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Minstrel
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==Description== Minstrels performed songs which told stories of distant places or of existing or imaginary historical events. Although minstrels created their own tales, often they would memorize and embellish the works of others.<ref>A history of English literature: in a series of biographical sketches, By William Francis Collier</ref> Frequently they were retained by royalty and high society. As the courts became more sophisticated, minstrels were eventually replaced at court by the [[troubadour]]s, and many became wandering minstrels, performing in the streets; a decline in their popularity began in the late 15th century. Minstrels fed into later traditions of travelling entertainers, which continued to be moderately strong into the early 20th century, and which has some continuity in the form of today's [[busking|buskers]] or street musicians. Initially, minstrels were simply treats at court, and entertained the lord and courtiers with ''[[chansons de geste]]'' or their local equivalent. The term ''minstrel'' derives from [[Old French]] ''ménestrel'' (also ''menesterel, menestral''), which is a derivative from Italian ''ministrello'' (later ''menestrello''), from [[Medieval Latin|Middle Latin]] ''ministralis'' "retainer", an adjective form of [[Latin]] ''minister'', "attendant" from ''minus'', "lesser". In [[History of Anglo-Saxon England|Anglo-Saxon England]] before the [[Norman Conquest]], the professional poet was known as a ''[[scop]]'' ("shaper" or "maker"), who composed his own poems, and sang them to the accompaniment of a [[harp]]. In a rank much beneath the ''scop'' were the ''[[gleemen]]'', who had no settled abode, but roamed about from place to place, earning what they could from their performances. Late in the 13th century, the term ''minstrel'' began to be used to designate a performer who amused his lord with music and song. Following a series of invasions, wars, conquests, etc., two categories of composers developed. Poets like [[Chaucer]] and [[John Gower]] appeared in one category, wherein music was not a part. Minstrels, on the other hand, gathered at feasts and festivals in great numbers with harps, [[fiddle]]s, [[bagpipe]]s, flutes, [[flageolet]]s, [[cittern]]s and [[kettledrum]]s. Additionally, minstrels were known for their involvement in political commentary and engaged in propaganda. They often reported news with bias to sway opinion and revised works to encourage action in favor of equality.<ref>{{Cite book|title = History of Oral Interpretation|last1 = Bahn|first1 = Eugene|publisher = Burgess Publishing Company|year = 1970|location = Minneapolis, MN|pages = 72|last2 = Bahn|first2 = Margaret}}</ref> The ''Heege Manuscript'', transcribed in the English [[Midlands]] around 1480 by Richard Heege, may offer a sample of the humor favored by some medieval minstrels at festivals.<ref>{{cite journal |last= Wade |first=James |date=October 2023 |title=Entertainments from a Medieval Minstrel's Repertoire Book |url=https://academic.oup.com/res/article/74/316/605/7187022 |journal=The Review of English Studies |volume=74 |issue=316 |pages=605–618 |doi=10.1093/res/hgad053 |access-date= 2 February 2024|doi-access=free }}</ref> The music of the [[troubadours]] and [[trouvères]] was performed by minstrels called ''joglars'' (Occitan) or ''jongleurs'' (French). As early as 1321, the minstrels of Paris were formed into a [[guild]].<ref name=EB1911>{{cite EB1911 |wstitle=Minstrel |volume=18 |page=557}}</ref> A guild of royal minstrels was organized in England in 1469.<ref name=EB1911/> Minstrels were required to either join the guild or abstain from practising their craft. Some minstrels were retained by lords as [[jester]]s who, in some cases, also practised the art of [[juggling]]. Some were women or women who followed minstrels in their travels. Minstrels throughout Europe also employed trained animals, such as bears. Minstrels in Europe died out slowly, having gone nearly extinct by about 1700, although isolated individuals working in the tradition existed even into the early 19th century.
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