England: history of the pipe and tabor
the 16th century
under construction
In the 16th century neither terminology nor spelling were fixed. So a pipe and tabor player could be, for example, a mynstrell, a musician, a drummer, a pyper, taber and piper, tabret, taberette or a fidler. It is impossible to know now which of some of these are taborers or players of other instruments as seen in contemporary images. |
1506 poem ‘Passetyme of Pleasure’, by Stephen Hawes “…There sat dame Musyke with all her mynstracy ; |
1532-1564 story “ Be you there also, Trudon, said he to his drummer, with your pipe and tabour. The form of matrimony must be read, and the bride kissed at the beat of the tabour…”Then the tabour beat a point of war … Then the tabour beat a retreat… But what harm had poor I done? cried Trudon, hiding his left eye with his kerchief, and showing his tabour cracked on one side: … they have also broke my harmless drum. Drums indeed are commonly beaten at weddings,— and it is fit they should; but drummers are well entertained, and never beaten… Brother, said the lame catchpole, never fret thyself; I will make thee a present of a fine, large, old patent, which I have here in my bag, to patch up thy drum…” ‘The Horrible and Terrifying Deeds and Words of the Very Renowned Pantagruel King of the Dipsodes, |
1573
‘Kyng Alisaunder’ retells the story of Alexander the Great. The name of the author is not known,
but he or she probably lived in or around London “Noyse is gret with tabour and pype, Damoysels playen with peren ripe. Ribaudes festeth also with tripe; The gestour wil oft his mouthe wype.” The noise of pipe and tabor is loud. * pears were associated with lovers in medieval times 'The status and function of minstrels in England between 1350 and 1400' by M A Price 1964 |
1585 “the fagge-end of an old man’s old will, who gave a good somme of mony to a Red-fac’d Ale-drinker, who plaid upon a Pipe and Tabor, which was this: “To make your Pipe and Tabor keepe their sound, in 'Drinke and Welcome' quoted in Th'e Curiosities of Ale & Beer: An Entertaining History', by John Bickerdyke 1889 |
1587 or 1595 play: Thomas Tabrer is a minstrell in ‘John a Kent and John a Cumber, Page 15 Enter Turnop, with his crewe of Clounes
and a Minstrell. |
1590 from the jest book ' Tarlton's Jests and News out of Purgatorie' The dead actor is made to declare: “they appointed that I should sit and play jig ‘The Elizabethan jig and related song drama’ by Baskervill, Charles Read |
1590 pamphlet ‘Plaine Perceuall the peace-maker of England Sweetly indevoring with his blunt persuasions to botch up a reconciliation between Mar-ton and Mar-tother. Compiled by lawfull art, that is to say, without witch craft, or sorcery: and referred specially to the meridian and pole artichoke of Nomans Land: but may serve generally without any great error, for more countries then he speake of. by Harvey, Richard |
1594 play “…These called me forth to rouse thy master up [Ed. Drum and fife probably mean instruments of war, not the pipe and tabor] |
1598 play' Love's Labour's Lost - Act 5' by William Shakespeare
“…Dull. I'll make one in a dance, or so; or I will play other Shakespeare quotes here |
1600 play ‘Shoemaker’s Holiday’ by Thomas Dekker. Dekker based his play on a prose tract titled The Gentle Craft by |
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