John Dowland
The Life of Dowland
Born in Dublin, Ireland in the late December of 1562, musician John Dowland was born. Not much is known about his childhood, but he traveled quite a lot and played his lute for many different kings. In 1588, he received a Bachelor of Arts Degree from Christ Church, and a degree from Cambridge in 1597. He was very invested in his musical ambitions, and created a sorrow persona to go with his compositions. He was actually a very cheerful person, even though his songs do not reflect it. His patrons consisted of all the kings he played for; Sir Henry Cobham, James I, Sir Edward Stafford, and Lord Walden.
The Earl Essex of Galliard, also known as Can She Excuse My Wrongs
Written in 1605, the Earl Essex of Galliard was written for someone specific, but it is not stated who. All that is known about the one who asked for this song, is that they died before the composition was finished. In society today, you can find this piece in the Washington-Folger Shakespeare Library. It is a gentle melody, with a melancholy mood and a vibe of false hope. It relates closely to Humanism, as the man singing the song is caring more about forgiveness from the woman, rather than a God. I, personally, think the song has a relaxing lute score and sounds somewhat similar to something you might hear today.