itinerary of archibishop-第10章

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　health　in　the　church　of　St。　David's；　through　the　merits　of　its　saints。　　But　having　always　an　extraordinary　familiarity　with　unclean　spirits；　by　seeing　them；　knowing　them；　talking　with　them；　and　calling　each　by　his　proper　name；　he　was　enabled；　through　their　assistance；　to　foretel　future　events。　　He　was；　indeed；　often　deceived　（as　they　are）　with　respect　to　circumstances　at　a　great　distance　of　time　or　place；　but　was　less　mistaken　in　affairs　which　were　likely　to　happen　nearer；　or　within　the　space　of　a　year。　　The　spirits　appeared　to　him；　usually　on　foot；　equipped　as　hunters；　with　horns　suspended　from　their　necks；　and　truly　as　hunters；　not　of　animals；　but　of　souls。　　He　particularly　met　them　near　monasteries　and　monastic　cells；　for　where　rebellion　exists；　there　is　the　greatest　need　of　armies　and　strength。　　He　knew　when　any　one　spoke　falsely　in　his　presence；　for　he　saw　the　devil；　as　it　were；　leaping　and　exulting　upon　the　tongue　of　the　liar。　　If　he　looked　on　a　book　faultily　or　falsely　written；　or　containing　a　false　passage；　although　wholly　illiterate；　he　would　point　out　the　place　with　his　finger。　　Being　questioned　how　he　could　gain　such　knowledge；　he　said　that　he　was　directed　by　the　demon's　finger　to　the　place。　　In　the　same　manner；　entering　into　the　dormitory　of　a　monastery；　he　indicated　the　bed　of　any　monk　not　sincerely　devoted　to　religion。　　He　said；　that　the　spirit　of　gluttony　and　surfeit　was　in　every　respect　sordid；　but　that　the　spirit　of　luxury　and　lust　was　more　beautiful　than　others　in　appearance；　though　in　fact　most　foul。　　If　the　evil　spirits　oppressed　him　too　much；　the　Gospel　of　St。　John　was　placed　on　his　bosom；　when；　like　birds；　they　immediately　vanished；　but　when　that　book　was　removed；　and　the　History　of　the　Britons；　by　Geoffrey　Arthur；　｛75｝　was　substituted　in　its　place；　they　instantly　reappeared　in　greater　numbers；　and　remained　a　longer　time　than　usual　on　his　body　and　on　the　book。

It　is　worthy　of　remark；　that　Barnabas　placed　the　Gospel　of　St。　Matthew　upon　sick　persons；　and　they　were　healed；　from　which；　as　well　as　from　the　foregoing　circumstance；　it　appears　how　great　a　dignity　and　reverence　is　due　to　the　sacred　books　of　the　gospel；　and　with　what　danger　and　risk　of　damnation　every　one　who　swears　falsely　by　them；　deviates　from　the　paths　of　truth。　　The　fall　of　Enoch；　abbot　of　Strata　Marcella；　｛76｝　too　well　known　in　Wales；　was　revealed　to　many　the　day　after　it　happened；　by　Melerius；　who；　being　asked　how　he　knew　this　circumstance；　said；　that　a　demon　came　to　him　disguised　as　a　hunter；　and；　exulting　in　the　prospect　of　such　a　victory；　foretold　the　ruin　of　the　abbot；　and　explained　in　what　manner　he　would　make　him　run　away　with　a　nun　from　the　monastery。　　The　end　in　view　was　probably　the　humiliation　and　correction　of　the　abbot；　as　was　proved　from　his　shortly　returning　home　so　humbled　and　amended；　that　he　scarcely　could　be　said　to　have　erred。　　Seneca　says；　〃He　falls　not　badly；　who　rises　stronger　from　his　fall。〃　　Peter　was　more　strenuous　after　his　denial　of　Christ；　and　Paul　after　being　stoned；　since；　where　sin　abounds；　there　will　grace　also　superabound。　　Mary　Magdalen　was　strengthened　after　her　frailty。　　He　secretly　revealed　to　Canon；　the　good　and　religious　abbot　of　Alba…domus；　his　opinion　of　a　certain　woman　whom　he　had　seen；　upon　which　the　holy　man　confessed；　with　tears　in　his　eyes；　his　predilection　for　her；　and　received　from　three　priests　the　discipline　of　incontinence。　　For　as　that　long　and　experienced　subtle　enemy；　by　arguing　from　certain　conjectural　signs；　may　foretell　future　by　past　events；　so　by　insidious　treachery　and　contrivance；　added　to　exterior　appearances；　he　may　sometimes　be　able　to　discover　the　interior　workings　of　the　mind。

At　the　same　time　there　was　in　Lower　Gwent　a　demon　incubus；　who；　from　his　love　for　a　certain　young　woman；　and　frequenting　the　place　where　she　lived；　often　conversed　with　men；　and　frequently　discovered　hidden　things　and　future　events。　　Melerius　being　interrogated　concerning　him；　said　he　knew　him　well；　and　mentioned　his　name。　　He　affirmed　that　unclean　spirits　conversed　with　mankind　before　war；　or　any　great　internal　disturbance；　which　was　shortly　afterwards　proved；　by　the　destruction　of　the　province　by　Howel；　son　of　Iorwerth　of　Caerleon。　　At　the　same　time；　when　king　Henry　II。；　having　taken　the　king　of　Scotland　prisoner；　had　restored　peace　to　his　kingdom；　Howel；　fearful　of　the　royal　revenge　for　the　war　he　had　waged；　was　relieved　from　his　difficulties　by　these　comfortable　words　of　Melerius：　　〃Fear　not；〃　says　he；　〃Howel；　the　wrath　of　the　king；　since　he　must　go　into　other　parts。　　An　important　city　which　he　possesses　beyond　sea　is　now　besieged　by　the　king　of　France；　on　which　account　he　will　postpone　every　other　business；　and　hasten　thither　with　all　possible　expedition。〃　　Three　days　afterwards；　Howel　received　advice　that　this　event　had　really　come　to　pass；　owing　to　the　siege　of　the　city　of　Rouen。　　He　forewarned　also　Howel　of　the　betraying　of　his　castle　at　Usk；　a　long　time　before　it　happened；　and　informed　him　that　he　should　be　wounded；　but　not　mortally；　and　that　he　should　escape　alive　from　the　town。　　In　this　alone　he　was　deceived；　for　he　soon　after　died　of　the　same　wound。　　Thus　does　that　archenemy　favour　his　friends　for　a　time；　and　thus　does　he　at　last　reward　them。

In　all　these　singular　events　it　appears　to　me　most　wonderful　that　he　saw　those　spirits　so　plainly　with　his　carnal　eyes；　because　spirits　cannot　be　discerned　by　the　eyes　of　mortals；　unless　they　assume　a　corporeal　substance；　but　if　in　order　to　be　seen　they　had　assumed　such　a　substance；　how　could　they　remain　unperceived　by　other　persons　who　were　present？　　Perhaps　they　were　seen　by　such　a　miraculous　vision　as　when　king　Balthazar　saw　the　hand　of　one　writing　on　the　wall；　〃Mane；　Techel；　Phares；〃　that　is；　weighed；　numbered；　divided；　who　in　the　same　night　lost　both　his　kingdom　and　his　life。　　But　Cambria　well　knows　how　in　these　districts；　from　a　blind　desire　of　dominion；　a　total　dissolution　of　the　endearing　ties　of　consanguinity；　and　a　bad　and　depraved　example　diffused　throughout　the　country；　good　faith　has　been　so　shamefully　perverted　and　abused。



CHAPTER　VI



Newport　and　Caerdyf


At　Newport；　where　the　river　Usk；　descending　from　its　original　source　in　Cantref　Bachan；　falls　into　the　sea；　many　persons　were　induced　to　take　the　cross。　　Having　passed　the　river　Remni；　we　approached　the　noble　castle　of　Caerdyf；　｛77｝　situated　on　the　banks　of　the　river　Taf。　　In　the　neighbourhood　of　Newport；　which　is　in　the　district　of　Gwentluc；　｛78｝　there　is　a　small　stream　called　Nant　Pencarn；　｛79｝　passable　only　at　certain　fords；　not　so　much　owing　to　the　depth　of　its　waters；　as　from　the　hollowness　of　its　channel　and　muddy　bottom。　The　public　road　led　formerly　to　a　ford；　called　Ryd　Pencarn；　that　is；　the　ford　under　the　head　of　a　rock；　from　Rhyd；　which　in　the　British　language　signifies　a　ford；　Pen；　the　head；　and　Cam；　a　rock；　of　which　place　Merlin　Sylvester　had　thus　prophesied：　　〃Whenever　you　shall　see　a　mighty　prince　with　a　freckled　face　make　an　hostile　irruption　into　the　southern　part　of　Britain；　should　he　cross　the　ford　of　Pencarn；　then　know　ye；　that　the　force　of　Cambria　shall　be　brought　low。〃　　Now　it　came　to　pass　in　our　times；　that　king　Henry　II。　took　up　arms　against　Rhys；　the　son　of　Gruffydd；　and　directed　his　march　through　the　southern　part　of　Wales　towards　Caermardyn。　　On　the　day　he　intended　to　pass　over　Nant　Pentcarn；　the　old　Britons　of　the　neighbourhood　watched　his　approach　towards　the　ford　with　the　utmost　solicitude；　knowing；　since　he　was　both　mighty　and　freckled；　that　if　the　passage　of　the　destined　ford　was　accomplished；　the　prophecy　concerning　him　would　undoubtedly　be　fulfilled。　　When　the　king　had　followed　the　road　leading　to　a　more　modern　ford　of　the　river　（the　old　one　spoken　of　in　the　prophecy　having　been　for　a　long　time　in　disuse）；　and　was　preparing　to　pass　over；　the　pipers　and　trumpeters；　called　Cornhiriet；　from　HIR；　long；　and　CORNU；　a　horn；　began　to　sound　their　instruments　on　the　opposite　bank；　in　honour　of　the　king。　　The　king's　horse；　startling　at　the　wild；　unusual　noise；　refused　to　obey　the　spur；　and　enter　the　water；　upon　which；　the　king；　gathering　up　the　reins；　hastened；　in　violent　wrath；　to　the　ancient　ford；　which　he　rapidly　passed；　and　the　Britons　returned　to　their　homes；　alarmed　and　dismayed　at　the　destruction　which　seemed　to　await　them。　　An　extraordinary　circumstance　occurred　likewise　at　the　castle　of　Caerdyf。　　William　earl　of　Gloucester；　son　of　earl　Robert；　｛80｝　who；　besides　that　castle；　possessed　by　hereditary　right　all　the　province　of　Gwladvorgan；　｛81｝　that　is；　the　land　of　Morgan；　had　a　dispute　with　one　of　his　dependants；　whose　name　was　Ivor　the　Little；　being　a　man　of　short　stature；　but　of　great　courage。　　This　man　was；　after　the　manner　of　the　Welsh；　owner　of　a　tract　of　mountainous　and　woody　country；　of　the　whole；　or　a　part　of　which；　the　earl　endeavoured　to　deprive　him。　　At　that　time　the　castle　of　Caerdyf　was　surrounded　with　high　walls；　guarded　by　one　hundred　and　twenty　men…at…arms；　a　numerous　body　of　archers；　and　a　strong　watch。　　The　city　also　contained　many　stipendiary　soldiers；　yet；　in　defiance　of　all　these　precautions　of　security；　Ivor；　in　the　dead　of　night；　secretly　scaled　the　walls；　and；　seizing　the　count　and　countess；　with　their　only　son；　carried　them　off　into　the　woods；　and　did　not　release　them　until　he　had　recovered　everything　that　had　been　unjustly　taken　from　him；　and　received　a　compensation　of　additional　property；　for；　as　the　poet　observes；


〃Spectandum　est　semper　ne　magna　injuria　fiat　Fortibus　et　miseris；　tollas　licet　omne　quod　usquam　est　Argenti　atque　auri；　spoliatis　arma　supersunt。〃


In　this　same　town　of　Caerdyf；　king　Henry　II。；　on　his　return　from　Ireland；　the　first　Sunday　after　Easter；　passed　the　night。　　In　the　morning；　having　heard　mass；　he　remained　at　his　devotions　till　every　one　had　quitted　the　chapel　of　St。　Piranus。　｛82｝　　As　he　mounted　his　horse　at　the　door；　a　man　of　a　fair　complexion；　with　a　round　tonsure　and　meagre　countenance；　tall；　and　about　forty　years　of　age；　habited　in　a　white　robe　falling　down　to　his　naked　feet；　thus　addressed　him　in　the　Teutonic　tongue：　　〃God　hold　the；　cuing；〃　which　signifies；　〃May　God　protect　you；　king；〃　and　proceeded；　in　the　same　language；　〃Christ　and　his　Holy　Mother；　John　the　Baptist；　and　the　Apostle　Peter　salute　thee；　and　command　thee　strictly　to　prohibit　throughout　thy　whole　dominions　every　kind　of　buying　or　selling　on　Sundays；　and　not　to　suffer　any　work　to　be　done　on　those　days；　except　such　as　relates　to　the　preparation　of　daily　food；　that　due　attention　may　be　paid　to　the　performance　of　the　divine　offices。　　If　thou　dost　this；　all　thy　undertakings　shall　be　successful；　and　thou　shalt　lead　a　happy　life。〃　The　king；　in　French；　desired　Philip　de　Mercros；　｛83｝　who　held　the　reins　of　his　horse；　to　ask　the　rustic　if　he　had　dreamt　this？　and　when　the　soldier　explained　to　him　the　king's　question　in　English；　he　replied　in　the　same　language　he　had　before　used；　〃Whether　I　have　dreamt　it　or　not；　observe　what　day　this　is　（addressing　himself　to　the　king；　not　to　the　interpreter）；　and　unless　thou　shalt　do　so；　and　quickly　amend　thy　life；　before　the　expiration　of　one　year；　thou　shalt　hear　such　things　concerning　what　thou　lovest　best　in　this　world；　and　shalt　thereby　be　so　much　troubled；　that　thy　disquietude　shall　continue　to　thy　l