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''The Rime of King William'' is an Old English poem that tells the death of William the Conqueror. The Rime was a part of the only entry for the year of 1087 (though improperly dated 1086) in the “Peterborough Chronicle/Laud Manuscript.” In this entry there is a thorough history and account of the life of King William. The entry in its entirety is regarded “as containing the best contemporary estimate of William’s achievements and character as seen by a reasonably objective Englishman” (Bartlett, 89). As a resource, earlier writers drew from this in a more literal sense, while later historians referred to it more liberally. The text in its original language can be found in ''The Peterborough Chronicle 1070-1154'', edited by Cecily Clark. A modern translation can be found in the ''Anglo-Saxon Chronicles'' translated by G.N. Garmonsway. Seth Lerer has published a more recent modern translation of ''The Rime of King William'' in his article, "Old English and Its Afterlife," in ''The Cambridge History of Medieval English Literature.'' ==Modern Translation== ''He had castles built'' ''and poor men terribly oppressed.'' ''The king was severe'' ''and he took many marks of gold and'' ''hundreds of pounds of silver from his underlings.'' ''All this he took from the people,'' ''and with great injustice'' ''from his subjects,'' ''out of trivial desire.'' ''He had fallen into avarice'' ''and he loved greediness above everything else'' ''He established many deer preserves'' ''and he set up many laws concerning them'' ''such that whoever killed a hart or a hind'' ''should be blinded.'' ''He forbade (hunting of) harts'' ''and also of boars.'' ''He loved the wild deer'' ''as if he were their father.'' ''And he also decreed that the hares'' ''should be allowed to run free.'' ''His great men complained of it,'' ''and his poor men lamented it;'' ''but he was so severe'' ''that he ignored all their needs.'' ''But they had to follow above all else'' ''the king’s will,'' ''if they wanted to live'' ''or hold on to land,'' ''land or property (or esteem)'' ''or have his good favour.'' ''Woe, that any man'' ''should be so proud'' ''as to raise himself up'' ''and reckon himself above all men.'' ''May almighty God show mercy on his soul'' ''and forgive him his sins.''〔Lerer, Seth. "Old English and Its Afterlife." In ''The Cambridge History of Medieval English Literature.'' Ed. David Wallace. Cmbridge: Cambridge UP, 1999. 15-16.〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「The Rime of King William」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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