Proceribus, prædictis: et deinceps Magnates, Milites, et Domini, aliique Generosi
diem illum, usque ad tempus Cœnæ, intripudiis, coreis, et solempnibus Ministralciis,
præ gaudio solempnitatis illius continuarunt-- Du Cange, Gloss. 773. [This was at the
Coronation of King Richard II.]
It was common for the Minstrels to dance, as well as to harp and sing (see
above, note (E).) Thus in the old romance ofTirante el Blanco; Val. 1511, the 14th
cap. lib. ii. begins thus, "Despues qua las mesas fueron alçadas vinieron los
Ministriles; y delante del Rey, y de la Reyna dançaron un rato: y despues truxeron
colacion."
They also, probably, among their other feats, played tricks of sleight of hand:
hence the wordJuglercame to signify a performer of Legerdemain; and it was
sometimes used in this sense (to which it is now appropriated) even so early as the
time of Chaucer, who, in his Squire's Tale (ii. 108) speaks of the horse of brass, as
"--- like
An apparence ymade by som magicke,
As JOGELOURS plaien at thise festes grete."
See also the Frere's Tale, I. p. 270, v. 7010.(AA2)Females playing on the Harp.] Thus in the old romance ofSyr Degore(or
Degree, vol ii. On the Metrical Romances, no. 22), we have [Sign. D. i.],
"The lady, that was so faire and bright,
Upon her bed she sate down ryght;
She harped notes swete and fine,
[Her mayde filled a piece of wine.]
And Syr Degore sate him downe,
For to hear the harpes sownne."
The fourth line being omitted in the pr. copy, is supplied from the folio MS.
In theSquyr of Lowe Degree(vol ii. On the Metrical Romances, no. 24), the
king says to his daughter [Sign. D. i.],
"Ye were wont to harpe and syng,
And be the meryest in chanber comyng."
In theCarle of Carlisle(vol ii. On the Metrical Romances, no. 10), we have
the following passage. [Folio MS. p. 451, v. 217.]
"Downe came a lady faire and free,
And sett her on the Carles knee:
One whiles shee harped, another whiles song,
Both of paramours and louinge amonge."
And in the romance ofEger and Grime(vol ii. On the Metrical Romances, no.
12), we have [Ibid. p. 127, col. 2], in part i. ver. 263,
"The ladye fayre of hew and hyde
Shee sate downe by the bed side,
Shee, laid a souter [psaltry] vpon her knee,
Thereon shee plaid full lovesomelye.
... And her 2 maydens sweetlye sange."
A similar passage occurs in part iv. ver. 120 (page 136). But these instances
are sufficient.