NOTES AND ILLUSTRATIONS REFERRED TO IN THE FOREGOING ESSAY. 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, (A) The MINSTRELS, &c. The word Minstrel 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 dixi. 642. By part of this record it is recited 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 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. deaurata 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: "MINISquos vulgo menestreux vel menestriers 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. TELLI.... 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. 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 itp. 13. 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. † 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. Paris, 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 (23) 4 Monmouth, speaking of one who acted the 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 some times 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 Minstrel might by his dress or appearance be 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.] et 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) 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 the time of Charlemagne (ii. 221), so that their profession was handed down in regular succession from the time of the Romans, and therewith some leading distinctions of their habit or appearance; yet with a change in their arts of pleasing, which latterly were most confined to singing of the sportive arts connected with these.* and music. *Yet, in St. Mary's church at Beverley, one of the columns hath this inscription: "Thys Pillar made the Mynstrylls""" having its capital decorated with figures of five men in short coats; one of whom holds an instrument resembling a lute. See Sir J. Hawkins, Hist. ii. 298. 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, Con- | tëours, et Juglëours: qui sont Trouveurs, Chantres, Conteurs, Jongleurs, ou Jugleurs, c'est à dire, Menestriers chantans avec la viole." (C) "Successors of the ancient Bards." That the Minstrels in many respects Боге 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 Scurra; though he acknowledges their songs often tended to inspire virtue, 66 Ministelli, dicti præsertim Scurræ, 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, cæturorumque qui his intererant ludicris, nobilium animos ad virtutem capessendam, et summorum virorum imitationem accenderent: quod fuit olim apud Callos Bardorum ministerium, ut auctor est Tacitus Neque enim alios à Ministellis, veterum Gal· lorum Bardos fuisse pluribus probat Henricus Valesius ad 15 Ammiani Bertrandi Guesclini. "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, . . . Chronicon 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). Our author then gives the lines at length, | us became two persons."] The word Scald which begin thus, comprehended both characters among the Danes, nor do I know that they had any pe Dumque fovent genium geniali munere Bac- culiar name for either of them separate. But it chi, 66 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 eorem 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. was not so with the Anglo-Saxons. They called at the houses of the (E) "Minstrels . . . . . 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 Song This word Scurra, or some one similar, is represented in the Glossaries as the proper meaning of Leccator (Fr. Leccour) the ancient term by which the Minstrel appears to be ex-sters. pressed in the Grant to Dutton, quoted above in page xxxvii. 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.)—- Phillippus Mouskes in Philip. Aug. fingit Carolum M. Provincie comitatum Scurris et Mimis suis olim donasse, indeque postea tantum in hac regione poetarum numerum excrevisse. "Quar quant li buens Rois Karlemaigne, Qui sont auques luxurieus 'Rigordus de Gestis Philippi Aug. an. 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 extorqueant, verba joculatoria variis adulationibus plena proferre nituntur. Et ut magis placeant, quicquid de ipsis principibus probabiliter fingi potest, videlicit omnes delitias et lepores, et visu dig The Minstrels in France were received with great magnificence in the fourteenth century. Froissart, describing a Christmas entertainment given by the Comte de Foix, tells us, that "there many Mynstrels, as well of hys own as of straungers, and eche of them dyd their devoyre in their faculties. The same day the Earle of Foix gave to Hauralds and Minstrelles the som of fyve hundred frankes: and gave to the Duke of Tonrayns Mynstreles gownes of clothe of gold furred with ermyne valued at two hundred "The Poet and the Minstrel early with frankes." B. iii. c. 31. Eng. Trans. Lond. 1525. (Mr. C.) Le donna toute et departi." (D) nas urbanitates et cæteras ineptias, trutinantibus buccis in medium eructare non erubescunt. Vidimus quondam quosdam principes, qui vestes diu excogitatas, et variis florum picturationibus artificiosé elaboratas, pro quibus forsan 20 vel. 30 marcas argenti consumpserant, vix revolutis septem diebus, Histrionibus, ministris diaboli, ad primam vocem dedisse, &c." The curious reader may find a similar, though at the same time a more candid account, in that most excellent writer, Presid. Fauchet: (Recueil de la Lang. Fr. p. 73), who says that, like the ancient Greek Aoido, "Nos Trouverres, ainsi que ceux la, prenans leur subject sur les faits des vaillans (qu'ils appelloyent Geste, venant de Gesta Latin) alloyent... par les cours rejouir les Princes .. Remportans des grandes recompences des seigneurs, qui bien souvent leur donnoyent jusques aux robes qu'ils avoyent vestues: et lesquelles ces Jugleours ne failloyent de porter aux autres cours, à fin d'inviter les seigneurs a pareille liberalité. Ce qui a duré si longuement, qu'il me souvient avoir veu Marten Baraton (ja viel Menestrier d'Orleans) lequel aux festes et nopees batoit un tabourin d'argent, semé des plaques aussi d'argent, gravees des armoiries de ceux a qui il avoit appris a danser."-Here we see that a Minstrel sometimes performed the function of a dancing-master. Fontenelle even gives us to understand, that these men were often rewarded with favours of a still higher kind. "Les princesses et les plus grandes dames y joignoient souvent leurs faveurs. Elles etoient fort foibles contre les beaux esprits." (Hist. du Théat.) We are not to wonder then that this profession should be followed by men of the first quality, particularly the younger sons and brothers of great houses. "Tel qui par les partages de fa famille n'avoit que la moitié ou le quart d'une vieux chateaux bien seigneurial, alloit quelque temps courir le monde en rimant, et revenoit acquerir le reste de Chateau." (Fontenelle Hist. du Théat.) We see, then, that there was no improbable fiction in those ancient songs and romances, which are founded on the story of Minstrels being beloved by kings' daughters, &c., and discovering themselves to be the sons of some foreign prince, &c. (F) The honours and rewards lavished upon the Minstrels were not confined to the continent. Our own countryman Johannes Sarisburiensis (in the time of Henry II.) declaims no less than the Monks abroad, against the extravagant favour shown to those men. "Non enim more nugatorum ejus seculi in Histriones et Mimos, et hujusmodi monstra hominum, ob famæ redemptionem et dilatationem nominis effunditis opes vestras," &c. [Epist. 247.*] The Monks seem to grudge every act of munificence that was not applied to the benefit of themselves and their convents. They therefore bestow great applauses upon the Emperor Henry, who at his marriage with Agnes of Poictou, in 1044, disappointed the poor Minstrels, and sent them away empty. "Infinitam Histrionem et Joculatorum multitudinem sine cibo et muneribus vacuam et morentem abire permisit." (Chronic Virtziburg.) For which I doubt not but he was sufficiently stigmatized in the Songs and Ballads of those times. Vid. Du Cange, Gloss. tom. iv. p. 771, &c. (G) "The annals of the Anglo-Saxons are scanty and defective."] Of the few histories now remaining that were written before the Norman Conquest, almost all are such short and naked sketches and abridgments, giving only a concise and general relation of the more remarkable events, that scarce any of the minute circumstantial particulars are to be found in them: nor do they hardly ever descend to a description of the customs, manners, or domestic economy of their countrymen. The Saxon Chronicle, for instance, which is the best of them, and upon some accounts extremely valuable, is almost such an epitome as Lucius Florus and Eutropius have left us of the Roman history. As for Ethelward, his book is judged to be an imperfect translation of the Saxon Chronicle;† and the Pseudo-Asser, or Chronicle of St. Neot, is a poor defective performance. How absurd would it be then to argue against the existence of customs or facts, from the silence of such scanty records as these! Whoever would carry his researches deep into that period of history, might safely plead the excuse of a learned writer, who had particularly stu Et vid. Policraticon, cap. 8, &c. † Vid. Nicolson's Eng. Hist. Lib. &c. |