... troubadour in street protected by Merlin somehow (8)
I believe the answer is:
minstrel
'troubadour' is the definition.
('minstrel' can be a synonym of 'troubadour')
'street protected by merlin somehow' is the wordplay.
'street' becomes 'st'.
'protected by' means one lot of letters goes inside another.
'somehow' indicates an anagram.
'merlin' with letters rearranged gives 'minrel'.
'st' placed within 'minrel' is 'MINSTREL'.
'in' acts as a link.
(Other definitions for minstrel that I've seen before include "Troubador" , "Strolling player" , "Medieval wandering musician" , "the last person to inspire a lay!" , "Travelling troubadour of old" .)