M J N 
rived themfelves from a Welfh colony. From this fource, 
the minilrels probably drew their firlt accounts of 
.-What refounds 
In fable or romance, of Uther’s fon, 
Begirt with Britiih and Annoric knights. 
This theme, however, acquired its chief popularity after 
the acquisition of England by William the Conqueror. 
It is now completely proved, that the earliell and belt 
French romances were compofed for the meridian of the 
English court, where that language continued to be ex¬ 
clusively ufed, at leaSl till the time of Edward III. When 
the Norman race of monarchs had once fecured thern- 
lelves on the throne of England, and identified the ho¬ 
nour of that country with their own, they began to feel 
an intereft in its early history, and to liften with applaufe 
to the feats of its heroes. The legends of the Welsh, on 
tliefe occafions, were much more acceptable than thofe of 
the Saxons. The latter were the people whom the Nor¬ 
mans had conquered, and whole kings they had dilpof- 
fefled : the praife, therefore, of their departed heroes re¬ 
vived Sentiments of difcord, better forgotten by all parties. 
But the exploits of the British were carried back to fo an¬ 
cient a period, and fo intermingled with Celtic fable, that 
they recalled no fentiment of ancient independence, and 
fuggefted no ideas dangerous to the Norman race. The 
exploits of Arthur were therefore unanimously adopted 
as the fubjeft of tales and romances without end ; and 
thel'e were drawn by the Norman minilrels from the British 
traditions flowing from Wales, and floating in what had 
lately been the British kingdom of Cumberland ; but es¬ 
pecially from the works of Geoffrey of Monmouth. Mr. 
Ellis lhows, that the Slate of Wales, during the eleventh, 
twelfth, and thirteenth, centuries, was favourable to an 
exchange of literary materials betwixt the bards of that 
country and the Norman minStrels, as well as between the 
former and their brethren of Armorica. But, as there is 
reafon to believe that the British lays were feldom if ever 
committed to writing, it might be expected that different 
minttrels would tell the fame Story with fome variations; 
that, unable to retain in their memory the whole of a long 
narrative, they would carry off, in the firfl inflance, de¬ 
tached adventures, which they would afterwards connect 
as w r ell as they were able ; and that a fyllem of traditional 
history, thus imperfectly preferved through the medium 
of a very loole translation, and already involved in much 
geographical and chronological confusion, would aflume 
the fabulous appearance which we find in the French nar¬ 
ratives called romances. 
The ancient Saxons, as well as the Danes, had been ac¬ 
customed to hold men of this profeSfion in the higheft re¬ 
verence. Their Skill was considered as fomething divine, 
their perfons were deemed facred, their attendance was 
folicited by kings, and they were every-where loaded with 
honours and rewards. In Short, poets and their art were 
held among them in that rude admiration w'hich is ever 
Shown by an ignorant people to fuch as excel them in In¬ 
tellectual accomplishments.. This appears from two re¬ 
markable fafits in history, which Show that the fame arts 
of muflc and Song w'ere equally admired among both na¬ 
tions, and that the privileges and honours conferred upon 
the profeSfors of them were common to both ; as it is well 
known their cuftoms, manners, and even language, were 
not in thofe times very diflimilar. 
When Alfred the Great was defirous to learn the true 
fituation of the Danish army, which had invaded his realm, 
he aflumed the drefs and character of a minStrel, and 
taking his harp, and only one attendant (for in the earlieil 
times it was not unufual for a min fir el to have a Servant 
to carry his harp), he went with the utmoft fecurity into 
the Danish camp ; and, though he could not but be known 
to be a Saxon, the character he had aflumed procured him 
an hofpitable reception ; he was admitted to entertain the 
king at table, and flaid among them long enough to con¬ 
trive that a (fault which afterwards destroyed them. This 
Vof. XV. No. 1064. 
3 T It- E L, 5.-15 
was in the year S78. About Sixty years after, a Danish 
king made ufe of the fame aifguife to explore the camp of 
the Saxon king AthelSlan. With his harp in his hand, 
and drolled like a minilrel, Anlaff king of the Danes went 
among the Saxon tents, and, taking his Hand near the 
king’s pavilion, began to play, and was immediately ad¬ 
mitted. There he entertained AthelSlan and his lords 
with his Singing and his muflc ; and was at length dif- 
mifled with an honourable reward, though his longs mull 
have discovered him to have been a Dane. AthelSlan was 
faved from the confequences of this Stratagem by a Soldier, 
who had observed Anlaff bury the money which had been 
given him, from fome fcruple of honour or motive of Su¬ 
perstition. This occafloned a difcovery. 
From the uniform procedure of both thefe kings, it is 
plain that the lame mode of entertainment prevailed 
among both peoples, and that the minilrel was a privi¬ 
leged character among both. Even as late as the reign of 
Edward II. the minilrels were eafily admitted into the 
royal preience, as appears from a paflage in Stow, which 
alfo Shows the fplendour of their appearance. “ In the 
year 1316, Edward II. did Solemnize his feaft: of Pentecoll 
at Weitminiter, in the great hall; where fitting royally at 
the table with his peers about him, there entered a jvoman 
adorned like a minilrel, fitting on a great horie trapped, 
as minilrels then ufed, who rode round about the tables. 
Showing pallime; and at length came up to the king's* 
table and laid before him a letter, and, forthwith turning 
her horfe, Saluted every one, and departed.” The fub'eCl 
of this letter was a remonilrance to the king on the fa¬ 
vours heaped by him on his minions, to the neglect of his 
knights and faithful fervants. The meflenger was Sent 
in a minllrel’s habit, as what would gain an eaiy admiflion • 
and was a woman concealed under that habit, probably 
to dilarm the king’s refentment; for we do not find that 
any of the real minilrels were of the female fex; and there¬ 
fore conclude this was only an artful contrivance peculiar 
to that occasion. 
In the 4th year of Richard II. John of Gaunt ereCted at 
Tetbury in Staffordshire a court of minilrels, with a full 
power to receive Suit and fervice from the men of that 
profeSfion within five neighbouring counties, to enaCt 
law's, and determine their controversies ; and to apprehend 
and arrell fuch of them hs Should refute to appear at the 
Said court, annually held on the 16th of AuguSl. For 
this they had a charter, by which they were empowered to 
appoint a king of the mbiftrels with four officers to prefide- 
over them. Thefe were every yearelefiled with great ce¬ 
remony ; the whole form of which is deicribed° by Dr. 
Plott j in whole time, however, they Seem to have become 
mere mulicians. 
About the year 1330, the minilrels of Paris formed 
themfelves into a company, and obtained a charter. The 
police frequently reprefl'ed their licentioufnefs, and re¬ 
gulated their conduCl. Philip Auguftus banished them 
the firfl year of his reign ; but they were recalled by his 
fucceSfors, and united under the general name of mmc- 
ftraudie, minllrelfy ; having a chief appointed over them 
who was called king of the minftreh. Louis IX. exempted 
them from a tariff’ or toll at the entrance into Paris, on 
condition that they Should ling a long and make their 
monkeys dance to the tollman, perhaps to prove their title 
to fuch indulgence; and hencearofethe well-known pro¬ 
verb, “ Payer en gambades et en inonnoi'e de Singe.” 
The alfociated minStrels inhabited a particular-!lreet° to 
which they gave the name, which it Hill retains, of St . 
Ju/ien des Meiiefiricrs. It was here that the public were 
provided with muficians for weddings, and parties of plea¬ 
sure ; but, as_ a greater number of them uiually attended 
on fuch occafions than were ordered, and all expedited to 
be paid the fame price, William de Germont, provoft of 
Paris, in 1331 prohibited the jongleurs and jonglereifes 
from going to thole w’ho required their performance in 
greater num,bers than had been itipulated, upon a. fevere 
penalty. In 1395 their libertinifm and immoralities again 
6 z incurred 
