CONCERNING THE SOOTHSAYERS OF THIS NATION, AND PERSONS AS IT WERE
POSSESSED
THERE are certain persons in Cambria, whom you will find nowhere else,
called Awenddyon, {179} or people inspired; when consulted upon any
doubtful event, they roar out violently, are rendered beside themselves,
and become, as it were, possessed by a spirit. They do not deliver the
answer to what is required in a connected manner; but the person who
skilfully observes them, will find, after many preambles, and many
nugatory and incoherent, though ornamented speeches, the desired
explanation conveyed in some turn of a word: they are then roused from
their ecstasy, as from a deep sleep, and, as it were, by violence
compelled to return to their proper senses. After having answered the
questions, they do not recover till violently shaken by other people; nor
can they remember the replies they have given. If consulted a second or
third time upon the same point, they will make use of expressions totally
different; perhaps they speak by the means of fanatic and ignorant
spirits. These gifts are usually conferred upon them in dreams: some
seem to have sweet milk or honey poured on their lips; others fancy that
a written schedule is applied to their mouths and on awaking they
publicly declare that they have received this gift. Such is the saying
of Esdras, “The Lord said unto me, open thy mouth, and I opened my mouth,
and behold a cup full of water, whose colour was like fire; and when I
had drank it, my heart brought forth understanding, and wisdom entered
into my breast.” They invoke, during their prophecies, the true and
living God, and the Holy Trinity, and pray that they may not by their
sins be prevented from finding the truth. These prophets are only found
among the Britons descended from the Trojans. For Calchas and Cassandra,
endowed with the spirit of prophecy, openly foretold, during the siege of
Troy, the destruction of that fine city; on which account the high
priest, Helenus, influenced by the prophetic books of Calchas, and of
others who had long before predicted the ruin of their country, in the
first year went over to the Greeks with the sons of Priam (to whom he was
high priest), and was afterwards rewarded in Greece. Cassandra, daughter
of king Priam, every day foretold the overthrow of the city; but the
pride and presumption of the Trojans prevented them from believing her
word. Even on the very night that the city was betrayed, she clearly
described the treachery and the method of it:
“— tales casus Cassandra canebat,”
as in the same manner, during the existence of the kingdom of the
Britons, both Merlin Caledonius and Ambrosius are said to have foretold
the destruction of their nation, as well as the coming of the Saxons, and
afterwards that of the Normans; and I think a circumstance related by
Aulus Gellius worth inserting in this place. On the day that Caius Cæsar
and Cneius Pompey, during the civil war, fought a pitched battle in
Thessalia, a memorable event occurred in that part of Italy situated
beyond the river Po. A priest named Cornelius, honourable from his rank,
venerable for his religion, and holy in his manners, in an inspired
moment proclaimed, “Cæsar has conquered,” and named the day, the events,
the mutual attack, and the conflicts of the two armies. Whether such
things are exhibited by the spirit, let the reader more particularly
inquire; I do not assert they are the acts of a Pythonic or a diabolic
spirit; for as foreknowledge is the property of God alone, so is it in
his power to confer knowledge of future events. There are differences of
gifts, says the Apostle, but one and the same spirit; whence Peter, in
his second Epistle, writes, “For the prophecy came not in the old time by
the will of man, but men spake as if they were inspired by the Holy
Ghost:” to the same effect did the Chaldeans answer king Nebuchadonazar
on the interpretation of his dream, which he wished to extort from them.
“There is not,” say they, “a man upon earth who can, O king,
satisfactorily answer your question; let no king therefore, however great
or potent, make a similar request to any magician, astrologer, or
Chaldean; for it is a rare thing that the king requireth, and there is
none other that can shew it before the king, except the Gods, whose
dwelling is not with flesh.” On this passage Jerome remarks, “The
diviners and all the learned of this world confess, that the prescience
of future events belongs to God alone; the prophets therefore, who
foretold things to come, spake by the spirit of God. Hence some persons
object, that, if they were under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, they
would sometimes premise, “Thus saith the Lord God,” or make use of some
expression in the prophetic style; and as such a mode of prophesying is
not taken notice of by Merlin, and no mention is made of his sanctity,
devotion, or faith, many think that he spake by a Pythonic spirit. To
which I answer, that the spirit of prophecy was given not only to the
holy, but sometimes to unbelievers and Gentiles, to Baal, to the sibyls,
and even to bad people, as to Caiaphas and Bela. On which occasion
Origen says: “Do not wonder, if he whom ye have mentioned declares that
the Scribes and Pharisees and doctors amongst the Jews prophesied
concerning Christ; for Caiaphas said: “It is expedient for us that one
man die for the people:” but asserts at the same time, that because he
was high priest for that year, he prophesied. Let no man therefore be
lifted up, if he prophesies, if he merits prescience; for prophecies
shall fail, tongues shall cease, knowledge shall vanish away; and now
abideth, faith, hope, and charity: these three; but the greatest of these
is Charity, which never faileth. But these bad men not only prophesied,
but sometimes performed great miracles, which others could not
accomplish. John the Baptist, who was so great a personage, performed no
miracle, as John the Evangelist testifies: “And many came to Jesus and
said, Because John wrought no signs,” etc. Nor do we hear that the
mother of God performed any miracle; we read in the Acts of the Apostles,
that the sons of Sheva cast out devils in the name of Jesus, whom Paul
preached; and in Matthew and Luke we may find these words: “Many shall
say unto me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name?
and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful
works? and then I will profess unto them, I never knew you.” And in
another place, John says: “Master, we saw a certain man casting out
devils in thy name, and forbade him, because he followeth not with us.”
But Jesus said: “Forbid him not; no man can do a miracle in my name, and
speak evil of me; for whoever is not against me, is for me.”
Alexander of Macedon, a gentile, traversed the Caspian mountains, and
miraculously confined ten tribes within their promontories, where they
still remain, and will continue until the coming of Elias and Enoch. We
read, indeed, the prophecies of Merlin, but hear nothing either of his
sanctity or his miracles. Some say, that the prophets, when they
prophesied, did not become frantic, as it is affirmed of Merlin
Silvestris, and others possessed, whom we have before mentioned. Some
prophesied by dreams, visions, and enigmatical sayings, as Ezechiel and
Daniel; others by acts and words, as Noah, in the construction of the
ark, alluded to the church; Abraham, in the slaying of his son, to the
passion of Christ; and Moses by his speech, when he said, “A prophet
shall the Lord God raise up to you of your brethren; hear him;” meaning
Christ. Others have prophesied in a more excellent way by the internal
revelation and inspiration of the Holy Spirit, as David did when
persecuted by Saul: “When Saul heard that David had fled to Naioth (which
is a hill in Ramah, and the seat of the prophets), he sent messengers to
take him; and when they saw the company of the prophets prophesying, and
Samuel standing at their head, the Spirit of God came upon the messengers
of Saul, and they also prophesied; and he sent messengers a second and
again a third time, and they also prophesied. And Saul enraged went
thither also; and the Spirit of God was upon him also, and he went on,
and prophesied until he came to Naioth, and he stripped off his royal
vestments, and prophesied with the rest for all that day and all that
night; whilst David and Samuel secretly observed what passed.” Nor is it
wonderful that those persons who suddenly receive the Spirit of God, and
so signal a mark of grace, should for a time seem alienated from their
earthly state of mind.