Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 15.djvu/394

 sonnet (sometimes ascribed to Shakespeare), ‘In praise of Musique and Poetrie,’ in which he is celebrated thus:

In 1599 a sonnet by Dowland appeared prefixed to Richard Allison's ‘Psalms.’ He must have left England in this year, for in 1600 he published the ‘Second Booke of Songs or Ayres, of 2. 4. and 5. parts: With Tableture for the Lute or Orpherian, with the Violl de Gamba,’ on the title-page of which he is described as lutenist to the king of Denmark. The preface to this work, which is dedicated to Lucy, countess of Bedford, is dated ‘From Helsingnoure in Denmarke, the first of June.’ This was followed (in 1603) by the ‘Third and Last Booke of Songs or Aires. Newly composed to sing to the Lute, Orpharion, or Viols, and a Dialogue for a base and meane Lute with fiue voices to sing thereto.’ In the dedicatory epistle to this work he alludes to his being still abroad. He was in England in 1605, when he published his extremely rare ‘Lachrymæ, or Seven Teares, figured in seaven passionate Pavans,’ dedicated to Anne of Denmark. It seems from the preface to this that he had been driven back by storms on his return to Denmark, and forced to winter in England (, Hist. of Music, iii. 325). He had finally left Denmark in 1609, when he was living in Fetter Lane. He published in this year a translation of the ‘Micrologus’ of Andreas Ornithoparcus, which he dedicated to the Earl of Salisbury. In the translator's address to the reader he promises a work on the lute, which is also alluded to by his son Robert in the preface to his ‘Varietie of Lute-lessons’ (1610). To this latter work John Dowland appended a ‘Short Treatise on Lute-playing.’ Two years later appeared his last work, ‘A Pilgrimes Solace. Wherein is contained Musicall Harmonie of 3. 4. and 5. parts, to be sung and plaid with the Lute and Viols.’ In this he is described as lutenist to Lord Walden (eldest son of the Earl of Suffolk). In the preface he complains of neglect. ‘I haue lien long obscured from your sight, because I receued a kingly entertainment in a forraine climate, which could not attaine to any (though neuer so meane) place at home.’ He had returned to find himself almost forgotten, and a new school of lute-players had arisen who looked upon him as old-fashioned. Peacham, in his ‘Minerva Britanna’ (1612), alludes to this neglect. He compares Dowland to a nightingale sitting on a briar in the depth of winter:

Sir William Leighton's ‘Teares’ (1614) contains a few compositions by Dowland, but his latter years were passed in obscurity. He was (according to Rimbault) in 1625 a lutenist to Charles I; he died either in that year or early in 1626, as is proved by the warrant to his son Robert, though the exact date and place of his death and burial are unknown. Fuller (Worthies, ed. Nichols, ii. 113) says he was ‘a chearful person … passing his days in lawful meriment;’ but Fuller's account is very inaccurate, and he probably invented the remark to illustrate a well-known anagram which was made on Dowland, and which is to be found in several contemporary books:

Fuller attributes this to one Ralph Sadler of Standon, who was with Dowland at Copenhagen, but it is claimed by Peacham in his ‘Minerva Britanna,’ and is also to be found in Camden's ‘Remains.’ In the preface to his ‘Pilgrimes Solace’ Dowland says that his works had been printed at Paris, Antwerp, Cologne, Nürnberg, Frankfort, Leipzig, Amsterdam, and Hamburg. None of these foreign editions are known, but some of his music occurs in Füllsack and Hildebrand's ‘Ausserlesener Paduanen vnd Galliarden. Erster Theil,’ which appeared at Hamburg in 1607. Much manuscript music by him, chiefly consisting of lute lessons, is to be found in the British Museum, Christ Church (Oxford), Fitzwilliam, and University (Cambridge) Libraries.



DOWLAND, ROBERT (17th cent.), musician, son of [q. v.], was born before his father left England to settle in Denmark. His godfather was Sir Robert Sidney, and he was partly educated in his father's absence at the cost of Sir Thomas Mounson, to whom in 1610 he dedicated his first work: ‘Varietie of Lute-lessons: viz. Fantasies, Pauins, Galliards, Almaines, Co