For If You Are Successful
At Court, Ambition Never Wholly Quits Its Hold Till Satiated, And
Allures And Draws You Still Closer; But If Your Labour Is Thrown
Away, You Still Continue The Pursuit, And, Together With Your
Substance, Lose Your Time, The Greatest And Most Irretrievable Of
All Losses.
There is likewise some resemblance between the court
and the game of dice, as the poet observes:-
"Sic ne perdiderit non cessat perdere lusor,
Dum revocat cupidas alea blanda manus;"
which, by substituting the word CURIA for ALEA, may be applied to
the court. This further proof of their resemblance may be added;
that as the chances of the dice and court are not productive of any
real delight, so they are equally distributed to the worthy and the
unworthy.
Since, therefore, among so many species of men, each follows his own
inclination, and each is actuated by different desires, a regard for
posterity has induced me to choose the study of composition; and, as
this life is temporary and mutable, it is grateful to live in the
memory of future ages, and to be immortalized by fame; for to toil
after that which produces envy in life, but glory after death, is a
sure indication of an elevated mind. Poets and authors indeed
aspire after immortality, but do not reject any present advantages
that may offer.
I formerly completed with vain and fruitless labour the Topography
of Ireland for its companion, the king Henry the Second, and
Vaticinal History, for Richard of Poitiou, his son, and, I wish I
were not compelled to add, his successor in vice; princes little
skilled in letters, and much engaged in business. To you,
illustrious Stephen, archbishop of Canterbury, equally commendable
for your learning and religion, I now dedicate the account of our
meritorious journey through the rugged provinces of Cambria, written
in a scholastic style, and divided into two parts. For as virtue
loves itself, and detests what is contrary to it, so I hope you will
consider whatever I may have written in commendation of your late
venerable and eminent predecessor, with no less affection than if it
related to yourself. To you also, when completed, I destine my
treatise on the Instruction of a Prince, if, amidst your religious
and worldly occupations, you can find leisure for the perusal of it.
For I purpose to submit these and other fruits of my diligence to be
tasted by you at your discretion, each in its proper order; hoping
that, if my larger undertakings do not excite your interest, my
smaller works may at least merit your approbation, conciliate your
favour, and call forth my gratitude towards you; who, unmindful of
worldly affections, do not partially distribute your bounties to
your family and friends, but to letters and merit; you, who, in the
midst of such great and unceasing contests between the crown and the
priesthood, stand forth almost singly the firm and faithful friend
of the British church; you, who, almost the only one duly elected,
fulfil the scriptural designation of the episcopal character. It is
not, however, by bearing a cap, by placing a cushion, by shielding
off the rain, or by wiping the dust, even if there should be none,
in the midst of a herd of flatterers, that I attempt to conciliate
your favour, but by my writings. To you, therefore, rare, noble,
and illustrious man, on whom nature and art have showered down
whatever becomes your supereminent situation, I dedicate my works;
but if I fail in this mode of conciliating your favour, and if your
prayers and avocations should not allow you sufficient time to read
them, I shall consider the honour of letters as vanished, and in
hope of its revival I shall inscribe my writings to posterity.
SECOND PREFACE - TO THE SAME PRELATE
Since those things, which are known to have been done through a
laudable devotion, are not unworthily extolled with due praises; and
since the mind, when relaxed, loses its energy, and the torpor of
sloth enervates the understanding, as iron acquires rust for want of
use, and stagnant waters become foul; lest my pen should be injured
by the rust of idleness, I have thought good to commit to writing
the devout visitation which Baldwin, archbishop of Canterbury, made
throughout Wales; and to hand down, as it were in a mirror, through
you, O illustrious Stephen, to posterity, the difficult places
through which we passed, the names of springs and torrents, the
witty sayings, the toils and incidents of the journey, the memorable
events of ancient and modern times, and the natural history and
description of the country; lest my study should perish through
idleness, or the praise of these things be lost by silence.
THE ITINERARY THROUGH WALES - BOOK I
CHAPTER I
Journey through Hereford and Radnor
In the year 1188 from the incarnation of our Lord, Urban the Third
{11} being the head of the apostolic see; Frederick, emperor of
Germany and king of the Romans; Isaac, emperor of Constantinople;
Philip, the son of Louis, reigning in France; Henry the Second in
England; William in Sicily; Bela in Hungary; and Guy in Palestine:
in that very year, when Saladin, prince of the Egyptians and
Damascenes, by a signal victory gained possession of the kingdom of
Jerusalem; Baldwin, archbishop of Canterbury, a venerable man,
distinguished for his learning and sanctity, journeying from England
for the service of the holy cross, entered Wales near the borders of
Herefordshire.
The archbishop proceeded to Radnor, {12} on Ash Wednesday (Caput
Jejunii), accompanied by Ranulph de Glanville, privy counsellor and
justiciary of the whole kingdom, and there met Rhys, {13} son of
Gruffydd, prince of South Wales, and many other noble personages of
those parts; where a sermon being preached by the archbishop, upon
the subject of the Crusades, and explained to the Welsh by an
interpreter, the author of this Itinerary, impelled by the urgent
importunity and promises of the king, and the persuasions of the
archbishop and the justiciary, arose the first, and falling down at
the feet of the holy man, devoutly took the sign of the cross.
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