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.
Warton (i. 91, &c.) and others. But one instance, quoted from Wood'sHist. Antiq.
Univ. Ox. i. 67 (sub an. 1224), deserves particular mention. Two itinerant priests, on a
supposition of their beingMimiorMinstrels, gained admittance. But the cellarer,
sacrist, and others of the brethren, who had hoped to have been entertained by 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.) The passage
furnishes an additional proof that a minstrel might, by his dress or appearance, be
mistaken for an ecclesiastic.
(B)The Minstrels use mimickry and action, and other means of diverting, &c.] It is
observable, that our old monkish historians do not use the wordsCantator,
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.
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 dexterous tumblers and posture-masters. "Avec le Prince vinrent trois
Menestriers de la Grande Hyermenie (Armenia)... et avoint 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 marveilleussaus, 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 Ministrallatus instructos," should also
be "membris naturalibus elegantes." (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 of the sportive arts connected
with these[5]. Music, however, being the leading idea, was at length peculiarly called
Minstrelsy, and the name of Minstrel at last confined to the musician only.
In the French language all these arts were included under the general name of
Menestraudie, Menestraudise, Jonglerie, &c. [Med. Lat.Menestelloram Ars, Ars
Joculatoria, &c.]--"On peut comprendre sous le nom deJonglerietout cc qui
appartient aux anciens chansonniers Provenceaux, Normands, Picards, &c. Le corps
de la Jonglerie etoit forme desTrouveres, ouTroubadours, qui composoient les
chansons, et parmi lesquels it y avoit desImprovisateurs, comme on en trouve et
Italie; desChanteurs, ouChanteres, qui executoient ou chantoient ces compositions;
desConteursqui faisoient en vers ou en prose les contes, les recits, les histoires; des
JongleursouMenestrelsqui accompagnoient de leurs instruments.-- L'art de ces
Chantres ou Chansonniers, etoit nommé la Science Gaie,Gay Saber." (Pref.
Anthologie Franc. 1765, 8vo, p.17.)-- See also the curious Fauchet (De l'Orig. de la