A WELSH CLASSICAL DICTIONARY MABCLAF. See Gwawr (ap Llywarch Hen). MABENNA. See Mabyn. MABLE, ST. The saint of Llanfable (Llanvapley) in Gwent (PW 73). Nothing is known about this saint, who is presumably female. Mabli is the Welsh form of English Mabel. See LBS III.390 n.3. MABON, ST. The presumed saint of Llanfabon, a chapel subject to Eglwysilan, near Llandaf, Morgannwg (PW 65). Maenorfabon and Maenordeilo are two townships in the civil parish of Llandeilo Fawr (WATU p.106) although Fabon (=Maenorfabon) is also said to be a township in the parish of Llangadog (Fawr) (WATU pp.68, 125). Both parishes are in Ystrad Tywi. It is apparently the proximity of Maenor- fabon to Maenordeilo that suggested to Iolo Morganwg that Mabon was a brother of Teilo (Iolo MSS. p.107). There is no other support for this. See also Mabyn, St. MABON (ap Brychan). See Mabyn. MABON ap DEWENGEN. (Legendary). He is mentioned in a triad (TYP no.66) as the husband of Emerchred, one of the ‘Three Faithful Women’ of Ynys Prydain. See further s.n. Emerchred. MABON ap IDNO. (520) Mabon ab Idno ap Meirchion was evidently one of the Men of the North, being mentioned in the ‘Hanesyn Hen’ tract (ByA §13 in EWGT p.88). In the probably genuine Talisin poem on Gwallog (CT XI) there is a line (l.26): kat ynracuydawl a mabon, ‘A battle near Gwydawl with Mabon’(?), which suggests that there was a Mabon who fought with (for or against?) Gwallog ap Lleenog. Another poem in the Book of Taliesin, Kychwedyl am dodyw (BT 38-39), but probably not Taliesin's genuine work, describes the battles of Owain ab Urien. It mentions Mabon four times and 'mab Idno' occurs in the same poem. We learn that Mabon was a fierce warrior, but it is not clear whether he was for or against Owain: Unless they were to fly with wings they could not escape from Mabon without slaughter. (BT 39.3). See John Morris-Jones in Cy. 28 (1918) pp.198-9; TYP p.434. The mention of 'mab Idno' suggests that we have here Mabon ab Idno of the ‘Hanesyn Hen’ tract. Mabon's name seems to have survived in Lochmaben and Lochmaben Stone (Clochmabenstane) in Dumfreisshire, grid refs. NY 0882 and NY 3166. Compare CO(2) p.132. MABON ap LLYWARCH HEN. (550) He is mentioned only in late lists of the sons of Llywarch Hen. See note to ByA §5 in EWGT p.149. MABON ap MELLT. (Legendary). He is mentioned in the tale of ‘Culhwch and Olwen’ as having gone to Llydaw with Arthur in search of the two dogs of Glythmyr Ledewig (RM 134). He is also mentioned in the poem ‘Who is the porter?’ in the Black Book of Carmarthen (BBC 94, l.12) as one of Arthur's company: And Mabon son of Mellt, He spotted the grass with blood. (Trans. Rachel Bromwich in The Figure of Arthur by Richard Barber, 1972, p.70). Mellt = ‘lightning’. 491 A WELSH CLASSICAL DICTIONARY MABON ap MODRON. (Legendary). He appears in the tale of ‘Culhwch and Olwen’. We are told that ‘he was taken away from his mother when three nights old. It is unknown where he is, or what is his state, alive or dead.’ It was necessary to find him because there was no other huntsman in the world who could act as houndsman with Drudwyn, the whelp of Greid ab Eri, and the boar Trwyth could not be hunted without Drudwyn (WM 483, RM 123-4). In order to find Mabon it was first necessary to find Eidoel ab Aer, his nearest kinsman (WM 483-4, RM 124, 128). Having been found, Eidoel went along with Gwrhyr Gwalstod Ieithoedd and Cai and Bedwyr and they sought information from a number of ancient animals, the Ouzel of Cilgwri, the Stag of Rhedynfre, the Owl of Cwm Cawlwyd, the Eagle of Gwernabwy and finally the Salmon of Llyn Llyw. It was only this last animal which was able to give any information, and showed them that Mabon was imprisoned in Caerloyw [Gloucester]. No one was ever so cruelly imprisoned as he, neither Lludd Llaw Ereint nor Greid ab Eri (RM 128-131). Arthur summoned the warriors of Britain and assaulted the fort while Cai broke through the wall and took the prisoner on his back. Arthur came home and Mabon with him, a free man (RM 131-2). Later in the story we find him taking part in the hunting of the boar Trwyth, riding Gwyn Myngdwn, the horse of Gweddw, into the Severn in pursuit of the boar, and securing one of its treasures, a razor (RM 140-1). In the above tale Mabon's imprisonment is compared with those of Lludd Llaw Ereint and Greid ab Eri. However a triad (TYP no.52) says that the ‘Three Exalted Prisoners’ of Ynys Prydain were Llŷr Llediaith, Mabon ap Modron, and Gwair ap Geirioedd. In the poem ‘Who is the porter?’ in the Black Book of Carmarthen he is mentioned as one of the companions of Arthur (BBC 94, ll.6-7): Mabon am Mydron, the servant of Uthr Bendragon. Mabon ap Modron is also mentioned in the tale of ‘Rhonabwy's Dream’. Here he is one of forty- two counsellors of Arthur (RM 159). It is evident from what is said of him in ‘Culhwch and Olwen’ that Mabon was regarded as almost, if not quite, immortal. (John Rhys, Hib. Lect., p.627). That he was supposed to have died at last is proved by the fact that his grave is mentioned in the Stanzas of the Graves in Peniarth MS.98B: The grave on Nantlle's height, no one knows its attributes, - [The grave of] Mabon vab Mydron the swift. (No.16, in SG pp.136/7). Modron was the name of his mother. That of his father is never mentioned. This is not common in Welsh, but there are other examples of the use of matronymics. See Dôn, Gwyar, Iwerydd, Sefin (TYP p.433). Mabon derives his name from that of a Celtic deity, Maponos son of Matrona, ‘the youth (god) son of the mother (goddess)’ (TYP p.433, CO(2) p.132). See also W.J.Gruffydd in Cy. 42 (1931) pp.129-147. MABON GAWR. (Legendary). One of four brother giants said to have dwelt in Llansawel in Ystrad Tywi. His place was called Castell Fabon. (Peniarth MS.118 p.831, ed. and trans. Hugh Owen in Cy. 27 (1917) pp.132/3). The others were Dinas Gawr and Wilcin Gawr and Elgan Gawr. See the names. MABSANT ap CAW. See Caw of Prydyn. 492 A WELSH CLASSICAL DICTIONARY MABYN, ST. The saint of St.Mabyn, three miles east of Wadebridge in Cornwall. The episcopal registers from 1266 to 1415 at least, with one accord, make the saint a female. In LBS she is called Mabenna (III.390). Mabyn is evidently the same as Mabon listed in the early 14th century Life of St.Nectan as one of the children of Brychan. See EWGT p.29. William of Worcester in 1478 (Itineraries, ed John H.Harvey, 1969, p.62) and John Leland (Collectanea, 1770 ed., IV.153) both copied the name from the Life of St.Nectan as Maben. Nicholas Roscarrock (d.1634?) agreed and had no doubt that the saint was female. He wrote, under November 18: “Saint Maben ... for so she is called in St.Nectan's Life, was the daughter of St.Brechanus ...; unto this St.Maben there hath bene anciently a Church bearing her name, dedicated unto her in Cornwall four miles [north-north-west] from Bodmen ... there was I have heard ... a song or Hyme sung of her signifying that she had twentie thre brothers and sisters whereof St.Endelient and St.Menever were twoe, wh. is confirmed in St.Nectan's life.... Her ffeast is kept at the forenamed Church where it is likely that she lived and dyed November the 18 about the year 550.” See full quotation by G.H.Doble in S.Nectan, S.Keyne, and the Children of Brychan in Cornwall, “Cornish Saints” Series, No.25, pp.31-32. The parish fair at St.Mabyn was held on or about February 15 (LBS III.390). St.Mabyn appears, as a woman, in one of the sixteenth century windows of the church at St.Neot (LBS III.390, G.H.Doble, loc.cit., p.32). MACHES, ST. The saint of Llanfaches or Merthyr Maches in Gwent, near Caer-went (PW 79). She is probably the same as Machuta, a girl mentioned in the Life of St.Tatheus of Caer-went. She kept sheep committed to her care, but was killed by robbers so that they could steal a very fine ram in her flock. Tatheus built a church in her honour at the spot where she was killed, but her body was buried in the floor of the church at Caer-went (§13 in VSB pp.280-2). See LBS III.392-3. MACHRETH, ST. The saint of Llanfachreth, Môn, and of Llanfachreth, Meirionydd (PW 90, 96). Browne Willis gives his festival as January 1, and renders the church-name “Fanum Sancti Macariti” (LBS III.393). MACHU, MACHUDD, ST. See Malo. MACHUTA, ST. See Maches. MACHUTUS, ST. See Malo. MACLIAU, Count of Bro Weroc, c.560-577. His history is told by Gregory of Tours. He was persecuted by his brother Canao, Count of Bro Weroc, until he fled to Vannes and was consecrated bishop. See s.n. Canao. But on the death of Canao he renounced his holy calling, let his hair grow long again, recovered his wife, whom he had forsaken when he became a cleric, and at the same time took possession of his brother's territory.