Giraldus Cambrensis The Conquest of Ireland translated by Thomas Forester Revised and Edited with additional notes by Thomas Wright In parentheses Publications Medieval Latin Series Cambridge, Ontario 2001 The AuthorÕs First Preface. Forasmuch as in my Topography of Ireland I have described at large the site of the island, its singularities, and those of sundry things contained in it, the marvels in which nature has there indulged out of her ordinary course, and the origin of the various races settled in it from the earliest ages until these our own days, I have now undertaken, at the earnest request of many persons of high rank, to set forth in a separate volume the annals of events which have occurred in our own days relating to the last and recent conquest of Ireland. For if I have been able to give a tolerably clear account of times long past, and of things which happened in ages so far preceding our own, how much more exact will be my narrative of transactions which have taken place under my own observation, of the greatest part of which I have been an eye-witness, and which are so fresh in my memory that I cannot have any doubt about them. The Topography treats of localities and events connected with ancient times, the History deals with the present. But methinks I see some one turn up his nose, and, disgusted with my book, hand it to another, or throw it aside, because the reader will find all things in it plain, clear, and easy of apprehension. But let him know that I have written chiefly for the use of the laity, and of princes who have but little learning, and desire things to be related in so simple and easy a style, that all may understand them. For we may be permitted to use popular language when the acts of the people, as well as of their superiors, are to be reduced to writing. Besides, it has been my endeavour to compose all my works in a popular style, easy of apprehension, however I may have added to it some ornament from my own stores; and I have therefore entirely rejected the old and dry method of writing used by some authors. And, inasmuch as new times require new fashions, and the philosopher bids us follow the examples of the old men in our lives, and of the younger men in our words, I have earnestly aimed to adopt the mode of speech which is now in use, and the modern style of eloquence. For since words only give expression to what is in the mind, and man is endowed with the gift of speech for the purpose of uttering his thoughts, what can be a greater folly than to lock up and conceal things we wish to be clearly understood, in a tissue of unintelligible phrases and intricate sentences? To shew ourselves sciolists in a knowledge of our own, shall we take pains so to write, that others may see without comprehending, and hear without understanding? Is it not better, as Seneca says, to be dumb, than to speak so as not to be understood? The more, then, language is suited to the understanding, though framed with a certain elegance of style, the more useful it will be, as well as more suited to the tastes of men of letters. Wherefore the poet says, Dixeris egregie notum si callida verbum Reddiderit junctura novum. Inasmuch also as some malevolent person has made slanderous attacks on my Topography, a work not to be despised, I have thought it worth my while to introduce here a few words in its defence.1 The elegance of its scholastic Style has obtained uniform praise from all quarters; and though it is contrary to my detractorÕs nature to commend anything, he is ashamed and afraid to cavil at my First and Third Distinctions. But it is no easy matter to act a counterfeit part, and my critic, not being able quite to change his natural disposition, that he might at least do some mischief, and vent the malignity with which he was 1 This book against GiraldusÕs Topography of Ireland appears to be lost, and even the authorÕs name is unknown. 1 2 Giraldus Cambrensis bursting, he boldly cavils at the Second Distinction, hoping that by convicting me of falsehood in that he shall discredit the whole. His objections are of this sort:Ñthe author, he says, Òintroduces a wolf talking with a priest; he draws a picture of a creature with the body of a man, and the extremities of an ox; he tells us of a bearded woman; and of a goat and a lion which had intercourse with women.Ó Let him, however, if he is so shocked at these stories, read in the Book of Numbers how BaalamÕs ass spoke, and the prophet chid the ass. Let him read the lives of the Fathers, and he will find Anthony conversing with a satyr; and that Paul the hermit was fed in the desert by a raven. Let him also read the other voluminous works of Jerome, the Hexameron of Ambrose, and the Dialogues of Gregory. He will find AugustineÕs volume ÒDe Civitate Dei,Ó and especially Books 16 and 21, full of prodigies. Let him also read the eleventh Book of IsidoreÕs Etymologies, concerning marvels; his twelfth Book, respecting beasts; and his sixteenth, respecting precious stones and their virtues. Let him also examine the works of Valerius Maximus, Trogus Pompeius, Pliny, and Solinus; and in all these he will find ninny things at which he may cavil in the same manner. After reading these, I say, will he condemn the whole works of these great writers on account of some extraordinary accounts which they have inserted in them? But let him be better advised, and consider well the remark of St. Jerome, that there are many things contained in the Scriptures which, though they seem to be incredible, are nevertheless true. For nature cannot prevail against the God of nature; and every creature ought not to abhor, but to admire and hold in reverence, the works of the Creator. To adopt also the words of Augustine on this subject: ÒHow can anything be against nature which exists by the will of the great Creator?Ó A prodigy therefore is not contrary to nature, but contrary to the common course of nature; and therefore, as it is not impossible for God to ordain and create whatsoever things he listeth, no more is it impossible for him to alter and change into what forms he listeth the things he has already created. Still I do not desire that every thing I have stated should be blindly received as an undoubted truth; for I myself do not so firmly believe in all of them that I have no sort of doubt in my own mind concerning them, those only excepted of which I have myself had proof by personal experience, or which may easily be made the subject of experiment by any man. For the rest, I so account of them, as neither affirming nor denying their truth. Those who possess and know the value of precious stones from India, do not wonder at them so much as those who never saw them before; and if they had never seen them, they probably would not believe that such things existed, or if they did believe it, would marvel at that of which they had no experience. But repeated observation removes the incentives to wonder; for things of which we have ocular proofs every day come by use to be lightly esteemed, although in themselves they are as wonderful as ever. Thus the Indians set little value on their commodities, which when brought here are objects of admiration. Hence Augustine, when speaking of the gospel, where water was changed into wine, saith: ÒMarvellous is the power of God in the creation and government of the heaven and the earth, and in the daily conversion of the water, which the vines imbibe from rain, into wine, and in the growth of corn and trees from a grain of seed; and yet, because these are natural occurrences, we make no account of them. Wherefore God hath reserved to himself some things out of the common course of nature, though they be of less importance, in order to bring to the memory the power which he exercises on a larger scale.Ó Let, then, my detractor see and acknowledge that the Lord of nature Hath purposedly done many things before the eyes of man contrary to the common course of nature, in order that it may be very evident that GodÕs power far exceedeth manÕs knowledge, and His divinity surpasseth manÕs understanding. Cassiodorus therefore saith: ÒIt is a great point of knowledge in man to understand that God can and does perform such great and wonderful things as far transcend the capacity of the human intellect to comprehend. For nature doth always, and as it were purposely, interlard her regular operations with some new forms, in order that although her ordinary works may be in some measure within manÕs comprehension, nevertheless he may be unable to comprehend the whole of her powers. If, then, these old writers have so carefully inserted in their works accounts of the wonders which occurred in their days, setting us the example of using the same freedom in recording what is strange and contrary to the usual course of nature in our time and in our country, why should I, unless the whole world is given up to The Conquest of Ireland 3 wickedness, be censured and maligned? And if any new and strange thing be brought to light through my work, let not the malicious forthwith cavil at and condemn it; but excusing some things, and approving others, suffer us to proceed with our undertaking.