The Itinerary of Archbishop Baldwin through
Wales
by Geraldus Cambrensis
Book II
Chapter II
Of the journey by Cemmeis - the monastery of St.
Dogmael
The archbishop having celebrated mass early in the
morning before the high altar of the church of St. David,
and enjoined to the archdeacon (Giraldus) the office of
preaching to the people, hastened through Cemmeis127
to meet prince Rhys at Aberteive.128
Two circumstances occurred in the province of Cemmeis, the
one in our own time, the other a little before, which I
think right not to pass over in silence. In our time, a
young man, native of this country, during a severe illness,
suffered as violent a persecution from toads,129
as if the reptiles of the whole province had come to him by
agreement; and though destroyed by his nurses and friends,
they increased again on all sides in infinite numbers, like
hydras' heads. His attendants, both friends and strangers,
being wearied out, he was drawn up in a kind of bag, into a
high tree, stripped of its leaves, and shred; nor was he
there secure from his venomous enemies, for they crept up
the tree in great numbers, and consumed him even to the very
bones. The young man's name was Sisillus Esceir-hir, that
is, Sisillus Long Leg. It is also recorded that by the
hidden but never unjust will of God, another man suffered a
similar persecution from rats. In the same province, during
the reign of king Henry I., a rich man, who had a residence
on the northern side of the Preseleu mountains,130
was warned for three successive nights, by dreams, that if
he put his hand under a stone which hung over the spring of
a neighbouring well, called the fountain of St.
Bernacus,131
he would find there a golden torques. Obeying the admonition
on the third day, he received, from a viper, a deadly wound
in his finger; but as it appears that many treasures have
been discovered through dreams, it seems to me probable
that, with respect to rumours, in the same manner as to
dreams, some ought, and some ought not, to be believed.
I shall not pass over in silence the
circumstance which occurred in the principal castle of
Cemmeis at Lanhever,132
in our days. Rhys, son of Gruffydd, by the instigation of
his son Gruffydd, a cunning and artful man, took away by
force, from William, son of Martin (de Tours), his
son-in-law, the castle of Lanhever, notwithstanding he had
solemnly sworn, by the most precious relics, that his
indemnity and security should be faithfully maintained, and,
contrary to his word and oath, gave it to his son Gruffydd;
but since "A sordid prey has not a good ending," the Lord,
who by the mouth of his prophet, exclaims "Vengeance is
mine, and I will repay!" ordained that the castle should be
taken away from the contriver of this wicked plot, Gruffydd,
and bestowed upon the man in the world he most hated, his
brother Malgon. Rhys, also, about two years afterwards,
intending to disinherit his own daughter, and two
granddaughters and grandsons, by a singular instance of
divine vengeance, was taken prisoner by his sons in battle,
and confined in this same castle; thus justly suffering the
greatest disgrace and confusion in the very place where he
had perpetrated an act of the most consummate baseness. I
think it also worthy to be remembered, that at the time this
misfortune befell him, he had concealed in his possession,
at Dinevor, the collar of St. Canauc of Brecknock, for
which, by divine vengeance, he merited to be taken prisoner
and confined.
We slept that night in the monastery of St. Dogmael,
where, as well as on the next day at Aberteivi, we were
handsomely entertained by prince Rhys. On the Cemmeis side
of the river, not far from the bridge, the people of the
neighbourhood being assembled together, and Rhys and his two
sons, Malgon and Gruffydd, being present, the word of the
Lord was persuasively preached both by the archbishop and
the archdeacon, and many were induced to take the cross; one
of whom was an only son, and the sole comfort of his mother,
far advanced in years, who, steadfastly gazing on him, as if
inspired by the Deity, uttered these words:- "O, most
beloved Lord Jesus Christ, I return thee hearty thanks for
having conferred on me the blessing of bringing forth a son,
whom thou mayest think worthy of thy service." Another woman
at Aberteivi, of a very different way of thinking, held her
husband fast by his cloak and girdle, and publicly and
audaciously prevented him from going to the archbishop to
take the cross; but, three nights afterwards, she heard a
terrible voice, saying, "Thou hast taken away my servant
from me, therefore what thou most lovest shall be taken away
from thee." On her relating this vision to her husband, they
were struck with mutual terror and amazement; and on falling
asleep again, she unhappily overlaid her little boy, whom,
with more affection than prudence, she had taken to bed with
her. The husband, relating to the bishop of the diocese both
the vision and its fatal prediction, took the cross, which
his wife spontaneously sewed on her husband's arm.
Near the head of the bridge where the
sermons were delivered, the people immediately marked out
the site for a chapel,133
on a verdant plain, as a memorial of so great an event;
intending that the altar should be placed on the spot where
the archbishop stood while addressing the multitude; and it
is well known that many miracles (the enumeration of which
would be too tedious to relate) were performed on the crowds
of sick people who resorted hither from different parts of
the country.
The Itinerary of Archbishop Baldwin through
Wales
by Geraldus Cambrensis
Chapter I
<<< Book II
Contents >>> Chapter
III
Main
Contents
|
