CI. All creatures now are merry-minded, The shepherds' daughters playing, Yon bugle was well-winded. At Oriana's presence each thing smileth, The flowers themselves discover, Birds over her do hover, Music the time beguileth. See where she comes, with flow'ry garlands crowned; Queen of all Queens renowned: Then sang the nymphs and shepherds of Diana, Long live fair Oriana. CII. Music by J. Bennet. Fair Oriana, beauty's Queen, Then sang the nymphs of chaste Diana, Music by John Hilton, B.M. The title Beauty's Queen but ill accords with the following description of Elizabeth by Paul Hentzner in his Itinerary, A.D. 1598. "Next came the Queen, in the 65th 66 year of her age, as we were told, very majestic, her face oblong, fair, but wrinkled; her eyes small yet black and "pleasant: her nose hooked, her lips narrow, and her teeth "black, a defect the English seem subject to from their "too great use of sugar. She wore false hair, and that "red." CIII. Thus Bonny-boots the birth day celebrated Of her his Lady dearest ; Fair Orian, which to his heart was nearest. With clouted cream were, and to sing requested. (Quoth he) the world's chief goddess. Sing then, for she is Bonny-boot's sweet mistress. Then sang the nymphs and shepherds of Diana, Long live fair Oriana. Music by John Holmes. If my reasoning with regard to Bonny-boots be correct these lines must have been written before the year 1597, (vide No. LXXXVIII.) in honour of one of the days for which Lud. Lloyd in 1591 published his "Triplicitie of "Triumphs, three most happy joyful and triumphant days "in September, November, and January, being the Queen's "birth, accession, and coronation." CIV. The Lady Oriana Was dight all in the treasures of Guiana*. And on her grace a thousand graces tended. And thus sang they, fair Queen of peace and plenty; Then with an olive wreath, for peace renowned, Which ceremony ended, Unto her grace the thousand graces bended. Then sang the nymphs and shepherds of Diana, Long live fair Oriana. CV. Music by John Wilbye. Hard by a crystal fountain, Orian the bright lay down a sleeping: The birds they finely chirp'd, the winds were stilled; Leave, shepherds, your lambs keeping, And, nymphs, attend on her, and leave your bowers, For she the shepherds' life maintains and yours. Music by T. Morley and Giov. Croce. These words were adapted to the music of Giovanni * Vide Note on No. CLXXXII. Croce from Il Trionfo di Dori, by Nich. Yonge, in hi 2nd Book of Musica Transalpina, published A.D. 1597. CVI. Come, blessed bird! and with thy sugred relish, For fault of better will serve in the chorus. Music by Edw. Johnson. It seems probable that some one of notoriety figured under the appellation of Dorus as well as of Bonny-boots; for in Morley's Madrigal, No. LXXXVIII., the shepherd bonny Dorus is recommended as successor to the other in the office of leader of the Morris dance. CVII. When Oriana walk'd to take the air, The world did strive to entertain the fair, By Flora fair the sweetest flowers were strown The trees did blossom, silver rivers ran, The wind did gently play upon her fan: And then for to delight her grace's ear, The woods a temple seem'd, the birds a quire. Music by Thos. Bateson. This is the best poetry in the set. Being sent in too late, it did not appear in the original work, but was printed in 1604 with Bateson's Madrigals. THOMAS WEELKES, As appears by the title-pages of his different publications, was in 1600 organist of Winchester College, and in 1608, of Chichester Cathedral. For originality of ideas, and ingenuity of construction in part writing, (I allude more especially to his Ballets,) Weelkes in my opinion leaves all other composers of his time far behind. His first work in order of date is, "Madrigals to three, “four, five, or six Voices, printed by Thomas Este, 1597," dedicated as follows: "To the Right Worshipful Master George Phillpot, Esquire, Thos. Weelkes wisheth all joy, "health, and felicity. 66 66 Right Worshipful, your undeserved love, and liberal goodwill toward me; your natural disposition, and ac"customed favour to all music; the one hath provoked me "to presume of your patronage, the other compelled me "to present before you these six dishes full of divers "Madrigals, the first fruits of my barren ground, unripe in regard of time; unsavoury in respect of others; not much "delightsome, only once to look upon, for at first men's eyes are not matches; not sweet only once to taste of, "for presently the pallet cannot give passage to his savoury 66 66 "sentence. |