(Vol. ii., pp. 184. 459.)
The following extracts furnish decisive evidence of the custom of our old
English actors' and musicians' professional peregrinations on the continent
at the beginning of the seventeenth century--a subject which has been ably
treated by Mr. Thoms in the _Athenæum_ for 1849, p. 862.
In September, 1603, King James I. despatched the Lord Spenser and Sir
William Dethick, Garter King-at-arms, to Stuttgart, for the purpose of
investing the Duke of Würtemberg with the ensigns of the Garter, he having
been elected into the order in the 39th year of the late Queen's reign. A
description of this important ceremony was published at Tubingen in 1605,
in a 4to. volume of 270 pages, by Erhardus Cellius, professor of poetry and
history at that University, entitled: "Eques auratus Anglo-Wirtembergicus."
At page 120. we are told that among the ambassador's retinue were "four
excellent musicians, with ten other assistants." (Four excellentes musici,
unà cum decem ministris aliis.) These performed at a grand banquet given
after the Duke's investiture, and are described at p. 229. as "the royal
English music, which the illustrious royal ambassador had brought with him
to enhance the magnificence of the embassy and the present ceremony; and
who, though few in number, were eminently well skilled in the art. For
England produces many excellent musicians, commedians, and tragedians, most
skilful in the histrionic art; certain companies of whom quitting their own
abodes for a time, are in the habit of visiting foreign countries at
particular seasons, exhibiting and representing their art principally at
the courts of princes. A few years ago, some English musicians coming over
to our Germany with this view, remained for some time at the courts of
great princes; their skill both in music and in the histrionic art, having
procured them such favour, that they returned home beautifully rewarded,
and loaded with gold and silver."
(Musica Anglicana Regiæ, quam Regius illustris Legatus secum ad Legationis
et actus huius magnificentiam adduxerat: non ita multos quidem sed
excellenter in hac arte versatos. Profert enim multos et præstantes Anglia
musicos, comoedos, tragædos, histrionicæ peritissimos, è quibus interdum
aliquot consociati sedibus {22} suis ad tempus relictis ad exteras nationes
excurrere, artemq'; suam illis præsertim Principum aulis demonstrare,
ostentareq'; consueverunt. Paucis ab hinc annis in Germaniam nostram
Anglicani musici dictum ob finem expaciati, et in magnorum Principum aulis
aliquandiu versati, tantum ex arte musica, histrionicaq'; sibi favorem
conciliârunt, ut largiter remunerati domum inde auro et argento onusti sint
reversi.)
Dancing succeeded the feast and then (p. 244.) "the English players made
their appearance, and represented the sacred history of _Susanna_, with so
much art of histrionic action, and with such dexterity, that they obtained
both praise and a most ample reward."
(Histriones Anglicani maturè prodibant, et sacram Susannæ historiam tanta
actionis histrionicæ arte, tanta dexteritate representabant, ut et laudem
inde et præmium amplissimum reportarent.)