wild wales-第3章

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as　the　one　we　had　quieted；　reached　the　Peterborough　station　at　
about　six　o'clock　of　a　delightful　evening。　　We　proceeded　no　farther　
on　our　journey　that　day；　in　order　that　we　might　have　an　opportunity　
of　seeing　the　cathedral。

Sallying　arm　in　arm　from　the　Station　Hotel；　where　we　had　determined　
to　take　up　our　quarters　for　the　night；　we　crossed　a　bridge　over　the　
deep　quiet　Nen；　on　the　southern　bank　of　which　stands　the　station；　
and　soon　arrived　at　the　cathedral　…　unfortunately　we　were　too　late　
to　procure　admission　into　the　interior；　and　had　to　content　
ourselves　with　walking　round　it　and　surveying　its　outside。

It　is　named　after；　and　occupies　the　site；　or　part　of　the　site　of　an　
immense　monastery；　founded　by　the　Mercian　King　Peda；　in　the　year　
665；　and　destroyed　by　fire　in　the　year　1116；　which　monastery；　
though　originally　termed　Medeshamsted；　or　the　homestead　on　the　
meads；　was　subsequently　termed　Peterborough；　from　the　circumstance　
of　its　having　been　reared　by　the　old　Saxon　monarch　for　the　love　of　
God　and　the　honour　of　Saint　Peter；　as　the　Saxon　Chronicle　says；　a　
book　which　I　went　through　carefully　in　my　younger　days；　when　I　
studied　Saxon；　for；　as　I　have　already　told　the　reader；　I　was　in　
those　days　a　bit　of　a　philologist。　　Like　the　first；　the　second　
edifice　was　originally　a　monastery；　and　continued　so　till　the　time　
of　the　Reformation；　both　were　abodes　of　learning；　for　if　the　Saxon　
Chronicle　was　commenced　in　the　monkish　cells　of　the　first；　it　was　
completed　in　those　of　the　second。　　What　is　at　present　called　
Peterborough　Cathedral　is　a　noble　venerable　pile；　equal　upon　the　
whole　in　external　appearance　to　the　cathedrals　of　Toledo；　Burgos　
and　Leon；　all　of　which　I　have　seen。　　Nothing　in　architecture　can　be　
conceived　more　beautiful　than　the　principal　entrance；　which　fronts　
the　west；　and　which；　at　the　time　we　saw　it；　was　gilded　with　the　
rays　of　the　setting　sun。

After　having　strolled　about　the　edifice　surveying　it　until　we　were　
weary；　we　returned　to　our　inn；　and　after　taking　an　excellent　supper　
retired　to　rest。

At　ten　o'clock　next　morning　we　left　the　capital　of　the　meads。　　With　
dragon　speed；　and　dragon　noise；　fire；　smoke；　and　fury；　the　train　
dashed　along　its　road　through　beautiful　meadows；　garnished　here　and　
there　with　pollard　sallows；　over　pretty　streams；　whose　waters　stole　
along　imperceptibly；　by　venerable　old　churches；　which　I　vowed　I　
would　take　the　first　opportunity　of　visiting：　　stopping　now　and　
then　to　recruit　its　energies　at　places；　whose　old　Anglo…Saxon　names　
stared　me　in　the　eyes　from　station　boards；　as　specimens　of　which；　
let　me　only　dot　down　Willy　Thorpe；　Ringsted；　and　Yrthling　Boro。　　
Quite　forgetting　everything　Welsh；　I　was　enthusiastically　Saxon　the　
whole　way　from　Medeshamsted　to　Blissworth；　so　thoroughly　Saxon　was　
the　country；　with　its　rich　meads；　its　old　churches　and　its　names。　　
After　leaving　Blissworth；　a　thoroughly　Saxon　place　by…the…bye；　as　
its　name　shows；　signifying　the　stronghold　or　possession　of　Bligh　or　
Blee；　I　became　less　Saxon；　the　country　was　rather　less　Saxon；　and　I　
caught　occasionally　the　word　〃by〃　on　a　board；　the　Danish　for　a　
town；　which　〃by〃　waked　in　me　a　considerable　portion　of　Danish　
enthusiasm；　of　which　I　have　plenty；　and　with　reason；　having　
translated　the　glorious　Kaempe　Viser　over　the　desk　of　my　ancient　
master；　the　gentleman　solicitor　of　East　Anglia。　　At　length　we　drew　
near　the　great　workshop　of　England；　called　by　some；　Brummagem　or　
Bromwicham；　by　others　Birmingham；　and　I　fell　into　a　philological　
reverie；　wondering　which　was　the　right　name。　　Before；　however；　we　
came　to　the　station；　I　decided　that　both　names　were　right　enough；　
but　that　Bromwicham　was　the　original　name；　signifying　the　home　on　
the　broomie　moor；　which　name　it　lost　in　polite　parlance　for　
Birmingham；　or　the　home　of　the　son　of　Biarmer；　when　a　certain　man　
of　Danish　blood；　called　Biarming；　or　the　son　of　Biarmer；　got　
possession　of　it；　whether　by　force；　fraud；　or　marriage　…　the　
latter；　by…the…bye；　is　by　far　the　best　way　of　getting　possession　of　
an　estate　…　this　deponent　neither　knoweth　nor　careth。　　At　
Birmingham　station　I　became　a　modern　Englishman；　enthusiastically　
proud　of　modern　England's　science　and　energy；　that　station　alone　is　
enough　to　make　one　proud　of　being　a　modern　Englishman。　　Oh；　what　an　
idea　does　that　station；　with　its　thousand　trains　dashing　off　in　all　
directions；　or　arriving　from　all　quarters；　give　of　modern　English　
science　and　energy。　　My　modern　English　pride　accompanied　me　all　the　
way　to　Tipton；　for　all　along　the　route　there　were　wonderful　
evidences　of　English　skill　and　enterprise；　in　chimneys　high　as　
cathedral　spires；　vomiting　forth　smoke；　furnaces　emitting　flame　and　
lava；　and　in　the　sound　of　gigantic　hammers；　wielded　by　steam；　the　
Englishman's　slave。　　After　passing　Tipton；　at　which　place　one　
leaves　the　great　working　district　behind；　I　became　for　a　
considerable　time　a　yawning；　listless　Englishman；　without　pride；　
enthusiasm；　or　feeling　of　any　kind；　from　which　state　I　was　suddenly　
roused　by　the　sight　of　ruined　edifices　on　the　tops　of　hills。　　They　
were　remains　of　castles　built　by　Norman　Barons。　　Here；　perhaps；　the　
reader　will　expect　from　me　a　burst　of　Norman　enthusiasm：　　if　so　he　
will　be　mistaken；　I　have　no　Norman　enthusiasm；　and　hate　and　
abominate　the　name　of　Norman；　for　I　have　always　associated　that　
name　with　the　deflowering　of　helpless　Englishwomen；　the　plundering　
of　English　homesteads；　and　the　tearing　out　of　poor　Englishmen's　
eyes。　　The　sight　of　those　edifices；　now　in　ruins；　but　which　were　
once　the　strongholds　of　plunder；　violence；　and　lust；　made　me　almost　
ashamed　of　being　an　Englishman；　for　they　brought　to　my　mind　the　
indignities　to　which　poor　English　blood　has　been　subjected。　　I　sat　
silent　and　melancholy；　till　looking　from　the　window　I　caught　sight　
of　a　long　line　of　hills；　which　I　guessed　to　be　the　Welsh　hills；　as　
indeed　they　proved；　which　sight　causing　me　to　remember　that　I　was　
bound　for　Wales；　the　land　of　the　bard；　made　me　cast　all　gloomy　
thoughts　aside　and　glow　with　all　the　Welsh　enthusiasm　with　which　I　
glowed　when　I　first　started　in　the　direction　of　Wales。

On　arriving　at　Chester；　at　which　place　we　intended　to　spend　two　or　
three　days；　we　put　up　at　an　old…fashioned　inn　in　Northgate　Street；　
to　which　we　had　been　recommended；　my　wife　and　daughter　ordered　tea　
and　its　accompaniments；　and　I　ordered　ale；　and　that　which　always　
should　accompany　it；　cheese。　　〃The　ale　I　shall　find　bad；〃　said　I；　
Chester　ale　had　a　villainous　character　in　the　time　of　old　Sion　
Tudor；　who　made　a　first…rate　englyn　upon　it；　and　it　has　scarcely　
improved　since；　〃but　I　shall　have　a　treat　in　the　cheese；　Cheshire　
cheese　has　always　been　reckoned　excellent；　and　now　that　I　am　in　the　
capital　of　the　cheese　country；　of　course　I　shall　have　some　of　the　
very　prime。〃　　Well；　the　tea；　loaf　and　butter　made　their　appearance；　
and　with　them　my　cheese　and　ale。　　To　my　horror　the　cheese　had　much　
the　appearance　of　soap　of　the　commonest　kind；　which　indeed　I　found　
it　much　resembled　in　taste；　on　putting　a　small　portion　into　my　
mouth。　　〃Ah；〃　said　I；　after　I　had　opened　the　window　and　ejected　the　
half…masticated　morsel　into　the　street；　〃those　who　wish　to　regale　
on　good　Cheshire　cheese　must　not　come　to　Chester；　no　more　than　
those　who　wish　to　drink　first…rate　coffee　must　go　to　Mocha。　　I'll　
now　see　whether　the　ale　is　drinkable；〃　so　I　took　a　little　of　the　
ale　into　my　mouth；　and　instantly　going　to　the　window；　spirted　it　
out　after　the　cheese。　　〃Of　a　surety；〃　said　I；　〃Chester　ale　must　be　
of　much　the　same　quality　as　it　was　in　the　time　of　Sion　Tudor；　who　
spoke　of　it　to　the　following　effect：…


〃Chester　ale；　Chester　ale！　　I　could　ne'er　get　it　down；
'Tis　made　of　ground…ivy；　of　dirt；　and　of　bran；
'Tis　as　thick　as　a　river　below　a　huge　town！
'Tis　not　lap　for　a　dog；　far　less　drink　for　a　man。'


Well！　if　I　have　been　deceived　in　the　cheese；　I　have　at　any　rate　not　
been　deceived　in　the　ale；　which　I　expected　to　find　execrable。　　
Patience！　I　shall　not　fall　into　a　passion；　more　especially　as　there　
are　things　I　can　fall　back　upon。　　Wife！　I　will　trouble　you　for　a　
cup　of　tea。　　Henrietta！　have　the　kindness　to　cut　me　a　slice　of　
bread　and　butter。〃

Upon　the　whole　we　found　ourselves　very　comfortable　in　the　old…
fashioned　inn；　which　was　kept　by　a　nice　old…fashioned　gentlewoman；　
with　the　assistance　of　three　servants；　namely；　a　〃boots〃　and　two　
strapping　chambermaids；　one　of　which　was　a　Welsh　girl；　with　whom　I　
soon　scraped　acquaintance；　not；　I　assure　the　reader；　for　the　sake　
of　the　pretty　Welsh　eyes　which　she　carried　in　her　head；　but　for　the　
sake　of　the　pretty　Welsh　tongue　which　she　carried　in　her　mouth；　
from　which　I　confess　occasionally　proceeded　sounds　which；　however　
pretty；　I　was　quite　unable　to　understand。



CHAPTER　III



Chester　…　The　Rows　…　Lewis　Glyn　Cothi　…　Tragedy　of　Mold　…　Native　of　
Antigua　…　Slavery　and　the　Americans　…　The　Tents　…　Saturday　Night。


ON　the　morning　after　our　arrival　we　went　out　together；　and　walked　
up　and　down　several　streets；　my　wife　and　daughter；　however；　soon　
leaving　me　to　go　into　a　shop；　I　strolled　about　by　myself。　　Chester　
is　an　ancient　town　with　walls　and　gates；　a　prison　called　a　castle；　
built　on　the　site　of　an　ancient　keep；　an　unpretending…looking　red　
sandstone　cathedral；　two　or　three　handsome　churches；　several　good　
streets；　and　certain　curious　places　called　rows。　　The　Chester　row　
is　a　broad　arched　stone　gallery　running　parallel　with　the　street　
within　the　facades　of　the　houses；　it　is　partly　open　on　the　side　of　
the　street；　and　just　one　story　above　it。　　Within　the　rows；　of　which　
there　are　three　or　four；　are　shops；　every　shop　being　on　that　side　
which　is　farthest　from　the　street。　　All　the　best　shops　in　Chester　
are　to　be　found　in　the　rows。　　These　rows；　to　which　you　ascend　by　
stairs　up　narrow　passages；　were　originally　built　for　the　security　
of　the　wares　of　the　principal　merchants　against　the　Welsh。　　Should　
the　mountaineers　break　into　the　town；　as　they　frequently　did；　they　
might　rifle　some　of　the　common　shops；　where　their　booty　would　be　
slight；　but　those　which　contained　the　more　costly　articles　would　be　
beyond　their　reach；　for　at　the　first　alarm　the　doors　of　the　
passages；　up　which　the　stairs　led；　would　be　closed；　and　all　access　
to　the　upper　streets　cut　off；　from　the　open　arches　of　which　
missiles　of　all　kinds；　kept　ready　for　such　occasions；　could　be　
discharged　upon　the　intruders；　who　would　be　soon　glad　to　beat　a　
retreat。　　These　rows　and　the　walls　are　certainly　the　most　
remarkable　memorials　of　old　times　which　Chester　has　to　boast　of。

Upon　the　walls　it　is　possible　to　make　the　whole　compass　of　the　
city；　there　being　a　good　but　narrow　walk　upon　them。　　The　northern　
wall　abuts　upon　a　frightful　ravine；　at　the　bottom　of　which　is　a　
canal。　　From　the　western　one　there　is　a　noble　view　of　the　Welsh　
hills。

As　I　stood　gazing　upon　the　hills　from　the　wall　a　ragged　man　came　up　
and　asked　for　charity。

〃Can　you　tell　me　the　name　of　that　tall　hill？〃　said　I；　pointing　in　
the　direction　of　the　south…west。　　〃That　hill；　sir；〃　said　the　
beggar；　〃is　called　Moel　Vamagh；　I　ought　to　know　something　about　it　
a