Description
Book SynopsisA reconstruction of the life and works of a sixteenth-century minstrel, showing the tradition to be flourishing well into the Tudor period. Richard Sheale, a harper and balladeer from Tamworth, is virtually the only English minstrel whose life story is known to us in any detail. It had been thought that by the sixteenth century minstrels had generally been downgradedto the role of mere jesters. However, through a careful examination of the manuscript which Sheale almost certainly "wrote" (Bodleian Ashmole 48) and other records, the author argues that the oral tradition remained vibrant at this period, contrary to the common idea that print had by this stage destroyed traditional minstrelsy. The author shows that under the patronage of Edward Stanley, earl of Derby, and his son, from one of the most important aristocratic families in England, Sheale recited and collected ballads and travelled to and from London to market them. Amongst his repertoire was the famous Chevy Chase, which Sir Philip Sidney said moved his heart "more than witha trumpet". Sheale also composed his own verse, including a lament on being robbed of 60 on his way to London; the poem is reproduced in this volume. ANDREW TAYLOR lectures in the Department of English, University of Ottawa.
Trade Review[A] carefully researched study of one minstrel, one manuscript, and a social world in which they were both living and already taking on an antiqued patina. * JOURNAL OF FOLKLORE RESEARCH *
Impressive, productive and insightful. * ENGLISH HISTORICAL REVIEW *
Contains a wealth of information useful to any student of early modern musical traditions. * HISTORY, December 2013 *
Provides a fascinating insight into a transitional moment in the history of English balladry. . This is an intriguing book, highly recommended. * FOLK MUSIC JOURNAL *
Offers important revisions to our understanding of the sixteenth century musician and his relationship to the various communities he served. * THE MEDIEVAL REVIEW *
[A] stimulating and well written study. [...] Historians, literary scholars, folklorists, anthropologists, and singers will all find [...] material to set them thinking. * RENAISSANCE QUARTERLY *
[A] valuable study. * REVIEW OF ENGLISH STUDIES *
Taylor's piecing together of Sheale's life and work adds greatly to our understanding of late minstrelsy and the social and political world that formed its background. * EARLY MUSIC *
Table of ContentsPreface Introduction: The Minstrel Rides Out The Minstrel of Tamworth and His Audiences The Stanleys, The Stanley Poem, and the Campaign of 1558 Ashmole 48 and Its History The Hunting of the Cheviot and the Battle of Otterburn 'More than with a Trumpet': Tudor Responses to the Cheviot Ballads The Lay of the Last Minstrel Appendix: Five Poems Bearing the Name of Richard Sheale Bibliography
