‘\ 
62 CHILDREN OF THE CHAPEL AT BLACKFRIARS 
upon which this brilliant career was begun and is, not only for a 
that reason but mainly tor other reasons that appear in the se- 
quence, of supreme value in understanding the significance of 
events. , 
Upon first reading and upon comparison with earlier similar 
documents, the Commission seems an ordinary provision for the 
Queen’s Chapel according to ample precedent. 
Since the days of Richard III and perhaps even earlier, it had 
been the custom to impress men and boys by royal authority into 
service as Chapel choristers. Although research will probably yet 
reveal similar commissions to Henry Abingdon,’ Gilbert Ban- 
ester,” or still earlier Masters of the Children, at present the first 
known authorization for such impressments is the commission 
from Richard III to John Melyonek, 16 September, 1484.8 
The Patent is under the index, 
“Nona Pars Patentium de Anno 
XXXIX. Elizabeth,’ and is found 
in that roll on membrane No. 7, 
dorso. It was engrossed from the 
above Privy Seal, and begins ac- 
cordingly after the words “in forme 
folowing” with “Elizabeth,” &c. 
The engrosser repeated the words 
“ffor that” after “greeting.” Ab- 
breviations and especially orthogra- 
phy in the two documents differ 
widely,—a condition universally 
prevalent in the thousands of such 
records. Otherwise the wording of 
the grant is the same. The closing 
sentence of the Privy Seal begin- 
ning with “Gevin” is replaced in 
the patent by “witnes our self at 
Westminster the xv" day of Julie 
per breve de priuato sigillo etc.” 
*Patent, May, 5 Edw. IV. (1465), 
“for the fynding, instruction,” &c. 
of the children. Protected by Act 
of Resumption in his stipend of 401. 
per year, 13 Edw. IV (1473-74). 
*Protected by Act of Resump- 
tion, 22 Edw. IV. (1482-83) in his 
salary of 40/., for “the exhibition, 
instruction, and governaunce of the 
children of the chapelle.” 
*Placed in wrong historical per- 
spective and printed with expanded 
and sometimes modernized spell- 
ings, inserted punctuations, and a 
Melle-Ric &c 
few omissions and other changes in 
J. P. Collier, History of English 
Dramatic Poetry and Annals of the 
Stage (1831), I, 34-35; second ed. 
(1879), I, 40. Reprinted with fewer 
variations in The Old Cheque-Book 
or Book of Remembrance of the- 
Chapel Royal, from 1561 to 1744 
(ed. E. F. Rimbault for The Cam- 
den Society, 1872), vii. Both pub- 
lications omit the last line (the 
date) of the document, and Rim- 
bault misdates it as 1485 instead of 
1484. 
The original document is pre- 
served in Brit. Mus., Harl. MSS. 
433, fol. 189, from which the fol- 
lowing transcript is made (with the 
more difficult abbreviations, how- 
ever, expanded into italics) :— 
To all & euery o*. sub- 
me®oiett®® aswele spirituell as tem- 
porell thise o” lettres hering or 
seeing greeting We let you wite 
that for the confidence & trust y* 
we haue in o* trusty and welbe- 
loued seruant John Melyonek oon 
of ye gentilmen of 0” Chapell and 
knowing also his expert habilitie 
and connyng in ye science of Mu- 
sique haue licenced him and by 
thise pvesent®® licence and geue 
him auctorite y* win all plac** 
in this 0° reame aswele Cathedral 
176 
a tat i in a Se iq 
