The Betrothed

Chapter 2

In Madoc's tent the clarion sounds,

With rapid clangor hurried far;

Each hill and dale the note rebounds,

But when return the sons of war?

Thou, born of stern Necessity,

Dull Peace! the valley yields to thee,

And owns thy melancholy sway.

WELSH POEM.

The feasts of the ancient British princes usually exhibited all

the rude splendour and liberal indulgence of mountain hospitality,

and Gwenwyn was, on the present occasion, anxious to purchase

popularity by even an unusual display of profusion; for he was

sensible that the alliance which he meditated might indeed be

tolerated, but could not be approved, by his subjects and

followers.

The following incident, trifling in itself, confirmed his

apprehensions. Passing one evening, when it was become nearly

dark, by the open window of a guard-room, usually occupied by some

few of his most celebrated soldiers, who relieved each other in

watching his palace, he heard Morgan, a man distinguished for

strength, courage, and ferocity, say to the companion with whom he

was sitting by the watch-fire, "Gwenwyn is turned to a priest, or

a woman! When was it before these last months, that a follower of

his was obliged to gnaw the meat from the bone so closely, as I am

now peeling the morsel which I hold in my hand?" [Footnote: It is

said in Highland tradition, that one of the Macdonalds of the

Isles, who had suffered his broadsword to remain sheathed for some

months after his marriage with a beautiful woman, was stirred to a

sudden and furious expedition against the mainland by hearing

conversation to the above purpose among his bodyguard.]

"Wait but awhile," replied his comrade, "till the Norman match be

accomplished; and so small will be the prey we shall then drive

from the Saxon churls, that we may be glad to swallow, like hungry

dogs, the very bones themselves."

Gwenwyn heard no more of their conversation; but this was enough

to alarm his pride as a soldier, and his jealousy as a prince. He

was sensible, that the people over whom he ruled were at once

fickle in their disposition, impatient of long repose, and full of

hatred against their neighbours; and he almost dreaded the

consequences of the inactivity to which a long truce might reduce

them. The risk was now incurred, however; and to display even more

than his wonted splendour and liberality, seemed the best way of

reconciling the wavering affections of his subjects.

A Norman would have despised the barbarous magnificence of an

entertainment, consisting of kine and sheep roasted whole, of

goat's flesh and deer's flesh seethed in the skins of the animals

themselves; for the Normans piqued themselves on the quality

rather than the quantity of their food, and, eating rather

delicately than largely, ridiculed the coarser taste of the

Britons, although the last were in their banquets much more

moderate than were the Saxons; nor would the oceans of _Crw_

and hydromel, which overwhelmed the guests like a deluge, have

made up, in their opinion, for the absence of the more elegant and

costly beverage which they had learnt to love in the south of

Europe. Milk, prepared in various ways, was another material of

the British entertainment, which would not have received their

approbation, although a nutriment which, on ordinary occasions,

often supplied the Avant of all others among the ancient

inhabitants, whose country was rich in flocks and herds, but poor

in agricultural produce.

The banquet was spread in a long low hall, built of rough wood

lined with shingles, having a fire at each end, the smoke of

which, unable to find its way through the imperfect chimneys in

the roof, rolled in cloudy billows above the heads of the

revellers, who sat on low seats, purposely to avoid its stifling

fumes. [Footnote: The Welsh houses, like those of the cognate

tribes in Ireland and in the Highlands of Scotland, were very

imperfectly supplied with chimneys. Hence, in the History of the

Gwydir Family, the striking expression of a Welsh chieftain who,

the house being assaulted and set on fire by his enemies, exhorted

his friends to stand to their defence, saying he had seen as much

smoke in the hall upon a Christmas even.] The mien and appearance

of the company assembled was wild, and, even in their social

hours, almost terrific. Their prince himself had the gigantic port

and fiery eye fitted to sway an unruly people, whose delight was

in the field of battle; and the long mustaches which he and most

of his champions wore, added to the formidable dignity of his

presence. Like most of those present, Gwenwyn was clad in a simple

tunic of white linen cloth, a remnant of the dress which the

Romans had introduced into provincial Britain; and he was

distinguished by the Eudorchawg, or chain of twisted gold links,

with which the Celtic tribes always decorated their chiefs. The

collar, indeed, representing in form the species of links made by

children out of rushes, was common to chieftains of inferior rank,

many of whom bore it in virtue of their birth, or had won it by

military exploits; but a ring of gold, bent around the head,

intermingled with Gwenwyn's hair--for he claimed the rank of one

of three diademed princes of Wales, and his armlets and anklets,

of the same metal, were peculiar to the Prince of Powys, as an

independent sovereign. Two squires of his body, who dedicated

their whole attention to his service, stood at the Prince's back;

and at his feet sat a page, whose duty it was to keep them warm by

chafing and by wrapping them in his mantle. The same right of

sovereignty, which assigned to Gwenwyn his golden crownlet, gave

him a title to the attendance of the foot-bearer, or youth, who

lay on the rushes, and whose duty it was to cherish the Prince's

feet in his lap or bosom. [Footnote: See Madoc for this literal

_foot page's_ office and duties. Mr. Southey's notes inform

us: "The foot-bearer shall hold the feet of the King in his lap,

from the time he reclines at the board till he goes to rest, and

he shall chafe them with a towel; and during all that time shall

watch that no harm befalls the King. He shall eat of the shame

dish from which the King takes his food; he shall light the first

candle before the King." Such are the instructions given for this

part of royal ceremonial in the laws of Howell Dha. It may be

added, that probably upon this Celtic custom was founded one of

those absurd and incredible representations which were propagated

at the time of the French revolution, to stir up the peasants

against their feudal superiors. It was pretended that some feudal

seigneurs asserted their right to kill and disembowel a peasant,

in order to put their own feet within the expiring body, and so

recover them from the chill.]

Notwithstanding the military disposition of the guests, and the

danger arising from the feuds into which they were divided, few of

the feasters wore any defensive armour, except the light goat-skin

buckler, which hung behind each man's seat. On the other hand,

they were well provided with offensive weapons; for the broad,

sharp, short, two-edged sword was another legacy of the Romans.

Most added a wood-knife or poniard; and there were store of

javelins, darts, bows, and arrows, pikes, halberds, Danish axes,

and Welsh hooks and bills; so, in case of ill-blood arising during

the banquet, there was no lack of weapons to work mischief.

But although the form of the feast was somewhat disorderly, and

that the revellers were unrestrained by the stricter rules of

good-breeding which the laws of chivalry imposed, the Easter

banquet of Gwenwyn possessed, in the attendance of twelve eminent

bards, one source of the most exalted pleasure, in a much higher

degree than the proud Normans could themselves boast. The latter,

it is true, had their minstrels, a race of men trained to the

profession of poetry, song, and music; but although those arts

were highly honoured, and the individual professors, when they

attained to eminence, were often richly rewarded, and treated with

distinction, the order of minstrels, as such, was held in low

esteem, being composed chiefly of worthless and dissolute

strollers, by whom the art was assumed, in order to escape from

the necessity of labour, and to have the means of pursuing a

wandering and dissipated course of life. Such, in all times, has

been the censure upon the calling of those who dedicate themselves

to the public amusement; among whom those distinguished by

individual excellence are sometimes raised high in the social

circle, while far the more numerous professors, who only reach

mediocrity, are sunk into the lower scale. But such was not the

case with the order of bards in Wales, who, succeeding to the

dignity of the Druids, under whom they had originally formed a

subordinate fraternity, had many immunities, were held in the

highest reverence and esteem, and exercised much influence with

their countrymen. Their power over the public mind even rivalled

that of the priests themselves, to whom indeed they bore some

resemblance; for they never wore arms, were initiated into their

order by secret and mystic solemnities, and homage was rendered to

their _Awen_, or flow of poetic inspiration, as if it had

been indeed marked with a divine character. Thus possessed of

power and consequence, the bards were not unwilling to exercise

their privileges, and sometimes, in doing so, their manners

frequently savoured of caprice.

This was perhaps the case with Cadwallon, the chief bard of

Gwenwyn, and who, as such, was expected to have poured forth the

tide of song in the banqueting-hall of his prince. But neither the

anxious and breathless expectation of the assembled chiefs and

champions--neither the dead silence which stilled the roaring

hall, when his harp was reverently placed before him by his

attendant--nor even the commands or entreaties of the Prince

himself--could extract from Cadwallon more than a short and

interrupted prelude upon the instrument, the notes of which

arranged themselves into an air inexpressibly mournful, and died

away in silence. The Prince frowned darkly on the bard, who was

himself far too deeply lost in gloomy thought, to offer any

apology, or even to observe his displeasure. Again he touched a

few wild notes, and, raising his looks upward, seemed to be on the

very point of bursting forth into a tide of song similar to those

with which this master of his art was wont to enchant his hearers.

But the effort was in vain--he declared that his right hand was

withered, and pushed the instrument from him.

A murmur went round the company, and Gwenwyn read in their aspects

that they received the unusual silence of Cadwallon on this high

occasion as a bad omen. He called hastily on a young and ambitious

bard, named Caradoc of Menwygent, whose rising fame was likely

soon to vie with the established reputation of Cadwallon, and

summoned him to sing something which might command the applause of

his sovereign and the gratitude of the company. The young man was

ambitious, and understood the arts of a courtier. He commenced a

poem, in which, although under a feigned name, he drew such a

poetic picture of Eveline Berenger, that Gwenwyn was enraptured;

and while all who had seen the beautiful original at once

recognized the resemblance, the eyes of the Prince confessed at

once his passion for the subject, and his admiration of the poet.

The figures of Celtic poetry, in themselves highly imaginative,

were scarce sufficient for the enthusiasm of the ambitious bard,

rising in his tone as he perceived the feelings which he was

exciting. The praises of the Prince mingled with those of the

Norman beauty; and "as a lion," said the poet, "can only be led by

the hand of a chaste and beautiful maiden, so a chief can only

acknowledge the empire of the most virtuous, the most lovely of

her s*x. Who asks of the noonday sun, in what quarter of the world

he was born? and who shall ask of such charms as hers, to what

country they owe their birth?"

Enthusiasts in pleasure as in war, and possessed of imaginations

which answered readily to the summons of their poets, the Welsh

chiefs and leaders united in acclamations of applause; and the

song of the bard went farther to render popular the intended

alliance of the Prince, than had all the graver arguments of his

priestly precursor in the same topic.

Gwenwyn himself, in a transport of delight, tore off the golden

bracelets which he wore, to bestow them upon a bard whose song had

produced an effect so desirable; and said, as he looked at the

silent and sullen Cadwallon, "The silent harp was never strung

with golden wires."

"Prince," answered the bard, whose pride was at least equal to

that of Gwenwyn himself, "you pervert the proverb of Taliessin--it

is the flattering harp which never lacked golden strings."

Gwenwyn, turning sternly towards him, was about to make an angry

answer, when the sudden appearance of Jorworth, the messenger whom

he had despatched to Raymond Berenger, arrested his purpose. This

rude envoy entered the hall bare-legged, excepting the sandals of

goat-skin which he wore, and having on his shoulder a cloak of the

same, and a short javelin in his hand. The dust on his garments,

and the flush on his brow, showed with what hasty zeal his errand

had been executed. Gwenwyn demanded of him eagerly, "What news

from Garde Doloureuse, Jorworth ap Jevan?"

"I bear them in my bosom," said the son of Jevan; and, with much

reverence, he delivered to the Prince a packet, bound with silk,

and sealed with the impression of a swan, the ancient cognizance

of the House of Berenger. Himself ignorant of writing or reading,

Gwenwyn, in anxious haste, delivered the letter to Cadwallon, who

usually acted as secretary when the chaplain was not in presence,

as chanced then to be the case. Cadwallon, looking at the letter,

said briefly, "I read no Latin. Ill betide the Norman, who writes

to a Prince of Powys in other language than that of Britain! and

well was the hour, when that noble tongue alone was spoken from

Tintadgel to Cairleoil!"

Gwenwyn only replied to him with an angry glance.

"Where is Father Einion?" said the impatient Prince.

"He assists in the church," replied one of his attendants, "for it

is the feast of Saint--"

"Were it the feast of Saint David," said Gwenwyn, "and were the

pyx between his hands, he must come hither to me instantly!"

One of the chief henchmen sprung off, to command his attendance,

and, in the meantime, Gwenwyn eyed the letter containing the

secret of his fate, but which it required an interpreter to read,

with such eagerness and anxiety, that Caradoc, elated by his

former success, threw in a few notes to divert, if possible, the

tenor of his patron's thoughts during the interval. A light and

lively air, touched by a hand which seemed to hesitate, like the

submissive voice of an inferior, fearing to interrupt his master's

meditations, introduced a stanza or two applicable to the subject.

"And what though thou, O scroll," he said, apostrophizing the

letter, which lay on the table before his master, "dost speak with

the tongue of the stranger? Hath not the cuckoo a harsh note, and

yet she tells us of green buds and springing flowers? What if thy

language be that of the stoled priest, is it not the same which

binds hearts and hands together at the altar? And what though thou

delayest to render up thy treasures, are not all pleasures most

sweet, when enhanced by expectation? What were the chase, if the

deer dropped at our feet the instant he started from the cover--or

what value were there in the love of the maiden, were it yielded

without coy delay?"

The song of the bard was here broken short by the entrance of the

priest, who, hasty in obeying the summons of his impatient master,

had not tarried to lay aside even the stole, which he had worn in

the holy service; and many of the elders thought it was no good

omen, that, so habited, a priest should appear in a festive

assembly, and amid profane minstrelsy.

The priest opened the letter of the Norman Baron, and, struck with

surprise at the contents, lifted his eyes in silence.

"Read it!" exclaimed the fierce Gwenwyn.

"So please you," replied the more prudent chaplain, "a smaller

company were a fitter audience."

"Read it aloud!" repeated the Prince, in a still higher tone;

"there sit none here who respect not the honour of their prince,

or who deserve not his confidence. Read it, I say, aloud! and by

Saint David, if Raymond the Norman hath dared--"

He stopped short, and, reclining on his seat, composed himself to

an attitude of attention; but it was easy for his followers to

fill up the breach in his exclamation which prudence had

recommended.

The voice of the chaplain was low and ill-assured as he read the

following epistle:--

"Raymond Berenger, the noble Norman Knight, Seneschal

of the Garde Doloureuse, to Gwenwyn, Prince of Powys,

(may peace be between them!) sendeth health.

"Your letter, craving the hand of our daughter Eveline Berenger,

was safely delivered to us by your servant, Jorworth ap Jevan, and

we thank you heartily for the good meaning therein expressed to us

and to ours. But, considering within ourselves the difference of

blood and lineage, with the impediments and causes of offence

which have often arisen in like cases, we hold it fitter to match

our daughter among our own people; and this by no case in

disparagement of you, but solely for the weal of you, of

ourselves, and of our mutual dependants, who will be the more safe

from the risk of quarrel betwixt us, that we essay not to draw the

bonds of our intimacy more close than beseemeth. The sheep and the

goats feed together in peace on the same pastures, but they mingle

not in blood, or race, the one with the other. Moreover, our

daughter Eveline hath been sought in marriage by a noble and

potent Lord of the Marches, Hugo de Lacy, the Constable of

Chester, to which most honourable suit we have returned a

favourable answer. It is therefore impossible that we should in

this matter grant to you the boon you seek; nevertheless, you

shall at all times find us, in other matters, willing to pleasure

you; and hereunto we call God, and Our Lady, and Saint Mary

Magdalene of Quatford, to witness; to whose keeping we heartily

recommend you.

"Written by our command, at our Castle of Garde Doloureuse, within

the Marches of Wales, by a reverend priest, Father Aldrovand, a

black monk of the house of Wenlock; and to which we have appended

our seal, upon the eve of the blessed martyr Saint Alphegius, to

whom be honour and glory!"

The voice of Father Einion faltered, and the scroll which he held

in his hand trembled in his grasp, as he arrived at the conclusion

of this epistle; for well he knew that insults more slight than

Gwenwyn would hold the least word it contained, were sure to put

every drop of his British blood into the most vehement commotion.

Nor did it fail to do so. The Prince had gradually drawn himself

up from the posture of repose in which he had prepared to listen

to the epistle; and when it concluded, he sprung on his feet like

a startled lion, spurning from him as he rose the foot-bearer, who

rolled at some distance on the floor. "Priest," he said, "hast

thou read that accursed scroll fairly? for if thou hast added, or

diminished, one word, or one letter, I will have thine eyes so

handled, that thou shalt never read letter more!"

The monk replied, trembling, (for he was well aware that the

sacerdotal character was not uniformly respected among the

irascible Welshmen,) "By the oath of my order, mighty prince, I

have read word for word, and letter for letter."

There was a momentary pause, while the fury of Gwenwyn, at this

unexpected affront, offered to him in the presence of all his

Uckelwyr, (_i.e._ noble chiefs, literally men of high

stature,) seemed too big for utterance, when the silence was

broken by a few notes from the hitherto mute harp of Cadwallon.

The Prince looked round at first with displeasure at the

interruption, for he was himself about to speak; but when he

beheld the bard bending over his harp with an air of inspiration,

and blending together, with unexampled skill, the wildest and most

exalted tones of his art, he himself became an auditor instead of

a speaker, and Cadwallon, not the Prince, seemed to become the

central point of the assembly, on whom all eyes were bent, and to

whom each ear was turned with breathless eagerness, as if his

strains were the responses of an oracle.

"We wed not with the stranger,"--thus burst the song from the lips

of the poet. "Vortigern wedded with the stranger; thence came the

first wo upon Britain, and a sword upon her nobles, and a

thunderbolt upon her palace. We wed not with the enslaved Saxon--

the free and princely stag seeks not for his bride the heifer

whose neck the yoke hath worn. We wed not with the rapacious

Norman--the noble hound scorns to seek a mate from the herd of

ravening wolves. When was it heard that the Cymry, the descendants

of Brute, the true children of the soil of fair Britain, were

plundered, oppressed, bereft of their birthright, and insulted

even in their last retreats?--when, but since they stretched their

hand in friendship to the stranger, and clasped to their bosoms

the daughter of the Saxon? Which of the two is feared?--the empty

water-course of summer, or the channel of the headlong winter

torrent?--A maiden smiles at the summer-shrunk brook while she

crosses it, but a barbed horse and his rider will fear to stem the

wintry flood. Men of Mathravel and Powys, be the dreaded flood of

winter--Gwenwyn, son of Cyverliock!--may thy plume be the topmost

of its waves!"

All thoughts of peace, thoughts which, in themselves, were foreign

to the hearts of the warlike British, passed before the song of

Cadwallon like dust before the whirlwind, and the unanimous shout

of the assembly declared for instant war. The Prince himself spoke

not, but, looking proudly around him, flung abroad his arm, as one

who cheers his followers to the attack.

The priest, had he dared, might have reminded Gwenwyn, that the

Cross which he had assumed on his shoulder, had consecrated his

arm to the Holy War, and precluded his engaging in any civil

strife. But the task was too dangerous for Father Einion's

courage, and he shrunk from the hall to the seclusion of his own

convent. Caradoc, whose brief hour of popularity was past, also

retired, with humbled and dejected looks, and not without a glance

of indignation at his triumphant rival, who had so judiciously

reserved his display of art for the theme of war, that was ever

most popular with the audience.

The chiefs resumed their seats no longer for the purpose of

festivity, but to fix, in the hasty manner customary among these

prompt warriors, where they were to assemble their forces, which,

upon such occasions, comprehended almost all the able-bodied males

of the country,--for all, excepting the priests and the bards,

were soldiers,--and to settle the order of their descent upon the

devoted marches, where they proposed to signalize, by general

ravage, their sense of the insult which their Prince had received,

by the rejection of his suit.