2

tydings of their King, or in what place he was kept prisoner. He had trained up in his court a Rimer or Minstrill,1 called Blondell de Nesle: who (so saith the Manuscript of old Poesies, and an auncient Manuscript French Chronicle) being so long without the sight of his lord, his life seemed wearisome to him, and he became confounded with melancholly. Knowne it was, that he came backe from the Holy Land: but none could tell in what countrey he arrived. Whereupon this Blondel, resolving to make search for him in many countries, but he would heare some newes of him; after expense of divers dayes in travaile, he came to a towne 3 (by good hap) neere to the castell where his maister King Richard was kept. Of his host he demanded to whom the castell appertained, and the host told him, that it belonged to the Duke of Austria. Then he enquired whether there were any prisoners therein detained or no; for alwayes he made such secret questionings wheresoever he came. And the hoste gave answer, there was one onely prisoner, but he knew not what he was, and yet he had bin detained there more then the space of a yeare. When Blondel heard this, he wrought such meanes, that he became acquainted with them of the castell, as Minstrels doe easily win acquaintance any where: but see the King he could not, neither understand that it was he. One day he sat directly before a window of the castell, where King Richard was kept prisoner, and began to sing a song in French, which King Richard and Blondel had sometime composed together. When King Richard heard the song, he knew it was Blondel that sung it and when Blondel paused at halfe of the song, the King 'began the other half and completed it." Thus Blondel won knowledge of the King his maister, and returning home into England, made the barons of the countrie acquainted where the King was.' This happened about the year 1193.

The following old Provençal lines are given as the very original song; which I shall accompany with an imitation offered by Dr. Burney, ii. 237.

1 Favine's words are," Jongleur appellé Blondiaux de Nesle." (Paris, 1620, 4to. p. 1106.) But Fauchet, who has given the same story, thus expresses it, "Or ce roy ayant nourri un Menestrel appellé Blondel," &c. liv. 2. p. 92. Des anciens Poëtes François." He is however said to have been another Blondel, not Blondel (or Blondiaux) de Nesle; but this no way affects the circumstances of the story.

2 This the Author calls, in another place, "An ancient MS. of old Poesies, written about those very times." From this MS. Favine gives a good account of the taking of Richard by the Duke of Austria, who sold him to the Emperor. As for the MS. chronicle, it is evidently the same that supplied Fauchet with this story. See his "Recueil de l'Origine de la Langue & Poësie Françoise, Ryme, et Romans," &c. Par. 1581.

8 Tribales. "Retrudi eum præcepit in Triballis: a quo carcere nullus ante dies istos exivit." Lat. Chron. of Otho of Austria: apud Favin.

4 "Comme Menestrels s'accointent legerement.' Favine. (Fauchet expresses it in the same manner.)

I give this passage corrected; as the English translator of Favine's book appeared here to have mistaken the original :-Scil. "Et quant Blondel eut dit la moitie de la Chanson, le Roy Richart se prist a dire l'autre moitie et l'acheva." Favine, p. 1106. Fauchet has also expressed it in nearly the same words. Recueil,

Pn a little romance or novel, entitled, "La Tour Tenebreuse, et les Jours

Lumineux, Contes Angloises, accompagnez d'Historiettes, & tirez d'une ancienne Chronique composée par Richard, surnomme Cœur de Lion, Roy d'Angleterre," &c. Paris, 1705, 12mo. In the Preface to this Romance the Editor has given another song of Blondel de Nesle, as also a copy of the song written by K. Richard, and published by Mr. Walpole, mentioned above (in note 1, page 15), yet the two last are not in Provençal like the sonnet printed here; but in the old French, called Langage Roman.

The access which Blondel so 'readily obtained in the privileged character of a Minstrel, is not the only instance upon record of the same nature (v 2). In this very reign of K. Richard I. the young heiress of D'Evreux, Earl of Salisbury, had been carried abroad and secreted by her French relations in Normandy. To discover the place of her concealment, a knight of the Talbot family spent two years in exploring that province, at first under the disguise of a pilgrim; till having found where she was confined, in order to gain admittance he assumed the dress and character of a Harper, and being a jocose person exceedingly skilled in "the Gests of the ancients;" so they called the romances and stories, which were the delight of that age; he was gladly received into the family; whence he took an opportunity to carry off the young lady, whom he presented to the King; and he bestowed her on his natural brother William Longespee, (son of fair Rosamond) who became in her right Earl of Salisbury (v 3).

The next memorable event which I find in history reflects credit on the English Minstrels; and this was their contributing to the rescue of one of the great Earls of Chester, when besieged by the Welsh. This happened in the reign of K. John, and is related to this effect:2

Hugh, the first Earl of Chester, in his charter of foundation of St. Werburg's Abbey in that city, had granted such a privilege to those who should come to Chester fair, that they should not be then apprehended for theft or any other misdemeanor, except the crime were committed during the fair. This special protection occasioning a multitude of loose people to resort to that fair, was afterwards of signal benefit to one of his successors; for Ranulph, the last Earl of Chester, marching into Wales with a slender attendance, was constrained to retire to his castle of Rothelan (or Rhuydland), to which the Welsh forthwith laid siege. In this distress he sent for help to the Lord De Lacy, Constable of Chester: 66 Who, making use of the Minstrells of all sorts, then met at Chester fair; by the allurement of their musick, got together a vast number of such loose people, as, by reason of the before specified priviledge, were then in that city; whom he forthwith sent under the

1 The words of the original, viz. "Citharisator homo jocosus in Gestis antiquorum valde peritus," I conceive to give the precise idea of the ancient Minstrel. See Note (v 2.) That Gesta was appropriated to romantic stories, see Note (1) Part iv. (1.) 2 See Dugdale (Bar. i. 42. 101), who places it after 13 John, A.D. 1212. See also Plot's Staffordsh. Camden's Britann. (Cheshire.)

conduct of Dutton (his steward)" a gallant youth, who was also his sonin-law. The Welsh, alarmed at the approach of this rabble, supposing them to be a regular body of armed and disciplined veterans, instantly raised the siege and retired.

For this good service, Ranulph is said to have granted to De Lacy, by charter, the patronage and authority over the Minstrels and the loose and inferior people: who retaining to himself that of the lower artificers, conferred on Dutton the jurisdiction of the Minstrels and Harlots; and under the descendants of this family the Minstrels enjoyed certain privileges, and protection for many ages. For even so late as the reign of Elizabeth, when this profession had fallen into such discredit that it was considered in law as a nuisance, the Minstrels under the jurisdiction of the family of Dutton are expressly excepted out of all acts of Parliament made for their suppression; and have continued to be so excepted ever since (w).

The ceremonies attending the exercise of this jurisdiction are thus described by Dugdale, as handed down to his time, viz. "That at Midsummer fair there, all the Minstrels of that countrey resorting to Chester do attend the heir of Dutton, from his lodging to St. John's church, (he being then accompanied by many gentlemen of the countrey) one of the Minstrels' walking before him in a surcoat of his arms depicted on taffata; the rest of his fellows proceeding (two and two) and playing on their several sorts of musical instruments. And after divine service ended, give the like attendance on him back to his lodging where a court being kept by his [Mr. Dutton's] steward, and all the Minstrels formally called, certain orders and laws are usually made for the better government of that society, with penalties on those who trangress."

In the same reign of K. John we have a remarkable instance of a Minstrel, who to his other talents super-added the character of soothsayer, and by his skill in drugs and medicated potions was able to rescue a knight from imprisonment. This occurs in Leland's Narrative of the Gestes of Guarine (or Warren) and his sons, which he "excerptid owte of an old Englisch boke yn ryme " and is as follows:

4

Whitington Castle in Shropshire, which together with the co-heiress of the original proprietor had been won in a solemn turnament by the ancestor of the Guarines, had in the reign of K. John been seized by the Prince of Wales, and was afterwards possessed by Morice, a retainer of that prince, to whom the King, out of hatred to the true heir Fulco Guarine (with whom he had formerly a quarrel at chess), 5 not only confirmed the possession, but also made him Governor of the Marches, of which Fulco himself had the custody in the time of K. Richard. The Guarines demanded justice of the King, but obtaining

1 See the ancient record in Blount's Law Dictionary. (Art. Minstrel.) 2 Bar. i. p. 101.

8 Leland's Collectanea, vol. i. pages 261, 266, 267.

4 This old feudal custom of marrying an heiress to the knight who should vanquish all his opponents in solemn contest, &c. appears to be burlesqued in the Turnament of Totenham (see Series III. Book i. Poem 4.), as is well observed by the learned author of Remarks, &c. in Gent. Mag. for July, 1794, p. 613.

5 "John, sun to K. Henry, and Fulco felle at variance at Chestes [r. Chesse]; and John brake Fulco ['s] hed with the Chest borde: and then Fulco gave him such a blow, that he had almost killid hym." (Lel. Coll. i. p. 264.) A curious picture of courtly manners in that age! Notwithstanding this fray, we read in the next paragraph, that "K. Henry dubbid Fulco and three of his bretherne Knightes at Winchester." Ibid.

no gracious answer, renounced their allegiance and fled into Bretagne. Returning into England, after various conflicts, "Fulco resortid to one John of Raumpayne, a Sothsayer and Jocular and Minstrelle, and made hym his spy to Morice at Whitington." The privileges of this character we have already seen, and John so well availed himself of them, that in consequence of the intelligence which he doubtless procured, "Fulco and his brethrene laide waite for Morice, as he went toward Salesbyri, and Fulco ther woundid him: and Bracy," a knight, who was their friend and assistant, "cut of Maurice ['s] hedde.' This Sir Bracy being in a subsequent rencounter sore wounded, was taken and brought to K. John; from whose vengeance he was however rescued by this notable Minstrel; for "John Rampayne found the meanes to cast them, that kepte Bracy, into a deadely slepe; and so he and Bracy cam to Fulco to Whitington," which on the death of Morice had been restored to him by the Prince of Wales. As no further mention occurs of the Minstrel, I might here conclude this narrative but I shall just add, that Fulco was obliged to flee into France, where assuming the name of Sir Amice, he distinguished himself in Justs and Turnaments; and, after various romantic adventures by sea and land; having in the true style of chivalry rescued "certayne ladies owt of prison;" he finally obtained the King's pardon, and the quiet possession of Whitington Castle.

In the reign of K. Henry III. we have mention of Master Ricard the King's Harper, to whom in his thirty-sixth year (1252) that monarch gave not only forty shillings and a pipe of wine, but also a pipe of wine to Beatrice his wife.1 The title of Magister, or Master, given to this Minstrel, deserves notice, and shows his respectable situation.

2

V. The Harper, or Minstrel, was so necessary an attendant on a royal personage, that Prince Edward, (afterwards K. Edward I.) in his Crusade to the Holy Land, in 1271, was not without his Harper: who must have been officially very near his person; as we are told by a contemporary historian, that in the attempt to assassinate that heroic prince, when he had wrested the poisoned knife out of the Sarazen's hand, and killed him with his own weapon; the attendants, who had stood apart while he was whispering to their master, hearing the struggle, ran to his assistance, and one of them, to wit his Harper, seizing a tripod or trestle, struck the assassin on the head and beat out his brains. And though the Prince blamed him for striking the man after he was dead, yet his near access shows the respectable situation of this officer; and his affectionate zeal should have induced Edward to entreat his brethren the Welsh Bards afterwards with more lenity.

Whatever was the extent of this great Monarch's severity towards the professors of Music and of Song in Wales; whether the executing by martial law such of them as fell into his hands was only during the

1 Burney's Hist. ii. p. 355. Rot. Pip. An. 36 H. III. "Et in uno dolio vini empto & dato Magistro Ricardo Citharista Regis, xl. sol. per br. Reg. Et in uno dolio empto & dato Beatrici uxori ejusdem Ricardi."

2 Walter Hemmingford (vixit temp. Edw. I.), in Chronic. cap. 35. inter V. Hist. Scriptores, vol. ii. Oxon. 1687. fol. pag. 591. Ang Accurrentes ad hæc Ministri ejus, qui a longe steterunt, invenerunt eum [scil.

Nuntium] in terra mortuum, et apprehendit unus eorum tripodem, scilicet Cithareda & percussit eum in capite, et effundit cerebrum ejus. Increpavitque eum Edwardus quod hominem mortuum percussisset." Ibid. These Ministri must have been upon a very confidential footing, as it appears above in the same chapter, that they had been made acquainted with the contents of the letters which the assassin bad delivered to the Prince from his master.

heat of conflict, or was continued afterwards with more systematic rigour; yet in his own court the Minstrels appear to have been highly favoured: for when, in 1306, he conferred the order of knighthood on his son and many others of the young nobility, a multitude of Minstrels were introduced to invite and induce the new knights to make some military vow (x). And

Under the succeeding reign of K. Edward II. such extensive privileges were claimed by these men, and by dissolute persons assuming their character, that it became a matter of public grievance, and was obliged to be reformed by an express regulation in A.D. 1315 (Y). Notwithstanding which, an incident is recorded in the ensuing year, which shows that Minstrels still retained the liberty of entering at will into the royal presence, and had something peculiarly splendid in their dress. It is thus related by Stow (z):

"In the year 1316, Edward the Second did solemnize his feast of Pentecost at Westminster, in the great hall: where sitting royally at the table with his peers about him, there entered a woman adorned like a Minstrel, sitting on a great horse trapped, as Minstrels then used; who rode round about the tables shewing pastime; and at length came up to the King's table, and laid before him a letter, and forthwith turning her horse saluted every one and departed." The subject of this letter was a remonstrance to the King on the favours heaped by him on his minions, to the neglect of his knights and faithful servants.

The privileged character of a Minstrel was employed on this occasion, as sure of gaining an easy admittance; and a female the rather deputed to assume it, that, in the case of detection, her sex might disarm the King's resentment. This is offered on a supposition that she was not a real Minstrel; for there should seem to have been women of this profession (AA) as well as of the other sex; and no accomplishment is so constantly attributed to females, by our ancient Bards, as their singing to, and playing on, the Harp (A A 2).

In the fourth year of K. Richard II. John of Gaunt erected, at Tutbury, in Staffordshire, a Court of Minstrels, similar to that annually kept at Chester (see p. 17.) and which, like a Court-Leet or CourtBaron, had a legal jurisdiction, with full power to receive suit and service from the men of this profession within five neighbouring counties, to enact laws, and determine their controversies; and to apprehend and arrest such of them as should refuse to appear at the said court annually held on the 16th of August. For this they had a charter, by which they were empowered to appoint a King of the Minstrels with four officers to preside over them (BB). These were every year elected with great ceremony; the whole form of which, as observed in 1680, is described by Dr. Plot: 2 in whose time however they appear to have lost their singing talents, and to have confined all their skill to "wind and string music."

1 See Gray's Ode; and the Hist. of the Gwedir Family in "Miscellanies," by the Hon. Daines Barrington, 1781, 4to. p. 386; who in the Laws, &c. of this Monarch could find no instances of severity against the Welsh. See his observations on the Statutes, 4to. 4th edit. p. 358.

2 Hist. of Staffordshire, ch. 10. § 69-76. p. 433 et seqq. of which see extracts in Sir J. Hawkins's Hist. of Music, vol. ii. p. 64; and Dr. Burney's Hist. vol. ii. 360 et segg.

N.B. The barbarous diversion of bull-running was no part of the original institution, &c. as is fully proved by the Rev. Dr. Pegge, in Archæologia, vol. ii. No. xiii. page 86. 3 See the charge given by the steward, at the time of the election, in Plot's Hist., ubi supra; and in Hawkins, p. 67. Burney, p. 363-4.