Books › A special loan exhibition of musical instruments, manuscripts, books, portraits, and other mementoes of music and musicians, formed to commemorate the tercentenary of the granting by King James I of a charter of incorporation to the Worshipful company of musicians in 1604 .., 1904 › scan 26
Scan 26
A special loan exhibition of musical instruments, manuscripts, books, portraits, and other mementoes of music and musicians, formed to commemorate the tercentenary of the granting by King James I of a charter of incorporation to the Worshipful company of musicians in 1604 .., 1904
37 lines. Read by computer on 1 October 2026. No printed page number was found. See the scan on archive.org.
1"shall and may at all times call before them to the
2"Common Hall or to other convenient place
3"appointed, all persons, as well free of the
4"Fellowship as all others, which use or exercise
5"the Art or Science of Musicians in the teaching
6"of musick or dancing within the City of London
7"and three miles thereof, and there examine,
8"approve, and allow the said parties for their
9"sufficiency and skill in the said Art or Science
10"and to reject or disallow of any party for his
11"insufficiency and want of skill. And that no
12"person being disallowed as insufficient and unfit
13"shall presume to exercise the Art or Science."
15Fines were imposed for disorder and abuse
16tending to the hurt or prejudice of the art; for
17introducing any foreigner to use or practise it,
18and upon all persons not being free of the Company
19who used or exercised it. Strict rules were enforced
20with regard to the fitness of the apprentices and
21their number. After an order forbidding dancing
22on Sundays we find the following:—"Neither
23shall any person sing any ribaldry, wanton or
24lascivious, songs, or ditties, at any time or place
25whereby God may be dishonoured, or any slander
26or infamy may arise or be given of or to the said
27Science;" and this under pain of fine and im-
28prisonment.
30It was further ordained "that no persons free
31of the said art or science, or any of their servants or
32apprentices, or any other persons professing the art
33or science, either in consort or otherwise, shall at any
34time play upon any kind of instrument either even-
35ing or morning, at or under any nobleman, knight,
36or gentleman's windows or lodging in the street, or
The computer misreads some letters and numbers. Where a name matters to you, read the scan.