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TROUBADOURS AND M1NNE-SINGERS. 331
lower. All in fact who did not invent (" Trobar," to find, or invent, whence comes the word troba-dor) their own songs, but sang or accompanied others, were called jongleurs, which was about as ordinary a trade as that of our perambulating "jugglers;" whose name is only a corruption of the more ancient calling.
The troubadours had a position which was even better than that of the bards of Wales or Ireland. They also made a livelihood of music, but in a far more genteel way than their humbler assistants, who were proscribed for so doing. The first thing the troubadour did, on practising his art was to seek out some person on whom to bestow his heart. This person was almost invariably a married lady. To her, he would then dedicate all his lays; he would (bestowing upon her, an assumed name), sing of her beauties, and entreat her favors; he would sneer at the charms of other dames, and sometimes satirize them.
The feelings of the husband during all this can " better be imagined than described "
Yet often the dame, may have been totally indifferent to his ardor. We feel sure that at times this was the case, for husbands are known to have begged their wives to accept the trouba-bour's flattery, and keep him on, with slight encouragement.
Meanwhile the singers went on from Court to Court, received as equals, by the highest; flattered and sought for by the most brilliant circles, and fairest ladies. Often they attached them- |
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