A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Jenkins, John

by William H. Husk

JENKINS, JOHN, born at Maidstone in 1592, became a musician in early life. He was patronised by two Norfolk gentlemen, Dering and Hamon L'Estrange, and resided in the family of the latter for a great portion of his life. He was a performer on the lute and lyra-viol and other bowed instruments, and one of the musicians to Charles I and Charles II. He was a voluminous composer of Fancies, some for viols and others for the organ; he also produced Borne light pieces which he called 'Rants.' Of these 'The Mitter Rant,' an especial favourite, was printed in Playford's 'Musick's Handmaid,' 1678, and other publications of the period. Two others by him, 'The Fleece Tavern Rant,' and 'The Peterborough Rant,' are in Playford's 'Apollo's Banquet,' 1690. Another popular piece by him was 'The Lady Katherine Audley's Bells, or, The Five Bell Consort,' first printed in Playford's 'Courtly Masquing Ayres,' 1662. His vocal compositions comprise an Elegy on the death of William Lawes, printed at the end of H. and W. Lawes' 'Choice Psalms,' 1648; 'Theophila, or, Love's Sacrifice; a Divine Poem by E[dward] B[enlowe] Esq., several parts thereof set to fit aires by Mr. J. Jenkins,' 1652; two rounds, 'A boat, a boat,' and 'Come, pretty maidens,' in Hilton's 'Catch that catch can,' 1652; some songs etc. in 'Select Ayres and Dialogues,' 1659; and 'The Musical Companion,' 1672; and some anthems. He published in 1660 'Twelve Sonatas for two Violins and a Base with a Thorough Base for the Organ or Theorbo' (reprinted at Amsterdam, 1664), the first of the kind produced by an Englishman. His numerous 'Fancies' were never printed. Many MS. copies of them however exist, a large number being at Christ Church, Oxford. J. S. Smith included many of Jenkins's compositions (amongst them 'The Mitter Rant' and 'Lady Audley's Bells') in his 'Musica Antiqua.' Jenkins resided during the latter years of his life in the family of Sir Philip Wodehouse, Bart., at Kimberley, Norfolk, where he died Oct. 27, 1678. He was buried Oct. 29 in Kimberley Church.

[ W. H. H. ]