LANIERE, Nicholas, was the son of Jerome Laniere, an Italian musician, who, together with Nicholas Laniere, probably his brother, settled in England, and in 1571 were musicians to Queen Elizabeth. The date of his birth is not known, but it was probably about 1590. His name first appears as singer and composer in the masque performed at court on the marriage of Carr, Earl of Somerset, and Lady Frances Howard in 1614, the first song in which, 'Bring away the sacred tree' (reprinted in Smith's 'Musica Antiqua'), was composed by him. His skill as a singer is alluded to in some lines addressed by Herrick to Henry Lawes. He composed the music for Ben Jonson's masque presented at the house of Lord Hay for the entertainment of Baron de Tour, the French Ambassador, on Saturday, Feb. 22, 1617, 'in stylo recitativo,' being the first introduction of recitative into an English composition. He also sang in the piece and painted the scenery for it. He next composed the music for Jonson's masque, 'The Vision of Delight,' performed at court at Christmas, 1617. Laniere cultivated the arts of painting and engraving as well as that of music, and his judgment was so much esteemed, that he was sent by Charles I. to Italy to purchase pictures in 1625, and again in 1627 to negociate for the purchase of the Duke of Mantua's collection. One of those pictures was 'Mercury instructing Cupid,' by Correggio, now in the National Gallery. He was appointed 'Master of the King's Musick,' at an annual salary of £200, by patent dated July 11, 1626. In 1636 Charles I. granted to Laniere and others a charter, based upon one of Edward IV., incorporating them under the style of 'The Marshal, Wardens, and Cominality of the Arte and Science of Musick in Westminster,' and giving them power to control and regulate all matters connected with music, and of this body Laniere was appointed the first Marshal. At the fall of Charles, Laniere lost his court appointments, but was reinstated in them on the accession of Charles II., and the Corporation of Musicians was revived. The date of his death is unknown; he was living in 1665, but dead in Jan. 1670, when Capt. Cooke's name appears as Marshal of the Corporation. He composed a funeral hymn on Charles I., a pastoral upon the birth of Prince Charles, and New Year's Songs for 1663 and 1665. Songs and other pieces by him are contained in 'Select Musicall Ayres and Dialogues,' 1653 and 1659; 'The Musical Companion,' 1667; 'The Treasury of Musick,' 1669; and 'Choice Ayres and Songs,' book iv, 1685. Several songs and dialogues by him are in the British Museum, Add. MSS. 11,608. Vandyck painted Laniere's portrait for Charles I. Another portrait is in the Music School at Oxford, to which it was presented by Laniere himself. The Laniere family was very numerous, and several of its members were court musicians in the 17th century.
Recent investigations have brought to light several important facts concerning this musician and his family, which was of English, not Italian, origin. The two following entries from the registers of Holy Trinity, Minories, establish the approximate date of his birth, and the fact that his father and maternal grandfather were court musicians:—'1585. Oct. 12. John Lannyer of East Greenwich, Musician to the Queen's Majtie, & Frances Galliardello, daur. of the late decd. Mr. Mark Anthony Galliardello, also an ancient Musician to sundrie Most Noble Princes as King Henry the 8, Edward the 6, Queen Mary, and now to our Noble Queen Eliz:—were married.' '1588. Sept. 10. Nicholas son of John Lannyer Musician to Her Majesty, bapt.' In the Visitation of Kent, 1663, his name, spelt Lanier, with those of several of his descendants, appears as 'of Greenwich,' and in the Greenwich registers, under date Feb. 24, 1665–6, the entry is found: 'Mr. Nicholas Laniere buried away ' (i.e. elsewhere). (Information from A. S. Gatty, Esq., York Herald.)
