wild wales-第124节

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it　scarcely　half　fills。　　Beautiful　hills　were　on　other　side；　partly　
cultivated；　partly　covered　with　wood；　and　here　and　there　dotted　
with　farm…houses　and　gentlemen's　seats；　green　pastures　which　
descended　nearly　to　the　river　occupying　in　general　the　lower　parts。　　
After　journeying　about　four　miles　amid　this　kind　of　scenery　I　came　
to　a　noble　suspension　bridge；　and　crossing　it　found　myself　in　about　
a　quarter　of　an　hour　at　Llandovery。

It　was　about　half…past　two　when　I　arrived。　　I　put　up　at　the　Castle　
Inn　and　forthwith　ordered　dinner；　which　was　served　up　between　four　
and　five。　　During　dinner　I　was　waited　upon　by　a　strange　old　fellow　
who　spoke　Welsh　and　English　with　equal　fluency。

〃What　countryman　are　you？〃　said　I。

〃An　Englishman；〃　he　replied。

〃From　what　part　of　England？〃

〃From　Herefordshire。〃

〃Have　you　been　long　here？〃

〃Oh　yes！　upwards　of　twenty　years。〃

〃How　came　you　to　learn　Welsh？〃

〃Oh；　I　took　to　it　and　soon　picked　it　up。〃

〃Can　you　read　it？〃　said　I。

〃No；　I　can't。〃

〃Can　you　read　English？〃

〃Yes；　I　can；　that　is；　a　little。〃

〃Why　didn't　you　try　to　learn　to　read　Welsh？〃

〃Well；　I　did；　but　I　could　make　no　hand　of　it。　　It's　one　thing　to　
speak　Welsh　and　another　to　read　it。〃

〃I　can　read　Welsh　much　better　than　I　can　speak　it；〃　said　I。

〃Ah；　you　are　a　gentleman　…　gentlefolks　always　find　it　easier　to　
learn　to　read　a　foreign　lingo　than　to　speak　it；　but　it's　quite　the　
contrary　with　we　poor　folks。〃

〃One　of　the　most　profound　truths　ever　uttered　connected　with　
language；〃　said　I　to　myself。　　I　asked　him　if　there　were　many　Church　
of　England　people　in　Llandovery。

〃A　good　many；〃　he　replied。

〃Do　you　belong　to　the　Church？〃　said　I。

〃Yes；　I　do。〃

〃If　this　were　Sunday　I　would　go　to　church；〃　said　I。

〃Oh；　if　you　wish　to　go　to　church　you　can　go　to…night。　　This　is　
Wednesday；　and　there　will　be　service　at　half…past　six。　　If　you　like　
I　will　come　for　you。〃

〃Pray　do；〃　said　I；　〃I　should　like　above　all　things　to　go。〃

Dinner　over　I　sat　before　the　fire　occasionally　dozing；　occasionally　
sipping　a　glass　of　whiskey…and…water。　　A　little　after　six　the　old　
fellow　made　his　appearance　with　a　kind　of　Spanish　hat　on　his　head。　　
We　set　out；　the　night　was　very　dark；　we　went　down　a　long　street　
seemingly　in　the　direction　of　the　west。　　〃How　many　churches　are　
there　in　Llandovery？〃　said　I　to　my　companion。

〃Only　one；　but　you　are　not　going　to　Llandovery　Church；　but　to　that　
of　Llanfair；　in　which　our　clergyman　does　duty　once　or　twice　a　
week。〃

〃Is　it　far？〃　said　I。

〃Oh　no；　just　out　of　the　town；　only　a　few　steps　farther。〃

We　seemed　to　pass　over　a　bridge　and　began　to　ascend　a　rising　
ground。　　Several　people　were　going　in　the　same　direction。

〃There；〃　said　the　old　man；　〃follow　with　these；　and　a　little　farther　
up　you　will　come　to　the　church；　which　stands　on　the　right　hand。〃

He　then　left　me。　　I　went　with　the　rest　and　soon　came　to　the　church。　　
I　went　in　and　was　at　once　conducted　by　an　old　man；　who　I　believe　
was　the　sexton；　to　a　large　pew　close　against　the　southern　wall。　　
The　inside　of　the　church　was　dimly　lighted；　it　was　long　and　narrow；　
and　the　walls　were　painted　with　a　yellow　colour。　　The　pulpit　stood　
against　the　northern　wall　near　the　altar；　and　almost　opposite　to　
the　pew　in　which　I　sat。　　After　a　little　time　the　service　commenced；　
it　was　in　Welsh。　　When　the　litanies　were　concluded　the　clergyman；　
who　appeared　to　be　a　middle…aged　man；　and　who　had　rather　a　fine　
voice；　began　to　preach。　　His　sermon　was　from　the　119th　Psalm：　　〃Am　
hynny　hoffais　dy　gorchymynion　yn　mwy　nag　aur：〃　　〃Therefore　have　I　
loved　thy　commandments　more　than　gold。〃　　The　sermon；　which　was　
extempore；　was　delivered　with　great　earnestness；　and　I　make　no　
doubt　was　a　very　excellent　one；　but　owing　to　its　being　in　South　
Welsh　I　did　not　derive　much　benefit　from　it　as　I　otherwise　might　
have　done。　　When　it　was　over　a　great　many　got　up　and　went　away。　　
Observing；　however；　that　not　a　few　remained；　I　determined　upon　
remaining　too。　　When　everything　was　quiet　the　clergyman；　descending　
from　the　pulpit；　repaired　to　the　vestry；　and　having　taken　off　his　
gown　went　into　a　pew；　and　standing　up　began　a　discourse；　from　which　
I　learned　that　there　was　to　be　a　sacrament　on　the　ensuing　Sabbath。　　
He　spoke　with　much　fervency；　enlarging　upon　the　high　importance　of　
the　holy　communion；　and　exhorting　people　to　come　to　it　in　a　fit　
state　of　mind。　　When　he　had　finished　a　man　in　a　neighbouring　pew　
got　up　and　spoke　about　his　own　unworthiness；　saying　this　and　that　
about　himself；　his　sins　of　commission　and　omission；　and　dwelling　
particularly　on　his　uncharitableness　and　the　malicious　pleasure　
which　he　took　in　the　misfortunes　of　his　neighbours。　　The　clergyman　
listened　attentively；　sometimes　saying　〃Ah！〃　and　the　congregation　
also　listened　attentively；　a　voice　here　and　there　　frequently　
saying　〃Ah。〃　　When　the　man　had　concluded　the　clergyman　again　spoke；　
making　observations　on　what　he　had　heard；　and　hoping　that　the　rest　
would　be　visited　with　the　same　contrite　spirit　as　their　friend。　　
Then　there　was　a　hymn　and　we　went　away。

The　moon　was　shining　on　high　and　cast　its　silvery　light　on　the　
tower；　the　church；　some　fine　trees　which　surrounded　it；　and　the　
congregation　going　home；　a　few　of　the　better　dressed　were　talking　
to　each　other　in　English；　but　with　an　accent　and　pronunciation　
which　rendered　the　discourse　almost　unintelligible　to　my　ears。

I　found　my　way　back　to　my　inn　and　went　to　bed；　after　musing　awhile　
on　the　concluding　scene　of　which　I　had　been　witness　in　the　church。



CHAPTER　XCVII



Llandovery　…　Griffith　ap　Nicholas　…　Powerful　Enemies　…　Last　Words　…　
Llandovery　Church　…　Rees　Pritchard　…　The　Wiser　Creature　…　God's　
better　than　All　…　The　Old　Vicarage。


THE　morning　of　the　ninth　was　very　beautiful；　with　a　slight　tendency　
to　frost。　　I　breakfasted；　and　having　no　intention　of　proceeding　on　
my　journey　that　day；　I　went　to　take　a　leisurely　view　of　Llandovery　
and　the　neighbourhood。

Llandovery　is　a　small　but　beautiful　town；　situated　amidst　fertile　
meadows。　　It　is　a　water…girdled　spot；　whence　its　name　Llandovery　or　
Llanymdyfri；　which　signifies　the　church　surrounded　by　water。　　On　
its　west　is　the　Towey；　and　on　its　east　the　river　Bran　or　Brein；　
which　descending　from　certain　lofty　mountains　to　the　north…east　
runs　into　the　Towey　a　little　way　below　the　town。　　The　most　striking　

object　which　Llandovery　can　show　is　its　castle；　from　which　the　inn；　
which　stands　near　to　it；　has　its　name。　　This　castle；　majestic　
though　in　ruins；　stands　on　a　green　mound；　the　eastern　side　of　which　
is　washed　by　the　Bran。　　Little　with　respect　to　its　history　is　
known。　　One　thing；　however；　is　certain；　namely　that　it　was　one　of　
the　many　strongholds；　which　at　one　time　belonged　to　Griffith　ap　
Nicholas；　Lord　of　Dinevor；　one　of　the　most　remarkable　men　which　
South　Wales　has　ever　produced；　of　whom　a　brief　account　here　will　
not　be　out　of　place。

Griffith　ap　Nicholas　flourished　towards　the　concluding　part　of　the　
reign　of　Henry　the　Sixth。　　He　was　a　powerful　chieftain　of　South　
Wales　and　possessed　immense　estates　in　the　counties　of　Carmarthen　
and　Cardigan。　　King　Henry　the　Sixth；　fully　aware　of　his　importance　
in　his　own　country；　bestowed　upon　him　the　commission　of　the　peace；　
an　honour　at　that　time　seldom　vouchsafed　to　a　Welshman；　and　the　
captaincy　of　Kilgarran；　a　strong　royal　castle　situated　on　the　
southern　bank　of　the　Teivi　a　few　miles　above　Cardigan。　　He　had　many　
castles　of　his　own；　in　which　he　occasionally　resided；　but　his　chief　
residence　was　Dinevor；　half　way　between　Llandovery　and　Carmarthen；　
once　a　palace　of　the　kings　of　South　Wales；　from　whom　Griffith　
traced　lineal　descent。　　He　was　a　man　very　proud　at　heart；　but　with　
too　much　wisdom　to　exhibit　many　marks　of　pride；　speaking　generally　
with　the　utmost　gentleness　and　suavity；　and　though　very　brave　
addicted　to　dashing　into　danger　for　the　mere　sake　of　displaying　his　
valour。　　He　was　a　great　master　of　the　English　tongue；　and　well　
acquainted　with　what　learning　it　contained；　but　nevertheless　was　
passionately　attached　to　the　language　and　literature　of　Wales；　a　
proof　of　which　he　gave　by　holding　a　congress　of　bards　and　literati　
at　Carmarthen；　at　which　various　pieces　of　eloquence　and　poetry　were　
recited；　and　certain　alterations　introduced　into　the　canons　of　
Welsh　versification。　　Though　holding　offices　of　trust　and　emolument　
under　the　Saxon；　he　in　the　depths　of　his　soul　detested　the　race；　
and　would　have　rejoiced　to　see　it　utterly　extirpated　from　Britain。　　
This　hatred　of　his　against　the　English　was　the　cause　of　his　doing　
that　which　cannot　be　justified　on　any　principle　of　honour；　giving　
shelter　and　encouragement　to　Welsh　thieves；　who　were　in　the　habit　
of　plundering　and　ravaging　the　English　borders。　　Though　at　the　head　
of　a　numerous　and　warlike　clan；　which　was　strongly　attached　to　him　
on　various　accounts；　Griffith　did　not　exactly　occupy　a　bed　of　
roses。　　He　had　amongst　his　neighbours　four　powerful　enemies　who　
envied　him　his　large　possessions；　with　whom　he　had　continual　
disputes　about　property　and　privilege。　　Powerful　enemies　they　may　
well　be　called；　as　they　were　no　less　personage