itinerary of archibishop-第5章

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rch　of　Saint　Avan　（which　is　called　in　the　British　language　Llan　Avan）；　｛18｝　and；　without　sufficient　caution　or　reverence；　had　passed　the　night　there　with　his　hounds。　　Arising　early　in　the　morning；　according　to　the　custom　of　hunters；　he　found　his　hounds　mad；　and　himself　struck　blind。　　After　a　long；　dark；　and　tedious　existence；　he　was　conveyed　to　Jerusalem；　happily　taking　care　that　his　inward　sight　should　not　in　a　similar　manner　be　extinguished；　and　there　being　accoutred；　and　led　to　the　field　of　battle　on　horseback；　he　made　a　spirited　attack　upon　the　enemies　of　the　faith；　and；　being　mortally　wounded；　closed　his　life　with　honour。

Another　circumstance　which　happened　in　these　our　days；　in　the　province　of　Warthrenion；　｛19｝　distant　from　hence　only　a　few　furlongs；　is　not　unworthy　of　notice。　　Eineon；　lord　of　that　district；　and　son…in…law　to　prince　Rhys；　who　was　much　addicted　to　the　chase；　having　on　a　certain　day　forced　the　wild　beasts　from　their　coverts；　one　of　his　attendants　killed　a　hind　with　an　arrow；　as　she　was　springing　forth　from　the　wood；　which；　contrary　to　the　nature　of　her　sex；　was　found　to　bear　horns　of　twelve　years'　growth；　and　was　much　fatter　than　a　stag；　in　the　haunches　as　well　as　in　every　other　part。　On　account　of　the　singularity　of　this　circumstance；　the　head　and　horns　of　this　strange　animal　were　destined　as　a　present　to　king　Henry　the　Second。　　This　event　is　the　more　remarkable；　as　the　man　who　shot　the　hind　suddenly　lost　the　use　of　his　right　eye；　and　being　at　the　same　time　seized　with　a　paralytic　complaint；　remained　in　a　weak　and　impotent　state　until　the　time　of　his　death。

In　this　same　province　of　Warthrenion；　and　in　the　church　of　Saint　Germanus；　｛20｝　there　is　a　staff　of　Saint　Cyric；　｛21｝　covered　on　all　sides　with　gold　and　silver；　and　resembling　in　its　upper　part　the　form　of　a　cross；　its　efficacy　has　been　proved　in　many　cases；　but　particularly　in　the　removal　of　glandular　and　strumous　swellings；　insomuch　that　all　persons　afflicted　with　these　complaints；　on　a　devout　application　to　the　staff；　with　the　oblation　of　one　penny；　are　restored　to　health。　　But　it　happened　in　these　our　days；　that　a　strumous　patient　on　presenting　one　halfpenny　to　the　staff；　the　humour　subsided　only　in　the　middle；　but　when　the　oblation　was　completed　by　the　other　halfpenny；　an　entire　cure　was　accomplished。　Another　person　also　coming　to　the　staff　with　the　promise　of　a　penny；　was　cured；　but　not　fulfilling　his　engagement　on　the　day　appointed；　he　relapsed　into　his　former　disorder；　in　order；　however；　to　obtain　pardon　for　his　offence；　he　tripled　the　offering　by　presenting　three…　pence；　and　thus　obtained　a　complete　cure。

At　Elevein；　in　the　church　of　Glascum；　｛22｝　is　a　portable　bell；　endowed　with　great　virtues；　called　Bangu；　｛23｝　and　said　to　have　belonged　to　Saint　David。　　A　certain　woman　secretly　conveyed　this　bell　to　her　husband；　who　was　confined　in　the　castle　of　Raidergwy；　｛24｝　near　Warthrenion；　（which　Rhys；　son　of　Gruffydd；　had　lately　built）　for　the　purpose　of　his　deliverance。　　The　keepers　of　the　castle　not　only　refused　to　liberate　him　for　this　consideration；　but　seized　and　detained　the　bell；　and　in　the　same　night；　by　divine　vengeance；　the　whole　town；　except　the　wall　on　which　the　bell　hung；　was　consumed　by　fire。

The　church　of　Luel；　｛25｝　in　the　neighbourhood　of　Brecheinoc　（Brechinia）；　was　burned；　also　in　our　time；　by　the　enemy；　and　everything　destroyed；　except　one　small　box；　in　which　the　consecrated　host　was　deposited。

It　came　to　pass　also　in　the　province　of　Elvenia；　which　is　separated　from　Hay　by　the　river　Wye；　in　the　night　in　which　king　Henry　I。　expired；　that　two　pools　｛26｝　of　no　small　extent；　the　one　natural；　the　other　artificial；　suddenly　burst　their　bounds；　the　latter；　by　its　precipitate　course　down　the　declivities；　emptied　itself；　but　the　former；　with　its　fish　and　contents；　obtained　a　permanent　situation　in　a　valley　about　two　miles　distant。　　In　Normandy；　a　few　days　before　the　death　of　Henry　II。；　the　fish　of　a　certain　pool　near　Seez；　five　miles　from　the　castle　of　Exme；　fought　during　the　night　so　furiously　with　each　other；　both　in　the　water　and　out　of　it；　that　the　neighbouring　people　were　attracted　by　the　noise　to　the　spot；　and　so　desperate　was　the　conflict；　that　scarcely　a　fish　was　found　alive　in　the　morning；　thus；　by　a　wonderful　and　unheard…of　prognostic；　foretelling　the　death　of　one　by　that　of　many。

But　the　borders　of　Wales　sufficiently　remember　and　abhor　the　great　and　enormous　excesses　which；　from　ambitious　usurpation　of　territory；　have　arisen　amongst　brothers　and　relations　in　the　districts　of　Melenyth；　Elvein；　and　Warthrenion；　situated　between　the　Wye　and　the　Severn。



CHAPTER　II



Journey　through　Hay　and　Brecheinia


Having　crossed　the　river　Wye；　we　proceeded　towards　Brecheinoc；　and　on　preaching　a　sermon　at　Hay；　｛27｝　we　observed　some　amongst　the　multitude；　who　were　to　be　signed　with　the　cross　（leaving　their　garments　in　the　hands　of　their　friends　or　wives；　who　endeavoured　to　keep　them　back）；　fly　for　refuge　to　the　archbishop　in　the　castle。　Early　in　the　morning　we　began　our　journey　to　Aberhodni；　and　the　word　of　the　Lord　being　preached　at　Landeu；　｛28｝　we　there　spent　the　night。　The　castle　and　chief　town　of　the　province；　situated　where　the　river　Hodni　joins　the　river　Usk；　is　called　Aberhodni；　｛29｝　and　every　place　where　one　river　falls　into　another　is　called　Aber　in　the　British　tongue。　　Landeu　signifies　the　church　of　God。　　The　archdeacon　of　that　place　（Giraldus）　presented　to　the　archbishop　his　work　on　the　Topography　of　Ireland；　which　he　graciously　received；　and　either　read　or　heard　a　part　of　it　read　attentively　every　day　during　his　journey；　and　on　his　return　to　England　completed　the　perusal　of　it。

I　have　determined　not　to　omit　mentioning　those　occurrences　worthy　of　note　which　happened　in　these　parts　in　our　days。　　It　came　to　pass　before　that　great　war；　in　which　nearly　all　this　province　was　destroyed　by　the　sons　of　Jestin；　｛30｝　that　the　large　lake；　and　the　river　Leveni；　｛31｝　which　flows　from　it　into　the　Wye；　opposite　Glasbyry；　｛32｝　were　tinged　with　a　deep　green　colour。　　The　old　people　of　the　country　were　consulted；　and　answered；　that　a　short　time　before　the　great　desolation　｛33｝　caused　by　Howel；　son　of　Meredyth；　the　water　had　been　coloured　in　a　similar　manner。　　About　the　same　time；　a　chaplain；　whose　name　was　Hugo；　being　engaged　to　officiate　at　the　chapel　of　Saint　Nicholas；　in　the　castle　of　Aberhodni；　saw　in　a　dream　a　venerable　man　standing　near　him；　and　saying；　〃Tell　thy　lord　William　de　Braose；　｛34｝　who　has　the　audacity　to　retain　the　property　granted　to　the　chapel　of　Saint　Nicholas　for　charitable　uses；　these　words：　　'The　public　treasury　takes　away　that　which　Christ　does　not　receive；　and　thou　wilt　then　give　to　an　impious　soldier；　what　thou　wilt　not　give　to　a　priest。'〃　　This　vision　having　been　repeated　three　times；　he　went　to　the　archdeacon　of　the　place；　at　Landeu；　and　related　to　him　what　had　happened。　　The　archdeacon　immediately　knew　them　to　be　the　words　of　Augustine；　and　shewing　him　that　part　of　his　writings　where　they　were　found；　explained　to　him　the　case　to　which　they　applied。　　He　reproaches　persons　who　held　back　tithes　and　other　ecclesiastical　dues；　and　what　he　there　threatens；　certainly　in　a　short　time　befell　this　withholder　of　them：　　for　in　our　time　we　have　duly　and　undoubtedly　seen；　that　princes　who　have　usurped　ecclesiastical　benefices　（and　particularly　king　Henry　the　Second；　who　laboured　under　this　vice　more　than　others）；　have　profusely　squandered　the　treasures　of　the　church；　and　given　away　to　hired　soldiers　what　in　justice　should　have　been　given　only　to　priests。

Yet　something　is　to　be　said　in　favour　of　the　aforesaid　William　de　Braose；　although　he　greatly　offended　in　this　particular　（since　nothing　human　is　perfect；　and　to　have　knowledge　of　all　things；　and　in　no　point　to　err；　is　an　attribute　of　God；　not　of　man）；　for　he　always　placed　the　name　of　the　Lord　before　his　sentences；　saying；　〃Let　this　be　done　in　the　name　of　the　Lord；　let　that　be　done　by　God's　will；　if　it　shall　please　God；　or　if　God　grant　leave；　it　shall　be　so　by　the　grace　of　God。〃　　We　learn　from　Saint　Paul；　that　everything　ought　thus　to　be　committed　and　referred　to　the　will　of　God。　　On　taking　leave　of　his　brethren；　he　says；　〃I　will　return　to　you　again；　if　God　permit；〃　and　Saint　James　uses　this　expression；　〃If　the　Lord　will；　and　we　live；〃　in　order　to　show　that　all　things　ought　to　be　submitted　to　the　divine　disposal。　　The　letters　also　which　William　de　Braose；　as　a　rich　and　powerful　man；　was　accustomed　to　send　to　different　parts；　were　loaded；　or　rather　honoured；　with　words　expressive　of　the　divine　indulgence　to　a　degree　not　only　tiresome　to　his　scribe；　but　even　to　his　auditors；　for　as　a　reward　to　each　of　his　scribes　for　concluding　his　letters　with　the　words；　〃by　divine　assistance；〃　he　gave　annually　a　piece　of　gold；　in　addition　to　their　stipend。　　When　on　a　journey　he　saw　a　church　or　a　cross；　although　in　the　midst　of　conversation　either　with　his　inferiors　or　superiors；　from　an　excess　of　devotion；　he　immediately　began　to　pray；　and　when　he　had　finished　his　prayers；　resumed　his　conversation。　　On　meeting　boys　in　the　way；　he　invited　them　by　a　previous　salutation　to　salute　him；　that　the　blessings　of　these　innocents；　thus　extorted；　might　be　returned　to　him。　　His　wife；　Matilda　de　Saint　Valery；　observed　all　these　things：　　a　prudent　and　chaste　woman；　a　woman　placed　with　propriety　at　the　head　of　her　house；　equally　attentive　to　the　economical　disposal　of　her　property　within　doors；　as　to　the　augmentation　of　it　without；　both　of　whom；　I　hope；　by　their　devotion　obtained　temporal　happiness　and　grace；　as　well　as　the　glory　of　eternity。

It　happened　also　that　the　hand　of　a　boy；　who　was　endeavouring　to　take　some　young　pigeons　from　a　nest；　in　the　church　of　Saint　David　of　Llanvaes；　｛35｝　adhered　to　the　stone　on　which　he　leaned；　through　the　miraculous　vengeance；　perhaps；　of　that　saint；　in　favour　of　the　birds　who　had　taken　refuge　in　his　church；　and　when　the　boy；　attended　by　his　friends　and　parents；　had　for　three　successive　days　and　nights　offered　up　his　prayers　and　supplications　before　the　holy　altar　of　the　church；　his　hand　was；　on　the　third　day；　liberated　by　the　same　divine　power　which　had　so　miraculously　fastened　it。　　We　saw　this　same　boy　at　Newbury；　in　England；　now　advanced　in　years；　presenting　himself　before　David　the　Second；　｛36｝　bishop　of　Saint　David's；　and　certifying　to　him　the　truth　of　this　relation；　because　it　had　happened　in　his　diocese。　　The　stone　is　preserved　in　the　church　to　this　day　among　the　relics；　and　the　marks　of　the　five　fingers　appear　impressed　on　the　flint　as　though　it　were　in　wax。

A　small　miracle　happened　at　St。　Edmundsbury　to　a　poor　woman；　who　often　visited　the　shrine　of　the　saint；　under　the　mask　of　devotion；　not　with　the　design　of　giving；　but　of　taking　something　away；　namely；　the　silver　and　gold　offerings；　which；　by　a　curious　kind　of　theft；　she　licked　up　by　kissing；　and　carried　away　in　her　mouth。　　But　in　one　of　these　attempts　her　tongue　and　lips　adhered　to　the　altar；　when　by　divine　interposition　she　was　detected；　and　openly　disgorged　the　secret　theft。　　Many　persons；　both　Jews　and　Christians；　expressing　their　astonishment；　flocked　to　the　place；　where　for　the　greater　part　of　the　day　she　remained　motionless；　that　no　possible　doubt　might　be　entertained　of　the　miracle。

In　the　nor