[1056] In a little romance or novel, intitled, La Tour Tenebreuse, et les Jours lumineux, Contes Angloises, accompagnez d'Historiettes, & tirez a'une ancienne Chronique composee par Richard, surnomme Coeur de Lion, Roy d'Angleterre, &c. Paris, 1705, 12mo. In the Preface to this Romance the editor has given another song of Blondel de Nesle, as also a copy of the song written by K. Richard, and published by Mr. Walpole, mentioned above (in Note [1049], p. [357]), yet the two last are not in Provençal like the sonnet printed here; but in the old French, called Langage Roman.

[1057] The words of the original, viz. "Citharisator homo jocosus in Gestis antiquorum valde peritus," I conceive to give the precise idea of the ancient minstrel. See Note [V2]. That Gesta was appropriated to romantic stories, see Note [I], Part IV. (i.)

[1058] See Dugdale (Bar. i. 42, 101), who places it after 13 John, A.D. 1212. See also Plot's Staffordsh. Camden's Britann. (Cheshire).

[1059] See the ancient record in Blount's Law Dictionary. (Art. Minstrel.)

[1060] Ibid. p. [101].

[1061] Leland's Collectanea, vol. i. p. 261, 266, 267.

[1062] This old feudal custom of marrying an heiress to the knight who should vanquish all his opponents in solemn contest, &c. appears to be burlesqued in the Turnament of Totenham (see vol. ii. book i. No. 4), as is well observed by the learned author of Remarks, &c. in Gent. Mag. for July, 1794, p. 613.

[1063] "John, sun to K. Henry, and Fulco felle at variance at Chestes [r. Chesse]; and John brake Fulco hed with the Chest borde: and then Fulco gave him such a blow, that he had almost killid hym."—Lel. Coll. 1, p. 264. A curious picture of courtly manners in that age! Notwithstanding this fray, we read in the next paragraph, that "K. Henry dubbid Fulco & 3 of his bretherne knightes at Winchester."—Ibid.

[1064] Burney's Hist. ii. p. 355. Rot. Pip. An. 36, H. 3. "Et in uno dolio vini empto & dato Magistro Ricardo Citharistæ Regis, xl sol. per br. Reg. Et in uno dolio empto & dato Beatrici uxori ejusdem Ricardi."

[1065] Walter Hemmingford (vixit temp. Edw. I.) in Chronic. cap. 35, inter V. Hist. Ang. Scriptores, vol. ii. Oxon. 1687, fol. p. 591.