(B) The Minstrels use mimickry and action, and other means of diverting, &c.] It is observable, that our old monkish historians do not use the words Cantator, Citharœdus, 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 dexterous 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 merveilleus 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 xlii. xliii. (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 5. Music, however, being the leading idea, was at length peculiarly called de Minstrelsy, and the name of Minstrel at last confined to the 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 Provencaux, Normands, Piscards, &c. Le corps de la Jonglerie etoit formé des Trouvères, ou Troubadours, qui composoient 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 aten prose les contes, les recits, les histoires; des Jongleurs ou Menestrels qui accompagnoient de leurs instruments. L'art rede 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 Trouverres, 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, Juglator,) was a peculiar name appropriated to the Minstrels. "Les Jongleurs ne faisoient que chanter les poesies sur leurs instrumens. On les appelloit aussi Menestrels:" says Fontenelle, in his Hist. du Théat. Franç., prefixed to his Life of de Corneille. (c) Successors of the ancient Bards.] That the Minstrels in smany respects bore a strong resemblance both to the British vi Bards and to the Danish Scalds, appears from this, that the sold 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 6. In like manner, William Malmesbury, speaking of a Danish king's 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 Minstrels; whom, after the monks, he stigmatizes by the name of Scurræ; though he acknowledges their songs often tended to inspire virtue. "Ministelli, dicti præsertim Scurra, Mimi, Joculatores." ... "Ejusmodi Scurrarum munus erat principes non suis duntaxat ludicris oblectare, sed et eorum aures variis avorum, adeoque ipsorum principum laudibus, non sine assentatione, cum cantilenis et musicis instrumentis demulcere .... "Interdum etiam virorum insignium et heroum gesta, aut explicata et jocunda narratione commemorabant, aut suavi vocis inflexione, fidibusque decantabant, quo sic dominorum, cæterorumque qui his intererant ludicris, nobilium animos ad virtutem capessendam, et summorum virorum imitationem accenderent: quod fuit olim apud Gallos Bardorum ministerium, ut auctor est Tacitus. Neque enim alios à Ministellis, veterum Gallorum Bardos fuisse pluribus probat Henricus Valesius ad 15 Ammiani....... Chronicon Bertrandi Guesclini. "Qui veut avoir renom des bons et des vaillans Il doit aler souvent a la pluie et au champs De quoy cils MENESTRIERS font les nobles ROMANS." 6 Vide notes (B) (K) (Q). "Vide note (N). ba“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 cytharam decantavit." Our author then gives the lines at length, which begin thus, "Dumque fovent genium geniali munere Bacchi, Inclyte rex regum, probitatis stemmate vernans, ... The rest may be seen in Du Cange, who thus proceeds, "Mitto reliqua similia, ex quibus omnino patet ejusmodi Mimorum et Ministellorum cantilenas ad virtutem principes excitasse. Id præsertim in pugnæ præcinctu, dominis suis occinebant, ut martium ardorem in eorum animis concitarent: cujusmodi cantum Cantilenam Rollandi appellat Will. Malmesb. lib. 3. Aimoinus, lib. 4. de Mirac. S. Bened. c. 37. 'Tanta vero illis securitas ut Scurram se precedere facerent, qui musico instrumento res fortiter gestas et priorum bella præcineret, quatenus his acrius incitarentur.'" &c. As the writer was a monk, we shall not wonder at his calling the minstrel, scurram. This word scurra, or some one similar, is represented in the Glossaries as the proper meaning of Leccator, (Fr. Lec-3 cour,) the ancient term by which the Minstrel appears to be expressed in the grant to Dutton, quoted above in pagexxxvi. On this head I shall produce a very curious passage, which is twice quoted in Du Cange's Glossary (sc. ad verb. Menestellus et ad verb. Lecator). - "Philippus Mouskes in Philip. Aug. fingit Carolum M. Provincie comitatum Scurris et Mimis suis olim donasse, indeque postea tantum in hac regione poetarum munerum excrevisse. ! แ "Quar quant li buens Rois Karlemaigne Ot toute mise a son demaine Fudge musikhael Buba Provence, qui mult iert plentive As LECCOURS as MENESTREUS Le donna toute et departi." (D) The Poet and the Minstrel early with us became two persons.] The word Scald comprehended both characters among the Danes, nor do I know that they had any peculiar name for either of them separate. But it was not so with the AngloSaxons. They called a poet Sceop, and Leodpyphta: the last of these comes from Leod, a song; and the former answers to our old word Maker (Gr. Iloinτns), being derived from Scippan or Sceopan, formare, facere, fingere, creare (Ang. to shape). As for the Minstrel, they distinguished him by the peculiar appellation of Lligman, and perhaps by the more simple title of Heappepe, Harper. [See below, Notes (¤), (1)]. This last title, at least, is often given to a Minstrel by our most ancient English rhymists. See in this work, vol. i. p. 58, &c. vol. iii. book i. no. 7, &c. (E) Minstrels at the houses of the great, &c.] Du Cange affirms, that in the middle ages the courts of princes swarmed so much with this kind of men, and such large sums were expended in maintaining and rewarding them, that they often drained the royal treasuries: especially, he adds, of such as were delighted with their flatteries ("præsertim qui ejusmodi Ministellorum assentationibus delectabantur"). He then confirms his assertion by several passages out of monastic writers, who sharply inveigh against this extravagance. Of these I shall here select only one or two, which show what kind of rewards were bestowed on these old Songsters. "Rigordus de Gestis Philippi Aug. ann. 1185. Cum in curiis regum seu aliorum principum, frequens turba Histrionum convenire soleat, ut ab eis aurum, argentum, equos, seu vestes, quos persæpe mutare consueverunt principes, ab eis 8 The Minstrels in France were received with great magnificence in the 14th century. Froissart, describing a Christmas entertainment given by the |