itinerary of archibishop-第8章

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　Gloucester；　under　the　protection　of　Milo；　earl　of　Hereford；　as　if　by　divine　providence；　and　through　the　merits　of　the　saints　and　prayers　of　those　holy　men　（of　whom　two　lie　buried　before　the　high　altar）；　it　were　destined　that　the　daughter　church　should　be　founded　in　superfluities；　whilst　the　mother　continued　in　that　laudable　state　of　mediocrity　which　she　had　always　affected　and　coveted。　　Let　the　active　therefore　reside　there；　the　contemplative　here；　there　the　pursuit　of　terrestrial　riches；　here　the　love　of　celestial　delights；　there　let　them　enjoy　the　concourse　of　men；　here　the　presence　of　angels；　there　let　the　powerful　of　this　world　be　entertained；　here　let　the　poor　of　Christ　be　relieved；　there；　I　say；　let　human　actions　and　declamations　be　heard；　but　here　let　reading　and　prayers　be　heard　only　in　whispers；　there　let　opulence；　the　parent　and　nurse　of　vice；　increase　with　cares；　here　let　the　virtuous　and　golden　mean　be　all…sufficient。　　In　both　places　the　canonical　discipline　instituted　by　Augustine；　which　is　now　distinguished　above　all　other　orders；　is　observed；　for　the　Benedictines；　when　their　wealth　was　increased　by　the　fervour　of　charity；　and　multiplied　by　the　bounty　of　the　faithful；　under　the　pretext　of　a　bad　dispensation；　corrupted　by　gluttony　and　indulgence　an　order　which　in　its　original　state　of　poverty　was　held　in　high　estimation。　　The　Cistercian　order；　derived　from　the　former；　at　first　deserved　praise　and　commendation　from　its　adhering　voluntarily　to　the　original　vows　of　poverty　and　sanctity：　　until　ambition；　the　blind　mother　of　mischief；　unable　to　fix　bounds　to　prosperity；　was　introduced；　for　as　Seneca　says；　〃Too　great　happiness　makes　men　greedy；　nor　are　their　desires　ever　so　temperate；　as　to　terminate　in　what　is　acquired：〃　a　step　is　made　from　great　things　to　greater；　and　men　having　attained　what　they　did　not　expect；　form　the　most　unbounded　hopes；　to　which　the　poet　Ovid　thus　alludes。


〃Luxuriant　animi　rebus　plerumque　secundis；　Nec　facile　est　aequa　commoda　mente　pati；


And　again：


〃Creverunt　opes　et　opum　furiosa　cupido；　Et　eum　possideant　plurima；　plura　petunt。〃


And　also　the　poet　Horace：


〃　…　scilicet　improbae　Crescunt　divitiae；　tamen　Curtae　nescio　quid　semper　abest　rei。　Crescentem　sequitur　cura　pecuniam　Majorumque　fames。〃


To　which　purpose　the　poet　Lucan　says：


〃　…　O　vitae　tuta　facultas　Pauperis；　angustique　lares；　o　munera　nondum　Intellecta　Deum！〃


And　Petronius：


Non　bibit　inter　aquas　nec　poma　fugacia　carpit　Tantalus　infelix；　quem　sua　vota　premunt。　Divitis　hic　magni　facies　erit；　omnia　late　Qui　tenet；　et　sicco　concoquit　ore　famem。〃


The　mountains　are　full　of　herds　and　horses；　the　woods　well　stored　with　swine　and　goats；　the　pastures　with　sheep；　the　plains　with　cattle；　the　arable　fields　with　ploughs；　and　although　these　things　in　very　deed　are　in　great　abundance；　yet　each　of　them；　from　the　insatiable　nature　of　the　mind；　seems　too　narrow　and　scanty。　Therefore　lands　are　seized；　landmarks　removed；　boundaries　invaded；　and　the　markets　in　consequence　abound　with　merchandise；　the　courts　of　justice　with　law…suits；　and　the　senate　with　complaints。　Concerning　such　things；　we　read　in　Isaiah；　〃Woe　unto　them　that　join　house　to　house；　that　lay　field　to　field；　till　there　be　no　place；　that　they　be　placed　alone　in　the　midst　of　the　earth。〃

If　therefore；　the　prophet　inveighs　so　much　against　those　who　proceed　to　the　boundaries；　what　would　he　say　to　those　who　go　far　beyond　them？　　From　these　and　other　causes；　the　true　colour　of　religion　was　so　converted　into　the　dye　of　falsehood；　that　manners　internally　black　assumed　a　fair　exterior：


〃Qui　color　albus　erat；　nunc　est　contrarius　albo。〃


So　that　the　scripture　seems　to　be　fulfilled　concerning　these　men；　〃Beware　of　false　prophets；　who　come　to　you　in　sheep's　clothing；　but　inwardly　they　are　ravenous　wolves。〃　　But　I　am　inclined　to　think　this　avidity　does　not　proceed　from　any　bad　intention。　　For　the　monks　of　this　Order　（although　themselves　most　abstemious）　incessantly　exercise；　more　than　any　others；　the　acts　of　charity　and　beneficence　towards　the　poor　and　strangers；　and　because　they　do　not　live　as　others　upon　fixed　incomes；　but　depend　only　on　their　labour　and　forethought　for　subsistence；　they　are　anxious　to　obtain　lands；　farms；　and　pastures；　which　may　enable　them　to　perform　these　acts　of　hospitality。　　However；　to　repress　and　remove　from　this　sacred　Order　the　detestable　stigma　of　ambition；　I　wish　they　would　sometimes　call　to　mind　what　is　written　in　Ecclesiasticus；　〃Whoso　bringeth　an　offering　of　the　goods　of　the　poor；　doth　as　one　that　killeth　the　son　before　his　father's　eyes；〃　and　also　the　sentiment　of　Gregory；　〃A　good　use　does　not　justify　things　badly　acquired；〃　and　also　that　of　Ambrose；　〃He　who　wrongfully　receives；　that　he　may　well　dispense；　is　rather　burthened　than　assisted。〃　　Such　men　seem　to　say　with　the　Apostle；　〃Let　us　do　evil　that　good　may　come。〃　　For　it　is　written；　〃Mercy　ought　to　be　of　such　a　nature　as　may　be　received；　not　rejected；　which　may　purge　away　sins；　not　make　a　man　guilty　before　the　Lord；　arising　from　your　own　just　labours；　not　those　of　other　men。〃　　Hear　what　Solomon　says；　〃Honour　the　Lord　from　your　just　labours。〃　　What　shall　they　say　who　have　seized　upon　other　men's　possessions；　and　exercised　charity？　　〃O　Lord！　in　thy　name　we　have　done　charitable　deeds；　we　have　fed　the　poor；　clothed　the　naked；　and　hospitably　received　the　stranger：〃　to　whom　the　Lord　will　answer；　〃Ye　speak　of　what　ye　have　given　away；　but　speak　not　of　the　rapine　ye　have　committed；　ye　relate　concerning　those　ye　have　fed；　and　remember　not　those　ye　have　killed。〃　　I　have　judged　it　proper　to　insert　in　this　place　an　instance　of　an　answer　which　Richard；　king　of　the　English；　made　to　Fulke；　｛63｝　a　good　and　holy　man；　by　whom　God　in　these　our　days　has　wrought　many　signs　in　the　kingdom　of　France。　This　man　had　among　other　things　said　to　the　king；　〃You　have　three　daughters；　namely；　Pride；　Luxury；　and　Avarice；　and　as　long　as　they　shall　remain　with　you；　you　can　never　expect　to　be　in　favour　with　God。〃　　To　which　the　king；　after　a　short　pause；　replied：　　〃I　have　already　given　away　those　daughters　in　marriage：　　Pride　to　the　Templars；　Luxury　to　the　Black　Monks；　and　Avarice　to　the　White。〃　　It　is　a　remarkable　circumstance；　or　rather　a　miracle；　concerning　Lanthoni；　that；　although　it　is　on　every　side　surrounded　by　lofty　mountains；　not　stony　or　rocky；　but　of　a　soft　nature；　and　covered　with　grass；　Parian　stones　are　frequently　found　there；　and　are　called　free…stones；　from　the　facility　with　which　they　admit　of　being　cut　and　polished；　and　with　these　the　church　is　beautifully　built。　　It　is　also　wonderful；　that　when；　after　a　diligent　search；　all　the　stones　have　been　removed　from　the　mountains；　and　no　more　can　be　found；　upon　another　search；　a　few　days　afterwards；　they　reappear　in　greater　quantities　to　those　who　seek　them。　　With　respect　to　the　two　Orders；　the　Cluniac　and　the　Cistercian；　this　may　be　relied　upon；　although　the　latter　are　possessed　of　fine　buildings；　with　ample　revenues　and　estates；　they　will　soon　be　reduced　to　poverty　and　destruction。　　To　the　former；　on　the　contrary；　you　would　allot　a　barren　desert　and　a　solitary　wood；　yet　in　a　few　years　you　will　find　them　in　possession　of　sumptuous　churches　and　houses；　and　encircled　with　an　extensive　property。　　The　difference　of　manners　（as　it　appears　to　me）　causes　this　contrast。　　For　as　without　meaning　offence　to　either　party；　I　shall　speak　the　truth；　the　one　feels　the　benefits　of　sobriety；　parsimony；　and　prudence；　whilst　the　other　suffers　from　the　bad　effects　of　gluttony　and　intemperance：　　the　one；　like　bees；　collect　their　stores　into　a　heap；　and　unanimously　agree　in　the　disposal　of　one　well…regulated　purse；　the　others　pillage　and　divert　to　improper　uses　the　largesses　which　have　been　collected　by　divine　assistance；　and　by　the　bounties　of　the　faithful；　and　whilst　each　individual　consults　solely　his　own　interest；　the　welfare　of　the　community　suffers；　since；　as　Sallust　observes；　〃Small　things　increase　by　concord；　and　the　greatest　are　wasted　by　discord。〃　　Besides；　sooner　than　lessen　the　number　of　one　of　the　thirteen　or　fourteen　dishes　which　they　claim　by　right　of　custom；　or　even　in　a　time　of　scarcity　or　famine　recede　in　the　smallest　degree　from　their　accustomed　good　fare；　they　would　suffer　the　richest　lands　and　the　best　buildings　of　the　monastery　to　become　a　prey　to　usury；　and　the　numerous　poor　to　perish　before　their　gates。

The　first　of　these　Orders；　at　a　time　when　there　was　a　deficiency　in　grain；　with　a　laudable　charity；　not　only　gave　away　their　flocks　and　herds；　but　resigned　to　the　poor　one　of　the　two　dishes　with　which　they　were　always　contented。　　But　in　these　our　days；　in　order　to　remove　this　stain；　it　is　ordained　by　the　Cistercians；　〃That　in　future　neither　farms　nor　pastures　shall　be　purchased；　and　that　they　shall　be　satisfied　with　those　alone　which　have　been　freely　and　unconditionally　bestowed　upon　them。〃　　This　Order；　therefore；　being　satisfied　more　than　any　other　with　humble　mediocrity；　and；　if　not　wholly；　yet　in　a　great　degree　checking　their　ambition；　and　though　placed　in　a　worldly　situation；　yet　avoiding；　as　much　as　possible；　its　contagion；　neither　notorious　for　gluttony　or　drunkenness；　for　luxury　or　lust；　is　fearful　and　ashamed　of　incurring　public　scandal；　as　will　be　more　fully　explained　in　the　book　we　mean　（by　the　grace　of　God）　to　write　concerning　the　ecclesiastical　Orders。

In　these　temperate　regions　I　have　obtained　（according　to　the　usual　expression）　a　place　of　dignity；　but　no　great　omen　of　future　pomp　or　riches；　and　possessing　a　small　residence　｛64｝　near　the　castle　of　Brecheinoc；　well　adapted　to　literary　pursuits；　and　to　the　contemplation　of　eternity；　I　envy　not　the　riches　of　Croesus；　happy　and　contented　with　that　mediocrity；　which　I　prize　far　beyond　all　the　perishable　and　transitory　things　of　this　world。　　But　let　us　return　to　our　subject。



CHAPTER　IV



The　journey　by　Coed　Grono　and　Abergevenni


From　thence　｛65｝　we　proceeded　through　the　narrow；　woody　tract　called　the　bad　pass　of　Coed　Grono；　leaving　the　noble　monastery　of　Lanthoni；　inclosed　by　its　mountains；　on　our　left。　　The　castle　of　Abergevenni　is　so　called　from　its　situation　at　the　confluence　of　the　river　Gevenni　with　the　Usk。

It　happened　a　short　time　after　the　death　of　king　Henry　I。；　that　Richard　de　Clare；　a　nobleman　of　high　birth；　and　lord　of　Cardiganshire；　passed　this　way　on　his　journey　from　England　into　Wales；　accompanied　by　Brian　de　Wallingford；　lord　of　this　province；　and　many　men…at…arms。　　At　the　passage　of　Coed　Grono；　｛66｝　and　at　the　entrance　into　the　wood；　he　dismissed　him　and　his　attendants；　though　much　against　their　will；　and　proceeded　on　his　journey　unarmed；　from　too　great　a　presumption　of　security；　preceded　only　by　a　minstrel　and　a　singer；　one　accompanying　the　other　on　the　fiddle。　　The　Welsh　awaiting　his　arrival；　with　Iorwerth；　brother　of　Morgan　of　Caerleon；　at　their　head；　and　others　of　his　family；　rushed　upon　him　unawares　from　the　thickets；　and　killed　him　and　many　of　his　followers。　　Thus　it　appears　how　incautious　and　neglectful　of　itself　is　too　great　presumption；　for　fear　teaches　foresight　and　caution　in　prosperity；　but　audacity　is　precipitate；　and　inconsiderate　rashness　will　not　await　the　advice　of　the　leader。

A　sermon　having　been　delivered　at　Abergevenni；　｛67｝　and　many　person