minstrel: Words to a Song

[Lisa and Ken Theriot]

Brendan queried:

One is about making a squire a knight and is something about
'give him the belt and chain'.  The other is about a young lad becoming a
knight and the refrain varies from 'I'll have it all..' to 'I have it
all...'  Any help in finding the words to these would be appreciated.



And Katriana answered:

Well, the first I can't help you with (without more words) but the second
is by Conn MacNeill and can be found at

http://www.angelfire.com/ks/tomes2/CalontirSongs/riteofpassage.htm



The first is probably:

"Belt and Chain" by Master Morric Haast:

http://web.grinnell.edu/groups/sca/songs/folk/belt_and_chain.html



Brendan also asked:

[I'd like your opinion on the words.]


"Give him a harp to play"

Drunk?  He'll either hurt himself or the harp (and the latter would be a 
tragedy!)


"Find him a lady to lay"

Ahem.


"Give him a drink to drain"

Hasn't he had enough already?


"Send him upon his way"

Hopefully with an escort.


"What do you do with a drunken bard?
Make him work today."

Unlikely, and it doesn't scan.


"Give him his pay."

So someone sober can roll him for it and leave him in a ditch?


Let's face it, a man of whatever avocation is pretty useless drunk!  It's 
reminiscent of "What shall we do with a drunken sailor?", and as you'll 
recall, the most sensible suggestion there is "Put him in the brig until 
he's sober".  I once (long ago, when dinosaurs roamed the Earth) got drunk 
at high altitude; I'm told I sang all the verses to "The Cat Came Back", 
though blessedly, I can't remember a bit of it.  Based on personal 
experience, the kindest thing to do with a drunken bard is gag him and find 
him a place to sleep it off!


Adelaide