The history of Wales ... / translated into English by Dr. Powell; and augmented by W. Wynne. To which is added, a description of Wales, by Sir John Price.

  • Caradoc of Llancarfan
Date:
1812
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The history of Wales ... / translated into English by Dr. Powell; and augmented by W. Wynne. To which is added, a description of Wales, by Sir John Price. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    20/494 (page 12)
    nor was it opposed till after Robert’s death, when William of Newborough more out of malice and envy than any love he bore to truth, began to — charge both the origmal and translator with in- sincerity. I cannot see upon the whole, the least reason, why the contrivance and invention of this history should. be attributed to Geoffrey, or that the authority of it depends any way upon him, more than the fidelity of his translation. | I shall therefore conclude this subject with the character bestowed upon Geoffrey, and the history by him published by Ponticus Virunnius, who flourished in the year 1290, a man of great reading, and ex- cellent learning of his time, who did not think it lost labour to draw an epitome of the British his- tory: Guraldus (says he) historicus egregius et cardinalis, magne vir auctoritatis apud Robertum — Claudiocestrie ducem, Henrici regis filiuin, ac. pa- tric sua curtosissimus fautor, ex summa philosophia atque archivis, historiam antiquissimam continua ses rie. ab ipsis Trojanis collectam transtulit,. Verissi- mas Brittannorum historias arguit regum occiden- taiium consuetudo ; quae erat, secum semper habere €0s, qui veritate praecipua eorum gesta notarent.. Secondly, But supposing Geoffrey to be inno- cent from this suspected imposture, and that he did no more than faithfully translate a British ma- nuscript he received of the archdeacon ; it may be farther objected, that seeing it abounds with so travagant fables and prodigies, it appears extremely suspicious, and sensibly smells of a monkish pro- duction. For how is it possible, you will say, that any account, excepting what is found in the Roman histories, could be had of the Britains, and that not only before, but even after their subjection to the Romans; since there is so much reason to doubt, whether the Britains, as well as other un- lettered nations, had any means to convey any knowledge to posterity, for want of the art of writing? for if the affairs and transactions of the Britains were only handed down by tradition, and