王侯用詩形(おうこうようしけい、chant royal)は、詩の形式の一種。
王侯用詩形を導入したクリスティーヌ・ド・ピザン
「a-b-a-b-c-c-d-d-e-d-E」という押韻構成を持つ11行から成る5つのスタンザ(五連11行)と、「d-d-e-d-E」という押韻構成の5行のアンヴォワもしくは「c-c-d-d-e-d-E」という押韻構成の7行のアンヴォワから構成される。
- He is the despots' Despot. All must bide, - (a)
- Later or soon, the message of his might; - (b)
- Princes and potentates their heads must hide, - (a)
- Touched by the awful sigil of his right; - (b)
- Beside the Kaiser he at eve doth wait - (c)
- And pours a potion in his cup of state; - (c)
- The stately Queen his bidding must obey; - (d)
- No keen-eyed Cardinal shall him affray; - (d)
- And to the Dame that wantoneth he saith-- - (e)
- "Let be, Sweet-heart, to junket and to play." - (d)
- There is no King more terrible than Death. - (E)
- The lusty Lord, rejoicing in his pride,
- He draweth down; before the armed Knight
- With jingling bridle-rein he still doth ride;
- He crosseth the strong Captain in the fight;
- The Burgher grave he beckons from debate;
- He hales the Abbot by his shaven pate,
- Nor for the Abbess' wailing will delay;
- No bawling Mendicant shall say him nay;
- E'en to the pyx the Priest he followeth,
- Nor can the Leech* his chilling finger stay . . . [doctor]
- There is no King more terrible than Death.
- All things must bow to him. And woe betide
- The Wine-bibber,--the Roisterer by night;
- Him the feast-master, many bouts defied,
- Him 'twixt the pledging and the cup shall smite;
- Woe to the Lender at usurious rate,
- The hard Rich Man, the hireling Advocate;
- Woe to the Judge that selleth Law for pay;
- Woe to the Thief that like a beast of prey
- With creeping tread the traveller harryeth:--
- These, in their sin, the sudden sword shall slay . . .
- There is no King more terrible than Death.
- He hath no pity, -- nor will be denied.
- When the low hearth is garnished and bright,
- Grimly he flingeth the dim portal wide,
- And steals the Infant in the Mother's sight;
- He hath no pity for the scorned of fate:--
- He spares not Lazarus lying at the gate,
- Nay, nor the Blind that stumbleth as he may;
- Nay, the tired Ploughman,--at the sinking ray,--
- In the last furrow,--feels an icy breath,
- And knows a hand hath turned the team astray . . .
- There is no King more terrible than Death.
- He hath no pity. For the new-made Bride,
- Blithe with the promise of her life's delight,
- That wanders gladly by her Husband's side,
- He with the clatter of his drum doth fright.
- He scares the Virgin at the convent grate;
- The Maid half-won, the Lover passionate;
- He hath no grace for weakness and decay:
- The tender Wife, the Widow bent and gray,
- The feeble Sire whose footstep faltereth,--
- All these he leadeth by the lonely way . . .
- There is no King more terrible than Death.
- (アンヴォワ)
- Youth, for whose ear and monishing of late, - (c)
- I sang of Prodigals and lost estate, - (c)
- Have thou thy joy of living and be gay; - (d)
- But know not less that there must come a day,-- - (d)
- Aye, and perchance e'en now it hasteneth,-- - (e)
- When thine own heart shall speak to thee and say,-- - (d)
- There is no King more terrible than Death. - (E)
- -- ヘンリー・オースティン・ドブソン(en:Henry Austin Dobson)『The Dance of Death』