Scan 222
A dictionary of old English music & musical instruments 1923, 1923
6 lines. Read by computer on 19 September 2026. Printed page 198. See the scan on archive.org.
1ROUND-O. v. ROUND.
3ROYAL MUSIC: The sovereigns of England have always entertained a body of singers and instrumentalists, generally known as "The King's Musick." From Saxon days, when perhaps a few Gleemen (q.v.) were employed, or Norman times when "Minstrels" took their place, to the late Seventeenth Century, when the king had a full staff of musicians (strings, wind, percussion, vocalists, and accompanists), a fully equipped Chapel, and often private chamber-musicians also—the King's Musick was a feature in the musical life of England, and the standard by which all other organisations were measured. Henry the Seventh's musicians included: Eighteen Gentlemen of the Chapel (among whom were organists, etc.), five sackbuts and shalms, several trumpeters, and minstrels (q.v.). Henry VIII was more ambitious, as became so able a musician, and if the list of instruments belonging to the king (Harleian MS. 1419; British Museum) counts for anything, enough performers were employed to provide excellent musical results. At the Coronation of Edward VI there were twenty Gentlemen of the Chapel, eighteen "Trumpettors," sixteen "Musicians" (among whom were several well-known violists), five flutes (probably Recorders), two "Vialls" (presumably Bass-Viols), a Harper, a "Bagge piper," four "Syngers," nine "Singingemen," "The King's Harper," and seven of the "King's Majesty's musicians" (private music). At the funeral of Queen Elizabeth there were in the royal service: seven "Violins" (Treble and Tenor Viols; v. article on the Viols), seven Recorders, seven Flutes, six Hautboys and Sackbuts, five "Lutes and others," twenty-two Trumpeters, and four "Drums and Fiffes." The number of performers on any particular instrument varies from year to year; but as a general rule is tended to increase as time went on.
5In the reign of Charles I the "list of his Majesty's musicians" (in 1641) contained the names of "Master of the Musique" (Nicholas Lanier), eighteen "for the wind Instruments," thirteen "for the violins," twenty-three "for Lutes, Violls and Voices" (a list that contains such celebrated names as those of John Lanier, Nicholas Duvall, William and Henry Lawes, John Wilson, Diedrich Steffkins, Daniel Farrant, and John Mercure), one Harper, one Virginalist, one instrument-maker,
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