wild wales-第136章

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quiet　pensive　man；　fatigued　but　not　soured　by　the　turmoil　of　the　
world；　might　settle　down；　enjoy　a　few　innocent　pleasures；　make　his　
peace　with　God；　and　then　compose　himself　to　his　long　sleep。

It　is　not　without　reason　that　Llan　Ddewi　Brefi　has　been　called　a　
place　of　old　renown。　　In　the　fifth　century；　one　of　the　most　
remarkable　ecclesiastical　convocations　which　the　world　has　ever　
seen　was　held　in　this　secluded　spot。　　It　was　for　the　purpose　of　
refuting　certain　doctrines；　which　had　for　some　time　past　caused　
much　agitation　in　the　Church；　and　which　originated　with　one　Morgan；　
a　native　of　North　Wales；　who　left　his　country　at　an　early　age　and　
repaired　to　Italy；　where　having　adopted　the　appellation　of　
Pelagius；　which　is　a　Latin　translation　of　his　own　name　Morgan；　
which　signifies　〃by　the　seashore；〃　he　soon　became　noted　as　a　
theological　writer。　　It　is　not　necessary　to　enter　into　any　detailed　
exposition　of　his　opinions；　it　will；　however；　be　as　well　to　state　
that　one　of　the　points　which　he　was　chiefly　anxious　to　inculcate　
was　that　it　is　possible　for　a　man　to　lead　a　life　entirely　free　from　
sin　by　obeying　the　dictates　of　his　own　reason　without　any　
assistance　from　the　grace　of　God　…　a　dogma　certainly　to　the　last　
degree　delusive　and　dangerous。　　When　the　convocation　met　there　were　
a　great　many　sermons　preached　by　various　learned　and　eloquent　
divines；　but　nothing　was　produced　which　was　pronounced　by　the　
general　voice　a　satisfactory　answer　to　the　doctrines　of　the　
heresiarch。　　At　length　it　was　resolved　to　send　for　Dewi；　a　
celebrated　teacher　of　theology　at　Mynyw　in　Pembrokeshire；　who　from　
motives　of　humility　had　not　appeared　in　the　assembly。　　Messengers　
therefore　were　despatched　to　Dewi；　who；　after　repeated　entreaties；　
was　induced　to　repair　to　the　place　of　meeting；　where　after　three　
days'　labour　in　a　cell　he　produced　a　treatise　in　writing　in　which　
the　tenets　of　Morgan　were　so　triumphantly　overthrown　that　the　
convocation　unanimously　adopted　it　and　sent　it　into　the　world　with　
a　testimony　of　approbation　as　an　antidote　to　the　heresy；　and　so　
great　was　its　efficacy　that　from　that　moment　the　doctrines　of　
Morgan　fell　gradually　into　disrepute。　（16）

Dewi　shortly　afterwards　became　primate　of　Wales；　being　appointed　to　
the　see　of　Minevai　or　Mynyw；　which　from　that　time　was　called　Ty　
Ddewi　or　David's　House；　a　name　which　it　still　retains　amongst　the　
Cumry；　though　at　present　called　by　the　Saxons　Saint　David's。　　About　
five　centuries　after　his　death　the　crown　of　canonization　having　
been　awarded　to　Dewi；　various　churches　were　dedicated　to　him；　
amongst　which　was　that　now　called　Llan　Ddewi　Brefi；　which　was　built　
above　the　cell　in　which　the　good　man　composed　his　celebrated　
treatise。

If　this　secluded　gorge　or　valley　is　connected　with　a　remarkable　
historical　event　it　is　also　associated　with　one　of　the　wildest　
tales　of　mythology。　　Here　according　to　old　tradition　died　one　of　
the　humped　oxen　of　the　team　of　Hu　Gadarn。　　Distracted　at　having　
lost　its　comrade；　which　perished　from　the　dreadful　efforts　which　it　
made　along　with　the　others　in　drawing　the　afanc　hen　or　old　
crocodile　from　the　lake　of　lakes；　it　fled　away　from　its　master；　and　
wandered　about；　till　coming　to　the　glen　now　called　that　of　Llan　
Ddewi　Brefi；　it　fell　down　and　perished　after　excessive　bellowing；　
from　which　noise　the　place　probably　derived　its　name　of　Brefi；　for　
Bref　in　Cumbric　signifies　a　mighty　bellowing　or　lowing。　　Horns　of　
enormous　size；　said　to　have　belonged　to　this　humped　ox　or　bison；　
were　for　many　ages　preserved　in　the　church。

Many　will　exclaim　who　was　Hu　Gadarn？　　Hu　Gadarn　in　the　Gwlad　yr　Haf　
or　summer　country；　a　certain　region　of　the　East；　perhaps　the　
Crimea；　which　seems　to　be　a　modification　of　Cumria；　taught　the　
Cumry　the　arts　of　civilised　life；　to　build　comfortable　houses；　to　
sow　grain　and　reap；　to　tame　the　buffalo　and　the　bison；　and　turn　
their　mighty　strength　to　profitable　account；　to　construct　boats　
with　wicker　and　the　skins　of　animals；　to　drain　pools　and　morasses；　
to　cut　down　forests；　cultivate　the　vine　and　encourage　bees；　make　
wine　and　mead；　frame　lutes　and　fifes　and　play　upon　them；　compose　
rhymes　and　verses；　fuse　minerals　and　form　them　into　various　
instruments　and　weapons；　and　to　move　in　masses　against　their　
enemies；　and　finally　when　the　summer　country　became　over…populated　
led　an　immense　multitude　of　his　countrymen　across　many　lands　to　
Britain；　a　country　of　forests；　in　which　bears；　wolves；　and　bisons　
wandered；　and　of　morasses　and　pools　full　of　dreadful　efync　or　
crocodiles；　a　country　inhabited　only　by　a　few　savage　Gauls；　but　
which　shortly　after　the　arrival　of　Hu　and　his　people　became　a　
smiling　region；　forests　being　thinned；　bears　and　wolves　hunted　
down；　efync　annihilated；　bulls　and　bisons　tamed；　corn　planted　and　
pleasant　cottages　erected。　　After　his　death　he　was　worshipped　as　
the　God　of　agriculture　and　war　by　the　Cumry　and　the　Gauls。　　The　
Germans　paid　him　divine　honours　under　the　name　of　Heus；　from　which　
name　the　province　of　Hesse　in　which　there　was　a　mighty　temple　
devoted　to　him；　derived　its　appellation。　　The　Scandinavians　
worshipped　him　under　the　name　of　Odin　and　Gautr；　the　latter　word　a　
modification　of　Cadarn　or　mighty。　　The　wild　Finns　feared　him　as　a　
wizard　and　honoured　him　as　a　musician　under　the　name　of　
Wainoemoinen；　and　it　is　very　probable　that　he　was　the　wondrous　
being　whom　the　Greeks　termed　Odysses。　　Till　a　late　period　the　word　
Hu　amongst　the　Cumry　was　frequently　used　to　express　God　…　Gwir　Hu；　
God　knows；　being　a　common　saying。　　Many　Welsh　poets　have　called　the　
Creator　by　the　name　of　the　creature；　amongst　others　Iolo　Goch　in　
his　ode　to　the　ploughman：…


〃The　mighty　Hu　who　lives　for　ever；
Of　mead　and　wine　to　men　the　giver；
The　emperor　of　land　and　sea；
And　of　all　things　that　living　be
Did　hold　a　plough　with　his　good　hand；
Soon　as　the　deluge　left　the　land；
To　show　to　men　both　strong　and　weak；
The　haughty…hearted　and　the　meek；
Of　all　the　arts　the　heaven　below
The　noblest　is　to　guide　the　plough。〃


So　much　for　Hu　Gadarn　or　Hu　the　Mighty；　whose　name　puts　one　
strangely　in　mind　of　the　Al　Kader　Hu　or　the　Almighty　He　of　the　
Arabians。

I　went　to　see　the　church。　　The　inside　was　very　rude　and　plain　…　a　
rough　table　covered　with　a　faded　cloth　served　for　an　altar　…　on　the　
right…hand　side　was　a　venerable…looking　chest。

〃What　is　there　in　that　box？〃　said　I　to　the　old　sexton　who　attended　
me。

〃The　treasure　of　the　church；　sir；〃　he　replied　in　a　feeble　quaking　
voice。

〃Dear　me！〃　said　I；　〃what　does　the　treasure　consist　of？〃

〃You　shall　see；　sir；〃　said　he；　and　drawing　a　large　key　out　of　his　
pocket　he　unlocked　the　chest　and　taking　out　a　cup　of　silver　he　put　
it　into　my　hand　saying：…　〃This　is　the　treasure　of　the　church；　sir！〃

I　looked　at　the　cup。　　It　was　tolerably　large　and　of　very　chaste　
workmanship。　　Graven　upon　it　were　the　following　words：…


〃Poculum　Eclesie　De　LXXN　Dewy　Brefy　1574。〃


〃Do　you　always　keep　this　cup　in　that　chest？〃　said　I。

〃Yes　sir！　we　have　kept　it　there　since　the　cup　was　given　to　us　by　de　
godly　Queen　Elizabeth。〃

I　said　nothing；　but　I　thought　to　myself：…　〃I　wonder　how　long　a　cup　
like　this　would　have　been　safe　in　a　crazy　chest　in　a　country　church　
in　England。〃

I　kissed　the　sacred　relic　of　old　times　with　reverence；　and　returned　
it　to　the　old　sexton。

〃What　became　of　the　horns　of　Hu　Gadarn's　bull？〃　said　I；　after　he　
had　locked　the　cup　again　in　its　dilapidated　coffer。

〃They　did　dwindle　away；　sir；　till　they　came　to　nothing。〃

〃Did　you　ever　see　any　part　of　them？〃　said　I。

〃Oh　no；　sir；　I　did　never　see　any　part　of　them；　but　one　very　old　man　
who　is　buried　here　did　tell　me　shortly　before　he　died　that　he　had　
seen　one　very　old　man　who　had　seen　of　dem　one　little　tip。〃

〃Who　was　the　old　man　who　said　that　to　you？〃　said　I。

〃I　will　show　you　his　monument；　sir；〃　then　taking　me　into　a　dusky　
pew　he　pointed　to　a　small　rude　tablet　against　the　church　wall　and　
said：…　〃That　is　his　monument；　sir。〃

The　tablet　bore　the　following　inscription；　and　below　it　a　rude　
englyn　on　death　not　worth　transcribing：…


Coffadwriaeth　am
THOMAS　JONES
Diweddar　o'r　Draws　Llwyn　yn