... and glistering like a pair of new shoes, mar- | Minstrel above, we may conclude there were shalled in good order with a setting stick, and other inferior orders, as Yeomen Minstrels, strut, that every ruff stood up like a wafer. or the like. A side [i. e. long] gown of Kendal green, after the freshness of the year now, gathered at the neck with a narrow gorget, fastened afore with a white clasp and a keeper close up to the chin; but easily, for heat to undo when he list. Seemly begirt in a red caddis girdle: from that a pair of capped Sheffield knives hanging a two sides. Out of his bosom drawn forth a lappet of his napkin* edged with a blue lace, and marked with a true love, a heart, and a D for Damian, for he was but a bachelor yet. "His gown had side [i. e. long] sleeves down to mid-leg, slit from the shoulder to the hand, and lined with white cotton. His doublet-sleeves of black worsted: upon them a pair of poynetst of tawny chamlet laced along the wrist with blue threaden points, a wealt towards the hand of fustian-a-napes. A pair of red neather stocks. A pair of pumps on his feet, with a cross cut at the toes for corns: not new indeed, yet cleanly blackt with soot, and shining as a shoing horn. “About his neck a red ribband suitable to his girdle. His harp in good grace dependent before him. His wrest‡ tyed to a green lace and hanging by. Under the gorget of his gown a fair flaggon chain (pewter, for) silver, as a Squire Minstrel of Middlesex, that travelled the country this summer season, unto fairs and worshipful mens houses. From his chain hung a scutcheon, with metal and colour, resplendant upon his breast, of the ancient arms of Islington." This Minstrel, the author tells us a little below, "after three lowly courtsies, cleared his voice with a hem. . . and . . . wiped his lips with the hollow of his hand for 'filling his napkin, tempered a string or two with his wrest, and after a little warbling on his harp for a prelude, came forth with a solemn song, warranted for story out of King Arthur's acts," &c.-This song the reader will find printed in this work. Towards the end of the sixteenth century this class of men had lost all credit, and were sunk so low in the public opinion, that in the 39th year of Elizabeth,* a statute was passed by which "Minstrels, wandering abroad," were included among "rogues, vagabonds, and sturdy beggars," and were adjudged to be punished as such. This act seems to have put an end to the profession. (E e 2) VII. I cannot conclude this account of the ancient English Minstrels, without remarking that they are most of them represented to have been of the North of England. There is scarce an old historical song or ballad (F f) wherein a Minstrel or Harper appears, but he is characterized by way of eminence to have been "of the North Countrye:" and indeed the prevalence of the northern dialect in such compositions, shows that this representation is real.† On the other hand the scene of the lord, and pay their annual suit and service at Alnwick Castle; their instrument being the ancient Northumberland bagpipe (very different in form and execution from that of the Scots; being smaller, and blown, not with the This Minstrel is described as belonging to breath, but with a small pair of bellows). that village. I suppose such as were retained by noble families wore the arms of their pa trons hanging down by a silver chain as a kind of badge. From the expression of Squire This, with many other venerable customs of the ancient Lord Percys, was revived by their illustrious representatives, the late Duke and Duchess of Northumberland. *Anno Dom. 1597. Vid. Pult. Stat. p. 1110, 39° Eliz. + Giraldus Cambrensis, writing in the reign of King Henry II., mentions a very extraordinary habit or propensity, which then prevailed in the North of England, * i.e. handkerchief. So in Shakspeare's Othello, passim. beyond the Humber, for symphonious harmony" or singPerhaps, points. The key, or screw, with which he tuned his harp. The reader will remember that this was not a real Minstrel, but only one personating that character; his ornaments therefore were only such as outwardly represented those of a real Minstrel. As the House of Northumberland had anciently three Minstrels attending on them in their castles in Yorkshire, so they still retain three in their service in Northumberland, who wear the badge of the family (a silver crescent on the right arm), and are thus distributed, viz. one for the barony of Prudhoe, and two for the barony of Rothbury. These attend the court leets and fairs held for the ing "in two parts, the one murmuring in the base, and the other warbling in the acute or treble." (I use Dr. Burney's Version, vol. ii. p. 108.) This he describes as practised by their very children from the cradle; and he derives it from the Danes [so Daci signifies in our old writers] and Norwegians, who long overran, and in effect new-peopled, the Northern parts of England, where alone this manner of singing prevailed. (Vide Cambria Descriptio, cap. 13, and in Burney ubi supra.)-Giraldus is proba bly right as to the origin or derivation of this practice, for the Danish and Icelandic Scalds had carried the arts of Poetry and Singing to great perfection at the time the Danish settlements were made in the North. And it will finest Scottish ballads is laid in the south of Scotland; which should seem to have been peculiarly the nursery of Scottish Minstrels. In the old song of Maggy Lawder, a piper is asked, by way of distinction, "come ze frae the border ?"* The martial spirit constantly kept up and exercised near the frontier of the two kingdoms, as it furnished continual subjects for their songs, so it inspired the inhabitants of the adjacent counties on both sides with the powers of poetry. Besides, as our southern metropolis must have been ever the scene of novelty and refinement, the northern countries, as being most distant, would preserve their ancient manners longest, and of course the old poetry, in which those manners are peculiarly described. The reader will observe in the more ancient ballads of this collection, a cast of style and measure very different from that of contemporary poets of a higher class; many phrases and idioms, which the Minstrels seem to have appropriated to themselves, and a very remarkable license of varying the accent of words at pleasure, in order to humour the flow of the verse, particularly in the rhymes; as also help to account for the superior skill and fame of our northern Minstrels and Harpers afterwards, who had preserved and transmitted the arts of their Scaldic ancestors. See Northern Antiquities, vol. i. c. 13, p. 386, and Five Pieces of Runic Poetry, 1763, 8vo.-Compare the original passage in Giraldus, as given by Sir John Hawkins, i. 408, and by Dr. Burney, ii. 108, who are both at a loss to account for this peculiarity, and therefore doubt the fact. The credit of Giraldus, which hath been attacked by some partial and bigoted antiquaries, the reader will find defended in that learned and curious work, "Antiquities of Ireland, by Edward Ledwich, LL.D., &c., Dublin, 1790," 4to., p. 207 & seqq. This line being quoted from memory, and given as old Scottish Poetry is now usually printed, would have been readily corrected by the copy published in "Scottish Songs, 1794," 2 vols., 12mo. i. p. 267, thus (though apparently corrupted from the Scottish Idiom), "Live you upo' the Border?" had not all confidence been destroyed by its being altered in the "Historical Essay" prefixed to that publication (p. ex.) to "Ye live upo' the Border." the better to favour a position, that many of the pipers 06 might live upon the border, for the conveniency of attending fairs, &c., in both kingdoms." But whoever is acquainted with that part of England, knows that on the English frontier, rude mountains and barren wastes reach almost across the island, scarcely inhabited by any but solitary shepherds; many of whom durst not venture into the opposite border on account of the ancient feuds and subsequent disputes concerning the Debateable Lands, which separated the boundaries of the two kingdoms, as well as the estates of the two great families of Percy and Douglas, till these disputes were settled not many years since by arbitration between the present Lord Douglas and the late Duke and Duchess of Northumberland. battèl singèr damsèl morning loving, Countrie harpèr Ladie instead of country, làdy, hàrper, singer, &c.— This liberty is but sparingly assumed by the classical poets of the same age; or even by the latter composers of heroical ballads; I mean, by such as professedly wrote for the press. For it is to be observed, that so long as the Minstrels subsisted, they seem never to have designed their rhymes for literary publication, and probably never committed them to writing themselves: what copies are preserved of them were doubtless taken down from their mouths. But as the old Minstrels gradually wore out, a new race of balladwriters succeeded, an inferior sort of minor poets, who wrote narrative songs merely for the press. Instances of both may be found in the reign of Elizabeth. The two latest pieces in the genuine strain of the old minstrelsy that I can discover, are No. III. and IV. of Book III., Series the First. Lower than these I cannot trace the old mode of writing. The old Minstrel ballads are in the northern dialect, abound with antique words and phrases, are extremely incorrect, and run into the utmost license of metre; they have also a romantic wildness, and are in the true spirit of chivalry. The other sort are written in exacter measure, have a low or subordinate correctness, sometimes bordering on the insipid, yet often well adapted to the pathetic: these are generally in the southern dialect, exhibit a more modern phraseology, and are commonly descriptive of more modern manners.—To be sensible of the difference between them, let the reader compare in Series the First, No. III. of Book III., with No. XI. of Book II. Towards the end of Queen Elizabeth's reign (as is mentioned above), the genuine old minstrelsy seems to have been extinct, and thenceforth the ballads that were produced were wholly of the latter kind, and these came forth in such abundance, that in the reign of James I. they began to be collected into little miscellanies, under the name of garlands, and at length to be written purposely for such collections. (F f 2) P.S.-By way of Postscript, should follow here the discussion of the question whether the term Minstrels was applied in English to Singers, and Composers of Songs, &'c., or confined to Musicians only. But it is reserved for the concluding note. (G g) NOTES AND ILLUSTRATIONS REFERRED TO IN THE FOREGOING ESSAY. (A) The MINSTRELS, &c. The word Minstiel does not appear to have been in use here before the Norman Conquest; whereas, it had long before that time been adopted in France.*-MENESTREL, so early as the eighth century, was a title given to the Maestro di Capella of King Pepin, the father of Charlemagne; and afterwards to the Coryphæus, or leader of any band of musicians. [Vid. Burney's Hist. of Music, ii. 268.] This term menestrel, menestrier, was thus expressed in Latin, ministellus, ministrellus, ministrallus, menesterellus, &c. [Vid. Gloss. Du Cange et Supplem.] 66 Minstrels sometimes assisted at divine ser vice, as appears from the record of the 9th of Edw. IV., quoted above in p. xix., by which Haliday and others are erected into a perpetual gild, &c. See the original in Rymer, xi. 642. By part of this record it is recited to be their duty, "to pray (exorare: which it is presumed they did by assisting in the chant, and musical accompaniment, &c.) in the king's chapel, and particularly for the departed souls of the king and queen when they shall die, &c."-The same also appears from the passage in the Supplem. to Du Cange, alluded to above. Minister.... pro Menage derives the French words above ministellus joculator.*-Vetus Ceremoniale mentioned from ministerialis, or ministeria- MS. B.M. deauratæ Tolos. Item, etiam conrius, barbarous Latin terms, used in the mid-gregabuntur piscatores, qui debent interesse dle ages to express a workman or artificer (still called in Languedoc ministral), as if these men were styled ARTIFICERS or PERFORMERS by way of excellence. [Vid. Diction. Etym.] But the origin of the name is given, perhaps more truly, by Du Cange: "MINISTELLI... quos vulgo menestreux vol menes- | triers appellamus, quod minoribus aulæ ministris accenserentur." [Gloss. iv. p. 769.] Accordingly, we are told, the word "minister" is sometimes used "pro ministellus" [Ibid.] and an instance is produced which I shall insert at large in the next paragraph. *The Anglo-Saxon and primary English name for this character was Gleman [see below, note (I) sect. 1], so that, wherever the term Minstrel is in these pages applied to it before the Conquest, it must be understood to be only by anticipation. Another early name for this profession in English was Jogeler, or Jocular. Lat. Joculator. [See p. 15, as also note (V 2) and note (Q).] To prevent confusion, we have chiefly used the more general word Minstrel: which (as the author of the Observ. on the Statutes hath suggested to the Editor) might have been originally derived from a diminutive of the Lat. Minister, scil. Ministerellus, Ministrellus. isto die in processione cum ministris seu joculatoribus: quia ipsi piscatores tenentur habere isto die joculatores, seu mimos ob honorem Crucis-et vadunt primi ante processionem cum ministris seu joculatoribus semper pulsantibus usque ad ecclesium S. Stephani." [Gloss. 773.]-This may, perhaps, account for the clerical appearance of the minstrels, who seem to have been distinguished by the tonsure, which was one of the inferior marks of the clerical character.† Thus Jeffrey of *Ministers seems to be used for Minstrels in the Account of the Inthronization of Abp. Neville. (An. 6 Edw. IV.) "Then all the Chaplyns must say grace, and the Ministers do sing." Vid. Lelandi Collectanea, by Hearne, vol. vi. p. 13. It has however been suggested to the Editor by the learned and ingenious author of "Irish Antiquities," 4to., that the ancient Mimi among the Romans had their heads and beards shaven, as is shown by Salmasius in Notis ad Hist. August. Scriptores VI. Puris, 1620, fol. p. 385. So that this peculiarity had a classical origin, though it afterwards might make the Minstrels sometimes pass for Ecclesiastics, as appears from the instance given below. Dr. Burney tells us that Histriones, and Mimi, abounded in France in Monmouth, speaking of one who acted the | Minstrel might by his dress or appearance be part of a minstrel, says, "Rasit capillos suos et barbam” (see note K). Again, a writer in the reign of Elizabeth, describing the habit of an ancient minstrel, speaks of his head as "rounded Tonster-wise" (which I venture to read tonsure-wise), "his beard smugly shaven." See above, p. xx. It must, however, be observed, that notwithstanding such clerical appearance of the minstrels, and though they might be sometimes countenanced by such of the clergy as were of more relaxed morals, their sportive talents rendered them generally obnoxious to the more rigid ecclesiastics, and to such of the religious orders as were of more severe discipline; whose writings commonly abound with heavy complaints of the great encourage ment shown to those men by the princes and nobles, and who can seldom afford them a better name than that of scurræ, famelici, nebulones, &c., of which innumerable instances may be seen in Du Cange. It was even an established order in some of the monasteries, that no minstrel should ever be suffered to enter the gates.* We have, however, innumerable particulars of the good cheer and great rewards given to the Minstrels in many of the Convents, which are collected by T. Worton (i. 91, &c.), and others. But one instance, quoted from Wood's Hist. Antiq. Univ. Ox. i. 67 (sub an. 1224), deserves particular mention. Two itinerant priests, on a supposition of their being Mimi or Minstrels, gained admittance. But the cellarer, sacrist, and others of the brethren, who had hoped to have been entertained with their diverting arts, &c., when they found them to be only two indigent Ecclesiastics, who could only administer spiritual consolation, and were consequently disappointed of their mirth, beat them, and turned them out of the monastery. (Ibid. p. 92.) This passage furnishes an additional proof that a mistaken for an Ecclesiastic. (B) ["The Minstrels use mimicry and action, and other means of diverting, &c."] It is observable that our old monkish historians do not use the words Cantator, Citharædus, Musicus, or the like, to express a Minstrel in Latin, so frequently as Mimus, Histrio, Joculator, or some other word that implies gesture. Hence it might be inferred, that the Minstrels set off their songs with all the arts of gesticulation, &c., or, according to the ingenious hypothesis of Dr. Brown, united the powers of melody, poem, and dance. [See his History of the Rise of Poetry, &c.] But indeed all the old writers describe them as exercising various arts of this kind. Joinville, in his Life of St. Lewis, speaks of some Armenian Minstrels, who were very dextrous Tumblers and Posture-masters. "Avec le Prince vinrent trois Menestriers de la Grande Hyermenie (Armenia) . . . . et avoient trois cors- -Quand ils encommenceoient a corner, vous dissiez que ce sont les voix de cygnes, . . . et fesoient les plus douces melodies.Ils fesoient trois marveilleus saus, car on leur metoit une touaille desous les piez, et tournoient tout debout . . . . Les deux tournoient les testes arieres," &c. [See the extract at large, in the Hon. D. Barrington's Observations on the Anc. Statutes, 4to., 2d Edit. p. 273, omitted in the last impression.] This may also account for that remarkable clause in the press warrant of Henry VI. "De Ministrallis propter solatium Regis providendis," by which it is required, that the boys, to be provided "in arte Ministrallatûs instructos," should also be "membris naturalibus elegantes." See above page xix. (Observ. on the Anc. Stat. 4th Edit. p. 337.) Although by Minstrel was properly understood, in English, one who sung to the harp, or some other instrument of music, verses composed by himself or others; yet the term was also applied by our old writers to such as professed either music or singing separately, and perhaps to such as practised any of the sportive arts connected with these.* Music, however, being the leading idea, was at length peculiarly called Minstrelsy, and Vid. infra, Not. (A a). the name of Minstrel at last confined to the | Malmsbury, speaking of a Danish king's Musician only. In the French language all these Arts were included under the general name of Menestraudie, Menestraudise, Jonglerie, &c. [Med. Lat. Menestellorum Ars, Ars Joculatoria, &c.] "On peut comprendre sous le nom de Jonglerie tout ce qui appartient aux anciens chansonniers Provençaux, Normands, Picards, &c. Le corps de la Jonglerie etoit formé des Trouveres, ou Troubadours, qui composient les chansons, et parmi lesquels il y avoit des Improvisateurs, comme on en trouve en Italie; des Chanteurs ou Chanteres qui executoient ou chantoient ces compositions ; des Conteurs qui faisoient en vers ou en prose les contes, les recits, les histoires; des Jongleurs ou Menestrels qui accompagnoient de leurs instruments. L'art de ces Chantres ou Chansonniers, etoit nommé la Science Gaie, Gay Saber." (Pref. Anthologie Franç. 1765, 8vo. p. 17.)—See also the curious Fauchet (De l'Orig. de la Lang. Fr. p. 72, &c.) "Bien tost apres la division de ce grand empire François en tant de petits royaumes, duchez, et comtez, au lieu des Poetes commencerent a se faire cognoistre les Troverres, et Chanterres, Contëours, et Juglëours: qui sont Trouveurs, Chantres, Conteurs, Jongleurs, ou Jugleurs, c'est à dire, Menestriers chantans avec la viole." We see then that Jongleur, Jugleur (Lat. Joculator, Jugulator), was a peculiar name appropriated to the Minstrels. Les Jongleurs ne fasoient que chanter les poesies sur leurs instrumens. On les appelloit aussi Menestrels:" says Fontenelle, in his Hist. du Theat. Franc. prefixed to his Life of Corneille. (C) "Successors of the ancient Bards." That the Minstrels in many respects bore a strong resemblance both to the British Bards and to the Danish Scalds, appears from this, that the old Monkish writers express them all without distinction by the same names in Latin. Thus Geoffrey of Monmouth, himself a Welshman, speaking of an old pagan British king, who excelled in singing and music so far as to be esteemed by his countrymen the Patron Deity of the Bards, uses the phrase Deus Joculatorum; which is the peculiar name given to the English and French Minstrels.* In like manner, William * Vid. note (B) (K) (Q). assuming the profession of a Scald, expresses it by Professus Mimum; which was another name given to the Minstrels in Middle Latinity. Indeed Du Cange, in his Glossary, quotes a writer, who positively asserts that the Minstrels of the middle ages were the same with the ancient Bards. I shall give a large extract from this learned glossographer, as he relates many curious particulars concerning the profession and arts of the Min strels; whom, after the Monks, he stigmatizes by the name of Scurre; though he acknowledges their songs often tended to inspire virtue. "Qui veut avoir renom des bons et des vaillans Il doit aler souvent a la pluie et au champs Et estre en la bataille, ainsy que fu Rollans, Les Quatre Fils Haimon, et Charlon li plus grans, Li dus Lions de Bourges, et Guions de Perceval li Galois, Lancelot, et Tristans, "Nicolaus de Braia describens solenne convivium, quo post inaugurationem suam proceres excepit Lud. VIII. rex Francorum, ait inter ipsius convivii apparatum, in medium prodiisse Mimum, qui regis laudes ad cytharum decantavit." * Vid. note (N). |