To quote M. Loth, whose gentle irony would be spoiled by translation, in his answer to M. Fawtier’s criticism: “Il (M. Fawtier) a été évidemment, d’avance, fâcheusement impressionné par le fait même d’avoir affaire à un _hagiographe et ce qui plus est_, comme il l’avoue sans détour _à un hagiographe breton_. Si nos hagiographes méritent une place d’honneur dans le martyrologe de la critique, c’est peut-être bien que nos vies de saints sont d’une assez basse époque: la vie de Samson mise à part, les deux plus anciennes ont été rédigées vers la fin du ix^e siècle.”
The text has been edited by M. Fawtier and published by MM. Champion (Paris). The reader should consult also the more critical notes on _S. Samson de Dol_, by Prof. Loth (Champion, Paris) and if possible a very illuminating little treatise, _La vie de S. Samson_, by M. L’Abbé Duine.
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A brief survey of the monastic and quasi-monastic foundations is required in order to determine if possible which of them, if any, were originally Celtic in character. It will suffice to take the _Monasticon_, as edited by Dr. Oliver, and to examine the charters and notes respecting the several houses and to check them by means of such other records as are available. Neither Sir William Dugdale nor Dr. Oliver distinguished between institutions which were Celtic and institutions which were the common heritage of Western Christianity.
If a monastery existed before the Norman Conquest their main purpose was to trace it back, if possible, beyond that date, and, having done this, to record its fortunes as it fared forth through the centuries which followed. This purpose they achieved by printing in chronological order all its charters, whether preserved as chirographs or as inspeximi[86] derived from Charter and Patent Rolls. The following list comprises all the Cornish religious foundations given in the _Monasticon_:
St. Petrock’s (Bodmin) Priory. St. German’s Priory. St. Michael’s (Mount) Priory. St. Stephen’s (Launceston) Priory. St. Buryan Collegiate Church. St. Crantock Collegiate Church. St. Cyricus, or St. Cyriacus, Priory. St. Probus Prebendal Church. St. Keverne Collegiate Church. St. Piran Collegiate Church. Minster or Talkarn Priory. Scilly Priory. Tregony Priory. Tywardreath Priory. St. Anthony, Cell of Plympton. St. Michael of Lammana Cell. Truro Convent. Endellion Collegiate Church. Glasney Collegiate Church. St. Michael’s (Penkevil) Collegiate Church. St. Teath Collegiate Church. Helston Hospital of St. John the Baptist. Liskeard Lazar-house.