The Description of Wales
by Geraldus Cambrensis
Book I
Chapter XVI
Concerning the soothsayers of this nation, and
persons as it were possessed
There are certain persons in Cambria, whom you will find
nowhere else, called Awenddyon, or people inspired; when
consulted upon any doubtful event, they roar out violently,
are rendered beside themselves, and become, as it were,
possessed by a spirit. They do not deliver the answer to
what is required in a connected manner; but the person who
skilfully observes them, will find, after many preambles,
and many nugatory and incoherent, though ornamented
speeches, the desired explanation conveyed in some turn of a
word: they are then roused from their ecstasy, as from a
deep sleep, and, as it were, by violence compelled to return
to their proper senses. After having answered the questions,
they do not recover till violently shaken by other people;
nor can they remember the replies they have given. If
consulted a second or third time upon the same point, they
will make use of expressions totally different; perhaps they
speak by the means of fanatic and ignorant spirits. These
gifts are usually conferred upon them in dreams: some seem
to have sweet milk or honey poured on their lips; others
fancy that a written schedule is applied to their mouths and
on awaking they publicly declare that they have received
this gift. Such is the saying of Esdras, "The Lord said unto
me, open thy mouth, and I opened my mouth, and behold a cup
full of water, whose colour was like fire; and when I had
drank it, my heart brought forth understanding, and wisdom
entered into my breast." They invoke, during their
prophecies, the true and living God, and the Holy Trinity,
and pray that they may not by their sins be prevented from
finding the truth. These prophets are only found among the
Britons descended from the Trojans. For Calchas and
Cassandra, endowed with the spirit of prophecy, openly
foretold, during the siege of Troy, the destruction of that
fine city; on which account the high priest, Helenus,
influenced by the prophetic books of Calchas, and of others
who had long before predicted the ruin of their country, in
the first year went over to the Greeks with the sons of
Priam (to whom he was high priest), and was afterwards
rewarded in Greece. Cassandra, daughter of king Priam, every
day foretold the overthrow of the city; but the pride and
presumption of the Trojans prevented them from believing her
word. Even on the very night that the city was betrayed, she
clearly described the treachery and the method of it:
" - tales casus Cassandra canebat,"
as in the same manner, during the existence of the
kingdom of the Britons, both Merlin Caledonius and Ambrosius
are said to have foretold the destruction of their nation,
as well as the coming of the Saxons, and afterwards that of
the Normans; and I think a circumstance related by Aulus
Gellius worth inserting in this place. On the day that Caius
Caesar and Cneius Pompey, during the civil war, fought a
pitched battle in Thessalia, a memorable event occurred in
that part of Italy situated beyond the river Po. A priest
named Cornelius, honourable from his rank, venerable for his
religion, and holy in his manners, in an inspired moment
proclaimed, "Caesar has conquered," and named the day, the
events, the mutual attack, and the conflicts of the two
armies. Whether such things are exhibited by the spirit, let
the reader more particularly inquire; I do not assert they
are the acts of a Pythonic or a diabolic spirit; for as
foreknowledge is the property of God alone, so is it in his
power to confer knowledge of future events. There are
differences of gifts, says the Apostle, but one and the same
spirit; whence Peter, in his second Epistle, writes, "For
the prophecy came not in the old time by the will of man,
but men spake as if they were inspired by the Holy Ghost:"
to the same effect did the Chaldeans answer king
Nebuchadonazar on the interpretation of his dream, which he
wished to extort from them. "There is not," say they, "a man
upon earth who can, O king, satisfactorily answer your
question; let no king therefore, however great or potent,
make a similar request to any magician, astrologer, or
Chaldean; for it is a rare thing that the king requireth,
and there is none other that can shew it before the king,
except the Gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh." On this
passage Jerome remarks, "The diviners and all the learned of
this world confess, that the prescience of future events
belongs to God alone; the prophets therefore, who foretold
things to come, spake by the spirit of God. Hence some
persons object, that, if they were under the guidance of the
Holy Spirit, they would sometimes premise, "Thus saith the
Lord God," or make use of some expression in the prophetic
style; and as such a mode of prophesying is not taken notice
of by Merlin, and no mention is made of his sanctity,
devotion, or faith, many think that he spake by a Pythonic
spirit. To which I answer, that the spirit of prophecy was
given not only to the holy, but sometimes to unbelievers and
Gentiles, to Baal, to the sibyls, and even to bad people, as
to Caiaphas and Bela. On which occasion Origen says: "Do not
wonder, if he whom ye have mentioned declares that the
Scribes and Pharisees and doctors amongst the Jews
prophesied concerning Christ; for Caiaphas said: "It is
expedient for us that one man die for the people:" but
asserts at the same time, that because he was high priest
for that year, he prophesied. Let no man therefore be lifted
up, if he prophesies, if he merits prescience; for
prophecies shall fail, tongues shall cease, knowledge shall
vanish away; and now abideth, faith, hope, and charity:
these three; but the greatest of these is Charity, which
never faileth. But these bad men not only prophesied, but
sometimes performed great miracles, which others could not
accomplish. John the Baptist, who was so great a personage,
performed no miracle, as John the Evangelist testifies: "And
many came to Jesus and said, Because John wrought no signs,"
etc. Nor do we hear that the mother of God performed any
miracle; we read in the Acts of the Apostles, that the sons
of Sheva cast out devils in the name of Jesus, whom Paul
preached; and in Matthew and Luke we may find these words:
"Many shall say unto me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not
prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out
devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? and then
I will profess unto them, I never knew you." And in another
place, John says: "Master, we saw a certain man casting out
devils in thy name, and forbade him, because he followeth
not with us." But Jesus said: "Forbid him not; no man can do
a miracle in my name, and speak evil of me; for whoever is
not against me, is for me."
Alexander of Macedon, a gentile, traversed the Caspian
mountains, and miraculously confined ten tribes within their
promontories, where they still remain, and will continue
until the coming of Elias and Enoch. We read, indeed, the
prophecies of Merlin, but hear nothing either of his
sanctity or his miracles. Some say, that the prophets, when
they prophesied, did not become frantic, as it is affirmed
of Merlin Silvestris, and others possessed, whom we have
before mentioned. Some prophesied by dreams, visions, and
enigmatical sayings, as Ezechiel and Daniel; others by acts
and words, as Noah, in the construction of the ark, alluded
to the church; Abraham, in the slaying of his son, to the
passion of Christ; and Moses by his speech, when he said, "A
prophet shall the Lord God raise up to you of your brethren;
hear him;" meaning Christ. Others have prophesied in a more
excellent way by the internal revelation and inspiration of
the Holy Spirit, as David did when persecuted by Saul: "When
Saul heard that David had fled to Naioth (which is a hill in
Ramah, and the seat of the prophets), he sent messengers to
take him; and when they saw the company of the prophets
prophesying, and Samuel standing at their head, the Spirit
of God came upon the messengers of Saul, and they also
prophesied; and he sent messengers a second and again a
third time, and they also prophesied. And Saul enraged went
thither also; and the Spirit of God was upon him also, and
he went on, and prophesied until he came to Naioth, and he
stripped off his royal vestments, and prophesied with the
rest for all that day and all that night; whilst David and
Samuel secretly observed what passed." Nor is it wonderful
that those persons who suddenly receive the Spirit of God,
and so signal a mark of grace, should for a time seem
alienated from their earthly state of mind.
The Description of Wales
Book I
by Geraldus Cambrensis
Chapter XV
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