| Share page | Visit Us On FB |
|
|
||
|
POPULAR MUSIC, SONGS AND BALLADS,
REIGNS OF HENRY VII., HENRY VIII., EDWARD VI.,
AND MARY. |
||
|
|
||
|
Little occurs about music and ballads during the short reigns of Edward V. and Richard III.
Richard was very liberal to his musicians, giving annuities to some, and gratuities to others. (See Harl. MS., No. 433.) But his chief anxiety seems to Iiave been to increase the already splendid choral establishment of the Chapel Royal. For that purpose he empowered John Melynek, one of the gentlemen of the chapel, " to take and seize for the king" not only children, but also " all such singing men expert in the science of music, as he could find and think able to do the king's service, within all places of the realm, as well cathedral churches, colleges, chapels, houses of religion, and all other franchised or exempt places, or elsewhere." (Harl. MS., 433, p. 189.) But it is not my object to pursue the subject of royal establishments further.
In the privy purse expenses of Henry VII., from the seventh to the twentieth year of his reign, there are many payments relating to music and to popular sports, from which the following are selected:—
1492. Feb. 4th, To the childe that playeth on the records
[recorder] - - - - £1 0 0
April 6th, To Gwyllim for flotes [flutes] with a case - 3 10 0
May 8th, For making a case for the kinges snerde, and a
case for James Hide's harp - - 10 8
July 8th, To the maydens of Lambeth for a May - 0 10 0
August 1st, At Canterbury, To the children, for singing in
the gardyn - - - - 0 3 4
1493. Jan 1st, To the Queresters [choristers], at Paule's and
St. Steven - - - - - 0 13 4
Jan. 6th, To Newark [William Newark, the composer] for
making a song - - - - 10 0
Nov. 12th, To one Cornysshe for a prophecy, in rewarde 0 13 4
Probably "William Cornish, jun., composer, who belonged to the king's chapel, and was the author of a poem, called " A Treatise between Trouth and Informa-cion." He was paid 13s. Ad. on Christmas day, 1502, for setting a carol. |
||
|
|
||