Richard Deering was descended from an ancient family--the Deerings of
the County of Kent. The branch from which Richard Deering traces his
descent was the one headed by William Deering of Petworth, in co.
Sussex, and his wife, Eleanor Dyke. The Deering of this sketch was the
son of Henry Deering of Liss, near Petworth, by the Lady Elizabeth
Grey. He died in 1630.
It is stated by Anthony Wood that Deering was "bred up in Italy, where
he obtained the name of a most admirable musician. After his return he
practised his Faculty for some time in England, where his name being
highly cried up, became after many entreaties, Organist to the English
Nuns living at Brussels." It is not easy to discover anything about
Deering's Italian life or work. My friend, the Rev Dr Spooner
Lillingston, {55} made some Inquiries for me in Italy, and is kind
enough to write as follows:
"The Earl of Kent's family (of which Deering's mother was a member)
remained Catholic for many years, and this family, half a century
before, seem to have intermarried with certain of the Italian nobility.
Lady Elizabeth Grey does not appear in any record of the Greys of Kent.
May not Deering's mother have been of Italian extraction? Hence his
Catholic religion and Italian training."
As to his Italian sojourn Dr Spooner Lillingston continues: "There is
no record of his first Communion at St John Lateran, so probably he did
not go to Italy until about ten years of age, all such records of First
Communions made in Italy being registered at St John's Lateran." Dr
Lillingston also tells us there is a record of an 8-part Motet by
Deering having been performed in one of the Churches, the title being
_O quam Gloriosa_.
That Deering studied hard and composed while in Italy seems pretty
certain. Judged from an observation in his "Dedication" of the 1617
Motets it would appear that it was in Rome that he wrote them. In this
dedication he speaks of having composed them in the chief city of the
world. I cannot help thinking that "the chief {56} city of the world"
to Deering--a Catholic--was Rome.
Almost the first fact of which we have very certain knowledge in
connection with his life in England is the "Supplication" which he made
for the degree of Bachelor of Music at Oxford, in April, 1610. In
answer to an inquiry, the Keeper of the Archives said that there is a
record of Deering's supplication, and it is stated that his plea is
granted "providing he shall have composed a work of eight parts for the
next 'Act.'" Dr Scott, the learned custodian of our Abbey Muniments
for many years, made some inquiries for me on this matter, and gives
the following note which he had apparently received from Oxford:
"Supplicateth in like manner Richard Deering, a scholar most highly
trained in music, of Christ Church, forasmuch as he hath spent ten
years in the study and practise of music, that this may suffice for
him to be admitted to the lectures of the music of Boethius."
The statement by Deering that he had spent "ten years in the study and
practise of music" absolutely disposes of the legend, so often
repeated, that Deering published a set of 5-part Motets in Antwerp, in
1597. I have always entirely doubted that this had any foundation in
{57} fact. I believe it is a misprint for 1617, and it was not likely
twenty years would elapse between the publication of two sets of Motets
by so prolific a composer. "Ten years" makes the date of Deering's
_studies_ to begin in 1600, so he could not have published in 1597. I
am glad to be able to correct this error on the authority of the Master
himself.
It is very amusing, and rather annoying, to see how the musical
historians have copied from one another the most untrue statements
about Deering. Burney, Hawkins, and Mr Husk in the first edition of
Grove's _Dictionary_, _all_ give 1597 instead of 1617; and Burney and
Hawkins say he was forced to leave England when the troubles of Charles
I began. Hawkins says he was Organist to Henrietta Maria until _she_
was compelled to leave England. The fact is Deering was dead before
all this! He returned to England as Organist to Henrietta Maria in
1625, and died in 1630.
But space would fail me to point out more of the absurd statements
about this musician. Let me rather now turn to his greatest
contribution to our musical treasures.
I leave for a time further comment upon his work in England, and
proceed to consider his magnificent Motets. It appears that on the
{58} invitation of the English nuns at Brussels he proceeded to that
city and became Organist to the Convent. It was whilst there that he
published in 1617 his fine series of _Cantiones Sacrae_ for five
voices; this was issued from the press of Peter Phalese in Antwerp.
There are 18 Motets, all to Latin words, for five voices, and "Basso
Continuo" for Organ.
I have already spoken of the way I made acquaintance with these
masterpieces. It is very gratifying to find the increased favour with
which they are received and the frequent performance of them by great
choirs. The ignorant accounts of them which I have quoted shake one's
faith in the opinion of such writers on other musical works.
The first set of Motets was dedicated to a remarkable personage, Sir
William Stanley,[1] and {59} the Preface is so interesting I feel
justified in giving it (with the title-page). The original Dedication
is in Latin, but I give it in a translation.[2]
{60}
In the second set, published in 1618, Deering claims to have written in
the Madrigalian style. It looks as if he had tried to imitate the
Madrigals he had heard, and to adapt some of the phrases to sacred
words. I do not think the second set is as good as the first. But
there are some very fine things in it, one of the best being "Silence
prevailed in Heaven," a dramatic account of St Michael's war with the
Dragon. I have had this printed, and it produces a splendid effect,
and hope in time to restore to life many more of these unknown and
really beautiful masterpieces.
I have not space to chronicle all Deering's musical works. But I must
conclude this notice by some account of his secular music, and, more
particularly, his remarkable _Humorous Fancy, The Crycs of London_.
This is the third of these interesting Fancies which I have had the
opportunity of recovering from oblivion. I have {61} already in the
case of Weelkes and Gibbons explained the circumstances attending this
recovery. Deering's _Fancy_ is the most elaborate of the three, and,
besides a number of _Cryes_ which the other musicians omitted, he has
preserved to us some most interesting and charming Tradesmen's
Songs--those of the Swepe, the Blacking-seller, the Vendor of Garlick,
the Rat-catcher, and the Tooth-drawer. The whole _Fancy_ is full of
life, and shows Deering to be both dramatic and humourous. This work
(and a similar one on _Country Cryes_) were written before he left
England for Brussels, as the copy in the British Museum was made 1616.
There are a few Anthems scattered about in various Libraries, but as a
Catholic his contributions to English Cathedral music would, no doubt,
be few. Some are to be found in Durham Cathedral Library. On the
marriage of Charles I, he was appointed Organist to the Queen Henrietta
Maria. On July 11th, 1628, his name appears in a list of musicians in
ordinary to the King, and he was evidently a member of the King's
Private Band.
Most historians have stated that he lived to 1657, but this is just as
incorrect as their other statements concerning Deering and his music.
I have devoted much time to the elucidation of {62} the history and the
reproduction of his work, and feel in doing this I have helped to
restore to his rightful place one of the greatest English musicians of
the 17th, or indeed of any, century.
[1] Sir William Stanley was a Roman Catholic and a very extraordinary
man. I think the following account from the _Dictionary of National
Biography_ will be of interest.
Sir W. Stanley, Adventurer, one of the Cheshire Stanleys. He served in
the Netherlands under Alva. He quitted the Spanish service in 1570 and
served in Ireland under Elizabeth, and later on was appointed Sheriff
of Cork. He was very severe on the rebels and he reported he had
hanged 300 of them and so terrified the rest that "a man might now
travel the whole country and no one molest him." He thought he was not
properly rewarded, and later on was guilty of treachery. He was, of
course, Roman Catholic and greatly in the confidence of the Jesuits.
He actually went to Spain to advise the best method of conquering
England. He recommended that Ireland should be made the basis of
operations, and that troops should disembark at Milford Haven rather
than at Portsmouth. When Elizabeth died Stanley sent no less a person
than Guy Fawkes, his subaltern officer, with an emissary of Catesby to
Spain, to warn Philip against James. There is no evidence that he was
concerned in the Gunpowder Plot, but he was placed under arrest at
Brussels on suspicion of being concerned in it.
He spent the latter part of his life in complete obscurity. In 1616 he
contributed largely to a Jesuit College of Liege, and was Governor of
Mechlin. He sought in vain for permission to return to England, and
died at Ghent in 1630, and was honoured with a magnificent public
funeral. He married Elizabeth, daughter of John Egerton of Egerton,
who was buried in Mechlin Cathedral, in 1614. The male line of the
Stanleys of Horton became extinct by the death of the twelfth baronet
Sir John Stanley-Errington in 1883.
[2] Cantiones Sacrae for 5 Voices
with Basso Continuo for Organ.
by
RICHARD DEERING, Englishman,
Organist to the venerable
English Nuns in the Monastery
of the Blessed Virgin Mary at Brussels.
Antwerp.
at the house of Peter Phalese
1617.
_Dedication_
To Sir William Stanley, Knight, renewed at home and in Military life,
Councillor at war to the most honourable and invincible Catholic King,
his most worshipful Lord.
For long my Music has desired to come forward. She is not unpolished
(for she was born in the first City of the World) but she is modest.
For it is customary with new men, especially those that are bashful,
not to bring their offspring however excellent to the light, until they
find some distinguished man, whose approval if they win, they need fear
neither the abuse of rivals nor the criticism of the ignorant.
But what patron should my music choose in preference to your lordship?
When permitted to relax your mind from military cares, you think no
delight, no pleasure greater than music. To music you give the chief
place after war, in which none surpass you. Therefore let my child go
forth with you for its patron. If you are the first to smile upon it
as it takes its first modest steps, you will give it wonderful courage,
for greater things. Live, flourish and conquer.
In War we long for Peace; Peace endeth wars,
Music makes jocund Peace to know no jars.
Your most obedient servant,
R. Deering.
{63}