GIRAILDIIS DE, BARMI An English ecclesiastic and chronicler, best known as Giraldus Cambrensis. He was born in Pembrokeshire of a noble Norman family, and was educated by his uncle, who was Bishop of Saint David's. During his youth he thrice vis ited Paris, studying and lecturing at the uni versity there. He took holy orders, probably in 1172, and was soon afterwards appointed Arch deacon of Brecknock, in which capacity he showed himself an ardent champion of ecclesiastical priv ilege and a strict disciplinarian. On the death of his uncle in 1176 Giraldus was chosen Bishop by the chapter of Saint David's, but failed of con firmation by the King, and retired to the Univer sity of Paris, where he resumed the study of canon law and theology. He returned to England in 1180, and in 1184 he visited Ireland as pre ceptor to John, the youngest son of Henry II. In 1188 appeared his Topographic Hibernica, a de scription of Ireland, which still possesses great antiquarian value, though open to criticism in many respects. A tour of Wales which he made in 1188 in the company of Baldwin, Archbishop of Canterbury, resulted in the writing of the Itincrarium Cantbrim, which appeared in 1191. About this time Giraldus was offered the bishop rics of 'Mandan' and Bangor, but refused to ac cept either, in expectation probably of succeeding to the See of Saint David's, on which his heart was set. In 1198 that office fell vacant and Gi
raldus was again elected by the chapter, hut only to be rejected again by the King, the chief reason for his failure being, perhaps, his Welsh nativity. After a contest lasting five years and repeated appeals to the Pope, Giraldus accepted defeat, resigned his office of archdeacon, and devoted him self henceforth to study. Giraldus's writings, though disfigured by credulity, and marked, in the personal narratives with which they abound, by excessive vanity, are of great value as mate rials for the political history and the social con dition of the age and the country which they describe. They must be read, however, with caution. His works have been edited in the Rolls Series in 8 volumes (1861-91), vols. i.-iv. by Brewer, vols. v.-vii. by Dimock, vol. viii. by War ner. The Topographia Hibernica, Expugnatio Hibernica, Itinerarium Cambrice, and Descriptio Cambrice are published in one volume in Bohn's Antiquarian Library. Consult: Owen, Gerald the Welshman (London, 1889) ; and Gross, Sources and Literature of English. History (London, 1900).