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Beunans Meriasek (English:The Life of Saint Meriasek) is aCornish play completed in 1504. Its subject is the legends of the life of SaintMeriasek or Meriadoc, patron saint ofCamborne,[1] whose veneration was popular in Cornwall,Brittany, and elsewhere. It was written in theCornish language, probably written around the same time and in the same place asBewnans Ke, the only other extant Cornish play taking a saint's life as its subject.
The manuscript ofBeunans Meriasek was completed in 1504 by Dominus Radulphus Ton (known from a note in thecolophon), who was probably a canon ofGlasney College.[1] It is now held in thePeniarth Collection at theNational Library of Wales.[2]
The legend ofMeriasek, son of aDuke of Brittany, who, for love of thepriestly profession, refused marriage with a wealthy princess and led the life of a miracle-workinghermit, first inCornwall and afterwards inhis native land; the legend ofSaint Sylvester, who healed the emperorConstantine the Great ofleprosy by a dip in thebaptismal font, and then aided him in establishingChristianity throughout his broad dominion; and the curious legend of a mother who, on theVirgin's continued disregard of herprayer for the deliverance of a son incaptivity, carried off theChrist Child from the arms of the Virgin's statue, and refused to yield up the baby to the Madonna until her own son was restored to her.[3]
