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Richard Rastall asked me to post this, since there are problems with his subscription I haven't yet quite fixed! Abigail Dr Richard Rastall wrote: > > Abigail's absolutely right, of course, and we need to examine the reasons for > different attitudes towards itinerant minstrelsy (and itinerant other people) > more closely. The issues involved are: > 1. Local exclusion/limiting of "foreign" entertainers in order(a) to protect > local entertainers and (b) to reduce local expenditure. This is fairly clear, I > think, from the late 15th century onwards, and it accounts partly for the > setting-up of fraternities. > 2. Regional control of entertainers, and the levying of fees for a licence to > perform (usually for a year). This varies with the region, but it accounts for > the existence of minstrel courts from the 13th century onwards. More evidence is > needed. > 3. "One-off" national controls (from the 14th century onwards) for various > purposes - controlling possible incitement to insurrection, limiting the > expenditure of the aristocracy (I think that this was an excuse, limiting the > spread of news and incitement to insurrection being the real reason), cutting > the > crime rate by excluding "foreigners" being possible reasons. This situation is > unclear, and we need much more information. > 4. National controls such as the 1572 statute. > > As Abigail notes, following the implications of Peter's message, the interaction > of some of these is interesting (and complex). I think we need a lot more > information before the picture becomes clearer. Meanwhile, the big questions > over > the 1572 statue surely remain? - > > § What was it intended to achieve? > § How was it implemented? and > § What effect did it have? > > The answer to the last question is, apparently, "very little": but can we be > sure > of that unless we know in detail the answers to the first two questions? > > Richard > > -- > Dr G.R. Rastall > Dean of Learning & Teaching, Faculty of MVPA > Reader in Historical Musicology > > School of Music > The University of Leeds > LEEDS LS2 9JT > United Kingdom > > +44 (0)113 343 2581 (voice and fax) > www.leeds.ac.uk/music/staff/grr > > Quoting Abigail Ann Young <[log in to unmask]>: > > > Peter Greenfield wrote: > > > [...] > > > That said, the one regulation of travelling musicians I know makes > > > no distinction between those who had patrons, served towns or were indeed > > > masterless: to the authorities at Ware, who no doubt felt themselves > > > constantly afflicted with itinerant performers on the Great North Road, > > > they were all "foren." > > > > > > "Also that euery foren musicyon restoringe to ye towne shall not > > be > > > Suffrede to tarrie or play in any Inn or vsuall resortinge place within > > the > > > said towne ouer one night & one day vpon payne to be usede & entreted as > > a > > > commone vagabond by the officers of the said towne." (BL Add. Ms. > > 27,976, > > > fol. 109) > > > > > > See my article, "Using Dramatic Records: History, Theory, Southampton's > > > Musicians" in MEDIEVAL ENGLISH THEATRE 17 (1995), 76-95. > > > > I think Peter reminds us of a valuable point here -- we have to factor into > > the 'equation' not only what the effect of nationally-promulgated statutes, > > like those against rogues and vagabonds, might be but also the effect of > > local initiatives. > > > > Particularly places which had a large (well, largish) population of local > > musicians might attempt to protect them by forbidding their inhabitants to > > hire 'foreign' talent by fines levied against locals who retained non-local > > musicians to play at weddings, ales, garlands, etc. Or, as here, they might > > try to protect local business by threatening the 'foreigners' with > > prosecution (or persectution!) as 'vagabonds', whatever the actual intent > > of the act may have been. There's always a tension between nation and local > > efforts at social control, I think, because the two levels of authority > > were oftern trying to meet quite different needs and concerns.... > > > > Abigail > > > > -- > > Abigail Ann Young (Dr), Associate Editor/Records of Early English Drama/ > > Victoria College/ 150 Charles Street W/ Toronto Ontario Canada M5S 1K9 > > Phone (416) 585-4504/ FAX (416) 813-4093/ [log in to unmask] > > List-owner of REED-L <http://www.chass.utoronto.ca/~reed/reed-l.html> > > <http://www.chass.utoronto.ca/~reed/reed.html> REED's home page > > <http://www.chass.utoronto.ca/~reed/stage.html> our theatre resource page > > <http://www.chass.utoronto.ca/~young> my home page > > > -- > Dr G.R. Rastall > Dean of Learning & Teaching, Faculty of MVPA > Reader in Historical Musicology > > School of Music > The University of Leeds > LEEDS LS2 9JT > United Kingdom > > +44 (0)113 343 2581 (voice and fax) > www.leeds.ac.uk/music/staff/grr -- Abigail Ann Young (Dr), Associate Editor/Records of Early English Drama/ Victoria College/ 150 Charles Street W/ Toronto Ontario Canada M5S 1K9 Phone (416) 585-4504/ FAX (416) 813-4093/ [log in to unmask] List-owner of REED-L <http://www.chass.utoronto.ca/~reed/reed-l.html> <http://www.chass.utoronto.ca/~reed/reed.html> REED's home page <http://www.chass.utoronto.ca/~reed/stage.html> our theatre resource page <http://www.chass.utoronto.ca/~young> my home page