a short history of wales-第4部分

快捷操作: 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! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！



In　each　commote　there　were　two　kinds　of　peoplethe　free　or　high…　born；　and　the　low…born　or　serfs。　　These　may　have　been　the　conquering　Celt　and　the　conquered　Iberian。　　It　was　very　difficult　for　those　in　the　lower　class　to　rise　to　the　higher；　but；　after　passing　through　the　storms　of　a　thousand　years；　the　old　dark　line　of　separation　was　quite　lost　sight　of。

The　free　family　lived　in　a　great　housein　the　hendre　（〃old　homestead〃）　in　winter；　and　in　the　mountain　havoty　（〃summer　house〃）　in　summer。　　The　sides　of　the　house　were　made　of　giant　forest　trees；　their　boughs　meeting　at　the　top　and　supporting　the　roof　tree。　　The　fire　burnt　in　the　middle　of　the　hall。　　Round　the　walls　the　family　beds　were　arranged。　　The　family　was　governed　by　the　head　of　the　household　（penteulu）；　whose　word　was　law。

The　highest　family　in　the　land　was　that　of　the　king。　　In　his　hall　all　took　their　own　places；　his　chief　of　the　household；　his　priest；　his　steward；　his　falconer；　his　judge；　his　bard；　his　chief　huntsman；　his　mediciner；　and　others。　　The　chief　royal　residences　were　Aberffraw　in　Mon；　Mathraval　in　Powys；　and　Dynevor　in　Deheubarth。

Old　Welsh　law　was　very　unlike　the　law　we　obey　now。　　I　cannot　tell　you　much　about　it　in　a　short　book　like　this；　but　it　is　worth　noticing　that　it　was　very　humane。　　We　do　not　get　in　it　the　savage　and　vindictive　punishments　we　get　in　some　laws。　　I　give　you　some　extracts　from　the　old　laws　of　the　Welsh。

The　king　was　to　be　honoured。　　According　to　the　laws　of　Gwynedd；　if　any　one　did　violence　in　his　presence　he　had　to　pay　a　great　finea　hundred　cows；　and　a　white　bull　with　red　ears；　for　every　cantrev　the　king　ruled；　a　rod　of　gold　as　long　as　the　king　himself；　and　as　thick　as　his　little　finger；　and　a　plate　of　gold；　as　broad　as　the　king's　face；　and　as　thick　as　a　ploughman's　nail。

The　judge；　whether　of　the　king's　court　or　of　the　courts　of　his　subjects；　was　to　be　learned；　just；　and　wise。　　Thus；　according　to　the　laws　of　Dyved；　was　an　inexperienced　judge　to　be　prepared　for　his　great　office；　he　was　to　remain　in　the　court　in　the　king's　company；　to　listen　to　the　pleas　of　judges　who　came　from　the　country；　to　learn　the　laws　and　customs　that　were　in　force；　especially　the　three　main　divisions　of　law；　and　the　value　of　all　tame　animals；　and　of　all　wild　beasts　and　birds　that　were　of　use　to　men。　　He　was　to　listen　especially　to　the　difficult　cases　that　were　brought　to　the　court；　to　be　solved　by　the　wisdom　of　the　king。　　When　he　had　lived　thus　for　a　year；　he　was　to　be　brought　to　the　church　by　the　chaplain；　and　there；　over　the　relics　and　before　the　altar；　he　swore；　in　the　presence　of　the　great　officers　of　the　king's　court；　that　he　would　never　knowingly　do　injustice；　for　money　or　love　or　hate。　　He　is　then　brought　to　the　king；　and　the　officers　tell　the　king　that　he　has　taken　the　solemn　oath。　　Then　the　king　accepts　him　as　a　judge；　and　gives　him　his　place。　When　he　leaves；　the　king　gives　him　a　golden　chessboard；　and　the　queen　gold　rings；　and　these　he　is　never　to　part　with。

I　will　tell　you　about　one　other　officerthe　falconer。　　Falconry　was　the　favourite　pastime　of　the　kings　and　nobles　of　the　time；　indeed；　everybody　found　it　very　exciting　to　watch　the　long　struggle　in　the　air　between　the　trained　falcon　and　its　prey；　as　each　bird　tried　every　skill　of　wing　and　talon　that　it　knew。　　The　falconer　was　to　drink　very　sparingly　in　the　king's　hall；　for　fear　the　falcons　might　suffer；　and　his　lodging　was　to　be　in　the　king's　barn；　not　in　the　king's　hall；　lest　the　smoke　from　the　great　fire…place　should　dim　the　falcon's　sight。



CHAPTER　VIITHE　NORMANS



On　the　death　of　Griffith　ap　Llywelyn；　many　princes　tried　to　become　supreme。　　Bleddyn　of　Powys；　a　good　and　merciful　prince；　became　the　most　important。

In　January　1070；　when　the　snow　lay　thick　on　the　mountains；　William；　the　Norman　Conqueror；　appeared　at　Chester　with　an　army。　　He　had　defeated　and　killed　Harold；　the　conqueror　of　Griffith　ap　Llywelyn；　in　1066；　he　had　crushed　the　power　of　the　Mercian　allies　of　Bleddyn；　he　had　struck　terror　into　the　wild　north；　and　England　lay　at　his　feet。

He　turned　back　from　Chester；　but　he　placed　on　the　borders　a　number　of　barons　who　were　to　conquer　Wales；　as　he　had　conquered　England。　　They　had　a　measure　of　his　ability；　of　his　energy；　and　of　his　ambition。

The　two　great　Norman　traits　were　wisdom　and　courage；　but　the　one　was　often　mere　cunning；　and　the　other　brutal　ferocity。　　But　no　one　like　the　Norman　had　yet　appeared　in　Walesno　one　with　a　vision　so　clear；　or　with　so　hard　a　grip。　　A　hard；　worldly；　tenacious；　calculating　race　they　were；　and　they　turned　their　faces　resolutely　towards　Wales。

From　England；　Wales　can　be　entered　and　attacked　along　three　valleys　along　the　Dee；　the　Severn；　and　the　Wye。　　At　Chester；　Hugh　of　Avranches；　called　〃The　Wolf；〃　placed　himself。　　From　its　walls　he　could　look　over　and　covet　the　Welsh　hills；　as　he　could　have　looked　over　the　Breton　hills　from　Avranches。　　He　loved　war　and　the　chase：　he　despised　industry；　he　cared　not　for　religion；　he　was　a　man　of　strong　passions；　but　he　was　generous；　and　he　respected　worth　of　character。　　One　of　his　followers；　Robert；　had　all　his　vices　and　few　of　his　virtues。　　It　was　he　who　extended　the　dominions　of　the　Earl　of　Chester　along　the　north　coast　to　the　Clwyd；　where　he　built　a　castle　at　Rhuddlan；　and　thence　on　to　the　valley　of　the　Conway；　where　he　built　a　castle　at　Deganwy。　　The　cruelty　of　Robert　shocked　even　the　Normans　of　his　time。　　He　even　set　foot　in　Anglesey；　which　looked　temptingly　near　from　Deganwy；　and　built　a　castle　at　Aberlleiniog。

At　Shrewsbury；　where　the　Severn；　after　leaving　the　mountains　of　Wales；　turns　to　the　south；　Roger　of　Montgomery　was　placed；　with　his　wife　Mabel；　an　energetic　little　woman；　hated　and　feared　by　all。　Roger　himself；　while　ever　ready　to　fight；　preferred　to　get　what　he　wanted　by　persuasion；　he　was　not　less　cruel　than　Hugh　of　Chester；　but　he　was　less　fond　of　war。　　He　and　his　sons　pushed　their　way　up　the　Severn；　and　built　a　castle　at　Montgomery。

To　Hereford；　on　the　Wye；　William　Fitz…Osbern　came。　　He　was　the　ablest；　perhaps；　of　all　the　followers　of　the　Conqueror。　　He　entered　Wales；　he　saw　it　from　the　Wye　to　the　sea；　and　he　thought　it　was　not　large　enough；　and　that　it　was　too　far　from　the　political　life　of　the　time。　　So　he　went　back　to　Normandy；　but　he　left　his　sons　William　and　Roger　behind　him。　　William　had　his　father's　wisdom。　　Roger　had　his　father's　recklessness　in　action；　he　rebelled　against　his　own　king；　and　found　himself　in　prison。　　The　king　sent　him；　on　the　day　of　Christ's　Passion；　a　robe　of　silk　and　rarest　ermine。　　The　caged　baron　made　a　roaring　fire；　and　cast　the　robe　into　it。　　〃By　the　light　of　God；〃　said　William　the　Conqueror；　for　that　was　his　wicked　oath；　〃he　shall　never　leave　his　prison。〃

But　another　Norman；　Bernard　of　Neufmarche；　came　to　take　his　place。　He　built　his　castle　at　Brecon；　and　defeated　and　killed　Rees；　the　King　of　Deheubarth；　and；　with　great　energy；　he　took　possession　of　the　upper　valleys　of　the　Wye　and　the　Usk。

Further　south　William　the　Conqueror　himself　came　to　Cardiff；　and　possibly　built　a　castle。　　The　Norman　conquest　of　the　south　coast　of　Wales　was　exceedingly　rapid；　and　castle　after　castle　rose　to　mark　the　new　victorious　advancesCoety；　Cenfig；　Neath；　Kidwelly；　Pembroke；　Newport；　Cilgeran。

So　far；　the　Norman　advance　has　been　a　most　quick　one。　　In　less　than　twenty…five　years　from　the　appearance　of　the　Conqueror　at　Chester；　the　whole　country　had　been　overrun　except　the　mountains　of　Gwynedd　and　the　forests　of　the　Deheubarth。　　This　success　is　easily　explained。

For　one　thing；　the　Normans　had　trained；　professional　soldiers；　who　were　well　horsed　and　well　armed。　　In　a　pitched　battle　the　hastily　collected　Welsh　levies；　unused　to　regular　battle　and　very　lightly　armed；　had　no　chance。

Again；　the　Norman　never　receded。　　He　was　willing　to　stop　occasionally；　in　order　to　bide　his　time；　but　he　clung　tenaciously　to　every　mile　he　had　won。　　His　skill　as　a　castle　builder　was　as　striking　as　his　prowess　in　battle　or　his　cautious　wisdom　in　council。　　He　took　possession　of　an　old　fortified　post；　or　hastily　constructed　one　of　turf　and　timber；　but　he　soon　turned　it　into　a　castle　of　stone。　　At　that　time　the　Welsh　had　no　knowledge　of　sieges；　and　their　impetuous　valour　was　of　no　use　against　the　new　castles。

Again；　the　Welsh　opposition　was　not　only　not　organised；　but　weakened　by　internal　strife。　　While　the　Norman　was　winning　valley　after　valley；　the　Welsh　princes　were　trying　to　decide　by　the　issue　of　battle　who　was　to　be　chief。　　Bleddyn　was　slain　in　1075；　and　his　nephews　and　cousins　tried　to　rule　the　country。　　Among　these；　Trahaiarn　was　a　soldier　of　ability　and　energy；　and　a　ruler　of　real　genius。　　But　he　was　the　rival　of　the　exiled　princes　of　the　House　of　Cunedda；　and　he　found　it　difficult　to　bend　Snowdon　and　the　Vale　of　Towy　to　his　will。　　Two　of　the　exiles　met　him；　probably　near　some　of　the　cairns　in　the　valley　of　the　Teivy；　and　there；　in　the　battle　of　Mynydd　Carn；　fiercely　fought　through　the　dusk　into　a　moonlight　night　in　1079；　Trahaiarn　fell。　　It　looked　as　if　no　leader　could　rise　in　Wales　to　fight　a　Norman　army　or　to　take　a　Norman　castle。



CHAPTER　VIIIGRIFFITH　AP　CONAN　AND　GRIFFITH　AP　REES



In　the　battle　of　Mynydd　Carn；　a　young　chief　led　the　shining　shields　of　the　men　of　Gwynedd。　　He　was　Griffith；　the　son　of　a　prince　of　the　line　of　Cunedda　and　of　a　sea…rover's　daughter。　　He　was　mighty　of　limb；　fair　and　straight　to　see；　with　the　blue　eyes　and　flaxen　hair　of　the　ruling　Celt。　　In　battle；　he　was　full　of　fury　and　passion；　in　peace；　he　was　just　and　wise。　　His　people　saw　at　first　that　he　could　fight　a　battle；　then　they　found　he　could　rule　a　country。　　And　it　was　he　that　was　to　say　to　the　Norman：　　〃Thus　far　shalt　thou　come；　and　no　further。〃

When　Bleddyn　died　in　1075；　Griffith　came　to　Gwynedd；　and　found　that　his　father's　lands　were　under　new　rulers。　　Robert　of　Rhuddlan　and　Trahaiarn　of　Arwystli　were　mighty　foes；　but　Griffith　drove　both　of　them　back；　and；　by　his　prowess　and　success　in　battle；　broke　the　spell　of　conquest　which　kept　Gwynedd　in　bonds。　　But　his　enemies　attacked　him　again　from　all　sides；　and；　while　Hugh　the　Wolf　and　Robert　of　Rhuddlan　were　laying　Gwynedd　waste；　Trahaiarn　and　Griffith　met　at　the　hard…fought　battle　of　Bron　yr　Erw。　　Griffith　lost　the　day；　and　again　became