September 2003 version, created and maintained by Trish Skinner
Prologue: the author asks the castle of Canossa to recount who the lords buried there were. The castle replies:-
I.1 'Atto was the first prince, as astute as a snake. He was nobly born from Sigefred the noble prince of the county of Lucca, who also had two other famous sons. The first was called Sigefredus, the second Atto, and the youngest son was called Gerardus. Wishing to increase his own honour, Sigefredus came to Lombardy with his sons.... Atto transcended all his brothers, growing, exulting and abundant in many things, seeing me Canossa standing as a naked rock, count Atto raised me up as his own castle. He built these towers, and fortified me more than towns, so that I would not fear kings, great me or powerful men. The king of the Latins and Teutons knew this: king Berengar and his son proved this. These Lombards are known to be strong in arms, but they were extinguished by me and made to wander from the kingdom, and they believed in me because they were crushed. Both these kings encircled me whilst Atto lived, but this work came to be bitter to them so that they abandoned their sorry efforts...
[The king of the Lombards wages war against Atto, besieging Canossa]
'He came to Canossa, thinking to break all of it down.
"I am stone, not wood, and moreover Atto remains inside; and there are
prudent and wise men with him; king Berengar, however much you can send missiles
before you can perish or break my defences. No rams, or cunning or machinery
will prevail by blows to touch our exulted and high roofs."....
'I.2 Growing rich Atto built my defences up high: he was rich through me, and he held all his wealth through me: and so for that reason all the beautiful things which came to him - cuirasses, javelins, shields and swords - he sent to me. He decorated me with sacred limbs as if with arms; a certain king gave him the Crown of Victory, the most holy soldier Victor bore the pain on the head for a diadem in heaven: the Crown was made holy spattered with his blood. Atto brought this here and many other saints. Great Brescia gave him other relics, and Godfrey the bishop gave him the head and right arm and the muscle of Apollonius, to be honoured vehemently, because he was born from the loins of princes.....
'I.7 I Canossa praise God, who has conceded to me to have a pleasing time with good and generous princes, whom I had as sweet lords and friends when alive, and when dead I deserved to have them all to bury in the tomb....'
I.8 DEBATE BETWEEN CANOSSA AND MANTUA
CANOSSA SAYS
My lord Boniface chose to have his body buried in the tomb of his fathers. You
really presume to take this away, Mantua? Why do you disturb me so much despoiling
me of the body?
MANTUA REPLIES
I am called a town, you are called the Canossan citadel. There are men within
me, look what I keep with me; I have many riches, oh stupid pauper. I am surrounded
by a river, and strong with ships everywhere. It is not fitting that the body
should lie anywhere except in the town.
CANOSSA SAYS
You have the name of town, but you are not great in honour. Although you have
many people, I know nevertheless that you win nothing unless another ally helps
you. If wars are waged against you, what will you do then, leper? You are not
surrounded with a strong wall: you will be hurt by water and land when you rebel.
You put your hope in a hedge when you need a shield, sword and money, for only
thus, and with difficulty, will you be strong enough to escape. When three battles
at least occupy you for years at a time, see what riches you'll have then when
in fact you will lack everything. The lingering putrefaction of your waters
and their fevers feed the cold, but you will be burnt up. But I have lived unharmed
for 1000 years, and furthermore I am far away from muddy ditches and bogs. If
a war came to me which might be a strong duel, I would still win a hard battle
with a few men. And whenever it should happen (which I don't believe it will)
and a hard siege or two morasses surround me, there is no way I will be defeated
in battle or devoured when I am built on a rock and have a wall as well. My
lofty walls above all castles are filled with corn and meat; at the same time
I am happy I live with few men, and mocking all I shall stay that way; no war
machine nor any arrow is able to make me surrender, nor shall I take any spears.
I fear no king, but you are a rebel: so you know that I am fit to hold the bones
of our aforementioned lord.
MANTUA REPLIES
Truly you are strong with your arrogant words. It is no wonder: you have no
idea of the danger. I was overgrown under the waters, and I am always worn down
in battle. However much you are long-lived close to the heavens, from where
you remain arrogant, nevertheless you seek a worthless distinction: see, I have
a rich sanctuary, in a word wonderful, through which I can defeat you, and even
if you are strong, I will leave you only your words.
CANOSSA SAYS
What you can do to us will soon pile up in our ears. [i.e. 'gone on then, tell
me what you've got']
MANTUA REPLIES
A wealthy church and a priest who is ready, and the priests there make songs
resound clearly, and many well-cared for relics are venerated there.
CANOSSA (UPSET) SAYS
I am not inferior in this to you, because my church is are more noble. For mine
is under the Pope and yours under the patriarch. Mine is Roman, yours merely
Aquileian. And your priest to be sure is pleased by the synod, at which, not
wishing or choosing, he puts into effect the power of the patriarch. If you
renew it [i.e. the patriarch's power], the arch father [pun on 'patri-arch']
consecrates him. All your clergy are slaves to eternity. My holy church remains
free through the Pope. The lords of ancient times, those generous lords who
once built me, wish to be here. Father Atto sent his son Tedaldus to Rome to
do this; he through his just prayers asked Benedict the pope of the city of
Rome not to allow that any priest make any law here, nor that it should be subject
to any but the pope. This was granted, and he came back with this freedom. His
clergy are not permitted by our prepositus to seek out any other synod, nor
does it ever seek one.Whenever they are seeking to acquire divine offices, they
are able to go to whatever place they please, but let them take care that the
bishop is such a Catholic, and gives the holy offices to the saints reverently.
May Canossa always be redeemed by the dust of the saints, and the songs of the
priests.
MANTUA REPLIES
I was ignorant of this of you, believe me holy one: but I wonder that your priest
will not be under royal power.
CANOSSA SAYS
Indeed I do fear royal power, in the custom of a friend. But Benedict the pope
vigorously allowed my private law in an ample reed charter; may it be separated
by Christ if anyone takes it away from me. All of my rights are by his distant
care; All priests burn with the same pain.
MANTUA REPLIES
Spare me I pray, I see you are touching heaven.
CANOSSA SAYS
I spare you a lot; at least sing songs with me, as if chosen by our lord Boniface.
MANTUA REPLIES
What excellent things did you say? I shaped many verses without you. Perchance
you forget that I am the gateway of verses? For I, sweet friend, begot the poet
Virgil, truly the best of all, to utter verses.
CANOSSA SAYS
By your mouth you are damned, and mine fears great treachery; for surely I would
not fail to recognise how much the author Virgil belongs to you? Certainly he
was begotten by you, but he says he suffered your disapproval, which was hard
on him, when once you supported a vile man as king. He even sings a song about
you, which you know as well as I:
'Alas Mantua, greatest in misery and neighbour of Cremona!'
As you should recognise, I will recall to you again the reasons.
[Canossa explains why Virgil was unhappy at Mantua, and reiterates that when the poet fled the city he came first to Canossa.]
From what we know, you too can see this thing. If you have some doubts, read
the first song of his [Virgil's] book, and then you will not deny what I say.
When he fled miserably from you, he ran to me; so thinking about it, he originates
with me and not you. So with what right can you claim him?
[More on the story of Virgil and Caesar]
So cease to lay praise on yourself, vain Mantua; they are empty praises as I said to you; it is arrogance to contend with me.
MANTUA REPLIES
Take it from me, those things which please me I repent bitterly.
CANOSSA SAYS
I want so much and order that you should keep the stomach [or bowels] of our
lord, but I will invent no more verses to sing with you, I set down better only
things remaining to be said: God lends us a true song to consume, and may it
please the whole world to sing it.