wild wales-第110节

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pot　was　boiling　and　roaring；　and　everything　looked　wild　and　savage；　
but　the　locality；　for　awfulness　and　mysterious　gloom；　could　not　
compare　with　that　on　the　east　side　of　the　Devil's　Bridge；　nor　for　
sublimity　and　grandeur　with　that　on　the　west。

〃Here　you　see；　sir；〃　said　the　man；　〃the　Bridge　of　the　Offeiriad；　
called　so；　it　is　said；　because　the　popes　used　to　pass　over　it　in　
the　old　time；　and　here　you　have　the　Rheidol；　which；　though　not　so　
smooth　nor　so　well　off　for　banks　as　the　Hafren　and　the　Gwy；　gets　to　
the　sea　before　either　of　them；　and；　as　the　pennill　says；　is　quite　
as　much　entitled　to　honour：…


〃'Hafren　a　Wy　yn　hyfryd　eu　wedd
A　Rheidol　vawr　ei　anrhydedd。'


Good　rhyme；　sir；　that。　　I　wish　you　would　put　it　into　Saesneg。〃

〃I　am　afraid　I　shall　make　a　poor　hand　of　it；〃　said　I；　〃however；　I　
will　do　my　best：…


〃'Oh　pleasantly　do　glide　along　the　Severn　and　the　Wye；
But　Rheidol's　rough；　and　yet　he's　held　by　all　in　honour　high。'


〃Very　good　rhyme　that；　sir！　though　not　so　good　as　the　pennill　
Cymraeg。　　Ha；　I　do　see　that　you　know　the　two　languages　and　are　one　
poet。　　And　now；　sir；　I　must　leave　you；　and　go　to　the　hills　to　my　
sheep；　who　I　am　afraid　will　be　suffering　in　this　dreadful　weather。　　
However；　before　I　go；　I　should　wish　to　see　you　safe　over　the　
bridge。〃

I　shook　him　by　the　hand；　and　retracing　my　steps　over　the　bridge；　
began　clambering　up　the　bank　on　my　knees。

〃You　will　spoil　your　trousers；　sir！〃　cried　the　man　from　the　other　
side。

〃I　don't　care　if　I　do；〃　said　I；　〃provided　I　save　my　legs；　which　are　
in　some　danger　in　this　place；　as　well　as　my　neck；　which　is　of　less　
consequence。〃

I　hurried　back　amidst　rain　and　wind　to　my　friendly　hospice；　where；　
after　drying　my　wet　clothes　as　well　as　I　could；　I　made　an　excellent　
dinner　on　fowl　and　bacon。　　Dinner　over；　I　took　up　a　newspaper　which　
was　brought　me；　and　read　an　article　about　the　Russian　war；　which　
did　not　seem　to　be　going　on　much　to　the　advantage　of　the　allies。　　
Soon　flinging　the　paper　aside；　I　stuck　my　feet　on　the　stove；　one　on　
each　side　of　the　turf　fire；　and　listened　to　the　noises　without。　　
The　bellowing　of　the　wind　down　the　mountain　passes　and　the　roaring　
of　the　Rheidol　fall　at　the　north　side　of　the　valley；　and　the　
rushing　of　the　five　cascades　of　the　river　Mynach；　were　truly　awful。　　
Perhaps　I　ought　not　to　have　said　the　five　cascades　of　the　Mynach；　
but　the　Mynach　cascade；　for　now　its　five　cascades　had　become　one；　
extending　from　the　chasm　over　which　hung　the　bridge　of　Satan　to　the　
bottom　of　the　valley。

After　a　time　I　fell　into　a　fit　of　musing。　　I　thought　of　the　Plant　
de　Bat；　I　thought　of　the　spitties　or　hospitals　connected　with　the　
great　monastery　of　Ystrad　Flur　or　Strata　Florida；　I　thought　of　the　
remarkable　bridge　close　by；　built　by　a　clever　monk　of　that　place　to　
facilitate　the　coming　of　pilgrims　with　their　votive　offerings　from　
the　north　to　his　convent；　I　thought　of　the　convent　built　in　the　
time　of　our　Henry　the　Second　by　Ryce　ab　Gruffyd；　prince　of　South　
Wales；　and　lastly；　I　thought　of　a　wonderful　man　who　was　buried　in　
its　precincts；　the　greatest　genius　which　Wales；　and　perhaps　
Britain；　ever　produced；　on　whose　account；　and　not　because　of　old　it　
had　been　a　magnificent　building；　and　the　most　celebrated　place　of　
popish　pilgrimage　in　Wales；　I　had　long　ago　determined　to　visit　it　
on　my　journey；　a　man　of　whose　life　and　works　the　following　is　a　
brief　account。



CHAPTER　LXXXVI



Birth　and　Early　Years　of　Ab　Gwilym　…　Morfudd　…　Relic　of　Druidism　…　
The　Men　of　Glamorgan　…　Legend　of　Ab　Gwilym　…　Ab　Gwilym　as　a　Writer　
…　Wonderful　Variety　…　Objects　of　Nature　…　Gruffydd　Gryg。


DAFYDD　AB　GWILYM　was　born　about　the　year　1320；　at　a　place　called　
Bro　Gynnin　in　the　county　of　Cardigan。　　Though　born　in　wedlock　he　
was　not　conceived　legitimately。　　His　mother　being　discovered　by　her　
parents　to　be　pregnant；　was　turned　out　of　doors　by　them；　whereupon　
she　went　to　her　lover；　who　married　her；　though　in　so　doing　he　acted　
contrary　to　the　advice　of　his　relations。　　After　a　little　time；　
however；　a　general　reconciliation　took　place。　　The　parents　of　Ab　
Gwilym；　though　highly　connected；　do　not　appear　to　have　possessed　
much　property。　　The　boy　was　educated　by　his　mother's　brother　
Llewelyn　ab　Gwilym　Fychan；　a　chief　of　Cardiganshire；　but　his　
principal　patron　in　after　life　was　Ifor；　a　cousin　of　his　father；　
surnamed　Hael；　or　the　bountiful；　a　chieftain　of　Glamorganshire。　　
This　person　received　him　within　his　house；　made　him　his　steward　and　
tutor　to　his　daughter。　　With　this　young　lady　Ab　Gwilym　speedily　
fell　in　love；　and　the　damsel　returned　his　passion。　　Ifor；　however；　
not　approving　of　the　connection；　sent　his　daughter　to　Anglesey；　and　
eventually　caused　her　to　take　the　veil　in　a　nunnery　of　that　island。　　
Dafydd　pursued　her；　but　not　being　able　to　obtain　an　interview；　he　
returned　to　his　patron；　who　gave　him　a　kind　reception。　　Under　
Ifor's　roof　he　cultivated　poetry　with　great　assiduity　and　wonderful　
success。　　Whilst　very　young；　being　taunted　with　the　circumstances　
of　his　birth　by　a　brother　bard　called　Rhys　Meigan；　he　retorted　in　
an　ode　so　venomously　bitter　that　his　adversary；　after　hearing　it；　
fell　down　and　expired。　　Shortly　after　this　event　he　was　made　head　
bard　of　Glamorgan　by　universal　acclamation。

After　a　stay　of　some　time　with　Ifor；　he　returned　to　his　native　
county　and　lived　at　Bro　Gynnin。　　Here　he　fell　in　love　with　a　young　
lady　of　birth　called　Dyddgu；　who　did　not　favour　his　addresses。　　He　
did　not　break　his　heart；　however；　on　her　account；　but　speedily　
bestowed　it　on　the　fair　Morfudd；　whom　he　first　saw　at　Rhosyr　in　
Anglesey；　to　which　place　both　had　gone　on　a　religious　account。　　The　
lady　after　some　demur　consented　to　become　his　wife。　　Her　parents　
refusing　to　sanction　the　union；　their　hands　were　joined　beneath　the　
greenwood　tree　by　one　Madawg　Benfras；　a　bard；　and　a　great　friend　of　
Ab　Gwilym。　　The　joining　of　people's　hands　by　bards；　which　was　
probably　a　relic　of　Druidism；　had　long　been　practised　in　Wales；　and　
marriages　of　this　kind　were　generally　considered　valid；　and　seldom　
set　aside。　　The　ecclesiastical　law；　however；　did　not　recognise　
these　poetical　marriages；　and　the　parents　of　Morfudd　by　appealing　
to　the　law　soon　severed　the　union。　　After　confining　the　lady　for　a　
short　time；　they　bestowed　her　hand　in　legal　fashion　upon　a　
chieftain　of　the　neighbourhood；　very　rich　but　rather　old；　and　with　
a　hump　on　his　back；　on　account　which　he　was　nicknamed　bow…back；　or　
little　hump…back。　　Morfudd；　however；　who　passed　her　time　in　rather　
a　dull　manner　with　this　person；　which　would　not　have　been　the　case　
had　she　done　her　duty　by　endeavouring　to　make　the　poor　man　
comfortable；　and　by　visiting　the　sick　and　needy　around　her；　was　
soon　induced　by　the　bard　to　elope　with　him。　　The　lovers　fled　to　
Glamorgan；　where　Ifor　Hael；　not　much　to　his　own　credit；　received　
them　with　open　arms；　probably　forgetting　how　he　had　immured　his　OWN　
daughter　in　a　convent；　rather　than　bestow　her　on　Ab　Gwilym。　　Having　
a　hunting…lodge　in　a　forest　on　the　banks　of　the　lovely　Taf；　he　
allotted　it　to　the　fugitives　as　a　residence。　　Ecclesiastical　law；　
however；　as　strong　in　Wild　Wales　as　in　other　parts　of　Europe；　soon　
followed　them　into　Glamorgan；　and；　very　properly；　separated　them。　　
The　lady　was　restored　to　her　husband；　and　Ab　Gwilym　fined　to　a　very　
high　amount。　　Not　being　able　to　pay　the　fine；　he　was　cast　into　
prison；　but　then　the　men　of　Glamorgan　arose　to　a　man；　swearing　that　
their　head　bard　should　not　remain　in　prison。　　〃Then　pay　his　fine！〃　
said　the　ecclesiastical　law；　or　rather　the　ecclesiastical　lawyer。　　
〃So　we　will！〃　said　the　men　of　Glamorgan；　and　so　they　did。　　Every　
man　put　his　hand　into　his　pocket；　the　amount　was　soon　raised；　the　
fine　paid；　and　the　bard　set　free。

Ab　Gwilym　did　not　forget　this　kindness　of　the　men　of　Glamorgan；　
and；　to　requite　it；　wrote　an　address　to　the　sun；　in　which　he　
requests　that　luminary　to　visit　Glamorgan；　to　bless　it；　and　to　keep　
it　from　harm。　　The　piece　concludes　with　some　noble　lines　somewhat　
to　this　effect


〃If　every　strand　oppression　strong
Should　arm　against　the　son　of　song；
The　weary　wight　would　find；　I　ween；
A　welcome　in　Glamorgan　green。〃


Some　time　after　his　release　he　meditated　a　second　elopement　with　
Morfudd；　and　even　induced　her　to　consent　to　go　off　with　him。　　A　
friend；　to　whom　he　disclosed　what　he　was　thinking　of　doing；　asking　
him　whether　he　would　venture　a　second　time　to　take　such　a　step；　〃I　
will；〃　said　the　bard；　〃in　the　name　of　God　and　the　men　of　
Glamorgan。〃　　No　second　elopement；　however；　took　place；　the　bard　
probably　thinking；　as　has　been　well　observed；　that　neither　God　nor　
the　men　of　Glamorgan　would　help　him　a　second　time　out　of　such　an　
affair。　　He　did　not　attain　to　any　advanced　age；　but　died　when　about　
sixty；　some　twenty　years　before　the　rising　of　Glendower。　　Some　time　
before　his　death　his　mind　fortunately　took　a　decidedly　religious　
turn。

He　is　said　to　have　been　eminently　handsome　in　his　youth；　tall；　
slender；　with　yellow　hair　falling　in　ringlets　down　his　shoulders。　　
He　is　likewise　said　to　have　been　a　great　libertine。　　The　following　
story　is　told　of　him