A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Heyther, William

by William H. Husk

HEYTHER^[1] or HEATHER, William, Mus. Doc., born at Harmondsworth, Middlesex, was a lay vicar of Westminster Abbey, and on March 27, 1615, sworn a gentleman of the Chapel Royal. He was the intimate friend of Camden; they occupied the same house in Westminster, and when, in 1609, Camden was attacked by a pestilential disease, he retired to Heyther's house at Chislehurst to be cured, and there he died in 1623, having appointed Heyther his executor. When Camden founded the history lecture at Oxford in 1622, he made his friend Heyther the bearer to the University of the deed of endowment. The University on that occasion complimented Heyther by creating him Doctor of Music, May 18, 1622. (As to the improbable story of Gibbons having composed his exercise for him, see Gibbons, Orlando.) In 1626–7 Heyther founded the music lecture at Oxford, and endowed it with £17 6s. 8d. per ann. The deed bears date Feb. 2, of 2 Charles I. Richard Nicholson, Mus. Bac., organist of Magdalen College, was the first professor. Dr. Heyther died in July 1627, and was buried Aug. 1 in the south aisle of .the choir of Westminster Abbey. He gave £100 to St. Margaret's Hospital in Tothill Fields, commonly known as the Green Coat School. There is a portrait of him in his doctor's robes in the Music School, Oxford, which is engraved by Hawkins (chap. 120).

[ W. H. H. ]

1. His own spelling. In his will it is Heather.