ENGLISH MINSTRELSY.1

THE Minstrels were a class of men in the middle ages, who subsisted by the arts of poetry and music; who went about from place to place, and offered their poetical and musical wares wherever they could find a market. They appear to have accompanied their songs with mimicry and action, and in short to have practised such various means of diverting, as were much admired in those rude times, and supplied the want of more refined entertainment. These arts rendered them extremely popular and acceptable wherever they went. No great scene of festivity was considered complete that was not set off with the exercise of their talents; and so long as the spirit of chivalry existed, with which their songs were so much in keeping, they were protected and caressed.

Of the origin of the Minstrels, it is difficult to find any thing satisfactory. The term seems to be derived from the Latin minister or ministellus, “an attendant," "an assistant," as the Minstrels were attendant upon persons of rank, and assistants at their entertainments. But whatever may be said of their origin, the Minstrels continued a distinct order of men till centuries after the Norman conquest, and there is but little doubt that most of the fine old ballads in English Literature, were not only sung, but in many cases written by the professed Minstrel.

There are many incidents in early English history which show how numerous was this body of men, and in what high estimation they were held. The one most familiar, is that of King Alfred's entering the Danish camp, in the disguise of a harper. Though known by his dialect to be a Saxon, the character he assumed procured him a hospitable reception. He was admitted to entertain the Danish princes at their table, and stayed among them long enough to observe all their movements, and to plan that assault which resulted in their overthrow. So also the story of Blondell's going unharmed over Europe, in search of Richard I., goes to prove the same fact-the high estimation in which the Minstrel in early times was held.

In the reign of Edward II. (1307-1327) such extensive privileges were claimed by Minstrels, and by dissolute persons assuming their character, that they became a public grievance, and their liberties were restricted by express statute. Finally, in the 39th year of the reign of Elizabeth, (1597,) this class of persons had so sunk in public estimation, that a statute was passed by which "Minstrels, wandering abroad, were included among rogues, vagabonds, and sturdy beggars," and were adjudged to be punished as such.

SIR PATRICK SPENS.

This ballad lays claim to a high and remote antiquity. There are different opinions as to its origin, which the reader may see stated in Sir Walter Scott's "Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border." The probability is, that it is founded on authentic history, and that it records the melancholy and disastrous fate of that gallant band which, about the year 1280, followed in the suite of Margaret, daughter of Alexander the Third of Scotland, when she was espoused

1 Read-Percy's "Reliques of Ancient English Poetry"-Motherwell's "Ancient and Modern Minstrelsy"-Sir Walter Scott's "Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border"-The "Book of the British Ballads" -Herd's "Collection of Songs and Ballads.''

to Eric of Norway. According to Fordun, the old Scottish historian, many distinguished nobles accompanied her in this expedition to Norway, to grace her nuptials, several of whom perished in a storm while on their return to Scotland.

5 If a "bolt flew out," of course a plank must have started.

3 Sky.

Sprans

In one of Cook's voyages, when a leak could not be got at inside, a sail was brought under the vassel, which by the pressure of the sea was forced into the hole, and prevented the entry of more water.

!

O laith' laith were our gude Scots lords
To weet their cork-heeled shoon !2
But lang or a' the play was played,
They wat their hats aboon.3

And mony was the feather-bed
That floated on the faem;
And mony was the gude lord's son
That never mair came hame.

The ladyes wrang their fingers white,-
The maidens tore their hair;

A' for the sake of their true loves,-
For them they'll see na mair.

O lang lang may the ladyes sit,
Wi' their fans into their hand,
Before they see Sir Patrick Spens
Come sailing to the strand!

And lang lang may the maidens sit,
Wi' their gowd kaims in their hair,
A' waiting for their ain dear loves,-
For them they'll see na mair.

O forty miles off Aberdeen

'Tis fifty fathoms deep,

And there lies gude Sir Patrick Spens

Wi' the Scots lords at his feet.

CHEVY-CHASE.

One of the most celebrated of the English Ballads, is that of "Chevy-Chase." Like one of the paintings of the old masters, the more it is read the more it is admired. Sir Philip Sidney, in his "Defence of Poesy," says, "I never heard the old song of Percy and Douglas, that I found not my heart more moved than with a trumpet."4 Its subject is this. It was a regulation between those who lived near the borders of England and Scotland, that neither party should hunt in the other's domains without leave. There had long been a rivalship between the two martial families, Percy of Northumberland and Douglas of Scotland, and the former had vowed to hunt for three days in the Scottish border, without asking leave of Earl Douglas, who was lord of the soil. Douglas did not fail to resent the insult, and endeavor to repel the intruders by force, which brought on the sharp conflict which the ballad so graphically describes. It took place in the region of the Cheviot Hills,

whence its name.

1 Loath.

2 Shoes.

3 Another reading is "Their hair was wat aboon;" that is, they who were at first loath to wet their shoes, were entirely immersed in the sea and drowned.

★ The ballad of which Sidney here speaks is the ancient one, beginning→→

The Persè owt of Northombarlande,

And a vowe to God mayd he.

But the spelling is so very antiquated that I have given the more modern one, the same that Addison pas criticised in numbers 70 and 74 of the Spectator.

God prosper long our noble king,

Our lives and safeties all;

A woful hunting once there did
In Chevy-Chase befall;

To drive the deer with hound and horn,

Earl Percy took his way;

The child may rue that is unborn,
The hunting of that day.

The stout Earl of Northumberland
A vow to God did make,
His pleasure in the Scottish woods
Three summer's days to take;
The chiefest harts in Chevy-Chase
To kill and bear away.

These tidings to Earl Douglas came,
In Scotland where he lay:

Who sent Earl Percy present word,
He would prevent his sport.
The English Earl, not fearing that,
Did to the woods resort

With fifteen hundred bow-men bold,
All chosen men of might,

Who knew full well in time of need
To aim their shafts aright.

The gallant greyhounds swiftly ran,
To chase the fallow-deer:
On Monday they began to hunt,
Ere daylight did appear;

And long before high noon they had
An hundred fat bucks slain;

Then having dined, the drovers went
To rouse the deer again.

The bow-men muster'd on the hills,

Well able to endure;

Their backsides all, with special care,

That day were guarded sure.

The hounds ran swiftly through the woods,

The nimble deer to take,

That with their cries the hills and dales

An echo shrill did make.

Lord Percy to the quarry went,

To view the slaughter'd deer;
Quoth he, Earl Douglas promised
This day to meet me here:

But if I thought he would not come,
No longer would I stay.

With that, a brave young gentleman
Thus to the Earl did say: