Nobis or Novis [1] ( Welsh: Nyfys; [2] fl. c. 840) is traditionally considered to have been a bishop of Meneva (modern St Davids) in the medieval Welsh kingdom of Dyfed.
The arrival of a bishop is noted by the Annals of Wales, [3] which Phillimore's reconstruction places in AD 840. [4] Asser counts "Archbishop Nobis" as a relative [5] and Gerald of Wales and other sources later include him on their bishop lists for the see. [1] However, actual Latin of the Welsh annals read:
in the A text [4] and
in the B text. [6] Either could describe the arrival of a bishop named "Nyfys", [2] but the Latin can also be read directly as " Our bishop reigned in Meneva" ( Old Welsh: Miniu) and "A new bishop arrived". Similarly, the Latin of Asser's Life of King Alfred could be rendered "our bishop, my relative". [7] For the year 840, the Welsh Chronicle of the Princes ( Brut y Tywysogion) notes only that "The Bishop of Meneva died" [8] [9] but goes on to mention that "Einion, of Noble Descent, bishop of Meneva, died" in AD 871. [10] [11] This Bishop Einion passes unmentioned in Gerald or sources derived from him.