Giraldus Cambrensis, The Conquest of Ireland

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banished�from�the�kingdom�for�ever.
The� earl� finding� himself� in� great� straits,� and� that� his� followers� were� much� cast� down� at� the� loss� of
reinforcements�and�the�want�of�necessary�supplies,�after�consulting�his�friends,�dispatched�Raymond�to�the
king,�who�was�then�in�the�most�distant�parts�of�Aquitaine,�with�the�following�letter:��My�lord�and�king,�It
was�with�your�licence,�as�I�understood,�that�I�came�over�to�Ireland�for�the�purpose�of�aiding�your�faithful
vassal�Dermitius�in�the�recovery�of�his�territories.�Whatever�lands,�therefore,�I�have�had�the�good�fortune
to�acquire�in�this�country,�either�in�right�of�his�patrimony,�or�from�any�other�person,�I�consider�to�be�owing
to�your�gracious�favour,�and�I�shall�hold�them�at�your�free�disposal.�
Chapter�XX:�The�martyrdom�of�St.�Thomas.
Raymond� pursuing� his� journey� and� having� arrived� at� court� with� the� earl�s� letter,� the� king� received
him�with�great�cold�ness,�and�being�as�usual�much�occupied�with�business,�deferred�his�reply.
About� that� time,� Thomas,� archbishop� of� Canterbury,� in� England,� perished� by� the� hands� of� impious
men,� to� the� dismay� of� the� great� men� of� the� realm,� both� lay� and� clerical;� after� having� undergone� the
sufferings� of� banishment� for� nearly� seven� years� in� much� grief,� wearing� sackcloth� on� every� part� of� his
body,�and�giving�himself�up�to�reading�and�prayer,�besides,�the�most�severe�of�all�afflictions,�a�grievous
proscription�which�spared�no�one,�of�whatever�age�or�sex,�his�martyrdom�at�last�filled�up�the�measure�of
his� sufferings� and� glory.� He� himself� threw� open� the� doors� of� the� sanctuary� to� his� furious� enemies,� and
meeting�boldly�their�drawn�swords,�bowed�his�consecrated�head�to�their�violence.�This�took�place�in�the
mother�and�metropolitan�church,�and�before�the�altar.�There�he�received�four�wounds�on�the�crown�of�his
head,�the�shaven�crown�which�used�to�be�regarded�as�a�token�of�the�protection�due�to�the�clergy,�inflicted
47
� The� existence� of� a� considerable� slave-trade� among� the� Anglo-Saxons� is� a� well-known� fact.� According� to� William� of
Malmsbury,� book� iii.,� c.� 1,� Bristol� was� a� great� mart� for� this� trade,� from� whence,� no� doubt,� the� unfortunate� victims� were
transported�to�Ireland;�but�the�traffic�was�considerably�diminished,�if�not�suppressed,�by�the�zealous�exertions�of�Wulfstan,�bishop
of�Worcester,�who�died�A.D.�1095.�Yet,�according�to�this�statement�of�Giraldus,�it�must�have�continued�after�that�time.
The Conquest of Ireland 29
by� four� brutal� retainers� of� the� court,� with� more� than� brutal� rage.48� The� illustrious� soldier� and� martyr� of
Christ� was� thus� distinguished� by� intrepidly� suffering� in� that� part� of� the� body� which� betokened� Christ�s
sufferings� during� his� passion,� and� exchanged� a� corruptible� for� an� incorruptible� crown.� He� also� hallowed
the� holy� week� of� Christmas,� by� then� shedding� his� blood,� and� as� the� fifth� day� before� Christmas� is
consecrated� to� the� memory� of� the� first� Thomas,� so� the� second� Thomas� shed� glory� on� the� fifth� day� after
Christmas.49�The�one�was�the�light�of�the�East,�the�other�of�the�West;�one�illuminated�the�infant�church,�the
other�the�church�of�the�latter�days;�and�as�the�one�cemented�the�foundations�of�the�rising�church�with�his
blood,�so�the�other,�by�shedding�his�blood,�renewed�the�primitive�virtues,�and�restored�the�edifice�which�in
the� lapse� of� so� many� ages� had� fallen� to� decay� by� the� injuries� of� time,� and� the� violence� of� the� storms� to
which�it�had�been�exposed.�The�first�Thomas�was�actuated�by�an�ardent�faith,�the�second�was�more�than
fervent�when�faith�was�now�growing�old.�The�one�submitted�to�cruel�torments�while�erecting�the�frame�of
the� church,� the� other� did� not� shrink� from� meeting� death� in� order� to� preserve� that� frame� uninjured.� His
triumphant�claims�to�such�glory�are�well�summed�up�in�the�two�following�verses:
Pro�Christi�sponsa,�Christi�sub�tempore,�Christi
In�templo�Christi�verus�amator�obit.
In�Christ�church,�and�at�Christmas�tide,
For�Christ�s�spouse,�Christ�s�true�servant�died.
Among� his� numerous� miracles,� there� was� one� which� was� very� memorable,� and� is� well� worthy� of
being�mentioned;�namely,�the�marvellous�way�in�which�he�restored�organs�which�had�been�actually�lost;
for�by�this�novel�kind�of�miracle�it�plainly�appeared�that�he�was�a�new�martyr,�Hence�some�one�has�said,
Miratur�rediisse�virum�neutratus,�ocelli
Succedunt�oculis,�albus�hic,�ille�niger. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

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