William Lawes

William Lawes (1602–1645) was an English composer and musician.

Related Topics:
1602 - 1645 - English - Composer - Musician

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He was born at Salisbury in Wiltshire some time in late April 1602, and was baptised on May 1 of that year. He was the son of Thomas Lawes, a vicar choral at Salisbury Cathedral.

Related Topics:
Salisbury - Wiltshire - April - 1602 - May 1 - Salisbury Cathedral

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His patron, Edward Seymour, Earl of Hertford, apprenticed him to the composer John Coprario, which probably brought Lawes into contact with Charles, Prince of Wales at an early age. Both William and his elder brother Henry received court appointments after Charles succeeded to the British throne as Charles I. William was appointed as 'musician in ordinary for lutes and voices' in 1635 but had been writing music for the court prior to this.

Related Topics:
Edward Seymour, Earl of Hertford - John Coprario - Charles, Prince of Wales - Henry - 1635

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William Lawes spent all his adult life in Charles's employ. He composed secular music and songs for court masques (and doubtless played in them), as well as sacred anthems and motets for Charles's private worship. He is most remembered today for his sublime viol consort suites for between three and six players. His use of counterpoint and fugue and his tendency to juxtapose bizarre, spine-tingling themes next to pastoral ones in these works made them disfavoured in the centuries after his death; they have only become widely available in recent years.

Related Topics:
Secular - Sacred

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When Charles's dispute with Parliament led to the outbreak of the Civil War, Lawes joined the Royalist army and was given a post in the King's Life Guards, which was intended to keep him out of danger. Despite this, he was 'casually shot' by a Parliamentarian in the massacre of Royalists at Rowton Heath, near Chester, on September 24 1645. The author of his epitaph closed it with a lachrymose pun on the fact that he died at the hands of those who denied the divine right of kings:

Related Topics:
Civil War - Royalist - King's Life Guards - Parliamentarian - Rowton Heath - Chester - September 24 - 1645 - Pun - Divine right of kings

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:Will. Lawes was slain by such whose wills were laws.

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