itinerary of archibishop-第9章

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ait　the　advice　of　the　leader。

A　sermon　having　been　delivered　at　Abergevenni；　｛67｝　and　many　persons　converted　to　the　cross；　a　certain　nobleman　of　those　parts；　named　Arthenus；　came　to　the　archbishop；　who　was　proceeding　towards　the　castle　of　Usk；　and　humbly　begged　pardon　for　having　neglected　to　meet　him　sooner。　　Being　questioned　whether　he　would　take　the　cross；　he　replied；　〃That　ought　not　be　done　without　the　advice　of　his　friends。〃　The　archbishop　then　asked　him；　〃Are　you　not　going　to　consult　your　wife？〃　　To　which　he　modestly　answered；　with　a　downcast　look；　〃When　the　work　of　a　man　is　to　be　undertaken；　the　counsel　of　a　woman　ought　not　to　be　asked；〃　and　instantly　received　the　cross　from　the　archbishop。

We　leave　to　others　the　relation　of　those　frequent　and　cruel　excesses　which　in　our　times　have　arisen　amongst　the　inhabitants　of　these　parts；　against　the　governors　of　castles；　and　the　vindictive　retaliations　of　the　governors　against　the　natives。　　But　king　Henry　II。　was　the　true　author；　and　Ranulf　Poer；　sheriff　of　Hereford；　the　instrument；　of　the　enormous　cruelties　and　slaughter　perpetrated　here　in　our　days；　which　I　thought　better　to　omit；　lest　bad　men　should　be　induced　to　follow　the　example；　for　although　temporary　advantage　may　seem　to　arise　from　a　base　cause；　yet；　by　the　balance　of　a　righteous　judge；　the　punishment　of　wickedness　may　be　deferred；　though　not　totally　avoided；　according　to　the　words　of　the　poet；　…


〃Non　habet　eventus　sordida　praeda　bonos。〃


For　after　seven　years　of　peace　and　tranquillity；　the　sons　and　grandsons　of　the　deceased；　having　attained　the　age　of　manhood；　took　advantage　of　the　absence　of　the　lord　of　the　castle　（Abergevenni）；　and；　burning　with　revenge；　concealed　themselves；　with　no　inconsiderable　force　during　the　night；　within　the　woody　foss　of　the　castle。　　One　of　them；　name　Sisillus　（Sitsylt）　son　of　Eudaf；　on　the　preceding　day　said　rather　jocularly　to　the　constable；　〃Here　will　we　enter　this　night；〃　pointing　out　to　him　a　certain　angle　in　the　wall　where　it　seemed　the　lowest；　but　since


〃　…　Ridendo　dicere　verum　Quis　vetat？〃


and


〃　…　fas　est　et　ab　hoste　doceri；〃


the　constable　and　his　household　watched　all　night　under　arms；　till　at　length；　worn　out　by　fatigue；　they　all　retired　to　rest　on　the　appearance　of　daylight；　upon　which　the　enemy　attacked　the　walls　with　scaling…ladders；　at　the　very　place　that　had　been　pointed　out。　　The　constable　and　his　wife　were　taken　prisoners；　with　many　others；　a　few　persons　only　escaping；　who　had　sheltered　themselves　in　the　principal　tower。　　With　the　exception　of　this　stronghold；　the　enemy　violently　seized　and　burned　everything；　and　thus；　by　the　righteous　judgment　of　God；　the　crime　was　punished　in　the　very　place　where　it　had　been　committed。　　A　short　time　after　the　taking　of　this　fortress；　when　the　aforesaid　sheriff　was　building　a　castle　at　Landinegat；　｛68｝　near　Monmouth；　with　the　assistance　of　the　army　he　had　brought　from　Hereford；　he　was　attacked　at　break　of　day；　when


〃Tythoni　croceum　linquens　Aurora　cubile〃


was　only　beginning　to　divest　herself　of　the　shades　of　night；　by　the　young　men　from　Gwent　and　the　adjacent　parts；　with　the　descendants　of　those　who　had　been　slain。　　Through　aware　of　this　premeditated　attack；　and　prepared　and　drawn　up　in　battle　array；　they　were　nevertheless　repulsed　within　their　intrenchments；　and　the　sheriff；　together　with　nine　of　the　chief　men　of　Hereford；　and　many　others；　were　pierced　to　death　with　lances。　　It　is　remarkable　that；　although　Ranulf；　besides　many　other　mortal　wounds；　had　the　veins　and　arteries　of　his　neck　and　his　windpipe　separated　with　a　sword；　he　made　signs　for　a　priest；　and　from　the　merit　of　his　past　life；　and　the　honour　and　veneration　he　had　shewn　to　those　chosen　into　the　sacred　order　of　Christ；　he　was　confessed；　and　received　extreme　unction　before　he　died。　　And；　indeed；　many　events　concur　to　prove　that；　as　those　who　respect　the　priesthood；　in　their　latter　days　enjoy　the　satisfaction　of　friendly　intercourse；　so　do　their　revilers　and　accusers　often　die　without　that　consolation。　　William　de　Braose；　who　was　not　the　author　of　the　crime　we　have　preferred　passing　over　in　silence；　but　the　executioner；　or；　rather；　not　the　preventer　of　its　execution；　while　the　murderous　bands　were　fulfilling　the　orders　they　had　received；　was　precipitated　into　a　deep　foss；　and　being　taken　by　the　enemy；　was　drawn　forth；　and　only　by　a　sudden　effort　of　his　own　troops；　and　by　divine　mercy；　escaped　uninjured。　　Hence　it　is　evident　that　he　who　offends　in　a　less　degree；　and　unwillingly　permits　a　thing　to　be　done；　is　more　mildly　punished　than　he　who　adds　counsel　and　authority　to　his　act。　　Thus；　in　the　sufferings　of　Christ；　Judas　was　punished　with　hanging；　the　Jews　with　destruction　and　banishment；　and　Pilate　with　exile。　　But　the　end　of　the　king；　who　assented　to　and　ordered　this　treachery；　sufficiently　manifested　in　what　manner；　on　account　of　this　and　many　other　enormities　he　had　committed　（as　in　the　book　〃De　Instructione　Principis；〃　by　God's　guidance；　we　shall　set　forth）；　he　began　with　accumulated　ignominy；　sorrow；　and　confusion；　to　suffer　punishment　in　this　world。　｛69｝

It　seems　worthy　of　remark；　that　the　people　of　what　is　called　Venta　｛70｝　are　more　accustomed　to　war；　more　famous　for　valour；　and　more　expert　in　archery；　than　those　of　any　other　part　of　Wales。　　The　following　examples　prove　the　truth　of　this　assertion。　　In　the　last　capture　of　the　aforesaid　castle；　which　happened　in　our　days；　two　soldiers　passing　over　a　bridge　to　take　refuge　in　a　tower　built　on　a　mound　of　earth；　the　Welsh；　taking　them　in　the　rear；　penetrated　with　their　arrows　the　oaken　portal　of　the　tower；　which　was　four　fingers　thick；　in　memory　of　which　circumstance；　the　arrows　were　preserved　in　the　gate。　　William　de　Braose　also　testifies　that　one　of　his　soldiers；　in　a　conflict　with　the　Welsh；　was　wounded　by　an　arrow；　which　passed　through　his　thigh　and　the　armour　with　which　it　was　cased　on　both　sides；　and；　through　that　part　of　the　saddle　which　is　called　the　alva；　mortally　wounded　the　horse。　　Another　soldier　had　his　hip；　equally　sheathed　in　armour；　penetrated　by　an　arrow　quite　to　the　saddle；　and　on　turning　his　horse　round；　received　a　similar　wound　on　the　opposite　hip；　which　fixed　him　on　both　sides　of　his　seat。　What　more　could　be　expected　from　a　balista？　　Yet　the　bows　used　by　this　people　are　not　made　of　horn；　ivory；　or　yew；　but　of　wild　elm；　unpolished；　rude；　and　uncouth；　but　stout；　not　calculated　to　shoot　an　arrow　to　a　great　distance；　but　to　inflict　very　severe　wounds　in　close　fight。

But　let　us　again　return　to　our　Itinerary。



CHAPTER　V



Of　the　progress　by　the　castle　of　Usk　and　the　town　of　Caerleon


At　the　castle　of　Usk；　a　multitude　of　persons　influenced　by　the　archbishop's　sermon；　and　by　the　exhortations　of　the　good　and　worthy　William　bishop　of　Landaf；　｛71｝　who　faithfully　accompanied　us　through　his　diocese；　were　signed　with　the　cross；　Alexander　archdeacon　of　Bangor　｛72｝　acting　as　interpreter　to　the　Welsh。　　It　is　remarkable　that　many　of　the　most　notorious　murderers；　thieves；　and　robbers　of　the　neighbourhood　were　here　converted；　to　the　astonishment　of　the　spectators。　　Passing　from　thence　through　Caerleon　and　leaving　far　on　our　left　hand　the　castle　of　Monmouth；　and　the　noble　forest　of　Dean；　situated　on　the　other　side　of　the　Wye　and　on　this　side　the　Severn；　and　which　amply　supplies　Gloucester　with　iron　and　venison；　we　spent　the　night　at　Newport；　having　crossed　the　river　Usk　three　times。　｛73｝　Caerleon　means　the　city　of　Legions；　Caer；　in　the　British　language；　signifying　a　city　or　camp；　for　there　the　Roman　legions；　sent　into　this　island；　were　accustomed　to　winter；　and　from　this　circumstance　it　was　styled　the　city　of　legions。　　This　city　was　of　undoubted　antiquity；　and　handsomely　built　of　masonry；　with　courses　of　bricks；　by　the　Romans。　　Many　vestiges　of　its　former　splendour　may　yet　be　seen；　immense　palaces；　formerly　ornamented　with　gilded　roofs；　in　imitation　of　Roman　magnificence；　inasmuch　as　they　were　first　raised　by　the　Roman　princes；　and　embellished　with　splendid　buildings；　a　tower　of　prodigious　size；　remarkable　hot　baths；　relics　of　temples；　and　theatres；　all　inclosed　within　fine　walls；　parts　of　which　remain　standing。　　You　will　find　on　all　sides；　both　within　and　without　the　circuit　of　the　walls；　subterraneous　buildings；　aqueducts；　underground　passages；　and　what　I　think　worthy　of　notice；　stoves　contrived　with　wonderful　art；　to　transmit　the　heat　insensibly　through　narrow　tubes　passing　up　the　side　walls。

Julius　and　Aaron；　after　suffering　martyrdom；　were　buried　in　this　city；　and　had　each　a　church　dedicated　to　him。　　After　Albanus　and　Amphibalus；　they　were　esteemed　the　chief　protomartyrs　of　Britannia　Major。　　In　ancient　times　there　were　three　fine　churches　in　this　city：　　one　dedicated　to　Julius　the　martyr；　graced　with　a　choir　of　nuns；　another　to　Aaron；　his　associate；　and　ennobled　with　an　order　of　canons；　and　the　third　distinguished　as　the　metropolitan　of　Wales。　Amphibalus；　the　instructor　of　Albanus　in　the　true　faith；　was　born　in　this　place。　　This　city　is　well　situated　on　the　river　Usk；　navigable　to　the　sea；　and　adorned　with　woods　and　meadows。　　The　Roman　ambassadors　here　received　their　audience　at　the　court　of　the　great　king　Arthur；　and　here　also；　the　archbishop　Dubricius　ceded　his　honours　to　David　of　Menevia；　the　metropolitan　see　being　translated　from　this　place　to　Menevia；　according　to　the　prophecy　of　Merlin　Ambrosius。　　〃Menevia　pallio　urbis　Legionum　induetur。〃　　〃Menevia　shall　be　invested　with　the　pall　of　the　city　of　Legions。〃

Not　far　hence　is　a　rocky　eminence；　impending　over　the　Severn；　called　by　the　English　Gouldcliffe　｛74｝　or　golden　rock；　because　from　the　reflections　of　the　sun's　rays　it　assumes　a　bright　golden　colour：


〃Nec　mihi　de　facili　fieri　persuasio　posset；　Quod　frustra　tantum　dederit　natura　nito　rem　Saxis；　quodque　suo　fuerit　flos　hic　sine　fructu。〃


Nor　can　I　be　easily　persuaded　that　nature　hath　given　such　splendour　to　the　rocks　in　vain；　and　that　this　flower　should　be　without　fruit；　if　any　one　would　take　the　pains　to　penetrate　deeply　into　the　bowels　of　the　earth；　if　any　one；　I　say；　would　extract　honey　from　the　rock；　and　oil　from　the　stone。　　Indeed　many　riches　of　nature　lie　concealed　through　inattention；　which　the　diligence　of　posterity　will　bring　to　light；　for；　as　necessity　first　taught　the　ancients　to　discover　the　conveniences　of　life；　so　industry；　and　a　greater　acuteness　of　intellect；　have　laid　open　many　things　to　the　moderns；　as　the　poet　says；　assigning　two　causes　for　these　discoveries；


〃　…　labor　omnia　vincit　Improbus；　et　duris　urgens　in　rebus　egestas。〃


It　is　worthy　of　observation；　that　there　lived　in　the　neighbourhood　of　this　City　of　Legions；　in　our　time；　a　Welshman　named　Melerius；　who；　under　the　following　circumstances；　acquired　the　knowledge　of　future　and　occult　events。　　Having；　on　a　certain　night；　namely　that　of　Palm　Sunday；　met　a　damsel　whom　he　had　long　loved；　in　a　pleasant　and　convenient　place；　while　he　was　indulging　in　her　embraces；　suddenly；　instead　of　a　beautiful　girl；　he　found　in　his　arms　a　hairy；　rough；　and　hideous　creature；　the　sight　of　which　deprived　him　of　his　senses；　and　he　became　mad。　　After　remaining　many　years　in　this　condition；　he　was　restored　to　health　in　the　church　of　St。　David's；　through　the　merits　of　its　saints。　　But　having　always　an　extrao