Middle English Dictionary Entry
minstral n.
Entry Info
| Forms | minstral n. Also minstralle, -strel(le, -sterel, minestral, mini- & menstral(le, -strel(le, menestral & munstral, -strel; pl. minstrales, etc. & menestraus & minstral & (errors) meonestrales, mylstralles, mystalles. |
| Etymology | ML ministrallus, -strellus, menestrallus, -strellus & OF menestrel, -stral; pl. menestrels, menestraus. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) An instrumental musician, singer, or story-teller; also fig.; ~ of mouth, ?a singer; godes ~, the poor, lunatics, and lepers; kinges (lordes) ~, a minstrel retained by a king (lord); (b) an actor; a mime, a juggler; (c) mil. a trumpeter or horn-blower whose playing signals movements of troops and knights, calls to watch, etc.
Associated quotations
a
- ?a1300 Jacob & J.(Bod 652)360 : Hem oftok a menestral; his harpe he bar arugge.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)1217 : After mete, as riȝt was, þe menestraus [vr. menstrales; B: menestrals, mynstrals, Mynstrell] eode aboute, & kniȝtes & swaines In karole gret route.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)5509 : Analf was god kniȝt &..Menestral [vr. Mynstral; B: mynstrel] he was god ynou & harpare in eche poynte.
- c1330(?a1300) Guy(2) (Auch)p.396 : Þer was trumpes & tabour, Fiþel, croude, & harpour, Her craftes for to kiþe, Organisters & gode stiuours, Minstrels of mouþe & mani dysour, To glade þo bernes bliþe.
- c1330(?a1300) Tristrem (Auch)2859 : Þer was miche solas Of alle maner soun And gle Of minestrals.
- c1330 Orfeo (Auch)37/430 : Y nam bot a pouer menstrel [vr. mynstrelle]..it is þe maner of ous To seche mani a lordes hous..Ȝete we mot proferi forþ our gle.
- c1330 Orfeo (Auch)38/449 : Menstrel [vr. Mynstrel], me likeþ wel þi gle.
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)192/28 : Þou ne sselt naȝt yeue to þe kueade be þe scele of his kueadnesse, ase doþ þo þet yeueþ þe ribaus and menestrals uor hare wykkednesse.
- a1350(a1325) SLeg.Cec.(Ashm 43)9 : Þe menstrales songe hor song of hor menstrasie.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)5355 : No tong miȝt telle þe twentiþe parte of þe mede to menstrales þat mene time was ȝeue.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Mat.9.23 : Jhesus came in to the hous of the prince, and seeȝ mynstrelis [WB(2): mynstrallis; L tibicines], and the companye makynge noyse.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Th.(Manly-Rickert)B.2035 : Do come..my mynstrales [vrr. mynstrall, mynstalles, mylstralles] And gestours for to tellen tales.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)7.2423 : Every menstral hadde pleid, And every Disour hadde seid.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Sq.(Manly-Rickert)F.78 : His mynstrals [vrr. minstrall, mylstralles] hir thynges pleye Biforn hym at the bord deliciously.
- c1400(?a1300) KAlex.(LdMisc 622)5981 : Þe mynstrales synge; þe jogelours carpe.
- c1400(a1376) PPl.A(1) (Trin-C R.3.14)3.207 : Mynstralis [vrr. Mynstralles, Mynstrals, Munstrals, mynstrels, Mynsterelis, Menstrales] for here merþis mede þei asken.
- c1400(?a1387) PPl.C (Hnt HM 137)8.97 : Clerkus and knyȝtes wolcomeþ kynges mynstrales [B vr.: ministrales] for loue of here lordes lithen hem at festes.
- c1400(?a1387) PPl.C (Hnt HM 137)10.126 : Hit aren murye-mouthede men mynstrales of heuene.
- c1400(?a1387) PPl.C (Hnt HM 137)10.136 : Ȝe riche..sholde..worsshepen and..helpen Godes mynstrales and hus messagers..The wiche arn lunatik lollares and leperes.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.8688 : His mynstrales he made..Myrely to sowne her instrumentis.
- a1425(?c1384) Wycl.Church (Bod 788)352 : Mynystrel or joȝelour, tumbler and harlot, wole not take of þe puple bifore þat þei han shewid þer craft.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)764 : There myghtist thou see these flowtours, Mynstrales, and eke jogelours, That wel to synge dide her peyne.
- a1425 Dial.Reason & A.(Cmb Ii.6.39)25/13 : Ȝif þou suppose to wynne ouȝt of his daunger, let hope be þi mynstrelle.
- ?a1425(c1400) Mandev.(1) (Tit C.16)133/9 : Þei senden for all the mynstrall [Man.(2): mynstralles] of the contree & maken a solempne feste.
- ?a1425(c1400) Mandev.(1) (Tit C.16)143/36 : Mynstrelles [Man.(2): minstralles; F menestriers]..syngen songes & tellen gestes or oþer desportes to solace with the Emperour.
- a1450(?c1430) Lydg.DM(1) (Hnt EL 26.A.13)497 : O thow Minstral [DM(2): menstral] that cannest so note & pipe Un-to folkes for to do plesaunce By the right honde I shal the gripe.
- c1432 Bishop Notes in PMLA 49 (Cmb Dd.14.2)457 : Also a munstrell' of chepyng, Norton' by name.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)200 : Gluman or mynstral: Musicus, musica.
- c1440(c1350) Octav.(1) (Thrn)131/1060 : Byfore þe emperoure þe childe was broghte..With mynstralles fulle many.
- (c1443) Pecock Rule (Mrg M 519)413 : Mynstrallis pipen and trumpen whanne he [the lord] risiþ..goiþ to mete..whan he goiþ to bed.
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)11383 : Iogelours were þere ynowe..Many mynestrales..Som blewe trompe & clarioun, Harpes, pypes, & tabours, [etc.].
- a1450 Body & S.(5) (Dgb 102)p.71 : Wher ar þy mynstrels [vrr. gleomen, glewemen, glemen] þat schulde þe glue With harpe and fythel and tabourebete?
- a1450-1509 Rich.(Brunner)148 : And menstralles wiþ mekyl pryde.
- c1450 PPl.B (RwlPoet 38)13.440 : Me thenketh riche men schulde Haue beggeres byfore hem þe whiche ben goddes ministrales [C: mynstrales].
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)176/231 : Menstrell rownd a-bowte blowe up a mery fytt.
- a1475 Siege Troy(1) (Hrl 525)193/1259i : Thanne be-gynnyth nowe playe An hundrid mynstrelles in a rewe, Diuverse melodye for to shewe Of trumpis, tabours, [etc.].
- c1475 Mankind (Folg V.a.354)72 : Mynstrellys, pley þe comyn trace!
- c1450(a1400) Libeaus (Clg A.2)1776 : Ne sawe he body ne face But menstrales y-clodeþ yn palle.
- c1450(c1400) Emare (Clg A.2)13 : Menstrelles..walken fer and wyde..In mony a dyuerse londe.
- a1500(?c1450) Merlin (Cmb Ff.3.11)454 : Arthur and the Barouns returned in to the paleys, where-as was grete plente of mynstralles and iogelours.
b
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)4.393 : Nero..was i-ruled and iladde by ledynge and counsaille of mynstralles [L histrionum].
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)6.467 : A mynstral [Higd.(2): minstrelle; L mimo] herde þat worde and tolde þe kyng fore.
- a1425 *Medulla (Stnh A.1.10)32b/b : Histrio: a mynstral.
- a1425 Roy.17.C.17 Nominale (Roy 17.C.17)693 : Prestigiator: mynstralle.
- ?a1475(?a1425) Higd.(2) (Hrl 2261)4.395 : Nero..ȝafe grete rewardes to mynstrelles [Trev.: mynstralles; L histrionibus].
- 1483 Cath.Angl.(Monson 168)240 : A Mynstrelle: gesticulator, histrio..vbi harlott.
c
- a1450(1408) *Vegetius(1) (Dc 291)43b : Þere was ordeyned in þe oost trumpers and hornblowers..but þese tweye mynstrelles hadde tweie diuerse seruices. Þe trumpes schulde blowe when þe wardes schulde be moustred & kniȝtes yclepid to bataille. Þe hornes serued to blowe when þe baneres and þe banereres schulde meue forþ by-fore þe oost.
2.
A servant; a functionary.
Associated quotations
- c1230(?a1200) Ancr.(Corp-C 402)45/20 : Neomeð nu ȝeme of hwucche twa meosters þes twa menestraws [Tit: menestraus; Cleo: meonestrales] seruið hare lauerd, þe deouel of helle.
- c1400 PPl.C (Vsp B.16)6.60 : Menestrales [Hnt: Clerkes þat aren crouned..ben aires of heuene..And in queer and in churches cristes owene mynestres].
3.
As surname.
Associated quotations
- (1302) Close R.Edw.I596 : William le Menestral.