22 John of Padua. 
dated June 6th, 1515” [this, however,was in an earlier part of Henry’s 
reign], “to one of the Foscari, there is an excellent description of the 
magnificent entertainment given to the ambassador at Greenwich, 
After the banquet they were taken into rooms containing a number 
of organs, harpsichords, flutes, and other musical instruments, where 
the prelates and nobles were assembled to see the jousts then in 
preparation. The ambassador told some of these grandees that he 
(Sagudino) was a proficient on some of those instruments. He was 
consequently asked to play, and did so for a long time, being listened 
to with great attention. Among the listeners was a Brescian, to 
whom the King gave 300 ducats a year for playing the lute, and 
who took up his instrument and played a few things with him 
(Sagudino). Afterwards two musicians, also in the King’s service 
(it is to be hoped they were not Englishmen), played the organ, but 
very badly: they kept bad time, their touch was feeble, and their 
execution not very good. The King practises on these instruments 
day and night.” In another passage of his letter Sagudino asks 
for new music from Venice, especially some compositions of Giovanni 
Maria’s, to exchange for some of the English, and particularly for a 
few new “ ballata,” or music for State entries. 
Two things are to be chiefly noted in this letter, 
1, That the organ-playing at King Henry’s court admitted of great 
improvement, and called for better performers. 
2. A Giovanni Maria of Venice is introduced. Of whom presently. 
1.—As to the organ-playing. John Paduanius of Verona, the 
maker of wonderful sun-dials, was also very well qualified “to 
render the King” [as the patent specifies] “ good service” in this 
department of “ Res Musica.” 
In the dedication of one of his treatises to the Bishop of Torcelli, 
he says:—“It has been the peculiar, almost the natural, privilege 
of several members of my family to be of much use to churchmen, 
chiefly bishops, and thereby to become their clients and confidential 
friends. Not to mention still earlier instances, my father Francis, 
to the very end of his life, helped the Monks of Olivet, at Verona, 
in adapting sacred music to the organ in their Church. My uncle, 
Blasius, himself a member of the Helenian Brotherhood, as long 
SS OS ee Se ee eee 
—— 
