The Itinerary of Archbishop Baldwin through
Wales
by Geraldus Cambrensis
Book I
Chapter IX
Passage over the rivers Lochor and Wendraeth; and
of Cydweli
Thence we proceeded towards the river Lochor,93
through the plains in which Howel, son of Meredyth of
Brecheinoc, after the decease of king Henry I., gained a
signal victory over the English. Having first crossed the
river Lochor, and afterwards the water called
Wendraeth,94
we arrived at the castle of Cydweli.95
In this district, after the death of king Henry, whilst
Gruffydd son of Rhys, the prince of South Wales, was engaged
in soliciting assistance from North Wales, his wife
Gwenliana (like the queen of the Amazons, and a second
Penthesilea) led an army into these parts; but she was
defeated by Maurice de Londres, lord of that country, and
Geoffrey, the bishop's constable.96
Morgan, one of her sons, whom she had arrogantly brought
with her in that expedition, was slain, and the other,
Malgo, taken prisoner; and she, with many of her followers,
was put to death. During the reign of king Henry I., when
Wales enjoyed a state of tranquillity, the above-mentioned
Maurice had a forest in that neighbourhood, well stocked
with wild animals, and especially deer, and was extremely
tenacious of his venison. His wife (for women are often very
expert in deceiving men) made use of this curious stratagem.
Her husband possessed, on the side of the wood next the sea,
some extensive pastures, and large flocks of sheep. Having
made all the shepherds and chief people in her house
accomplices and favourers of her design, and taking
advantage of the simple courtesy of her husband, she thus
addressed him: "It is wonderful that being lord over beasts,
you have ceased to exercise dominion over them; and by not
making use of your deer, do not now rule over them, but are
subservient to them; and behold how great an abuse arises
from too much patience; for they attack our sheep with such
an unheard-of rage, and unusual voracity, that from many
they are become few; from being innumerable, only numerous."
To make her story more probable, she caused some wool to be
inserted between the intestines of two stags which had been
embowelled; and her husband, thus artfully deceived,
sacrificed his deer to the rapacity of his dogs.
The Itinerary of Archbishop Baldwin through
Wales
by Geraldus Cambrensis
Chapter VIII
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