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the mind, and not like the Grevilles of the day, by patron izing the sing-song agents of foreign espionage and imposition, or aiming at a disgraceful and degrading notoriety, by regulating the etiquette of a ball and music-room!

Sir Richard commences his work with a short Dedication addressed to "the historian, the antiquarian, and the artist," and "more particularly to the Society of British Antiquarians, whose labours are so successfully employed in the investigation of our national antiquities." We must here enter our protest against the use of the word antiquarian as a substantive, and that the more strongly, lest the use made of it by our author fhould extend an error that is already but too prevalent; and further, we have no "Society of British Antiquarians." The title of that learned body to which Sir Richard alludes, and of which he is a most distinguished member, is simply the Society of Antiquaries of London.'

The first volume consists of three principal divisions, viz. "first, the Life of Giraldus de Barri, with an account of his manuscripts at Oxford, Cambridge, Lambeth, and in the British Museum; second, an introduction to the history of Cambria, prior to the date of the Itinerary in 1188; in which the several Campaigns of Julius Caesar, Plautius, Claudius, Ostorius, Suetonius, Frontinus, and Agricola, arc described and explained by maps; the various Roman inscriptions relating to the Legio Secunda Augusta, and the Legio Vicesima Valens Victrix, stationed in Wales, given, with an account of those legions, and also of the Roman cities, stations, and roads in Wales; the course of Offa's and Wat's dykes, &c.; and, third, the Itinerary of Baldwin, Archbishop of Canterbury, through Wales in the year 1188, on the service of the Holy Cross, written in Latin, by Giraldus de Barri, and now for the first time published in English; with numerous annotations describing the ancient and present state of Wales, its castles, abbies, scenery, &c." The following extract from the Preface points out the causes that led to this publication.

"My friend Mr. Wyndhain, who first called the attention of the public to the various beauties and antiquities of Wales, was the first also (as a tourist) who took notice of Giraldus. For many successive years he (Giraldus) has been my companion through the principality, and I found him so entertaining, though frequently so eccentric, that I resolved to take him as my guide, and to follow him and his crusaders throughout their whole expedition. His descriptions are in general very accurate, and his topographical remarks just; his narrative is interspersed with many interesting historical facts and anecdotes; and his fabulous stories and miracles, when we consider the age of bigotry and superstition in which they were

recounted and credited, will, in these more enlightened days, excite rather our laughter than surprise." P. ii.-" Few countries," Sir Richard remarks in continuation, "abound so much in traditionary history as Wales, and much historical fact may be deduced from these traditions, however apparently clothed in the habit of fiction and romance: the name of each individual place, river, mountain, and I might alinost add, each field, has its significant meaning; and I know of nothing which contributes more to throw light on the ancient history of Cambria than the names of places judiciously investigated, and not too fancifully etymologyzed." P. v.

The life of Giraldus appears to have been principally drawn. up from Wharton's* Anglia Sacra, a most interesting and useful collection to all searchers into ecclesiastical history, though but little known beyond the closets of the learned. Giraldus was the fourth son of William de Barri, and by the female line was grandson to Rhys ap Theodor, Prince of South Wales. He was born at the Castle of Manorbeer, in Pembrokeshire, about the year 1146, "and at a very early age shewed strong marks of literary talents, and an earnest desire to dedicate himself to offices of religion." This disposition of mind was strengthened by his uncle, David Fitzgerald, Bishop of St. David's, who undertook the care of his education, and drew him from the paternal roof, where the pursuits of his brethren and their companions being all military, afforded him no opportunity for studies congenial to his natural genius. In his twenty-third year he went to Paris, and became so distinguished for his assiduity and acquirements, that the Doctors of the University pointed him out as a pattern to the young men of his age. Returning to England about the year 1172, he entered into holy orders, and ever afterwards exerted his whole abilities in endeavouring to forward the interests of the Church, and that with such an unyielding firmness as raised him many enemies, and eventually barred his promotion to the Episcopal dignity. One instance of this determined inflexibility is thus related by Sir Richard,

"Observing that, owing to the negligence of the prelates of the diocese of St. David's, the Church did not receive its dues, and that the Welsh paid no tythes either in wool or cheese, he went to Canterbury, and having stated his complaints to Richard the Archbishop, was appointed his Legate in Wales, for the purpose of rectifying these and other abuses. He executed this commission with great spirit and success, and excommunicated without distinction those

Not Warton, as Sir Richard has erroneously called him throughout his whole work.

who refused to pay their tythes. All but the men of Ros, or the Flemings, readily paid their tenths, and in revenge for their non-compliance, the Welsh plundered their farms and took away their sheep. Amongst those who resisted the demands of the clergy, was one William Karquit, Governor of the Province of Pembroke, who being jealous of the newly acquired office of Giraldus, took away forcibly from the Priory at Pembroke eight yoke of oxen, and drove them to his own castle. Three times he was requested to restore them, and as often refused; at last, being threatened with excommunication, he replied, "The Legate may indeed be proud and malicious, but I think him not bold enough to excommunicate the Constable of the King in his own castle.' He was then informed, that on hearing the bells of the monastery sound three times, he might rest assured that the sentence of excommunication had been passed. When the messenger returned, the monks and clergy were summoned together; the Legate in the most solemn manner passed sentence of excommunication, and the bells, as is usual on similar occasions, confirmed it by their peals." P. xiii.

Whilst invested with the legatine character, and acting on those false principles of religion which even to this hour sway the conduct of the rigid Catholic, he also attempted to reform the morals of the priests by depriving them of their wives, whom he stigmatized by the unhallowed appellation of concubines. The aged Archdeacon of Brecknock refused to submit to his injunctions, and was in consequence suspended from his preferment, which shortly afterwards was given to Giraldus by the metropolitan Archbishop. In this new office he acted with so much rigour that he was involved in frequent disputes; yet he almost always obtained the victory through his steady and unbending perseverance. On the decease of his uncle the Bishop in 1176, he was chosen to succeed him by the Canons of St. David's; but his election so highly displeased the King, (Henry the Second) that the latter threatened to dispossess them of their lands and revenues. Henry's opposition was founded on his knowledge of the character of the churchman; and though he was strenuously recommended in a council purposely summoned, and consisting of the Archbishop of Canterbury and his suffragan bishops, to appoint Giraldus to the vacant sec, he still refused, saying "that it was neither expedient nor necessary to elect either a too upright or too active a man to the vacant bishopric, as such a choice might prove detrimental to the cathedral church of Canterbury, or even to the crown itself." Henry, it may be presumed, smarted

Nec Regi nec Archiepiscopo opus est aut expediens, nimis probum aut strenuvm, nè vel Angliæ Corona, vel Cantiæ Cathedra de➤ trimentum sentiat, in Ecclesiâ Sancti David Episcopum esse.

yet too sorely at the indignities to which he had been compelled to submit by the haughty and obdurate Becket, to be willing to confer so much authority on one who scarcely yielded in inflexibility to that proud prelate. He had also other reasons for his refusal, and owned to his more confidential servants that he "thought it not safe to place a person so nearly related to Prince Rhys, and to almost all the nobility of Wales, at the head of the See of St. David's; and that the pride and pretensions of the Welsh would be heightened by the promotion of so able, worthy, and resolute a man."

Every attempt to persuade the King to accede to his election proving vain, Giraldus returned to Paris, where he acquired" prodigious fame" by his eloquent declamations in the schools, and having remained about three years, he came back to England. On his way through Canterbury, he dined with the prior and monks of Christ Church in that city by invitation; and in describing his entertainment, he inveighed with much severity against their luxurious manner of living: "their tables," he observes, " abounded with numerous and savoury dishes, and with such a variety of the choicest wines, that ale and beer were not allowed to be introduced." Proceeding to St. David's, he found that diocese in great confusion, through some disputes between the Bishop, Peter de Leia, and the Welsh: and on the advice of the Archbishop, he was appointed administrator of that Church, and managed its concerns for a considerable time with much prudence and success. He was afterwards invited to court, and deputed as a pacificator to Wales, in which situation his conduct so highly pleased the King, that he declared that "If Giraldus had not been born in Wales, and so nearly allied to its Princes and Chieftains, he would have loaded him with ecclesiastical benefices, and preferred him to the highest honours." In 1185, Henry appointed him preceptor to his son John, whom in the same year he accompanied to Ireland as secretary, and who successively offered him the Bishoprics of Fernes and Leighlin, and the Archbishopric of Cashel, all which he refused, from a latent hope of obtaining the See of St. David. Whilst in Ireland he was extremely assiduous in collecting materials for his two works "De Topographia Hibernie" and "De expugnatione Hiberniæ;" several copies of which still exist in manuscript in our different libraries.

The most busy period of his life was now approaching. King Henry with many of his nobility had assumed the badge of the cross, and were preparing to engage in the grand Crusade against the infidels that was then convulsing the European world to its centre. Baldwin, Archbishop of Can

terbury was deputed to preach the "holy mission" in Wales, and was attended by Ranulphus de Glanville, Chief Justiciary of the Realm. At Radnor, they were met by Rhys ap Gruffydh, and many illustrious chieftains of the country to whom and to the surrounding multitude the Archbishop explained the object of his journey. Giraldus was the first person that inlisted under the consecrated banners, and his example was followed by Bishop Peter de Leia and many others. His powerful oratory was also of great use in promoting the endeavours of Baldwin, whom he accompanied throughout his whole journey, the records of which are contained in the Itinerary now before us. His enthusiastic fervour made so many converts, that King John is said to have bitterly re-. proached him for "draining his county of Pembroke of men, by persuading such numbers to take the cross, and repair to the Holy Land."-But "although thus zealous and successful," says Sir Richard, "in preaching the cause of the Crusade; yet on the death of King Henry, at whese instance he had taken the cross, he applied to the Cardinal Legate, John of Anagni, on behalf of himself and Peter de Leia, Bishop of St. David's, for absolution from the vows which cach had made to go to the Holy Land; and which they obtained on the plea of age and poverty, but on condition that they should attend to the reparation of the Cathedral Church of St. David's, and give every assistance in their power to the crusaders who undertook the journey to Jerusalem."

On the departure of Richard Coeur de Lion for the Holy Land, that monarch appointed Giraldus, with whose zeal and fidelity he had been highly satisfied, "coadjutor to William de Longchamp, Bishop of Ely, in the regency of the kingdom." Whilst in this office he refused both the Bishopric of Bangor and that of Llandaff; alledging as his motive, that he was unwilling to accept any situation that would divert him from his studies." His own avowal, however, and the following anecdote which he has recorded of. himself, evince that the real ground of his refusal was his strong desire to seat himself at St. David's.

"A priest who was deranged in his mind, and who following the court of the justiciary, was accustomed to amuse the young men by Judicrous and ridiculous sayings, feigned a conversation with Giraldus. Master Giraldus, will you accept of the Bishopric of Guiseford?'—' No.- Will you accept the Bishopric of Ossory?— No.-The Bishopric of Leighelin? No. The Archbishopric of Cashel? No,' But do you choose the Bishopric of St. David's?' Then, replying with a loud and clamorous voice, yes! he burst into a fit of laughter,"

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