ing he became one of the Gentlemen of the choir of that chapel; and foon afterwards, clerk of the cheque, and one of the court musicians to king Charles the first.a In 1633, in conjunction with Simon Ives, he composed the. mufic to a Mask presented at Whitehall on Candlemafs-night by the gentlemen of the four Inns of court, under the direction of fuch grave characters as Noy the attorney-general, Edward Hyde afterwards earl of Clarendon, Selden, and Bulsftrode Whitlock. Lawes and Ives received each one hundred pounds as compofers; and the whole coft, to the great offence of the puritanical party, amounted to more than one thousand pounds. In Robert Herrick's HESPERIDES, or Poems, are three or four Christmas Odes, fung before the king at Whitehall, compofed by Lawes, edit. Lond. 1648. 4to. p. [ad. calc.] 31. feq. And in the same collection, there is an Epigram To Mr. HENRY LAWES, the excellent Compofer of his Lyricks, by which it appears that he was celebrated no less as a vocal than an inftrumental performer, ibid. p. 326, Touch but the lire, my Harrie, and I heare From thee fome raptures of the rare Gotiere; There, if thy voice commingle with the string, I heare in thee the rare Laniere to fing, Or curious Wilson, &c. Lawes, in the Attendant Spirit, fung the last Air în Comus, or all 'the lyrical part to the end, from v. 958. He appears to have been well acquainted with the beft poets, and the most refpectable and popular of the nobility, of his times. To say nothing here of Milton, he fet to mufic all the Lyrics in Waller's POEMS, first published in 1645, among which, is an ODE addreffed to Lawes, by Waller, full of high compliments. One of the pieces of Waller was fet by Lawes in 1635. He composed the SONGS, and a Masque, in the POEMS of Thomas Carew. See third edit. 1651, p. ult. The Mafque was exhibited in 1633. In the title page to COMEDIES, TRAGI-COMEDIES, and other POEMS, by William Cartwright, published in 1651, but written much earlier, it is faid, that the "Ayres and fongs were fet by Mr. " Henry 66 Lawes," and Lawes himself has a commendatory poem prefixed, infcribed, "To the memory of my most deferving and d The King the twenty-first day of Augúst 1632, grants to Henry Lawes to be one of his Majeftie's Muficians for the Lutes and Voices, during pleasure. Rymer Fœd. vol. xix. p. 432. EDITOR. So Sir John Hawkins fays in his Hift. of Music. vol. iv. p. 50. But Wilham Lawes is faid to have been the joint-compofer with Ives, by Langbaine; and by Mr. Warton himself in his Hift. of Eng. Poetry, 2d. ed. vol. ii. p. 399. The Mask was entitled the TRIUMPH OF PEACE, and the author was the cele brated James Shirley. It appears in the Words of the Mak, published by the author, that William Lawes and Ives compofed the mufic. See Dr. Burney's Hift. of Mufic. vol. iii. p. 371. note. It was performed on the 3d of February. The expence amounted to two thousand pounds. EDITOR. f However, fee the Athridge MS. Appendix No. II. EDITOR. H. Lawes himself was no bad poet, as Mr. Warton fays in his note on V. peculiar friend, Mr. William Cartwright." See Note on Coм. 86. The mufic to Lovelace's AMARANTHA, a Paftoral, is by Lawes. Wood, АTH. OXON. ii. 229. He published "AYRES. "and DIALOGUES for one, two, and three voyces, &c. Lond. "1653." fol. They are dedicated to Lady Vaughan and Carbery, who had acted the Lady in COMUS, and to her fifter Mary, Lady Herbert of Cherbury. Both had been his fcholars in mufic. "To the Right Honorable the two moft excellent SISTERS, ALICE, Counteffe of Carbery, and MARY, Lady Herbert of "Cherbury and Castle-ifland, daughters to the Right Honorable. John, Earle of Bridgewater, Lord Prefident of Wales, &c."No fooner I thought of making these publick, than of infcrib"ing them to your Ladifhips, most of them being compofed, "when I was employed by your ever honoured parents to attend 66 your Ladifhipps' education in mufick: who (as in other accom-. "plishments fit for perfons of your Quality) excelled moft ladies, "efpecially in Vocall Mufick, wherin you were so abfolute, that 66 you gave life and honour to all I fet and taught you; and that with "more Vnderstanding, than a new Generation [of composers] h Com, v. 86. I will add a little poem by Lawes, taken from his First Book of Ayres, with which the reader may not be difpleafed. "No Conftancy in Man." "Be gone, be gone thou perjur'd Man, Hath chang'd my Love to Scorn; Thou haft awak'd me, and I can See cleerly ther's no Truth in Man. 2. My Love to thee was chaft and pure, Had thou not prov'd untrue; Thou mayft perhaps prevaile upon And fince thou canst love more than one, For th' haft awak'd me, and I can By thy Apoftafie I find 4. That Love is plac'd amifs, And can't continue in the mind Where Vertue wanting is: I'm now refolv'd, and know there can No conftant Thought remain in Man.” EDITOR. Perhaps alluding not to the compofers, but (as is noticed in the Topographer vol. ii. p. 151.) to the fanatics of thofe times, who confidered Mufic as an unchriftian recreation. See alfo the Dedication of his Third Book of Ayres 1658 to Lord Colrane, in which he fays-" I with those who fo warmly pre$ tend the Common Benefit, would not take upon them to mend the world, till "pretending to Skil, (I dare fay) are capable of." [See Coм.v.85. And the Note.] The words of the numerous fongs in this work, are by fome of the most eminent poets of the time. A few young noblemen are also contributors. The compofers are not only Henry and William Lawes, but Wilson, Colman, Webb, Lanier, &c. One of the pieces by H. Lawes, is a poem by John Birkenhead, called an "Anniversary on the Nuptials of John, Earl "of Bridgewater, Jul. 22, 1642." See Wood, ATH. OXON.ii. 640. This was the young Lord Brackley, who played the First Brother in COMUs, and who married Elizabeth, daughter of William, Duke of Newcastle. Another is the COMPLAINT of ARIADNE, written by Cartwright, and printed in his POEMS, p. 238. [See Milton's So NN. xiii. 11.] Fora compofition to one of the airs of this piece, which gained exceffive and unufual applaufe, Lawes is faid to be the first who introduced the Italian style of mufic into England. In the Preface he fays, he had formerly compofed airs to Italian and Spanish words: and, allowing the Italians to be the chief mafters of the mufical art, concludes that England has produced as able musicians as any country of Europe, and cenfures the prevailing fondness for Italian words. To this Preface, among others, are prefixed Waller's verses abovementioned; and two copies by Edward and John Philips, Milton's nephews. There are alfo Select AYRES and DIALOGUES to fing to the Theorbo"lute, or Bafs-viol, compofed by Mr. Henry Lawes, late fervant "to his Majefty in his publick and private Muficke, and other "excellent mafters. The fecond Book. Lond. Printed by W. 66 Goodbid for John Playford, and to be fold at his shop in the "they have fome call to it. This my Profeffion (as well as others) may fairly "complain of; for none judge fo fowerly on us and our labours, as they who "were never born to be Muficians." EDITOR. i I prefume Mr. Warton means "Select Ayres and Dialogues by Dr. Wilson, Dr. Colman, Mr. Henry Lawes, and others: Printed 1652 :" a year be fore Lawes's firft Book of Ayres (which neither in the title, nor in the preface mentions thele co-adjutors) was published. This first book was printed in 1653, the fecond in 1655, the third in 1658. To the fecond are prefixed two Copies of Verfes by "John Willon Doctor in Mufick," and "Charles Colman Dictor in "Mufick," addreffed to Lawes on bis Ayres. EDITOR. k See the preceding Account of Lord Bridgewater, &c. p. 26. 1 To make them fenfible of this ridiculous humour, 1 took a Table or "Index of old Italian Songs, and this Index (which read together made a firange "medley of Nonfence) I fet to a varyed Ayre, and gave out that it came from "Italy, whereby it hath paffed for a rare Italian Song. This very Song I have << now here printed." Preface to his Firft Book of Ayres. Again, "But (to "meet with this humour of lufting after Novelties) a friend of mine told fome "of that company" [who had concluded, that the fongs to which Lawes had fet Italian words, were of Italian birik], "That a rare new Book was come from "Italy, which taught the reason why an Eighth was the fweeteft of all Chords in "Mufick; becaufe, (faid he) Jubal who was the Founder of Mufick was the "Eighth man from Adam; and this went down as currant as my Songs came "from Italy." Pref. to his Second Book of Ayres. He has alfo fet to Mufic the firft Ode of Anacreon, both in Greek and Roman characters, and another Ode in Roman characters only, by way of keeping up the humour for novelties. Ep. n "Temple near the Church-dore, 1669." Here is the SONG, called The Earl to the Countess of Carbery, Compare Wood, ATH.OXON, ii. F. p. 59. Befides his Pfalms, printed for Mofeley, 1648, in conjunction with his brother William, and to which Milton's thirteenth SONNET is prefixed, To Mr. H. Lawes on the publishing his Airs, dated in the Trinity manufcript, Febr. 9, 1645, Lawes compofed tunes to Sandys's admirable PARAPHRASE of the Pfalms, first published in 1638. I know not, if any of these Pfalm-tunes were ever popular: but Lawes's feventy-second Pfalm was once the tune of the chimes of St. Lawrence Jewry. Wood fays, that he had seen a poem written by Sir Walter Raleigh, "which had a mufical compofition of two parts fet to "it by the incomparable artist Henry Lawes." ATHEN. OXON, ii. p. 441. num. 510. See alfo vol. i. F. p. 194. More of Lawes's works, are in the Treafury of Mufick, 1669. In the Mufical Companion, 1662. In Tudway's Collection of British Mufic. And in other old and obfolete mufical mifcellanies." Cromwell's ufurpation put an end to Masks and Mufic: and Lawes being difpoffeffed of all his appointments, by men who defpifed and difcouraged the elegancies and ornaments of life, chiefly employed that gloomy period in teaching a few young ladies to fing and play on the lute. Yet he was ftill greatly refpected; for before the troubles began, his irreproachable life, ingenuous deportment, engaging manners, and liberal connections, had not only established his character, but raised even the credit of his profeffion. Wood fays, that his moft beneficent friends during his fufferings for the royal caufe, in the rebellion and afterwards, were the ladies ALICE and MARY, the Earl of Bridgewater's daughters, before mentioned. MSS. Muf. ASHMOL. D. 17. p. 115. 4to. But in the year 1660, he was restored to his places and practice; and had the happiness to compose the coronation anthem for the exiled monarch. He died in 1662, and was buried in Westminster abbey. Of all the teftimonies paid to his merit by his contemporaries, Milton's commendation, in the thirteenth SONNET and in fome of the fpeeches in Coмus, must be efteemed the most honourable. And Milton's praife is likely to be founded on truth. Milton was no fpecious or occafional flatterer; and, at the fame time, was a skilful performer on the organ, and a judge of mufic. And it appears probable, that even throughout the rebellion, he had continued his friendship for Lawes; for long after the King was reftored, he added the SONNET to LAWES in the new edition of his Poems, printed under his own eye, in 1673. Nor has our author only complimented Lawes's excellencies in mufic. For in Coмus, having faid that Thyris with m. See before, P. 32. note e They were" fet for private Devotion." EDITOR, • See other teftimonies in Langbaine's Dramatic Poets, ed. 1691. p. 108, III, and 494. and K. Philips's Poems, 1678. Fol. p. 25. EDITOR. his foft pipe, and Smooth-dittied fong, could fill the roaring winds, and hush the waving woods, he adds, v. 88. -Nor of lefs faith. And he joins his worth with his skill, SONN. xiii. v. 5. In 1784, in the houfe of Mr. Elderton, an attorney at Salif bury, I faw an original portrait of Henry Lawes on board, marked with his name, and, "ætat. fuæ 26, 1626." This is now in the bishop's palace at Salisbury. It is not ill painted; the face and ruff in tolerable prefervation; the drapery, a cloak, much injured. "Another in the Mufic-School at Oxford; undoubtedly placed there before the rebellion, and not long after the inftitution of that school, in 1626, by his friend Dr. William Heather, a gentleman of the royal chapel. And among the mutilated records of the fame School, is the following entry; " Mr. Henry Lawes gentleman of his Majefty's Chapell royall, and of his private "mufick, gave to this School a rare Theorbo for finging to, "valued at .... with the Earl of Bridgewater's crest in brasse "juft under the finger-board, with its cafe: as alfo a fett of....." The Earl of Bridgewater is the fecond Earl JoHN, who acted the part of the First Brother in COMUS, being then Lord Brackley. 66 г HENRY's brother WILLIAM, a compofer of confiderable eminence was killed in 1645, at the fiege of Chefter: and, it is faid, that the King wore a private mourning for his death. Herrick has commemorated his untimely fate, which fuddenly filenced every violl, lute, and voyce, in a little poem Upon Mr. William Lawes the rare Mufician. HESPERID. ut fupr. p. 341. Of William's feparate works, there are two bulky manufcript volumes in fcore, for various inftruments, in the Mufic School at Oxford. In one of them, I know not if with any of Henry's intermixed, are his original compofitions for Masks exhibited before the king at Whitehall, and at the Inns of court. Most of the early mufical treasures of that School, were destroyed or dispersed in the reign of fanaticifin; nor was the establishment, which flourishes P The fame compliment is paid to him by J. Harington, whofe Verfes are prefixed, among others, to the " Choice Pfalms" 1648, and immediately precede the celebrated Sonnet of Milton: "To chaine wilde Winds, calme raging Seas, &c." And by J. Phillips, in his Verses, prefix'd to Lawes's First Book of Ayres: . "To calme the rugged Ocean, and affuage "The horrid tempefts in their highest rage, "To tame the wildest Beasts, to fill the winds, &c." EDITOR. The picture in the Mufic School was given by himself. See Gutch's Wood's Annals, Univ. Ox. vol. ii. p. 891. EDITOR. At the end of the " Choice Pfalms" 1648, are feveral Elegies to the Memory of William Lawes; viz. by H. Lawes, Dr. Wilfon, John Taylor, John Cob, Captain Fofter, John Jenkins, John Hilton, and Simon Ives; the laft of whom quaintly calls him Generall of the Forces all In Europe that were muficall. EDITOR. |