Middle English Literature

parts, staffs bearing the royal arms and trumpets, clarions, and horns ringing
out in multiple harmony embellished the tower, and the face of it bore this
choice and appropriate legend inscribed on the wall: Civitas Regis Justicie.
2
And, proceeding farther as far as the little drawbridge, in front of this on
each side there was found a lofty pillar resembling a turret which, constructed
of timberwork with no less skill than artistry, was covered with linen cloth
painted the colour of white marble and green jasper as if made of stones
squared and dressed by the handiwork of masons. And the top of the pillar
to the right bore the figure of an antelope, standing erect, with a shield of
the royal arms resplendent hanging from its neck, and in its extended right
forefoot it held a royal sceptre. And the top of the other pillar supported
the figure of a lion, also standing erect, which in the claws of its right paw
held aloft a staff with a royal standard unfurled. And over the foot of the
bridge and spanning the route had been raised a tower, constructed and
painted like the said pillars, and half-way up it, in a canopied niche richly
fashioned, there stood a most beautiful statue of St. George in armour save
for his head, which was adorned with laurel studded with gems sparking like
precious stones, and behind the statue was a crimson tapestry all aglow with
his heraldic arms on a large number of shields. And to its right hung his
triumphal helm and to its left a shield of his arms of matching size. With his
right hand he held the hilt of the sword with which he was girded and with
his left a scroll which extended over the ramparts, containing these words:
Soli deo honor et gloria.
3
And the tower was distinguished by this prophetic
message of congratulation on the front: Fluminis impetus letificat civitatem
dei,
4
and at the top it was embellished by spears bearing the royal arms
unfurled, standing above the canopies and the ramparts. And in a house
next to and behind the tower were innumerable boys representing the
2
“City of the Just King.”
3
“Honour and glory to God alone,” 1 Timothy 17.
4
“The stream of the river maketh the city of God joyful,” Psalms 45.5.
Processions
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Style and Spectacle
hierarchy of angels, clad in pure white, their faces glowing with gold, their
wings gleaming, and their youthful locks entwined with costly sprays of laurel,
who, at the king’s approach, sang together in sweetly sounding chant accom-
panied by organs, following their texts, this angelic anthem: [Benedictus qui
venit in nomine Domini].
5
And when, further on, the tower of the conduit in Cornhill was reached,
that tower was found to be covered over with crimson cloth stretched out
like a tent on staffs wrapped in similar cloth. Lower down, in four prominent
places, the arms of St. George, St. Edward, St. Edmund, and of England
encircled the middle of the tower with, in between them, escutcheons of
the royal arms, amongst which was set this legend of pious import: Quoniam
Rex sperat in domino et in misericordia altissimi non commovebitur.
6
And
higher up on the ramparts and serving for their adornment were the arms of
the royal house borne aloft on staffs. And under an awning was a company
of prophets with venerable white hair in tunicles and golden copes, their
heads wrapped and turbaned with gold and crimson, who, when the king
came by, released in a great flock, as an acceptable sacrifice to God for the
victory he had conferred, sparrows and other tiny birds, of which some
descended on to the king’s breast, some settled upon his shoulders, and some
circled around in twisting flight. And the prophets sang in sweetly sounding
chant, following their texts, this psalm of approbation: Cantate domino