" This was in consequence of the sensible custom of
retaining as supernumeraries boys who had given evidence of musical
ability. Such is certainly true of Purcell, who, at the early age of
eleven, had shown promise of his future career by an ode called "The
Address of the Children of the Chapel Royal to the King and their
Master, Captain Cooke, on His Majestie's Birthday, A.D. 1670, composed
by Master Purcell, one of the Children of the said Chapel."
ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAPTER V
THE BOY-BISHOP
Mention has been made of Hugh Rhodes and his "Book of Nurture." It is
pretty evident that this master of music was attached to the older form
of faith, since he published in Queen Mary's reign a poem bearing the
extravagant title: "The Song of the Chyld-Bysshop, as it was songe
before the Queen's Maiestie in her priuie chamber at her mannour of
Saint James in the feeldes on Saynt Nicholas' Day and Innocents' Day
this yeare now present by the chylde bisshop of Poules church with his
company. Londini in aedibus Johannis Cawood typographi reginae, 1555."
This effusion Warton derides as a "fulsome panegyric" on the Queen's
devotion; and the censure is not wholly unjust, since the author,
without much regard for accuracy, likens that least lovable of our
sovereigns to Judith, Esther, and the Blessed Virgin. Meanwhile, who or
what was the "Chyld-Bysshop," or, as he is usually styled, the
Boy-Bishop?
In the first place it may be noted that the Latin equivalent of the
phrase was not, as might be expected, _Episcopus puerilis_, but
_Episcopus puerorum_, suggesting that the boy, if boy he was, was
elevated above his compeers and possessed perhaps some jurisdiction over
them.
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