Domestic chapels7 were extremely common all through the Middle Ages. In the parish of Tiverton, Devon, there were at least seventeen, some of them within less than a mile of each other. Allusions8 to these oratories9 are found in the registers of the Bishops10 of Exeter, by whom they were severally licensed11 for the convenience of the owner, his family, and his tenants12. As a rule, they were in rooms of the house or castle, not separate buildings. Andrew Boorde, in his directions for the construction of a sixteenth-century mansion13, remarks: "Let the privy14 chamber15 be annexed16 to the great chamber of estate, with other chambers17 necessary for the building, so that many of the chambers may have a prospect18 into the chapel."
Great nobles of the post-Conquest period were not content with the services of a priest only. They maintained an establishment of singing men and boys analogous19 to the vicars-choral and choristers of the present time, who were described as "the gentlemen and children of the chapel." From the household books of the Earl of Northumberland (a.d. 1510-11) we learn that he had "daily abidynge in his household—Gentillmen of the Chapel, ix; viz., the maistre of the Childre, j; Tenors20, ij; Counter-tenors, iiij; the Pistoler, j; and oone for the Orgayns; Childer of the Chapell, vj."
Particulars are recorded of the daily allowances of bread, beer, and fish during Lent. On Scambling Days it was usual not to provide regular meals, each having to scramble21 or shift for himself, but things were otherwise ordered in the mansion of the Percy, where the service of meat and drink "upon Scambling Days in Lent yerely" was properly seen to. Not only are we furnished with the "Ordre of all suche Braikfasts that shall be lowable daily in my Lordes hous thorowte the yere as well on Flesche days as Fysch days in Lent, and out of Lent," but accounts are supplied of the liveries of wine, white wine, and wax, and also of wood and coal, of which the Master and the Children of the Chapel were entitled to one peck per diem. The cost of the washing of surplices, etc., was not to exceed a stated sum. "Then shal be paid for the Holl weshing of all manner of Lynnon belonging to the Lordes Chappell for a Holl yere but xvijs. iiijd. And to be weshed for every Penny iij Surplesses or iij Albes. And the said Surplesses to be weshed in the yere xvj tymes against these Feasts following," &c.
The salaries of the choir22 were paid at definite intervals23, and formed a charge on his lordship's property in Yorkshire. The scale of remuneration was as follows:
"Gentillmen of the Chappell x (as to saye, Two at x marks a pece, iij at iiijl. a pece, Two at v marks a pece, Oon at iiij marks, Oon at xxs., and Oon at xxs.; viz., ij Bassis, ij Tenors and vj Counter-tenors). Childeryn of the Chappell vj, after xxvs. a pece. And so the whole somme for full contentacion of the said Chappell wagies for oone hole yere ys—xxxvl. xvs."
The gentlemen slept two in a bed, as seems to have been the custom for priests also; the children, three in a bed. ("There shall be for vj Prests iij Beddes after ij to a Bedde; for x Gentillmen of the Chapell v Beddes, after ij to a Bedde; for vj Children ij Beddes after iij to a Bedde.")
Not only noblemen, but the Princes of the Church had their private chapels, for which the services of children were retained. George Cavendish, in his "Life of Wolsey," gives a glowing account of the Cardinal's palatial24 appointments, in the course of which he observes: "Now I will declare unto you the officers of his chapel and singing men of the same. First he had there a dean, a great divine, and a man of excellent learning; and a sub-dean, a repeater of the choir, a gospeller and epistler of the singing-priests, and a master of the children [therefore, of course, children]; in the vestry a yeoman and two grooms25, besides other retainers that came thither26 at principal feasts.... And as for the furniture of the chapel it passeth my weak capacity to declare the number of the costly27 ornaments28 and rich jewels that were occupied in the same, for I have seen in procession about the hall forty-four rich copes of one settle worn, besides the candlesticks and other necessary ornaments to the furniture of the same." Such were the sumptuous29 surroundings in which "children of the chapel" were wont30 sometimes to perform their office.
An element of distinction enjoyed by peer and prelate was not likely to be absent from the first estate of the realm; and, in point of fact, the phrase "children of the chapel," so far as it is known, is more commonly associated with the King's court than any of the castles or episcopal palaces of the land. Certain of the King's "Gentlemen of the Chapel" seem to have received payment in money, including extraordinary fees, and provided for themselves, whilst others had board and lodging31. The following table, though less complete than the Northumberland accounts, throws light on the rate of requital32:
￡ s. d.
Master of the children, for his wages
and board wages 30 0 0
Gospeller, for wages, 13 6 8
Epistoler, for wages, 13 6 8
Verger,for wages, 20 0 0
Yeomen of the Vestry {10 0 0
{10 0 0
Children of the Chapel, ten 56 13 4
Another ordinance33 states that "The Gentlemen of the Chapell, Gospeller, Episteller, and Sergeant34 of the Vestry shall have from the last day of March forward for their board wages, everie of them, 10d. per diem; and the Yeomen and Groomes of the Vestry, everie of them, 2s. by the weeke." When not on board wages, they had "Bouche of Court," like the physicians. "Bouche of Court" signified the daily livery or allowance of food, drink, and fuel, and this, in the case of the Master of the Children, exceeded that of the surgeons to the value of about ￡1 1s. per annum. Thus it will be seen that the style "Gentlemen," as applied35 to the grown-up members of the choir, was not merely complimentary36, but indicative of their actual status.
Meals were served at regular hours. "It is ordeyned that the household, when the hall is kept, shall observe certyne times for dinner and souper as followeth: that is to say, the first dynner in eating dayes to begin at tenn of the clock, or somewhat before; and the first souper at foure of the clock on worke dayes."
The duties of the choir also are plainly laid down: "Forasmuch as it is goodly and honourable37 that there should be alwayes some divine service in the court ... when his grace keepeth court and specially38 in riding journeys: it is ordeyned that the master of the children and six men ... shall give their continual attendance in the King's court, and dayly in the absence of the residue39 of the chappell, to have a masse of our Lady before noone, and on Sundayes and holy dayes masse of the day besides our Lady masse, and an anthem40 in the afternoone."
It was part of the business of the Master of the Children to instruct his young charges in "grammar, songes, organes, and other vertuous things"; and, on the whole, the lot of the choristers might have been deemed enviable. It is evident, however, that it was not always regarded in that light, for a custom existed of impressing children. This practice was authorized41 by a precept42 of Henry VI. in 1454, and one of its victims was Thomas Tusser, afterwards author of "Five Hundred Points of Good Husbandry," who thus alludes43 to the matter:
There for my voice I must (no choice)
Away of force, like posting horse;
For sundry44 men had placards then
Such child to take.
Moreover, it has been shrewdly suspected that the whipping-boy, who vicariously atoned45 for the sins of a prince of the blood—in other words, was thrashed, when he did wrong—was picked from the Children of the Chapel. Certainly Charles I. had such a whipping-boy named Murray; and judging from this instance the expedient46 was not commended by its results.
Members of the choir were expected to be persons of exemplary life and conversation, to ensure which state of things there was a weekly visitation by the Dean. Every Friday he sought out and avoided from office "all rascals47 and hangers48 upon thys courte." The tone of discipline, to conclude from the poems of Hugh Rhodes, was undoubtedly49 high; and, whatever difficulties he may have encountered in training the boys to his own high standards, his "Book of Nurture50" must always possess considerable value as a reflex of the moral and social ideals of a Master of the Children in the sixteenth century.
Rhodes's successor in the days of Elizabeth was Richard Edwards, a man of literary taste and the compiler of a "Paradise of Dainty Devices." The Master had now a salary of forty pounds a year; the Gentlemen nineteen pence a day, in addition to board and clothing; and the Children received largesse51 at high feasts and on occasions when their services were used for purposes apart from their ordinary duties. In this way the Chapel Royal is closely connected with the rise of the English drama. Edwards wrote light pieces for the children to act before Her Majesty52, and, encouraged by success, fell to composing set comedies, which were also performed by the boys, under his instructions, in the presence of the Court.
We have limited our retrospect53 mainly to the Tudor period. As an extension of the subject would call for more space than we have at our disposal, those who desire more information concerning the "Children of the Chapel" will do well to consult a recent work entitled "The King's Musick" (edited by H. C. de Lafontaine: Novello & Co.), which carries on the record into the age of the Stuarts. Entries cited in this excellent compilation54 relate to eminent55 English composers. In December, 1673, for example, there was a "warrant to pay Henry Purcell, late one of the children of his Majesty's Chappell Royall, whose voyce is changed and gone from the Chappell, the sum of ￡30 by the year, to commence Michaelmas, 1673." This was in consequence of the sensible custom of retaining as supernumeraries boys who had given evidence of musical ability. Such is certainly true of Purcell, who, at the early age of eleven, had shown promise of his future career by an ode called "The Address of the Children of the Chapel Royal to the King and their Master, Captain Cooke, on His Majestie's Birthday, A.D. 1670, composed by Master Purcell, one of the Children of the said Chapel."
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1
vow
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| n.誓(言)，誓约；v.起誓，立誓 | |
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chapel
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| n.小教堂，殡仪馆 | |
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borough
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| n.享有自治权的市镇；(英)自治市镇 | |
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esteemed
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| adj.受人尊敬的v.尊敬( esteem的过去式和过去分词 )；敬重；认为；以为 | |
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tithe
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| n.十分之一税；v.课什一税，缴什一税 | |
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ordain
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| vi.颁发命令；vt.命令，授以圣职，注定，任命 | |
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chapels
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| n.小教堂， （医院、监狱等的）附属礼拜堂( chapel的名词复数 )；（在小教堂和附属礼拜堂举行的）礼拜仪式 | |
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allusions
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| 暗指，间接提到( allusion的名词复数 ) | |
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oratories
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| n.演讲术( oratory的名词复数 )；（用长词或正式词语的）词藻华丽的言辞 | |
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bishops
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| （基督教某些教派管辖大教区的）主教( bishop的名词复数 )； （国际象棋的）象 | |
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licensed
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| adj.得到许可的v.许可，颁发执照(license的过去式和过去分词) | |
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12
tenants
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| n.房客( tenant的名词复数 )；佃户；占用者；占有者 | |
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13
mansion
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| n.大厦，大楼；宅第 | |
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privy
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| adj.私用的；隐密的 | |
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chamber
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| n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所 | |
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annexed
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| [法] 附加的，附属的 | |
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chambers
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| n.房间( chamber的名词复数 )；（议会的）议院；卧室；会议厅 | |
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prospect
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| n.前景，前途；景色，视野 | |
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analogous
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| adj.相似的；类似的 | |
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tenors
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| n.男高音( tenor的名词复数 )；大意；男高音歌唱家；（文件的）抄本 | |
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scramble
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| v.爬行，攀爬，杂乱蔓延，碎片，片段，废料 | |
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choir
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| n.唱诗班，唱诗班的席位，合唱团，舞蹈团；v.合唱 | |
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intervals
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| n.[军事]间隔( interval的名词复数 )；间隔时间；[数学]区间；（戏剧、电影或音乐会的）幕间休息 | |
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24
palatial
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| adj.宫殿般的，宏伟的 | |
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25
grooms
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| n.新郎( groom的名词复数 )；马夫v.照料或梳洗（马等）( groom的第三人称单数 )；使做好准备；训练；（给动物）擦洗 | |
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26
thither
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| adv.向那里；adj.在那边的，对岸的 | |
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costly
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| adj.昂贵的，价值高的，豪华的 | |
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ornaments
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| n.装饰( ornament的名词复数 )；点缀；装饰品；首饰v.装饰，点缀，美化( ornament的第三人称单数 ) | |
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sumptuous
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| adj.豪华的，奢侈的，华丽的 | |
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wont
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| adj.习惯于；v.习惯；n.习惯 | |
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31
lodging
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| n.寄宿，住所；(大学生的)校外宿舍 | |
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requital
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| n.酬劳；报复 | |
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33
ordinance
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| n.法令；条令；条例 | |
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sergeant
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| n.警官，中士 | |
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35
applied
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| adj.应用的；v.应用，适用 | |
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36
complimentary
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| adj.赠送的，免费的，赞美的，恭维的 | |
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37
honourable
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| adj.可敬的；荣誉的，光荣的 | |
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38
specially
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| adv.特定地；特殊地；明确地 | |
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residue
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| n.残余，剩余，残渣 | |
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anthem
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| n.圣歌，赞美诗，颂歌 | |
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authorized
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| a.委任的，许可的 | |
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precept
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| n.戒律；格言 | |
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alludes
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| 提及，暗指( allude的第三人称单数 ) | |
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sundry
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| adj.各式各样的，种种的 | |
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45
atoned
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| v.补偿，赎（罪）( atone的过去式和过去分词 )；补偿，弥补，赎回 | |
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46
expedient
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| adj.有用的，有利的；n.紧急的办法，权宜之计 | |
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47
rascals
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| 流氓( rascal的名词复数 )； 无赖； （开玩笑说法）淘气的人（尤指小孩）； 恶作剧的人 | |
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48
hangers
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| n.衣架( hanger的名词复数 )；挂耳 | |
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49
undoubtedly
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| adv.确实地，无疑地 | |
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50
nurture
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| n.养育，照顾，教育；滋养，营养品；vt.养育，给与营养物，教养，扶持 | |
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51
largesse
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| n.慷慨援助，施舍 | |
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52
majesty
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| n.雄伟，壮丽，庄严，威严；最高权威，王权 | |
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53
retrospect
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| n.回顾，追溯；v.回顾，回想，追溯 | |
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54
compilation
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| n.编译，编辑 | |
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eminent
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| adj.显赫的，杰出的，有名的，优良的 | |
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