King’s Lynn 1600 – 1699

1600-1601 William Setill, Cryer of the Town (Gratis). Cal

1602 Plague; Earthquake damage PR

1603 (3 February) The waite to have the Collers dd them/Att this Daie it is agreed by Mr Maior the Aldermen & comen Counsell of this Towne that the wayte shall have dd them v Collers of Sylver some of them beinge inhamyled & to be dd back agayn by them att this ha<.le> att the ende of the marte Mal
(18 February) The Town Collors dd in. Allso Mr Maior hath dd into the hall heare those v Collers of Siluer which att the hall heare holden the iijd of ffebr’ last past were dd to the waite. Mal
(19 December) vli to be bestowed vpon the town Waite. Allso it is agreed that there shalbe ffive pownde bestowed vpon the Towne waite towarde their Lyueries for this their wynters <servic> to be paid by the Chambrlyn before the ffeast of the birth of our Lord god next comynge Mal

1605 (18 February) The Towns collors brought in Att this Daye the waite have brought in the Towns collors of syluer with the Scuttchins to them. [to be] Laid vp in the chest vli to be bestowed vpon the waite Allso att the same Daye it is agred by mr Maior the Aldermen & comen counsell that the said wayte [shall] beyng v in nombre shall have bestowed vpon them for their Liveryes by the Town ffyve pownde to be paid by the Chambrlyns Mal

1607 Floods PR

1610 Plague PR

1611 Richard Bradley, Waite of York, took on John Bradley, son of John Bradley “de Lin in com. Nor” as an apprentice. (‘York Music’) JM
Thomas Brewer, English viol player and composer, born. English viol player and composer. Educated at Christ’s Hospital. A musician in the household of Sir Nicholas Lestrange of Hunstanton (precise dates unknown), who wrote of him:
‘Thom: Brewer, my Mus: seruant, through his Proneness to good-Fellowshippe, hauing attaind to a very Rich and Rubicund Nose; being reproude by a Friend for his frequent vse of strong Drinkes and Sacke; Faith, sayes he, if it will not endure sack, it’s no Nose for me’.
-Sir Nicholas L’Estrange, in Merry Passages and Jests (British Library Harl. MS. 6395)
Brewer’s fantasies and dances for viols are to be found in
Oxford, Bodleian Library: Mus. Sch. 100a-b, E 431-6 and F 568-9
Dublin, Marsh’s Library Add. 31423
Songs and catches by Brewer are to be found in:
Hilton: Catch that Catch Can (1652-1663)
Playford: Musical Companion (1667-1673)
Playford: Select [Musical] Ayres and Dialogues (1653-1659)
Elizabeth Rogers’s Virginal Book (1656) (Modern edition (ed) Charles Cafone, Dover Publications,
New York, 1975)
See also Musica Britannica Volume 33, 1971: English Songs 1625 – 1660
Ian Spink’s book English Song: Dowland to Purcell (London, 1974) has references to Brewer from page 120.
Not to be confused with a later, Georgian period composer of the same name.) GG
Three catches for three voices by Thomas Brewer, Turn Amarillis, An Answer to Turn Amarallis, and Call Again, Boys, are to be found in I Walsh’s ‘The Catch Club or Merry Companions’ Book I. JM

1612 (24 January)Allso itt was granted that xls shall be added more yerely to the ffee of the Townes Waite to make vp the same_____xli per annum and the same to be paid so that they maynteyne fyve [m] of their company orelle they ar to haue butt their old fee of 8li./ Mal

1612 Both York Waites and Lynn Waites performed for Francis Clifford, 4th Earl of Cumberland. (Woodfill) JM

1613 (Accounts of Sir Hamon and Lady Alice L’Estrange) february 2 to the Waytes 2(shillings) December 26 to Linne Waytes 6s Mal

1614 Thomas Brewer went to Christ’s Hospital to be educated. CG (Groves’ Dictionary of Music)

1615 (17 March) Towne Scutchins Att this day the Towne waite brought into the hall the Townes five Scutchins and silver Chaynes which were delyuered to them before the Mart Mal

1616 (L’Estrange accounts) October 18 giuen to Linne Waytes 5(shillings) Mal

1619 (18 January) Waite Liveryes Allso itt is agreed that the Chamberlyns shall buy and provide Cloth for Lyveries for the Townes waite of such sort and Color as they shall thinck fitt./ 1620 (L’Estrange accounts) Mal Decem. 8 giuen to Linn Waytes 1(shilling) Mal

1622 Plague PR
(18 January) Waite Liveryes./ Att this daye itt was agreed that the Chamberlyns shall buy and provide Cloth for Lyvery Clokes for the waite of this Towne of such sort and color as they shall thinck fitt the price of the Cloth of every Cloke nott excedinge xxxs./ Mal

1623 (31 January) Waite Liveryes Allso itt is agreed that the Chamberlyns shall buy and provide Cloth for lyvery clokes for the waite of this Towne of such sort and Color as they shall thinck fitt the price of the Cloth of every Cloke nott exceedinge xxxs Mal

1624 Town Hall porch with minstrel’s gallery built. PR
(L’Estrange accounts) October to Linne Waites 4(shillings) Mal

1625 Plague PR
(24 January) waite Liveries Allso itt is ordered that the Chamberlyns shall buy and provide Cloth for Livery Clokes for the Waite of this Towne of such sort and Color as they shall thinck fitt the price of the Cloth of every Cloke nott exceedinge xxxs./ (12 September) Waite Ls Allso ffifty Shillinge is bestowed vpon the waite att their humble peticion for their Relief, which mony is paid out of the hall vnto Mr Maior to be distributed amongest them by his discretion/ (The Lynn waits were paid only from 1 November until 25 March; during the rest of the year they supplemented their salary by travelling. Apparently in this plague year they were not being received elsewhere.) Mal

1626 Thomas Brewer left Christ’s Hospital GG

1627 (26 January) Waite Liveryes Allso itt is ordered that the Chamberlyns shall buy and provide Cloth for lyvery Clokes for the Wayte ofthis Towne of such sort and Color as they shall thinck fitt, the price of the Cloth of every Cloke nott excedinge xxxs a piece./ Mal

1629 (26 January) Waite Liveryes./ Allso itt is ordered that the Chamberlyns shall buy and provide Cloth for lyvery Clokes for the waite of this Towne of such sort and colour as they shall thinck fitt. the price of the Cloth of every Cloake not exceedinge xxxs a piece Mal

1630 Plague PR

1631 (28 March) Waits Liveryes Allso itt is granted that the Chamberlyns shall buy and provide Cloth for livery Clokes for the waytes of this Towne of such sort and colour as they shall thinck fitt the price of the Cloth of every Cloke not exceedinge Thirty shillings a piece Mal

1632 (L’Estrange accounts) (between 21 August and 29 September) to the Towne Waites at Linne 4(shillings) to Linne Waytes 4( shillings) Mal

1633 (8 March) Waytes Lyveries Att this day itt is ordered that the Chamberlyns shall buy and provide Cloth for lyvery Clokes for the waites of this Towne of such sort and colour as they shall thinck fitt the price of the Cloth of every Cloke nott exceedinge xxxs a piece. Mal

1634 (19 September) Towne Waytes Chosen & Newe Lyveries graunted/ It is Allsoe Ordered that Robert Kydd & Edmund Taylor shalbe admytted as Towne waytes Or Musicians together with ye Rest already in ye place & shall soe continewe in their places duringe the will & pleasure of ye Maior & Burgesses & shall haue ye like wages as hath bene formerlye gyven, And allsoe yt is ffurther Ordered That all the said Towne waytes shall haue forthwith newe Lyveries Provided by ye Chamberlaynes ye said Lyueries not to Exceede Thirty shillinges apeece./ Mal

1635 (2 November) Iohn Barett & Wil: Hill waits Itt is also ordered That Iohn Barrett & will Hill shalbe admitted as Townes waits or Musitians together with the rest alreadie in the place and shal so Continew in ther places during the wil aand pleasure of the major and Burgesses. And shal haue the Like wages as hath beene formerlie giuen Mal

1636 Plague PR
(9 September) xs appeece given to the Towne waytes./ Att this day vpon the Peticion of the Towne Waytes ffor some Reliefe this Tyme of Sicknes & visitacion, yt is Ordered they shall haue gyven them Tenne shillinge appeece to be payd by ye Chamberlaynes. Mal
(L’Estrange accounts) Decem 14 giuen to Linne Waytes 4(shillings) Mal

1639 (L’Estrange accounts) Ian 10 to Linne Weytes 6(shillings) Mal
Jan. 27. The Waites to give bond for their chains not exceeding �30. and to have new liveries against every Mart. T

1643 Seige of Lynn, August – September. PR

1645 Plague PR

1646 John Bradley senior was pensioned off with 40 shillings per annum: “late one of the town waits…..aged and decrepid……” (Mss by Henry Mann, vol.II fol.33 in Norwich Public Library). JM

1656 The waits of Cambridge invited ‘to wayte’ on the mayor and corporation at the mart because the town was ‘wanting of their own waytes’ PR

1657 ‘waytes’ or ‘loude musick’ required to attend the corporation and mayor in their ‘solemnity’ and ‘to walke the streets in the winter nights according to the ancient custome of this Burgh’. Francis Ebbison paid �20 to go to London to negotiate with a company willing ‘to embrace’ Lynn as waits. He was unsuccessful. PR
Around this time, John Jenkins, composer of Fancies for lute and lyra-viol, visited Lynn. Famous for the song, ‘A boat, a boat, unto the ferry’. Died at the age of 86 in the employ of Sir Phillip Wodehouse at Kimberley. Mentioned in LeStrange a/c’s. Described as ‘A little man with a great soul’. CG

1658 August. �5 sent to Richard Lowe and his company to come to Lynn and play at the mayoral election. PR
The town hires the four Ipswich Waits for the function and is so impressed with them that they are employed to be the Lynn Waites at �16 a year plus their liveries CG

1660/1670 Thomas Brewer died. GG

1660 Lynn Waites performed at Wisbech (Mss, ‘Musical Notes’ Dr A M Meron. Norwich archives.) SM
LYNN WAITS AT WISBECH
The Restoration festivities cost �3, including �1 to the waits of Lynn, and 40s. was distributed in bread to the poor at the coronation of Charles II. From: ‘Wisbech: Wisbech and the civil war’, A History of the County of Cambridge and the Isle of Ely: Volume 4: City of Ely; Ely, N. and S. Witchford and Wisbech Hundreds (2002), pp. 253-54. http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.asp?compid=21933&strquery=waits. AR

1665 Plague PR

1666 onwards. War and peace proclaimed by the mayor on the steps of the Town Hall. Then escorted by soldiers and musicians to the Market Cross, the health of the sovereign sometimes being drunk half way at the Custom House. PR

1674-1675 Jarvis Grant, Wait of the Custom House, purchased freedom. Cal
John Craddock, Wait of the Custom House, purchased freedom. Cal

1683 26 Sept. Ordered that the poor town boyes who are taught in Mr. Osborne’s school gratis do in future attend blowing the bellows of the organ in St Margaret’s DJ

1688 Townhend, organist of St Margaret’s, Lynn, born. TY

1689 Andrew George Lemon born. TY