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Thentherewasahymnandwewentaway。
Themoonwasshiningonhighandcastitssilverylightonthetower，thechurch，somefinetreeswhichsurroundedit，andthecongregationgoinghome；afewofthebetterdressedweretalkingtoeachotherinEnglish，butwithanaccentandpronunciationwhichrenderedthediscoursealmostunintelligibletomyears。
Ifoundmywaybacktomyinnandwenttobed，aftermusingawhileontheconcludingsceneofwhichIhadbeenwitnessinthechurch。
CHAPTERXCVII
Llandovery—GriffithapNicholas—PowerfulEnemies—LastWords—
LlandoveryChurch—ReesPritchard—TheWiserCreature—God’sbetterthanAll—TheOldVicarage。
THEmorningoftheninthwasverybeautiful，withaslighttendencytofrost。Ibreakfasted，andhavingnointentionofproceedingonmyjourneythatday，IwenttotakealeisurelyviewofLlandoveryandtheneighbourhood。
Llandoveryisasmallbutbeautifultown，situatedamidstfertilemeadows。Itisawater—girdledspot，whenceitsnameLlandoveryorLlanymdyfri，whichsignifiesthechurchsurroundedbywater。OnitswestistheTowey，andonitseasttheriverBranorBrein，whichdescendingfromcertainloftymountainstothenorth—eastrunsintotheToweyalittlewaybelowthetown。ThemoststrikingobjectwhichLlandoverycanshowisitscastle，fromwhichtheinn，whichstandsneartoit，hasitsname。Thiscastle，majesticthoughinruins，standsonagreenmound，theeasternsideofwhichiswashedbytheBran。Littlewithrespecttoitshistoryisknown。Onething，however，iscertain，namelythatitwasoneofthemanystrongholds，whichatonetimebelongedtoGriffithapNicholas，LordofDinevor，oneofthemostremarkablemenwhichSouthWaleshaseverproduced，ofwhomabriefaccountherewillnotbeoutofplace。
GriffithapNicholasflourishedtowardstheconcludingpartofthereignofHenrytheSixth。HewasapowerfulchieftainofSouthWalesandpossessedimmenseestatesinthecountiesofCarmarthenandCardigan。KingHenrytheSixth，fullyawareofhisimportanceinhisowncountry，bestoweduponhimthecommissionofthepeace，anhonouratthattimeseldomvouchsafedtoaWelshman，andthecaptaincyofKilgarran，astrongroyalcastlesituatedonthesouthernbankoftheTeiviafewmilesaboveCardigan。Hehadmanycastlesofhisown，inwhichheoccasionallyresided，buthischiefresidencewasDinevor，halfwaybetweenLlandoveryandCarmarthen，onceapalaceofthekingsofSouthWales，fromwhomGriffithtracedlinealdescent。Hewasamanveryproudatheart，butwithtoomuchwisdomtoexhibitmanymarksofpride，speakinggenerallywiththeutmostgentlenessandsuavity，andthoughverybraveaddictedtodashingintodangerforthemeresakeofdisplayinghisvalour。HewasagreatmasteroftheEnglishtongue，andwellacquaintedwithwhatlearningitcontained，butneverthelesswaspassionatelyattachedtothelanguageandliteratureofWales，aproofofwhichhegavebyholdingacongressofbardsandliteratiatCarmarthen，atwhichvariouspiecesofeloquenceandpoetrywererecited，andcertainalterationsintroducedintothecanonsofWelshversification。ThoughholdingofficesoftrustandemolumentundertheSaxon，heinthedepthsofhissouldetestedtherace，andwouldhaverejoicedtoseeitutterlyextirpatedfromBritain。
ThishatredofhisagainsttheEnglishwasthecauseofhisdoingthatwhichcannotbejustifiedonanyprincipleofhonour，givingshelterandencouragementtoWelshthieves，whowereinthehabitofplunderingandravagingtheEnglishborders。Thoughattheheadofanumerousandwarlikeclan，whichwasstronglyattachedtohimonvariousaccounts，Griffithdidnotexactlyoccupyabedofroses。Hehadamongsthisneighboursfourpowerfulenemieswhoenviedhimhislargepossessions，withwhomhehadcontinualdisputesaboutpropertyandprivilege。Powerfulenemiestheymaywellbecalled，astheywerenolesspersonagesthanHumphreyDukeofBuckingham，RichardDukeofYork，whobeganthecontestforthecrownwithKingHenrytheSixth，JasperEarlofPembroke，sonofOwenTudor，andhalf—brotheroftheking，andtheEarlofWarwick。
Theseaccusedhimatcourtofbeingacomforterandharbourerofthieves，theresultbeingthathewasdeprivednotonlyofthecommissionofthepeace，butofthecaptaincyofKilgarran，whichtheEarlofPembroke，throughhisinfluencewithhishalf—brother，procuredforhimself。TheymoreoverinducedWilliamBorleyandThomasCorbet，twojusticesofthepeaceforthecountyofHereford，tograntawarrantforhisapprehensiononthegroundofhisbeinginleaguewiththethievesoftheMarches。GriffithinthebosomofhismightyclanbadedefiancetoSaxonwarrants，thoughoncehavingventuredtoHerefordhenearlyfellintothepoweroftheministersofjustice，onlyescapingbytheinterventionofSirJohnScudamore，withwhomhewasconnectedbymarriage。Shortlyafterwards，thecivilwarbreakingout，theDukeofYorkapologisedtoGriffith，andbesoughthisassistanceagainstthekingwhichthechieftainreadilyenoughpromised，notoutofaffectionforYork，butfromthehatredwhichhefelt，onaccountoftheKilgarranaffair，fortheEarlofPembroke，whohadsided，verynaturally，withhishalf—brother，theking，andcommandedhisforcesinthewest。GriffithfellatthegreatbattleofMortimer’scross，whichwaswonforYorkbyadesperatechargemaderightatPembroke’sbannerbyGriffithandhisWelshmen，whentherestoftheYorkistswerewavering。Hislastwordswere：
"Welcome，Death！sincehonourandvictorymakeforus。"
ThepowerandwealthofGriffithapNicholas，andalsopartsofhischaracter，havebeenwelldescribedbyoneofhisbards，GwilymabIeuanHen，inanodetothefollowingeffect：—
"GriffithapNicholas，wholiketheeForwealthandpowerandmajesty！
Whichmostabound，Icannotsay，OneithersideofToweygay，Fromhencetowhereitmeetsthebrine，Treesorstatelytowersofthine？
Thechairofjudgmentthoudidstgain，Butnottodealinjudgmentsvain—
TotheeuponthyjudgmentchairFromnearandfardocrowdsrepair；
ButthoughbetwixttheweakandstrongNoquestionsrosefromrightorwrongThestrongtheweaktotheewouldhie；
Thestrongtodotheeinjury，Andtotheweakthouwinewouldstdeal，Andwouldsttripupthemightyheel。
Alionuntotheloftythou，Alambuntotheweakandlow。
MuchthouresemblestNuddofyore，Surpassingallwhowentbefore；
Likehimthou’rtfam’dforbravery，Fornoblebirthandhighdegree。
Hail，captainofKilgarran’shold！
LieutenantofCarmarthenold！
Hail，chieftain，Cambria’schoicestboast！
Hail，justice，attheSaxon’scost！
Sevencastleshighconfessthysway，Sevenpalacesthyhandsobey。
Againstmychief，withenvyfired，Threedukesandjudgestwoconspired，Butthouadauntlessfrontdidstshow，Andtoretreattheywerenotslow。
O，withwhatgratitudeisheardFrommouthofthinethewhisperedword，ThedeepestpoolsinriversfoundInsummerareofsoftestsound；
Thesageconcealethwhatheknows，Adealoftalknowisdomshows；
Thesageissilentasthegrave，Whilstofhislipsthefoolisslave；
Thysmiledotheveryjoyimpart，Offaithafountainisthyheart；
Thyhandisstrong，thineeyeiskeen，Thyheado’ereveryheadisseen。"
ThechurchofLlandoveryisalargeedificestandingatthesouthernextremityofthetowninthevicinityoftheTowey。Theoutsideexhibitsmanyappearancesofantiquity，buttheinteriorhasbeensadlymodernized。Itcontainsnoremarkabletombs；Iwaspleased，however，toobserveupononeortwoofthemonumentsthenameofRyce，theappellationofthegreatclantowhichGriffithapNicholasbelonged；ofoldtheregalraceofSouthWales。Oninquiringoftheclerk，anintelligentyoungmanwhoshowedmeoverthesacrededifice，astothestateoftheChurchofEnglandatLlandovery，hegavemeaverycheeringaccount，adding，however，thatbeforethearrivalofthepresentincumbentitwasverylowindeed。"Whatistheclergyman’sname？"saidI；"Iheardhimpreac
