贝壳电子书 > 英文原著电子书 > itinerary of archibishop >

第21章

itinerary of archibishop-第21章

小说: itinerary of archibishop 字数: 每页4000字

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页,按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页,按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部!
————未阅读完?加入书签已便下次继续阅读!





From Haverford we proceeded on our journey to Menevia; distant from thence about twelve miles; and passed through Camros; {118} where; in the reign of king Stephen; the relations and friends of a distinguished young man; Giraldus; son of William; revenged his death by a too severe retaliation on the men of Ros。  We then passed over Niwegal sands; at which place (during the winter that king Henry II。 spent in Ireland); as well as in almost all the other western ports; a very remarkable circumstance occurred。  The sandy shores of South Wales; being laid bare by the extraordinary violence of a storm; the surface of the earth; which had been covered for many ages; re…appeared; and discovered the trunks of trees cut off; standing in the very sea itself; the strokes of the hatchet appearing as if made only yesterday。 {119}  The soil was very black; and the wood like ebony。  By a wonderful revolution; the road for ships became impassable; and looked; not like a shore; but like a grove cut down; perhaps; at the time of the deluge; or not long after; but certainly in very remote ages; being by degrees consumed and swallowed up by the violence and encroachments of the sea。 During the same tempest many sea fish were driven; by the violence of the wind and waves; upon dry land。  We were well lodged at St。 David's by Peter; bishop of the see; a liberal man; who had hitherto accompanied us during the whole of our journey。




BOOK II




PREFACE



Since; therefore; St。 David's is the head; and in times past was the metropolitan; city of Wales; though now; alas! retaining more of the NAME than of the OMEN; {120} yet I have not forborne to weep over the obsequies of our ancient and undoubted mother; to follow the mournful hearse; and to deplore with tearful sighs the ashes of our half…buried matron。  I shall; therefore; endeavour briefly to declare to you in what manner; from whence; and from what period the pall was first brought to St。 David's; and how it was taken away; how many prelates were invested with the pall; and how many were despoiled thereof; together with their respective names to this present day。



CHAPTER I



Of the see of Saint David's


We are informed by the British histories; that Dubricius; archbishop of Caerleon; sensible of the infirmities of age; or rather being desirous of leading a life of contemplation; resigned his honours to David; who is said to have been uncle to king Arthur; and by his interest the see was translated to Menevia; although Caerleon; as we have observed in the first book; was much better adapted for the episcopal see。  For Menevia is situated in a most remote corner of land upon the Irish ocean; the soil stony and barren; neither clothed with woods; distinguished by rivers; nor adorned by meadows; ever exposed to the winds and tempests; and continually subject to the hostile attacks of the Flemings on one side; and of the Welsh on the other。  For the holy men who settled here; chose purposely such a retired habitation; that by avoiding the noise of the world; and preferring an heremitical to a pastoral life; they might more freely provide for 〃that part which shall not be taken away;〃 for David was remarkable for his sanctity and religion; as the history of his life will testify。  Amongst the many miracles recorded of him; three appear to me the most worthy of admiration:  his origin and conception; his pre…election thirty years before his birth; and what exceeds all; the sudden rising of the ground; at Brevy; under his feet while preaching; to the great astonishment of all the beholders。

Since the time of David; twenty…five archbishops presided over the see of Menevia; whose names are here subjoined:  David; Cenauc; Eliud; who was also called Teilaus; Ceneu; Morwal; Haerunen; Elwaed; Gurnuen; Lendivord; Gorwysc; Cogan; Cledauc; Anian; Euloed; Ethelmen; Elauc; Malscoed; Sadermen; Catellus; Sulhaithnai; Nonis; Etwal; Asser; Arthuael; Sampson。  In the time of Sampson; the pall was translated from Menevia in the following manner:  a disorder called the yellow plague; and by the physicians the icteric passion; of which the people died in great numbers; raged throughout Wales; at the time when Sampson held the archiepiscopal see。  Though a holy man; and fearless of death; he was prevailed upon; by the earnest intreaties of his people; to go on board a vessel; which was wafted; by a south wind; to Britannia Armorica; {121} where he and his attendants were safely landed。  The see of Dol being at that time vacant; he was immediately elected bishop。  Hence it came to pass; that on account of the pall which Sampson had brought thither with him; the succeeding bishops; even to our times; always retained it。 But during the presidency of the archbishop of Tours; this adventitious dignity ceased; yet our countrymen; through indolence or poverty; or rather owing to the arrival of the English into the island; and the frequent hostilities committed against them by the Saxons; lost their archiepiscopal honours。  But until the entire subjugation of Wales by king Henry I。; the Welsh bishops were always consecrated by the bishop of St。 David's; and he was consecrated by his suffragans; without any profession or submission being made to any other church。

From the time of Sampson to that of king Henry I。; nineteen bishops presided over this see:  Ruelin; Rodherch; Elguin; Lunuerd; Nergu; Sulhidir; Eneuris; Morgeneu; who was the first bishop of St。 David's who ate flesh; and was there killed by pirates; and he appeared to a certain bishop in Ireland on the night of his death; shewing his wounds; and saying; 〃Because I ate flesh; I am become flesh。〃 Nathan; Ievan (who was bishop only one night); Argustel; Morgenueth; Ervin; Tramerin; Joseph; Bleithud; Sulghein; Abraham; Wilfred。 Since the subjugation of Wales to the present time; three only have held the see:  in the reign of king Henry I。; Bernard; in the reign of king Stephen; David II。; and in the reign of king Henry II。; Peter; a monk of the order of Cluny; who all; by the king's mandate; were consecrated at Canterbury; as also Geoffrey; prior and canon of Lanthoni; who succeeded them in the reign of king John; and was preferred to this see by the interest of Hubert; archbishop of Canterbury; and afterwards consecrated by him。  We do not hear that either before or after that subjugation; any archbishop of Canterbury ever entered the borders of Wales; except Baldwin; a monk of the Cistercian order; abbot of Ford; and afterwards bishop of Worcester; who traversed that rough; inaccessible; and remote country with a laudable devotion for the service of the cross; and as a token of investiture; celebrated mass in all the cathedral churches。  So that till lately the see of St。 David's owed no subjection to that of Canterbury; as may be seen in the English History of Bede; who says that 〃Augustine; bishop of the Angles; after the conversion of king Ethelfred and the English people; called together the bishops of Wales on the confines of the West Saxons; as legate of the apostolic see。  When the seven bishops {122} appeared; Augustine; sitting in his chair; with Roman pride; did not rise up at their entrance。  Observing his haughtiness (after the example of a holy anchorite of their nation); they immediately returned; and treated him and his statutes with contempt; publicly proclaiming that they would not acknowledge him for their archbishop; alleging; that if he now refused to rise up to us; how much more will he hold us in contempt; if we submit to be subject to him?〃  That there were at that time seven bishops in Wales; and now only four; may be thus accounted for; because perhaps there were formerly more cathedral churches in Wales than there are at present; or the extent of Wales might have been greater。  Amongst so many bishops thus deprived of their dignity; Bernard; the first French 'i。e。 Norman' bishop of St。 David's; alone defended the rights of his church in a public manner; and after many expensive and vexatious appeals to the court of Rome; would not have reclaimed them in vain; if false witnesses had not publicly appeared at the council of Rheims; before pope Eugenius; and testified that he had made profession and submission to the

返回目录 上一页 下一页 回到顶部 0 0

你可能喜欢的