A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Bathe, William

BATHE, William, a learned Irishman, was born in Dublin in 1552. [App. p.532 "He was born on Easter Sunday, 1564, being son of John Bathe, a judge, and his wife Eleanor Preston. He entered the novitiate of Tournai in 1595 or 1596. He studied at Louvain and Padua; was appointed rector of the Irish college at Salamanca, and died at Madrid, June 17, 1614."] He entered into the order of the Jesuits, and leaving Ireland travelled extensively on the continent of Europe, and finally settled in Salamanca, being appointed professor of languages in the university of that city. He published there a philological work called 'Janua Linguaruni.' Leaving Salamanca he came to London [App. p.532 omits "he came to London"], where he published some religious treatises, and also 'A Brief Introduction to the true arte of Musicke,' 1584. On the title-page he styles himself 'Student at Oxenford.' It is dedicated to his uncle, Gerald Fitzgerald, Earl of Kildare. A second edition, under the title of 'A Briefe Introduction to the Skill of Song,' was printed by Thomas Este without date. (Hawkins, Hist.; Biog. Brit.; Imp. Dict. of Biog.).

[ E. F. R. ]