The Description of Wales
by Geraldus Cambrensis
Book II
Chapter VII
Of their sins, and the consequent loss of Britain
and of Troy
Moreover, through their sins, and particularly that
detestable and wicked vice of Sodom, as well as by divine
vengeance, they lost Britain as they formerly lost Troy. For
we read in the Roman history, that the emperor Constantine
having resigned the city and the Western empire to the
blessed Sylvester and his successors, with an intention of
rebuilding Troy, and there establishing the chief seat of
the Eastern Empire, heard a voice, saying, "Dost thou go to
rebuild Sodom?" upon which, he altered his intention, turned
his ships and standards towards Byzantium, and there fixing
his seat of empire, gave his own propitious name to the
city. The British history informs us, that Mailgon, king of
the Britons, and many others, were addicted to this vice;
that enormity, however, had entirely ceased for so long a
time, that the recollection of it was nearly worn out. But
since that, as if the time of repentance was almost expired,
and because the nation, by its warlike successes and
acquisition of territory, has in our times unusually
increased in population and strength, they boast in their
turn, and most confidently and unanimously affirm, that in a
short time their countrymen shall return to the island, and,
according to the prophecies of Merlin, the nation, and even
the name, of foreigners, shall be extinguished in the
island, and the Britons shall exult again in their ancient
name and privileges. But to me it appears far otherwise; for
since
"Luxuriant animi rebus plerumque secundis,
Nec facile est aequa commoda mente pati;"
And because
"Non habet unde suum paupertas pascat amorem, .
. .
Divitiis alitur luxuriosus amor."
So that their abstinence from that vice, which in their
prosperity they could not resist, may be attributed more
justly to their poverty and state of exile than to their
sense of virtue. For they cannot be said to have repented,
when we see them involved in such an abyss of vices,
perjury, theft, robbery, rapine, murders, fratricides,
adultery, and incest, and become every day more entangled
and ensnared in evil-doing; so that the words of the prophet
Hosea may be truly applied to them, "There is no truth, nor
mercy," etc.
Other matters of which they boast are more properly to be
attributed to the diligence and activity of the Norman kings
than to their own merits or power. For previous to the
coming of the Normans, when the English kings contented
themselves with the sovereignty of Britain alone, and
employed their whole military force in the subjugation of
this people, they almost wholly extirpated them; as did king
Offa, who by a long and extensive dyke separated the British
from the English; Ethelfrid also, who demolished the noble
city of Legions, and put to death the monks of the
celebrated monastery at Banchor, who had been called in to
promote the success of the Britons by their prayers; and
lastly Harold, who himself on foot, with an army of
light-armed infantry, and conforming to the customary diet
of the country, so bravely penetrated through every part of
Wales, that he scarcely left a man alive in it; and as a
memorial of his signal victories many stones may be found in
Wales bearing this inscription:- "HIC VICTOR FUIT HAROLDUS"
- "HERE HAROLD CONQUERED."
To these bloody and recent victories of the English may
be attributed the peaceable state of Wales during the reigns
of the three first Norman kings; when the nation increased
in population, and being taught the use of arms and the
management of horses by the English and Normans (with whom
they had much intercourse, by following the court, or by
being sent as hostages), took advantage of the necessary
attention which the three succeeding kings were obliged to
pay to their foreign possessions, and once more lifting up
their crests, recovered their lands, and spurned the yoke
that had formerly been imposed upon them.
The Description of Wales
Book II
by Geraldus Cambrensis
Chapter VI
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