eres te Oe gan oe EET 
+ em 
, A) ‘ 
ey " 7 
114 CHILDREN OF THE CHAPEL AT BLACKFRIAR 
‘ 
as “a companie of lewde & dissolute mercenary players.’”* The 
proof is vital, and is given below.? It empties Clifton’s complaint 
of all but the one minor item that his son was taken up against 
parental will. At the same time it corroborates other evidences 
on, the conduct of Blackfriars. 
I give in foot-notes the evidences of singing, instrumental mu- 
sic, and dancing, in the known plays of 1597-1603. Plays pos- 
sibly belonging to Blackfriars in this period but not unequivocally 
so known or demonstrable, as Contention between Liberality and 
Prodigality, are omitted from these lists.* 
The Children were especially taught singing.* Their training, 
as even the meager examples in the plays show, covered choral, 
quartette, duet, and solo practice. Their singing always aimed 
at entertainment, and is generally artistic. It ranges from light 
touches of a line or two to “silver song’”’ in a masque, and spirit 
voices of an enchanted chorus. 
* Supra, 73°. 
* Infra, 114*-16. 
*For all evidences on which are 
based the dates of plays in the suc- 
ceeding lists see complete work, vol. 
II, under Plays. 
“The Case is Altered (ca. Sept.— 
Oct., 1597).—I, i opens with Juni- 
per singing. III, i, Angelo sings. 
IV, iii opens with Juniper singing. 
Cynthia’s Revels (ca. April, 
1600).—(ed. Gifford-Cunningham), 
Tap: bla Echorsings)eliy at. p- 
154, Prosaites sings. III, iii, p. 170, 
Asotus sings and dances. IV, i, p. 
7, Hledon sings: TlVe at pantie, 
Amorphus sings to the lyre. V, iii 
opens with “music accompanied. 
Hesperus sings.” V (end), Pali- 
node, sung in pairs, then chorus 
after each pair. V (end), Mercury 
and Crites sing. 
Sir Giles Goosecap (ca. fall, 
1600).—I, iv, a song to the Violls. 
II, i, Enter Winnifred and Anabell 
“with their sowing workes and 
sing.” ITI, ii, “Sing good Horatio, 
while I sigh,” &c. Canto; “Sing one 
stave more, my good Horatio.” 
Canto; “Your third staunce sweet 
Horatio, and no more.” Canto. 
V, [ii], “In form whereof first 
daunce, faire Lords and Ladies, and 
after sing, so we will sing and 
daunce. 
THE MEASURE 
Now to the song and do this gar- 
land grace.” Canto. 
Poetaster (ca. April, 1601).— 
(ed. Gifford-Cunningham), II, i, p. 
221b, Crispinus sings. Jbid., Her- 
mogenes sings, accompanied. IV, i, 
p. 238b, Crispinus plays and sings. 
IV, iii, p. 243a, Albius sings. IV, 
ili, p. 243a, Hermes sings. 
The Gentleman Usher (ca. Sum. 
!601).—(ed. Shepherd, 1873), I, i, 
p. 82a, Lasso, hearing “Re, mi, fa, 
sol, la,’ says, “Oh they are prac- 
ticing; good boys, well done.” I, i, 
p. 82b, Enter Enchanter, with spir- 
its singing. II, i, p. 87a, Bassiolo 
gives the boys directions concern- 
ing their singing. II, i, p. 87), 
Broom-man, Rush-man, Broom- 
maid, Rush-maid, “with silver song” 
in a masque. II, i, p. 88b, Male 
Bug and Female Bug sing, in a 
masque. III, i opens with “the 
song.” V, i, p. 105a, song. 
Monsieur D’Olive (ca. Oct.— 
Dec., 1601).—No singing indicated. 
May Day (ca. May, 1602).—(Ed. 
idem), I, i, preceded by “Chorus 
228 
