Page:A History of Domestic Manners and Sentiments in England During the Middle Ages.djvu/212

 192 Hijiory of Dofuejiic Man?2ers mofl: remarkable of which we have any knowledge in this country, was the 'ancient fraternity of minftrels of Beverley, in Yorkfliire. When this company originated is not known 5 but it was of fome confideration and wealth in the reign of Henry VI., when the cbiarch of St. Mary's, in that town, was built 3 for the minflrels gave a pillar to it, on the capital of which a band of minftrels were fculptured. The cut below (No. 137) 37. The Mmftrehof Be-verhy. is copied from the engraving of this group, given in Carter's " Ancient Painting and Sculpture." The oldeft exifling document of the fraternity is a copy of laws of the time of Philip and Mary, fimilar to thofe by which all trade guilds were governed : their officers were an alderman and two ftewards or feers (i. e. fearchers) 5 and the only items in their laws which throw any light upon the hiftory or condition of the minftrels are — one which requires that they fliould not take " any new brother except he be mynftrell to fome man of honour or ^'orlhip, or waite of fome towne corporate or other ancient town, or elfe of fuch honeftye and conyng (knowledge) as fliall be thought laudable and pleafant to the hearers there;" and another, to the efteft that " no mylner, fhepherd, or of other occupation, or hufbandman, or hufbandman fervant, playing upon pype or other inftrument, fliall fue (follow) any wedding, or other thing that pertaineth to the faid fcience, except in his own parifti." Inftitutions like thefe, however, had little effe6t in counteracting the natural