'
204 BATES
in the Post Office. About that time he conceived
the plan of the Concert of Ancient Music, which
was established in 1776, Bates being appointed
conductor. In the same year he was appointed
a commissioner of the Victualling Office, and in
1780 married Miss Sarah Harrop, a pupil of
Sacohini, and a favourite concert singer, who
had studied under him the music of Handel and
the elder masters. He next, in 1783, in con-
junction with Viscount Fitzwilliam and Sir
"Watkin Williams Wynn, projected the Com-
memoration of Handel, which was carried into
effectthe following year. Bates officiating as con-
ductor. He was afterwards appointed a commis-
sioner of the Customs and a director of Greenwich
Hospital. Having projected the Albion Mills,
of the success of which he was so sanguine as
to invest the whole of his own and his wife's
fortunes in them, he was nearly ruined by their
destruction by fire inl791. In 1793 he resigned
the conductorship of the Concert of Ancient
Music. He died in London, June 8, 1799. A
fine painting of Joah Bates and his wife, by
F. Coates, E.A., is in the possession of Mr.
Alfred H. Littleton. w. H. H.
BATES, William, a composer of the 18th
century, produced music for the following dra-
matic pieces :
—
The Jovial Crew,' comic opera,
' In 1604 he published 'The first set of English
1760 'Pharnaces,' opera, 1765 ; 'The Ladies'
; Madrigales to 3, 4, 5 and 6 voices. Newly com-
Frolick,' an alteration of 'The Jovial Crew'
(jointly with Dr. Arne), 1770 ; 'The Theatrical
Candidates,' musical prelude, 1775. He was
also the composer of ' Songs sung at Marybon
Gardens, 1768,' and of several glees, catches,
and canons, eleven of which are published by
Warren. Also ' Flora, or Hob in the Well, ' ballad
opera, 1 7 6 8 ' Songs sung at the Grotto Gardens,
; dedicated
1771. [See Catley, Anne.] w. h. h.
BATESON, Thomas. The exact dates of his
birth and death are unknown. Rimbault states
that he became organist of Chester Cathedral in
1599. This isprobably correct, but cannot be
verified, as the Cathedral Treasurer's accounts for
the years before 1602 are missing. There is some
reason to think that he was a Cheshireman and
a native of the Wirral district, but he seems to
have come to Chester as a complete stranger, and
to have had no previous connection with the
Cathedral. That he was a young man we may
infer from the preface to his first book of madri-
gals. He was married, and the old Cathedral
(St. Oswald's) Registers give three children,
Thomas baptized 1603, Jane 1605, and Sarah
1607. Richard Betson, a foundationer of the
King's School 1611-15, may have been an older
son, as the spelling of the name admitted of
several variants. [In the Chapter Acts of Christ
Church Cathedral, vol. i. (1574-1634), the name
is spelt Betson and Batson as well as in the
more usual manner.] The Cathedral accounts
show several payments to Bateson. '1601. Payd
unto Mr. Bateson for ye new organ booke be-
longing to o'r Quier xl«. 1602, Nov. 17. For
BATESON
a, Deske for Mr. Bateson his organ book
little
vi". 1605, March. To Mr. Bateson for mending
ye organs when they were removed iiij' x''.'
Two other payments in 1608 show that the
Treasurer and Bateson were clearing up accounts
between them preparatory to the latter leaving
Chester for Ireland. On March 24, 1608-9, he
appears as 'Vicar Choral of the Cathedral of the
Holy and undivided Trinity, Dublin,' and on
April 5 of the same year is described as Vicar '
and organist of this church. He took advantage
'
of his residence there to proceed to the degree
of Bachelor of Music in 1615, in which year his
son John, aged 20, was rector of Kiljarran, in
the diocese of Ferns. Bateson is generally con-
sidered to have been the first musical graduate of
the University now familiarly known as Trinity
College, Dublin (Chapter Acts, Christ Church
Cathedral, Dublin, vol. ii. p. 73). An anthem
in seven parts, 'Holy Lord God Almighty,' re-
printed by the Mus. Antiq. Soc. from a set of
part books formerly in the possession of John
Evelyn, was probably the exercise for his degree.
No other sacred music of Bateson's is known,
though a service by him was sung in Chester
Cathedral up to the early part of the 19th cen-
tury. His fame rests entirely on his Madrigals.
posed by Thomas Bateson, practicioner in the
Art of Musioke, and Organist of the Cathedral
Church of Christ in the Citie of Chester, 1604.
4to. In London, Printed by Thomas Este.'
The contents consist of six songs for three
voices, six for four voices, ten for five voices,
and six for six voices.There were six parts
'
To my honorable and
most respected
good friend Sir William Norres.' This patron
was of the family of Norreys of Speke, Lancashire,
but he had certain rights and duties connected
with the Bridge Gate in the city of Chester, and
lived for some time at Blacon Manor House on
the outskirts of the city.
In the preface Bateson compares his com-
positions to 'young birds feared out of the
nest before they be well feathered,' and hopes
' they wilbe so shrouded in the leaues of (his
patron's) good liking,' tliat 'neither any
rauenous Kite nor craftie fowler (any open-
mouthed Momus or more sly detractor,) may
deuour or harm them that cannot succor nor
shift for themselues.'
At the back of the dedication is a madrigal
' WhenOriana walkt to take the ayre,' and the
following note —
'This song was sent too late,
:
and should have been printed in the set of Ori-
anas but being a work of this author, I have
;
placed it before the set of his songs. This refers '
to The Triumphs of Oriana, and the words of
this madrigal were considered by Oliphant as
'
the best poetry in the set.' Bateson's volume
also contains a madrigal called Oriana's Fare- '
well,' evidently written after the death of Queen