at taking a false oath for the
sake of any temporary advantage.... Above all other peoples they are
given to removing their neighbours' landmarks. Hence arise quarrels,
murders, conflagrations, and frequent fratricides. It is remarkable
that brothers show more affection to each other when dead than when
living; for they persecute the living even unto death, but avenge the
dead with all their power."

Finally, as a scientific observer of politics, he discusses how Wales
may be conquered and governed, and how the Welsh may resist.

A prince who would subdue this people must give his whole energies to
the task for at least a whole year. He must divide their strength, and
by bribes and promises endeavour to stir up one against the other,
knowing the spirit of hatred and envy which generally prevails among
them. He must cut off supplies, build castles, and use light-armed
troops and plenty of them; for though many English mercenaries perish
in a battle, money will procure as many more; but to the Welsh the
loss is for the time irreparable. He recommends that all the English
inhabitants of the Marches should be trained to arms; for the Welsh
fight for liberty and only a free people can subdue them. His advice
to the Welsh is: Unite. "If they would be inseparable, they would be
insuperable, being assisted by these three circumstances--a country
well defended by nature, a people contented to live upon little, a
community whose nobles and commoners alike are trained in the use of
arms; and especially as the English fight for power, the Welsh for
liberty; the English hirelings for money, the Welsh patriots for their
country."

I hope I may persuade some who do not yet know Gerald to make his
acquaintance, and to read either his works on Ireland and Wales,
translated in Bohn's library, or Mr. Henry Owen's brilliant and
delightful volume, "Gerald the Welshman," my indebtedness to which I
wish to acknowledge. Gerald tells us many miracles; but he has himself
performed a miracle as wonderful as any he relates; he has kept all
the charm and freshness of youth for more than seven hundred years.

[Illustration: CASTLES & RELIGIOUS HOUSES. (12th & 13th Centuries)]

IV

CASTLES

Wales is pre-eminently the land of castles. There are between thirty
and forty in Glamorgan alone. The accompanying map, though it is by no
means exhaustive, shows the general lie of the castles, which may be
divided into three groups, havi