William the Trouvère

William (né Adgar; fl. 1150–1200), later called William the Trouvère, was an English poet. He translated tales from the Latin Miracles of the Virgin into Anglo-Norman verse.^[1]

Works

William was first called Adgar but became more commonly known as William. Working at the instance of one Gregory, his friend, he translated over forty tales into octosyllabic Anglo-Norman verse, from the Latin collection of Miracles of the Virgin which he found in the almarie or bookcase of St. Paul's.^[2] His collection of some forty-nine tales, entitled Gracial,^[3] was dedicated to one Maud, "dame Mahaut", most likely the abbess of Barking (c. 1175–1195) who was a bastard of Henry II.^[1]

See also

• Cantigas de Santa Maria
• The Miracles of Our Lady
• Trouvère