of princes, they did it in such manner of Minstralsie; and thought themselves no small fooles, when they could make their verses go all in ryme." I shall conclude this subject with the following description of Minstrelsy given by John Lidgate at the beginning of the 15th century, as it shows what a variety of entertainments were then comprehended under this term, together with every kind of instrumental music then in use. "Al maner MYNSTRALCYE, Ffor there were Rotys of Almayne, And many unkouth NOTYS NEW OF SWICHE FOLKE AS LOVID TREUE 2. And instrumentys that did excelle, Harpys, Fythales, and eke Rotys More for estatys, than tavernes: There were Trumpes, and Trumpettes, T. Warton, ii. 225, note (*). 2 By this phrase I understand, new Tales or narrative Rhymes composed by the Minstrels on the subject of true and faithful Lovers, &c. END OF THE ESSAY. The foregoing Essay on the Ancient Minstrels has been very much enlarged and improved since the first edition, with respect to the Anglo-Saxon Minstrels, in consequence of some objections proposed by the reverend and learned Mr. Pegge, which the reader may find in the second volume of the ARCHEOLOGIA, printed by the Antiquarian Society; but which that gentleman has since retracted in the most liberal and candid manner in the third volume of the ARCHEOLOGIA, No. xxxiv. p. 310. And in consequence of similar objections respecting the English Minstrels after the Conquest, the subsequent part hath been much enlarged, and additional light thrown upon the subject; which, to prevent cavil, hath been extended to MINSTRELSY in all its branches, as it was established in England, whether by natives or foreigners. I never heard the old song of Percie and Douglas, that I found not my heart moved more than with a trumpet: and yet 'it' is sung but by some blinde crowder, with no rougher voice, than rude style; which beeing so evill apparelled in the dust and cobweb of that uncivill age, what would it work, trimmed in the gorgeous eloquence of Pindare! SIR PHILIP SYDNEY'S DEFENCE OF POETRY. RELIQUES OF ANCIENT POETRY. &c. SERIES THE FIRST. BOOK I. I. The Ancient Ballad of Chevy-Chase. THE fine heroic song of CHEVY-CHASE has ever been admired by competent judges. Those genuine strokes of nature and artless passion, which have endeared it to the most simple readers, have recommended it to the most refined; and it has equally been the amusement of our childhood, and the favourite of our riper years. Mr. Addison has given an excellent critique1 on this very popular ballad, but is mistaken with regard to the antiquity of the common received copy; for this, if one may judge from the style, cannot be older than the time of Elizabeth, and was probably written after the eulogium of Sir Philip Sidney: perhaps in consequence of it. I flatter myself, I have here recovered the genuine antique poem, the true original song; which appeared rude even in the time of Sir Philip, and caused him to lament that it was so evil-appareled in the rugged garb of antiquity. This curiosity is printed from an old manuscript, at the Percy. I. 1 Spectator, No. 70, 74. 8 end of Hearne's Preface to Gul. Nubrigiensis Hist. 1719, 8vo, vol. i. To the MS. copy is subjoined the name of the author, RYCHARD SHEALE 2: whom Hearne had so little judgment as to suppose to be the same with a R. Sheale, who was living in 1588. But whoever examines the gradation of language and idiom in the following volumes, will be convinced that this is the production of an earlier poet. It is indeed expressly mentioned among some very ancient songs in an old book intituled, The Complaint of Scotland 3, (fol. 42,) under the title of the HUNTIS OF CHEVET, where the two following lines are also quoted: The Perssee and the Mongumrye mette 4 Which, though not quite the same as they stand in the ballad, yet differ not more than might be owing to the author's quoting from memory. Indeed, whoever considers the style and orthography of this old poem, will not be inclined to place it lower than the time of Henry VI.; as, on the other hand, the mention of James the Scottish King6, with one or two anachronisms, forbids us to assign it an earlier date. King James I., who was prisoner in this kingdom at the death of his father?, did not wear the crown of Scotland till the second year of our Henry VI.8, but before the end of that long reign, a third James had mounted the throne 9. A succession of two or three Jameses, and the long detention of one of them in England, would render the name familiar to the English, and dispose a poet in those rude times to give it to any Scottish king he happened to mention. 2 Subscribed, after the usual manner of our old poets, expliceth [explicit] quoth Rychard Sheale. One of the earliest productions of the Scottish press now to be found. The title-page was wanting in the copy here quoted; but it is supposed to have been printed in 1540. See Ames. 4 See Pt. 2. v. 25. 5 See Pt. 1. v. 99. 6 Pt. 2. v. 36, 140. 7 Who died Aug. 5, 1406, in the seventh year of our Hen. IV. So much for the date of this old ballad: with regard to its subject, although it has no countenance from history, there is room to think it had originally some foundation in fact. It was one of the laws of the Marches, frequently renewed between the two nations, that neither party should hunt in the other's borders, without leave from the proprietors or their deputies 10. There had long been a rivalship between the two martial families of Percy and Douglas, which, heightened by the national quarrel, must have produced frequent challenges and struggles for superiority, petty invasions of their respective domains, and sharp contests for the point of honour, which would not always be recorded in history. Something of this kind we may suppose gave rise to the ancient ballad of the HUNTING A' THE CHEVIAT1. Percy, Earl of Northumberland, had vowed to hunt for three days in the Scottish border without condescending to ask leave from Earl Douglas, who was either lord of the soil, or lord-warden of the Marches. Douglas would not fail to resent the insult, and endeavour to repel the intruders by force: this would naturally produce a sharp conflict between the two parties; something of which, it is probable, did really happen, though not attended with the tragical circumstances recorded in the ballad; for these are evidently borrowed from the BATTLE OF OTTERBOURN2, a very different event, but which after-times would easily confound with it. That battle might be owing to some such previous affront as this of CHEVY-CHASE, though it has escaped the notice of historians. Our poet has evidently jumbled the two events together; if, indeed, the lines 3 in which this mistake is made are not 10 Item... Concordatum est, quod, ... NULLUS unius partis vel alterius ingrediatur terras, boschas, forrestas, warrenas, loca, dominia quæcunque alicujus partis alterius subditi, causa venandi, piscandi, aucupandi, disportum aut solatium in eisdem, aliave quacunque de causa, ABSQUE LICENTIA ejus. ad quem loca..... pertinent, aut de deputatis suis prius capt. et obtent. Vide Bp. Nicholson's Leges Marchiarum, 1705, 8vo. pp. 27, 51. 1 This was the original title. See the ballad, Pt. 1. v. 101. Pt. 2. v. 165. 2 See the next ballad. 3 Vide Pt. 2. v. 167. |