A Poem from Higden's Polychronicon (I. 48) Ranulph Higden Helen Fulton Centre for Computing in the Humanities, King's College London
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A Poem from Higden's Polychronicon (I. 48) ii. 80-82

EL 2008-09-19 created first template MJF 2009-01-11 encoded Higden's poem in praise of Chester Poem in Praise of Chester

The Latin text is taken from Higden’s Polychronicon, I. 48 (Babington and Lumby, 1869, II. 80-82) . The translation by John Trevisa is taken from the same text (pp. 81-83), where John Trevisa’s translation of the whole of the Polychronicon is included with the Latin. Trevisa’s translation of the Latin poem is by no means accurate in every detail, but is a close enough rendering of the original. I have translated both the Latin and the Middle English into modern English so that they can be compared.

Ranulph Higden (d. 1364) was a monk of St Werburgh’s abbey in Chester. The Polychronicon was a universal history, based on the work of earlier writers, which Higden continued down to his own lifetime. The history was clearly very popular, surviving in over 120 manuscripts in the fourteenth century. It was translated into English by John Trevisa (1342-1402) in 1387, and another anonymous translation survives from the fifteenth century. Trevisa’s translation formed the basis of William Caxton’s printed text, first published in 1480, which Caxton called The Description of Britain.

Chestre, Casteltoun as he were, Name takeþ of a castel: Hit is vnknowe What man bulde þis citee nowe; Tho Legecestrias þes Heet now toun of legiones. Now Walsche and Englische Holdeþ þis toun of greet prys.These lines indicate the importance of Chester to the people of north Wales, as their county town, court and major marketplace. Stones on þe walle Semeþ work Hercules alle; Þere long wiþ myght To dure þat hep is i-hiȝt. Saxon smal stones Set vppon greet beeþ attones. There vnder grounde Lotynge double vaut is i-founde. Þat helpeth wiþ sondesThe Latin poem refers specifically to the ‘salt-pans’ of the Dee estuary, which fertilised the soil and made it particularly rich. Trevisa’s translation of ‘sands’ rather misses the point. Meny men of westene londes. Fisch, flesche, and corn low Þis cite toun haþ i-now. Schippes and chaffare See water bringeþ i-now þare. Godescalle þere is, Þat was emperour or þis, And þe ferþe Henry kyng, Þere is here riȝtene dwellynge.Trevisa’s version of the poem is attempting to sort out an ambiguity in the Latin. According to Gerald of Wales, De Instructione Principis, chap. XXVI (Brewer et al., 1861, viii), it was the emperor Henry V who, repenting of his misdeeds, gave up his kingdom and lived as a hermit in Chester until his death. Higden adds that Henry lived in Chester for ten years under the hermit name of Godescall, literally 'called by God'. See Brewer et al., 1861, i. 186, vi. 139-40; Babington and Lumby, 1865 vii. 245, viii. 35. The Latin poem seems to imply that Godescall was Henry IV (1050-1106, father of Henry V and also king of Germany and Holy Roman Emperor) not Henry V. In his translation, Trevisa says that both Godescall and the fourth king Henry, that is, father and son, were buried together at Chester. Of kyng Haralde Poudre þere ȝit is halde,According to a legend passed on by Gerald of Wales, King Harold II was not killed at the battle of Hastings but left there wounded and, like the emperor Henry V, sought refuge in the anchorite chapel of St James, in the graveyard of the church of St John in Chester, where he finally died (Thacker, 2005). In his Journey Through Wales, Gerald says: The real identity of these two persons, which had hitherto been kept secret, was revealed only when they each made their confession (Brewer et al., 1861, vi. 140; Thorpe, 1978, 199. Bacchus and Mercurius, Mars and Venus, also Lauerna, Proteus and Pluto regneþ þere [in] þe towne[…] Trevisa breaks off here to add an explanation of the various gods mentioned: Mars is the god of war, Mercurius the god of merchandise, Bacchus the god of wine, Venus the goddess of love, Laverna the goddess of theft and robbery, Proteus the god of falsehood and guile, and Pluto the god of hell. Trevisa adds that the poem is suggesting that these elements are all present in Chester. Þere Babilon lore, More myȝt haþ, croupeThe text reads truthe, and the editor suggests emending to crouthe, ‘crows’, in the sense of making a noise. Neither of these options makes a good translation for the Latin ferox, ‘fierce, aggressive, arrogant’. þe more. Chester, or Castletown as it were, takes its name from a castle: which man built this city is now unknown. Once called Legecastria, It is now called City of Legions. Now Welsh and English hold this town in great esteem.These lines indicate the importance of Chester to the people of north Wales, as their county town, court and major marketplace. The stones of its walls seem like the work of Hercules; that pile is set to last for a long time with great strength. Small Saxon stones are set directly on the large ones. There under ground a round double vault is found concealed. The rich sands helpThe Latin poem refers specifically to the ‘salt-pans’ of the Dee estuary, which fertilised the soil and made it particularly rich. Trevisa’s translation of ‘sands’ rather misses the point. many men of western lands. This city town has plenty of fish, meat and corn. Sea-water carries a good number of ships and produce there. Godescalle lies there,Trevisa’s version of the poem is attempting to sort out an ambiguity in the Latin. According to Gerald of Wales, De Instructione Principis, chap. XXVI (Brewer et al., 1861, viii), it was the emperor Henry V who, repenting of his misdeeds, gave up his kingdom and lived as a hermit in Chester until his death. Higden adds that Henry lived in Chester for ten years under the hermit name of Godescall, literally 'called by God'. See Brewer et al., 1861, i. 186, vi. 139-40; Babington and Lumby, 1865 vii. 245, viii. 35. The Latin poem seems to imply that Godescall was Henry IV (1050-1106, father of Henry V and also king of Germany and Holy Roman Emperor) not Henry V. In his translation, Trevisa says that both Godescall and the fourth king Henry, that is, father and son, were buried together at Chester. who was emperor before this, and the fourth king Henry, their rightful resting-place is there. The dust of king Harold is preserved there still.According to a legend passed on by Gerald of Wales, King Harold II was not killed at the battle of Hastings but left there wounded and, like the emperor Henry V, sought refuge in the anchorite chapel of St James, in the graveyard of the church of St John in Chester, where he finally died (Thacker, 2005). In his Journey Through Wales, Gerald says: The real identity of these two persons, which had hitherto been kept secret, was revealed only when they each made their confession (Brewer et al., 1861, vi. 140; Thorpe, 1978, 199. Bacchus and Mercurius, Mars and Venus, and Laverna too, Proteus and Pluto reign there in the town [...]Trevisa breaks off here to add an explanation of the various gods mentioned: Mars is the god of war, Mercurius the god of merchandise, Bacchus the god of wine, Venus the goddess of love, Laverna the goddess of theft and robbery, Proteus the god of falsehood and guile, and Pluto the god of hell. Trevisa adds that the poem is suggesting that these elements are all present in Chester. Where Babylon rules, The more power it has, the more raucous it becomes.The text reads truthe, and the editor suggests emending to crouthe, ‘crows’, in the sense of making a noise. Neither of these options makes a good translation for the Latin ferox, ‘fierce, aggressive, arrogant’.