Saint 

There is a life of this saint written by Lifris or Leofric who was the son of Bishop Herwald (1056-1104). This is the most important of all the lives of Welsh saints written in Wales. There is also a life written in Brittany, by Albert the Great.

Gwynllyw, king of Gwynllywg, had married Gwladys, probably the grand-daughter of Brychan, and had carried her off. Cadoc was their son. Gwynllyw who was a lawless tyrant, had sent his robber bands into Gwent, beyond the Usk, and had carried off the cow of an Irish hermit, whose name was Tathan. The hermit went to the king to implore him to return his cow, but Gwynllyw retained him to baptise his child, and it was given the name of Cathmail. Although he was given this name, he is always known as Cadoc or Catwg. Later on, the boy was entrusted to the hermit to be educated at Caerwent, where he had a college that had been founded by Y nyr, king of that portion of Gwent. "And he, willingly receiving him, diligently instructed him for twelve years."

The story is told of Cadoc, as of so many other Celtic saints, that he brought live coals to his master in the lap ofhis habit; and that the place where the coals were concealed was well known till the first half of the eleventh century, and then forgotten. In this case there may be some basis off act. Cadoc may have discovered a seam of coal, not in Gwent, but in Morganwg, and this the natives continued to use until the irruption of the Normans when the place was abandoned and forgotten.

Cathmail or Cadoc retumed to his father, but having resolved on a spirituallife, he deserted his father's home and lands, and went into Morganwg, to the lands of his uncle Paul or Pol of Penychen.

There he wandered about alone in a marshy district, and coming suddenly on a herd of swine be-longing to Paul, scared and scattered them. The swineherd, incensed at this, raised his spear, and would have transfixed him, had not Cadoc told him his name and relationship to his master.

When Paul learned that his nephew was wandering homeless on his territory , he sent for him and offered him some land on which to settle. Cadoc gladly accepted the marshy valley where he had met the swineherd, and his uncle made it over to him.

In one part of the marsh, where there was higher ground, a swan had nested, and there also an old grey boar had its lair. As Cadoc was looking about for a suitable spot on which to erect his wattled cell, he disturbed the swan and the boar. The former flew away, but the boar retired reluctantly, and turned three times to look at the man who had invaded its retreat.

Cadoc staked out the ground, marking the spots where the boar had halted, and resolved to plant his monastery there, and build his church, refectory, and dormitory at the points where the beast had turned to watch him. He was soon joined by other young men, probably some of his fellow students who had no liking for the rowdy career of a man of war; and this was the beginning of the famous monastery of Llancarfan.

"Then the holy man undertook to throw up a large mound of earth, and to make therein a very beautiful cemetery , to be dedicated to the honour of God; in which the bodies of the faithful might be buried around the temple. The mound being completed, and the cemetery finished in it, he made four large paths over rising grounds about his cell." After that his buildings of wood were completed, and he looked for another site that would serve as a place of refuge in the event of political incursions or civil war, and chose a hil1-top, now Llanfeithin, and there also he threw up a mound that was circular and on it erected a castle, called Castell Cadog.

The biographer goes on to relate how, "after a long space of time," Cadoc left his monastery and went to Ireland. There he studied for three years, probably under Carthagh, at Saighir. He returned from Ireland with a large company of Irish and British clergy , including Finnian. Instead of going straight back to Llancarfan, as we might have expected, he placed himself under a celebrated rhetorician, Bachan, in Brecknock. Bachan "had come from Italy" and Cadoc  "much desired to be taught Latin after the method of the Romans.

Llanspyddid was over against the Romano-British town, now Y Gaer, and which may have been called by the Romans Bannium. At the entrance to the church of Llanspyddid lay Anlach, the father of Brychan, and grandfather or great-grandfather of Cadoc. Whilst Cadoc studied at Llanspyddid, famine raged in the land, and the master and his pupils were in dire straits for food. However, Cadoc observed a mouse carrying a grain of wheat. He succeeded in catching it, and borrowing a thread from a widow, tied it to the mouse's foot and let it run; whereupon it darted into a hole. Cadoc dug on the spot, and discovered an underground chamber stored with grain. Such secret granaries were by no means uncommon, and are found in many ancient Welsh and Scottish forts. Or it may have been that one of the hypocausts that have been discovered at Y Gaer had been used as a storehouse for grain. On this supply the master and his pupils were able to live for some time.

Brychan now gave the land at Llanspyddid to his grandson Cadoc, who appointed his teacher Bachan to be abbot there, and departed. It is possible that to this period belongs the foundation Llangadog Fawr in Carmarthenshire, also in Brychan territory. It is possibly whilst Cadoc was at Llangadog that he was annoyed by Sawyl Benuchel, a ruffian who was established nearby (and who may have become converted in his old age, for there is a Llansawel there). This Sawyl Benuchel should not be confounded with the brother of Dunawd, who had the same name.

A story goes that one day Sawyl and his party broke into St. Cadoc's monastery and carried off meat and drink. Cadoc was absent at the time, but on his return he was informed that they were a little distance away, eating and drinking. After they had gorged themselves with meat and ale, Sawyl and his rogues lay down to sleep. Cadoc seized the opportunity to inflict on them astringing insult.

He set his monks to shave half the heads of the drunken men, and then with the razors to slash off the ears and lips of the horses. When the barbers had done their work, Cadoc and fifty of his monks assumed their ecclesiastical dress, and marched in procession to meet, and if at all possible, mitigate the resentment of the freebooter.

The story says that the earth opened and swallowed up Sawyl and his men. Perhaps some of them perished in a bog afterwards? In any case, they would probably have been ashamed to have been seen around those parts again.

After this, Cadoc sung Te Deum, and blessed the men who had made his adversaries ridiculous. About this time, Cadoc seems to have returned to his original settlement at Llancarfan, which he found deserted and in ruins. "He beheld the principal monastery destroyed, and the rafters of the roofs and the rubbish of the building scattered over the cemetery; and grieving at the ruin, he earnestly desired to rebuild it." He ordered all his monks, clerics and workmen, to go into the woods and cut timber for the structure.

There is a story that two Irish youths were exempted from this labour, namely Finnian and Macmoil, but Finnian was no doubt older than Cadoc. The steward, cook, and sexton seeing these Irish reading, ordered them to work in the woods. Finnian left his book on the ground where it was not affected by a rain shower, and Cadoc erected an oratory dedicated to him over the spot. This episode may have been included by the biographer in an attempt to explain the existence of a Finnian chapel there; it was more likely erected there by Cadoc simply in honour of his friend. About this time, Cadoc's father Gwynllyw fell sick and died. Before his death he had been converted by his son. And when he felt himself dying he sent for Cadoc and Bishop Dyfrig. "And they came to the sick person and gave him penance, exhorting and comforting him with salutary doctrine. After this, the bishop pronounced absolution and apostolically benediction."

About this time also, Gildas passed through Penychen, and visited Cadoc. He had with him a bell, to which Cadoc took a fancy, and which he offered to buy; but Gildas refused to part with it, saying he intended it for the Bishop of Rome. Later, however, Gildas gave the bell to Cadoc, saying that the Bishop of Rome had declined it when he heard that so illustrious a man had expressed a desire to possess it. Cadoc seems to have believed this flattery, but has it been added?

It would appear that Gildas visited Llancarfan in 528. Cadoc seized on the occasion to ask Gildas to take charge of his monastery for him, whilst he himself went into Alba (Scotland). To this Gildas consented.

Before Cadoc left for the north, Gildas and David had fallen out over which of them should be head of ecclesiastics in Dyfed. Cadoc avoided being personally involved in this matter, and passed the thankless task to his friend St. Finnian, later Finnian of Clonard. The judgment was in favour of David, and Cadoc now departed for Alba where he built a monastery of stone "near the mountain Bannauc."

The mountain Bannauc seems to be the Cathkin Hills near Carmunnock, and the monastery seems to have been at Cambuslang close by. A curious story attaches to the founding oftbis monastery in Scotland. Whilst digging the foundations, Cadoc came across some bones, and prayed that it might be revealed to him whose they were. That night a gigantic man appeared to him and told him that they were his earthly remains, and that he was Caw, surnamed Prydyn, and that he had been king beyond the mountain range (i.e. in Strathclyde) but had fallen there in battle. What seems to be the explanation is that at the request of Gildas, Cadoc had sought out the burial mound of his father, Caw of Cwm Cawlwyd, who had been engaged in conflict with the Gwyddyl Ffichti from Ireland, and had lost his territory to them.

Then as a token of friendly feeling to Gildas, Cadoc erected bis monastery over the tomb of the father of that saint. Caw is similar to Cawr, a giant, wbich may have given the idea in the legend that Caw was of gigantic proportions.

On the return of Cadoc to Llancarfan, he resumed the rule over bis abbey, and Gildas retired to Glastonbury; but these two friends were wont during Lent to retreat to the Steep and Flat Holmes (islands) in the Severn estuary, for prayer and meditation, broken only by visits to one another.

Cadoc's monastery at Llancarfan had grown to one of great importance and wealth. The legend represents bis power there as princely. "He daily fed a hundred clergy , and a hundred soldiers, and a hundred workmen, and a hundred poor men, with the same number of widows. This was the number of his household, besides servants in attendance, and esquires, and guests, whose number was uncertain, and a multitude of whom used to visit him frequently.

Nor is it strange that he was a rich man and supported many, for he was abbot and prince over the territory (Gwynllywg) of his father from Ffynnon Hen, that is, the Old Well, as far as the mouth of the river Rumney, and he possessed the whole territory from the river Golych as far as the river Dawon, from Pentyrch right on to the valley of Nantcarfan, and from that valley to the river Gurimi, that is, the Lesser Rumney, towards the sea."

About the year 534 Gildas went back to his monastic settlement at Ruys in Armorica. It is possible that Cadoc also went to Brittany "with a few of his monks," about this time. Lifris says that he went there after his father's death. It is, however, possible that Cadoc's visit to Armorica took place at the time of the outbreak of the yellow plague, in 547, when many clerics from South Wales fled to Brittany. Cadoc also made a pilgrimage to Jerusalem and Rome; it is possible in fact that he visited Armorica more than once, stopping off to visit Gildas on the way from, or to Rome, and returning there at a later date.

It was during one of Cadoc's journeys abroad that the Synod of Llandewi Brefi was held, perhaps in 545 or 546, before the outbreak of the yellow plague. It could not have been later than 552, for Finnian of Clonard died in that year , and it was he who was deputed to tell Cadoc about it. Cadoc was furious at such a meeting having been held without his being consulted and invited to be present. And his resentment was specially directed against David, for the leading part he had taken in it. In his wrath he proceeded to "fast against" David; he was on1y induced to desist when it was shown him that his conduct was contrary to principles of Christian charity.

When in Armorica, Cadoc settled an island in the near land-locked sea of Belz, now known as the Ile de S. Cadou. This island is linked to the ne de S. Cadou, near Be1z. main1and by a causeway made of massive blocks of granite brought from the neighbouring moors. This is attributed to St. Cadoc. "He erected an elegant church with stones, and afterwards caused to be built by masons a stone bridge skilfully constructed with arched work and having its arches cemented with mortar .”Such is the description given by Lifris. Actually, there are no arches, and the blocks of stone were never laid in mortar .In the south transept of the chapel is structure of granite blocks ca1led St. Cadoc's bed.

But to return to Britain, there are a few more stories concerning Cadoc: One tale is that he converted St. Illtyd, after the latter's hunting companions had been swa1lowed up by the earth. This story reminds us of the one about Sawyl Benuchel. It seems likely that Illtyd went hunting in the swamp near where St. Cadoc built his monastery. Perhaps his companions lost their lives, and Illtyd himself on1y just escaped, leading him to think of religion. It snot certain that St. Cadoc was involved.

It is possible that this legend was put forward order to support the precedence of St. Cadoc's monastery over the rival house founded by St. Illtyd.

Another story tells of one Ligessauc Lawhir, who had killed three of Arthur's knights, and then been given seven years sanctuary by Cadoc. When Arthur eventua1ly found out where this man was, he marched to the banks of the Usk and demanded that the case should be gone into formally. Cadoc got a number of Saints to act on his behalf, including David, Teilo, and Aidan, and the discussion was conducted across the muddy river in shouts. At last it was settled by the judges that Arthur should receive three good oxen for each of his men that had been slain.

Cadoc also became involved in a quarrel with Maelgwn, a1though he was not to blame. Maelgwn had sent his receivers of tribute into Gwynllywn, and, finding that Cadoc's steward had a pretty daughter, they carried her off. Thereupon the men of the neighbourhood assembied, pursued the ravishers, ki1led some and wounded others, and recovered the girl.

Maelgwn was furious, and marched to the frontiers of Gwynllywn to lay it waste with fire and sword. The inhabitants in alarm sent word to Cadoc, who at once went to Maelgwn and explained to him the affair in its true light, and succeeded in pacifying him.

During the life of Maelgwn, that prince took care not to offend Cadoc, and he laid strict injunctions on his son Rhun, when he was pillaging South Wales, not to meddle with the possessions of the Abbot of Llancarfan.

However, one day when Rhun was on a plundering foray, and was in his tent playing dice with some eunuchs, some of his men went to a dairy on the possessions of Cadoc, and being thirsty asked for milk. The dairyman refused, and the men, high1y incensed, set fire to the bam. The wind carried the smoke to where Rhun was, and he inquired what was burning. When told he sent for Cadoc and apologized for what had been done, assured him it was against his express orders, and to make compensation, gave him his sword, shield and spear.

Rhain, son of Brychan, king of Brycheiniog, "plundered and laid waste" the province of Gwynllywg to the sea. Thereupon the men of Gwynllywg rose in a body, pursued the marauder and defeated him in one battle after another and captured him, but dared not put him to death, because he was of the kin of Cadoc, whose mother was Gwladys, sister of this ruffian. Cadoc, hearing of the straits Rhain was in, went to him, and obtained his liberation.

Cadoc probably went to Ireland in his old age. King Ainmire summoned Gildas to assist in the reviving of religion in Ireland, and he probably extended the invitation to Cadoc and David as all three saints are considered as having given forms of the Mass. Whether David went there, or just sent advice, is not known. This was probably in 564. Cadoc was granted lands on the bank of the Liffey, but he probably did not stay there long.

Cadoc was now advanced in years, and on his return to Llancarfan he found the management of so large an establishment beyond his strength. He nominated EIli, a favourite disciple, as his successor.

He left the brethren of Llancarfan a book of the Gospels, and appointed that all trials and settlements of disputes should take place under a hazel tree he had planted. After that, he departed, disappearing into a cloud that conveyed him to Beneventum, which may be a way of saying that he disappeared from view in the Welsh mist. Elli was to report to him once a year on the affairs of Llancarfan.

When he arrived at Beneventum, he was elected abbot over the large community of monks which had just lost its superior. He found that the walls were in ruins, full of gaps, and he got the inhabitants to repair the defences with stone. Not long after, he was made bishop, but did not rule for long.

A hostile force attacked the place, broke in, plundering and killing; and a soldier entering the church, transfixed Cadoc with a spear.

For a while the body of the murdered remained at Beneventum, and a church was built over it; but a taboo was placed on all Britons who were not suffered to enter the town was eventually relaxed, and the monks of Lancarfan were allowed to carry off the body. But even at Llancarfan it was not safe. A certain Eilaf, heading a marauding band, drove the monks from their monastery , and as they fled with the founder's body, an irreverent pagan struck the shrine with his staff; whereupon, from within, Cadoc "roared like a bull."

The location of this Beneventum is not certain. It was probably not the Beneventum in Southern Italy. A reasonable guess is that the name is a Latinization of a British name, Ban meaning hill or mountain, and Gwent meaning open country, and not just the part of Wales called by that name. Possibly Cadoc went back to end his days where he had begun under his master Bachan, at the old Romano-British town of Y Gaer Fenni, supposed to be the ancient Bannium, near modern Brecon.

Place names near the Roman site include a hill called I Fenny, a wood call Fenni, and a farm called Fenni Fach, all having the 'ven' of Beneventum. One difficulty with this location is that Britons were prevent entering the town after Cadoc's death. Perhaps this was an Irish Goidelic settlement, at a time when the Britons were trying to expel the Irish, and this would explain the taboo on Britons there.