English, Department of
Title
Minstrelsy, Music, and the Dance in the English and Scottish Popular Ballads
Document Type
Article
Date of this Version
January 1921
CONTENTS
I
INTRODUCTION
The pastimes of the ballad in relation to the theme of the ballad.
-The ballad narrative rather than descriptive.-Rapid action
in the ballad.-Pastimes not ordinarily an essential part of the
action.-Minstrelsy, music, and the dance in King Estmere and
The Bonny Lass of Anglesey.-Pastimes usually portrayed in
casual descriptive touches.-Purpose of the present study.Importance
of recreational interests in the ballad.-The place
of music in the present study. . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . 3·6
II
MINSTRELSY
The Percy and Ritson descriptions of minstrels.-Ballad minstrel
usually a harper or fiddler.-King Estmere.-King Estmere's
minstrel guise.-Dress of minstrels.-Occasions for minstrelsy.
-Reception accorded minstrels.-King Estmere probably a representative
of higher minstrelsy.-Poverty and prodigality of
minstrels.-The Lochmaben Harper.-A "silly blind harper."A
representative of lower minstrelsy.-The minstrel a public
character.-Harping and singing.-The harp and the vielle.Rewards
of minstrels. - Municipal minstrels. - Glasgerion.Minstrelsy
and royalty. - Permanent minstrels. - Glenkindie
both harper and singer.-The fine garment as a reward.Hind
Etin.-Nearness of minstrel to royalty.-Young Bearwell.
-A king's minstrel.-The Twa Sisters.-The minstrel a privileged character.-The minstrel sometimes given the theme of
his song.-Geordie.-Thomas Rymer.-The minstrel as a mere
story-teller.-Robin Hood's Birth, Breeding, and Marriage.The
King of the Fiddlers.-occasions for Minstrelsy.-General
Amusement.-Weddings.-Minstrelsy and the dance.-War.The
instruments of minstrelsy.-Thomas Rymer.-Musicians
other than minstrels........................................ 6-29
III
THE DANCE
General questions in connection with the dance.-The Morris Dance.
-Its stationary and processional character.-The costumes of
the morris dancers.-Distinction between early and modern
dances.-Ring-dancing.-Dancing among the nobility and the
peasantry.-The Earl of Errol.-Dancing in a row.-Fair Janet.
-Ring-dancing.-Invitations to dance.-Dancing by couples.The
reel.-Dancing singly.-Dancing by "three and three."Solo-
dancing-The Cruel Brother.-Dancing by Gypsies.-The
Gypsy Laddie.-The Bonny Lass of Anglesey.-Dancing
matches.-Dancing for a prize.-Robin Hood and the Bishop of
Hereford.-Dancing and the clergy.-The Brown Girl-Dancing
on a grave.-Place of dancing.-Dancing out of doors.-Dancing
on the green.-character of peasant dances.-Dancing among
the nobility.-Dancing of Robin Hood and his foresters.-Danclng
courts or plots.-Lizzie Lindsay.-Danclng Indoors.-Prince
Robert.-The dance and the garland.-Robin Hood's Birth,
Breeding, and Marriage.-The time of day for danclng.-Danclng
as a conclusion to a day of sports.-Dancing and the game
of ball.-The Twa Brothers.-Importations of dances.-Rob Roy.
-French dances.-The dance accompaniment.-Instruments of
the dance.-Vocal accompaniment.-Instrumental accompanlment.-
The bagplpe.-The fiddle.-The dance In the ballad
Independent of song 29·64
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Comments
University of Nebraska Studies in Language, Literature, and Criticism Number 4. Lincoln, Nebraska 1921