace he left, & peace he found, as is read; Blessed
the peaceful, because they shall be called sons of God. And again the Prophet
says: Precious in the sight of the Lord, the death of His Saints.
He was mindful that the carnal substance of this world
is fragile: all things, although now they are beautiful,
yet corruptible. To Zabulus he was greatly contrary,
gaining many men. O truly blessed life!
O worthy of the gifts of God! O truly blessed man! in whom
guile was not, judging no one, despising no one,
returning evil to no one for evil. Often
he wept for the blasphemers, who remains without stain,
with joy & glory, among the troops of Angels, in
ages of ages. Amen.

ANNOTATIONS.















p. Of these Magicians you will read many things in the Life of S. Patrick.

q. Alfordus in the year 489 no. 7 says, that Carentocus for thirty years sowed the faith in Ireland: & cites Capgrave's words, in which nothing else is said, than that thirty years before the birth of S. David Carentocus in Ireland began to converse.

r. Sabrina, commonly Severn, flowing through regions to the East of Wales, & between Monmouth & Gloucester Counties going under the sea.

s. So many Hibernian & Welsh Saints are praised for miracles, wrought on an altar floating on waters, that this matter cannot but be suspect.

t. Of Cato I have read nothing elsewhere: Arthur, by all writers most celebrated King of the Britons, in what time he began to reign is altogether ambiguous; his death most place in the year 542, & wish him as a youth in the year 493 to have fought at Mount Badonicum: wherefore Alfordus thinks that the beginning of his reign can be deferred to the year 508. It behooves therefore that the Britons find another Arthur, who could in Carentocus's return have reigned in some part of Wales. Since however we have above touched on the family fatuity in inventing genealogies, see also in Alfordus on the year 508 no. 8 how it is said that Arthur drew origin through his mother from that noble decurion Joseph of Arimathea, who buried the Lord: for they write, that Helanis nephew of Joseph begot Josue, Josue begot Aminadab, Aminadab begot Castellors, Castellors begot Mavael, Mavael begot Lambord son, who begot Igerna, from whom King Uterpendracon begot the noble & famous King Arthur.

v. Skinner in the latter part of his Etymological work alleges Camden, in the Paralipomena page 116 saying, that Car to the Britons signifies Marsh or Alder-grove: Car otherwise everywhere City is translated in proper names of places.

x. It seems therefore that Arthur's father was Cato: if truly these two ever reigned: therefore a little below, where the copy wrongly had, sent Cato Arthur, the correction which Dugdale had applied to the latter name, I transferred to the prior name & wrote Cato.

y. By Graphia I understand, public Instruments, or notarial as we now say.

z. Guellit mouth, is it where now is called Kidwellye in the County of Carmarthen? between the mouths of the Tobius & Logorius rivers, terminating the Kidwely hundred?

aa. Carew city, in the county of Devon is placed by Skinner; but here seems to be noted another of the same name in Wales.

bb. I would wish to learn from the Hibernians, whether such a city is known among them. Colganus in the Appendix after the Life of S. Kieran 5 March chap. 4 from two Carnechs, whom the Hibernian fasts name, that one who is venerated 16 May, & lived in the time of S. Patrick, says in the church of Tulen in Media has his veneration, & elsewhere calls him Bishop of Tubene: then from the Calendar of Cassel adds, British by origin, in the island of S. Baithenus to be buried. But Alfordus in the Index of Saints, asserts that the same called the village Caranton, in the Somerset country.

ON SAINT NEADIUS

THE WONDER-WORKER AMONG THE GREEKS.

[Commentary]

Neadius the Wonder-Worker, among the Greeks (S.)

G. H.

In the most celebrated Greek MS. Synaxarium of the
Church of Constantinople, which belongs to
the Clermont college of the Society of Jesus
at Paris, in these few words is mentioned this
Saint on XVI May. And the memory of our holy
Father Neadius. The same we found at Paris
in MS. Menaea of the Fathers Preachers of the Congregation of S.
Louis, as also in MS. Menaea preserved in the library of Cardinal
Mazarin, & in these he is surnamed Wonder-Worker.
Nor more hitherto about him could we draw out.
