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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. 364-366.

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.

(364)

APPENDIX IV.
___________

Chapter XIII.

OF

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

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[Modernized]

OF THE HORSE OF BRASS, AND THE RIDER,
THAT STANDS AT THE LATERAN.

Now, the horse that stands at the Lateran and the rider that is upon him shall be our subject. For some men say that it was made in honor of Great Constantine, but it is not so. First I will declare to you the shape of the image and afterwards tell the story — what he was, and why he was set there.

There is a great horse of brass, full fair of shape, which was gilded at one time, and a man also of the same metal sitting on his back, without a saddle; a ring bound under the horse’s foot, and a bird sitting on the horse’s head.

This image was set there for this reason. In the time that the Consuls governed Rome, it befell that a King came out of the east, with a great strength of men, and besieged Rome; — in the time of Consuls, said I, for Rome was first governed by Kings, and (365) then by two Consuls which were chosen every year; and then by an emperor, of which Julius Caesar was the first. So, as I said, in that same time when the Counselors governed the city, — at what particular time, I can’t find out, — came these Kings and besieged Rome.

The city was greatly afraid of this King, and could not find a way that they could avoid him. Then there was in Rome a man of great strength, — some books say that he was a knight, some a squire, and some that he was but of the low degree of the people, which is to say, in their language, “Rusticus,” — in ours, “a churl.”

A bold man he was, strong and wise.

He happened to be in the Capitol where the states and the people discussed what provision they might make to avoid this great danger. He stood up among them and said: — “What would you all give a man that could deliver you from this distress?”

The Senate answered, — “Let that man appear, and ask what he will, and he shall have it.”

“I will,” said this man, “take on this work upon me, if you grant me thirty sesterces of gold, and also make a memorial in my name, horse and man, like the one I will ride: all this shall be made of brass, and gilt over it, in our best style.”

The Senate granted to fulfill all his desire.

Then said he to them: — “At midnight see that you are ready in all the dikes and caverns in the ground, and in the arches within the walls, and whatsoever I bid you do, see that you fulfill it.” They consented to all that was said.

At midnight this man leapt upon a great and strong horse, and rode forth into the field with a scythe on his back, as though he would go to mow. When he (366) came on the host he hovered around and tarried till the King had slept his sleep and rose and went to a tree to void the burden of his bowels. Certain knights and squires, who were his bodyguards, saw this man thus arrayed like a churl, riding without a saddle, not supposing that he was from Rome, but rather that he was a private laborer of their own party, and so they cried to him, — “Beware, churl, what you do; come not so near the King. You shall be hanged and . . . . .

(the rest of the text is missing.)

[364]

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[Original Text]

OF THE HORS OF BRAS, AND THE RIDER, THAT STANT AT LATERNE.

XIII.

Now of the hors that stant at Laterne, and of the after¹ that is upon hym shal be oure processe. For sum men say that it was made in worschip of Grete Constantine, but it is not so. Frist will I declare onto you the shappe of the ymage and aftere telle the story, what he was, and why was he sette there.

Of grete hors of brasse is there of fulle faire shappe whiche was sumtyme gilte, and a man eke of the same metalle sittinge on his bak, withouten sadelle; a ringe boundyn undir the hors fote, and a birde sittinge on the hors hede.

This ymage was sette there for his cause. In that tyme that Consules governed Rome, befelle that a Kinge came oute of the este, with a grete strength of men, and beseged Rome; — in the tyme of Consules, seide I, for Rome was first governed by Kynges, and 365 thanne be to Consules whiche were chosen every ȝere; and thanne be emperoure, of whiche Julius Cesar was the first. So, as I seide, in that same tyme that Conselours governed the cyte, — in whos tyme specially finde I not, — came these Kinges and beseged Rome.

The cyte was gretly frayde of this Kinge, and coude not fynde a meyne whow thay shulde a voyde hym. Than was there in Rome a man of grete strength, — sum bokes sey that he was a knight, sume a swyer, and sum that he was bot of the low degre in the peple, whiche is to say, in her langage, “Rusticus,” — in oure, “a chorle.”

A bolde man he was, strong and wise.

Happed hym to be in the Capitole where the states and thee peple treted what cheyvysaunce thai myght make to voide this grete daunger. He stode up amonge hem and saide: — “What wolde he ȝeve a man that shulde delyver you from this distresse?”

The Senade answerde, — “Lete that man apere, and aske what he wille, and he shalle have it.”

“I wille,” seide this man, “take this ornay² upon me, so that ye graunte me XXX. sextaries of golde, and eke make a memorialle in myne name, hors and man liche as I wille ride alle: alle this made shalle be of bras, and gilt above oure beste wise.”

The Senate graunted hym to fullfille alle his desire.

Than seide he onto hem: — “At mydnyght loke ye ther be redy alle in dykis and cavernes in the grounde, and in the arches withinne the walles, and whatsoever I bid you do, loke ye fullfille it.” They consented to all that was seide.

At mydnyght this man lepe upon a grete hors and a stronge, and rode forth into the feld with a sithe in his bak, as thouȝ he wolde goe to mowe. Whanne he 366 come in the hoste he hoved and taried tille the Kinge had slepte his slepe and rost and wente onto a tre to a voide the berdone of his wombe. Certene knyghtes and swyres that were kepers for the body fro feyre and sey this man thus arayed liche a charle, riding withoute a sadille, supposed not he had be of Rome, bot rather prive labourer of her ouyne party, and this thei cried onto hym, — “Be ware, carle, what thou do; come not so nye the Kinge. Thou shal be hanged and . . . . . Cetera desunt.

FOOTNOTES

¹ after.] There is evidently a blunder here. The word is clearly “after,” and corresponds in the form of the letters with the same word which occurs a few lines below. It would seem to be a mistake for “rider.”

² ornay.] This is a mistake for “jornay.” See the Glossary at the end of this volume.

376 A GLOSSARY