lacan. Yonne anar he ron jceome pham Xam rymle . 1 ham proach, then arose be FOR SHAME from the supper, and bome eode to his hure. yode [went to his house.” ́ Bed. Hift. Eccl. a Smith. Cantab. 1722. fol. p. 597. In this version of Alfred's it is obfervable, (1) that he has expreffed the Latin word cantare, by the AngloSaxon words “be heaɲpan singan," SING TO THE HARP; as if they were fynonymous, or as if his countrymen had no idea of Singing unaccompanied with the Harp: (2) That when Bede fimply fays, furgebat a media cona; he affigns a motive, "aɲas for sceome," AROSE FOR SHAME: plainly fignifying, that to fing and play on the Harp was fo common and universal a practice, that it was a Shame for any man not to be able to do it; and he that was unpoffeffed of this accomplishment, could not ftay in company without expofing himself to contempt. (1) The word continues ftill in our language, &c."] This is the word GLEE; which is derived from the Anglo-Saxon Elig3, [Gligg] Mufica; MUSIC, Minstrelsy (Somn.). This is the common radix, whence arife fuch a variety of terms and phrafes relating to the Minstrel-Art, as afford the ftrongest internal proof, that this profeffion was extremely common and popular here before the Norman conquest. Thus we have I. (1) lip, Mimus, a MINSTREL. : Gligman, gligmon, gliman, [Glee-man] Hiftrio, Mimus, Pantomimus; all common names in Middle-Latinity for a MINSTREL and Somner accordingly renders the original by a minstrel; a Player on a timbrel oz taber. He adds, a Fidler; but this is giving a modern idea: occafioned by the word Fidicen; by which the orig. has been alfo rendered: Glimen, gliigmen. [Glee-men.]Hiftriones, MINSTRELS. Hence Gligmanna-yppe. Orchestra, vel Pulpitus. The place where the Minfrels exhibited their performances. (2) BUT their most proper and expreffive name was Gliphleoppieno. Muficus, a Minstrel; and liphleoppienolica. Muficus, MUSICAL. These two words include the full idea of the Minstrel character, expreffing at once their Mufic and Singing, being compounded of lip, Muficus, Mimus, a MUSICIAN, MINSTREL; and Leod, Carmen, a SONG. (3) From the above word ligg, the profeffion itself was called Lligcnært. [Glig or Glee-craft.] Mufica, Hiftrionia, Mimica Gefticulatio: Which Somner rightly gives in English, Minstrelsy, Mimical Sesticulation, Mummery. He alfe adds Stage-playing; but here again, I think he fubftitutes an idea too modern; induced by the word Hifirionia, which in Middle Latinity only fignifies the Minftrel-art. However it should feem, that both mimical gefticulation and a kind of rude exhibition of characters were fometimes attempted by the old Minstrels: But (4). As Mufical Performance was the leading idea, so Ehiopian, is Cantus Muficos edere; and Lligbeam, glipbeam. [Glig or Glee-beam] Tympanum ; a Timbrel or Taber. (So Somn.) Hence Glypian. Tympanum pulfare; and Llip-meden; glypiende-maben; [Glee-maiden] Tympaniftria: which Somner renders a she-Minstrel; for it fhould feem, that they had Females of this profeffion : One name for which was alfo Glýpbýdenestɲa. (5) Of congenial derivation to the foregoing is Glypc, Tibia, a PIPE or FLUTES Both Both this and the common radix Gligg, are with great appearance of truth derived by Junius from the Icelandic Slingur, Flatus; as fuppofing that the firft attempts at Mufic among our Gothic ancestors, were from Wind-inftruments. Vid. Jun. Etym. Ang. V. GLEE. II. But the Minstrels, as is hinted above, did not confine themselves to the mere exercise of their primary arts of Mufic and Song, but occafionally ufed many other modes of diverting. Hence from the above Root was derived, in a fecondary sense, (1) Gleo, and pinrum glip. Facetia. Eleopian. jocari; to jest, or be merry; (Somn.) and leopieno. jocans; jesting, speaking merrily; (Somn.) Gligman, alfo fignified Focifta, a JESTER. Glig-gamen. [Glee-games.] joci. Which Somner renders, Merriments, or merry Jests; Tricks, or Sports; Gamboles. (2) Hence again, by a common metonymy of the Caufe for the Effect, Ghe, gaudium, alacritas, lætitia, facetie; Top, mirth, Gladness, Chearfulness, Glee. [Somner.] Which lait application of the word ftill continues, though rather in a low debafing fenfe, IH. But however agreeable and delightful the various arts of the Minstrels might be to the Anglo-Saxon laity, there' is reafon to believe, that, before the Norman conqueft at leaft, they were not much favoured by the clergy; particularly by thofe of monaftic profeffion. For, not to mention that the sportive talents of these men would be confidered by thefe auftere ecclefiaftics, as tending to levity and licentiousness, the Pagan origin of their art would excite in the monks an infuperable prejudice against it. The Anglo-Saxon HARPERS and GLEEMEN were the immediate fucceffors and imitators of the Scandinavian SCALDS; who were the great promoters of Pagan fuperftition, and fomented that spirit of cru. elty and outrage in their countrymen the Danes, which fell with fuch peculiar feverity on the religious and their convents. Hence arofe a third application of words derived from Gligg, MINSTRELSY, in a very unfavourable fenfe, and this chiefly prevails in books of religion and ecclefiaftic difcipline. Thus So (1) Glig, is Ludibrium, LAUGHING TO SCORN. in S. Bafil. Regul. 11. p1 hardon him to glige halpende mine gunge. Ludibrio habebant falutarem ejus admonitionem. (10.) This fenfe of the word was perhaps not ill-founded; for as the SPORT of rude uncultivated minds often arifes from ridicule, it is not improbable but the old Minstrels often indulged a vein of this fort, and that of no very delicate kind. So again, Glig-man, was also used to fignify Scurra, a faucy Tester (Somn.) Gliz-geonn. Dicax, Scurriles jocos fupra quam par eft Officium Epifcopale, 3. amans. Glipian. Scurrilibus oblectamentis indulgere; Scurram agere. Canon. Edgar. 58. (2) Again, as the various attempts to pleafe, practifed by an order of men who owed their fupport to the public favour, might be confidered by thofe grave cenfors, as mean and debafing: Hence came from the fame root, Lipen. Parafitus, Affentator*; a Fawner, a Cogger, a Parasite, a Flatterer. (Somn.) IN *The preceding lift of Anglo-Saxon words, fo full and copious beyond any thing that ever yet appeared in print on this fubject, is extracted IN fo unfavourable a light were the Minstrels confidered by the Anglo-Saxon clergy; but, after the Norman conqueft, when the Pagan origin of their art was forgot; and when perhaps a greater laxity of manners prevailed among fome of the ecclefiaftics; these men do not seem to have regarded them every where with fo evil an eye for there is even room to think, that they admitted them here to fome of the inferior honours of the clerical character; as the Tonfure for inftance [fee above, Note (A)]; but this is mentioned as mere conjecture. IV. To return to the Anglo-Saxon word ligg: Notwithstanding the various fecondary fenfes in which this word (as we have feen above) was fo early applied; yet The derivative GLEE (though now chiefly ufed to exprefs Merriment and Joy) long retained its firft fimple meaning, and is even applied by Chaucer to fignify MUSIC and MINSTRELSY. (Vid. Jun. Etym.) E. g. "For though that the beft harper upon live "Were his nailes pointed nevir so sharpe "It shoulde makin every wight to dull "To heare is GLEE, and of his strokes full. Junius interprets GLEES by Mufica Inftrumenta, in the following paffages of Chaucer's THIRD BOKE of FAME. " Stoden extracted from Mr. Lye's curious ANGLO-SAXON LEXICON, now printing by a very fcanty and inadequate fubfcription; though it is one of the completeft and nobleft works that ever was undertaken to difplay the originals of any language. |