William De Braose Also Testifies That One Of His
Soldiers, In A Conflict With The Welsh, Was Wounded By An
Arrow,
which passed through his thigh and the armour with which it was
cased on both sides, and, through that
Part of the saddle which is
called the alva, mortally wounded the horse. Another soldier had
his hip, equally sheathed in armour, penetrated by an arrow quite to
the saddle, and on turning his horse round, received a similar wound
on the opposite hip, which fixed him on both sides of his seat.
What more could be expected from a balista? Yet the bows used by
this people are not made of horn, ivory, or yew, but of wild elm;
unpolished, rude, and uncouth, but stout; not calculated to shoot an
arrow to a great distance, but to inflict very severe wounds in
close fight.
But let us again return to our Itinerary.
CHAPTER V
Of the progress by the castle of Usk and the town of Caerleon
At the castle of Usk, a multitude of persons influenced by the
archbishop's sermon, and by the exhortations of the good and worthy
William bishop of Landaf, {71} who faithfully accompanied us through
his diocese, were signed with the cross; Alexander archdeacon of
Bangor {72} acting as interpreter to the Welsh. 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.
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