The article below was published in the "Gentleman's Magazine" in November 1811 and appeared again in "The Antiquary" Volume VII l883. It refers to Hinckley's curious and very ancient bedstead.
What has happened to this bed?
The Victoria and Albert Museum (the Fine Furniture and Wood-work Department) and the Leicester Museum have no information about the bed, or where, or what may have happened to it.
If any readers have any further information, I would be interested in hearing from them.
David Wood
'There is at Hinckley a curious and very ancient oak wooden bedstead, much gilt and ornamented, with various panelled compartments neatly painted, with the following emblematic devices, and Latin mottos in capital letters conspicuously introduced in each piece; the latter have been faithfully transcribed. A description of the different representation is attempted, with a translation of the mottos. On the out¬side of the top, among several other decorations not described, are arms! Sable, 3 mullets Gules, on a chevron Or; 3 stags' heads caboshed, Or, - Sable, an eagle displayed, Or, - Sable, a phoenix Or. - etc.
| An horizontal sun-dial | 1 | Et pilo sua umbra | Increase by its shade |
| Two dogs barking at the shadow from the moon | 2 | Rumpenter ilia Codri | Bursts its heart by exertion |
| The sun appearing through the clouds | 3 | Obstantia nubile solvet | Its rays disperse the clouds |
| A rock aspiring from the ocean | 4 | Conantio frangere frangant | It pierces the towering rocks |
| A dog with, a landscape | 5 | Vide non confide | Trust to your own sight |
| An ostrich with a horse-shoe in the beak | 6 | Spiritus durissima coquit | Strength subdues the hardest |
| Reeds growing by the sides of water | 7 | Flectimur non frangimur undis | We are bent, not broken by the waves |
| A cross bow bent at full stretch | 8 | Ingenio superat vires | Ingenuity surpasses strength |
| A hand that has been writing dropping the pen | 9 | Ullerius ne tendo odils | Extend not. your hatred |
| The cross piercing through the world | 10 | Pignora cara sui | His dearest pledge |
| A hand playing with a serpent | 11 | Quis contra nos? | Who is against us? |
| A man buried in the world with one foot on the grave | 12 | Satis relicturo | Sufficient on my departure |
| An eye looking from heaven upon the world | 13 | Deus videt | God sees all |
| The tree of life springing from the cross on an altar | 14 | Sola vivit in illo | In him alone he lives |
| Fiery tongues descending from heaven | 15 | Animis illabere nostris | Shower down on our breasts |
| The brazen serpent exalted in the desert | 16 | Secumferet omina mortis | It carries the picture of death |
| A hand covering an eye from the rays of the sun | 17 | Splendus summus non intuendus | Too much splendour to be gazed at |
| A displayed hand with awls under the nails | 18 | Heucaditinquenquam tantum scelus! | Can so great an evil befall one! |
| A pheonix springing from its own ashes | 19 | Unica revivisco | I alone grow young |
| Two hands pointing to a chain | 20 | Nee fas est nec posse reor | It is neither lawful nor possible |
| An inverted tulip suspended | 21 | Spe illectat inani | She feeds in vain, on hope |
| A flying horse beckoned to by a hand in the clouds | 22 | Si te fata vocant | Such is the destiny of fate |
| A bush burning without consuming | 23 | Aut absumar | I am not eat up |
| A tortoise walking on a bed of roses | 24 | Inter spinas calceatus | I walk safe among thorns |
| A peacock with the tail spread and a mole at its feet | 25 | Ne foris arcus nec domi talpa | No deceit at home or abroad |
| A hand waiting for a rolling ball | 26 | Hospes ne curiosus | Stranger, be not curious |
| A chain circle, emblematical of eternity | 27 | Gloria vento discutitur | Our glory is dispersed in the wind |
| A man leaning on his right, with the left hand pointing to death's head, with an hour-glass behind and a Bible before him | 28 | Spes et fortuna valete | Farewell hopes and fortune |
| Jason's golden fleece | 29 | Precibus emptum carum | By intreaty bought too dear |
Author: David Wood
Written for: Hinckley Historian Magazine
