SC - St. Benedict the Black

[Decker, Terry D.]

Benedict the Black was not a writer.  Also known as Benedict the Moor, he
was a Negro (hence il Moro) born into slavery in and freed by his master
around age 18.  He joined a Franciscan monastery in Sicily and was reknowned
for his humility and his piety.

Giraldus Cambrensis (Gerald de Barry) was quite a writer.  Here is what the
Catholic Encyclopedia ( http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/06568d.htm ) has to
say about him:

"
De Barry was a writer of remarkable brilliancy and force, a narrator rather
than a historian, full of self-confidence, and at times courage, and on the
whole neither the model of perfection which he proclaims himself to be, nor
the despicable character which he is oftentimes painted. His works are
published in the Rolls Series; and in the prefaces to the volumes
indications as to probable dates of composition and publication. Appended is
a list of de Barry's writings: "Topographia Hibernica"; "Expugnatio
Hibernica"; "Itinerarium Cambriæ"; "Gemma Ecclesiastica"; De Instructione
Principum"; "De Rebus a se gestis"; "Vita S. Davidis II episcopi Menevensis"
(which Brewer considers as, more probably, the work of Giraldus);
"Descriptio Cambriæ" (published as the last); "Vita Galfridi Arch.
Eboracensis"; "Symbolum Electorum"; "Invectionum Libellus"; "Speculum
Ecclesiæ"; "Vita S. Remigli"; "Vita S. Hugonis"; "Vita S. Davidis
archiepiscopi Menevensis"; "Vita S. Ethelberti"; "Epistola ad Stephanum
Langton"; "De Giraldo Archidiacono Menevensi"; "De Libris a se scriptis";
"Catalogus brevior librorum"; "Retractationes"; "De jure Menevensis
Ecclesiæ". See introduction to his works by the editors, Brewer and Dimock. 

The works of Giraldus dealing especially with Ireland: the "Topography", and
"History of the Conquest", though long regarded as possessing considerable
authority, did not escape hostile criticism. In "Cambrensis Eversus" (1662),
under the pseudonym of Gratianus Lucius, Dr. Lynch, of whose personal
history little is known, produced a work which, though controversial in
character, entitles the author to repute rather as a painstaking chronicler
than as a controversialist of a high order. After criticizing the
"Topography" adversely, and showing that the title of the second book, the
"Conquest of Ireland", is a misnomer, the writer of "Cambrensis Eversus"
disproves de Barry's title of historian, and meets his charges against the
Irish people. Giraldus is impeached with ignorance of the language, and
unfamiliarity with the country; he is said to have embodied in his works
unauthenticated narratives, with little regard for chronology; his own
admission that he had "followed the popular rumours of the land" is extended
in meaning, and perhaps unduly insisted upon. 

Nor is the "Cambrensis Eversus" merely a collection of arbitrary accusations
and unsubstantial rejoinders, made with a view to effect the discredit of de
Barry as a writer of history. What might be urged as the greatest
imperfection of Lynch's polemic, its too great wealth of detail, had not
escaped the attention of the able author, who excuses the diffuseness to
which he is compelled by asseverating his determination to follow Giraldus
closely to the end. Whatever may be said as to the ability with which Lynch
discharged his task of controversialist, there can be no denial of the
thoroughness and, above all, the sincerity of his methods. He does not pick
out the weak points in his opponent's armour, and never shirks the issue;
but grapples with every difficulty, as the order of his opponent suggests. 

Perhaps the most serious accusation levelled against Giraldus, next to the
indictment of bias and dishonesty, is that wherein he is impeached of being
addicted to the cult of the superstitious and the practice of witchcraft. If
this be true, and Merlin would seem to have exercised a considerable sway
over the mind of de Barry, then it would be vain to seek in the writings of
the latter the reflex of that calm discrimination and sober balance of
judgment which should characterize the historian. Finally, it may be said
that the student of Irish history, by reading the works of Giraldus in the
light of "Cambrensis Eversus", cannot fail to derive a helpful knowledge of
the period which they embrace. 
"

Bear

> Does anyone know about the writings of Giraldus
> Cambrensis?  Or about the writings of St. Benedict?
> 
> Huette