From Ritual to RomanceWeston, Jessie L. (Jessie Laidlay)
Religion
From Ritual to Romance
Weston, Jessie L. (Jessie Laidlay)
Grail -- Legends -- History and criticism; Romances -- History and criticism
In the Pipe Roll of Henry I, 1131, Bledri’s name is entered as debtor
for a fine incurred by the killing of a Fleming by his men; while a
highly significant entry records the fine of 7 marks imposed upon a
certain Bleddyn of Mabedrud and his brothers for outraging Bledri’s
daughter. When we take into consideration the rank of Bledri, this
insult to his family by a fellow Welshman would seem to indicate that
his relations with his compatriots were not of a specially friendly
character.
Mr Owen also points out that portion of the _Brut-y-Tywysogion_ which
covers the years 1101-20 (especially the events of the year 1113, where
we find Bledri, and other friendly Welsh nobles, holding the castle of
Carmarthen for the Normans against the Welsh), is related at an
altogether disproportionate length, and displays a strong bias in
favour of the invaders. The year just referred to, for instance,
occupies more than twice the space assigned to any other year. Mr Owen
suggests that here Bledri himself may well have been the chronicler; a
hypothesis which, if he really be the author we are seeking, is quite
admissible.
So far as indications of date are concerned, Bledri probably lived
between the years 1070-1150. His father Cadivor died in 1089, and his
lands were divided between his sons of whom Bledri, as we have seen,
was the eldest. Thus they cannot have been children at that date;
Bledri, at least, would have been born before 1080. From the evidence
of the Pipe Roll we know that he was living in 1131. The charter signed
by his son, confirmatory of his grant, must have been subsequent to
1148, as it was executed during the Episcopate of David, Bishop of St
David’s 1148-1176. Thus the period of 80 years suggested above
(1070-1150) may be taken as covering the extreme limit to be assigned
to his life, and activity.
The passage in which Giraldus Cambrensis refers to _Bledhericus,
famosus ille fabulator who tempora nostra paulo praevenit_, was written
about 1194; thus it might well refer to a man who had died some 40 or
50 years previously. As we have noted above, Giraldus was born upon
ground forming a part of Bledri’s ancestral heritage, and thus might
well be familiar with his fame.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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