saints, that they were much more afraid of swearing falsely by them
than by the gospels; because, from some hidden and miraculous power
with which they are gifted, and the vengeance of the saint to whom
they are particularly pleasing, their despisers and transgressors
are severely punished. The most remarkable circumstance attending
this horn is, that whoever places the wider end of it to his ear
will hear a sweet sound and melody united, such as ariseth from a
harp gently touched.

In our days a strange occurrence happened in the same district. A
wild sow, which by chance had been suckled by a bitch famous for her
nose, became, on growing up, so wonderfully active in the pursuit of
wild animals, that in the faculty of scent she was greatly superior
to dogs, who are assisted by natural instinct, as well as by human
art; an argument that man (as well as every other animal) contracts
the nature of the female who nurses him. Another prodigious event
came to pass nearly at the same time. A soldier, whose name was
Gilbert Hagernel, after an illness of nearly three years, and the
severe pains as of a woman in labour, in the presence of many
people, voided a calf. A portent of some new and unusual event, or
rather the punishment attendant on some atrocious crime. It appears
also from the ancient and authentic records of those parts, that
during the time St. Elwitus {42} led the life of a hermit at
Llanhamelach, {43} the mare that used to carry his provisions to him
was covered by a stag, and produced an animal of wonderful speed,
resembling a horse before and a stag behind.

Bernard de Newmarch {44} was the first of the Normans who acquired
by conquest from the Welsh this province, which was divided into
three cantreds. {45} He married the daughter of Nest, daughter of