JOHN HILTON'S MANUSCRIPT BRITISH LIBRARY ADD. MS 11608

Abstract

BRrITSH LIBRARY Add. MS 11608 is one of the largest and most important sources of mid-seventeenth-century English songs, not least on account of the details it gives of vocal ornamentation. It is also an important source (almost the only source) for the biblical and mythological dialogues by John Hilton (1599-1657). Songs have been entered into the book in at least two, and probably three, different hands; but the person by whom the book was begun and who entered more than half the contents of the book, including Hilton's dialogues, can now be shown to have been almost certainly John Hilton himself. Nearly all the pieces entered in this hand have been attributed to their composers, and the handwriting of Hilton's name after his songs is very similar to his signature on the only document containing a sample of his handwriting I have been able to trace. This document is a lease of a house in the Almonry at Westminster (Westminster Abbey Muniment 35562), dated 1626; and although this signature (Plate Ia) is at least fifteen or sixteen years earlier than those in Add. 11608 (Plate Ib) the similarities are so striking as to leave little doubt that they are by the same person. The Westminster Abbey document is also interesting in that it throws new light on Hilton's activities between the time he graduated from Cambridge University, in 1626, and 1628 when he was appointed parish clerk and organist at St. Margaret's, Westminster.' It has been assumed that Hilton remained in Cambridge between 1626 and 1628.2 But the evidence provided by this document makes clear that Hilton went to London after completing his degree; and it may well be from this year, 1626, that his friendship with William Heather dates. Hilton dedicated his first publication, in 1627-Ayres, or Fa La's for Three Voyces-to Heather, and we now know that Heather had previously occupied the house that Hilton leased at Westminster. Hilton left this house in 1629, a year after he was appointed to the positions at St. Margaret's. It can now be established that Add. 11608 is Hilton's manuscript since it was begun by him and its compilation seems to have been mainly directed by him. The book must be regarded as an im-