From
Thence We Passed Through Landewi Brevi, {142} That Is, The Church Of
David Of Brevi, Situated On The Summit
Of that hill which had
formerly risen up under his feet whilst preaching, during the period
of that celebrated synod,
When all the bishops, abbots, and clergy
of Wales, and many other persons, were collected thither on account
of the Pelagian heresy, which, although formerly exploded from
Britain by Germanus, bishop of Auxerre, had lately been revived in
these parts. At this place David was reluctantly raised to the
archbishopric, by the unanimous consent and election of the whole
assembly, who by loud acclamations testified their admiration of so
great a miracle. Dubricius had a short time before resigned to him
this honour in due form at Caerleon, from which city the
metropolitan see was transferred to St. David's.
Having rested that night at Lhanpadarn Vawr, {143} or the church of
Paternus the Great, we attracted many persons to the service of
Christ on the following morning. It is remarkable that this church,
like many others in Wales and Ireland, has a lay abbot; for a bad
custom has prevailed amongst the clergy, of appointing the most
powerful people of a parish stewards, or, rather, patrons, of their
churches; who, in process of time, from a desire of gain, have
usurped the whole right, appropriating to their own use the
possession of all the lands, leaving only to the clergy the altars,
with their tenths and oblations, and assigning even these to their
sons and relations in the church.
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