For They
Cannot Be Said To Have Repented, When We See Them Involved In Such
An Abyss Of Vices, Perjury,
Theft, robbery, rapine, murders,
fratricides, adultery, and incest, and become every day more
entangled and ensnared in evil-doing; so
That the words of the
prophet Hosea may be truly applied to them, "There is no truth, nor
mercy," etc.
Other matters of which they boast are more properly to be
attributed to the diligence and activity of the Norman kings than
to their own merits or power. For previous to the coming of the
Normans, when the English kings contented themselves with the
sovereignty of Britain alone, and employed their whole military
force in the subjugation of this people, they almost wholly
extirpated them; as did king Offa, who by a long and extensive dyke
separated the British from the English; Ethelfrid also, who
demolished the noble city of Legions, (27) and put to death the
monks of the celebrated monastery at Banchor, who had been called
in to promote the success of the Britons by their prayers; and
lastly Harold, who himself on foot, with an army of light-armed
infantry, and conforming to the customary diet of the country, so
bravely penetrated through every part of Wales, that he scarcely
left a man alive in it; and as a memorial of his signal victories
many stones may be found in Wales bearing this inscription:- "HIC
VICTOR FUIT HAROLDUS" - "HERE HAROLD CONQUERED." (28)
To these bloody and recent victories of the English may be
attributed the peaceable state of Wales during the reigns of the
three first Norman kings; when the nation increased in population,
and being taught the use of arms and the management of horses by
the English and Normans (with whom they had much intercourse, by
following the court, or by being sent as hostages), took advantage
of the necessary attention which the three succeeding kings were
obliged to pay to their foreign possessions, and once more lifting
up their crests, recovered their lands, and spurned the yoke that
had formerly been imposed upon them.
CHAPTER VIII
In what manner this nation is to be overcome
The prince who would wish to subdue this nation, and govern it
peaceably, must use this method. He must be determined to apply a
diligent and constant attention to this purpose for one year at
least; for a people who with a collected force will not openly
attack the enemy in the field, nor wait to be besieged in castles,
is not to be overcome at the first onset, but to be worn out by
prudent delay and patience. Let him divide their strength, and by
bribes and promises endeavour to stir up one against the other,
knowing the spirit of hatred and envy which generally prevails
amongst them; and in the autumn let not only the marches, but also
the interior part of the country be strongly fortified with
castles, provisions, and confidential families. In the meantime
the purchase of corn, cloth, and salt, with which they are usually
supplied from England, should be strictly interdicted; and well-
manned ships placed as a guard on the coast, to prevent their
importation of these articles from Ireland or the Severn sea, and
to facilitate the supply of his own army. Afterwards, when the
severity of winter approaches, when the trees are void of leaves,
and the mountains no longer afford pasturage - when they are
deprived of any hopes of plunder, and harassed on every side by the
repeated attacks of the enemy - let a body of light-armed infantry
penetrate into their woody and mountainous retreats, and let these
troops be supported and relieved by others; and thus by frequent
changes, and replacing the men who are either fatigued or slain in
battle, this nation may be ultimately subdued; nor can it be
overcome without the above precautions, nor without great danger
and loss of men. Though many of the English hired troops may
perish in a day of battle, money will procure as many or more on
the morrow for the same service; but to the Welsh, who have neither
foreign nor stipendiary troops, the loss is for the time
irreparable. In these matters, therefore, as an artificer is to be
trusted in his trade, so attention is to be paid to the counsel of
those who, having been long conversant in similar concerns, are
become acquainted with the manners and customs of their country,
and whom it greatly interests, that an enemy, for whom during long
and frequent conflicts they have contracted an implacable hatred,
should by their assistance be either weakened or destroyed. Happy
should I have termed the borders of Wales inhabited by the English,
if their kings, in the government of these parts, and in their
military operations against the enemy, had rather employed the
marchers and barons of the country, than adopted the counsels and
policy of the people of Anjou and the Normans. In this, as well as
in every other military expedition, either in Ireland or in Wales,
the natives of the marches, from the constant state of warfare in
which they are engaged, and whose manners are formed from the
habits of war, are bold and active, skilful on horseback, quick on
foot, not nice as to their diet, and ever prepared when necessity
requires to abstain both from corn and wine. By such men were the
first hostile attacks made upon Wales as well as Ireland, and by
such men alone can their final conquest be accomplished. For the
Flemings, Normans, Coterells, and Bragmans, are good and well-
disciplined soldiers in their own country; but the Gallic soldiery
is known to differ much from the Welsh and Irish. In their country
the battle is on level, here on rough ground; there in an open
field, here in forests; there they consider their armour as an
honour, here as a burden; there soldiers are taken prisoners, here
they are beheaded; there they are ransomed, here they are put to
death.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 14 of 16
Words from 13446 to 14455
of 16178
