Middle English Literature

canticum novum, Alleluia. Quia miribilia fecit, Alleluia. Salvavit, etc.
7
From there they proceeded to the tower of the conduit at the entrance to
Cheapside which, to make it look like a building, had had spread over it a
green cover strewn and inwoven with escutcheons of the city’s arms in gay
profusion on poles draped in the same colour. And there adorned the tower
higher up on the ramparts, staffs with coats of arms, borne aloft as elsewhere,
and the middle of it, all round . . . And under an awning were men of
venerable old age in the garb and of the number of the apostles, having the
names of the twelve apostles written in front of them, together with twelve
kings of the English succession, martyrs and confessors, girt about the loins
with golden belts with sceptres in their hands, crowns upon their heads,
and their emblems of sanctity plain to see, who, at the kings’ approach, in
perfect time and in sweetly sounding chant, following their texts, sang the
5
“Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.”
6
“For the king hopeth in the Lord and, through the mercy of the most high, he shall not be
moved,” Psalms 20.8.
7
“Sing ye to the Lord a new canticle because he hath done wonderful things . . . The Lord
hath made known his salvation, etc.,” Psalms 97.

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psalm [Salvasti enim nos de affligentibus nos, et odientes nos confudisti].
8
And
they delivered to him round leaves of silver intermingled with wafers of
bread, equally thin and of the same size and shape, and wine from the pipes
and spouts of the conduit, that they might receive him with bread and wine
just as Melchizedek did Abraham when he returned with victory from the
slaughter of the four kings.
9
And when they had proceeded farther, to the cross in Cheapside, that
cross was not to be seen. Instead, built round it was what resembled a very
fine castle which, constructed of timberwork with no less ingenuity than
decorative effect, was adorned with graceful towers, pillars, and ramparts in
rich profusion, having on both sides of it, to a good height of almost a
spear’s length and a half, vaulted arches, one end of each of which had, with
considerable skill, been made to rest on the castle itself, and, reaching out
over the street, the other end rose up from among the adjacent buildings as
if originally built when they had been, and under these arches, through a
space that was wide enough and to spare, being as broad as a spear’s length,
people rode as if through two gateways. And there was written on the front
of the gateways on each side: Gloriosa dicta sunt de te, civitas dei.
10
And the
covering of the castle was of linen fabric painted in colours to look like
white marble, and green and crimson jasper as if the whole work had been
made by the art of masonry from squared and well-polished stones of great
price. There adorned the top of the castle and a very high tower the arms of
St. George with, on one side, the king’s arms and, on the other, those of
the emperor, borne aloft on spears, and the arms of members of the royal
house and of the great nobles of the realm adorned the lower turrets.
And from the middle of the castle there projected out towards the king a
gatehouse, very fine indeed and no less ingeniously constructed, from
which extended a wooden bridge with about fifteen steps, and it was of a
fair width and waist-high from the ground, and the gatehouse, covered and
elegantly furnished with hangings on the posts and pales on either side to
enhance its appearance, was constructed elaborately and yet securely enough
to prevent anyone from forcing a way in. Over this bridge there went out
from the castle to meet the king a choir of most beautiful young maidens
very chastely adorned in pure white raiment and virgin attire, singing
together with timbrel and dance as if to another David coming from the
8
“Thou hast saved us from them that afflict us, and hast put them to shame that hate us,”
Psalms 43.8.
9
Genesis 14.18.
10
“Glorious things are said of thee, O city of God,” Psalms 86.3.
Processions
213

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214
Style and Spectacle
slaying of Goliath
11
(who might appropriately be represented by the arro-
gant French) this song of congratulation, following their texts: “Welcome
Henry ye fifte, kynge of Englond and of Fraunce.” And from the very top
of the castle to the bottom, on the towers, ramparts, arches, and pillars,
were innumerable boys like a host of archangels and angels, beautiful in
heavenly splendour, in pure white raiment with gleaming wings, their youthful
locks entwined with jewels and other resplendent and exquisite ornaments,
and they let fall upon the king’s head as he passed beneath golden coins and
leaves of laurel, singing together in perfect time and in sweetly sounding
chant accompanied by organs, to the honour of Almighty God and as a
token of victory, this angelic hymn, following their texts: Te deum laudamus,
te dominum confitemur, etc.
12
And when, further on, they had come to the tower of the conduit in the
way out from Cheapside towards St. Paul’s, they saw encircling that tower
about half-way up many canopied niches skilfully contrived, and in each one
was a most exquisite young maiden like a statue decked out with emblems
of chastity richly fashioned, and all of them, crowned with laurels and girt
about with golden belts, held in their hands chalices of gold from which,
with gentlest breath scarcely perceptible, they puffed out round leaves of
gold upon the king’s head as he passed by. And higher up the tower was
covered by a canopy, sky-blue in colour with clouds inwoven, massed with
great artistry. There adorned the very top of it the figure of an archangel
seemingly made of the brightest gold and with other vivid colours resplend-
ently intermingled, and the four poles on which the canopy was borne were
themselves upheld by four angels of a design no less artistic. And under-
neath the canopy was enthroned a figure of majesty in the form of a sun
and, emitting dazzling rays, it shone more brightly than all else. Around it,
in heavenly splendour, archangels moved rhythmically together, psalming
sweetly and accompanied by every kind of musical instrument, following
their texts . . . And there adorned the ramparts of the tower . . . borne aloft
on posts. And in order that that tower should with its legend seem to
conclude, in the same strain as the preceding legends, the tributes of praise
to the honour and glory not of men but of God, it presented to the gaze of
those passing by this culmination of praise: Deo gracias.
And apart from the dense crowd of men standing still or hurrying along
the streets, and the great number of those, men and women together,
gazing from windows and openings however small along the route from
11
1 Samuel 18.6.
12
“You are God; we praise you, etc.”

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the bridge, so great was the throng of people in Cheapside from one end to
the other that the horsemen were only just able, although not without
difficulty, to ride through. And the upper rooms and windows on both sides
were packed with some of the noblest ladies and womenfolk of the king-
dom and men of honour and renown, who had assembled for this pleasing
spectacle and who were so very becomingly and elegantly decked out in
cloth of gold, fine linen, and scarlet, and other rich apparel of various kinds,
that no one could recall there ever having previously been in London a
greater assemblage or a more noble array.
Amid these public expressions of praise and the display made by the
citizens however, the king himself, wearing a gown of purple, proceeded,
not in exalted pride and with an imposing escort or impressively large retinue,
but with an impassive countenance and at a dignified pace, and with only a
few of the most trusted members of his household in attendance there
following him, under a guard of knights, the dukes, counts, and marshal,
his prisoners. Indeed, from his quiet demeanour, gentle pace, and sober
progress, it might have been gathered that the king, silently pondering the
matter in his heart, was rendering thanks and glory to God alone, not to
man. And then, after he had visited the thresholds of the apostles Peter and
Paul,
13
he departed to his palace of Westminster, the citizens escorting him.