judge of the resemblance, but to show how nearly the idea of the Minstrel character
given in this Essay corresponds with that of our old writers.
Sir Lancelot having been affronted by a threatening abusive letter, which Mark
King of Cornwall had sent to Queen Guenever, wherein he "spake shame by her, and
Sir Lancelot," is comforted by a knight named Sir Dinadan, who tells him, "I will
make aLayfor him, and when it is made, I shall make an harper to sing it before him.
So anon he went and made it, and taught it an harper, that hyght Elyot; and when hee
could it, hee taught it to many Harpers. And so... the Harpers went straight unto
Wales and Cornwaile to sing the Lay... which was the worst Lay that ever Harper
sung with harpe, or with any other instrument. And [at a] great feast that King Marke
made for joy of [a] victorie which hee had... came Eliot the Harper;... and because
he was a curious Harper, men heard him sing the same Lay that Sir Dinadan had
made, the which spake the most vilanie by King Marke of his treason, that ever man
heard. When the Harper had sung his song to the end, King Marke was wonderous
wroth with him, and said, 'Thou Harper, how durst thou be so bold to sing this song
before me? Sir, said Eliot, wit you well I am a Minstrell, and I must doe as I am
commanded of these Lords thatI bear the arms of. And, Sir King, wit you well that
Sir Dinadan a knight of the Round Table made this song, and he made me to sing it
before you. Thou saiest well, said King Marke, I charge thee that thou hie thee fast
out of my sight. So the Harper departed," &c. [Part ii. c. 113, ed. 1634. See also part
iii. c. 5.]
(EE2)This Act seems to have put an end to the profession, &c] Although I conceive
that the character ceased to exist, yet the appellation might be continued, and applied
to Fiddlers, or other common musicians: which will account for the mistakes of Sir
Peter Leicester, or other modern writers. (See hisHistorical Antiquities of Cheshire,
1673, p. 141.)
In this sense it is used in an Ordinance in the times of Cromwell (1658),
wherein it is enacted, that if any of the "persons commonly called Fidlers or Minstrels
shall at any time be taken playing, fidling, and making music in any inn, ale-house, or
tavern, or shall be taken proffering themselves, or desiring, or entreating any... to
hear them play or make music in any of the places aforesaid;" they are to be
"adjudged and declared to be rogues, vagabonds, and sturdy beggars."
This will also account why John of Gaunt's King of the Minstrels at length
came to he called, likele Roy des Violonsin France, vide note (BB2), King of the
Fiddlers. See the common ballad entitled, "The Pedigree, Education, and Marriage of
Robinhood with Clorinda, Queen of Tutbury Feast:" which, though prefixed to the
modern collection on that subject,[28] seems of much later
date than most of the others; for the writer appears to be totally ignorant of all the old
traditions concerning this celebrated outlaw, and has given him a very elegant bride
instead of his old noted lemman "Maid Marian;" who, together with his chaplain,
"Frier Tuck," were his favourite companions, and probably on that account figured in
the old Morice dance; as may be seen by the engraving in Mr. Steevens's and Mr.
Malone's editions of Shakspeare: by whom she is mentioned, 1Hen. IV., act iii. sc. 3.
(See also Warton, i. 245, ii. 237.) Whereas, from this ballad's concluding with an
exhortation to "pray for the King," and "that he may get children," &c., it is evidently
posterior to the reign of Queen Elizabeth, and can scarce be older than the reign of
King Charles I.; for King James I. had no issue after his accession to the throne of
England. It may even have been written since the Restoration, and only express the