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, The rest may be seen in Du Cange, who thus proceeds, "Mitto reliqua 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 expressed in the grant to Dutton, quoted above in page xxxiii. 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. "Quar quant li buens Rois Karlemaigne Ot toute mise a son demaine Provence, qui mult iert plentive 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 Anglo-Saxons. They called a poet Sceop, and Leo pýhta: the last of these comes from Leod, a song; and the former answers to our old word Maker (Gr. Пonths), 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 Elman, and perhaps by the more simple title of Heappene, Harper. [See below, Notes (H) (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. 48, &c., vol. ii. book ii. 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 d VOL. I. kind of men, and such large sums were expended in maintaining and rewarding them, that they often drained the royal treasuries: especially, ne 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. 8 "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 extorqueant, verba joculatoria variis adulationibus plena proferre nituntur. Et ut magis placeant, quicquid de ipsis principibus probabiliter fingi potest, videlicet omnes delitias et lepores, et visu dignas urbanitates et cæteras ineptias, trutinantibus buccis in medium eructare non erubescunt. Vidimus quondam quosdam principes, qui vestes diu excogitatas, et variis florum picturationibus artificiosè 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 'Aoidol, "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 Martin Baraton (ja viel Menestrier d'Orleans), lequel aux festes et nopees batoit un tabourin d'argent, seme 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 contres 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 sa 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 8 The Minstrels in France were received with great magnificence in the 14th century. Froissart, describing a Christmas entertainment given by the Comte de Foix, tells us that "there were many Mynstrels, as well of hys own as of straungers, and e.che of them dyd their devoyre in their faculties. The same day the Erle of Foix gave to Haraulds and Minstrelles the som of fyve hundred rankes: and gave to the uke of Tourayns Mynstreles Gownes of Clothe of Gold furred with Ermyne valued at two hundred Frankes."-B. iii. c. 31, Eng. Trans. Lond. 1525. (Mr. C.) by kings' daughters, &c., and discovering themselves to be the sons of some sovereign 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 these 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.]9 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 Histrionum et Joculatorum multitudinem sine cibo et muneribus vacuam et mærentem 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 studied the Ante-Norman historians. "Conjecturis (licet nusquam verisimili fundamento) aliquoties indulgemus . . . atpote ab Historicis jejune nimis et indiligenter res nostras tractantibus coacti Nostri... nudâ factorum commemoratione plerumque contenti, reliqua omnia, sive ob ipsarum rerum, sive meliorum literarum, sive Historicorum officii ignorantiam, fere intacta prætereunt."-Vide plura in Præfat, ad Ælfr. Vitam à Spelman. Ox. 1678, fol. (H) Minstrels and Harpers.] That the Harp (Cithara) was the common musical instrument of the Anglo-Saxons, might be inferred from the very word itself, which is not derived from the British, or any other Celtic language, but of genuine Gothic original, and current among every branch of that people, viz. Ang.-Sax. Heappe, Heappa. Iceland, Harpa, aurpa. Dan. and Belg. Harpe. Germ. Harpffe, Harpffa. Gal. Harpe. Span. 9 Et vide Policraticon, cap. viii., &c. 1 Vide Nicholson's Eng. Hist. Lib. &c. Harp. Ital. Arpa. [Vid. Jun. Etym.-Menage Etym, &c.] As also from this, that the word Heappe is constantly used, in the Anglo-Saxon versions, to express the Latin words Cithara, Lyra, and even Cymbalum: the word Psalmus itself being sometimes translated Heapp rang, Harp Song. [Gloss. Jun. R. apud Lye Anglo-Sax. Lexic.] But the fact itself is positively proved by the express testimony of Bede, who tells us that it was usual at festival meetings for this instrument to be handed round, and each of the company to sing to it in his turn.-See his Hist. Eccles. Anglor. lib. iv. c. 24, where, speaking of their sacred poet Cadmon, who lived in the times of the Heptarchy (ob. circ. 680), he says: "Nihil unquam frivoli et supervacui poematis facere potuit; sed ea tantummodo, quæ ad religionem pertinent, religiosam ejus linguam decebant. Siquidem in habitu sæculari, usque ad tempora provectioris ætatis constitutus, nil Carminum aliquando didicerat. Unde nonnunquam in convivio, cùm esset lætitiæ causa decretum ut omnes per ordinem cantare deberent, ille ubi appropinquare sibi citharam cernebat, surgebat à mediâ cænâ, et egressus, ad suam domum repedebat." I shall now subjoin King Alfred's own Anglo-Saxon translation of this passage, with a literal interlineary English version. "He.. nærne noht learunga. ne ideler leoder pýrcean He. never efne da ac no leasings, nor idle songs compose ne mihte. ne might; an da de to æfertnerre belumpon. hip ta but lo! only those things which to religion [piety] belong, and his then æfertan tunzan gevarenove ringan: Mær he re man in peopoltpious tongue became to sing: He was the [a] man in worldly hade zereted oð da tide de he pær of gelyreone ylde [secular] state set to the time in which he was of an advanced age; he nærne ænig leop gele onnode. he fopnon oft in gebeoprcipe and he never any song learned. And he therefore OFT in an entertain ALL gedemed phi Inne dær pær blirre intinza ment, when there was for merriment-sake adjudged [or decreed] that they ealle rceoloan duph endebyrdnerre be hearpan ringan. donne should through their turns by [to the] HARP SING; when he gereah a heaɲpan him nealacan. donne aɲar he foɲ rceome Fram he saw the HARP him approach, then arose he FOR SHAME from dam rýmle. ham eode the supper, and home yode [went] to his house. to hir hure." Bed. Hist. Eccl. à Smith, Cantab. 1722, fol. p. 597. In this version of Alfred's it is observable, (1) that he has expressed the Latin word cantare by the Anglo-Saxon words "be heappan ringan," sing to the harp, as if they were synonymous, or as if his countrymen had no idea of singing unaccompanied with the harp: (2) that when Bede simply says, surgebat a mediâ cœnâ, he assigns a motive, "aɲar Foɲ rceom,' arose for shame: that is, either from an austerity of manners, or from his being deficient in an accomplishment which so generally prevailed among his countrymen. (1) The word Glee, which peculiarly denoted their art, &c,] This word Glee is derived from the Anglo-Saxon Ligg [Gligg], Musica, Music, Minstrelsy (Somn.). This is the common radix, whence arises such a variety of terms and phrases relating to the minstrel art, as affords the strongest internal proof, that this profession was extremely common and popular here before the Norman Conquest. Thus we have I. (1) Ghip [Gliw], Mimus, a Minstrel. : Gligman, gligmon, gliman, [Glee-man 2], Histrio, Mimus, Pantomimus ; all common names in Middle Latinity for a Minstrel and Somner accordingly renders the original by a Minstrel, a Player on a Timbrel or Taber. He adds, a Fidler, but although the Fythel or Fiddle was an ancient instrument, by which the Jogelar or Minstrel sometimes accompanied his song (see Warton, i. 17), it is probable that Somner annexes here only a modern sense to the word, not having at all investigated the subject. Glumen, gligmen [Glee-men]. Histriones, Minstrels. Hence Gligmanna-yppe. Orchestra vel Pulpitus. The place where the Minstrels exhibited their performances. (2) But their most proper and expressive name was Gliphleoppieno. Musicus, a Minstrel; and Gliphleoppienolica. Musicus, Musical. These two words include the full idea of the minstrel character, expressing at once their music and singing, being compounded of Glıp, Musicus, Mimus, a Musician, Minstrel, and Leod, Carmen, a Song. (3) From the above word ligg, the profession itself was called Lligcnært [Glig- or Glee-craft]. Musica, Histrionia, Mimica, Gesticulatio: which Somner rightly gives in English, Minstrelsy, Mimical Gesticulation, Mummery. He also adds, Stage-playing; but here again I think he substitutes an idea too modern, induced by the word Histrionia, which in Middle Latinity only signifies the minstrel art. However, it should seem that both mimical gesticulation and a kind of rude exhibition of characters were sometimes attempted by the old minstrels: but 2 Gleeman continued to be the name given to a Minstrel both in England and Scotland almost as long as this order of men continued. In De Brunne's metrical version of Bishop Grosthead's Manuel de Peche, A.D. 1303 (see Warton, i. 61), we have this, Fabyan (in his Chronicle, 1533, f. 32) translating the passage from Geoffrey of Monmouth, quoted below in p. lxxix, note (K), renders Deus Joculatorum, by God of Gleemen.-Warton's Hist. Eng. Poet. Diss. 1. Fabyan died in 1592. Dunbar, who lived in the same century, describing, in one of his poems, entitled "The Daunce," what passed in the infernal regions "amangis the Feyndis," says, "Na Menstralls playit to thame, but dowt For Gle-men thaire wer haldin out, Be day and eke by nycht." See Poems from Bannatyne's MS. Edinb. 1770, 12mo, p. 30. |