On account of their connection with the ancient faith such performances gave great offence to the Puritans. In 1581 "an Act against idolatrous and superstitious pastimes, especially against the Sanct Obert's Play," was issued by the Session. It seems to have had little effect, for again in 1587 the bakers were required "to take order for the amendment of the blasphemous and heathenish plays of Sanct Obert's pastime." Eventually in 1588, several "insolent young men" were imprisoned for their "idolatrous pastime in playing of Sanct Obert's play, to the great grief of the conscience of the faithful and infamous slander of the haill congregation." 17--St. Crunmael, Abbot. No particulars of the life of this saint are extant, beyond the fact that he was one of the Abbots of Iona. {179} 18--St. Flannan, Confessor. This saint was of Irish nationality; the precise period at which he lived is uncertain. The group of islands to the west of Lewis are called after him, the Flannan Islands. On the largest of these seven islands are the remains of a chapel known as _Teampull Beannachadh_ (St. Flannan's Chapel). This seems to indicate that the saint resided there at some period, though no record remains of the fact beyond the traditional designation of the ruins. The Flannan Islands have always been regarded by the people of Lewis with almost superstitious veneration. St. Manire, Bishop, A.D. 824. This was a saint of Scottish nationality, who laboured in Deeside. He was especially honoured at Crathie and Balvenie. He was a strenuous opponent of the idolatrous or superstitious practices which the half-barbarous people to whom he preached were accustomed to introduce into their worship of God. He is said to have mastered the many dialects then {180} spoken in the district which he inhabited, in order to be able to preach the Faith to all. 22--St. Ethernascus, Confessor. From his retired life and spirit of recollection this Irish saint was known as "Ethernascus, who spoke not," or "The Silent." He was one of the chief patrons of Clane, in the county of Kildare. It is difficult to determine what was his precise connection with Scotland, but his office occurs with a proper prayer in the Breviary of Aberdeen. The church of Lathrisk, in Fifeshire, was dedicated to St. Ethernascus conjointly with St. John the Evangelist. 23--St. Caran, Bishop, A.D. 663. This was an east country saint who was formerly held in honour at Fetteresso and Drumlithie in The Mearns, and at Premnay in Aberdeenshire. There are also traces of his _cultus_ in Strathmore, Caithness. At Drumlithie is a spring known as St. Carran's Well. His fair was formerly held on this day at Anstruther, Fifeshire. Some of these dedications {181} have been, by certain writers, accredited to another saint Kieran (September 9). No particulars of St. Caran's life are extant. St. Mayota or Mazota, Virgin, 6th century.