64 THE MINSTRELS AND THEIR PLACE IN THE MIDDLE AGES.

Augustine priory of Bicester in Oxfordshire, for the year 1431, the following entries relating to this subject occur, which I chuse to exhibit in the words of the original. 'DONA PRIORIS. Et in datis cuidam 'citharizatori in die sancti Jeronimi, viii. d.—Et in datis alteri cithari'zatori in festo Apostolorum Simonis et Jude cognomine Hendy, 'xii. d.-Et in datis cuidam minstrallo domini le Talbot infra natale 'domini, xii. d.-Et in datis ministrallis domini le Straunge in die 'Epiphanie, xx. d.-Et in datis duobus ministrallis domini Lovell in 'crastino S. Marci evangeliste, xvi. d.--Et in datis ministrallis ducis Glocestrie in ffesto nativitatis beate Marte, iii s. iv d.' I must add, as it likewise paints the manners of the monks, ‘Et in datis cuidam, 'Urfario, iiii d1. In the prior's accounts of the Augustine canons of Maxtoke in Warwickshire, of various years in the reign of Henry VI., one of the styles, or general heads, is DE JOCULATORIBUS ET MIMIS. I will, without apology, produce some of the particular articles; not distinguishing between Mimi, Joculatores, Jocatores, Lusores, and Citharista: who all seem alternately, and at different times, to have exercised the same arts of popular entertainment. 'Joculatori in 'septimana S. Michaelis, iv d.—Cithariste tempore natalis domini et ' aliis jocatoribus, iv d.—Mimis de Solihull, vi d.—Mimis de Coventry, 'xx d.—Mimo domini Ferrers, vi d.—Lusoribus de Eton, viii d.— 'Lusoribus de Coventry, viii d.—Lusoribus de Daventry, xii d.—Mimis 'de Coventry, xii d.—Mimis domini de Asteley, xii d.—Item iiii. mimis 'domini de Warewyck, x d.—Mimo ceco, ii d.-Sex mimis domini de 'Clyton.-Duobus mimis de Rugeby, x d.—Cuidam cithariste, vi d.— 'Mimis domini de Asteley, xx d.—Cuidam cithariste, vi d.—Cithariste 'de Coventry, vi d.—Duobus citharistis de Coventry, viii d.—Mimis de ‘Rugeby, viii d.—Mimis domini de Buckeridge, xx d.—Mimis domini 'de Stafford, i s.-Luforibus de Coleshille, viii d' Here we may observe, that the minstrels of the nobility, in whose families they were constantly retained, travelled about the country to the neighbouring monasteries; and that they generally received better gratuities for these occasional performances than the others. Solihull, Rugby, Coleshill, Eton, or Nun-Eton, and Coventry, are all towns situated at no march, and Coldbrond's battle-axe was kept in the treasury of S. Swithin's priory till the dissolution. Th. Rudb, apud Wharton, Angl. Sacr. 1. 211. This history remained in rude painting against the walls of the north transept of the cathedral till within my memory. Queen Emma was a patroness of this church, in which she underwent the trial of walking blindfold over nine red hot ploughshares. Colbrond is mentioned in the old romance of the Squyr of Lowe Degree. Signat. a. iii.

Or cls so doughty of my honde

As was the gyauntre syr Colbronde.

See what is said above of Guy earl of Warwick, who will again be mentioned.

1 Ex. Orig, in Rotul, pergamen. Tit. 'Compotus dui Ricardi Parentyn Prioris, et fratris Ric. Alben canonici, bursarii ibidem, de omnibus bonis per eosdem receptis et liberatis a crastino Michealis anno Henrici Sexti post conquestum octavo usque in idem crastinum 'anno R. Henrici prædicti nono.' In Thesauriar. Coll. SS. Trin. Oxon. Bishop Kennet has printed a Computus of the same monastery under the same reign, in which three or four entries of the same sort occur. Paroch. Antiq. p. 578.

Ex. orig. penes me.

great distance from the priory.1

Nor must I omit that two minstrels

from Coventry made part of the festivity at the consecration of John, prior of this convent, in the year 1432, viz, ‘Dat. duobus mimis de Coventry in die consecrationis prioris, xii d2. Nor is it improbable, that some of our greater monasteries kept minstrels of their own in regular pay. So early as the year 1180, in the reign of Henry II., Jeffrey the harper received a corrody, or annuity, from the Benedictine abbey of Hide near Winchester3; undoubtedly on condition that he should serve the monks in the profession of a harper on public occasions. The abbies of Conway and Stratflur in Wales respectively maintained a bard1: and the Welsh monasteries in general were the grand repositories of the poetry of the British bards".

In the statutes of New-college at Oxford, given about the year 1380, the founder bishop William of Wykeham orders his scholars, for their recreation on festival days in the hall after dinner and supper, to enter

1 In the ancient annual rolls of accompt of Winchester college, there are many articles of this sort. The few following, extracted from a great number, may serve as a specimen. They are chiefly in the reign of Edward iv. viz, In the year 1481. 'Et in fol. ministrallis dom. * Regis venientibus ad collegium xv. die Aprilis, cum 12d. solut ministrallis dom. Episcopi Wynton venientibus ad collegium primo die Junii iiiis. iiiid.-Et in dat. ministrallis dom. Arun* deil ven, ad. Coll. cum xiiid. dat. ministrallis dom. de Lawarr, iis, iiiid.'-In the year 1483. Sol ministrallis dom. Regis ven, ad Coll. iis. iiiid.'--In the year 1472. Et in dat. *ministralis dom. Regis cum. viiid. dat. duobus Herewardis ducis Clarentie, xxd.-Et in dat. Johanni Stulto quondam dom. de Warewyco, cum iiid. dat. Thome Nevyle taborario.-Et in * dels duobus ministrallis ducis Gloucestrie, cum iiid. dat. uni ministrallo ducis de Northum*oad, viid. -Et in datis duobus citharatoribus ad vices venient. ad collegium viiid.'In t'e year 1479; 'Et in datis satrapis Wynton venientibus ad coll. festo Epiphanie, cum • xud, dat, miristrallis dom, episcopi venient. ad coll. infra octavas Epiphanie, iiis.'-in the year 1477. Et in dat. ministraliis dom. Principis venient. ad coll. festo Ascensionis Domini, cum xx dat, ministrallis dom. Regis, vs.'-In the year 1464. Et in dat. ministrallis comitis Kancie venient, ad Coll. in mense Julii iiis. iiiid.—In the year 1467. Et in datis quatuor mimis dom, de Arundell venient, ad. Coll. xiii. die fïebr. ex curialitate dom. Custodis, In the year 1466. "Et in dat. satrapis, [ut supr.] cum iis. dat iii. interludentibus et J. Meke cithariste eodemn ffesto iis.In the year 1484. 'Et in dat. uni ministrallo *Com. principis, et in aliis ministrallis ducis Gloucestrie v. die Julii. xxd.---The minssrels of the bikep, of lord Arundel, and the duke of Gloucester, occur very frequently. In domo ...iment. coll. prædict, in cista ex orentali latere.

Iuris of the reign of Henry the sixth, the countess of Westmoreland, sister of cardina Esat fort, is mentioned as being entertained in the college; and in her retinue were the minstre's of her household, who received gratuties. Ex Rot. Comp. orig.

In these rolls there is an entry, which seems to prove that the usores were a sort of actors in dumb show or masquerade. Rot an. 1467. 'Dat lusoribus de civitate Winton venientibus egum in apparatu suo mens. julii, vs. viiid.' This is a large reward. I will add from the same rolis, ann. 1479. 'In dat Joh. 'Pontisbery et socio ludentibus in aula in "Ce crcumcisionis, iis.'

al c

Itd It appears that the Coventry-men were in high repute for their performances of this scrt. In the entertainment presented to queen Elizabeth at Kenilworth castle, in the year 1, The Coventry-men exhibited their old storiall sheaw.' Lancham's narrative, &c. p. 32. Minstrels were hired from Coventry to perform at Holy Crosse feast at Abingdon, Berks, 1422. Horne's Lib Nig Scacc. ii. p. 598. See an account of their play on Corpus Christi day, in Stoven's Monasticon, i. p. 238. And Hearne's Foadun, p. 1450. sub, an 1492.

3 Madox, Hist. Exchecquer, p. 251. Where he is styled, "Galsridus citharœdus.'

4 Powel's CAMBRIA. To the Reader. pag. 1. edit. 1581.

Evans's Diss. de Pardis. Specimens of Welsh poetry. p. 92. Wood relates a story of two itrerant priests coming, towards night, to a cell of Benedictines near Oxford, where, on a Kopposition of their being mimes or minstrels, they gained admittance. But the cellarer, sucrist, and others of the brethren, hoping to have been entertained with their pesticulatoriis Infurisque artibus, and finding them to be nothing more than two indigent ecclesiastics who el only administer spiritual consolation, and being consequently disappointed of their mirth, beat them and turned them out of the monastery. Hist. Antiq Univ. Oxon. i. 67. Under the

year 1224

66

CANTILENE-POETICAL CHRONICLES OF THE SCHOLARS.

tain themselves with songs, and other diversions consistent with decency and to recite poems, chronicles of kingdoms, the wonders of the world, together with the like compositions, not misbecoming the clerical character. I will transcribe his words. 'Quando ob dei re'verentiam aut sue matris, vel alterius sancti cujuscunque, tempore 'yemali, ignis in aula sociis ministratur; tunc scolaribus et sociis post 'tempus prandii aut cene, liceat gracia recreationis, in aula, in Canti'lenis et aliis solaciis honestis, moram facere condecentem; et Poe'mata, regnorum Chronicas, et mundi hujus Mirabilia, ac cetera que 'statum clericalem condecorant, seriosius pertractare1.' The latter part of this injunction seems to be an explication of the former: and on the whole it appears, that the Cantilence which the scholars should sing on these occasions, were a sort of Poemata, or poetical Chronicles, containing general histories of kingdoms2. It is natural to conclude, that they preferred pieces of English history: and among Hearne's MSS. I have discovered some fragments on vellum3, containing metrical chronicles of our kings; which, from the nature of the composition, seem to have been used for this purpose, and answer our idea of these general Chronica ragnorum. Hearne supposed them to have been written about the time of Richard I.: but I rather assign ther: to the reign of Edward I., who died in the year 1307. But the reader shall judge. The following fragment begins abruptly with some rich presents which king Athelstan received from Charles III., king of France: a nail which pierced our Saviour's feet on the cross, a spear with which Charlemagne fought against the Saracens, and which some supposed to be the spear which pierced our Saviour's side, a part of the holy cross enclosed in crystal, three of the thorns from the crown on our Saviour's head, and a crown formed entirely of precious stones, which was endued with a mystical power of reconciling enemies.

Ther in was closyd a nayle grete
Gyt he presentyd hym the spere
Agens the Sarasyns in batayle;
That with that spere smerte
And a party of the holi crosse
And three of the thornes kene
And a ryche crowne of golde

That went thorw oure lordis fete.
That Charles was wont to bere
Many swore and sayde saunfayle3,
Our lorde was stungen to the herte.
In crystal done in a cloos.
That was in Cristes hede sene,
Non rycher kyng wer y scholde,

1 Rubric. xviii. The same thing is enjoined in the statutes of Winchester college, Rubr. xv I do not remember any such passage in the statutes of preceding colleges in either university. But this injunction is afterwards adopted in the statutes of Magdalene college; and fron thence, if I recollect right, was copied into those of Corpus Christi, Oxford.

2 Hearne thus understood the passage. 'The wife founder of New college permitted them '[metrical chronicles] to be sung by the fellows and scholars upon extraordinary days.' Heming. Cartul. ii. APPEND Numb. ix. § vi. p. 662.

Given to him by Mr. Murray. See Heming. Chartul ii. p. 654. 731. Nunc. MSS. Bibl. Bodl. Oxon. RAWLINS. Cod. 4to [E. Pr. 87.]

4 Yet. Moreover. 6 Sharp, strong. Edmund.

5 Without doubt. Fr.

And Rob. Glouc. ii.. pl.

So in the Lives of the Saints, MSS. supr. citat. In th Life of S.

For saint Edmund had a smerte zerde, &c. i. e. ' He had a strong rod in his hand, &c.' 7 Part. Piece

Y made within and withowt
Of eche manir vertu thry'
Tomake frendes that evere were fone,
To none erthelyche mon y wrogth

With pretius stonys alle a bowte,
The stonys hadde the maystry
Such a crowne was never none,
Syth God made the world of nogth.
Kyng Athelstune was glad and blythe
And thankud the kynge of Ffraunce swythe,

Of gyfts nobul and ryche
In his tyme, I understonde,
And ffor Englond dede batayle
His name was hote Colbrond
Seven yere kyng Athelston

In crystiante was no hym leche.
Was Guy of Warwyk yn Inglonde,
With amygti gyande, without fayle;
Gwy hym slough with his hond
Held this his kyngdome

In Inglond that ys so mury,
He dyedde and lythe at Malmesbury?.
After hym regned his brother Edmond.
And he ne regned here,
Sith hyt be falle at a feste
As the kyng at the mete fat

And was kyng of Ingelond,
But unneth nine yere,

At Caunterbury 3 a cas unwrest,
He behelde and under that

Of a theef that was desgyse
Amonge hys knyghtes god and wise;
The kyng was hesty and sterte uppe
And hent the thefe by the toppe
And cast hym doune on a ston:
The theefe brayde out a knyfe a non

And the kyng to the hert threste, Or any of his knightes weste":
The baronys sterte up anone, And slough the theefe swythe sone,
But arst he wounded many one,

Thrugh the fflesh and thrugh the bone :
To Glastenbury they bare the kynge,
And ther made his buryinge.

After that Edmund was ded,
Edred reyned here

After hym reyned seynt Edgare,
Thilke nyghte that he was bore,
Ffor herde that swete stevene
In the songe thei songe bi ryme,
'That Edgare y bore y was,

1 Three.

Ever more in hys
The while he liveth

Reyned his brother Edred;
But unnethe thre yere, &c.
A wyse kynge and a warre:
Seynt Dunstan was glad ther fore;
Of the angels of hevene:
'Y blessed be that ylke tyme
'Ffor in hys tyme schal be pas,
kyngdome.'

and seynt Dunston,

Ther was so meche grete foyson!".

Of all good in every tonne;

To which monastery he gave the fragment of the holy cross given him by the king of France. Rob. Glouc. p. 276.

King Athelston lovede much Malmesbury y wis.
He gef of the holy cross some, thot there gut ys.

It is extraordinary, thas Peter Langtoft should not know where Athelstan was buried; and as
strange that his translator Rob, de Brunne should supply this defect by mentioning a report
that his body was lately found at Hexham in Northumberland. Chron. p. 32.
Reb. of Gloucester says, that this happened at Pucklechurch near Bristol. p. 277.
But
Rob. de Brunne at Canterbury, whither the king went to hold the feast of S. Austin. p. 33-
4 A wicked mischance.
6 Perceived.

5 Head.

7 Arest. First. At Gloucester, says Rob. de Brunne, p. 33. But Rob. of Gloucester says his body was brought from Pucklechurch, and interred at Glastonbury: and that hence the town of Pucklechurch became part of the possessions of Glastonbury abbey, p. 271. 16 Provision.

This song is in Rob. Glouc. Chron. p. 281.

The knyghtes of Wales, all and some

*

Han to swery and othes holde. And trewe to be as y told,
To bring trynge hym trewage1 yeare,
CCC wolves eche zere;

And so they dyde trewliche
The ferthe yere myght they fynde non.

*

*

And the kyng hyt hem forgat
Edgare was an holi man

Three yere pleyneverlyche,
So clene thay wer all a gon.

*

*

For he nolde hem greve,
That oure lorde, &c.

Although we have taken our leave of Robert de Brunne, yet as the subject is remarkable, and affords a striking portraiture of ancient manners, I am tempted to transcribe that chronicler's description of the presents received by king Athelstane from the king of France, especially as it contains some new circumstances, and supplies the defects of our fragment. It is from his version of Peter Langtoft's chronicle abovementioned.

At the feste of oure lady the Assumpcion,
Went the king fro London to Abindon,

Thider out of France, fro Charles kyng of fame,
Com the of Boloyn, Adulphus was his name,

And the duke of Burgoyn Edmonde sonne Reynere.

The brouht kynge Athelston present withouten pere:

Fro Charles kyng sanz faile thei brouht a gonfayno2 un
That saynt Morice in batayle before the legioun;
And scharp lance that thrilled Jhesu syde;
And a suerd of golde, in the hilte did men hyde
Tuo of tho nayles that war thorh Jhesu fete;

3

Tached on the croys, the blode thei out lete;

And som of the thornes that don were on his heved,
And a fair pece that of the croys leved,

That saynt Heleyn sonne at the batayle won

Of the soudan of Askalone his name was Madan.
Than blewe the trumpets full loud and full schille,
The kyng com in to the halle that hardy was of wille:
Than spak Reyner Edmunde sonne, for he was messengere,
'Athelstan, my lord the gretes, Charles that has no pere;
'He sends the this present, and sais, he wille hym bynde
'To the thorh Ilde thi sistere, and tille alle thi kynde.'
Befor the messengers was the maiden brouht,
Of body so gentill was non in erthe wrouht;
No non so faire of face, of spech so lusty,

Scho granted befor tham all to Charles hir body:
And so did the kyng, and alle the baronage,

Mikelle was the richesse thei purveied in hir passage.

1 Ready. 2 Banner. 3 Tacked. Fastened. 4 Remained. 5 'Thee through.' 6 Chron. p. 29, 30. Afterwards follows the combat of Guy with 'a hogge [huge] geant, hight Colibrant. As in our fragment, p. 31. See Will. Malmes. Gest. Angl. ii. 6. lance of Charlemagne is to this day shewn among the relics of St. Dennis's in France. penter, Suppl. Gloff. Lat. Du-cang. tom. ii. p. 994. edit. 1766.

The

Car