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From The Chronicle of England, by John Capgrave [fifteenth century], edited by the Rev. Frances Charles Hingeston, B. A., The Rolls Series, London: Longman, Brown, Green, Longmans, and Roberts; 1858; pp. 361-364.

The modernized text is first, done for the online edition by Susan Rhoads, and is copyrighted. Below this is the original text by Capgrave, with Hingeston’s footnotes. A pertinent glossary, for some of the less obvious meanings of the East Anglian words used by Capgrave, is at the end of this page. It is taken from the more complete Glossary by Hingeston at the end of the book.

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APPENDIX IV.
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Chapter XII.

OF

CAPGRAVE’S “GUIDE TO THE ANTIQUITIES OF ROME.”

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[Modernized]

OF THE TWO HORSES OF MARBLE, AND TWO NAKED MEN CALLED THE CABALLIS.

Of the Caballis are many strange tales. Some say they were giants; some say they were philosophers. Two great horses there are, and two naked men, and standing by them on the other side of the street sits a woman, wound all about with a serpent, and a fair couch of porphyry stands before her.

This is the truth of this matter, as Chronicles tell. In the time of Tiberius, other emperors came to Rome, and naked men and philosophers, but young of age, one of them called Pratellus; the other called Sibia. These men were brought to the emperor, because the people deemed by their strange array that they knew strange things. The emperor inquired of them what was the cause of their coming, and why they went naked. They answered that as the shape of their body was open to all men because of their nakedness, so all the secrets of worldly things were open to their knowing. “Call you your council into the privy chamber,” (this said they to the emperor,) “and commend to them whatever matter you wish as secretly as you can, and we shall tell you afterward what was said, from the most to the least.” The emperor tried what they said to do, and (362) he found all things true that were promised. Then he promised them great riches, and held them to be quite worthy, and in great reverence; and they refused all, and desired of him no other thing but that this memorial should be made in their name.

Before we proceed here further in our matter we will satisfy the reason of men that will ask in what way these men might have this secret knowledge: and we answer thereto that they had this knowledge, as I suppose, because of their innocence. For they that walked so nakedly had little appetite for worldly goods, and were entirely virtuous also in their manners, wherefore our Lord wished to reward them with some special gift.

I suppose also that they were of a nation which are called Gymnosophists, of whom we read, in the gestes of Great Alexander, that after he heard the same things of them, he always wanted [to meet] them, whom he did find, all naked, man and woman, dwelling in caves in the earth, ever praising God, never doing wrong, living without strife, without debate. Their living pleased this King so well that he commanded them to ask of him what they would have, and he should grant it. They prayed him to give them immortality. And he answered, — that thing which he had not himself, nor might have, how shall he give it to other men? Then they rebuked him for his pride, manslaughter, overriding of the country and many other things; and he passed from them greatly moved by their innocent living. All this, we say, in order to prove, by likeness, that these two men were of this nation.

Therefore they stood naked because they knew many secret things, as if a man who sees another naked (363) shall have more certainty (sure knowledge) of him than if he sees him clad. That they held up their hands and their arms, betokens that they could tell of things which shall fall afterward.

The great horse that tread so sorely upon the earth betokens the princes and magistrates that have governance of this world, over whom stood these naked ones, again to signify that wisdom is of more honor than power.

For in King Alexander’s life is a story just to this purpose entirely, which tells that the king had in mind to destroy a city, man and woman, wall and house, — the city called Athens. And when he was come thither with all his host, he found sitting in the sun an old philosopher, a Maximenes, which had sometime been his master. The King supposed that it was the city that had sent him in order to get grace from the King; and as soon as he saw him, with great ire and a great oath he said these words, — “By the high Providence of God above, whatsoever you ask of me this day it shall not be had.” And the philosopher answered him and said, — “Now by that same Providence which you have named, I charge you that you do not let up till this city be destroyed.” “O,” quoth Alexander, “ever is the master above his disciple.” Then was the city saved and the King’s ire softened.

These two naked men, whose memorial we have now in hand to describe, they prophesied of the Church, and also of the baptism: and, therefore, in testimony of this prophecy, there sits a woman wound with a serpent on a great vessel before her of a porphyry stone. This woman wound with a serpent betokened the souls which were in the (364) devils danger with error in their faith and cursed customs in their manners.

The fair vessel of porphyry stone betokens the baptism in which they should be washed from all the great perils. This same exposition is touched on in the Chronicles of Rome, and not newly feigned be us.

361

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[Original Text]

OF THE TO HORS OF MARBILLE, AND TO NAKED MEN CALLED THE CABALLIS.

CAPITULUM XII.

Of the Caballis be many straunge tales. Sum sey thay were geauntes; sum sey thai were philosophers. To grete horsis there be, and to naked men, and standinge be hem on the other side of the strete sitteth a woman, wonde alle aboute with a serpent, and a faire couch of purphir stonde before hir.

This is the treuthe of this mater, as Chronicles telle. In the tyme of Tyberus, other emperoure come to Rome, and naked men and philosophers, bot yonge of age, on of hem hight Pratellus; the other hight Sibia. These men were brought onto the emperoure, for the peple dempt be here straunge arai that thay knewe straunge thinges. The emperoure enquired of hem what was cause of hir comynge, and why thay wente naked. Thay answerde that as the schappe of hir body was open to alle men because of hir nakedness, so alle the privy of the worlde thinges were open unto her knowinge. “Calle you your councelle into the pryvy chambir,” (this seide thei onto the emperoure,) “and comond unto hem what mater thou wilt as pryvyly as thou can, and we shalle telle the afterwarde what was saide fro the moste onto the leste.”¹ The emperoure assayed that thai saide, and 362 he founde alle thinge sothe that was promised. Tho hight he hem grete richesse, and had hem in full grete richesse, and reverence; and thai refused alle, and desired of hym no other thinge bot that this memorialle shuld be made in her name.

Or we procede here ferther in oure mater we wille satysfie the resones of men that wille aske in what wyse these men might have his pryvy connynge: and we answer therto that thai had this conning, as is suppose, for innocens. For thai that walked so naked had litille appetite unto worldly gode, and were full vertuous eke in ther manners, wherfore oure Lorde liste to rewarde hym with sum specialle ȝift.

I suppose eke that thai were of a nacione whiche be cleped Gymnosopists,² of whom we rede, in the gestis of Grete Alisaunder, that after he herde the same of hem, he wolde algate of hem whom he founde alle naked, man and woman, dwellinge in caves in the erde, ever preysinge God, ever doing wrong, lyvynge withouten striffe, withouten debate. Here lyvynge plesed this Kinge so welle that he comaunded hem to aske of hem what thay wolde have, and he shulde graunte hem. They prayed hem to ȝeve hem immortalite. And he answerde, — that thinge whiche he had not hymselve, nor might have, who shalle he ȝyve it unto other men? Tho thay undyrtoke of his pride, monslaught, ovyrridinge of the cuntre and meche other thinge; and he passed from hem gretly meved of hire innocent lyvynge. Alle thus sey we for to preve, be likenes, that these to men were off this nacione.

Therfore stode thei naked for thay knew many pryvy thinges, as iff a man se an other naked he 363 shalle have mo sekernes of hym thanne iff he se hym yclad. That thei halde up her handes and her armes, it betokenyth that thei coude telle of thinges whiche shulle falle afterward.

The grete hors that trede so sore upone the ȝerde. betokenyth the princes and potestates that have governauns of this worlde, over whome stode these naked, more for to signifie that wisdome is more of honoure thanne power.

For in Kinge Alisaunder liff is a story fulle juste to thus purpos, whiche tellith that the kinge was in wille for to distroye a cyte, a man and woman, walle and hous, — the cyte hight Attenes. And whanne he was come thidere with alle his hoste, he founde sittinge in the sunne and elde philiphosere, called a Maximenes, whiche had sumtyme be his master. The Kinge supposed as it was that the cyte had sent hym for to gete grace of the Kinge; and anone as he say hym, with a grete ire and a grete othe he seide these wordis, — “Be the hye Providens of God above, whatsoevyr thow aske of me this day it shalle not be had.” And the philosophire answerde hym and saide, — “Now be that same Providens which thou haste name, I charge the that thou lette not tylle this cyte be distroid.” “O,” quoth Alisaundere, “ever is the meystiris above his disciple.” Tho was the cyte³ and the Kinges ire softed.

These to naked men, whos memorialle we have now in hande to descryve, they prophicied of the Chirche, and eke of the baptym: and, therfore, in testimonie of this profecie, there sitteth a woman wounde with a serpent on a grete vesselle byfore hire of a porphyr stone. This woman wounde with a serpent betokeneth the soules whiche were in the 364 devels daungere with erroure in her feith and cursed customes in hir maneris.

The faire vesselle of purphor stone betokenyth the baptime in whiche the shulde be wasshed fro alle the grete perellis. This same exposiosioune is touched in the Cronicles of Rome, and not newly feyned be us.