It Is Remarkable
That Many Of The Most Notorious Murderers, Thieves, And Robbers Of
The Neighbourhood Were Here Converted, To The Astonishment Of The
Spectators.
Passing from thence through Caerleon and leaving far on
our left hand the castle of Monmouth, and the noble
Forest of Dean,
situated on the other side of the Wye and on this side the Severn,
and which amply supplies Gloucester with iron and venison, we spent
the night at Newport, having crossed the river Usk three times. {73}
Caerleon means the city of Legions, Caer, in the British language,
signifying a city or camp, for there the Roman legions, sent into
this island, were accustomed to winter, and from this circumstance
it was styled the city of legions. This city was of undoubted
antiquity, and handsomely built of masonry, with courses of bricks,
by the Romans. Many vestiges of its former splendour may yet be
seen; immense palaces, formerly ornamented with gilded roofs, in
imitation of Roman magnificence, inasmuch as they were first raised
by the Roman princes, and embellished with splendid buildings; a
tower of prodigious size, remarkable hot baths, relics of temples,
and theatres, all inclosed within fine walls, parts of which remain
standing. You will find on all sides, both within and without the
circuit of the walls, subterraneous buildings, aqueducts,
underground passages; and what I think worthy of notice, stoves
contrived with wonderful art, to transmit the heat insensibly
through narrow tubes passing up the side walls.
Julius and Aaron, after suffering martyrdom, were buried in this
city, and had each a church dedicated to him. After Albanus and
Amphibalus, they were esteemed the chief protomartyrs of Britannia
Major. In ancient times there were three fine churches in this
city: one dedicated to Julius the martyr, graced with a choir of
nuns; another to Aaron, his associate, and ennobled with an order of
canons; and the third distinguished as the metropolitan of Wales.
Amphibalus, the instructor of Albanus in the true faith, was born in
this place. This city is well situated on the river Usk, navigable
to the sea, and adorned with woods and meadows. The Roman
ambassadors here received their audience at the court of the great
king Arthur; and here also, the archbishop Dubricius ceded his
honours to David of Menevia, the metropolitan see being translated
from this place to Menevia, according to the prophecy of Merlin
Ambrosius. "Menevia pallio urbis Legionum induetur." "Menevia
shall be invested with the pall of the city of Legions."
Not far hence is a rocky eminence, impending over the Severn, called
by the English Gouldcliffe {74} or golden rock, because from the
reflections of the sun's rays it assumes a bright golden colour:
"Nec mihi de facili fieri persuasio posset,
Quod frustra tantum dederit natura nito rem
Saxis, quodque suo fuerit flos hic sine fructu."
Nor can I be easily persuaded that nature hath given such splendour
to the rocks in vain, and that this flower should be without fruit,
if any one would take the pains to penetrate deeply into the bowels
of the earth; if any one, I say, would extract honey from the rock,
and oil from the stone. Indeed many riches of nature lie concealed
through inattention, which the diligence of posterity will bring to
light; for, as necessity first taught the ancients to discover the
conveniences of life, so industry, and a greater acuteness of
intellect, have laid open many things to the moderns; as the poet
says, assigning two causes for these discoveries,
" - labor omnia vincit
Improbus, et duris urgens in rebus egestas."
It is worthy of observation, that there lived in the neighbourhood
of this City of Legions, in our time, a Welshman named Melerius,
who, under the following circumstances, acquired the knowledge of
future and occult events. Having, on a certain night, namely that
of Palm Sunday, met a damsel whom he had long loved, in a pleasant
and convenient place, while he was indulging in her embraces,
suddenly, instead of a beautiful girl, he found in his arms a hairy,
rough, and hideous creature, the sight of which deprived him of his
senses, and he became mad. After remaining many years in this
condition, he was restored to health in the church of St. David's,
through the merits of its saints. But having always an
extraordinary familiarity with unclean spirits, by seeing them,
knowing them, talking with them, and calling each by his proper
name, he was enabled, through their assistance, to foretel future
events. He was, indeed, often deceived (as they are) with respect
to circumstances at a great distance of time or place, but was less
mistaken in affairs which were likely to happen nearer, or within
the space of a year. The spirits appeared to him, usually on foot,
equipped as hunters, with horns suspended from their necks, and
truly as hunters, not of animals, but of souls. He particularly met
them near monasteries and monastic cells; for where rebellion
exists, there is the greatest need of armies and strength. He knew
when any one spoke falsely in his presence, for he saw the devil, as
it were, leaping and exulting upon the tongue of the liar. If he
looked on a book faultily or falsely written, or containing a false
passage, although wholly illiterate, he would point out the place
with his finger. Being questioned how he could gain such knowledge,
he said that he was directed by the demon's finger to the place. In
the same manner, entering into the dormitory of a monastery, he
indicated the bed of any monk not sincerely devoted to religion. He
said, that the spirit of gluttony and surfeit was in every respect
sordid; but that the spirit of luxury and lust was more beautiful
than others in appearance, though in fact most foul. If the evil
spirits oppressed him too much, the Gospel of St. John was placed on
his bosom, when, like birds, they immediately vanished; but when
that book was removed, and the History of the Britons, by Geoffrey
Arthur, {75} was substituted in its place, they instantly reappeared
in greater numbers, and remained a longer time than usual on his
body and on the book.
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