itinerary of archibishop-第5章

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nce；　either　in　history　or　poetry？　　Who；　I　say；　in　our　own　age；　either　builds　a　system　of　ethics；　or　consigns　illustrious　actions　to　immortality？　　Literary　fame；　which　used　to　be　placed　in　the　highest　rank；　is　now；　because　of　the　depravity　of　the　times；　tending　to　ruin　and　degraded　to　the　lowest；　so　that　persons　attached　to　study　are　at　present　not　only　not　imitated　nor　venerated；　but　even　detested。　〃Happy　indeed　would　be　the　arts；〃　observes　Fabius；　〃if　artists　alone　judged　of　the　arts；〃　but；　as　Sydonius　says；　〃it　is　a　fixed　principle　in　the　human　mind；　that　they　who　are　ignorant　of　the　arts　despise　the　artist。〃

But　to　revert　to　our　subject。　　Which；　I　ask；　have　rendered　more　service　to　the　world；　the　arms　of　Marius　or　the　verses　of　Virgil？　The　sword　of　Marius　has　rusted；　while　the　fame　of　him　who　wrote　the　AEneid　is　immortal；　and　although　in　his　time　letters　were　honoured　by　lettered　persons；　yet　from　his　own　pen　we　find；


〃　…　tantum　Carmina　nostra　valent　tela　inter　Martia；　quantum　Chaonias　dicunt；　aquila　veniente；　columbas。〃


Who　would　hesitate　in　deciding　which　are　more　profitable；　the　works　of　St。　Jerom；　or　the　riches　of　Croesus？　but　where　now　shine　the　gold　and　silver　of　Croesus？　whilst　the　world　is　instructed　by　the　example　and　enlightened　by　the　learning　of　the　poor　coenobite。　　Yet　even　he；　through　envy；　suffered　stripes　and　contumely　at　Rome；　although　his　character　was　so　illustrious；　and　at　length　being　driven　beyond　the　seas；　found　a　refuge　for　his　studies　in　the　solitude　of　Bethlehem。　Thus　it　appears；　that　gold　and　arms　may　support　us　in　this　life；　but　avail　nothing　after　death；　and　that　letters　through　envy　profit　nothing　in　this　world；　but；　like　a　testament；　acquire　an　immortal　value　from　the　seal　of　death。

According　to　the　poet；


〃Pascitur　in　vivis　livor；　post　fata　quiescit；　Cum　suus　ex　merito　quemque　tuetur　honor。〃


And　also


〃Denique　si　quis　adhuc　praetendit　nubila；　livor　Occidet；　et　meriti　post　me　referentur　honores。〃


Those　who　by　artifice　endeavour　to　acquire　or　preserve　the　reputation　of　abilities　or　ingenuity；　while　they　abound　in　the　words　of　others；　have　little　cause　to　boast　of　their　own　inventions。　　For　the　composers　of　that　polished　language；　in　which　such　various　cases　as　occur　in　the　great　body　of　law　are　treated　with　such　an　appropriate　elegance　of　style；　must　ever　stand　forward　in　the　first　ranks　of　praise。　　I　should　indeed　have　said；　that　the　authors　of　refined　language；　not　the　hearers　only；　the　inventors；　not　the　reciters；　are　most　worthy　of　commendation。　　You　will　find；　however；　that　the　practices　of　the　court　and　of　the　schools　are　extremely　similar；　as　well　in　the　subtleties　they　employ　to　lead　you　forward；　as　in　the　steadiness　with　which　they　generally　maintain　their　own　positions。　　Yet　it　is　certain　that　the　knowledge　of　logic　（the　acumen；　if　I　may　so　express　it；　of　all　other　sciences　as　well　as　arts）　is　very　useful；　when　restricted　within　proper　bounds；　whilst　the　court　（i。e。　courtly　language）；　excepting　to　sycophants　or　ambitious　men；　is　by　no　means　necessary。　　For　if　you　are　successful　at　court；　ambition　never　wholly　quits　its　hold　till　satiated；　and　allures　and　draws　you　still　closer；　but　if　your　labour　is　thrown　away；　you　still　continue　the　pursuit；　and；　together　with　your　substance；　lose　your　time；　the　greatest　and　most　irretrievable　of　all　losses。　　There　is　likewise　some　resemblance　between　the　court　and　the　game　of　dice；　as　the　poet　observes：…


〃Sic　ne　perdiderit　non　cessat　perdere　lusor；

Dum　revocat　cupidas　alea　blanda　manus；〃


which；　by　substituting　the　word　CURIA　for　ALEA；　may　be　applied　to　the　court。　　This　further　proof　of　their　resemblance　may　be　added；　that　as　the　chances　of　the　dice　and　court　are　not　productive　of　any　real　delight；　so　they　are　equally　distributed　to　the　worthy　and　the　unworthy。

Since；　therefore；　among　so　many　species　of　men；　each　follows　his　own　inclination；　and　each　is　actuated　by　different　desires；　a　regard　for　posterity　has　induced　me　to　choose　the　study　of　composition；　and；　as　this　life　is　temporary　and　mutable；　it　is　grateful　to　live　in　the　memory　of　future　ages；　and　to　be　immortalized　by　fame；　for　to　toil　after　that　which　produces　envy　in　life；　but　glory　after　death；　is　a　sure　indication　of　an　elevated　mind。　　Poets　and　authors　indeed　aspire　after　immortality；　but　do　not　reject　any　present　advantages　that　may　offer。

I　formerly　completed　with　vain　and　fruitless　labour　the　Topography　of　Ireland　for　its　companion；　the　king　Henry　the　Second；　and　Vaticinal　History；　for　Richard　of　Poitiou；　his　son；　and；　I　wish　I　were　not　compelled　to　add；　his　successor　in　vice；　princes　little　skilled　in　letters；　and　much　engaged　in　business。　　To　you；　illustrious　Stephen；　archbishop　of　Canterbury；　equally　commendable　for　your　learning　and　religion；　I　now　dedicate　the　account　of　our　meritorious　journey　through　the　rugged　provinces　of　Cambria；　written　in　a　scholastic　style；　and　divided　into　two　parts。　　For　as　virtue　loves　itself；　and　detests　what　is　contrary　to　it；　so　I　hope　you　will　consider　whatever　I　may　have　written　in　commendation　of　your　late　venerable　and　eminent　predecessor；　with　no　less　affection　than　if　it　related　to　yourself。　　To　you　also；　when　completed；　I　destine　my　treatise　on　the　Instruction　of　a　Prince；　if；　amidst　your　religious　and　worldly　occupations；　you　can　find　leisure　for　the　perusal　of　it。　For　I　purpose　to　submit　these　and　other　fruits　of　my　diligence　to　be　tasted　by　you　at　your　discretion；　each　in　its　proper　order；　hoping　that；　if　my　larger　undertakings　do　not　excite　your　interest；　my　smaller　works　may　at　least　merit　your　approbation；　conciliate　your　favour；　and　call　forth　my　gratitude　towards　you；　who；　unmindful　of　worldly　affections；　do　not　partially　distribute　your　bounties　to　your　family　and　friends；　but　to　letters　and　merit；　you；　who；　in　the　midst　of　such　great　and　unceasing　contests　between　the　crown　and　the　priesthood；　stand　forth　almost　singly　the　firm　and　faithful　friend　of　the　British　church；　you；　who；　almost　the　only　one　duly　elected；　fulfil　the　scriptural　designation　of　the　episcopal　character。　　It　is　not；　however；　by　bearing　a　cap；　by　placing　a　cushion；　by　shielding　off　the　rain；　or　by　wiping　the　dust；　even　if　there　should　be　none；　in　the　midst　of　a　herd　of　flatterers；　that　I　attempt　to　conciliate　your　favour；　but　by　my　writings。　　To　you；　therefore；　rare；　noble；　and　illustrious　man；　on　whom　nature　and　art　have　showered　down　whatever　becomes　your　supereminent　situation；　I　dedicate　my　works；　but　if　I　fail　in　this　mode　of　conciliating　your　favour；　and　if　your　prayers　and　avocations　should　not　allow　you　sufficient　time　to　read　them；　I　shall　consider　the　honour　of　letters　as　vanished；　and　in　hope　of　its　revival　I　shall　inscribe　my　writings　to　posterity。



SECOND　PREFACE　…　TO　THE　SAME　PRELATE



Since　those　things；　which　are　known　to　have　been　done　through　a　laudable　devotion；　are　not　unworthily　extolled　with　due　praises；　and　since　the　mind；　when　relaxed；　loses　its　energy；　and　the　torpor　of　sloth　enervates　the　understanding；　as　iron　acquires　rust　for　want　of　use；　and　stagnant　waters　become　foul；　lest　my　pen　should　be　injured　by　the　rust　of　idleness；　I　have　thought　good　to　commit　to　writing　the　devout　visitation　which　Baldwin；　archbishop　of　Canterbury；　made　throughout　Wales；　and　to　hand　down；　as　it　were　in　a　mirror；　through　you；　O　illustrious　Stephen；　to　posterity；　the　difficult　places　through　which　we　passed；　the　names　of　springs　and　torrents；　the　witty　sayings；　the　toils　and　incidents　of　the　journey；　the　memorable　events　of　ancient　and　modern　times；　and　the　natural　history　and　description　of　the　country；　lest　my　study　should　perish　through　idleness；　or　the　praise　of　these　things　be　lost　by　silence。




THE　ITINERARY　THROUGH　WALES　…　BOOK　I




CHAPTER　I



Journey　through　Hereford　and　Radnor


In　the　year　1188　from　the　incarnation　of　our　Lord；　Urban　the　Third　｛11｝　being　the　head　of　the　apostolic　see；　Frederick；　emperor　of　Germany　and　king　of　the　Romans；　Isaac；　emperor　of　Constantinople；　Philip；　the　son　of　Louis；　reigning　in　France；　Henry　the　Second　in　England；　William　in　Sicily；　Bela　in　Hungary；　and　Guy　in　Palestine：　in　that　very　year；　when　Saladin；　prince　of　the　Egyptians　and　Damascene