A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Clifford, James

CLIFFORD, REV. JAMES, the son of Edward Clifford, a cook, was born in the parish of St. Mary Magdalen, Oxford, in 1622. In 1632 he was admitted a chorister of Magdalen College, Oxford, and so remained until 1642. On July 1, 1661, he was appointed tenth minor canon of St. Paul's Cathedral, and in 1675 was advanced to the sixth minor canonry. In 1682 he became senior cardinal. He was also for many years curate of the parish church of St. Gregory by St. Paul's, and chaplain to the Society of Serjeant's Inn, Fleet Street. He died about the year 1700 [App. p.594 "in Sept. 1698."]. In 1663 Clifford published, under the title of 'The Divine Services and Anthems usually sung in the Cathedrals and Collegiate Choirs of the Church of England,' a collection of the words of anthems; the first of its kind which appeared in the metropolis. (It had been preceded by a collection compiled and printed by Stephen Bulkley at York in 1662.) So great was the success of the work that a second edition, with large additions, appeared in 1664. To the first edition are prefixed 'Briefe Directions for the understanding of that part of the Divine Service performed with the Organ in St. Paul's Cathedral on Sundayes and Holydayes'; and to the second chants for Venite and the Psalms and for the Athanasian Creed. The work is curious and interesting as showing what remained of the cathedral music produced before the parliamentary suppression of choral service in 1644, and what were the earliest additions made after the re-establishment of that service in 1660. Clifford's only other publications were 'The Catechism, containing the Principles of Christian Religion,' and 'A Preparation Sermon before the receiving of the Holy Sacrament of the Lord's Supper, preached at Serjeants' Inn Chapel, in Fleet Street,' which appeared together in 1694. Clifford had a younger brother, Thomas, born in Oct. 1633, who was admitted chorister of Magdalen College in 1642 and resigned in 1645.

[ W. H. H. ]