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Francis Cutting (abt. 1550 - 1596)

Francis Cutting
Born about in Englandmap
Son of [father unknown] and [mother unknown]
[sibling(s) unknown]
Husband of — married 1580 in St. Clement Danes, Westminster, Middlesex, Englandmap
Descendants descendants
Died at about age 46 in St Clement Danes, Middlesex, Englandmap [uncertain]
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Profile last modified | Created 20 Feb 2013
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Contents

Biography

Career

Francis Cutting (c.1550–1595/6) was an English lutenist and composer of the Renaissance period. Cutting is among the earliest English lute composers whose names are known. Several of his forty surviving works appear in William Barley's A New Booke of Tabliture (1596); his compositions include "Sir Walter Raleigh's Galliard," "Sir Fulke Greville's Pavan," and "Mrs Anne Markham's Pavan and Galliard." He is best known for "Packington's Pound" and a variation of "Greensleeves" called "Divisions on Greensleeves", both pieces originally intended for the lute. "His surviving music is of high quality, comprising about 51 lute pieces, two bandora solos and one consort part for bandora: an output exceeded only by Dowland, Bacheler and Holborne." The diplomat William Trumbull compiled a manuscript anthology of lute music which includes works by the Bassano family and Francis Cutting.

Residence and Parish

From 21 March 1571 Francis Cutting, gentleman, rented one of the tenements adjoining Arundel House, the London residence of the Howard family. According to a survey of Arundel House drawn up in 1590, the tenement was rented for a period of 21 years, for the sum of 40s per annum. On 18 February 1583 he was granted a lease in reversion on the property by Philip, Earl of Arundel. Residence confirmed by baptismal records of his children from 1582-1595. Cutting was employed as a musician for the Howard family, which included Philip Howard, earl of Arundel. [1][2]

Marriage and Children

Francis Cutting and his wife Elizabeth had at least ten children. Eight of them are recorded in the baptismal register of the parish. These are:

  1. William (bap 1 March 1582, probably died before Jan 1596, Thomas was eldest living son in settlement of father's estate.)[3]
  2. Thomas (bap 7 November 1583)[4]
  3. John (bap 16 November 1584, probably died before 8 March 1595)[5]
  4. Ann (bap 26 November 1585)[6]
  5. Elsabeth (bap 6 February 1587)[7]
  6. Edward (bap 19 May 1588)[8]
  7. Francis (bap 7 September 1589, but buried a day later, on 8 September)[9]
  8. John (bap 8 March 1595)[10]

all are referred to as ‘ye sonn/daughter of Frauncis [Cutting]’. A further two children are mentioned in Elizabeth’s will:

  1. Margaret, born some time before September 1576
  2. Christopher (est 1577-1581) who was under 21 years of age in 1597.

It is possible, however, that these were Elizabeth’s children from an earlier marriage; it seems likely that Francis and Elizabeth were married in 1580 or 1581, as they had seven children at one to one-and-a-half year intervals between 1582 and 1589.

His son, Thomas Cutting, became a distinguished lutenist himself. He worked for Arbella Stuart. In March 1608 Anne of Denmark, Prince Henry[11], and the courtier John Elphinstone wrote to her at Sheffield to request that Thomas Cutting be sent to the queen's brother Christian IV of Denmark. Arbella reluctantly agreed. Thomas Cutting subsequently joined Prince Henry's household.

Death and Burial

Francis Cutting died on one of the first days of the year 1596; according to the parish register ‘Frauncis Cutting housholder’ was buried on 7 January. He did not leave a will, so perhaps his death was unexpected. Upon the settling of this Francis Cutting's estate, his widow gave the eldest son, Thomas, his "seale Ringe of the lute". [12]

His widow Elizabeth died shortly after September 1597. Her will, made in the same year 1597, has been handed down, and from it we learn – assuming that all Francis’ wealth passed to her – that their estate was worth approximately £154 plus the value of the lease on the tenement and the goods and chattels. So Cutting was rather well-to-do..

Lord Thomas Howard still owed Elizabeth £20 in 1597.

Origins

Poulton was the first to suggest that Cutting originated from East Anglia, where his surname was more common than in other parts of the country. This suggestion was reiterated by Hulse and Spencer, who both add that this connection with East Anglia is also implied by a bill of complaint brought against Cutting and one Richard Smyth of Suffolk in September 1591 by a Norfolk gentleman named William Smyth of Great Yarmouth. Furthermore, county ties could have contributed to the original association between Cutting and the Howards, who owned considerable property in east Anglia.

Sources

  1. Poulton, Diana, The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, 198
  2. Spencer,Robert, "Cutter, Francis", The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, 2001
  3. "England, Middlesex, Westminster, Parish Registers, 1538-1912", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:WT85-DT2M : 14 October 2019), - Cutting in entry for William Cutting, 1581.
  4. "England, Middlesex, Westminster, Parish Registers, 1538-1912", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:WT85-Q6PZ : 14 October 2019), - Cutting in entry for Thomas Cutting, 1583.
  5. "England, Middlesex, Westminster, Parish Registers, 1538-1912", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:WT85-JX2M : 14 October 2019), - Cutting in entry for John Cutting, 1584.
  6. "England, Middlesex, Westminster, Parish Registers, 1538-1912", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:WT85-H13Z : 14 October 2019), - Cutting in entry for Ann Cutting, 1585.
  7. "England, Middlesex, Westminster, Parish Registers, 1538-1912", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:WT85-KX6Z : 14 October 2019), - Cutting in entry for Elsabeth Cutting, 1586.
  8. "England, Middlesex, Westminster, Parish Registers, 1538-1912", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:WT85-45T2 : 14 October 2019), - Cutting in entry for Edward Cutting, 1588.
  9. "England, Middlesex, Westminster, Parish Registers, 1538-1912", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:WT85-VS2M : 14 October 2019), - Cutting in entry for Francis Cutting, 1589.
  10. "England, Middlesex, Westminster, Parish Registers, 1538-1912", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:WT85-NFN2 : 14 October 2019), - Cutting in entry for John Cutting, 1594.
  11. Birch, Thomas, Life of Henry, Prince of Wales, eldest son of King James I (London:Printed for A. Millar, 1760), p. 467 https://archive.org/details/lifeofhenryprinc00birc/page/466/mode/2up?q=cutting
  12. Francis Cutting, https://www.allmusic.com/artist/francis-cutting-mn0001510651/biography

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