itinerary of archibishop-第9节

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　Welsh；　is　Nanthodeni。　　Nant　signifies　a　running　stream；　from　whence　this　place　is　still　called　by　the　inhabitants　Landewi　Nanthodeni；　｛59｝　or　the　church　of　Saint　David　upon　the　river　Hodeni。　　The　English　therefore　corruptly　call　it　Lanthoni；　whereas　it　should　either　be　called　Nanthodeni；　that　is；　the　brook　of　the　Hodeni；　or　Lanhodeni；　the　church　upon　the　Hodeni。　Owing　to　its　mountainous　situation；　the　rains　are　frequent；　the　winds　boisterous；　and　the　clouds　in　winter　almost　continual。　　The　air；　though　heavy；　is　healthy；　and　diseases　are　so　rare；　that　the　brotherhood；　when　worn　out　by　long　toil　and　affliction　during　their　residence　with　the　daughter；　retiring　to　this　asylum；　and　to　their　mother's　｛60｝　lap；　soon　regain　their　long…wished…for　health。　　For　as　my　Topographical　History　of　Ireland　testifies；　in　proportion　as　we　proceed　to　the　eastward；　the　face　of　the　sky　is　more　pure　and　subtile；　and　the　air　more　piercing　and　inclement；　but　as　we　draw　nearer　to　the　westward；　the　air　becomes　more　cloudy；　but　at　the　same　time　is　more　temperate　and　healthy。　　Here　the　monks；　sitting　in　their　cloisters；　enjoying　the　fresh　air；　when　they　happen　to　look　up　towards　the　horizon；　behold　the　tops　of　the　mountains；　as　it　were；　touching　the　heavens；　and　herds　of　wild　deer　feeding　on　their　summits：　　the　body　of　the　sun　does　not　become　visible　above　the　heights　of　the　mountains；　even　in　a　clear　atmosphere；　till　about　the　hour　of　prime；　or　a　little　before。　　A　place　truly　fitted　for　contemplation；　a　happy　and　delightful　spot；　fully　competent；　from　its　first　establishment；　to　supply　all　its　own　wants；　had　not　the　extravagance　of　English　luxury；　the　pride　of　a　sumptuous　table；　the　increasing　growth　of　intemperance　and　ingratitude；　added　to　the　negligence　of　its　patrons　and　prelates；　reduced　it　from　freedom　to　servility；　and　if　the　step…daughter；　no　less　enviously　than　odiously；　had　not　supplanted　her　mother。

It　seems　worthy　of　remark；　that　all　the　priors　who　were　hostile　to　this　establishment；　died　by　divine　visitation。　　William；　｛61｝　who　first　despoiled　the　place　of　its　herds　and　storehouses；　being　deposed　by　the　fraternity；　forfeited　his　right　of　sepulture　amongst　the　priors。　　Clement　seemed　to　like　this　place　of　study　and　prayer；　yet；　after　the　example　of　Heli　the　priest；　as　he　neither　reproved　nor　restrained　his　brethren　from　plunder　and　other　offences；　he　died　by　a　paralytic　stroke。　　And　Roger；　who　was　more　an　enemy　to　this　place　than　either　of　his　predecessors；　and　openly　carried　away　every　thing　which　they　had　left　behind；　wholly　robbing　the　church　of　its　books；　ornaments；　and　privileges；　was　also　struck　with　a　paralytic　affection　long　before　his　death；　resigned　his　honours；　and　lingered　out　the　remainder　of　his　days　in　sickness。

In　the　reign　of　king　Henry　I。；　when　the　mother　church　was　as　celebrated　for　her　affluence　as　for　her　sanctity　（two　qualities　which　are　seldom　found　thus　united）；　the　daughter　not　yet　being　in　existence　（and　I　sincerely　wish　she　never　had　been　produced）；　the　fame　of　so　much　religion　attracted　hither　Roger；　bishop　of　Salisbury；　who　was　at　that　time　prime　minister；　for　it　is　virtue　to　love　virtue；　even　in　another　man；　and　a　great　proof　of　innate　goodness　to　show　a　detestation　of　those　vices　which　hitherto　have　not　been　avoided。　　When　he　had　reflected　with　admiration　on　the　nature　of　the　place；　the　solitary　life　of　the　fraternity；　living　in　canonical　obedience；　and　serving　God　without　a　murmur　or　complaint；　he　returned　to　the　king；　and　related　to　him　what　he　thought　most　worthy　of　remark；　and　after　spending　the　greater　part　of　the　day　in　the　praises　of　this　place；　he　finished　his　panegyric　with　these　words：　　〃Why　should　I　say　more？　the　whole　treasure　of　the　king　and　his　kingdom　would　not　be　sufficient　to　build　such　a　cloister。〃　Having　held　the　minds　of　the　king　and　the　court　for　a　long　time　in　suspense　by　this　assertion；　he　at　length　explained　the　enigma；　by　saying　that　he　alluded　to　the　cloister　of　mountains；　by　which　this　church　is　on　every　side　surrounded。　　But　William；　a　knight；　who　first　discovered　this　place；　and　his　companion　Ervistus；　a　priest；　having　heard；　perhaps；　as　it　is　written　in　the　Fathers；　according　to　the　opinion　of　Jerome；　〃that　the　church　of　Christ　decreased　in　virtues　as　it　increased　in　riches；〃　were　accustomed　often　devoutly　to　solicit　the　Lord　that　this　place　might　never　attain　great　possessions。　　They　were　exceedingly　concerned　when　this　religious　foundation　began　to　be　enriched　by　its　first　lord　and　patron；　Hugh　de　Lacy；　｛62｝　and　by　the　lands　and　ecclesiastical　benefices　conferred　upon　it　by　the　bounty　of　others　of　the　faithful：　　from　their　predilection　to　poverty；　they　rejected　many　offers　of　manors　and　churches；　and　being　situated　in　a　wild　spot；　they　would　not　suffer　the　thick　and　wooded　parts　of　the　valley　to　be　cultivated　and　levelled；　lest　they　should　be　tempted　to　recede　from　their　heremitical　mode　of　life。

But　whilst　the　establishment　of　the　mother　church　increased　daily　in　riches　and　endowments；　availing　herself　of　the　hostile　state　of　the　country；　a　rival　daughter　sprang　up　at　Gloucester；　under　the　protection　of　Milo；　earl　of　Hereford；　as　if　by　divine　providence；　and　through　the　merits　of　the　saints　and　prayers　of　those　holy　men　（of　whom　two　lie　buried　before　the　high　altar）；　it　were　destined　that　the　daughter　church　should　be　founded　in　superfluities；　whilst　the　mother　continued　in　that　laudable　state　of　mediocrity　which　she　had　always　affected　and　coveted。　　Let　the　active　therefore　reside　there；　the　contemplative　here；　there　the　pursuit　of　terrestrial　riches；　here　the　love　of　celestial　delights；　there　let　them　enjoy　the　concourse　of　men；　here　the　presence　of　angels；　there　let　the　powerful　of　this　world　be　entertained；　here　let　the　poor　of　Christ　be　relieved；　there；　I　say；　let　human　actions　and　declamations　be　heard；　but　here　let　reading　and　prayers　be　heard　only　in　whispers；　there　let　opulence；　the　parent　and　nurse　of　vice；　increase　with　cares；　here　let　the　virtuous　and　golden　mean　be　all…sufficient。　　In　both　places　the　canonical　discipline　instituted　by　Augustine；　which　is　now　distinguished　above　all　other　orders；　is　observed；　for　the　Benedictines；　when　their　wealth　was　increased　by　the　fervour　of　charity；　and　multiplied　by　the　bounty　of　the　faithful；　under　the　pretext　of　a　bad　dispensation；　corrupted　by　gluttony　and　indulgence　an　order　which　in　its　original　state　of　poverty　was　held　in　high　estimation。　　The　Cistercian　order；　derived　from　the　former；　at　first　deserved　praise　and　commendation　from　its　adhering　voluntarily　to　the　original　vows　of　poverty　and　sanctity：　　until　ambition；　the　blind　mother　of　mischief；　unable　to　fix　bounds　to　prosperity；　was　introduced；　for　as　Seneca　says；　〃Too　great　happiness　makes　men　greedy；　nor　are　their　desires　ever　so　temperate；　as　to　terminate　in　what　is　acquired：〃　a　step　is　made　from　great　things　to　greater；　and　men　having　attained　what　they　did　not　expect；　form　the　most　unbounded　hopes；　to　which　the　poet　Ovid　thus　alludes。


〃Luxuriant　animi　rebus　plerumque　secundis；　Nec　facile　est　aequa　commoda　mente　pati；


And　again：


〃Creverunt　opes　et　opum　furiosa　cupido；　Et　eum　possideant　plurima；　plura　petunt。〃


And　also　the　poet　Horace：


〃　…　scilicet　improbae　Crescunt　divitiae；　tamen　Curtae　nescio　quid　semper　abest　rei。　Crescentem　sequitur　cura　pecuniam　Majorumque　fames。〃


To　which　purpose　the　poet　Lucan　says：


〃　…　O　vitae　tuta　facultas　Pauperis；　angustique　lares；　o　munera　nondum　Intellecta　Deum！〃


And　Petronius：


Non　bibit　inter　aquas　nec　poma　fugacia　carpit　Tantalus　infelix；　quem　sua　vota　premunt。　Divitis　hic　magni　facies　erit；　omnia　late　Qui　tenet；　et　sicco　concoquit　ore　famem。〃


The　mountains　are　full　of　herds　and　horses；　the　woods　well　stored　with　swine　and　goats；　the　pastures　with　sheep；　the　plains　with　cattle；　the　arable　fields　with　ploughs；　and　although　these　things　in　very　deed　are　in　great　abundance；　yet　each　of　them；　from　the　insatiable　nature　of　the　mind；　seems　too　narrow　and　scanty。　Therefore　lands　are　seized；　landmarks　removed；　boundaries　invaded；　and　the　markets　in　consequence　abound　with　merchandise；　the　courts　of　justice　with　law…suits；　and　the　senate　with　complaints。　Concerning　such　things；　we　read　in　Isaiah；　〃Woe　unto　them　that　join　house　to　house；　that　lay　field　to　field；　till　there　be　no　place；　that　they　be　placed　alone　in　the　midst　of　the　earth。〃

If　therefore；　the　prophet　inveighs　so　much　against　those　who　proceed　to　the　boundaries；　what　would　he　say　to　those　who　go　far　beyond　them？　　From　these　and　other　causes；　the　true　colour　of　religion　was　so　converted　into　the　dye　of　falsehood；　that　manners　internally　black　assumed　a　fair　exterior：


〃Qui　color　albus　erat；　nunc　est　contrarius　albo。〃


So　that　the　scripture　seems　to　be　fulfilled　concerning　these　men；　〃Beware　of　false　prophets；　who　come　to　you　in　sheep's　clothing；　but　inwardly　they　are　ravenous　wolves。〃　　But　I　am　inclined　to　think　this　avidity　does　not　proceed　from　any　bad　intention。　　For　the　monks　of　this　Order　（although　themselves　most　abstemious）　incessantly　exercise；　more　than　any　others；　the　acts　of　charity　and　beneficence　towards　the　poor　and　strangers；　and　because　they　do　not　live　as　others　upon　fixed　incomes；　but　depend　only　on　thei