Baring-Gould’s sources: Of local Gloucester veneration. Also at Oxford, where Aldate is called S. Auld, on the 14th June. Authority Geoffry of Monmouth's British Hist. vii. 15; vii. 7. See also Rees Essay on British Saints.] S. Aldatus, or Eldad, was a member of the choir of S. Illtyd or Iltud, situated at Lantwit Major in South Wales. Eldad’s pedigree is given thus: — Cadel Deyrullug married Guansddydd, and by her had Cynan Glodrydd, the father of Geriant, who was the father of Eldad, bishop of Gloucester, Eldol and Ysteg. Geoffry of Monmouth is the most untrustworthy of historians, but from him alone do we know anything of the events of the life of S. Eldad. In the meeting on Salisbury plain between the Saxons and Britons for the ratification of a treaty, Hengest suddenly exclaimed, “ Nemet oure Sexes !” (Take your swords) ! when the Saxons suddenly drew long daggers from under their cloaks, and fell on the British nobles, and massacred them to the number of four-hundred-and-sixty. S. Eldad buried the slain at Amesbury. Eldol, earl of Gloucester, defending himself with a stake, escaped, and placed himself at the head of the Britons. A poem, the Gododin, by the bard Aneurin, is supposed by some to relate to this act of treachery by Hengest and his Saxons. The Saxon Chronicle does not mention the massacre of Salisbury plain, nor even* mention Emrys.1 At a subsequent battle between Emrys (Aurelius Ambrosius) and Hengest, Eldol, earl of Gloucester, dragged Hengest out of a body of his troops by the frontal of his helmet ‘‘Then he called a council of his principal officers to deliberate what was to be done with 1 It mentions however a battle at Old Sarum between the Saxons and Britons In 55s. Malmesbury tells the story of the massacre, whence he drew his information it is impossible to say.

Hengest. There was present at the assembly Eldad, Bishop of Gloucester, and brother of Eldol, a prelate of great wisdom and piety. As soon as he beheld Hengest standing in the king’s presence, he demanded silence, and said, ‘ Though all should be unanimous for setting him at liberty, yet would I hew him to pieces. The prophet Samuel is my warrant, who, when he had Agag, king of Amalek, in his power, hewed him in pieces, saying, As thy sword hath made women childless, so shall thy mother be childless among women. Do therefore the same to Hengest, who is a second Agag.’ Accordingly Eldol took his sword, and drew him out of the city, and then cut off his head. But Aurelius (Emrys), who showed moderation in all his conduct, commanded him to be buried, and a heap of earth to be raised over his body, according to the custom of those pagans.”

The date of S. Aldate is not easy to fix. Some place him in the 5th, and some in the 6th cent. On the back of the episcopal throne at Gloucester is the inscription “S. Aldatus, Episcopus, a.d. 490,” and that is about his probable date.