Henry II's Musings

[hashamyim]

Dear All,

Only just joined (let's be honest, I joined for the purposes of creating this thread) but was wondering if I might request some assistance. I'm trying to get a translation of the following text, which is apparently the first recorded use of the 'royal we' (as in the tenuously quoted 'we are not amused') from 1169 by Henry II. I've spoken to a friend who has given a great translation, but as a translator myself (though of modern languages!) am aware that another translations can add extra perspective. It goes...

"Þæt witen ge wel alle, þæt we willen and unnen þæt þæt ure rædesmen alle, oþer þe moare dæl of heom þæt beoþ ichosen þurg us and þurg þæt loandes folk, on ure kuneriche, habbeþ idon... beo stedefæst"

Any help with this would be very much appreciated, and I'm very happy to post Kitkat Chunkys in return! (I presume that it wouldn't be Chunkies, as it is a tradename...?)

Kind rgeards,
Hashamyim

[Philsc]

Ooh, interesting! Post conquest Old English.

I'm not very good at translation, and this is a poor piece of writing. I had to read it a couple of times to work out who had done the doing. But here goes:


"That know ye all well, that we desire and are pleased by that which all our councillors, or the greater part of them that be chosen by us and by the nation’s people in our kingdom, have done... be steadfast."

I hope Gruffling gets in on this.

[Philsc]

Where are my Chunkies?!