OF THE WELSH. 347 



they formed their dwellings. The huts of the lowed 

 clafs were conflru6led with little art or expence, 

 their exterior being nothing more than a covering 

 of interwoven oziers. 



They defpifed trade and the mechanic arts ; yet, 

 though they had little money, they were altogether 

 without beggars. The liberality of the fuperior 

 orders was fuch, that all partook of their bounty. 

 The hofpitable entertainment both of friends and 

 flrangers was efleemed by them a virtue. As foon 

 as a traveller entered the houfe of any of the great 

 men, he dehvered his arms to the guard ; and fome 

 of the domeftics immediately brought to him a velTel 

 of water. If he intended to remain all night, he 

 fuffered them to waih his feet : if he merely Vv^ifhed 

 for refrefhment or fepofe, he rejected this fervice. 

 This offering of water for ablution v/as their mode 

 of giving invitation. 



Almoil every houfe was provided with a harper, 

 and the flrangers were entertained in the day time, 

 (when they did not prefer the amufements of the 

 chace,) with the converfation of young women, and 

 the mufic of the harp. Giraldus is particular in his 

 encomiums on the talents of the Welfh people in 

 mufic. He fays that moil of them could play on the 

 harp, and that in the wit and ingenuity of th?ir 

 foncjs, and in extemporaneous effufions of oenius, 

 they greatly excelled all the other weftern nations. 

 — ^The flrangers were all affembled in the evening 

 to an entertainment that was provided for them in 



R 4 the 



