wild wales-第4节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


roused　by　the　sight　of　ruined　edifices　on　the　tops　of　hills。　　They　
were　remains　of　castles　built　by　Norman　Barons。　　Here；　perhaps；　the　
reader　will　expect　from　me　a　burst　of　Norman　enthusiasm：　　if　so　he　
will　be　mistaken；　I　have　no　Norman　enthusiasm；　and　hate　and　
abominate　the　name　of　Norman；　for　I　have　always　associated　that　
name　with　the　deflowering　of　helpless　Englishwomen；　the　plundering　
of　English　homesteads；　and　the　tearing　out　of　poor　Englishmen's　
eyes。　　The　sight　of　those　edifices；　now　in　ruins；　but　which　were　
once　the　strongholds　of　plunder；　violence；　and　lust；　made　me　almost　
ashamed　of　being　an　Englishman；　for　they　brought　to　my　mind　the　
indignities　to　which　poor　English　blood　has　been　subjected。　　I　sat　
silent　and　melancholy；　till　looking　from　the　window　I　caught　sight　
of　a　long　line　of　hills；　which　I　guessed　to　be　the　Welsh　hills；　as　
indeed　they　proved；　which　sight　causing　me　to　remember　that　I　was　
bound　for　Wales；　the　land　of　the　bard；　made　me　cast　all　gloomy　
thoughts　aside　and　glow　with　all　the　Welsh　enthusiasm　with　which　I　
glowed　when　I　first　started　in　the　direction　of　Wales。

On　arriving　at　Chester；　at　which　place　we　intended　to　spend　two　or　
three　days；　we　put　up　at　an　old…fashioned　inn　in　Northgate　Street；　
to　which　we　had　been　recommended；　my　wife　and　daughter　ordered　tea　
and　its　accompaniments；　and　I　ordered　ale；　and　that　which　always　
should　accompany　it；　cheese。　　〃The　ale　I　shall　find　bad；〃　said　I；　
Chester　ale　had　a　villainous　character　in　the　time　of　old　Sion　
Tudor；　who　made　a　first…rate　englyn　upon　it；　and　it　has　scarcely　
improved　since；　〃but　I　shall　have　a　treat　in　the　cheese；　Cheshire　
cheese　has　always　been　reckoned　excellent；　and　now　that　I　am　in　the　
capital　of　the　cheese　country；　of　course　I　shall　have　some　of　the　
very　prime。〃　　Well；　the　tea；　loaf　and　butter　made　their　appearance；　
and　with　them　my　cheese　and　ale。　　To　my　horror　the　cheese　had　much　
the　appearance　of　soap　of　the　commonest　kind；　which　indeed　I　found　
it　much　resembled　in　taste；　on　putting　a　small　portion　into　my　
mouth。　　〃Ah；〃　said　I；　after　I　had　opened　the　window　and　ejected　the　
half…masticated　morsel　into　the　street；　〃those　who　wish　to　regale　
on　good　Cheshire　cheese　must　not　come　to　Chester；　no　more　than　
those　who　wish　to　drink　first…rate　coffee　must　go　to　Mocha。　　I'll　
now　see　whether　the　ale　is　drinkable；〃　so　I　took　a　little　of　the　
ale　into　my　mouth；　and　instantly　going　to　the　window；　spirted　it　
out　after　the　cheese。　　〃Of　a　surety；〃　said　I；　〃Chester　ale　must　be　
of　much　the　same　quality　as　it　was　in　the　time　of　Sion　Tudor；　who　
spoke　of　it　to　the　following　effect：…


〃Chester　ale；　Chester　ale！　　I　could　ne'er　get　it　down；
'Tis　made　of　ground…ivy；　of　dirt；　and　of　bran；
'Tis　as　thick　as　a　river　below　a　huge　town！
'Tis　not　lap　for　a　dog；　far　less　drink　for　a　man。'


Well！　if　I　have　been　deceived　in　the　cheese；　I　have　at　any　rate　not　
been　deceived　in　the　ale；　which　I　expected　to　find　execrable。　　
Patience！　I　shall　not　fall　into　a　passion；　more　especially　as　there　
are　things　I　can　fall　back　upon。　　Wife！　I　will　trouble　you　for　a　
cup　of　tea。　　Henrietta！　have　the　kindness　to　cut　me　a　slice　of　
bread　and　butter。〃

Upon　the　whole　we　found　ourselves　very　comfortable　in　the　old…
fashioned　inn；　which　was　kept　by　a　nice　old…fashioned　gentlewoman；　
with　the　assistance　of　three　servants；　namely；　a　〃boots〃　and　two　
strapping　chambermaids；　one　of　which　was　a　Welsh　girl；　with　whom　I　
soon　scraped　acquaintance；　not；　I　assure　the　reader；　for　the　sake　
of　the　pretty　Welsh　eyes　which　she　carried　in　her　head；　but　for　the　
sake　of　the　pretty　Welsh　tongue　which　she　carried　in　her　mouth；　
from　which　I　confess　occasionally　proceeded　sounds　which；　however　
pretty；　I　was　quite　unable　to　understand。



CHAPTER　III



Chester　…　The　Rows　…　Lewis　Glyn　Cothi　…　Tragedy　of　Mold　…　Native　of　
Antigua　…　Slavery　and　the　Americans　…　The　Tents　…　Saturday　Night。


ON　the　morning　after　our　arrival　we　went　out　together；　and　walked　
up　and　down　several　streets；　my　wife　and　daughter；　however；　soon　
leaving　me　to　go　into　a　shop；　I　strolled　about　by　myself。　　Chester　
is　an　ancient　town　with　walls　and　gates；　a　prison　called　a　castle；　
built　on　the　site　of　an　ancient　keep；　an　unpretending…looking　red　
sandstone　cathedral；　two　or　three　handsome　churches；　several　good　
streets；　and　certain　curious　places　called　rows。　　The　Chester　row　
is　a　broad　arched　stone　gallery　running　parallel　with　the　street　
within　the　facades　of　the　houses；　it　is　partly　open　on　the　side　of　
the　street；　and　just　one　story　above　it。　　Within　the　rows；　of　which　
there　are　three　or　four；　are　shops；　every　shop　being　on　that　side　
which　is　farthest　from　the　street。　　All　the　best　shops　in　Chester　
are　to　be　found　in　the　rows。　　These　rows；　to　which　you　ascend　by　
stairs　up　narrow　passages；　were　originally　built　for　the　security　
of　the　wares　of　the　principal　merchants　against　the　Welsh。　　Should　
the　mountaineers　break　into　the　town；　as　they　frequently　did；　they　
might　rifle　some　of　the　common　shops；　where　their　booty　would　be　
slight；　but　those　which　contained　the　more　costly　articles　would　be　
beyond　their　reach；　for　at　the　first　alarm　the　doors　of　the　
passages；　up　which　the　stairs　led；　would　be　closed；　and　all　access　
to　the　upper　streets　cut　off；　from　the　open　arches　of　which　
missiles　of　all　kinds；　kept　ready　for　such　occasions；　could　be　
discharged　upon　the　intruders；　who　would　be　soon　glad　to　beat　a　
retreat。　　These　rows　and　the　walls　are　certainly　the　most　
remarkable　memorials　of　old　times　which　Chester　has　to　boast　of。

Upon　the　walls　it　is　possible　to　make　the　whole　compass　of　the　
city；　there　being　a　good　but　narrow　walk　upon　them。　　The　northern　
wall　abuts　upon　a　frightful　ravine；　at　the　bottom　of　which　is　a　
canal。　　From　the　western　one　there　is　a　noble　view　of　the　Welsh　
hills。

As　I　stood　gazing　upon　the　hills　from　the　wall　a　ragged　man　came　up　
and　asked　for　charity。

〃Can　you　tell　me　the　name　of　that　tall　hill？〃　said　I；　pointing　in　
the　direction　of　the　south…west。　　〃That　hill；　sir；〃　said　the　
beggar；　〃is　called　Moel　Vamagh；　I　ought　to　know　something　about　it　
as　I　was　born　at　its　foot。〃　　〃Moel；〃　said　I；　〃a　bald　hill；　Vamagh；　
maternal　or　motherly。　　Moel　Vamagh；　the　Mother　Moel。〃　　〃Just　so；　
sir；〃　said　the　beggar；　〃I　see　you　are　a　Welshman；　like　myself；　
though　I　suppose　you　come　from　the　South　…　Moel　Vamagh　is　the　
Mother　Moel；　and　is　called　so　because　it　is　the　highest　of　all　the　
Moels。〃　　〃Did　you　ever　hear　of　a　place　called　Mold？〃　said　I。　　〃Oh；　
yes；　your　honour；〃　said　the　beggar；　〃many　a　time；　and　many's　the　
time　I　have　been　there。〃　　〃In　which　direction　does　it　lie？〃　said　I。　　
〃Towards　Moel　Vamagh；　your　honour；〃　said　the　beggar；　〃which　is　a　
few　miles　beyond　it；　you　can't　see　it　from　here；　but　look　towards　
Moel　Vamagh　and　you　will　see　over　it。〃　　〃Thank　you；〃　said　I；　and　
gave　something　to　the　beggar；　who　departed；　after　first　taking　off　
his　hat。　　Long　and　fixedly　did　I　gaze　in　the　direction　of　Mold。　　
The　reason　which　induced　me　to　do　so　was　the　knowledge　of　an　
appalling　tragedy　transacted　there　in　the　old　time；　in　which　there　
is　every　reason　to　suppose　a　certain　Welsh　bard；　called　Lewis　Glyn　
Cothi；　had　a　share。

This　man；　who　was　a　native　of　South　Wales；　flourished　during　the　
wars　of　the　Roses。　　Besides　being　a　poetical　he　was　something　of　a　
military　genius；　and　had　a　command　of　foot　in　the　army　of　the　
Lancastrian　Jasper　Earl　of　Pembroke；　the　son　of　Owen　Tudor；　and　
half…brother　of　Henry　the　Sixth。　　After　the　battle　of　Mortimer's　
Cross；　in　which　the　Earl's　forces　were　defeated；　the　warrior　bard　
found　his　way　to　Chester；　where　he　married　the　widow　of　a　citizen　
and　opened　a　shop；　without　asking　the　permission　of　the　mayor；　who　
with　the　officers　of　justice　came　and　seized　all　his　goods；　which；　
according　to　his　own　account；　filled　nine　sacks；　and　then　drove　him　
out　of　the　town。　　The　bard　in　a　great　fury　indited　an　awdl；　in　
which　he　invites　Reinallt　ap　Grufydd　ap　Bleddyn；　a　kind　of　
predatory　chieftain；　who　resided　a　little　way　off　in　Flintshire；　to　
come　and　set　the　town　on　fire；　and　slaughter　the　inhabitants；　in　
revenge　for　the　wrongs　he　had　suffered；　and　then　proceeds　to　vent　
all　kinds　of　imprecations　against　the　mayor　and　people　of　Chester；　
wishing；　amongst　other　things；　that　they　might　soon　hear　that　the　
Dee　had　become　too　shallow　to　bear　their　ships　…　that　a　certain　
cutaneous　disorder　might　attack　the　wrists　of　great　and　small；　old　
and　young；　laity　and　clergy　…　that　grass　might　grow　in　their　
streets　…　that　Ilar　and　Cyveilach；　Welsh　saints；　might　slay　them　…　
that　dogs　might　snarl　at　them　…　and　that　the　king　of　heaven；　with　
the　saints　Brynach　and　Non；　might　afflict　them　with　blindness　…　
which　piece；　however　ineffectual　in　inducing　God　and　the　saints　to　
visit　the　Chester　people　with　the　curses　with　which　the　furious　
bard　wished　them　to　be　afflicted；　seems　to　have　produced　somewhat　
of　its　intended　effect　on　the　chieftain；　who　shortly　afterwards；　on　
learning　that　the　mayor　and　many　of　the　Chester　people　were　present　
at　the　fair　of　Mold；　near　which　place　he　resided；　set　upon　them　at　
the　head　o