In Our Time, A Person Residing At The Castle Of Penbroch, Found A
Brood Of Young Weasels Concealed Within A Fleece In His Dwelling
House, Which He Carefully Removed And Hid.
The mother, irritated at
the loss of her young, which she had searched for in vain, went to a
Vessel of milk that had been set aside for the use of the master's
son, and raising herself up, polluted it with her deadly poison;
thus revenging, as it were, the loss of her young, by the
destruction of the child. The man, observing what passed, carried
the fleece back to its former place; when the weasel, agitated by
maternal solicitude, between hope and fear, on finding again her
young, began to testify her joy by her cries and actions, and
returning quickly to the vessel, overthrew it; thus, in gratitude
for the recovery of her own offspring, saving that of her host from
danger.
In another place, an animal of the same species had brought out her
young into a plain for the enjoyment of the sun and air; when an
insidious kite carried off one of them. Concealing herself with the
remainder behind some shrubs, grief suggested to her a stratagem of
exquisite revenge; she extended herself on a heap of earth, as if
dead, within sight of the plunderer, and (as success always
increases avidity) the bird immediately seized her and flew away,
but soon fell down dead by the bite of the poisonous animal.
The castle called Maenor Pyrr, {113} that is, the mansion of Pyrrus,
who also possessed the island of Chaldey, which the Welsh call Inys
Pyrr, or the island of Pyrrus, is distant about three miles from
Penbroch. It is excellently well defended by turrets and bulwarks,
and is situated on the summit of a hill extending on the western
side towards the sea-port, having on the northern and southern sides
a fine fish-pond under its walls, as conspicuous for its grand
appearance, as for the depth of its waters, and a beautiful orchard
on the same side, inclosed on one part by a vineyard, and on the
other by a wood, remarkable for the projection of its rocks, and the
height of its hazel trees. On the right hand of the promontory,
between the castle and the church, near the site of a very large
lake and mill, a rivulet of never-failing water flows through a
valley, rendered sandy by the violence of the winds. Towards the
west, the Severn sea, bending its course to Ireland, enters a hollow
bay at some distance from the castle; and the southern rocks, if
extended a little further towards the north, would render it a most
excellent harbour for shipping. From this point of sight, you will
see almost all the ships from Great Britain, which the east wind
drives upon the Irish coast, daringly brave the inconstant waves and
raging sea. This country is well supplied with corn, sea-fish, and
imported wines; and what is preferable to every other advantage,
from its vicinity to Ireland, it is tempered by a salubrious air.
Demetia, therefore, with its seven cantreds, is the most beautiful,
as well as the most powerful district of Wales; Penbroch, the finest
part of the province of Demetia; and the place I have just
described, the most delightful part of Penbroch. It is evident,
therefore, that Maenor Pirr is the pleasantest spot in Wales; and
the author may be pardoned for having thus extolled his native soil,
his genial territory, with a profusion of praise and admiration.
In this part of Penbroch, unclean spirits have conversed, nor
visibly, but sensibly, with mankind; first in the house of Stephen
Wiriet, {114} and afterwards in the house of William Not; {115}
manifesting their presence by throwing dirt at them, and more with a
view of mockery than of injury. In the house of William, they cut
holes in the linen and woollen garments, much to the loss of the
owner of the house and his guests; nor could any precaution, or even
bolts, secure them from these inconveniences. In the house of
Stephen, the spirit in a more extraordinary manner conversed with
men, and, in reply to their taunts, upbraided them openly with
everything they had done from their birth, and which they were not
willing should be known or heard by others. I do not presume to
assign the cause of this event, except that it is said to be the
presage of a sudden change from poverty to riches, or rather from
affluence to poverty and distress; as it was found to be the case in
both these instances. And it appears to me very extraordinary that
these places could not be purified from such illusions, either by
the sprinkling of holy water, or the assistance of any other
religious ceremony; for the priests themselves, though protected by
the crucifix, or the holy water, on devoutly entering the house,
were equally subject to the same insults. From whence it appears
that things pertaining to the sacraments, as well as the sacraments
themselves, defend us from hurtful, but not from harmless things;
from annoyances, but not from illusions. It is worthy of note, that
in our time, a woman in Poitou was possessed by a demon, who,
through her mouth, artfully and acutely disputed with the learned.
He sometimes upbraided people with their secret actions, and those
things which they wished not to hear; but when either the books of
the gospel, or the relics of saints, were placed upon the mouth of
the possessed, he fled to the lower part of her throat; and when
they were removed thither, he descended into her belly. His
appearance was indicated by certain inflations and convulsions of
the parts which he possessed, and when the relics were again placed
in the lower parts, he directly returned to the upper. At length,
when they brought the body of Christ, and gave it to the patient,
the demon answered, "Ye fools, you are doing nothing, for what you
give her is not the food of the body, but of the soul; and my power
is confined to the body, not to the soul." But when those persons
whom he had upbraided with their more serious actions, had
confessed, and returned from penance, he reproached them no more.
"I have known, indeed," says he, "I have known but now I know not,
(he spake this as it were a reproach to others), and I hold my
tongue, for what I know, I know not." From which it appears, that
after confession and penance, the demons either do not know the sins
of men, or do not know them to their injury and disgrace; because,
as Augustine says, "If man conceals, God discovers; if man
discovers, God conceals."
Some people are surprised that lightning often strikes our places of
worship, and damages the crosses and images of him who was
crucified, before the eyes of one who seeth all things, and permits
these circumstances to happen; to whom I shall only answer with
Ovid,
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