Transcription by Jane Owen from notes made by Arthur Smith based on local aural history. ‘Nant y Gain’ Gain’ refereed to here, forms part of ‘Coed Nant Gain’. Eurgain’s presence is felt in the valley to this day after almost 1,500 years!
Yetanother severe winter seized the barren, northern hills. Maelgwyn Gwynedd, King of the Britons, showed increasing concern for his people, who were to face another trying winter of starvation. Cattle were dying from lack of fodder and the sturdy, warlike Britons lost strength with each successive day.
Maelgwyn called his chief together - the decision had been made - they would move south. There they would pillfer and plunder their more prosperous neighbors. It was, after all, a fight for survival, and fighting in any form was a worthwhile pastime to the warriors of the North.
The spring of 560 A.D. came with a burst of glory in those southlands. Life had been easy - there had been plenty of pickings from their raids, and Maelgwyn's queen had borne him a daughter. All seemed well.
But it was not so. The King of the Britons had contracted a fever. Too late he realized that the warmer marshlands had taken their toll - yellow fever, with death not far away.
Maelgwyn called for Garth, his steward, and with the last of his strength he bade Garth to strap the babe in his battle shield, to strap the shield to his back and to journey North without delay, carrying the small and precious burden.
The faithful Garth had but one destination - the safety and sanctuary of the babe's uncle - Asaph, 2nd Bishop of a diocese on the River Elwy.
Some short time previously, the first Bishop, Kentigern had, for several good reasons, decided to return to his homeland.
He had chosen from the ranks of his disciples the young man
Asaph to succeed him.
His choice had been a good one. Asaph was much loved and respected for his good works and fair justice.
Already places were taking on his honorable name Pantasaph, Llanasa among them.
After eight days continuous travel Garth arrived at the dwelling of Bishop Asaph. Upon receiving the child of his sister, he enquired of Garth 'How is she named?'
On being told, Asaph walked to the banks of the Elwy, stooped to the water and baptized her in the manner of Christians. And her name was Cain - for she was fair and pleasant to look upon.
The child grew in the loving care of her uncle; she won all hearts with her gentle, kindly ways.
She was quick to learn and she devoted herself to promoting the Christian Religion. The dark featured hill people loved to see her and they gazed in awe at her golden hair and fair skin.
But her tranquil life was to be rudely interrupted. There were those who were only too ready to persecute the followers of Christianity.
Every day brought new dangers and it was with regret that Cain left her home, to retreat to the quiet valley at the foot of Moel Fama.
There she built a cell-like dwelling and was content to live a solitary life of prayer and meditation.
Even in that remote valley (now known as Nant y Gain) danger was to persist. Bands of Saxon ruffians sought her.
On one occasion the humble spiders became her protectors. They spun their webs close and thick to hide her whereabouts. The unsuspecting ruffians passed close by, unaware of her presence.
Such was the gentle and good nature of Cain at this period of her life, that those who knew her began naming her Eurgain fairness of gold.
The few houses neighboring her valley of retreat took on her name - Cilcain - Cain's retreat.
However Eurgain was not to remain forever at Cilcain. She was needed elsewhere, for her brother had become King of North Wales and had much work on hand - quelling the Saxons.
This was a time of great persecution for practicing Christians, Their churches were attacked and laid waste; their homes were reduced to ashes; they were slain in their hundreds; they went about their lives in fear and dread, but still remaining stalwart to their faith.
Eurgain, again a target for Saxon brigands retreated once more to Cilcain and safety.
Throughout these trying years she devoted Her life to spreading Christianity among her more humble neighbors.
She was happy to join the lowly born folk and to share with them whatever wealth and food she had.
The situation eased and Eurgain was able to establish a home at Northop. There she hoped to promote her religion and to erect a fine church to the glory of God.
She gave freely to her lands - Cefn Eurgain and the adjoining Mynachlog. She poured her wealth into her church – Llaneurgain – and for a brief spell all seemed well.
It was not to last. Vicious attack followed vicious attack on the Church, and before long the barbarous Saxons had purloined the whole of the Church estate for themselves.
Following the horrible massacre of the monks of Bangor Iscoed, clergymen of all ranks were in a state of great agitation.
Thy scattered, traveling from place to place seeking safety. The more brave and energetic sought more than that. They needed to rebuild their churches and to erect even more places of worship.
The nobility gave support and many churches were established. During this period some of them remain to this day.
The time had come for Eurgain's marriage to a chieftain Elidyr Mwynvawr (or Elidyr the Courteous!) They set up home in Lancashire - a far cry from Llan Eurgain and its troubles,
Disaster struck again and Elidyr was slain at Aber Mewedus in Arvon, and there he was buried according to his rank. The sanctuary of St. Asaph is where she remained until her death.
She was buried with the customary tumulus raised over her, at a place near Rhuddlan. Her last resting place can still be seen - Crug Cain - Gain's Cairn.
Eurgain, the gentle Christian maiden, left more than a story many centuries old. She had touched with 'gold' the drab lives of the humble people. She had eased their burdens and had given them the stout strength of the Christian faith.
And they, in their admirable, lowly fashion in return, a most memorable and long lasting gift that of her name ever linked with the place she had frequented. |
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Roedd hi’n aeaf caled, diffrwyth yng Ngogledd Cymru ac roedd Maelgwyn Gwynedd, Brenin y Brythoniaid, yn fwyfwy pryderus am ei bobl oedd yn wynebu gaeaf arall o newyn. Roedd y gwartheg yn marw o ddiffyg porthiant a chollai’r Brythoniaid cadarn, rhyfelgar bob cryfder o’u cyrff gyda phob diwrnod a ai heibio.
Galwodd Maelgwyn ei Bennaeth ato a phenderfynodd y byddent yn symud tua canolbarth Cymru. Yno buont yn llwyddiannus yn dwyn ac yn ysbeilio oddi ar eu cymdogion. Doedd hyn, wedi'r cyfan, yn ddim ond mater o ymladd i oroesi. Roedd ymladd ar unrhyw ffurf yn ddifyrrwch gwerth chweil i ryfelwyr y Gogledd.
Gyda dyfodiad y gwanwyn yn y flwyddyn pum cant, chwe deg Oed Crist daeth bywyd yn ei ôl. Roedd y rhyfelwyr wedi dwyn llawer o eiddo yn ystod eu cyrchoedd ac roedd gwraig y Brenin Maelgwyn wedi rhoi genedigaeth i ferch fach. Roedd y Brenin ar ben ei ddigon.
Ond nid felly y bu hi am yn hir. Daliodd Brenin y Brythoniaid dwymyn. Yn rhy hwyr, sylweddolodd bod corstiroedd cynhesach y de wedi ei ddal yng nghrafangau’r dwymyn felen, fyddai’n arwain at ei farwolaeth.
Galwodd Maelgwyn am Garth, ei Stiward, a chyda'r mymryn olaf o egni oedd ganddo, gorchmynnodd i Garth glymu’r baban o fewn ei darian frwydr, yna clymu’r darian ar ei gefn a mynd ar daith i’r Gogledd yn ddi-oed, gan gario'r baich bach, hynod werthfawr gydag ef.
Dim ond un gyrchfan oedd gan Garth ffyddlon, sef Llanelwy, i sicrhau diogelwch a noddfa’r baban. Roedd ewythr i’r baban yn ail Esgob yn esgobaeth Llanelwy.
Ychydig amser ynghynt roedd yr Esgob cyntaf, sef Cyndeyrn, am nifer o resymau da, wedi penderfynu dychwelyd i'w famwlad.
Roedd wedi dewis o blith rhengoedd ei ddisgyblion ŵr ifanc o’r enw Asaff fel olynydd. Roedd wedi gwneud dewis da gan fod parch mawr at Asaff am ei weithredoedd da a chyfiawn.
Eisoes roedd llawer o lefydd yn arddel ei enw, llefydd fel Pantasaff a Llanasa, er enghraifft.
Ar ôl wythnos ddi-dor o deithio cyrhaeddodd Garth annedd Esgob Llanelwy. Ar ôl derbyn plentyn ei chwaer, holodd Garth beth oedd ei henw.
Ar ôl cael gwybod, cerddodd Asaff at lannau’r Afon Elwy, camu i'r dŵr a’i bedyddio hi yn y dull Cristnogol. Ei henw oedd Cain am ei bod yn dlws ac yn ddeniadol ei golwg.
Tyfodd y plentyn o dan ofal cariadus ei hewythr ac enillodd galon pawb oherwydd ei bod mor garedig. Roedd hi'n gallu dysgu’n gyflym ac roedd hi'n ymroddedig i hyrwyddo’r
grefydd Gristnogol. Roedd y brodorion pryd tywyll yn rhyfeddu at ei harddwch gan fod ganddi wallt euraidd a chroen golau.
Ond daeth ei bywyd tawel i ben yn ddirybudd. Roedd yna rai yn barod i erlid dilynwyr Cristnogaeth. Bob dydd wynebai beryglon newydd, a gyda gofid calon y gadawodd Cain ei chartref i encilio i ddyffryn tawel wrth droed Moel Famau. Aeth i fyw mewn ogof neu gell gyntefig ac roedd hi’n fodlon byw bywyd o weddi a myfyrdod fel lleian. Hyd yn oed mewn cwm anghysbell a elwir bellach yn Goed Nant Gain roedd perygl yn parhau. Roedd llu o anwariaid yn chwilio amdani. Yn ôl un chwedl honnir mai pryfed cop a’i hachubodd trwy nyddu gwe drwchus i guddio’i lleoliad rhag yr anwariaid a basiodd heibio heb sylwi ar ei chuddfan.
Cymaint oedd natur dyner a da Cain yn y cyfnod hwn o’i bywyd fel y dechreuwyd ei galw’n Eurgain, sef y ferch gain hefo’r gwallt lliw aur. Enwyd yr ychydig dai cyfagos yn y dyffryn yn 'Cilcain' sy’n golygu man encilio Cain. Fodd bynnag, nid oedd Eurgain i aros am byth yng Nghilcain. Roedd ei hangen rhywle arall gan fod ei brawd yn awr yn Frenin Gogledd Cymru ac roedd ganddo lawer o waith i’w wneud yn darostwng y Sacsoniaid.
Roedd hwn yn gyfnod o erlid mawr ar Gristnogion; llosgwyd eu heglwysi a dymchwelwyd eu cartrefi i’r llwch. Lladdwyd cannoedd ohonynt, ac roeddent yn byw bywyd o ofn ac arswyd, ond gan barhau i fod yn ffyddlon i'w ffydd. Enciliodd Eurgain, oedd unwaith eto’n darged i’r anwariaid, i fyw i Gilcain mewn diogelwch.
Trwy gydol y blynyddoedd hyn neilltuodd ei bywyd i ledaenu Cristnogaeth ymysg ei chymdogion. Roedd yn hapus i ymuno â'r werin dlawd ac i rannu gyda nhw pa gyfoeth neu fwyd bynnag oedd ganddi.
Ymhen amser gwellodd y sefyllfa a llwyddodd Eurgain i sefydlu cartref yn Llaneurgain. Yno roedd hi'n gobeithio gallu hyrwyddo ei chrefydd a chodi eglwys er gogoniant i Dduw. Rhoddodd yn hael o’i thiroedd a gwelir yr enwau Cefn Eurgain a Mynachlog yn yr ardal hyd heddiw. Tywalltodd ei chyfoeth i'r eglwys yn Llaneurgain ac am gyfnod byr roedd popeth yn dda.
Ond nid oedd hyn i bara. Dioddefwyd ymosodiadau milain ar yr Eglwys a chyn hir roedd y barbariaid wedi dwyn y cyfan o ystâd yr Eglwys. Yn dilyn cyflafan erchyll a laddodd fynachod Bangor Is y Coed, roedd y clerigwyr i gyd mewn argyfwng mawr.
Felly gwasgarodd pawb gan deithio o le i le i geisio lloches. Roeddent yn awyddus i godi mwy o eglwysi a llefydd addoli. Rhoddodd bonedd y cyfnod lawer o gymorth i godi a sefydlu eglwysi ac mae rhai ohonynt wedi parhau hyd heddiw.
Daeth yr amser i Eurgain briodi un o’r penaethiaid sef Elidir Mwynfawr (neu Elidir y Bonheddwr). Fe godasant gartref iddynt eu hunain yn Swydd Gaerhirfryn, yn ddigon pell o Laneurgain a'i thrafferthion.
Ond tarodd trychineb unwaith eto a lladdwyd Elidir yn Aber Mewedus yn Arfon, ac yno fe'i claddwyd yn ôl ei urddas.
Ciliodd Cain unwaith eto i Lanelwy ac yno yr arhosodd hyd ddydd ei marwolaeth. Claddwyd hi trwy godi carnedd drosti ar leoliad ger Rhuddlan. Gellir gweld y lleoliad hyd heddiw yn Crug Cain, sef carnedd Cain.
Gadawodd Eurgain, y Cristion addfwyn, fwy na stori ar ei hol. Roedd hi wedi cyffwrdd â bywydau’r werin bobl. Roedd hi wedi lleddfu eu beichiau ac wedi rhoi cryfder y ffydd Gristnogol iddynt. A’u rhodd hwythau iddi hi oedd rhoi ei henw hi ar y llefydd hynny lle bu’n byw, er coffa da amdani. |
