composed by Ff. P.’ (Francis Pilkington). The remaining books which are undoubtedly of East's printing are Byrd's ‘Gradualia,’ 1605, Youll's ‘Canzonets,’ and Croce's ‘Musica Sacra,’ 1607. The next title-page on which East's name appears has misled all the authorities as to the length of his life. The second set of Wilbye's ‘Madrigals’ (1609) is stated to be printed by Thomas East, alias Snodham, and it is therefore surmised by Rimbault and others that for some reason unexplained East took the name of Snodham at this time, and that consequently all books bearing the latter name (which occurs as late as 1624) are really to be included among the works printed by East. An entry under date 17 Jan. 1609 in the ‘Stationers' Registers’ makes it, however, a matter of certainty that East was dead by this time. The entry shows that ‘Thomas Snodham, alias East, entered for his Copyes with the consent of Mistress East … these bookes followinge which were Master Thomas Eastes copyes.’ By the evidence of the same register it is certain that this Snodham is by no means a mere pseudonym, but a separate individual, who received the freedom of the company on 28 June 1602 (Arber, Transcript of the Stationers' Registers, ii. 732), and whose first publication was licensed on 14 May 1603. It is clear that what would now be called the copyright of the books, the list of which includes all the most celebrated publications of those above named, was transferred to Snodham by East's widow, and that Snodham kept for a time the well-known name on his title-pages for commercial reasons. In December 1610 some of East's books were again assigned to John Browne, and in September 1611 many were transferred to Matthew Lownes, John Browne, and Thomas Snodham. The widow, Lucretia East, died in 1631, leaving 20l. for the purchase of plate for the Stationers' Company, to which East gave in 1604 a piece of plate of thirty-one ounces to be excused from serving some office.
[Arber's Stationers' Registers; Preface to the Whole Book of Psalms, published for the Musical Antiquarian Society, 1844; Preface to the Triumphs of Oriana, published in score by William Hawes, about 1814; Grove's Dict. of Music, i. 495, ii. 367, 611.]
EASTCOTT, RICHARD (1740?–1828), writer on music, born at Exeter about 1740, was author of ‘Sketches of the Origin, Progress, and Effects of Music, with an Account of the Ancient Bards and Minstrels,’ Bath, 1793. The book, which was received with remarkable favour, was made up from the histories of Burney and Hawkins, the influence of the former being most prominently felt. The only portion of any real value is a chapter on the state of English church music, in which the author deprecates the custom of writing fugal music for voices, on the ground that such treatment prevents the words from being properly heard. His reasons are clearly expressed, and his examples, intended to prove the defects of vocal fugues, are taken with the utmost boldness from the works of musicians of the highest order. An elaborate criticism of the book will be found in the ‘Monthly Review,’ xiii. 45–50 [see also Davy, John, 1763–1824]. At the end of his book appears an advertisement of other works by the author, viz. ‘The Harmony of the Muses,’ ‘Six Sonatas for the Pianoforte,’ and ‘Poetical Essays.’ At his death in 1828 he was chaplain of Livery Dale, Devonshire, on the presentation of Lord Rolle.
[Eastcott's Sketches; Gent. Mag. xcviii. pt. ii. p. 647; Grove's Dict. of Music, i. 479; Brown's Biog. Dict. of Musicians.]
EASTCOURT, RICHARD, actor. [See Estcourt.]
EASTHOPE, Sir JOHN (1784–1865), politician and journalist, born at Tewkesbury on 29 Oct. 1784, was the eldest son of Thomas Easthope by Elizabeth, daughter of John Leaver of Overbury, Worcestershire. He was originally a clerk in a provincial bank, and came to London to push his fortune. In 1818, in partnership with Mr. Allen, he became a stockbroker at 9 Exchange Buildings, city of London, and engaged in a series of speculations by which in the course of a few years he is said to have realised upwards of 150,000l. He was a magistrate for Middlesex and Surrey, chairman of the London and South-Western Railway Company, a director of the Canada Land Company, and chairman of the Mexican Mining Company. He unsuccessfully contested St. Albans in the liberal interest on 9 June 1821, but was elected and sat for that borough from 1826 to 1830. In 1831 he was returned for Banbury; in 1835 contested without success Southampton and Lewes, and sat for Leicester from 1837 until his retirement from parliamentary life in 1847, when he contested Bridgnorth unsuccessfully. He spoke in the house with great ease, and usually with much effect, but only on the corn laws and other questions with which he was well acquainted. He purchased the ‘Morning
