Cola de Rienzi fu de vasso lenaio. Lo patre fu tavernaro, abbe nome Rienzi. La matre abbe nome Matalena, la quale visse de lavare panni e acqua portare. Fu nato nello rione della Regola. Sio avitazio fu canto fiume, fra li mulinari, nella strada che vao alla Regola, dereto a Santo Tomao, sotto lo tempio delli Iudei. Fu da soa ioventutine nutricato de latte de eloquenzia, buono gramatico, megliore rettorico, autorista buono. Deh, como e quanto era veloce leitore! Moito usava Tito Livio, Seneca e Tulio e Valerio Massimo. Moito li delettava le magnificenzie de Iulio Cesari raccontare. Tutta dìe se speculava nelli intagli de marmo li quali iaccio intorno a Roma. Non era aitri che esso, che sapessi leiere li antiqui pataffii. Tutte scritture antiche vulgarizzava. Queste figure de marmo iustamente interpretava. Deh, como spesso diceva: "Dove soco questi buoni Romani? Dove ène loro summa iustizia? Pòterame trovare in tiempo che questi fussino!" Era bello omo e in soa vocca sempre riso appareva in qualche muodo fantastico. Questo fu notaro. Accadde che un sio frate fu occiso e non fu fatta vennetta de sia morte. Non lo potéo aiutare. Penzao longamano vennicare lo sangue de sio frate. Penzao longamano derizzare la citate de Roma male guidata. Per sio procaccio gìo in Avignone per imbasciatore a papa Chimento de parte delli tredici Buoni Uomini de Roma. La soa diceria fu sì avanzarana e bella che sùbito abbe 'namorato papa Chimento. Moito mira papa Chimento lo bello stile della lengua de Cola. Ciasche dìe vedere lo vole. Allora se destenne Cola e dice ca·lli baroni de Roma so' derobatori de strade: essi consiento li omicidii, le robbarie, li adulterii, onne male; essi voco che la loro citate iaccia desolata. Moito concipéo lo papa contra li potienti. Puoi, a petizione de missore Ianni della Colonna cardinale, venne in tanta desgrazia, in tanta povertate, in tanta infirmitate, che poca defferenzia era de ire allo spidale. Con sio iuppariello aduosso stava allo sole como biscia. Chi lo puse in basso, quello lo aizao: missore Ianni della Colonna lo remise denanti allo papa. Tornao in grazia, fu fatto notaro della Cammora de Roma, abbe grazia e beneficia assai. A Roma tornao moito alegro; fra li dienti menacciava. Puoi che fu tornato de corte, comenzao a usare sio offizio cortesemente; e bene vedeva e conosceva le robbarie delli cani de Campituoglio, la crudelitate e la iniustizia delli potienti. Vedeva pericolare tanto Communo e non se trovava uno buono citatino che·llo volessi aiutare. Imperciò se levao in pede una fiata nello assettamento de Roma, dove staievano tutti li consiglieri, e disse: "Non site buoni citatini voi, li quali ve rodete lo sangue della povera iente e non la volete aiutare". Puoi ammonìo li officiali e·lli rettori che devessino provedere allo buono stato della loro romana citate.
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Cola di Rienzo was of humble origin. His father was an inn-keeper, named Rienzi. His mother was called Magdalen, and worked as a washerwoman. He was born in Regola district. His house was close to the river, among the mill workers, in the street that goes towards Regola, behind St. Thomas' church, by the Jewish synagogue. In his youth he fed on the milk of eloquence, he was a good grammarian, an even better rhetorician, a good writer. Oh, how fast he was as a reader! In particular, he read Titus Livius, Seneca, Tullius and Valerius Maximus. He loved to tell others about the greatness of Julius Caesar. He spent the whole day looking at the marble reliefs that lie around Rome. Only he was able to read the ancient inscriptions. He translated into Italian all the ancient writings. He interpreted correctly these marble figures. Oh, how often he said: "Where are these good Romans? Where is their supreme justice? If only I could live in the times they lived!". He was a handsome man, and a wonderful laughter was always seen on his face. He was a notary. One of his brothers happened to be killed, and his death was not avenged. He could not help him. For a long time he thought of avenging his brother's blood. He thought for a long time of making the ill-governed Rome become a honest city. He travelled to Avignon for his own work, as an ambassador of pope Clement VI on behalf of the thirteen Governors of Rome. His eloquence was of such high level, and so nice, that he immediately ingratiated himself with pope Clement. The pope indeed admired the beautiful style of Cola's speech. He wanted to meet him every day. So Cola opened out to him, telling him that Rome's barons were thieves: they tolerated murders, thefts, adultery, every kind of evil; they wanted the city to be left abandoned. He strongly convinced the pope about the misdeeds of the noble. Then, following the instigation of cardinal sir Giovanni della Colonna, he fell in disgrace, in great poverty, in serious illness, he almost ended up in a hospital. He stayed under the sun wearing his jacket, as a water snake. Who made him fall, also made him rise again: sir Giovanni della Colonna rehabilitated him to the eyes of the pope. He enjoyed again his favours, he was appointed notary of Rome's Council, his luck was in, and had many benefits. He returned to Rome in high spirits; he kept uttering menaces. Once again a member of the court, he began to use his position with a noble heart; he knew well and was aware about the stealing that the wicked administrators did, the cruelty and the iniquity of those who held the power. He saw the Municipality in great danger, and there were no good citizens ready help him. Therefore, once he stood up in Rome's assembly, where all the councillors were, and said: "You are not good citizens, you, who suck blood from the poor people, and do not want to help them". He then exhorted the officers and the rectors to take measures in order to restore righteousness in Rome, their own city.
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Currevano anni Domini MCCCLIII[I], lo primo dìe de agosto, quanno Cola de Rienzi tornao a Roma e fu receputo solennissimamente. Alla fine a voce de puopolo fu occiso. La novella fu per questa via. Puoi che Cola de Rienzi cadde dallo sio dominio, deliverao de partirese e ire denanti allo papa. 'Nanti la soa partita fece pegnere nello muro de Santa Maria Matalena, in piazza de Castiello, uno agnilo armato coll'arme de Roma, lo quale teneva in mano una croce. Su la croce staieva una palommella. Li piedi teneva questo agnilo sopra lo aspido e lo vasalischio, sopra lo lione e sopra lo dragone. Pento che fu, li valordi de Roma li iettaro sopra lo loto per destrazio. Una sera venne Cola de Rienzi secretamente desconosciuto per vedere la figura 'nanti soa partenza. Viddela e conubbe che poco l'avevano onorata li valordi. Allora ordinao che una lampana li ardessi denanti uno anno. De notte se partìo e gìo luongo tiempo venale. Anni fuoro sette. Iva forte devisato per paura delli potienti de Roma. Gìo como fraticiello iacenno per le montagne de Maiella con romiti e perzone de penitenza. Alla fine se abiao in Boemia allo imperatore Carlo, della cui venuta se dicerao, e trovaolo in una citate la quale se appella Praga. Là, denanti alla maiestate imperiale, inninocchiato parlao prontamente. Queste fuoro soie paravole e sio loculento sermone denanti a Carlo re de Boemia, nepote de Enrico imperatore, novellamente elietto imperatore per lo papa: "Serenissimo principe, allo quale è conceduta la gloria de tutto lo munno, io so' quello Cola allo quale Dio deo grazia de potere governare in pace, iustizia, libertate Roma e·llo destretto. Abbi la obedienzia della Toscana, Campagna e Maretima. Refrenai le arroganzie delli potienti e purgai moite cose inique. Verme so', omo fraile, pianta como l'aitri. Portava in mano lo vastone de fierro, lo quale per mea umilitate convertiei in vastone de leno, imperciò Dio me hao voluto castigare. Li potienti me persequitano, cercano l'anima mea. Per la invidia, per la supervia me haco cacciato de mio dominio. Non voco essere puniti. De vostro lenaio so', figlio vastardo de Enrico imperatore lo prode. A voi confugo. Alle ale vostre recurro, sotto alla cui ombra e scudo omo deo essere salvo. Credome essere salvato. Credo che me defennerete. Non me lassarete perire in mano de tiranni, non me lassarete affocare nello laco della iniustizia. E ciò è verisimile, ca imperatore site. Vostra spada deo limare li tiranni. Vedi la profezia de frate Agnilo de Mente de Cielo nelle montagne de Maiella. Disse che l'aquila occiderao li cornacchioni".
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Misticaose colli aitri. Desformato desformava la favella. Favellava campanino e diceva: "Suso, suso a gliu tradetore!" Se le uitime scale passava era campato. La iente aveva l'animo suso allo palazzo. Passava la uitima porta, uno se·lli affece denanti e sì·llo reaffigurao, deoli de mano e disse: "Non ire. Dove vai tu?" Levaoli quello piumaccio de capo, e massimamente che se pareva allo splennore che daieva li vraccialetti che teneva. Erano 'naorati: non pareva opera de riballo. Allora, como fu scopierto, parzese lo tribuno manifestamente: mostrao ca esso era. Non poteva dare più la voita. Nullo remedio era se non de stare alla misericordia, allo volere altruio. Preso per le vraccia, liberamente fu addutto per tutte le scale senza offesa fi' allo luoco dello lione, dove li aitri la sentenzia vodo, dove esso sentenziato aitri aveva. Là addutto, fu fatto uno silenzio. Nullo omo era ardito toccarelo. Là stette per meno de ora, la varva tonnita, lo voito nero como fornaro, in iuppariello de seta verde, scento, colli musacchini inaorati, colle caize de biada a muodo de barone. Le vraccia teneva piecate. In esso silenzio mosse la faccia, guardao de·llà e de cà. Allora Cecco dello Viecchio impuinao mano a uno stuocco e deoli nello ventre. Questo fu lo primo. Immediate puo' esso secunnao lo ventre de Treio notaro e deoli la spada in capo. Allora l'uno, l'aitro e li aitri lo percuoto. Chi li dao, chi li promette. Nullo motto faceva. Alla prima morìo, pena non sentìo. Venne uno con una fune e annodaoli tutti doi li piedi. Dierolo in terra, strascinavanollo, scortellavanollo. Così lo passavano como fussi criviello. Onneuno ne·sse iocava. Alla perdonanza li pareva de stare. Per questa via fu strascinato fi' a Santo Marciello. Là fu appeso per li piedi a uno mignaniello. Capo non aveva. Erano remase le cocce per la via donne era strascinato. Tante ferute aveva, pareva criviello. Non era luoco senza feruta. Le mazza de fòra grasse. Grasso era orribilemente, bianco como latte insanguinato. Tanta era la soa grassezza, che pareva uno esmesurato bufalo overo vacca a maciello. Là pennéo dìi doi, notte una. Li zitielli li iettavano le prete. Lo terzo dìe de commannamento de Iugurta e de Sciarretta della Colonna fu strascinato allo campo dell'Austa. Là se adunaro tutti Iudiei in granne moititudine: non ne remase uno. Là fu fatto uno fuoco de cardi secchi. In quello fuoco delli cardi fu messo. Era grasso. Per la moita grassezza da sé ardeva volentieri. Staievano là li Iudiei forte affaccennati, afforosi, affociti. Attizzavano li cardi perché ardessi. Così quello cuorpo fu arzo e fu redutto in polve: non ne remase cica. Questa fine abbe Cola de Rienzi, lo quale se fece tribuno augusto de Roma, lo quale voize essere campione de Romani.
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It was in the year of the Lord 1354, on the first day of August, when Cola di Rienzo returned to Rome, and was very solemnly welcomed. Then, the raging crowd killed him. This is how things went. After Cola di Rienzo had fallen from his ruling position, he decided to leave, to go and see the pope. Before his departure he had an armed angel with Rome's insignia, holding a cross, painted on the wall of St.Mary Magdalen's church, in piazza Castello. On the cross was a dove. The angel rested his feet on a snake and a basilisk, on a lion and a dragon. Once it had been painted, Rome's thugs threw mud on it, in contempt. One night Cola di Rienzo secretly came without making himself be recognized, to see the image before his departure. He looked at it, and he became aware that the thugs had not honoured it. So he ordered a lamp to be kept burning in front of it for one year. He left at night-time, and stayed away for a long time. They were seven years. He usually travelled very stealthily, fearing Rome's men of power. He went around disguised as a friar, sleeping in the mountains of the Maiella range with hermits and repentants. Finally he went to Bohemia, to emperor Charles, whose come will be described further, and found him in a city whose name is Prague. There, in front of his imperial majesty, he knealt and spoke without delay. These were his words, and his eminent speech in front of Charles king of Bohemia, nephew of emperor Henry, recently appointed emperor by the pope: "Honourable monarch, to whom the glory of the whole world is granted, I am that Cola whom God bestowed with the power of ruling Rome and its district in peace, justice and liberty. Tuscany, Campania and the Maritime regions were under my rule. I restrained the arrogance of the men of power, and I straightened many iniquities. I am but a worm, a fragile man, a plant, as any other. I carried an iron staff, that I replaced with a wooden one to be more humble, and God punished me for this. The men of power persecute me, they want my soul. They chased me away from my dominion out of envy, out of conceit. They don't want to be punished. I belong to your same lineage, as I am an ilegitimate son of emperor Henry the brave. I seek refuge by you. I resort to your wings, under whose shade and shelter a man must be safe. I believe I am now safe. I believe that you will defend me. You will not let me die by the hand of the tyrants, you will not let me drown in the lake of injustice. And this is the truth, as you are the emperor. Your sword must give tyrants their due. I witnessed the prophecy of friar Angelo di Mente del Cielo in the mountaiins of the Maiella range. He said that the eagle will kill the crows".
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He mingled with others. In disguise, he altered his way of speaking. He spoke in Campania's dialect, and said: "Get him, get the traitor!" Had he passed the last staircase, he would have made it. The people's attention was drawn by the palace. He was passing through the last door, when a man stepped in front of him and recognized him, he seized him and said: "Stop. Where are you going?" He took the hat off his head, and he could be told especially by the glow made by the bracelets he wore. They were golden; they did not look as a commoner's object. So, having been discovered, the tribune openly revealed himself: he showed who he really was. He could no longer run away. There was nothing else to do but to remain exposed to the mercy, to the will of the others. Taken by the arms, he was driven free along the staircase, up to the place of the lion1, where the others were awaiting for the judgement, the spot where he had sentenced others. Once taken there, the crowd made silence. Nobody dared to touch him. He stayed there for ess than an hour, the well-trimmed beard, his face as black as that of a baker, his green silk jacket, lowered, with golden accessories, with pale blue stockings in the fashion of a baron. He kept his arms crossed. In the silence, he moved his face, looking here and there. Then Francesco del Vecchio took hold of a sword, and pierced his belly with it. He was the first one. Immediately after, notary Treio followed him, and hit him in the head with his sword. Then either of the two and the rest of the people beat him. Some hit him, some others uttered threats. He did not say a word. He died of the first blow, and did not feel any pain. A man came with a rope and tied both his feet. They threw him on the floor, and trailed him, stabbed him. They pierced him as he had been a sieve. Everybody teased him. They behaved as if they were following a gay procession. In this way he was trailed up to San Marcello's church. There he was hung by his feet to a small balcony. He had no head. Pieces of skin lay in the street along which he had been trailed. He had as many open wounds as a sifter. No part of his body was free from wounds. His fat bowels hung outside. He was horribly fat [swollen?], as pale as milk, covered with blood. His fatness was so great that he looked like a huge buffalo, or a slaughtered cow. He remained hanging there for two days and one night. The young boys threw stones at him. On the third day, by order of Giugurta and Sciarretta della Colonna, he was trailed to the field of the Tomb of Augustus. There all the Jews gathered in flocks: none of them refrained from going. A fire with dry cards was made there. He was placed on that fire of cards. He was fat. Due to the great amount of fat he easily burned by himself. The Jews there were very busy, very over-heated. They poked the cards, for the corpse to burn well. So that body was burnt, and turned into ashes: not the smallest piece of it was left. This was the end of Cola di Rienzo, who proclaimed himself venerable tribune of Rome, who wanted to be the hero of the Romans.
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NOTE

1. - on the left side of the ancient Senators Palace was a hall where trials were held, in front of which stood a sculpture that features a lion attacking a horse (today in the garden of Palazzo Caffarelli): this was known as 'the place of the lion' and executions were carried out there.