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A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

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First published 1971 (DOST Vol. IV).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Minstral(l, -ale, n. Also: mynstral(l, -ale; ministral(l; minstrel(l; ministrel. [ME. minstrale, mynstrale (14th c., Chaucer), mynstrell (1423), munstral (14–15th c.), e.m.E. minstrel(l, -all, mynystrell, OF. ministral, -terel, var. of menestral Menstral(l n.] An entertainer; espec. a musician, instrumentalist. = Menstral(l n.(a) 1329 Exch. R. I. 210.
Ministrallis ad nupcias de Berwic 1529 Ib. XV. 682.
To ceis fra ony forther payment … to the Italiane ministralis(b) 1516 Treas. Acc. V. 82.
To James Tabbaner, now the King's minstrale in Striveling 1531 Bell. Boece (M) I. 392.
All ydill pepill as iuglaris, mynstrallis, bardis and skafferis [L. mimos, histriones, bardos, parasitos] … to fynd sum crafft to wyn thair leving 1539 Treas. Acc.VII. 199.
To foure mynstralis that playis upoun the trumpettis of weir 1562 Dumfries B. Ct. fol. 122.
Chosin minstrale for ane ȝeir 1589 Mill Mediæv. Plays 254.(c) 1586 Paterson Ayr & Wigton I. 92.
That the common ministrels of the toun, pyper and drummer, gang dayly ilk day through the toun(d) 15.. Clar. ii. 1474.
They micht his [the King's] minstrellis heir Ib. v. 1530, 1624. 1578 Kirkcudbr. B. Rec. 77.
The toun hes feit Johne Thomson minstrell quhill Mertymes for xx s. 1579 Duncan Glasg. Physic. & Surg. 227.
Aegyptians, minstrels, sangsters and taletellers 1596 Dalr. II. 14/14. 1605 Dunferm. Ann. 263.
To the minstrellis at the touns congratulation for his Majesty being deliverit 1621 Acts IV. 626/1. 1640 Moray Synod 53.
Mr. John Marshall, minister … , hawing a minstrell playing to the church and frome the same befoir them is sharplie … rebucked