Maxen Wledig was emperor of Rome, and he was a comelier man, and a better
and a wiser than any emperor that had been before him. And one day he
held a council of kings, and he said to his friends, “I desire to go
to-morrow to hunt.” And the next day in the morning he set forth with
his retinue, and came to the valley of the river that flowed towards
Rome. And he hunted through the valley until mid-day. And with him also
were two-and-thirty crowned kings, that were his vassals; not for the
delight of hunting went the emperor with them, but to put himself on
equal terms with those kings.
And the sun was high in the sky over their heads and the heat was great.
And sleep came upon Maxen Wledig. And his attendants stood and set up
their shields around him upon the shafts of their spears to protect him
from the sun, and they placed a gold enamelled shield under his head; and
so Maxen slept.
And he saw a dream. And this is the dream that he saw. He was
journeying along the valley of the river towards its source; and he came
to the highest mountain in the world. And he thought that the mountain
was as high as the sky; and when he came over the mountain, it seemed to
him that he went through the fairest and most level regions that man ever
yet beheld, on the other side of the mountain. And he saw large and
mighty rivers descending from the mountain to the sea, and towards the
mouths of the rivers he proceeded. And as he journeyed thus, he came to
the mouth of the largest river ever seen. And he beheld a great city at
the entrance of the river, and a vast castle in the city, and he saw many
high towers of various colours in the castle. And he saw a fleet at the
mouth of the river, the largest ever seen. And he saw one ship among the
fleet; larger was it by far, and fairer than all the others. Of such
part of the ship as he could see above the water, one plank was gilded
and the other silvered over. He saw a bridge of the bone of a whale from
the ship to the land, and he thought that he went along the bridge, and
came into the ship. And a sail was hoisted on the ship, and along the
sea and the ocean was it borne. Then it seemed that he came to the
fairest island in the whole world, and he traversed the island from sea
to sea, even to the furthest shore of the island. Valleys he saw, and
steeps, and rocks of wondrous height, and rugged precipices. Never yet
saw he the like. And thence he beheld an island in the sea, facing this
rugged land. And between him and this island was a country of which the
plain was as large as the sea, the mountain as vast as the wood. And
from the mountain he saw a river that flowed through the land and fell
into the sea. And at the mouth of the river he beheld a castle, the
fairest that man ever saw, and the gate of the castle was open, and he
went into the castle. And in the castle he saw a fair hall, of which the
roof seemed to be all gold, the walls of the hall seemed to be entirely
of glittering precious gems, the doors all seemed to be of gold. Golden
seats he saw in the hall, and silver tables. And on a seat opposite to
him he beheld two auburn-haired youths playing at chess. He saw a silver
board for the chess, and golden pieces thereon. The garments of the
youths were of jet-black satin, and chaplets of ruddy gold bound their
hair, whereon were sparkling jewels of great price, rubies, and gems,
alternately with imperial stones. Buskins of new Cordovan leather on
their feet, fastened by slides of red gold.
And beside a pillar in the hall he saw a hoary-headed man, in a chair of
ivory, with the figures of two eagles of ruddy gold thereon. Bracelets
of gold were upon his arms, and many rings were on his hands, and a
golden torque about his neck; and his hair was bound with a golden
diadem. He was of powerful aspect. A chessboard of gold was before him,
and a rod of gold, and a steel file in his hand. And he was carving out
chessmen.
And he saw a maiden sitting before him in a chair of ruddy gold. Not
more easy than to gaze upon the sun when brightest, was it to look upon
her by reason of her beauty. A vest of white silk was upon the maiden,
with clasps of red gold at the breast; and a surcoat of gold tissue upon
her, and a frontlet of red gold upon her head, and rubies and gems were
in the frontlet, alternating with pearls and imperial stones. And a
girdle of ruddy gold was around her. She was the fairest sight that man
ever beheld.
The maiden arose from her chair before him, and he threw his arms about
the neck of the maiden, and they two sat down together in the chair of
gold: and the chair was not less roomy for them both, than for the maiden
alone. And as he had his arms about the maiden’s neck, and his cheek by
her cheek, behold, through the chafing of the dogs at their leashing, and
the clashing of the shields as they struck against each other, and the
beating together of the shafts of the spears, and the neighing of the
horses and their prancing, the emperor awoke.
And when he awoke, nor spirit nor existence was left him, because of the
maiden whom he had seen in his sleep, for the love of the maiden pervaded
his whole frame. Then his household spake unto him. “Lord,” said they,
“is it not past the time for thee to take thy food?” Thereupon the
emperor mounted his palfrey, the saddest man that mortal ever saw, and
went forth towards Rome.
And thus he was during the space of a week. When they of the household
went to drink wine and mead out of golden vessels, he went not with any
of them. When they went to listen to songs and tales, he went not with
them there; neither could he be persuaded to do anything but sleep. And
as often as he slept, he beheld in his dreams the maiden he loved best;
but except when he slept he saw nothing of her, for he knew not where in
the world she was.
One day the page of the chamber spake unto him; now, although he was page
of the chamber, he was king of the Romans. “Lord,” said he, “all the
people revile thee.” “Wherefore do they revile me?” asked the emperor.
“Because they can get neither message nor answer from thee as men should
have from their lord. This is the cause why thou art spoken evil of.”
“Youth,” said the emperor, “do thou bring unto me the wise men of Rome,
and I will tell them wherefore I am sorrowful.”
Then the wise men of Rome were brought to the emperor, and he spake to
them. “Sages of Rome,” said he, “I have seen a dream. And in the dream
I beheld a maiden, and because of the maiden is there neither life, nor
spirit, nor existence within me.” “Lord,” they answered, “since thou
judgest us worthy to counsel thee, we will give thee counsel. And this
is our counsel; that thou send messengers for three years to the three
parts of the world to seek for thy dream. And as thou knowest not what
day or what night good news may come to thee, the hope thereof will
support thee.”
So the messengers journeyed for the space of a year, wandering about the
world, and seeking tidings concerning his dream. But when they came back
at the end of the year, they knew not one word more than they did the day
they set forth. And then was the emperor exceeding sorrowful, for he
thought that he should never have tidings of her whom best he loved.
Then spoke the king of the Romans unto the emperor. “Lord,” said he, “go
forth to hunt by the way thou didst seem to go, whether it were to the
east, or to the west.” So the emperor went forth to the hunt, and he
came to the bank of the river. “Behold,” said he, “this is where I was
when I saw the dream, and I went towards the source of the river
westward.”
And thereupon thirteen messengers of the emperor’s set forth, and before
them they saw a high mountain, which seemed to them to touch the sky.
Now this was the guise in which the messengers journeyed; one sleeve was
on the cap of each of them in front, as a sign that they were messengers,
in order that through what hostile land soever they might pass no harm
might be done them. And when they were come over this mountain, they
beheld vast plains, and large rivers flowing there through.
“Behold,” said they, “the land which our master saw.”
And they went along the mouths of the rivers, until they came to the
mighty river which they saw flowing to the sea, and the vast city, and
the many-coloured high towers in the castle. They saw the largest fleet
in the world, in the harbour of the river, and one ship that was larger
than any of the others. “Behold again,” said they, “the dream that our
master saw.” And in the great ship they crossed the sea, and came to the
Island of Britain. And they traversed the island until they came to
Snowdon. “Behold,” said they, “the rugged land that our master saw.”
And they went forward until they saw Anglesey before them, and until they
saw Arvon likewise. “Behold,” said they, “the land our master saw in his
sleep.” And they saw Aber Sain, and a castle at the mouth of the river.
The portal of the castle saw they open, and into the castle they went,
and they saw a hall in the castle. Then said they, “Behold, the hall
which he saw in his sleep.” They went into the hall, and they beheld two
youths playing at chess on the golden bench. And they beheld the
hoary-headed man beside the pillar, in the ivory chair, carving chessmen.
And they beheld the maiden sitting on a chair of ruddy gold.
The messengers bent down upon their knees. “Empress of Rome, all hail!”
“Ha, gentles,” said the maiden, “ye bear the seeming of honourable men,
and the badge of envoys, what mockery is this ye do to me?” “We mock
thee not, lady; but the Emperor of Rome hath seen thee in his sleep, and
he has neither life nor spirit left because of thee. Thou shalt have of
us therefore the choice, lady, whether thou wilt go with us and be made
empress of Rome, or that the emperor come hither and take thee for his
wife?” “Ha, lords,” said the maiden, “I will not deny what ye say,
neither will I believe it too well. If the emperor love me, let him come
here to seek me.”
And by day and night the messengers hied them back. And when their
horses failed, they bought other fresh ones. And when they came to Rome,
they saluted the emperor, and asked their boon, which was given to them
according as they named it. “We will be thy guides, lord,” said they,
“over sea and over land, to the place where is the woman whom best thou
lovest, for we know her name, and her kindred, and her race.”
And immediately the emperor set forth with his army. And these men were
his guides. Towards the Island of Britain they went over the sea and the
deep. And he conquered the Island from Beli the son of Manogan, and his
sons, and drove them to the sea, and went forward even unto Arvon. And
the emperor knew the land when he saw it. And when he beheld the castle
of Aber Sain, “Look yonder,” said he, “there is the castle wherein I saw
the damsel whom I best love.” And he went forward into the castle and
into the hall, and there he saw Kynan the son of Eudav, and Adeon the son
of Eudav, playing at chess. And he saw Eudav the son of Caradawc,
sitting on a chair of ivory carving chessmen. And the maiden whom he had
beheld in his sleep, he saw sitting on a chair of gold. “Empress of
Rome,” said he, “all hail!” And the emperor threw his arms about her
neck; and that night she became his bride.
And the next day in the morning, the damsel asked her maiden portion.
And he told her to name what she would. And she asked to have the Island
of Britain for her father, from the Channel to the Irish Sea, together
with the three adjacent Islands, to hold under the empress of Rome; and
to have three chief castles made for her, in whatever places she might
choose in the Island of Britain. And she chose to have the highest
castle made at Arvon. And they brought thither earth from Rome that it
might be more healthful for the emperor to sleep, and sit, and walk upon.
After that the two other castles were made for her, which were Caerlleon
and Caermarthen.
And one day the emperor went to hunt at Caermarthen, and he came so far
as the top of Brevi Vawr, and there the emperor pitched his tent. And
that encamping place is called Cadeir Maxen, even to this day. And
because that he built the castle with a myriad of men, he called it
Caervyrddin. Then Helen bethought her to make high roads from one castle
to another throughout the Island of Britain. And the roads were made.
And for this cause are they called the roads of Helen Luyddawc, that she
was sprung from a native of this island, and the men of the Island of
Britain would not have made these great roads for any save for her.
Seven years did the emperor tarry in this Island. Now, at that time, the
men of Rome had a custom, that whatsoever emperor should remain in other
lands more than seven years should remain to his own overthrow, and
should never return to Rome again.
So they made a new emperor. And this one wrote a letter of threat to
Maxen. There was nought in the letter but only this. “If thou comest,
and if thou ever comest to Rome.” And even unto Caerlleon came this
letter to Maxen, and these tidings. Then sent he a letter to the man who
styled himself emperor in Rome. There was nought in that letter also but
only this. “If I come to Rome, and if I come.”
And thereupon Maxen set forth towards Rome with his army, and vanquished
France and Bugundy, and every land on the way, and sat down before the
city of Rome.
A year was the emperor before the city, and he was no nearer taking it
than the first day. And after him there came the brothers of Helen
Luyddawc from the Island of Britain, and a small host with them, and
better warriors were in that small host than twice as many Romans. And
the emperor was told that a host was seen, halting close to his army and
encamping, and no man ever saw a fairer or better appointed host for its
size, nor more handsome standards.
And Helen went to see the hosts, and she knew the standards of her
brothers. Then came Kynan the son of Eudav, and Adeon the son of Eudav,
to meet the emperor. And the emperor was glad because of them, and
embraced them.
Then they looked at the Romans as they attacked the city. Said Kynan to
his brother, “We will try to attack the city more expertly than this.”
So they measured by night the height of the wall, and they sent their
carpenters to the wood, and a ladder was made for every four men of their
number. Now when these were ready, every day at mid-day the emperors
went to meat, and they ceased to fight on both sides till all had
finished eating. And in the morning the men of Britain took their food
and they drank until they were invigorated. And while the two emperors
were at meat, the Britons came to the city, and placed their ladders
against it, and forthwith they came in through the city.
The new emperor had no time to arm himself when they fell upon him, and
slew him, and many others with him. And three nights and three days were
they subduing the men that were in the city and taking the castle. And
others of them kept the city, lest any of the host of Maxen should come
therein, until they had subjected all to their will.
Then spake Maxen to Helen Luyddawc. “I marvel, lady,” said he, “that thy
brothers have not conquered this city for me.” “Lord, emperor,” she
answered, “the wisest youths in the world are my brothers. Go thou
thither and ask the city of them, and if it be in their possession thou
shalt have it gladly.” So the emperor and Helen went and demanded the
city. And they told the emperor that none had taken the city, and that
none could give it him, but the men of the Island of Britain. Then the
gates of the city of Rome were opened, and the emperor sat on the throne,
and all the men of Rome submitted them selves unto him.
The emperor then said unto Kynan and Adeon, “Lords,” said he, “I have now
had possession of the whole of my empire. This host give I unto you to
vanquish whatever region ye may desire in the world.”
So they set forth and conquered lands, and castles, and cities. And they
slew all the men, but the women they kept alive. And thus they continued
until the young men that had come with them were grown grey-headed, from
the length of time they were upon this conquest.
Then spoke Kynan unto Adeon his brother, “Whether wilt thou rather,” said
he, “tarry in this land, or go back into the land whence thou didst come
forth?” Now he chose to go back to his own land, and many with him. But
Kynan tarried there with the other part and dwelt there.
And they took counsel and cut out the tongues of the women, lest they
should corrupt their speech. And because of the silence of the women
from their own speech, the men of Armorica are called Britons. From that
time there came frequently, and still comes, that language from the
Island of Britain.
And this dream is called the Dream of Maxen Wledig, emperor of Rome. And
here it ends.