Chapel of her successor, Elizabeth, during whose reign the choral music of England for the first time laid a claim to an equality with that of the rest of Europe. This, however, does not appear to have been the effect of royal munificence; for Elizabeth, though extremely fond of splendour and show, was so parsimonious that she suffered the Gentlemen of her Chapel, till the time of her death, to solicit in vain for an augmentation of salary, which the difference in the value of money and manner of living, since the first establishment of the Chapel, seems to have rendered necessary.

In the reign of James I, however, the Gentlemen of the Chapel, being assisted by the influence and solicitation of several powerful noblemen, succeeded in obtaining an increase of 10l. to their annual stipend. An entry of which event appears in the cheque book of the Chapel Royal, signed not only by five of the Great Officers of State, but by the Sub-dean, Chaplains, and Gentlemen of the Chapel then living.

Of Charles I, Playford tells us, in the preface to his "Introduction,"" that he was not behind any of his predecessors in the love and promotion of music, especially in the service of Almighty God; and with much zeal he would hear reverently performed, and often appoint the service and anthem himself, especially that sharp service composed by Dr. William Child, being from his knowledge of music a competent judge therein; and would play his part excellently well on the bass viol, especially of those incomparable fancies of Mr. Coperario to the organ."

During the Civil Wars and the Interregnum which followed, the members of the Chapel were dispersed throughout the country, seeking protection from those who were often ill able to afford it to them, or endeavouring to maintain themselves by teaching, in which, from the disturbed state of the times, they met of course with but little success.

At the restoration of Charles II, it appears from the chequebook that the Choral Establishment of the Royal Chapel consisted of three organists, Edward Lowe, Dr. William Child, and Dr. Christopher Gibbons; a Master of the Children, Captain Henry

Cook; a Clerk of the Cheque; Henry Lawes (the friend of Milton), who composed the Coronation Anthem, and nineteen Gentlemen, among whom Thomas Purcell, the uncle of the great composer, and Raphael Courtville, are the only persons of whom any thing is known.

The salaries of the several members were now augmented to 702. per annum, and "every Gentleman of the Chapel in orders had allowed to him for a gown, five yards of fine scarlete, and the rest of the gentlemen being laymen, had allowed unto each of them foure yards of the like scarlete.”

In the account of the establishment of the Household of King William and Queen Mary, A.D. 1689, preserved in the British Museum, under the head of "Wages, Board Wages, and other allowances for the Chappel Closet and Vestry," the following items occur:

"To Stephen Crispin, and 22 Gentlemen of the Chapell, whereof 2 to be Organists, in all 23 persons, at 48. per diem. Wages, 262 68. 101d. Board Wages, 1416l. 138. 14d. per annum.

"To the Master of the Musick, for teaching and keeping 10 children at 241. per annum each,-2407.”

This number, however, must afterwards have been reduced to twelve; for George I, on his accession, in compliance with the advice of Archbishop Tenison, added four, thus augmenting them to sixteen.

In the reign of Queen Anne, the salaries of the Organists and Gentlemen of the Chapel were 731. per annum, and 30l. per annum was allowed for the maintenance and teaching of each of the ten Children. This last allowance has been, within a few years, augmented to 50l. per boy; while the salaries of the members of the church are, by the operation of Mr. Burke's Bill, now reduced below 601. per annum.

THE MASTER OF THE HORSE.

The Master of the Horse is esteemed the third Great Officer at Court, giving place only to the Lord Steward and Lord Chamberlain of the Household. The Master of the Horse was anciently called Come Stabuli, or Constable, to whom a higher employment and power were heretofore given. He has now the charge of ordering and disposing of all matters relating to the Sovereign's stables, races, breed of horses, &c. as he had, heretofore, of all the posts of England. He has likewise the power of commanding the Equerries and Pages, Grooms, Riders of the Great Horses, Coachmen, Farriers, Smiths, Saddlers, and all other tradesmen employed in the King or Queen's stables; to all of whom the Avener,* by his warrant, administers the oath for the true and faithful discharge of their duty. He has the charge of all the revenues appointed for the service and maintenance of the Sovereign's horses, for charge of the stable, and for coaches, sumpter-horses, &c. He only, of all other Officers, has the privilege of making use of any horses, Pages, or Footmen, belonging to the Royal Stables. At any solemn cavalcade he rides next behind the Sovereign; in the case of a Queen Regnant, in the carriage with her Majesty; and formerly used to lead a led horse of State.

Though he neither has rank in the Act of Precedency, nor is mentioned by his official title in his writ of summons, yet he precedes, by virtue of his office, other Grand Officers of State in the Court, and is placed next the Lord Privy Seal. His salary is 2500l. per annum.

*The Avener and Clerk Marshal, by order of the Master of the Horse, (or of the Commissioners for executing that office, when it is in Commission,) swears in all the Officers belonging to the Stables. He also has the superintendence of all the accounts for the expenses of the Stable, and of the payment of all the Officers and servants of the Department.

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THE CHIEF EQUERRY.

The Chief Equerry was formerly always styled Gentleman of the Horse, as the first Gentleman of the Bed-chamber was entitled Groom of the Stole.

He is the next officer to the Master of the Horse, and in his absence presides over all affairs relating to the Royal Stables. His salary is now fixed at 1000l. per annum. That of the remaining Equerries, of which there are four, at 750l. per annum.

Her Majesty's equestrian skill, and fondness for that healthful recreation, horse-exercise, bid fair to render these appointments as stirring as they were in the days of George III., of whom Wraxall says, It was his delight to mount his horse before the Equerry in Waiting could possibly be aware of it; often in severe and unpleasant weather, which rarely deterred him; always at an early hour. One of his Equerries has assured me, that when thus surprised, he has been compelled to follow the King down Windsor Hill, with scarcely time to pull up his stockings under his boots. No place about his Majesty's Court or person, so long as he retained his intellect, could indeed be less of a sinecure, than the office of Equerry. The appointments were very inadequate to the fatigue, and exertions of the post, a fact of which the King himself was so well aware, that he used to say he had fewer applications for the employment of Equerry than for any other in his donation.” *

r

* WRAXALL—“ Memoirs of My Own Time," vol. iii. p. 137.

THE PAGES OF HONOUR.

In the office of Page of Honour to the Sovereign, there exist traces of the original institution of Pages; when, as Scott says, youths of noble birth were early removed from their paternal homes, to serve as it were an apprenticeship to the duties of chivalry and courtesy in the family of some Prince, or man of rank, and military renown. There their education was severely moral, and pursued with great strictness, in respect to useful exercises, and what were deemed elegant accomplishments. From being Pages they were advanced to the next gradation of Squires; from Squires, these candidates for the honour of knighthood were frequently made Knights. In this instance, to use Ben Jonson's words, the custom

by a line

Of institution from our ancestors

Hath been derived down to us, and received

In a succession for the noblest way

Of brushing up our youth in letters, arms,

Fair mien, discourses civil, exercise,

And all the blazon of a gentleman!

Where can he learn to vault, to ride, to fence,
To move his body gracefully, to speak

The language pure, or to turn his mind,

Or manners, more to the harmony of nature,
Than in these nurseries of Nobility?

The duty performed by the Page of Honour at a review, namely, that of carrying the Sovereign's cloak or surtout, placed before him on horseback in a portmanteau of blue velvet, richly embroidered with gold, was one formerly belonging to the Esquires of the Body, when such officers existed in our Courts.