A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Yonge, Nicholas

by William Barclay Squire

YONGE, or YOUNG, Nicholas, the compiler of Musica Transalpina [see vol. ii., p. 416], is probably identical with a Nicholas Young who was a singing-man at St. Paul's Cathedral in the time of Elizabeth. Burney, misled by a passage in the Dedication to the 1st Book of Musica Transalpina, says that he was an Italian merchant, whereas all that Yonge says is 'Since I first began to keepe house in this citie, a great number of Gentlemen and Merchants of good accompt (as well of this realme as of forreine nations) have taken in good part such entertainment of pleasure, as my poore abilitie was able to affoord them, both by the exercise of Musicke daily used in my house, and by furnishing them with Bookes of that kind yeerely sent me out of Italy and other places.' Young was born at Lewes, Sussex. His mother's maiden name was Bray. During the greater part of his life he lived in the parish of St. Michael's, Cornhill: he had nine children, most of whom survived him and settled in the same parish, where his descendants remained until the 18th century, when some of them are found in that of St, James, Clerkenwell. His wife's name was Jane, and he was probably married about 1584. The title-page of the first Book of Musica Transalpina has been already given (vol. ii, p. 416a); that of the second Book runs as follows—'Musica Transalpina. The Second Booke of Madrigalles, to 5 & 6 Voices: translated out of sundrie Italian Authors, and newly published by Nicholas Yonge. At London Printed by Thomas Este. 1597.' Lists of the contents of both volumes are printed (with many mistakes) in Rimbault's 'Bibliotheca Madrigaliana' (1847). Both books (copies of which are in the British Museum, Royal College of Music, and Huth Collections) seem to have been very successful. Bodenham [App. p.818 "for Bodenham read 'A. B.', since Mr. A. H. Bullen, in his recent re-issue of 'England's Helicon' (1887), proves conclusively that the 'A. B.' by whom the original work was edited cannot be Bodenham, as was formerly supposed."] printed the words of three of the madrigals in 'England's Helicon' (1600), and Dr. Heather, in his portrait in the Music School, Oxford, is represented holding a volume lettered 'Musica Transalpina.' Yonge died in October 1619. His will (which was proved by his wife on Nov. 12) is dated 19 October, 1619, and he was buried at St. Michael's, Cornhill, on the 23rd of the same month.^[1]

[ W. B. S. ]

1. The information in this article is chiefly derived from the Registers of St. Michael's, Cornhill, and the Visitation of London, both published by the Harleian Society.