affirmed that the country was uninhabitable, vile, and inaccessible,
and only affording food to a beastly nation, living like brutes. At
length the king released Rhys, having first bound him to fealty by
solemn oaths and the delivery of hostages.

On our journey from Caermardyn towards the Cistercian monastery
called Alba Domus, {102} the archbishop was informed of the murder
of a young Welshman, who was devoutly hastening to meet him; when
turning out of the road, he ordered the corpse to be covered with
the cloak of his almoner, and with a pious supplication commended
the soul of the murdered youth to heaven. Twelve archers of the
adjacent castle of St. Clare, {103} who had assassinated the young
man, were on the following day signed with the cross at Alba Domus,
as a punishment for their crime. Having traversed three rivers, the
Taf, then the Cleddeu, under Lanwadein, {104} and afterwards another
branch of the same river, we at length arrived at Haverford. This
province, from its situation between two rivers, has acquired the
name of Daugleddeu, {105} being enclosed and terminated, as it were,
by two swords, for cleddue, in the British language, signifies a
sword.



CHAPTER XI



Of Haverford and Ros