UK medieval writings
A collection of writings from the 12th century onwards.
1360 "the Tympanum maketh the better melody
yf there is a pype therewyth." ‘Old English instruments of music, their history and character’ by Galpin, Francis W. (Francis William), 1911 |
|||||||
"... At your feasts you have harp and lute, tabor and pipe and wine, but have no eyes for the work of the Lord..." 'The Letters of Abelard and Heloise by Peter Abelard, Heloise, Michael Clanchy and Betty Radice (2004) page 175 |
|||||||
12th century, Hugh of Taber “…In order that this grant of mine may continue to be stable and fair in future times, I have confirmed it
|
|||||||
'Slide trumpet madness: fact or fiction?' by H W Myers, Early Music Volume XVII, Issue 3, Pp. 383-389 |
|||||||
c.1220-1240 poem 'Handlyng Synne': This poem gives advice on the consequences of sin and advocates living a moral life, using examples " may he be sore a-ferde that doth vyleynye yn churche yerde, Namly, syn hyt halewed was, Activities that are forbidden in the church or churchyard while the priest is taking the mass include the pipe and tabor: "Or tabure bete, or other pypynge, Alle swychë thyng forbodyn es, whyle the prest stondeth at messe." " Insular Secular Carolling in the Late Middle Ages" Eustace, Frances |
|||||||
‘fools, luters, taborers,’ are listed in the 'Register of Royal and Baronial Domestic Minstrels 1272 -1327' Bullock-Davies, Constance .' Register of Royal and Baronial Domestic Minstrels 1272 -1327.' Woodbridge, Suffolk : Boydell, 1986. |
|||||||
13th century - In the Anglo-Norman romance of Horn a ribald |
|||||||
1297 At the wedding
of Edward's fourteen-year-old sister Elizabeth and twelve-year-old Count John I of Holland was’ Martinet the taborer’ among many other minstrels. |
|||||||
Court case 23 Dec. 1298 Calendar: Roll B, 16 December 1298 - 29 September 1299 Pages 21-45 |
|||||||
Court case 19 March 1299-1300 'Calendar: Roll C, 17 February 1299 - 14 October 1300', in Calendar of Early Mayor's Court Rolls: 1298-1307, ed. A H Thomas (London, 1924 |
|||||||
1300 poem 'Sir Orfeo' line 300“…Knights and ladies in joyous wise, |
|||||||
1302 poem concerning the love which Bishop Grosteste had for music:‘The ballad literature and popular music of the olden time : a history of the ancient songs, ballads, and of the dance tunes of England, with numerous anecdotes and entire ballads : also a short account of the minstrels’ by Chappell, W. (William), 1855 |
|||||||
early 14th century poem 'Ywain and Gawain' “…And damsels dance and ful wele ‘The Narrative Performers: An Examination of Medieval Musicians’ Effect on Their Audiences
and The Narrative’ |
|||||||
1306 Craddock le Taborrer, of Coventry is named in: |
|||||||
1306 great feast at Westminster: 267 men were knighted. |
|||||||
July 1306, two shillings was paid out of the household accounts of Edward of Caernarfon and Elizabeth's |
|||||||
"The royal household ordinances of 1318 made provision for two trumpeters and two other minstrels to be Secular Musicians in Late Medieval England |
|||||||
9 March 1310 Godewyn le Pheliper …acknowledged himself bound to William de Gaytone, "tabourer" William de Gaytone is variously listed in court documents as a
tabourer, minstrel, taburer and taburrer. ‘Calendar of Letter-Books of the City of London: B, 1275-1312.’ Folio 20 b (cxj). vs. vijd. |
|||||||
1310 court record: Creditor: William de Gayton, minstrel. Amount: 100m. The National Archive C 241/74/60 |
|||||||
1310 court record: Creditor: William de Gayton, minstrel {taburer). Amount: 100m The National Archives C 241/69/105 |
|||||||
1311 William de Gaytone is described as a "tabourer"
Calendar of Letter-Books of the City of London: F, 1337-1352. |
|||||||
1311 court record: Creditor: William de Gayton, minstrel {taburrer} Amount: £30 |
|||||||
1315 “John de Upestone, 'tabourer,' who were hanged” Calendar of Close Rolls, Edward II: Volume 2, 1313-1318. |
|||||||
1317-1321 John, 'le tabourer' |
|||||||
1319 “De Roberto le Tabourer Lived in Warda Ripe Regine, Queenhithe ward, London At the same time “De Sabina le Taburer” lived in Warda de Bradstrate, Broad Street ward, LondonSubsidy Roll 1319: Queenhithe ward, Two Early London Subsidy Rolls.Pages 332-338 |
|||||||
1323-64 Tabourer living in the City of London - Taborer, Tabourer, Peter, |
|||||||
1324 John Thyoun 'le Tabourer' in Calender of Patent Rolls |
|||||||
1325 “Taburer (le Taborer), William (fl. 1325-<49). was registered at St. Mary le Bow 37-41 (s)”
London
'Tabourer, Gervase le' was also listed: |
|||||||
1327 Will'o le Taborer lived in Waleshale.
'Staffordshire Lay Subsidy, 1327: Offlow hundred, Lichfield and other boroughs' |
|||||||
1331 court record: Creditor: William de Gayton, minstrel and merchant [of Northants] Amount: £40. The National Archives C 241/108/94 |
|||||||
1334 John Tabourer of Echynghamme, |
|||||||
1334 court record: Creditor: William de Gayton, minstrel {taborer} Amount: £4. The National Archive C 241/105/143 |
|||||||
1335 court record: The National Archives C 131/5/27 |
|||||||
1336 In the will of
Gayton (William de), "tabourer." " To the Warden and priests of the New Hospital of S. Mary within Crepelgate a tenement with shops and gardens situate without Aldresgate in the parish of S. Botolph, so that they provide a chantry for the good of his soul and the souls of Ada his wife, &c...." [25 March] Roll 64 (31). |
|||||||
1337 William de Gayton, a "tabourer" was proved and enrolled in the Court of Hustings Calendar of Letter-Books of the City of London: F, 1337-1352 'Cal. of Wills,' i. 419. |
|||||||
1338 William Tabourer of Gayton "Letters testimonial … to the Bailiffs and good men of Northampton, certifying that John de Gayton |
|||||||
1339 William de Gayton 'Tabourer et Heraud de North' is mentioned as dead in June 1339 (Court of Hustings, Comm. Pleas, R. 63, 13 Ed. III). |
|||||||
1339 -1340 John le Tabourer of Codyngton |
|||||||
Simon Tabour |
|||||||
|
|||||||
1338 poem "...Many mynestrales thorow out the toun, 'The Story of England' by Robert Manning of Brunne |
|||||||
1325-1350 poem Dictionary of Middle English Musical Terms |
|||||||
Edward III (1327-77) included a tabor player in his household band 'Percussion instruments of the Middle Ages and Renaissance Their history in literature and painting' JAMES BLADES |
|||||||
From 1337 onwards in Lynn minstrels and other entertainers and musicians, belonging to various lords, royalty and private individuals, are paid sums by the town council, including the Earl of Suffolk’s, the Duke of Lancaster’s etc. Instruments mentioned include trumpet, harp, gittern, lute, fiddle, pipe (probably shawm) pipe and tabor and bagpipes |
|||||||
1355 Durham ”four pipes, silver-gilt and enamelled, which the prince has given to the four minstrels sent to him Extract from the Account Rolls of the Abbey of Durham, ed. Fowler, Surtees Society. 1898, quoted in 'THE STATUS AND FUNCTION |
|||||||
1360 "the Tympanum maketh the better melody yf there is a pype therewyth." Bartholomew, English monk ‘Old English instruments of music, their history and character’ by Galpin, Francis W. (Francis William), 1911 |
|||||||
1369 Adam the Taberer left his daughter the freehold of a dwelling house with outbuildings and land assigned to its use The National Archives D(W)1721/3/32/15 |
|||||||
|
|||||||
late 14thc poem by John of Trevisa 'English bowed instruments from Anglo-Saxon to Tudor times' by Remnant, Mary |
|||||||
1378
poem: a fool comments upon his skills and talents:
“If you want to know ..... |
|||||||
14th century poem 'Life of Alexander' by Adam Davie |
|||||||
about 1400: “Syr Kadore lette make a feste, quoted in ‘English bowed instruments from Anglo-Saxon to Tudor times’ by Remnant, Mary 1986 |
|||||||
late14th early15th century poem: ‘Sir Cleges’ “…And as he walkyd uppe and done |
|||||||
from Dictionary of Middle English Musical Terms [Some of these quotes may relate to the tabor on its own. 'Pypes' could be any wind/brass instrument.] |
|||||||
1285 " At Tis bruydale was plei i-nouzh: song and gret hoppingue, Tabours and fidele and symphanye: stiues and harpingue." |
1300 "Fro kechene com the fyrste cours, With pypes, and trumpes, and tabours" |
. cl300 " Ðe gleymen on the tabour dinge." |
|||||
1300 T"rumpes yede in hys galeye, |
1303 Rob. Man, of Br. "Or entyrludës, or syngynge, |
1325 'Orpheus' "Taberis and pypes yeden hem by |
|||||
1338 Rob. Man. of Br. "Harpes, pypes, & tabours" |
1338 Rob. Man. of Br. "With trompe & taber, & horn of bras." |
cl350 |
|||||
.
1370-1380 "Wher be those gleomen the to glewen, |
cl377 " Ðan were thee tabours faste y-bete, |
? 1387 " And they Scotlond the douzter of Irlond use harpe, tymbre, and tabour, [and wales useth harpe and pipe and tabour]. |
|||||
1387 " In bataile thei useth taboures and no trompe, and they mowe not dure long for to fi3te" |
1387 "They haveth in greet mangerie |
1398 "And dyuers Instrumentes seruyth to this manere armonye: as Tabour and Tymbre. Harpe and Sawtry, & Nakyres and also Sistrum." |
|||||
1398 "Tympanum is . . . beathen with a stycke ryght as a tabour . . . |
. cl400 " And gret noyse, as it were sown of Tabours and of Nakeres and Trompes, as thoughe it were of a gret feste" |
. cl400 "Ther was myche menstrals[y]e, Trommpes, tabours, and sawtr[y]e, Bothe harpe and fydellyng" |
|||||
cl400 " Ðer was joye and melodye |
1400 "Now rist grete tabour-betyng |
1400 'Sir Gawain and the Green Knight' "They herde no pype, ne flagel." |
|||||
source: 'Dictionary of Middle English Musical Terms'.Carter, H.H. (1961/1980) Indiana University Press, Bloomington. Reprinted (1980). | |||||||
Royal and aristocratic household accounts |
|||||||
COVENTRY GILD-ACCOUNTS 1449–1502 Waldinsfeld, 11 December.Gift: to Martinettus the taborer, 10.0d Roll of payments and gifts to minstrels at Pentecost |
|||||||
THE HOWARD ACCOUNTS 1462–1485 1482 1 August: 1d paid for a pipe for the fool. to Martinettus the taborer, 10.0d Accounts of the household of Thomas and Edmund, the king’s sons payments The taborer of the lady Audham. Guillot the taborer. Perotus the taborer. 3.0d to Guillotus, taborer of the Earl of Warwick. Martinet the taborer. 3.10½d owed to Bandettus the taborer. 5 Ed II: E101.374.16 Prest to King Robert, taborer, and his four companions, soldiers of the garrison of Berwick. 2 – 3 Ed III: E101.384.1. Controller’s Accounts Prest to Clays, taborer. 4 Ed III: E101.385.4. Keeper’s Livery Roll “the minstrels are: (16 including) Cleys, taborer Money for winter robes, annis 15, 16 and 17, to Lambert, taborer Payment of 38.0d of the 60.0d owed to Lambert, taborer. 34 Ed I: E101.369.6 A total of £12.5.4d owed to Lambert, taborer, for wages and robes. Robes and Shoes Money to many servants of the household for winter and summer robes, including Lamkin, taborer c. 21 Ed III: E101.391.9. Keeper’s Accounts 30th November: Details of gowns made against the feast of Christmas for the king’s (17) minstrels, Lambekin, taborer 37 – 38 Ed III: E101.394.16. Livery Roll, 29 June, 37 Ed III – 29 June, 38 Ed III 26th November Details of robes for Christmas for the king’s minstrels (18), Lambekin, taborer 34 – 35 Ed III: E101.393.15. Livery Roll, 1 November, 34 Ed III – 28 June, 35 Ed III 28 November, Details of robes delivered to the minstrels for Christmas (16) Lambekin, taborer 6th December,, Details of robes delivered to the minstrels for Christmas (17) Liveries to the minstrels (15) Lamkin, taborer 48 Ed III – 1 Ric II: E101.397.20. Keeper’s Livery Roll, 24 November, 48 Ed III – 6 July, 1 Ric II 1 October, 1464 1465 1466 1467 1463-4 1481 parchment to repair a tabor (1481) To Christopher and Valentine, taborets, 16d to make their gowns with; 5.0d to buy themselves hose; Payments to Christopher and Valentine, taborets: 5.10½d for a gown for each of them; 2.8d to make their gowns; 11 March: 16d to the taborets for drink-money. 1483 |
|||||||
Household of Thomas, Earl of Surrey |
|||||||
[Ed All this information was extracted from a thesis which is no longer online. Please notify me if this is your work.] |
top of page