Henry VIII's Book: Teaching Music to Royal Children

Popular Propaganda: John Heywood's Wedding Ballad and Mary I's Spanish Match

“…This suggests that it contained a collection of pieces that any musician who, like Heywood, was plying his trade at the royal court in the 1520s and 30s was required to know. 51 Various theories as to the Henry VIII Manuscript's purpose and ownership have been put forward, but one that seems plausible is that it was copied in royal circles and that it perhaps belonged to the king's Master of the Revels, Sir Henry Guildford. 52 John Stevens has even singled out Heywood as the 'obvious sort of person' to have owned such a manuscript.…”

SLIS Connecting, Volume 4, Issue 2

“…The manuscript was created between 1522 and 1523 and was most likely intended for members of Henry's court (Helms, 2009). While Siemens claims Henry VIII probably never came into contact with the manuscript (Siemens, 1997), other scholars believe the collection may have been intended to educate royal children.…”

“…While Siemens claims Henry VIII probably never came into contact with the manuscript (Siemens, 1997), other scholars believe the collection may have been intended to educate royal children. The music may have been used as an introductory text on composition or as a pattern book for all forms of popular secular music (Helms, 2009).…”

“…Siemens asserts Henry VIII was never in possession of the manuscript, nor was it commissioned by him (Siemens, 1997) while Helms (2009) believes that Henry possibly ordered the collection's creation so it could serve as an educational tool for the royal children. Scholars can agree that the Henry VIII Manuscript was in the possession of Sir Henry Guildford, the Comptroller of the Household during Henry's reign (Stevens, 1979;Weir, 2001).…”

Pastime with Good Company: The Songs of Henry VIII and His Daughter Elizabeth I

“…Siemens asserts Henry VIII was never in possession of the manuscript, nor was it commissioned by him (Siemens, 1997) while Helms (2009) believes that Henry possibly ordered the collection's creation so it could serve as an educational tool for the royal children. Scholars can agree that the Henry VIII Manuscript was in the possession of Sir Henry Guildford, the Comptroller of the Household during Henry's reign (Stevens, 1979;Weir, 2001).…”