itinerary of archibishop-第13章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


eastern　side；　a　safe　refuge；　in　times　of　danger；　to　the　inhabitants　of　South　Wales；　on　account　of　its　thick　woods；　where　is　also　the　castle　of　Dinevor；　｛99｝　built　on　a　lofty　summit　above　the　Tywy；　the　royal　seat　of　the　princes　of　South　Wales。　　In　ancient　times；　there　were　three　regal　palaces　in　Wales：　　Dinevor　in　South　Wales；　Aberfrau　in　North　Wales；　situated　in　Anglesea；　and　Pengwern　in　Powys；　now　called　Shrewsbury　（Slopesburia）；　Pengwern　signifies　the　head　of　a　grove　of　alders。　Recalling　to　mind　those　poetical　passages：


〃Dolus　an　virtus　quis　in　hoste　requirat？〃


and


〃Et　si　non　recte　possis　quocunque　modo　rem；〃


my　pen　shrinks　with　abhorrence　from　the　relation　of　the　enormous　vengeance　exercised　by　the　court　against　its　vassals；　within　the　comot　of　Caeo；　in　the　Cantref　Mawr。　　Near　Dinevor；　on　the　other　side　of　the　river　Tywy；　in　the　Cantref　Bychan；　or　the　little　cantred；　there　is　a　spring　which；　like　the　tide；　ebbs　and　flows　twice　in　twenty…four　hours。　｛100｝　　Not　far　to　the　north　of　Caermardyn；　namely　at　Pencadair；　｛101｝　that　is；　the　head　of　the　chair；　when　Rhys；　the　son　of　Gruffydd；　was　more　by　stratagem　than　force　compelled　to　surrender；　and　was　carried　away　into　England；　king　Henry　II。　despatched　a　knight；　born　in　Britany；　on　whose　wisdom　and　fidelity　he　could　rely；　under　the　conduct　of　Guaidanus；　dean　of　Cantref　Mawr；　to　explore　the　situation　of　Dinevor　castle；　and　the　strength　of　the　country。　　The　priest；　being　desired　to　take　the　knight　by　the　easiest　and　best　road　to　the　castle；　led　him　purposely　aside　by　the　most　difficult　and　inaccessible　paths；　and　wherever　they　passed　through　woods；　the　priest；　to　the　general　surprise　of　all　present；　fed　upon　grass；　asserting　that；　in　times　of　need；　the　inhabitants　of　that　country　were　accustomed　to　live　upon　herbs　and　roots。　　The　knight　returning　to　the　king；　and　relating　what　had　happened；　affirmed　that　the　country　was　uninhabitable；　vile；　and　inaccessible；　and　only　affording　food　to　a　beastly　nation；　living　like　brutes。　　At　length　the　king　released　Rhys；　having　first　bound　him　to　fealty　by　solemn　oaths　and　the　delivery　of　hostages。

On　our　journey　from　Caermardyn　towards　the　Cistercian　monastery　called　Alba　Domus；　｛102｝　the　archbishop　was　informed　of　the　murder　of　a　young　Welshman；　who　was　devoutly　hastening　to　meet　him；　when　turning　out　of　the　road；　he　ordered　the　corpse　to　be　covered　with　the　cloak　of　his　almoner；　and　with　a　pious　supplication　commended　the　soul　of　the　murdered　youth　to　heaven。　　Twelve　archers　of　the　adjacent　castle　of　St。　Clare；　｛103｝　who　had　assassinated　the　young　man；　were　on　the　following　day　signed　with　the　cross　at　Alba　Domus；　as　a　punishment　for　their　crime。　　Having　traversed　three　rivers；　the　Taf；　then　the　Cleddeu；　under　Lanwadein；　｛104｝　and　afterwards　another　branch　of　the　same　river；　we　at　length　arrived　at　Haverford。　　This　province；　from　its　situation　between　two　rivers；　has　acquired　the　name　of　Daugleddeu；　｛105｝　being　enclosed　and　terminated；　as　it　were；　by　two　swords；　for　cleddue；　in　the　British　language；　signifies　a　sword。



CHAPTER　XI



Of　Haverford　and　Ros


A　sermon　having　been　delivered　at　Haverford　｛106｝　by　the　archbishop；　and　the　word　of　God　preached　to　the　people　by　the　archdeacon；　whose　name　appears　on　the　title…page　of　this　work；　many　soldiers　and　plebeians　were　induced　to　take　the　cross。　　It　appeared　wonderful　and　miraculous；　that；　although　the　archdeacon　addressed　them　both　in　the　Latin　and　French　tongues；　those　persons　who　understood　neither　of　those　languages　were　equally　affected；　and　flocked　in　great　numbers　to　the　cross。

An　old　woman　of　those　parts；　who　for　three　preceding　years　had　been　blind；　having　heard　of　the　archbishop's　arrival；　sent　her　son　to　the　place　where　the　sermon　was　to　be　preached；　that　he　might　bring　back　to　her　some　particle；　if　only　of　the　fringe　of　his　garment。　　The　young　man　being　prevented　by　the　crowd　from　approaching　the　archbishop；　waited　till　the　assembly　was　dispersed；　and　then　carried　a　piece　of　the　earth　on　which　the　preacher　had　stood。　　The　mother　received　the　gift　with　great　joy；　and　falling　immediately　on　her　knees；　applied　the　turf　to　her　mouth　and　eyes；　and　thus；　through　the　merits　of　the　holy　man；　and　her　own　faith　and　devotion；　recovered　the　blessing　of　sight；　which　she　had　entirely　lost。

The　inhabitants　of　this　province　derived　their　origin　from　Flanders；　and　were　sent　by　king　Henry　I。　to　inhabit　these　districts；　a　people　brave　and　robust；　ever　most　hostile　to　the　Welsh；　a　people；　I　say；　well　versed　in　commerce　and　woollen　manufactories；　a　people　anxious　to　seek　gain　by　sea　or　land；　in　defiance　of　fatigue　and　danger；　a　hardy　race；　equally　fitted　for　the　plough　or　the　sword；　a　people　brave　and　happy；　if　Wales　（as　it　ought　to　have　been）　had　been　dear　to　its　sovereign；　and　had　not　so　frequently　experienced　the　vindictive　resentment　and　ill…treatment　of　its　governors。

A　circumstance　happened　in　the　castle　of　Haverford　during　our　time；　which　ought　not　to　be　omitted。　　A　famous　robber　was　fettered　and　confined　in　one　of　its　towers；　and　was　often　visited　by　three　boys；　the　son　of　the　earl　of　Clare；　and　two　others；　one　of　whom　was　son　of　the　lord　of　the　castle；　and　the　other　his　grandson；　sent　thither　for　their　education；　and　who　applied　to　him　for　arrows；　with　which　he　used　to　supply　them。　　One　day；　at　the　request　of　the　children；　the　robber；　being　brought　from　his　dungeon；　took　advantage　of　the　absence　of　the　gaoler；　closed　the　door；　and　shut　himself　up　with　the　boys。　　A　great　clamour　instantly　arose；　as　well　from　the　boys　within；　as　from　the　people　without；　nor　did　he　cease；　with　an　uplifted　axe；　to　threaten　the　lives　of　the　children；　until　indemnity　and　security　were　assured　to　him　in　the　most　ample　manner。　　A　similar　accident　happened　at　Chateau…roux　in　France。　　The　lord　of　that　place　maintained　in　the　castle　a　man　whose　eyes　he　had　formerly　put　out；　but　who；　by　long　habit；　recollected　the　ways　of　the　castle；　and　the　steps　leading　to　the　towers。　　Seizing　an　opportunity　of　revenge；　and　meditating　the　destruction　of　the　youth；　he　fastened　the　inward　doors　of　the　castle；　and　took　the　only　son　and　heir　of　the　governor　of　the　castle　to　the　summit　of　a　high　tower；　from　whence　he　was　seen　with　the　utmost　concern　by　the　people　beneath。　The　father　of　the　boy　hastened　thither；　and；　struck　with　terror；　attempted　by　every　possible　means　to　procure　the　ransom　of　his　son；　but　received　for　answer；　that　this　could　not　be　effected；　but　by　the　same　mutilation　of　those　lower　parts；　which　he　had　likewise　inflicted　on　him。　　The　father；　having　in　vain　entreated　mercy；　at　length　assented；　and　caused　a　violent　blow　to　be　struck　on　his　body；　and　the　people　around　him　cried　out　lamentably；　as　if　he　had　suffered　mutilation。　　The　blind　man　asked　him　where　he　felt　the　greatest　pain？　when　he　replied　in　his　reins；　he　declared　it　was　false　and　prepared　to　precipitate　the　boy。　　A　second　blow　was　given；　and　the　lord　of　the　castle　asserting　that　the　greatest　pains　were　at　his　heart；　the　blind　man　expressing　his　disbelief；　again　carried　the　boy　to　the　summit　of　the　tower。　　The　third　time；　however；　the　father；　to　save　his　son；　really　mutilated　himself；　and　when　he　exclaimed　that　the　greatest　pain　was　in　his　teeth；　〃It　is　true；〃　said　he；　〃as　a　man　who　has　had　experience　should　be　believed；　and　thou　hast　in　part　revenged　my　injuries。　　I　shall　meet　death　with　more　satisfaction；　and　thou　shalt　neither　beget　any　other　son；　nor　receive　comfort　from　this。〃　　Then；　precipitating　himself　and　the　boy　from　the　summit　of　the　tower；　their　limbs　were　broken；　and　both　instantly　expired。　　The　knight　ordered　a　monastery　to　be　built　on　the　spot　for　the　soul　of　the　boy；　which　is　still　extant；　and　called　De　Doloribus。

It　appears　remarkable　to　me　that　the　entire　inheritance　should　devolve　on　Richard；　son　of　Tankard；　governor　of　the　aforesaid　castle　of　Haverford；　being　the　youngest　son；　and　having　many　brothers　of　distinguished　character　who　died　before　him。　　In　like　manner　the　dominion　of　South　Wales　descended　to　Rhys　son　of　Gruffyd；　owing　to　the　death　of　several　of　his　brothers。　　During　the　childhood　of　Richard；　a　holy　man；　named　Caradoc；　led　a　pious　and　recluse　life　at　St。　Ismael；　in　the　province　of　Ros；　｛107｝　to　whom　the　boy　was　often　sent　by　his　parents　with　provisions；　and　he　so　ingratiated　himself　in　the　eyes　of　the　good　man；　that　he　very　often　promised　him；　together　with　his　blessing；　the　portion　of　all　his　brothers；　and　the　paternal　inheritance。　　It　happened　that　Richard；　being　overtaken　by　a　violent　storm　of　rain；　turned　aside　to　the　hermit's　cell；　and　being　unable　to　get　his　hounds　near　him；　either　by　calling；　coaxing；　or　by　offering　them　food；　the　holy　man　smiled；　and　making　a　gentle　motion　with　his　hand；　brought　them　all　to　him　immediately。　　In　process　of　time；　when　Caradoc　｛108｝　had　happily　completed　the　course　of　his　existence；　Tankard；　father　of　Richard；　violently　detained　his　body；　which　by　his　last　will　he　had　bequeathed　to　the　church　of　St。　David；　but　being　suddenly　seized　with　a　severe　illness；　he　revoked　his　command。　　When　this　had　happened　to　him　a　second　and　a　third　time；　and　the　corpse　at　last　was　suffered　to　be　conveyed　away；　and　was　proceeding　over　the　sands　of　Niwegal　towards　St。　David's；　a　prodigious　fall　of　rain　inundated　the　whole　country；　but　the　conductors　of　the　sacred　burthen；　on　coming　forth　from　their　shelter；　found　the　silken　pall；　with　which　the　bier　was　covered；　dry　and　uninjured　by　the　storm；　and　thus　the　miraculous　body　of　Caradoc　was　brought　into　the　church　of　St。　Andrew　and　St。　David；　and　with　due　solemnity　deposited　in　the　left　aisle；　near　the　altar　of　the　holy　proto…martyr　Stephen。

It　is　worthy　of　remark；　that　these　people　（the　Flemings）；　from　the　inspection　of　the　right　shoulders　of　rams；　which　have　been　stripped　of　their　flesh；　and　not　roasted；　but　boiled；　can　discover　future　events；　or　those　which　have　passed　and　remained　long　unknown。　｛109｝　They　know；　also；　what　is　transpiring　at　a　distant　place；　by　a　wonderful　art；　and　a　prophetic　kind　of　spirit。　　They　declare；　also；　by　means　of　signs；　the　undoubted　symptoms　of　approaching　peace　and　war；　murders　and　fires；　domestic　adulteries；　the　state　of　the　king；　his　life　and　death。　　It　happened　in　our　time；　that　a　man　of　those　parts；　whose　name　was　William　Mangunel；　a　person　of　high　rank；　and　excelling　all　others　in　the　aforesaid　art；　had　a　wife　big　with　child　by　her　own　husband's　grandson。　　Well　aware　of　the　fact；　he　ordered　a　ram　from　his　own　flock　to　be　sent　to　his　wife；　as　a　present　from　her　neighbour；　which　was　carried　to　the　cook；　and　dressed。　　At　dinner；　the　husband　purposely　gave　the　shoulder…bone　of　the　ram；　properly　cleaned；　to　his　wife；　who　was　also　well　skilled　in　this　art；　for　her　examination；　when；　having　for　a　short　time　examined　the　secret　marks；　she　smiled；　and　threw　the　oracle　down　on　the　table。　　Her　husband；　dissembling；　earnestly　demanded　the　cause　of　her　smiling；　and　the　explanation　of　the　matter。　　Overcome　by　his　entreaties；　she　answered：　　〃The　man　to　whose　fold　this　ram　belongs；　has　an　adulterous　wife；　at　this　time　pregnant　by　the　commission　of　incest　with　his　own　grandson。〃　　The　husband；　with　a　sorrowful　and　dejected　countenance；　replied：　　〃You　deliver；　indeed；　an　oracle　supported　by　too　much　truth；　which　I　have　so　much