"We shall all go to hell for the sake of St. John." This picture of the lights and shadows of monasticism I will finish with a beautiful sonnet, copied into the "Archæol. Camb." from some other periodical not named:— "There may be mightier ruins-Conway's flood Of Valle Crucis is a spell of power, By which each meaner thought and sense are charmed. Raglan may claim a rude pre-eminence; Neath, Chepstow, Goodrich, each has its pretence : By no plain beaten track, my spirit turns Would freely worship where thine altar burns, All, save by nature's priests, unseen and unprofaned. "Crickhowell, 21st Nov. 1836." A. J. K. CHAPTER IX. GIRALDUS CAMBRENSIS. Birth of Giraldus-Promise of his tender Years-Educated by his Uncle, the Bishop Fitzgerald of St. David's-Lectures at Paris-Appointed by Archbishop of Canterbury his Legate in Wales-Enforces Payment of Tithes-Persecutes married Clergy-Appointed Archdeacon of Brecon-His spirited Assertion of the Rights of St David's— Nominated Bishop of St. David's on his Uncle's Death-The King refuses to confirm him, and why-Goes to Ireland with Prince JohnOffered two Irish Bishoprics; refuses them-Returns to EnglandRecites his "Topography" at Oxford-Accompanies Archbishop Baldwin through Wales-Is offered and refuses Bishoprics of Bangor and St. Asaph-On Vacancy of St. David's is presented first on the list by the Chapter-Archbishop strikes his name out-He returns to St. David's-Is elected by the Chapter-Goes to Rome to maintain his Election and the Rights of St. David's-Is unsuccessful-Archbishop of Canterbury de facto, but not de jure, Metropolitan of Wales -Giraldus resigns his Preferments, and goes into Retirement-His Character, its strength and weakness-Proof of his Charitable Disposition Of his Affection for his Family-Of his strict regard to his Promises Of his Courage-His Death at St. David's-Picture of Wales and the Welsh in the Twelfth Century, as presented by Giraldus. GIRALDUS DE BARRI,* fourth son of William de Barri, a Norman knight, who held lands in Wales, by Angharad, his wife, granddaughter to Rhys ap Tewdwr, or Tudor, sovereign prince of South Wales, was born about 1146, at the family seat, Manorbeer Castle, Pembrokeshire. He early gave indications of a thoughtful and serious disposition; when a child, while his brothers built castles in the sand, he traced out churches and monasteries. His father, an observant man, decided on giving him a learned education, and in joke used to call him his little bishop. Once when Manorbeer was * Hoare's Giraldus, vol. i. pp. xi.-lxxii. Camb. Plut. pp. 146-172. threatened with an attack, and others flew to arms, Giraldus begged to be carried to the church; thus, as himself said afterwards, "with a wonderful foresight for his age, declaring the peace and privileges of the house of God." With all his father's excellent intentions, book-learning did not prosper at Manorbeer. To learn to use the sword and lance were the chief studies prosecuted there; so his uncle Fitzgerald, bishop of St. David's, kindly took young Giraldus to live with him, and be educated under his directions. His tutors at first did not find him a very promising pupil, but as they not only thought him stupid but told him so, his wounded pride spurred on his hitherto undeveloped faculties, and he soon became the best scholar they had. From St. David's he went to Paris, where he stayed three years, gave lectures on rhetoric and the belles lettres, and was held up by the Dons as a model student. In 1172 he was ordained and presented to preferment, both in England and Wales, a canonry at Hereford, and the living of Chesterton, Oxfordshire. From the time that he solemnly dedicated himself to the work of the ministry to his dying day, Giraldus's whole thoughts were turned to the good of the church in Wales, to raise the tone of religious feeling and practice, which, in his rather fastidious judgment, had fallen very low, and to vindicate the just rights and authority of his native episcopate. As stanch a supporter of the right divine of tithes as, in our days, is the learned and zealous vicar of Harlow, Giraldus carried his complaints, that the church did not receive her dues, to the Archbishop of Canterbury, and was by him appointed his legate in Wales, to rectify these and other abuses. The legate entered upon his duties in right earnest, and proclaimed martial law—that is, he excommunicated, without mercy, those who refused to pay up their tithes every one paid except the men of Rhôs, the Flemings, I hope, for the sake of the excellent rector of Rhôs Crowther, that they have learnt better now. Neither did Giraldus spare the clergy, he was particularly severe against such as were married; he called their wives "concubines," and insisted on their dismissal. At Brecknock he found an old archdeacon "cohabiting publicly with his concubine," that is, living in all good conscience with his lawful wife, as any other archdeacon might do. The old man turned a deaf ear to the legate's remonstrances and threats, who at length put him out of his preferments, and, at the request of the archbishop, accepted them himself, and so became Archdeacon of Brecon. Set a black mark against Giraldus's name for this. To send the poor old archdeacon adrift, because he would not forsake the wife of his bosom, was a burning shame. One of the earliest acts of the new archdeacon was a spirited assertion of the rights of the see of St. David. The church of Keri* stood on the borders of St. David's and St. Asaph, but belonged to the former; the Bishop of St. Asaph intimated his intention to take possession of Keri, and the whole territory between the Wye and the Severn. The meditated aggression came to the ears of Giraldus; he immediately despatched messengers to two Welsh princes, Eineon Clyd and Cadwallon, begging them to send him some armed horsemen, as it was reported that the intrusive prelate would be attended by a strong body of men from Powys. Having taken this precaution, he set out two days' journey to Keri, which he reached on a Sunday morning. The Keri clergy sided with the Bishop of St. Asaph, and hid the keys of the church; they were found at last, and the archdeacon entered the church, ordered the bells to be rung, and celebrated mass with great solemnity. Presently messengers arrived to announce the approach of the Bishop of St. Asaph to the dedication of the church of Keri. Giraldus, therefore, sent a deputation of the clergy, with his best respects, to the bishop, saying that he should be most happy to receive him as a friend and neighbour, but that if he had any other object in coming, he recommended him to keep away. The bishop sent answer that he was coming, as bishop of the diocese, to the dedication of the church of Keri. bishop arrived at the gate of the churchyard, placed his mitre on his head, and with his pastoral staff in his hand, and preceded by his processional cross, advanced towards the sacred edifice. As the bishop entered the churchyard, the great doors of the church were thrown wide open, and the archdeacon issued forth with a train of clergy in their vest The * A village in Montgomeryshire, between Bishop's Castle and New town. ments, lighted tapers in their hands, and the up-raised crucifix. The antagonistic authorities met face to face, and stood foot to foot, and cross to cross. The bishop, in a loud voice, began to excommunicate the archdeacon; the archdeacon, in a still louder voice, began to excommunicate the bishop. The artillery of the church was at the command of the archdeacon, he used it with decisive effect. When Giraldus had finished, the bells rung out, the bishop turned on his heel, mounted his horse, and, accompanied by his attendants, galloped away, amidst a shower of mud and stones. I should suppose, that what is called the Dedication meant the feast or anniversary of the Dedication, which is always an occasion of great solemnity. You would think, perhaps, that Giraldus and the bishop were at daggers drawn the rest of their lives; not so, they had been fellow-students at Paris. The Bishop of St. Asaph laughed as heartily as any one at his defeat, and the two remained as good friends as ever. I have not space to follow Giraldus's history seriatim, and hasten on to the most interesting part of it. On the death of his uncle, the Bishop of St. David's, in 1176, the chapter met and elected the Archdeacon of Brecon to be his successor; but he declined to accept the bishopric till the vacancy had been announced in the usual manner, and the king's consent had been obtained. The chapter stood on their rights, to the great displeasure of Henry II., who referred the choice of a successor to the judgment of the Archbishop of Canterbury and his suffragans; they unanimously recommended Giraldus, and the king as decidedly refused to confirm him. "He was," the sagacious Henry said, "too conscientious, too active, too nearly related to Prince Rhys, and, in short, too much of a Welshman to be trusted with St. David's." In 1185 Giraldus attended Prince John to Ireland, as tutor and secretary; here he was offered, first, the Bishopric of Ferns, then that of Leichlin, and on his refusing both, the offer was made of consolidating the two, if he would take them together. He replied, "If I could improve and exalt the Church of Ireland, I would willingly accept the proffered honour; but since that cannot be expected, I had rather continue a private person than be raised to a high station in which I can be of no service." While in Ireland he commenced his "Topography" of that country, which he com |