J. Read online



  J.

  by

  David Brining

  Copyright © David Brining 2015

  J.

  the tenth letter of the alphabet, a modern introduction, only differentiated from i in the seventeenth century and not completely separated until the nineteenth. There is no Roman J or j in the Authorized Version of the Bible. Thus Jehovah is Iehovah and Jesus Iesus (as in INRI, or Iesus Nazarenus Rex Iudaeorum)

  jest

  joke

  jeu

  juggle

  J is for

  jabber

  jargon

  journey

  junk

  Quis Custodiet Ipsos Custodes?

  "Who shall guard the guards themselves?"

  (Juvenal, Satire VI, 347)

  No man in his right senses chooses falsehood over truth.

  (St Justin Martyr)

  I'll be hanged for a sheep if not for the king

  Freedom is our prizes

  Till the '88 sealed our fate

  Hooray for the Bloody Assizes

  (Trad. English folk song)

  Contents

  Prelude: The Coronation of King James II

  Part One: Jasmine Cottage

  First Interlude: Julius II, the Warrior Pope

  Part Two: Jarrow

  Second Interlude: Julius III and Tommaso Mazzola

  Part Three: Jervaulx

  Third Interlude: The Masque: A brief history

  Part Four: Jura

  Fourth Interlude: Giles Jankyn's Masque of Apollo and Hyacinth

  Part Five: Jedburgh

  J is for….

  Prelude

  The Coronation of King James the Second

  "THE Day of His Majesties Coronation, April 23 in the sixteen hundred and eighty-fifth year of our Lord. The Queene also crown'd, with magnificent solemnity. The Bp of Ely preached. The King beginns his Regne with greate expectations and hopes for Reformation." (John Evelyn's Diary).

  There are several accounts of the Coronation of James II, including Evelyn’s diary and the letters of Francis Sandford, but for a music historian the most exciting is the recently discovered diary of Jeremiah Clarke, a chorister in the Chapel Royal. Clarke, 14 or 15 at the time, describes the lengthy rehearsals, the testing nature of the music composed by Purcell, Blow and Lawes, and the measuring of the choristers for their coronation robes.

  "As well as our Surplice, which has to be STARCHED, new Mantles of Scarlet. The men have four yards. We were mesured by Dr joh Blow (Master of the childer and dr of Mus) and Nich. Staggins, (Dr in Musick and Master of the Kinges Musik)."

  Jeremiah Clarke, (c. 1670-1707), choral scholar at the Chapel Royal, he sang at the Coronation of King James II in 1685. Pupil of Blow and organist at St Paul's Cathedral. Composer of church and stage music, including a setting of Alexander's Feast (Dryden) and The Masque of Apollo (Jankyn), trumpet voluntary (mistakenly atributed to Purcell). Disappointed in love, Clarke shot himself.

  The diary describes

  The GRAND PROCEEDING to Their MAJESTIES CORONATION from Westminster HALL to the Collegiate Church of ST PETER in WESTMINSTER and the 42 Singers from the Chapel Roial (12 boys and 30 adults) and 8 boys from the Choir of Westminster with 24 violins. Hen. Purcel played organ. Proceeded before His Majestie with trumpets and kettle drums from the Hall to the Church and entred with Children of Westminster S. singing VIVAT when KING JAMES entred the Church, all clad in Orange and Purple Robes and All Those Present shouted "VIVAT JACOBUS REX ANGOLORUM". We Sung the Ful Anthem I was Glad when They Said unto ME by Mr Purcell. Then Zadok the Priest which Mr Purcel told me was for the ANOINTING of His Majestie's Head. Slepte in Sermn. Mr Gostlin kickt me in the Back. Mr Percels My Hart is inditing sounded Magnificent and My Solo at "she shal be brought unto the kinge" went wel. Her majestie Praysed me after wards and stroked my cheek.