Melerius Being Interrogated
Concerning Him, Said He Knew Him Well, And Mentioned His Name.
He
affirmed that unclean spirits conversed with mankind before war, or
any great internal disturbance, which was shortly afterwards proved,
by the destruction of the province by Howel, son of Iorwerth of
Caerleon.
At the same time, when king Henry II., having taken the
king of Scotland prisoner, had restored peace to his kingdom, Howel,
fearful of the royal revenge for the war he had waged, was relieved
from his difficulties by these comfortable words of Melerius: "Fear
not," says he, "Howel, the wrath of the king, since he must go into
other parts. An important city which he possesses beyond sea is now
besieged by the king of France, on which account he will postpone
every other business, and hasten thither with all possible
expedition." Three days afterwards, Howel received advice that this
event had really come to pass, owing to the siege of the city of
Rouen. He forewarned also Howel of the betraying of his castle at
Usk, a long time before it happened, and informed him that he should
be wounded, but not mortally; and that he should escape alive from
the town. In this alone he was deceived, for he soon after died of
the same wound. Thus does that archenemy favour his friends for a
time, and thus does he at last reward them.
In all these singular events it appears to me most wonderful that he
saw those spirits so plainly with his carnal eyes, because spirits
cannot be discerned by the eyes of mortals, unless they assume a
corporeal substance; but if in order to be seen they had assumed
such a substance, how could they remain unperceived by other persons
who were present?
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