CHURCHYARD, THE POET.

As I have fo frequently had occafion to quote the writings of Churchyard, it is but proper that he fhould have a place at the end of this chapter. Very little is, however, known of his life. He was born at Shrewsbury, a defcendant, as he fays himself, "of right good race," and flourished in the reigns of Henry VIII., Edward VI., Mary, and Elizabeth. His verses are neither elegant nor smooth, but they are generally supposed to abound in faithful defcription. His Worthinefs of Wales was his principal work, but he alfo wrote in verfe, "A Defcription and Discourse of Paper, and the Benefit it brings, with the setting forth of a Paper Mill near Dartford." He died about the year 1570; and his epitaph, written by himself, is preferved in Camden's Remains:

Come Alecto, and lend me thy torch,
To find a Churchyard in a church porch;
Poverty and poetry his tomb do enclofe,
Wherefore, good neighbours, be merry in profe.

(244

CHAP. XXIII.

THE MANNERS AND CUSTOMS OF THE WELSH.

Account of the Welsh Manners in the Twelfth Century.-Mode of Fighting-Domeftic Customs and Dreis.-The Officers belonging to the Court in the Tenth Century.-The Officers of the Nobility.-Various fingular Laws and Customs of this Period.—State of Soeiety in the fubfequent Centuries.-The Laws of the Chace.-The ancient Games.Welb and English Contefls after the Infurrection of Glyndwr. -THE MANNERS OF THE MODERN WELSH.-Impofitions fometimes practifed on Englifb Travellers.-Irafcibility.-The Welfb Cottages. -Women-Curiofity. Superftitions.--Account of a fuppofed Kind of aërial Beings called Knockers.Witches.--Coelcerth.-Yr Eryr.-anwyll Corph.-Offering of Enemies.-Wells of Saints.-Plygain.-Leeks on St. David's Day-Terming-Mode of Courtship called Bundling. --Cuflons at Weddings.-Funerals.-Offerings at Funerals.-Reafon for not interring on the North Sides of Churches.-Planting the Graves.

Ir accounts of the manners and habits of life of the inhabitants of distant nations be found interesting, the aborigines of our own island, and a people that now form part of our own commonwealth, must cer tainly be entitled to fome attention. Compelled, as the Welsh people were, to feek for fhelter in this obfcure corner of Britain, near fourteen centuries ago, from the perfecutions and treachery of their Saxon foes, their manners have had many fingular

and

and interesting features, from the most remote periods of their hiftory. Their own referved difpofitions, originating in a natural want of confidence in those from whom they had experienced only injuries and oppreffion; and the mountainous nature of their country, entirely fecluded them from all commerce, and prevented them from fettling any amicable connexions with their neighbours. They therefore retained their own inftitutions, and their own peculiar customs, for many fucceeding centuries. An account of fome of these have been tranfmitted to us by their bards, and of others by their hiftorians.

Gerald Barry, (better known as Giraldus Cambrenfis,) archdeacon, and afterwards bishop of St. David's, travelled through Wales, his native country, in 1187, with archbishop Baldwin, to preach the crufades, and convert the unenlightened Welsh*. He has left us, though mingled with much fuperftition, and with many incredible stories, a minute, and, as it is generally believed, an accurate detail of the character of this people.

He informs us that the pride of ancestry was carried amongst them to the greatest lengths; and that this fpirit was fo deeply rooted, that even the lowest of the peafantry could recite from memory the names

*Their difcourfes were entirely in Latin, notwithstanding which they made multitudes of profelytes! Baldwin and Giraldus have not inaptly been compared to Don Quixote and his fquire Sancho Panga.

of their predeceffors for many generations.-Their paffions were violent, and their refentments keen. They were vindictive and bloody in their anger; and when occafion ferved, would fometimes revenge themselves for injuries committed at very remote periods.

They were a nation of foldiers, every man being obliged to bear arms in times of diftrefs. The armour was light, confifting only of a small target to defend the breaft; and their weapon was a javelin. Thus furnished, they profecuted a war rather by incurfions, and forced marches, and conquered their enemies rather by furprize, than by real strength or courage. In a pitched battle, they were no way equal to the English foldiers, who were clad in heavy armour, and were further defended by large helmets. Their principal manœuvre was to draw their enemies to engagement near the edge of some extenfive morafs, over which their lightnefs and agility would allow them, in cafe of danger, to retreat in fafety. They fought on foot, and made one furious onfet: if this was refifted, they were immediately thrown into confufion, and could not be rallied till they arrived in fecurity amongst the mountains or moraffes, where they were confident their heavily armed foes would not dare to purfue them. Here they waited occurred of falling

in fecurity till another opportunity upon their enemies.

The greatest number of the ancient Welfh led folitary lives in the forefts, on the borders of which

they

they formed their dwellings. The huts of the lowest clafs were conftructed with little art or expence, their exterior being nothing more than a covering of interwoven oziers.

They defpifed trade and the mechanic arts; yet, though they had little money, they were altogether without beggars. The liberality of the fuperior orders was fuch, that all partook of their bounty. The hofpitable entertainment both of friends and ftrangers was efteemed by them a virtue. As foon as a traveller entered the houfe of any of the great men, he delivered his arms to the guard; and fome of the domeftics immediately brought to him a veffel of water. If he intended to remain all night, he fuffered them to wafh his feet: if he merely wifhed for refreshment or repofe, he rejected this fervice. This offering of water for ablution was their mode of giving invitation.

Almost every houfe was provided with a harper, and the strangers were entertained in the day time, (when they did not prefer the amufements of the chace,) with the converfation of young women, and the mufic of the harp. Giraldus is particular in his encomiums on the talents of the Welsh people in mufic. He fays that most of them could play on the harp, and that in the wit and ingenuity of their songs, and in extemporaneous effufions of genius, they greatly excelled all the other western nations. -The ftrangers were all affembled in the evening to an entertainment that was provided for them in