This sort of petty-publications had anciently the name of Penny-Merriments:
as little religious tracts of the same size were called Penny-Godlinesses. In the
Pepysian Library are multitudes of both kinds.
(GG)The term Minstrel was not confined to a mere musician in this country any more
than on the Continent.] The discussion of the question whether the term Minstrel was
applied in England to singers and composers of songs, &c., or confined to the
performers on musical instruments, was properly reserved for this place, because
much light hath already been thrown upon the subject in the preceding notes, to which
it will be sufficient to refer the reader.
That on the Continent the Minstrel was understood not to be a mere musician,
but a singer of verses, has been shown in notes (B), (C), (R), (AA), &c.[29] And that
he was also a maker of them, is evident from the passage in (C), where the most noted
romances are said to be of the composition of these men. And in (BB), we have the
titles of some of which a Minstrel was the author, who has himself left his name upon
record.
The old English names for one of this profession were Gleeman, Jogeler, and
latterly Minstrel; not to mention Harper, &c. In French he was calledJongleuror
Jugleur,MenestrelorMenestrier. The writers of the Middle Ages expressed the
character in Latin by the wordsJoculator,Mimus,Histrio,Ministrellus, &c. These
terms, however modern critics may endeavour to distinguish and apply them to
different classes, and although they may be sometimes mentioned ss if they were
distinct, I cannot find, after a very strict research, to have had any settled appropriate
difference, but they appear to have been used indiscriminately by the oldest writers,
especially in England; where the most general and comprehensive name was latterly
Minstrel, Lat.Ministrellus, &c.
ThusJoculator(Eng. Jogeler, or Juglar) is used as synonymous to Citharista,
note (K), and toCantor(ibid.) and to Minstrel. (Vide infra.) We have also positive
proof that the subjects of his songs were gestes and romantic tales. (V2), note.
SoMimusis used as synonymous to Joculator (M). He was rewarded for his
singing (N), and he both sang, harped, and dealt in that sport (T2), which is elsewhere
calledArs Joculatoria(M), ubi supra.
Again,Histriois also proved to have been a singer (Z), and to have gained
rewards by his Verba Joculatoria (E). AndHistrionesis the term by which the French
wordMinistraulxis must frequently rendered into Latin (W), (BB), &c.
The fact therefore is sufficiently established, that this order of men were in
England, as well as on the Continent,singers, so that it only becomes a dispute about
words, whether here, under the more general name of Minstrels, they are described as
havingsung.
But in proof of this, we have only to turn to so common a book as T. Warton's
History of English Poetry, where we shall find extracted from records the following
instances:-
Ex. Registr. Priorat. S. Swithin Winton. (sub anno 1374) "In festo Alwyni Epi.... Et durante pietancia in Aula Conventus sex Ministralli, cum quatuor
Citharisatoribus, faciebant Ministralcias suas. Et post cenam, in magna camera
arcuata Dom. Prioris cantabant idemGestumin qua Camera suspendebatur, ut moris
est, magnum dorsale Prioris habens picturas trium Regum Colein. Veniebant autem