verba joculatoria variis adulationibus plena proferre nituntur. Et ut magis placeant,
quicquid de ipsis principibus probabiliter fingi potest, videlicet omnes delitias et
lepores, et visit dignas urbanitates et cæteras ineptias, trutinantibus buccis in medium
eructere non erubescunt. Vidimus quondam quosdam principes, quivestesdiu
excogitatas, et variis forum picturationibus artificiose 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 'Αοιδοι [Aoidoi], "Nos Trouverres, ainsi que
ceux la, prenans leur subject sur les faits des vaillans (qu'ils appelloyent Geste,
versant deGestaLatin) alloyent... par les tours rejouir les Princes.. Remportans des
grandes recompences des seigneurs, qui bien souvent leur donnoyent jusques aux
robesqu'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 mesouvient avoit veuMartin 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 adanser:" -- Here we see
that a minstrel sometimes performed the function of a dancing-master.
Fontenello even gives us to understand that these men were often rewarded
with favours of a still higher kind. "Les princesses et les plus grandee dames y
joignoient souvent leurs favours. 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."-- Fontanelle,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 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 inHistrionesetMimos, et
hujusmodi monstra hominum, ob fames redemptionem et dilatationem nominis
effunditis opus vestras," &c. [Epist. 247.][8]
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
Joculatornm multitudinem sine cibo et muneribus vacuam et mœrentem 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-Sarons 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