itinerary of archibishop-第1章

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The　Itinerary　of　Archibishop　Baldwin　through　Wales

by　Giraldus　Cambrensis





INTRODUCTION



Gerald　the　Welshman　…　Giraldus　Cambrensis　…　was　born；　probably　in　1147；　at　Manorbier　Castle　in　the　county　of　Pembroke。　　His　father　was　a　Norman　noble；　William　de　Barri；　who　took　his　name　from　the　little　island　of　Barry　off　the　coast　of　Glamorgan。　　His　mother；　Angharad；　was　the　daughter　of　Gerald　de　Windsor　｛1｝　by　his　wife；　the　famous　Princess　Nesta；　the　〃Helen　of　Wales；〃　and　the　daughter　of　Rhys　ap　Tewdwr　Mawr；　the　last　independent　Prince　of　South　Wales。

Gerald　was　therefore　born　to　romance　and　adventure。　　He　was　reared　in　the　traditions　of　the　House　of　Dinevor。　　He　heard　the　brilliant　and　pitiful　stories　of　Rhys　ap　Tewdwr；　who；　after　having　lost　and　won　South　Wales；　died　on　the　stricken　field　fighting　against　the　Normans；　an　old　man　of　over　fourscore　years；　and　of　his　gallant　son；　Prince　Rhys；　who；　after　wrenching　his　patrimony　from　the　invaders；　died　of　a　broken　heart　a　few　months　after　his　wife；　the　Princess　Gwenllian；　had　fallen　in　a　skirmish　at　Kidwelly。　　No　doubt　he　heard；　though　he　makes　but　sparing　allusion　to　them；　of　the　loves　and　adventures　of　his　grandmother；　the　Princess　Nesta；　the　daughter　and　sister　of　a　prince；　the　wife　of　an　adventurer；　the　concubine　of　a　king；　and　the　paramour　of　every　daring　lover　…　a　Welshwoman　whose　passions　embroiled　all　Wales；　and　England　too；　in　war；　and　the　mother　of　heroes　…　Fitz…Geralds；　Fitz…Stephens；　and　Fitz…Henries；　and　others　…　who；　regardless　of　their　mother's　eccentricity　in　the　choice　of　their　fathers；　united　like　brothers　in　the　most　adventurous　undertaking　of　that　age；　the　Conquest　of　Ireland。

Though　his　mother　was　half　Saxon　and　his　father　probably　fully　Norman；　Gerald；　with　a　true　instinct；　described　himself　as　a　〃Welshman。〃　　His　frank　vanity；　so　naive　as　to　be　void　of　offence；　his　easy　acceptance　of　everything　which　Providence　had　bestowed　on　him；　his　incorrigible　belief　that　all　the　world　took　as　much　interest　in　himself　and　all　that　appealed　to　him　as　he　did　himself；　the　readiness　with　which　he　adapted　himself　to　all　sorts　of　men　and　of　circumstances；　his　credulity　in　matters　of　faith　and　his　shrewd　common　sense　in　things　of　the　world；　his　wit　and　lively　fancy；　his　eloquence　of　tongue　and　pen；　his　acute　rather　than　accurate　observation；　his　scholarship　elegant　rather　than　profound；　are　all　characteristic　of　a　certain　lovable　type　of　South　Walian。　　He　was　not　blind　to　the　defects　of　his　countrymen　any　more　than　to　others　of　his　contemporaries；　but　the　Welsh　he　chastised　as　one　who　loved　them。　　His　praise　followed　ever　close　upon　the　heels　of　his　criticism。　　There　was　none　of　the　rancour　in　his　references　to　Wales　which　defaces　his　account　of　contemporary　Ireland。　　He　was　acquainted　with　Welsh；　though　he　does　not　seem　to　have　preached　it；　and　another　archdeacon　acted　as　the　interpreter　of　Archbishop　Baldwin's　Crusade　sermon　in　Anglesea。　　But　he　could　appreciate　the　charm　of　the　Cynghanedd；　the　alliterative　assonance　which　is　still　the　most　distinctive　feature　of　Welsh　poetry。　　He　cannot　conceal　his　sympathy　with　the　imperishable　determination　of　his　countrymen　to　keep　alive　the　language　which　is　their　differentia　among　the　nations　of　the　world。　　It　is　manifest　in　the　story　which　he　relates　at　the　end　of　his　〃Description　of　Wales。〃　　Henry　II。　asked　an　old　Welshman　of　Pencader　in　Carmarthenshire　if　the　Welsh　could　resist　his　might。　〃This　nation；　O　King；〃　was　the　reply；　〃may　often　be　weakened　and　in　great　part　destroyed　by　the　power　of　yourself　and　of　others；　but　many　a　time；　as　it　deserves；　it　will　rise　triumphant。　　But　never　will　it　be　destroyed　by　the　wrath　of　man；　unless　the　wrath　of　God　be　added。　　Nor　do　I　think　that　any　other　nation　than　this　of　Wales；　or　any　other　tongue；　whatever　may　hereafter　come　to　pass；　shall　on　the　day　of　the　great　reckoning　before　the　Most　High　Judge；　answer　for　this　corner　of　the　earth。〃　　Prone　to　discuss　with　his　〃Britannic　frankness〃　the　faults　of　his　countrymen；　he　cannot　bear　that　any　one　else　should　do　so。　　In　the　〃Description　of　Wales〃　he　breaks　off　in　the　middle　of　a　most　unflattering　passage　concerning　the　character　of　the　Welsh　people　to　lecture　Gildas　for　having　abused　his　own　countrymen。　　In　the　preface　to　his　〃Instruction　of　Princes；〃　he　makes　a　bitter　reference　to　the　prejudice　of　the　English　Court　against　everything　Welsh　…　〃Can　any　good　thing　come　from　Wales？〃　His　fierce　Welshmanship　is　perhaps　responsible　for　the　unsympathetic　treatment　which　he　has　usually　received　at　the　hands　of　English　historians。　　Even　to　one　of　the　writers　of　Dr。　Traill's　〃Social　England；〃　Gerald　was　little　more　than　〃a　strong　and　passionate　Welshman。〃

Sometimes　it　was　his　pleasure　to　pose　as　a　citizen　of　the　world。　　He　loved　Paris；　the　centre　of　learning；　where　he　studied　as　a　youth；　and　where　he　lectured　in　his　early　manhood。　　He　paid　four　long　visits　to　Rome。　　He　was　Court　chaplain　to　Henry　II。　　He　accompanied　the　king　on　his　expeditions　to　France；　and　Prince　John　to　Ireland。　He　retired；　when　old　age　grew　upon　him；　to　the　scholarly　seclusion　of　Lincoln；　far　from　his　native　land。　　He　was　the　friend　and　companion　of　princes　and　kings；　of　scholars　and　prelates　everywhere　in　England；　in　France；　and　in　Italy。　　And　yet　there　was　no　place　in　the　world　so　dear　to　him　as　Manorbier。　　Who　can　read　his　vivid　description　of　the　old　castle　by　the　sea　…　its　ramparts　blown　upon　by　the　winds　that　swept　over　the　Irish　Sea；　its　fishponds；　its　garden；　and　its　lofty　nut　trees　…　without　feeling　that　here；　after　all；　was　the　home　of　Gerald　de　Barri？　　〃As　Demetia；〃　he　said　in　his　〃Itinerary；〃　〃with　its　seven　cantreds　is　the　fairest　of　all　the　lands　of　Wales；　as　Pembroke　is　the　fairest　part　of　Demetia；　and　this　spot　the　fairest　of　Pembroke；　it　follows　that　Manorbier　is　the　sweetest　spot　in　Wales。〃　　He　has　left　us　a　charming　account　of　his　boyhood；　playing　with　his　brothers　on　the　sands；　they　building　castles　and　he　cathedrals；　he　earning　the　title　of　〃boy　bishop〃　by　preaching　while　they　engaged　in　boyish　sport。　　On　his　last　recorded　visit　to　Wales；　a　broken　man；　hunted　like　a　criminal　by　the　king；　and　deserted　by　the　ingrate　canons　of　St。　David's；　he　retired　for　a　brief　respite　from　strife　to　the　sweet　peace　of　Manorbier。　　It　is　not　known　where　he　died；　but　it　is　permissible　to　hope　that　he　breathed　his　last　in　the　old　home　which　he　never　forgot　or　ceased　to　love。

He　mentions　that　the　Welsh　loved　high　descent　and　carried　their　pedigree　about　with　them。　　In　this　respect　also　Gerald　was　Welsh　to　the　core。　　He　is　never　more　pleased　than　when　he　alludes　to　his　relationship　with　the　Princes　of　Wales；　or　the　Geraldines；　or　Cadwallon　ap　Madoc　of　Powis。　　He　hints；　not　obscurely；　that　the　real　reason　why　he　was　passed　over　for　the　Bishopric　of　St。　David's　in　1186　was　that　Henry　II。　feared　his　natio　et　cognatio；　his　nation　and　his　family。　　He　becomes　almost　dithyrambic　in　extolling　the　deeds　of　his　kinsmen　in　Ireland。　　〃Who　are　they　who　penetrated　into　the　fastnesses　of　the　enemy？　　The　Geraldines。　　Who　are　they　who　hold　the　country　in　submission？　　The　Geraldines。　　Who　are　they　whom　the　foemen　dread？　　The　Geraldines。　　Who　are　they　whom　envy　would　disparage？　　The　Geraldines。　　Yet　fight　on；　my　gallant　kinsmen；


〃　Felices　facti　si　quid　mea　carmina　possuit。〃


Gerald　was　satisfied；　not　only　with　his　birthplace　and　lineage；　but　with　everything　that　was　his。　　He　makes　complacent　references　to　his　good　looks；　which　he　had　inherited　from　Princess　Nesta。　　〃Is　it　possible　so　fair　a　youth　can　die？〃　asked　Bishop；　afterwards　Archbishop；　Baldwin；　when　he　saw　him　in　his　student　days。　｛2｝　　Even　in　his　letters　to　Pope　Innocent　he　could　not　refrain　from　repeating　a　compliment　paid　to　him　on　his　good　looks　by　Matilda　of　St。　Valery；　the　wife　of　his　neighbour　at　Brecon；　William　de　Braose。　　He　praises　his　own　unparalleled　generosity　in　entertaining　the　poor；　the　doctors；　and　the　townsfolk　of　Oxford　to　banquets　on　three　successive　days　when　he　read　his　〃Topography　of　Ireland〃　before　that　university。　　As　for　his　learning　he　records　that　when　his　tutors　at　Paris　wished　to　point　out　a　model　scholar　they　mentioned　Giraldus　Cambrensis。　　He　is　confident　that　though　his　works；　being　all　written　in　Latin；　have　not　attained　any　great　contemporary　popularity；　they　will　make　his　name　and　fame　secure　for　ever。　　The　most　precious　gift　he　could　give　to　Pope　Innocent　III。；　when　he　was　anxious　to　win　his　favour；　was　six　volumes　of　his　own　works；　and　when　good　old　Archbishop　Baldwin　came　to　preach　the　Crusade　in　Wales；　Gerald　could　think　of　no　better　present　to　help　beguile　the　tedium　of　the　journey　than　his　own　〃Topography　of　Ireland。〃　　He　is　equally　pleased　with　his　own　eloquence。　　When　the　archbishop　had　preached；　with　no　effect；　for　an　hour；　and　exclaimed　what　a　hardhearted　people　it　was；　Gerald　moved　them　almost　instantly　to　tears。　　He　records　also　that　John　Spang；　the　Lord　Rhys's　fool；　said　to　his　master　at　Cardigan；　after　Gerald　had　been　preaching　the　Crusade；　〃You　owe　a　great　debt；　O　Rhys；　to　your　kinsman；　the　archdeacon；　who　has　taken　a　hundred　or　so　of　your　men　to　serve　the　Lord；　for　if　he　had　only　spoken　in　Welsh；　you　would　not　have　had　a　soul　left。〃　　His　works　are　full　of　appreciations　of　Gerald's　reforming　zeal；　his　administrative　energy；　his　unostentatious　and　scholarly　life。

Professor　Freeman　in　his　〃Norman　Conquest〃　described　Gerald　as　〃the　father　of　comparative　philology；〃　and　in　the　preface　to　his　edition　of　the　last　volume　of　Gerald's　works　in　the　Rolls　Series；　he　calls　him　〃one　of　the　most　learned　men　of　a　learned　age；〃　〃the　universal　scholar。〃　　His　range　of　subjects　is　indeed　marvellous　even　for　an　age　when　to　be　a　〃universal　scholar〃　was　not　so　hopeless　of　attainment　as　it　has　since　become。　　Professor　Brewer；　his　earliest　editor　in　the　Rolls　Series；　is　struck　by　the　same　characteristic。　〃Geography；　history；　ethics；　divinity；　canon　law；　biography；　natural　history；　epistolary　correspondence；　and　poetry　employed　his　pen　by　turns；　and　in　all　these　departments　of　literature　he　has　left　memorials　of　his　ability。〃　　Without　being　Ciceronian；　his　Latin　was　far　better　than　that　of　his　contemporaries。　　He　was　steeped　in　the　classics；　and　he　had；　as　Professor　Freeman　remarks；　〃mastered　more　languages　than　most　men　of　his　time；　and　had　looked　at　them　with　an　approach　to　a　scientific　view　which　still　fewer　men　of　his　time　shared　with　him。〃　　He　quotes　Welsh；　English；　Irish；　French；　German；　Hebrew；　Latin；　and　Greek；　and　with　four　or　five　of　these　languages　at　least　he　had　an　intimate；　scholarly　acquaintance。　　His　judgment　of　men　and　things　may　not　always　have　been　sound；　but　he　was　a　shrewd　observer　of　contemporary　events。　　〃The　cleverest　critic　of　the　life　of　his　time〃　is　the　verdict　of　Mr。　Reginald　Poole。　｛3｝　　He　changed　his　opinions　often：　　he　was　never　ashamed　of　being　inconsistent。　　In　early　life　he　was；　perhaps　naturally；　an　admirer　of　the　Angevin　dynasty；　he　lived　to　draw　the　most　terrible　picture　extant　of　their　lives　and　characters。　　During　his　lifetime　he　never　ceased　to　inveigh　against　Archbishop　Hubert　Walter；　after　his　death　he　repented　and　recanted。　　His　invective　was　sometimes　coarse；　and　his　abuse　was　always　virulent。　　He　was　not　over…scrupulous　in　his　methods　of　controversy；　but　no　one　can　r