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XXIII. Dissertation on the Lives and Works of several Anglo-Norman Poets of the Thirteenth Century. In a Letter from Mons. De La Rue to John Henniker Major, Esq. M.P. F.R.S. and F.A.S. Translated from the French

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  24 July 2012

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Extract

I have in several dissertations already treated of some of the Anglo-Norman Trouveres of the twelfth and thirteenth centuries. As a pursuit of this kind must of necessity throw great light on the literary history of England in an age of such obscurity, I am convinced that my researches of this nature must be exceedingly welcome to you; and it is with the greatest pleasure that I take the present moment to communicate to you this part of my labours on the poets of the thirteenth century.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © The Society of Antiquaries of London 1800

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References

page 230 note [a] See Archaeologia, Vol. XII. p. 50, 297.

page 230 note [b] Trouveres, or Troubadours, were the first of Provence poets, who invented the fables, that the ancient minstrels went about singing in the houses of the great. They were also called Troupadours, Trouveours, Trouveurs, and Trompadours, or Trompadours.

These Trompadours were the first French poets; for we ought not to allow this title to the bards, composers of barbarous verses, who made their appearance in the first ages of the French monarchy.

Some think that the Trouveres were those poets who lived in the middle and northern parts of France, as distinguished from those who lived in the south, particularly Provence, who were called Troubadours. Communicated by Mr. Moysant.

page 232 note [b] Archacologia, Vol. XII.

page 233 note [c] Psalm LXXXV.

page 234 note [d] Oder. Vit. apud Duchesne. p. 598.

page 234 note [e] Warton's Hist. of English Poetry.

page 235 note [f] Walton's Hist. of English Poetry.

page 237 note [g] Leyser Hist. poetarum medii ævi, p. 430.

page 237 note [h] Math. Paris in vita abbatum sti albani.

page 237 note [i] Fiz. Stephens' Description of London, p. 73.

page 238 note [k] Math. Paris loco citato.

page 238 note [l] Jongleurs. It is a word now synonymous to bateleur (a juggler) who plays fleight of hand. Formerly this name was given to a kind of minstrel, who went about singing small poems in the houses of the great, and particularly in the court of the earls of Flanders; but this name was more usually given to a kind of buffoon, or juggler, who had succeeded to the historians. The greatest part of them were of Provence; they understood music, and played on instruments. They connected themselves with the Troubadours, or Trouveurs, poets in vogue since the eleventh century, whose productions they sang and performed. By these means they got admittance into the palaces of kings and princes, by whom they were rewarded with magnificent presents They were also called Jugleurs, Jongleurs, and the women Jongleresies.

At the end of the fourteenth century the Trouveurs and the Jongleurs separated themselves into two bodies; the one under the name of Jongleurs joined singing and the recitation of verses to the sound of instruments; the others under the name of Joueurs (Joculatores) amused the people by fleight of hand, &c. &c. like the jugglers of this day. About the time of Philip Auguste the Jongleurs, came to disgrace because poetry was little in esteem at that time, more particularly after the death of the count of Champagne, who composed so many amorous verses for queen Blanche. The name of Jongleurs became so contemptible that it was applied only to jugglers, and at length, as they repeated nothing but buffoonery, the term Jonglerie sigified false-hood, and they used the words jongler and jaugler to signify to lie. It is for this reason that Philip Auguste drove them from his dominions. They, however, reappeared, and were tolerated in the following part of the reigns of this prince and of the kings that succeeded him. They all took the name of Jongleurs, as the most ancient. They lived all in one street, then called Rue des Jongleurs, now de S. Julien des Menestriers; that is, street of the Jugglers, now of St. Julien of the Minstrels, Communicated by Mr. Moysant.

page 241 note [m] Archaeologia, Vol. XII. p. 57.

page 247 note [n] Leland's Scriptores Britan, p. 285. Tanner's Bibl, Britan.

page 249 note [o] Servantois, or Sorvantois, is an antient term of poetry, for a sort of verse or satire which the Trouveres sang in imitation of the Picards. These poems were primarily levelled against kings, princes, and ecclesiastics; but when applied to celebrate battles and victories, formed a mixture of panegyric and satire. Communicated by Tvir. Moysant.