Thomas Weelkes was baptised in the little village church of Elsted in Sussex on 25 October 1576. It has been suggested that his father was John Weeke, rector of Elsted, although there is no documentary evidence of the relationship. In 1597 his first volume of madrigals was published, the preface noting that he was a very young man when they were written; this helps to fix the date of his birth to somewhere in the middle of the 1570s. Early in his life he was in service at the house of the courtier Edward Darcye. At the end of 1598, at the probable age of 22, Weelkes was appointed organist at Winchester College, where he remained for two or three years, receiving the salary of 13s 4d per quarter. His remuneration included board and lodging.
During his Winchester period, Weelkes composed a further two volumes of madrigals (1598, 1600). He obtained his B. Mus. Degree from New College, Oxford in 1602, and moved to Chichester to take up the position of organist and informator choristarum (instructor of the choristers) at the Cathedral at some time between October 1601 and October 1602. He was also given a lay clerkship at the Cathedral, being paid £15 2s 4d annually alongside his board, lodging and other amenities. The following year he married Elizabeth Sandham, from a wealthy local family. They had three children and it was rumoured that Elizabeth was already pregnant at the time of the marriage.
Weelkes' fourth and final volume of madrigals, published in 1608, carries a title page where he refers to himself as a Gentleman of the Chapel Royal; however, records at the Chapel Royal itself do not mention him, so at most he could only have been a Gentleman Extraordinary, one of those who were asked to stand in until a permanent replacement was found.
Weelkes was later to find himself in trouble with the Chichester Cathedral authorities for his heavy drinking and immoderate behavior. In 1609 he was charged with unauthorized absence, but no mention of drunken behavior is made until 1613, and J. Shepherd, a Weelkes scholar, has suggested caution in assuming that his decline began before this date. In 1616 he was reported to the Bishop for being ‘noted and famed for a comon drunckard (sic) and notorious swearer & blasphemer’. The Dean and Chapter dismissed him for being drunk at the organ and using bad language during divine service. He was however reinstated and remained in the post until his death, although his behavior did not improve...
In 1622 Elizabeth Weelkes died. Thomas Weelkes was, by this time, reinstated at Chichester Cathedral, but appeared to be spending a great deal of time in London. He died in London in 1623, in the house of a friend, and was buried on 1 December, 1623 at St Bride's Fleet Street. Weelkes' will, made the day before he died at the house of his friend Henry Drinkwater of St Bride's parish, left his estate to be shared between his three children, with a large 50s legacy left to Drinkwater for his meat, drink and lodging.
In Chichester Cathedral there is a memorial stone with the following inscription:
REMEMBER
IN THE LORD
THOMAS WEELKES
THE GREAT ELIZABETHAN
COMPOSER, ORGANIST OF
WINCHESTER COLLEGE
1598 AND OF THIS
CATHEDRAL CHURCH
FROM 1602 UNTIL HIS DEATH
He died on 30 November 1623
And was buried at St. Bride's
Church. Fleet Street. London
See also:
List of compositions by Thomas Weelkes
As Vesta was from Latmos hill descending
Thomas Weelkes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
She spied a maiden queen the same ascending,
Attended on by all the shepherds swain,
To whom Diana's darlings came running down amain,
First two by two, then three by three together,
Leaving their goddess all alone, hasted thither;
And mingling with the shepherds of her train,
With mirthful tunes her presence entertain.
Long live fair Oriana.
The song "As Vesta was from Latmos hill descending" by Thomas Weelkes is a madrigal that tells a story of the goddess Vesta observing the queen of the fairies ascending a hill. The queen was accompanied by shepherd suitors, and some of Diana's darlings left their own goddess to join her. The shepherd suitors and nymphs of Diana then sang a tribute to the beautiful queen, Oriana, pledging their loyalty and love for her.
The first two lines of the song set the scene and introduce the two main characters - Vesta and the queen. The mention of Latmos hill is a reference to a Greek myth where the goddess Diana (also known as Artemis) fell in love with Endymion, a mortal shepherd who tended his flocks on the hill. The use of Latmos hill in this song is more allegorical than literal, as it represents a place where a mortal and a divine being can encounter each other.
The next few lines describe the queen's arrival with her entourage of shepherd suitors. The phrase "to whom Diana's darlings came running down amain" gives the impression of these suitors being so smitten with the queen that they left their own goddess to join her. The line "With mirthful tunes her presence entertain" suggests that the queen's arrival brings joy and delight to the shepherds and nymphs.
The final two lines of the song are a tribute to the queen: "Then sang the shepherds and nymphs of Diana, Long live fair Oriana." The name Oriana is a pun on Elizabeth I, as the queen was sometimes referred to as the "Virgin Queen" and "Diana" in her own time. The idea of pledging loyalty and love to Elizabeth I was common in the courtly love tradition of the time, and this song is a prime example of that tradition.
Line by Line Meaning
As Vesta came down from hill of Latmos,
Vesta descended from the Latmos hill
She saw a queen who was ascending,
Vesta saw a queen coming up the hill
Followed by all the shepherds of the region,
The queen was accompanied by all the local shepherds
Gods of Diana hastened to meet them,
The followers of Diana ran down to meet them
Two by two, then three by three,
The followers of Diana came down in groups of two or three
Leaving Diana alone, hastening forward;
They left Diana alone and hurried towards the queen and her entourage
And mixing with the shepherds and the queen's attendants,
They mingled with the queen's entourage and the local shepherds
They entertained her with merry tunes,
They entertained the queen with joyful music
Finally, the shepherds and Diana's women sang
Eventually, the local shepherds and Diana's followers sang together
Long live lovely Oriana!
They praised beautiful Oriana with this song.
Contributed by Liam T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@helenaren
Lyrics
As Vesta was from Latmos hill descending
She spied a maiden Queen the same ascending
Attended on by all the shepherds' swain
To whom Diana's darlings came running down amain
First two by two, then three by three together
Leaving their goddess all alone hasted thither;
And mingling with the shepherds of her train
With mirthful tunes her presence entertain
Then sang the shepherds and nymphs of Diana
Long live fair Oriana!
@helenaren
Lyrics
As Vesta was from Latmos hill descending
She spied a maiden Queen the same ascending
Attended on by all the shepherds' swain
To whom Diana's darlings came running down amain
First two by two, then three by three together
Leaving their goddess all alone hasted thither;
And mingling with the shepherds of her train
With mirthful tunes her presence entertain
Then sang the shepherds and nymphs of Diana
Long live fair Oriana!
@emilysimpson908
thank you !!
@roryparkerwarren1575
I subscribed to you
@sunnybox_
1:26 "mingling" "mirthful tunes" with the "shepherds"
@loreleih5844
I- omg thank you so much
@leannalyons4880
bro I'm about to kiss you
@cameronwilson654
i love how many music appreciation students are in here
@Punk13405
So how many of you are watching this because you have a music history exam coming up? I know I am
@fiscalcpiano
+Brad Grimm this is a work of genius, hopefully the demands of the class don't detract from this
@Caillouteletub123
Yep, to examine figuralism in Renaissance's madrigals.