Inglis Collection of printed music > Printed text > Story of the bagpipe

CHAPTER VI.
EARLY ENGLISH BAGPIPES.
Celts in England— Roman remains— Anglo-Saxon pipes— The Anglo-
Normans — Lilt-pipes and corn-pipes— The pipe in church—
Minstrels' Gallery at Exeter-Ralph the piper-Janino Chevretter
— Strutt's illustration of early English bagpipes-The Kings Band
of Music in 1327-Barlon and Morlan— Chaucer's Miller-
Richard II. patronizes pipers-William of Wykeham— Morris
dance— May games— John Gate.
Long before Julius Caesar's landing- in England the
Celts were the masters, and left their impress in no
uncertain way, as may be evidenced from
the place names, and from such words as CeIts in
bard, druid, breeches, bog, kilt, reel, tartan, En & Iand
clan, basket, coat, flannel, gown, cart, etc. It was not
until a.d. 7S-85 that the obsession of the Romans
became definite, and that the old Celtic civilization
came under the spell of Roman art.
I have previously alluded to the sculptured bronze
found at Richborough Castle, in Kent, depicting a
Roman piper playing on the bagpipe, but it
must be borne in mind that the Celts in Roman
Britain had the bagpipe a full century before Remain3
the time of Caesar, and therefore the Romans merely
popularized this martial instrument.