Cornish was succeeded as Master of the Children by William Crane (1523-45) and Crane by Richard Bower, whose patent was successively renewed by Edward VI, presumably by Mary, and finally by Elizabeth on 30 April 1559.[1] His service was almost certainly continuous, and it is therefore rather puzzling to be told that a commission to take up singing children for the Chapel, similar to that of John Melyonek in 1484, was issued in February 1550 to Philip van Wilder, a Gentleman of the Privy Chamber.[2] Neither the full text nor a reference to the source for the warrant is given, and I suspect the explanation to be that it was not for the Chapel at all. Philip van Wilder was a lutenist, one of a family of musicians of whom others were in the royal service, and he may not improbably have had a commission to recruit a body of young minstrels with whom other notices suggest that he may have been connected.[3] Bower himself had a commission for the Chapel on 6 June 1552.[4] Although the Children continued to give performances at Court both under
- [Footnote: from the notice of Heywood which he quotes on p. 80. As to The Four P. P.
there are three early editions by three different publishers, and they all assign it to Heywood.]
- ↑ Wallace, i. 61, 69; ii. 63, from patents and Exchequer payments. The Elizabethan patent is in Rymer, xv. 517.
- ↑ Rimbault, viii, quoting only the words 'in anie churches or chappells within England to take to the King's use, such and so many singing children and choristers, as he or his deputy should think good'. Stopes, 12, gives Lansd. MS. 171, and Stowe MS. 371, f. 31^v, as references, but the commission is not in either of them.
- ↑ Matthew Welder appears as a lute and viol at Court in 1516 and 1517. Peter Welder was appointed in 1519 and is traceable to 1559, as a lute, viol, or flute. Henry van Wilder was a 'musician', 1553-8. Philip Welder or van Wilder himself is first noted as a 'minstrel' in 1526. Later he was a lute up to 1554. In 1547 he was also 'of the Privy Chamber' and keeper of the King's musical instruments (Nagel, 6, 13, 15, 16, 18, 22, 24, 27; Lafontaine, 8, 9, 12; Brewer, i, cxi). He died 24 Jan. 1554, leaving a son, Henry, probably the one noted above (Fry, London Inquisitions, i. 117). The Chamber Accounts for 1538-41 show an allowance to him of £70 'for six singing children' (Stopes, 12). Several references to 'Philippe and his fellows yong mynstrels' and to 'the children that be in the keeping of Philip and Edmund Harmon' appear in Green Cloth documents from 30 June 1538 to 1544 (H. O. 166, 172, 191, 208; Genealogist, xxx. 23). Edmund Harmon was one of the royal Barbers. Finally, livery lists of 1547 show nine singing men and children under 'M^r. Phelips' (Lafontaine, 7). An earlier company of 'the King's young minstrels' than this of 1538-50 seems to have been lodged at court c. 1526 (Brewer, iv. 1. 865), and there were 'troyes autres nos ioesnes ministralx' as far back as 1369 (Life Records of Chaucer, iv. 174). Elizabethan fee lists continue to make provision for 'six children for singing', but there is no indication that the posts were filled up.
- ↑ Wallace, ii. 63, from docquet in B. M. Royal MS. 18, C. xxiv, f. 232. By an obvious error, the name is written by the clerk as 'Gowre'.
