CHAPTER XI
Of Haverford and Ros A sermon having been delivered at Haverford {106}by the archbishop,and the word of God preached to the people by the archdeacon,whose name appears on the title-page of this work,many soldiers and plebeians were induced to take the cross.It appeared wonderful and miraculous,that,although the archdeacon addressed them both in the Latin and French tongues,those persons who understood neither of those languages were equally affected,and flocked in great numbers to the cross.
An old woman of those parts,who for three preceding years had been blind,having heard of the archbishop's arrival,sent her son to the place where the sermon was to be preached,that he might bring back to her some particle,if only of the fringe of his garment.The young man being prevented by the crowd from approaching the archbishop,waited till the assembly was dispersed,and then carried a piece of the earth on which the preacher had stood.The mother received the gift with great joy,and falling immediately on her knees,applied the turf to her mouth and eyes;and thus,through the merits of the holy man,and her own faith and devotion,recovered the blessing of sight,which she had entirely lost.
The inhabitants of this province derived their origin from Flanders,and were sent by king Henry I.to inhabit these districts;a people brave and robust,ever most hostile to the Welsh;a people,I say,well versed in commerce and woollen manufactories;a people anxious to seek gain by sea or land,in defiance of fatigue and danger;a hardy race,equally fitted for the plough or the sword;a people brave and happy,if Wales (as it ought to have been)had been dear to its sovereign,and had not so frequently experienced the vindictive resentment and ill-treatment of its governors.
A circumstance happened in the castle of Haverford during our time,which ought not to be omitted.A famous robber was fettered and confined in one of its towers,and was often visited by three boys,the son of the earl of Clare,and two others,one of whom was son of the lord of the castle,and the other his grandson,sent thither for their education,and who applied to him for arrows,with which he used to supply them.One day,at the request of the children,the robber,being brought from his dungeon,took advantage of the absence of the gaoler,closed the door,and shut himself up with the boys.A great clamour instantly arose,as well from the boys within,as from the people without;nor did he cease,with an uplifted axe,to threaten the lives of the children,until indemnity and security were assured to him in the most ample manner.Asimilar accident happened at Chateau-roux in France.The lord of that place maintained in the castle a man whose eyes he had formerly put out,but who,by long habit,recollected the ways of the castle,and the steps leading to the towers.Seizing an opportunity of revenge,and meditating the destruction of the youth,he fastened the inward doors of the castle,and took the only son and heir of the governor of the castle to the summit of a high tower,from whence he was seen with the utmost concern by the people beneath.
The father of the boy hastened thither,and,struck with terror,attempted by every possible means to procure the ransom of his son,but received for answer,that this could not be effected,but by the same mutilation of those lower parts,which he had likewise inflicted on him.The father,having in vain entreated mercy,at length assented,and caused a violent blow to be struck on his body;and the people around him cried out lamentably,as if he had suffered mutilation.The blind man asked him where he felt the greatest pain?when he replied in his reins,he declared it was false and prepared to precipitate the boy.A second blow was given,and the lord of the castle asserting that the greatest pains were at his heart,the blind man expressing his disbelief,again carried the boy to the summit of the tower.The third time,however,the father,to save his son,really mutilated himself;and when he exclaimed that the greatest pain was in his teeth;"It is true,"said he,"as a man who has had experience should be believed,and thou hast in part revenged my injuries.I shall meet death with more satisfaction,and thou shalt neither beget any other son,nor receive comfort from this."Then,precipitating himself and the boy from the summit of the tower,their limbs were broken,and both instantly expired.The knight ordered a monastery to be built on the spot for the soul of the boy,which is still extant,and called De Doloribus.
It appears remarkable to me that the entire inheritance should devolve on Richard,son of Tankard,governor of the aforesaid castle of Haverford,being the youngest son,and having many brothers of distinguished character who died before him.In like manner the dominion of South Wales descended to Rhys son of Gruffyd,owing to the death of several of his brothers.During the childhood of Richard,a holy man,named Caradoc,led a pious and recluse life at St.Ismael,in the province of Ros,{107}to whom the boy was often sent by his parents with provisions,and he so ingratiated himself in the eyes of the good man,that he very often promised him,together with his blessing,the portion of all his brothers,and the paternal inheritance.It happened that Richard,being overtaken by a violent storm of rain,turned aside to the hermit's cell;and being unable to get his hounds near him,either by calling,coaxing,or by offering them food,the holy man smiled;and making a gentle motion with his hand,brought them all to him immediately.In process of time,when Caradoc {108}had happily completed the course of his existence,Tankard,father of Richard,violently detained his body,which by his last will he had bequeathed to the church of St.