The Journey Through Wales / The Description of Wales

by Gerald of Wales, Lewis Thorpe (Introduction), Betty Radice (Consultant Editor)

Gerald of Wales was one of the most dynamic and colorful churchmen of the 12th century. His JOURNEY describes a mission to Wales undertaken in 1188 by Baldwin, Archbishop of Canterbury, with Gerald as his companion. THE DESCRIPTION provides a picture of the day-to-day existence of ordinary Welshmen of the time. Both offer a wealth of fascinating first-hand historical detail.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Classics, Travel, Medieval, Medieval History, 12th Century

333 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1191

About the author

Gerald of Wales (c. 1146 – c. 1223), also known as Gerallt Gymro in Welsh or Giraldus Cambrensis in Latin, archdeacon of Brecon, was a medieval clergyman and chronicler of his times. Born around 1146 at Manorbier Castle in Pembrokeshire, Wales, he was of mixed Norman and Welsh blood, his name being Gerald de Barri.

Gerald's writings in good quality Latin, based on a thorough knowledge of Classical authors, reflect experiences gained on his travels as well as his great knowledge of the standard authorities and he was highly respected as a scholar in his time and afterwards. The noted scholar Edward Augustus Freeman said he was "the father of comparative philology," and in the preface to the last volume of Gerald's works in the Rolls Series, he calls him "one of the most learned men of a learned age," "the universal scholar." [5] His writings were prolific, running to about ten volumes in modern printed editions. Gerald was a man of strong opinions whose works are frequently polemical, including bitter attacks on his enemies, but also had an intense curiosity recording much valuable detail of everyday life in his ethnographic works.

It is generally agreed today that his most distinguished works are those dealing with Wales and Ireland, with his two books on his beloved Wales the most important: Itinerarium Cambriae and Descriptio Cambriae which tell us much about Welsh history and geography and reflect on the Cultural relationship between the Welsh and the English. Gerald, despite his desire for an independent Welsh Church and admiration for parts of Welsh life, was very loyal to Norman Marcher rule regarding the Normans as more civilised than the Welsh, a feeling reflected in his writings.

Reviews

[Jan-Maat]

The Journey through Wales is a genuine medieval travelogue of Gerald of Wales' journey preaching the third crusade round Wales with the Archbishop of Canterbury. There are difficult river crossings, quicksands and accounts of preaching in various languages to the different communities in Wales Welsh, English and Flemish, the latter where invited in by Henry I to improve the local stock. Gerald comments on the history of the places that they travel through and the local dignitaries who turn out to accompany the Archbishop.

The Description of Wales reworks some of the same material in the description of the rivers and other natural features of the country but also has a long description of the good points about the Welsh (they clean their teeth and sing nicely) and some of the negative points (they are cowardly, greedy, quarrelsome and inclined to incest but at least they have clean teeth). The book finishes with helpful advise for any would be ruler of Wales on how to conquer and rule over the Welsh.

Both are easy to read and while they don't have stories of man with dog's heads or faces in the centre of their chests and other classics of medieval travel literature, Gerald does have stories about poisonous weasels, faithful dogs and beavers who torment their hunters by castrating themselves.

One of the joys of the Journey through Wales is that it is full of anecdotes about Gerald's own family. They were Norman French, long settled in south Wales. Gerald's grandfather married a Welsh woman who was later seized by her Welsh lover who dug his way into the grandfather's castle to make off with her. This was a colonial society and the account of the journey is rich in stories about castles changing hands, power grabs and the uprising that followed on from the death of Henry I, who was more feared than loved, which is saying something of a man who had a prodigious amount of children over thirty, though confirmation of paternity is disputed in some cases. On a slightly more peaceful note there is also a lyrical account of the place were he was born and where he played as a boy on the beach with his brothers building sand cathedrals and castles respectivelythough naturally this is followed by accounts of diabolic possession.

One to read if your interested in medieval Welsh history, preaching the crusades or medieval colonial societies.

[Charlotte · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reading this account of a 12 century journey through Wales is like browsing a medieval version of the internet....lots of strange miracles, lots of cat video equivalents, bits of interesting history and linguistics. I found it both fascinating and strangely soothing.

[J.C. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well. The blurb says that Gerald was dynamic. It seemed to me at times that his physical energy was palpable, and his mental energy almost frenzied. Lewis Thorpe, in his introduction, describes the ardours of his many journeys and the pursuit of his unrealised dream of becoming Bishop of St David's Cathedral, independently of the Archbishop of Canterbury:

"What all this cost, in the burning up of nervous energy, in physical exertion and day-to-day expenditure, is impossible for us to imagine."

In 1188 AD Gerald was commissioned by Henry II to travel through the whole of the country of Wales, in company with the then Archbishop of Canterbury, one Baldwin, on a recruiting mission for the Third Crusade, against Saladin, who had seized Jerusalem. Baldwin was the next-but-one Archbishop of Canterbury after the murdered St Thomas á Becket, and at one point Gerald regrets, for the church’s sake, that he and his predecessor have let go, through subservience to the king, all that St Thomas achieved. He does not let this detract from his admiration for Baldwin’s dedication and stamina as they complete a physically demanding circuit of Wales, saying masses in each of the four cathedrals, and in many churches, recruiting about three thousand men. Baldwin himself lost his life at the siege of Acre.

The Third Crusade didn’t interest me, but Gerald spices up the tour with anecdotes, snatches of history, and legend, as well as his own wide-ranging knowledge. He seems very proud of his passage on “the curious habits of beavers”, which he repeats from his Topography of Ireland, and repeats again in The Description of Wales (the second of the two books in this volume) just in case anyone has missed it in The Journey. He also quotes freely from classical poets, and the editor and translator, Lewis Thorpe, tells us that he was very proud of his elegant Latin. Lewis Thorpe cannot trace all of the quotations, and has also pointed out discrepancies. For the general reader that doesn’t matter, but it was illuminating to have his cheerful analysis of Gerald brought to bear upon the anecdotes. Gerald has many stories about people who are possessed by demons, or who otherwise transgress against the dictates of the church. Here’s one about a man called Meilyr:

“When he was harassed beyond endurance by these unclean spirits, Saint John’s Gospel was placed on his lap, and then they all vanished immediately, flying away like so many birds. If the Gospel were afterwards removed and the “History of the Kings of Britain” by Geoffrey of Monmouth put there in its place, just to see what would happen, the demons would alight all over his body, and on the book, too, staying there longer than usual and being even more demanding.”

The editor remarks, “Gerald rarely misses a chance of a gibe at Geoffrey of Monmouth”.
I enjoyed the footnotes and especially the background supplied to accounts of King Arthur and Merlin (Gerald says there were two Merlins, one earlier than the other, and one in Scotland rather than Wales). Appendix 3 is all about Gerald’s account of the finding of Arthur’s bones (?) at Glastonbury.

That brings me to Gerald’s fascination with etymology and the meaning of place names. I love this stuff and just gobble it up. In a colourful passage Gerald confidently explains the origins of Glastonbury and Avalon, helped along by the editor’s footnote. Gerald points out where Welsh names have been anglicised, and it was interesting to me that the village of Llantwit Major, near where I lived as a child, was originally Llan Illtud Fawr, the church, or monastery, of St Illtud – which also explains why the nearby postal address of one of my cousins is “Gwaun Illtud” (Illtud’s Moor)!

There’s so much in this book that I found interesting. Gerald rewrote the book and there are three different dedications, two to different Archbishops of Canterbury and one to Hugh, Bishop of Lincoln. My undergraduate thesis was on a text from Lincoln at this time, so that meant something to me. The prefaces are, on the face of it, insincere and sycophantic, but writers had to have a sponsor in those days and Gerald’s unequivocally honest plea is that his works should not be put away in a cupboard but actually read. He wrote a great deal and planned more, during the course of a long and busy life.

It seems people prefer The Journey Through Wales to The Description of Wales but for me it was the other way round. Gerald doesn’t hold back from presenting his opinions for and against Wales and the people of Wales. He draws on Geoffrey of Monmouth for the legendary origin of the Britons (from Brutus, after Troy) and contrasts the nature of the people with that of the invading Saxons. According to Gerald, it was the Saxons who applied the name ‘vealh’ to the people they regarded as foreigners, and thus “Cambria” (“Cymru” in modern Welsh) came to be known as “Wales”. Himself half Norman, half-Welsh, Gerald examines, shockingly, to modern readers, “How the Welsh can be conquered” and “How the Welsh should be governed once they have been conquered”. In fairness, he then presents the opposite case, “How the Welsh can fight back and keep up their resistance”. For his conclusion, he quotes, lovingly, an old Welshman who was asked by the king what he thought of the royal troops. The old man's reply ends:

“Whatever else may come to pass, I do not think that on the Day of Direst Judgement any race other than the Welsh, or any other language, will give answer to the Supreme Judge of all for this small corner of the Earth.”

[Philip of Macedon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gerald of Wales, the 12th and 13th century scholar, theologian and historian followed his History and Topography of Ireland with these two books on Wales. Like that book, these are a mix of history, myth, social observation and criticism, personal insights, descriptions of local wildlife and their habits, amusing asides and anecdotes, and odd occurrences, as written by a highly educated man of letters in the late 12th century.

The first, The Journey Through Wales, tells of his tour of the country with Baldwin, the Archbishop of Canterbury, in 1188, as they stop through many of its locales and give elegant sermons to persuade people to “take up the Cross”, which I am led to believe means to take up arms in the Crusades. More often than talking about his trip, he spends his time discussing the folklore and history of the places he comes across.

The second book, The Description of Wales, is similar to his treatment of Ireland in his History and Topography, in which he describes its geography and beauty and its people, but it is about a people he knows more about, a country he is more familiar with, is more sympathetic to (though only very slightly), and so his biting criticisms and harshness and brutal honesty is also supplemented with some kind words and praise.

In his Journey, Gerald only briefly mentions things pertinent to the actual journey and the purpose for which they are in Wales. He mentions the high character of the Archbishop, describes the places they stop, and tells of some fascinating episodes from their travels, such as his observations of those taking up the cross, or of those they meet along the way. Most of the time he regales us with tales about princes and kings and battles, events throughout history, and plenty of miracles, folk tales, and superstitions which are all treated as genuine.

Frequently he redirects his narrative into a reflection on various theological subjects and church figures, as well as the churches and cathedrals themselves, throughout history. He is particularly interested in sharing stories of saints, bishops, and the nobility. He is intimately familiar with all sorts of knowledge and information about royal family trees and their deeds and violent, ruthless histories, as well as the politics that drove their actions.

It is obvious Gerald loves writing, because in what was probably not intended as humorous but is now charmingly funny and entertaining, he speaks of his own talent at writing and how important his work his, how valuable it is to posterity, and how no one appreciates the great effort he goes to to so vividly and accurately portray the lands which he writes about. His prefaces to each of the works here are composed of glory and mockery. Gerald could write about the most mundane topic imaginable and it would still be a fun read, because of the sharpness of his pen.

He tells the story of a miraculous handbell in a church in Elfael, which was once in the possession of Saint David, when he was locked up in a jail. The bell was taken from him by his jailers and, as the story goes, God took vengeance on the town for imprisoning this man and burned it all down. The only thing that survived was the bell. There’s a story about a stone that mysteriously always returns to its place of origin by the next morning, no matter how far it is taken away.

He tells of St. Patrick’s horn, another wondrous artifact that plays a sweet melody to any ear it is held to; and the psalter of Quendrada, which stuck to the hands of a sinful cellarer to admonish him for his ways, and could only be removed by confession and repentance; and the torque of St. Cynog, a relic that bears the mark of a mighty blow, from a man trying to break it to take its gold, but who was instead blinded by God as punishment.

He reports a lot of events like these and explains the Welsh people’s reverence for such artifacts. Many of the stories he tells are tales of supernatural occurrences or mysterious events that sound implausible but that he insists on being true. He loves stories that involve the wrath of God, or that illustrate some moral shortcoming in a people, which is punished by divine act.

The Description of Wales is, like the previous work, broken into two parts. The first offers a description of Wales’s geography and landscapes and the genealogy of its princes, as well as explanations of Welsh customs and character. This book offers a pretty positive and glowing description of the Welsh people, from their hospitality and grooming and boldness and courage and frugality, to their endurance and musical talent and wittiness and confidence.

He gives a terrific description of Welsh soothsayers and the possession-like trances they fall into before making prophecies. He draws some neat comparisons between these prophets and other historical prophets. He once again mentions Merlin, and explains the different Merlins of history, and which was the Arthurian Merlin of tradition. Despite his disdain for Geoffrey of Monmouth, Gerald relies an awful lot on his History of the Kings of Britain, a key Arthurian writing and once considered a valid history of the country. This is where many of Gerald’s details about Merlin or old kings comes from.

Book II of the Description is a major contrast to the first. Here, Gerald has decided to lay out all his criticisms of the Welsh, in an attempt to be unbiased and honest in his history. He sinks his teeth into them for their instability, their dishonesty, robbery, weakness in battle, their quarrelsomeness, their greed and incest and generally sinful nature. These chapters are funny and thoughtful and filled with Gerald’s piercing venom, and his nuanced, careful examination, while maintaining his charm.

What really tops this second book off is that the final few chapters explain, to the English king for whom the book was written, how the Welsh can be conquered, in considerable detail, with an almost step by step guide for dominating them using their own nature and knowledge against them. He then explains how they should be ruled if such a thing were to come about. But in order to not appear too biased toward his patron, his final chapter offers advice to the Welsh for how they could defend themselves, using their land and certain of their personal qualities to their advantage, so long as they decide to accept rule by a single prince.

A splendid pair of books, simultaneously fascinating for their historical and geographical and folklorish wealth, amusing because of its author’s skill and manner, and a priceless piece of medieval literary history.

An appendix at the end adds even more substance to this already great work. This makes the work fit nicely into the reading list I am currently working my way through, the Celtic myths and the Arthurian legends. In a part of the book, Gerald says that the historian Gildas neglects any mention of King Arthur, who at this time is still considered a real historical figure. His reasoning for Gildas’s leaving Arthur out of history is that Arthur killed Gildas’s brother, and so Gildas threw all of his works in praise of Arthur into the ocean.

Starting from this discussion, the appendix takes us further into the Arthurian world as told by Gerald.

The translator, Lewis Thorpe, includes excerpts from two other books written by Gerald of Wales, in which he discusses the uncovering of King Arthur’s remains, buried at Glastonbury Abbey. According to Gerald, Henry II of England told some monks, shortly before he died, that a soothsayer once told him where the remains of Arthur could be found. Gerald accompanies the monks to this site in the Abbey and they dig sixteen feet underground to find the tomb of Arthur and Guinevere, the latter of whose lock of blond hair disintegrates immediately upon being touched by one of the monks. Both accounts are similarly remarkable and fun to entertain. He describes the tomb and the reasons behind it being so hidden, so that the Saxons would not find it.

The translator offers some compelling explanations for how such a “discovery” was possible, alluding to the political motivations of Henry II to eradicate any hope in the Welsh that their beloved King Arthur would be returning to protect them for the rest of time.

[Hari Raelyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Someone on here said it was like a medieval religious version of cat videos and facebook feeds, and it sort of basically is. Gerald was a terrible gossip and a jobsworth and I love him

[Jared · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Distinguished writers have composed and published admirable histories of other countries. I have been inspired to think that it may be a useful and praiseworthy service to those who come after me if I can set down in full some of the secrets of my own native land. By writing about such humdrum matters I can rescue from oblivion those deeds so nobly done which have not yet been fully recorded. What could my own crude and feeble efforts at to the Fall of Troy, to Thebes, or Athens, or what happened on the coast of Latium?"

[Pēteris Masļenčenko · Rating 4 out of 5]

12. gs. teksts, ko viegli lasīt arī lajiem. Viduslaikiem raksturīgais vēstures un folkloras kokteilis. Ļoti smieklīgs autors ar raitu prozu.

Pirmā daļa - "The Journey Through Wales"- ir mīlīgu nostāstu pilna. Citu starpā pieminēts:
- bruņinieks, kurš piedzemdēja teļu;
- velni, kuri tirgus laukumā visiem izstāsta tavus noslēpumus, ja tu ar viņiem atsakies kasīties par sīkumiem;
- ezeri, kuros dzīvo zivis ar vienu aci;
u. tml.

Otrā daļa - "The Description of Wales" - ir daudz sausāks ģeogrāfijas, vēstures un etnogrāfijas darbs.

[Gwyn Liam · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent book! Gerald of Wales isn't the best writer in the world, he makes a lot of mistakes, and he perhaps takes himself too seriously, but he is all the more funny for it.

It was fascinating to read about what Wales was like 800 years ago, in many ways it hasn't seemed to have changed at all! Haha!

If you are Welsh or English, I think it is very much worth a read to help paint the picture of what Britain was like when these two peoples were still learning to live together side by side.

[Huw Francis · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting and important commentary on Wales flawed by the religious pomposity of a man trying to 'improve' the uncivilised locals.

[The_Philosoph]

Took me like a month to read the first 10 pages and then 24 hours to read the last 250, so take that how you would like to.

Gerald o/ Wales is a fascinating man, with a wild set of complexes. Tbh, I think this is an important text to understanding colonialism. Gerald can't really make up his mind as to whether the Welsh should or shouldn't be colonized, whether or not they deserve land, and if fighting back is justified (sound familiar?). He's a case study in strange centrism (and a self-hating minority) that I think is equally as valuable for a political analyst as a medieval history.

He also can write better than a lot of other medieval authors (or, at least, that is what it appears with this translation). The stories he includes, with one or two exceptions, are fascinating.

Would recommend for people interested in colonialism, Cymru, and/or the medieval British isles in general.

[Steven "Steve" · Rating 4 out of 5]

Two more interesting books from Gerald of Wales. There are so few written reliable sources from the time period so his books are must-reads. A brief look at preaching for the crusades as well as the typical melding of historical fact and folklore while describing his home country. The notes and introduction are helpful to understanding the material.

[Carys Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

one of our earliest yappers

[Acanthus Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

"The Welsh go to extremes in all matters. You may never find anyone worse than a bad Welshman, but you will certainly never find anyone better than a good one."

A collection of geographical and cultural observations made by Gerald during his tour of Wales in 1188 when he accompanied the Archbishop Baldwin on missionary work; five weeks were spent in the south of the country and one week in the north.

Some of the curiosities he writes of are: Saint Patrick's horn, the local monastic schools, the healing properties of a dog's tongue, tiny men who spirit-away young boys, archers who can pin a rider's leg to the flank of his horse, a moving stone in the shape of a human thigh-bone on Anglesey, beavers who castrate themselves, Sir Gilbert Hagurnell who gave birth to a calf, the pagan soothsayers and such geographical phenomena as this:

"... the shores of South Wales were completely denuded of sand, and the subsoil, which had been buried deep for so many centuries, was once more revealed. Tree-trunks became visible, standing in the sea, with their tops lopped off, and with cuts made by the axes, as clear as if they had been felled only yesterday."

Gerald owes much of his understanding to Monmouth's history and the general picture he draws of the Welsh people is that of lost majesty - from a noble Trojan past to their current humble state of keeping to the woods and wilds.

The appendix to this book also has an interesting discussion on references to the historical Arthur found in Gerald's work, apparently excavations were carried out on the Isle of Avalon (Glastonbury) and Arthur's body was discovered in a hollowed out oak-bole buried deep underground.

[Drew Noel · Rating 2 out of 5]

I don’t usually do long reviews, but this text got me thinking. I guess it’s important to say that I approached this book from a 21st century standpoint as a casual reader.

Good points: some parts of this book were genuinely interesting. I picked up some useful history about where I live and some of the anecdotes Gerald tells are quite riveting. The translation of this piece is spot on as well, can’t praise Lewis Thorpe enough for that.

Bad points: ‘The Journey Through Wales’ is less about the journey and more about meandering anecdotes a lot of which don’t actually take place in Wales. It can get quite stale. Being a militant medieval Christian, the narration of this book is, at the best of times, unintentionally hilarious, and at the worst of times, homophobic and racist. Gerald, unsurprisingly, seems to have a superiority complex, as well as acting as an unreliable narrator. He both praises and shits on the Welsh in equal measure.

Maybe if I was reading this for study I would have got on with it a bit better, but on the whole this book isn’t for me. Again, some parts were interesting, but I feel like I could have got those parts from a text that was less dated.

[Dana · Rating 5 out of 5]

I relied heavily on this primary source material when writing my book (which is set in Wales). Part travelogue, part chronicle of the young men who go on the Crusades, and part adventure, Gerald of Wales' Journey Through Wales/Description of Wales is a great book for anyone interested in learning more about this fascinating country.

[Tyler Hayes · Rating 3 out of 5]

In addition to being a fascinating look at medieval travel writing, Gerald of Wales wins out for his lengthy and scathing discussion of the Welsh people, and the best method of helping them overcome their flaws.

[Abby · Rating 4 out of 5]

(review to come)

[Jason · Rating 5 out of 5]

A surprisingly fun read, full of weird anecdotes and trivia on Wales, the Welsh, their history, and their customs in the 12th century and before.

[Marcos Augusto · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gerald’s Welsh tour in 1188 with Archbishop Baldwin of Canterbury, undertaken to raise soldiers for the Third Crusade, prompted his Itinerarium Cambriae (1191; “Itinerary of Wales”) and Cambriae descriptio (1194; “Description of Wales”).

Beginning with a description of the geographical extent of Wales, and of the country's physical ruggedness. Wales is divided into the principalities of Gwynedd, Powys and Deheubarth, and has been since the kingdom of Rhodri Mawr was split between his three sons, each of whose descendants down to the present prince are then listed. He then gives the number of cantrefs into which each principality is divided, and names their palaces and dioceses. The course of each of Wales’s principal rivers is described, with a lengthy digression on the habits of the beaver. The author compares the fertility of the various regions of Wales, and the purity of their Welsh, then discusses the etymology of the names Cambria and Wales. He outlines the high military spirit, weapons, armour and tactics of the Welsh, then, turning to their customs in times of peace, describes their frugality, hospitality to strangers, table manners and sleeping habits, and their care of their teeth and facial hair. He next turns to the talents of the Welsh people in the fields of instrumental music, bardic poetry (notable for its lavish use of alliteration), and part-singing. Gerald praises their sense of humour, instancing several Welsh witticisms and also some classical Latin ones. Their boldness in speaking he attributes to their supposed descent from the Trojans, which also explains the many Welsh words and personal-names derived from Greek and Latin.

[KathleenW · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m traveling to Wales this year and wanted to get a little idea of the mood of the country. Of course this was from the 1100s🤣…but things linger! Unfortunately, the copy I got used off of Amazon had a bunch of highlighted text and notes which was distracting in parts. Basically to me this book had a lot of anecdotes about Geralds experiences. There were some quite unbelievable stories told about things that happened in these towns as the fellows made their way around Wales, visiting communities and cathedrals. Folklore. There’s usually a little bit of truth in folklore. And it will be interesting if I go to a few of these places such as Anglesey and Conwy..etc. St. Asaph and Bangor cathedrals.. I may see some relics that I read about. Overall it was a pretty quick and entertaining read. I skimmed over some of the areas that I won’t be visiting in south Wales. I looked in the appendix and the index at the topics to see if there were any things I wanted to check up on and read those. I’ve been interested in hearing about Rhiannon… I think there was a law that she roamed the forests of southern Wales? You know Stevie Nicks sang about her. Maybe that came later than the 1100s.
Overall I would say it’s a great book to pick up and get an idea of some of the politics and community life way back when …

[Sarahtar · Rating 4 out of 5]

Honestly, this was delightful. Adding Gerald, the undoubtedly ADHD author, traveler, and Catholic higher-up, to my list of people I would love to have dinner with.

I am not any type of scholar. Nor Catholic. I read this as part of a project where I am trying to read a book from the 90s decade of every century. It was this or some long boring love poem. This seemed potentially interesting.

But oh my gosh. Gerald.

"we went here and preached and I heard that there was a half cow half stag born here, and by the way did you know that beavers, when they are being chased, rip off their testicles and throw them at the hunter? But anyway, I really should get back to my story." Then the version I read would have a footnote saying, in essence "yeah, that's not true..."

He was no biologist, that is for sure. But he was very salty about Catholic politics, most of which I didn't understand. (I didn't make any effort here.)

My favorite part might have been: "the welsh people are witty. I thought I would share some of their witticisms. Oh and here are a few from cicero." (cicero was not Welsh)

And wrapping up with "here's how you could conquer the Welsh and here's why you should."

This was not what I was expecting, but when I started the book, I had decided to read it in half hour chunks. Instead, I just never put it down.

[Rosaline Weaver · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reading this is like sitting down in comfy chairs with your grandfather and listening as he downloads his scattered recollections. As Gerald recalls his crusades recruitment tour of Wales he is constantly diverting off to recount details of the local geography and folklore. We are kept fully abreast of which landowners are coming up and which are going down, along with the flaws in their character and behaviour.

Gerald is interested in everything from the behaviour of beavers to tales of miracles, the perils of Welsh quicksand and roving tides. The diversions are so great that there is very little about the crusade campaign. At each location we are told “many” people sign up, some hastily, some after their initial rejection of the crusades led them to be smited, but that is all. The book is totally lacking any detail of the arguments which persuaded the locals to take the cross and join the crusade or any of the logistics of what that entails.

Just as with your Grandfather, you cringe your way through as he overinflates his own achievements and refuses to give any credit to his adversaries. The book finishes with the pros and cons of the Welsh people and the best method for the English to subjugate them forever.

[Jonathan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Giraldus Cambresis, or Gerald of Wales, joined Baldwin, archbishop of Canterbury, in 1188, in a journey clockwise around Wales. Gerald recorded this trip, largely a recruiting effort for the third crusade, day by day, leaving us with a unique account not only of the land, the people and the issues of that time and place, but of his own views on religion and local history. Here are two books, the first about the journey and the second about the Wales and its people more generally.

He was born and lived as a child in the castle at Manobier in southern Wales, where his Norman father, William de Barry was a knight. If fact, Gerald was three quarters Norman and one quarter Welsh with his maternal grandmother Nest being the daughter of Rhys ap Tewdwr, a former prince of South Wales. The church was Gerald’s career; he was appointed archdeacon of Brecon by his uncle, the bishop of St. David’s, by order Richard, then the archbishop of Canterbury. Gerald aspired to his uncle’s position, but never attained it, despite being seriously considered several times. His desire to see the Bishopric of St. David’s as independent and not subservient to Canterbury was one reason he did not prevail with the powers of the English church, and his high regard for the martyr Thomas Becket was another. (Henry II was still alive.) All this is discussed in Gerald’s account, as well as variety of anecdotes, miracles, and even descriptions of wildlife, including even an essay on beavers. Gerald was noted for, and proud of, his command of Latin. Despite his erudition and native intelligence, his writing reflects his 12th century mindset, which is very different from most of ours today. To enjoy a rare window into this era, read these books.

[joan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Vivid as a self portrait, though inadvertently, and frustratingly vague as to the task of recruiting people for the Crusade. What were the sermons, what did ‘taking the Cross’ mean on the day and afterwards? Was there a cooling off period? Who signed up, when the national struggle seems to have been ongoing?

Gerald’s chattiness has this impatient, anxious quality, as if time is short (if I’m not reading that in, having read the introduction). He mithers over his frustrations and ambitions, even as his mind wanders over his Classical and Biblical learning and the local wonders, wordplay, the beavers, and history. His world is uneasy and unstable in many ways, and he straddles the two cultures, or three cultures.

Amusing footnotes.

[Aaron White]

A travelogue, history, pilgrimage and self-aggrandizing tale all at once, from the priest Gerald of Wales. He tells the story of his and the Archbishop’s 12th century journey through Wales, raising support and followers for a Crusade to the Holy Land. Each stop is giving geographical, historical, and spiritual description, and often without reference to time - for Gerald, the events of a place are mashed together, not necessarily chronological. He also wants to display his erudition and wit at all times, and has certain ultimately unfulfilled political and ecclesiastical ambitions as well. Gives a great glimpse into life in Wales, and Europe, at that time.

[Paul Gosselin · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an amusing and interesting read. Gerald offers lots of odd anecdotes about medieval Wales, it's history and the highly strung and easily inflammable Welsh, along with anecdotes about pathetic catholic and pre-Christian superstitions from the same time period. One has to understand that when Gerald refers to "Preaching the Cross" on his tour of Wales, he is actually talking about recruitment for the Crusades (the bait being the promise of absolution of sins for those who volunteer...).

[S.E. Morgan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not an easy read but given when it was written and that it's one of the earliest books written in Britain not just Wales has to get 5 stars. A collection of tales about his travels, but also stories he was told as he traveled around.
Poor old Gerald, he was so disappointed not to be made Archbishop of Wales, (probably first documented case of racism against the Welsh).

[Helena · Rating 4 out of 5]

I never knew much about welsh history, despite being welsh, I never had easy access to it. So I was pleased to find this book and even more pleased to find how rich it is in the ways of the welsh at the time. Sure it is a tricky read for the writing is 'aged' lets say but once I got into it I really appreciated the detail put into each aspect.

[Paul Triller · Rating 4 out of 5]

A curiouh s view of Welsh history from what seems to be a rather curious man.

[Andrew Galloway · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am Gerald