ænig leoth geleornode. 7 he fothron oft in ge beorscithe, dhnne dhær
any song learned. And he therefore OFT in an entertainment, when there
thæs blisse intinga gedemed th hi ealle sceoldan dhuph
was for merriment-sake adjudged [or decreed] that they ALL should through
endebyrdnesse be hearpan singan. dhonne he geseah dha hearpan him
their turns by [to the] HARP SING; when he saw the HARP him
nealæcan. Dhonne aras he for sceome fran dham symle, 7 home eode
approach, then arose he FOR SHAME from the supper, and home yode [went]
to his huse."
to his house.
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 hearpan syngan," 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 media cæna, he assigns a
motive, "aras for sceome," 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.
(I)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) Llith [Gliw], Mimus, a Minstrel
Lligman, gligmon, gliman, [Glee-man[10]], Histrio, Mimus, Pantomimus; all
common names in Middle Latinity for a Minstrel: and Sommer accordingly renders
the original by aMinstrel, a Player on a Timbrel or Taber. He adds, aFidler, but
although theFythelorFiddlewas an ancient instrument, by which theJogelaror
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.
Llummen, glugmen [Glee-men].Histriones, Minstrels. Hence
Lligmanna-yppe.OrchestravelPulpitus. The place where the Minstrels exhibited
their performances.
(2) But their most proper and expressive name was
Llithhleothriend.Musicus, aMinstrel; and
Llithhleothriendlica.Musicus, Musical
These two words include the full idea of the minstrel character, expressing at once
their music and singing, being compounded of Llith,Musicus,Mimus, a Musician,
Minstrel, and Leodh,Carmen, a song.
(3) From the above word Lligg, the profession itself was called
Lligcræft [Glig- or Glee-craft].Musica, Histronia, 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,