【英文原著类】theitineraryofarchbi

TheItineraryofArchbishopBaldwinthroughWales1TheItineraryofArchbishopBaldwinthroughWalesTheItineraryofArchbishopBaldwinthroughWales2INTRODUCTIONGeraldtheWelshman-GiraldusCambrensis-wasborn,probablyin1147,atManorbierCastleinthecountyofPembroke.HisfatherwasaNormannoble,WilliamdeBarri,whotookhisnamefromthelittleislandofBarryoffthecoastofGlamorgan.Hismother,Angharad,wasthedaughterofGeralddeWindsor{1}byhiswife,thefamousPrincessNesta,theHelenofWales,andthedaughterofRhysapTewdwrMawr,thelastindependentPrinceofSouthWales.Geraldwasthereforeborntoromanceandadventure.HewasrearedinthetraditionsoftheHouseofDinevor.HeheardthebrilliantandpitifulstoriesofRhysapTewdwr,who,afterhavinglostandwonSouthWales,diedonthestrickenfieldfightingagainsttheNormans,anoldmanofoverfourscoreyears;andofhisgallantson,PrinceRhys,who,afterwrenchinghispatrimonyfromtheinvaders,diedofabrokenheartafewmonthsafterhiswife,thePrincessGwenllian,hadfalleninaskirmishatKidwelly.Nodoubtheheard,thoughhemakesbutsparingallusiontothem,ofthelovesandadventuresofhisgrandmother,thePrincessNesta,thedaughterandsisterofaprince,thewifeofanadventurer,theconcubineofaking,andtheparamourofeverydaringlover-aWelshwomanwhosepassionsembroiledallWales,andEnglandtoo,inwar,andthemotherofheroes-Fitz-Geralds,Fitz-Stephens,andFitz-Henries,andothers-who,regardlessoftheirmother'seccentricityinthechoiceoftheirfathers,unitedlikebrothersinthemostadventurousundertakingofthatage,theConquestofIreland.ThoughhismotherwashalfSaxonandhisfatherprobablyfullyNorman,Gerald,withatrueinstinct,describedhimselfasaWelshman.Hisfrankvanity,sonaiveastobevoidofoffence,hiseasyacceptanceofeverythingwhichProvidencehadbestowedonhim,hisincorrigiblebeliefthatalltheworldtookasmuchinterestinhimselfandallthatappealedtohimashedidhimself,thereadinesswithwhichheadaptedhimselftoallsortsofmenandofcircumstances,hiscredulityinmattersoffaithandhisTheItineraryofArchbishopBaldwinthroughWales3shrewdcommonsenseinthingsoftheworld,hiswitandlivelyfancy,hiseloquenceoftongueandpen,hisacuteratherthanaccurateobservation,hisscholarshipelegantratherthanprofound,areallcharacteristicofacertainlovabletypeofSouthWalian.Hewasnotblindtothedefectsofhiscountrymenanymorethantoothersofhiscontemporaries,buttheWelshhechastisedasonewholovedthem.Hispraisefollowedevercloseupontheheelsofhiscriticism.TherewasnoneoftherancourinhisreferencestoWaleswhichdefaceshisaccountofcontemporaryIreland.HewasacquaintedwithWelsh,thoughhedoesnotseemtohavepreachedit,andanotherarchdeaconactedastheinterpreterofArchbishopBaldwin'sCrusadesermoninAnglesea.ButhecouldappreciatethecharmoftheCynghanedd,thealliterativeassonancewhichisstillthemostdistinctivefeatureofWelshpoetry.Hecannotconcealhissympathywiththeimperishabledeterminationofhiscountrymentokeepalivethelanguagewhichistheirdifferentiaamongthenationsoftheworld.ItismanifestinthestorywhichherelatesattheendofhisDescriptionofWales.HenryII.askedanoldWelshmanofPencaderinCarmarthenshireiftheWelshcouldresisthismight.Thisnation,OKing,wasthereply,mayoftenbeweakenedandingreatpartdestroyedbythepowerofyourselfandofothers,butmanyatime,asitdeserves,itwillrisetriumphant.Butneverwillitbedestroyedbythewrathofman,unlessthewrathofGodbeadded.NordoIthinkthatanyothernationthanthisofWales,oranyothertongue,whatevermayhereaftercometopass,shallonthedayofthegreatreckoningbeforetheMostHighJudge,answerforthiscorneroftheearth.PronetodiscusswithhisBritannicfranknessthefaultsofhiscountrymen,hecannotbearthatanyoneelseshoulddoso.IntheDescriptionofWaleshebreaksoffinthemiddleofamostunflatteringpassageconcerningthecharacteroftheWelshpeopletolectureGildasforhavingabusedhisowncountrymen.IntheprefacetohisInstructionofPrinces,hemakesabitterreferencetotheprejudiceoftheEnglishCourtagainsteverythingWelsh-CananygoodthingcomefromWales?HisfierceWelshmanshipisperhapsresponsiblefortheunsympathetictreatmentwhichhehasusuallyreceivedatthehandsofEnglishhistorians.EventooneofthewritersofDr.Traill'sTheItineraryofArchbishopBaldwinthroughWales4SocialEngland,GeraldwaslittlemorethanastrongandpassionateWelshman.Sometimesitwashispleasuretoposeasacitizenoftheworld.HelovedParis,thecentreoflearning,wherehestudiedasayouth,andwherehelecturedinhisearlymanhood.HepaidfourlongvisitstoRome.HewasCourtchaplaintoHenryII.HeaccompaniedthekingonhisexpeditionstoFrance,andPrinceJohntoIreland.Heretired,whenoldagegrewuponhim,tothescholarlyseclusionofLincoln,farfromhisnativeland.Hewasthefriendandcompanionofprincesandkings,ofscholarsandprelateseverywhereinEngland,inFrance,andinItaly.AndyettherewasnoplaceintheworldsodeartohimasManorbier.Whocanreadhisvividdescriptionoftheoldcastlebythesea-itsrampartsblownuponbythewindsthatsweptovertheIrishSea,itsfishponds,itsgarden,anditsloftynuttrees-withoutfeelingthathere,afterall,wasthehomeofGeralddeBarri?AsDemetia,hesaidinhisItinerary,withitssevencantredsisthefairestofallthelandsofWales,asPembrokeisthefairestpartofDemetia,andthisspotthefairestofPembroke,itfollowsthatManorbieristhesweetestspotinWales.Hehasleftusacharmingaccountofhisboyhood,playingwithhisbrothersonthesands,t