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re；　｛182｝　and；　although　it　abounds　with　salmon；　yet　none　are　found　in　the　lake。　　It　is　also　remarkable；　that　this　river　is　never　swollen　by　rains；　but　often　rises　by　the　violence　of　the　winds。

Chester　boasts　of　being　the　burial…place　of　Henry；　｛183｝　a　Roman　emperor；　who；　after　having　imprisoned　his　carnal　and　spiritual　father；　pope　Paschal；　gave　himself　up　to　penitence；　and；　becoming　a　voluntary　exile　in　this　country；　ended　his　days　in　solitary　retirement。　　It　is　also　asserted；　that　the　remains　of　Harold　are　here　deposited。　　He　was　the　last　of　the　Saxon　kings　in　England；　and　as　a　punishment　for　his　perjury；　was　defeated　in　the　battle　of　Hastings；　fought　against　the　Normans。　　Having　received　many　wounds；　and　lost　his　left　eye　by　an　arrow　in　that　engagement；　he　is　said　to　have　escaped　to　these　parts；　where；　in　holy　conversation；　leading　the　life　of　an　anchorite；　and　being　a　constant　attendant　at　one　of　the　churches　of　this　city；　he　is　believed　to　have　terminated　his　days　happily。　｛184｝　　The　truth　of　these　two　circumstances　was　declared　（and　not　before　known）　by　the　dying　confession　of　each　party。　　We　saw　here；　what　appeared　novel　to　us；　cheese　made　of　deer's　milk；　for　the　countess　and　her　mother　keeping　tame　deer；　presented　to　the　archbishop　three　small　cheeses　made　from　their　milk。

In　this　same　country　was　produced；　in　our　time；　a　cow　partaking　of　the　nature　of　a　stag；　resembling　its　mother　in　the　fore　parts　and　the　stag　in　its　hips；　legs；　and　feet；　and　having　the　skin　and　colour　of　the　stag；　but；　partaking　more　of　the　nature　of　the　domestic　than　of　the　wild　animal；　it　remained　with　the　herd　of　cattle。　　A　bitch　also　was　pregnant　by　a　monkey；　and　produced　a　litter　of　whelps　resembling　a　monkey　before；　and　the　dog　behind；　which　the　rustic　keeper　of　the　military　hall　seeing　with　astonishment　and　abhorrence；　immediately　killed　with　the　stick　he　carried　in　his　hand；　thereby　incurring　the　severe　resentment　and　anger　of　his　lord；　when　the　latter　became　acquainted　with　the　circumstance。

In　our　time；　also；　a　woman　was　born　in　Chester　without　hands；　to　whom　nature　had　supplied　a　remedy　for　that　defect　by　the　flexibility　and　delicacy　of　the　joints　of　her　feet；　with　which　she　could　sew；　or　perform　any　work　with　thread　or　scissors；　as　well　as　other　women。



CHAPTER　XII



Of　the　journey　by　the　White　Monastery；　Oswaldestree；　Powys；　and　Shrewsbury


The　feast　of　Easter　having　been　observed　with　due　solemnity；　and　many　persons；　by　the　exhortations　of　the　archbishop；　signed　with　the　cross；　we　directed　our　way　from　Chester　to　the　White　Monastery；　｛185｝　and　from　thence　towards　Oswaldestree；　where；　on　the　very　borders　of　Powys；　we　were　met　by　Gruffydd　son　of　Madoc；　and　Elissa；　princes　of　that　country；　and　many　others；　some　few　of　whom　having　been　persuaded　to　take　the　cross　（for　several　of　the　multitude　had　been　previously　signed　by　Reiner；　｛186｝　the　bishop　of　that　place）；　Gruffydd；　prince　of　the　district；　publicly　adjured；　in　the　presence　of　the　archbishop；　his　cousin…german；　Angharad；　daughter　of　prince　Owen；　whom；　according　to　the　vicious　custom　of　the　country；　he　had　long　considered　as　his　wife。　　We　slept　at　Oswaldestree；　or　the　tree　of　St。　Oswald；　and　were　most　sumptuously　entertained　after　the　English　manner；　by　William　Fitz…Alan；　｛187｝　a　noble　and　liberal　young　man。　　A　short　time　before；　whilst　Reiner　was　preaching；　a　robust　youth　being　earnestly　exhorted　to　follow　the　example　of　his　companions　in　taking　the　cross；　answered；　〃I　will　not　follow　your　advice　until；　with　this　lance　which　I　bear　in　my　hand；　I　shall　have　avenged　the　death　of　my　lord；〃　alluding　to　Owen；　son　of　Madoc；　a　distinguished　warrior；　who　had　been　maliciously　and　treacherously　slain　by　Owen　Cyfeilioc；　his　cousin…german；　and　while　he　was　thus　venting　his　anger　and　revenge；　and　violently　brandishing　his　lance；　it　suddenly　snapped　asunder；　and　fell　disjointed　in　several　pieces　to　the　ground；　the　handle　only　remaining　in　his　hand。　　Alarmed　and　astonished　at　this　omen；　which　he　considered　as　a　certain　signal　for　his　taking　the　cross；　he　voluntarily　offered　his　services。

In　this　third　district　of　Wales；　called　Powys；　there　are　most　excellent　studs　put　apart　for　breeding；　and　deriving　their　origin　from　some　fine　Spanish　horses；　which　Robert　de　Belesme；　｛188｝　earl　of　Shrewsbury；　brought　into　this　country：　　on　which　account　the　horses　sent　from　hence　are　remarkable　for　their　majestic　proportion　and　astonishing　fleetness。

Here　king　Henry　II。　entered　Powys；　in　our　days；　upon　an　expensive；　though　fruitless；　expedition。　｛189｝　　Having　dismembered　the　hostages　whom　he　had　previously　received；　he　was　compelled；　by　a　sudden　and　violent　fall　of　rain；　to　retreat　with　his　army。　　On　the　preceding　day；　the　chiefs　of　the　English　army　had　burned　some　of　the　Welsh　churches；　with　the　villages　and　churchyards；　upon　which　the　sons　of　Owen　the　Great；　with　their　light…armed　troops；　stirred　up　the　resentment　of　their　father　and　the　other　princes　of　the　country；　declaring　that　they　would　never　in　future　spare　any　churches　of　the　English。　　When　nearly　the　whole　army　was　on　the　point　of　assenting　to　this　determination；　Owen；　a　man　of　distinguished　wisdom　and　moderation　…　the　tumult　being　in　some　degree　subsided　…　thus　spake：　〃My　opinion；　indeed；　by　no　means　agrees　with　yours；　for　we　ought　to　rejoice　at　this　conduct　of　our　adversary；　for；　unless　supported　by　divine　assistance；　we　are　far　inferior　to　the　English；　and　they；　by　their　behaviour；　have　made　God　their　enemy；　who　is　able　most　powerfully　to　avenge　both　himself　and　us。　　We　therefore　most　devoutly　promise　God　that　we　will　henceforth　pay　greater　reverence　than　ever　to　churches　and　holy　places。〃　　After　which；　the　English　army；　on　the　following　night；　experienced　（as　has　before　been　related）　the　divine　vengeance。

From　Oswaldestree；　we　directed　our　course　towards　Shrewsbury　（Salopesburia）；　which　is　nearly　surrounded　by　the　river　Severn；　where　we　remained　a　few　days　to　rest　and　refresh　ourselves；　and　where　many　people　were　induced　to　take　the　cross；　through　the　elegant　sermons　of　the　archbishop　and　archdeacon。　　We　also　excommunicated　Owen　de　Cevelioc；　because　he　alone；　amongst　the　Welsh　princes；　did　not　come　to　meet　the　archbishop　with　his　people。　　Owen　was　a　man　of　more　fluent　speech　than　his　contemporary　princes；　and　was　conspicuous　for　the　good　management　of　his　territory。　　Having　generally　favoured　the　royal　cause；　and　opposed　the　measures　of　his　own　chieftains；　he　had　contracted　a　great　familiarity　with　king　Henry　II。　　Being　with　the　king　at　table　at　Shrewsbury；　Henry；　as　a　mark　of　peculiar　honour　and　regard；　sent　him　one　of　his　own　loaves；　he　immediately　brake　it　into　small　pieces；　like　alms…bread；　and　having；　like　an　almoner；　placed　them　at　a　distance　from　him；　he　took　them　up　one　by　one　and　ate　them。　　The　king　requiring　an　explanation　of　this　proceeding；　Owen；　with　a　smile；　replied；　〃I　thus　follow　the　example　of　my　lord；〃　keenly　alluding　to　the　avaricious　disposition　of　the　king；　who　was　accustomed　to　retain　for　a　long　time　in　his　own　hands　the　vacant　ecclesiastical　benefices。

It　is　to　be　remarked　that　three　princes；　｛190｝　distinguished　for　their　justice；　wisdom；　and　princely　moderation；　ruled；　in　our　time；　over　the　three　provinces　of　Wales：　　Owen；　son　of　Gruffydd；　in　Venedotia；　or　North　Wales；　Meredyth；　his　grandson；　son　of　Gruffydd；　who　died　early　in　life；　in　South　Wales；　and　Owen　de　Cevelioc；　in　Powys。　　But　two　other　princes　were　highly　celebrated　for　their　generosity；　Cadwalader；　son　of　Gruffydd；　in　North　Wales；　and　Gruffydd　of　Maelor；　son　of　Madoc；　in　Powys；　and　Rhys；　son　of　Gruffydd；　in　South　Wales；　deserved　commendation　for　his　enterprising　and　independent　spirit。　　In　North　Wales；　David；　son　of　Owen；　and　on　the　borders　of　Morgannoc；　in　South　Wales；　Howel；　son　of　Iorwerth　of　Caerleon；　maintained　their　good　faith　and　credit；　by　observing　a　strict　neutrality　between　the　Welsh　and　English。



CHAPTER　XIII



Of　the　journey　by　Wenloch；　Brumfeld；　the　castle　of　Ludlow；　and　Leominster；　to　Hereford


From　Shrewsbury；　we　continued　our　journey　towards　Wenloch；　by　a　narrow　and　rugged　way；　called　Evil…street；　where；　in　our　time；　a　Jew；　travelling　with　the　archdeacon　of　the　place；　whose　name　was　Sin　（Peccatum）；　and　the　dean；　whose　name　was　Devil；　towards　Shrewsbury；　hearing　the　archdeacon　say；　that　his　archdeaconry　began　at　a　place　called　Evil…street；　and　extended　as　far　as　Mal…pas；　towards　Chester；　pleasantly　told　them；　〃It　would　be　a　miracle；　if　his　fate　brought　him　safe　out　of　a　country；　whose　archdeacon　was　Sin；　whose　dean　the　devil；　the　entrance　to　the　archdeaconry　Evil…street；　and　its　exit　Bad…pass。〃　｛191｝

From　Wenloch；　we　passed　by　the　little　cell　of　Brumfeld；　｛192｝　the　noble　castle　of　Ludlow；　through　Leominster　to　Hereford　leaving　on　our　right　hand　the　districts　of　Melenyth　and　Elvel；　thus　（describing　as　it　were　a　circle）　we　came　to　the　same　point　from　which　we　had　commenced　this　laborious　journey　through　Wales。

During　this　long　and　laudable　legation；　about　three　thousand　men　were　signed　with　the　cross；　well　skilled　in　the　use　of　arrows　and　lances；　and　versed　in　military　matters；　impatient　to　attack　the　enemies　of　the　faith；　profitably　and　happily　engaged　for　the　service　of　Christ；　if　the　expedition　of　the　Holy