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The territory of Menevia was continually ravaged by raiders from sea and land, usually Northmen, and this would tend against the survival of true traditions of David, although Rhygyfarch claims to have had access to certain written sources. One of the first raids by Northmen on St. David's was in 795. From that date it had to endure much suffering. A list of recorded raids on St. David's during the century before Rhygyfarch shows clearly how perilous was the situation of that place: (1) 982: A Viking raid by Godfrey Haroldson. This was a general attack on South Wales, perhaps from Limerick. Dyfed was despoiled, and St. David's became the focus of attack for the next couple of decades. (2) 988: A widespread attack in which besides St. David's the monasteries of Llan- badarn Fawr, St. Dogmaels, Llancarfan and Llantwit were also ravaged. (3) 992: St. David's was once more destroyed. (4) 999: The Vikings again despoiled St. David's. This time they also slew the bishop, Morgeneu. Giraldus records the rather trivial tradition that in a vision to an Irish bishop Morgeneu had said, 'I ate flesh, therefore I have become flesh'.1 (5) 1002: Vikings again plundered Dyfed, but St. David's escaped. It may at that time not have been worth attacking. (6) 1012: Edwin Streona, earl of Mercia, led an English attack against St. David's. Danish ships were probably used. (7) 1022: Eilaf, a Dane in the service of Cnut, raided Dyfed and St. David's. (8) 1078: Abraham, bishop of Menevia, killed by raiders. (9) 1088: Complete destruction of the church of St. David. Probably it was on this occasion, which coincides with the episcopate of Rhygyfarch, that the ruins of the church were left desolate for seven years. Giraldus's Life of Caradog relates that a priest attempting to clear the site took several days to chop through the briars and brambles which had overgrown it. Rhygyfarch in writing the Life had to use such traditions of St. David as he found, without knowing whether they were true. If he possessed some written documents, they were perhaps only a few old ballads about the saint. There is evidence in the Life itself that its writer was ignorant of many important facts, and he was unable to range his traditional material in chronological order. His idea of St. David's life was obviously unreal, since he gives him a life-span of 147 years. Again he says that David founded the monastery of Glastonbury, and that he also blessed the waters of Bath so that from being poisonous they became possessed of healing properties. Coldingham (founded 650), Repton (founded 660) and Croyland (founded 716) are each ascribed to St. David as founder. David is even made the founder of the monastery of Leominster, which did not originate much before Rhygyfarch's time. One of the things which Rhygyfarch does not seem to have known is who Non was. He gives no details of her parentage. The name 'Non' can mean 'a nun', and one cannot help wondering whether the only basis he had for making her a nun