Wales -- Description and travel; Wales -- Social life and customs
wish these great designs to be accomplished without the effusion of
blood, the marches, as we before mentioned, must be put into a state of
defence on all sides, and all intercourse by sea and land interdicted;
some of the Welsh may be stirred up to deadly feuds, by means of
stipends, and by transferring the property of one person to another; and
thus worn out with hunger, and a want of the necessaries of life, and
harassed by frequent murders and implacable enmities, they will at last
be compelled to surrender.
There are three things which ruin this nation, and prevent its enjoying
the satisfaction of a fruitful progeny. First, because both the natural
and legitimate sons endeavour to divide the paternal inheritance amongst
themselves; from which cause, as we have before observed, continual
fratricides take place. Secondly, because the education of their sons is
committed to the care of the high-born people of the country, who, on the
death of their fathers, endeavour by all possible means to exalt their
pupil; from whence arise murders, conflagrations, and almost a total
destruction of the country. And, thirdly, because from the pride and
obstinacy of their disposition, they will not (like other nations)
subject themselves to the dominion of one lord and king.
CHAPTER X
IN WHAT MANNER THIS NATION MAY RESIST AND REVOLT
HAVING hitherto so partially and elaborately spoken in favour of the
English, and being equally connected by birth with each nation, justice
demands that we should argue on both sides; let us therefore, at the
close of our work, turn our attention towards the Welsh, and briefly, but
effectually, instruct them in the art of resistance. If the Welsh were
more commonly accustomed to the Gallic mode of arming, and depended more
on steady fighting than on their agility; if their princes were unanimous
and inseparable in their defence; or rather, if they had only one prince,
and that a good one; this nation situated in so powerful, strong, and
inaccessible a country, could hardly ever be completely overcome. If,
therefore, they would be inseparable, they would become insuperable,
being assisted by these three circumstances; a country well defended by
nature, a people both contented and accustomed to live upon little, a
community whose nobles as well as privates are instructed in the use of
arms; and especially as the English fight for power, the Welsh for
liberty; the one to procure gain, the other to avoid loss; the English
hirelings for money, the Welsh patriots for their country. The English,
I say, fight in order to expel the natural inhabitants from the island,
and secure to themselves the possession of the whole; but the Welsh
maintain the conflict, that they, who have so long enjoyed the
sovereignty of the whole kingdom, may at least find a hiding place in the
worst corner of it, amongst woods and marshes; and, banished, as it were,
for their offences, may there in a state of poverty, for a limited time,
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account