Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Dowland, Robert
DOWLAND, ROBERT (17th cent.), musician, son of John Dowland [q. v.], was born before his father left England to settle in Denmark. His godfather was Sir Robert Sidney, and he was partly educated in his father's absence at the cost of Sir Thomas Mounson, to whom in 1610 he dedicated his first work: ‘Varietie of Lute-lessons: viz. Fantasies, Pauins, Galliards, Almaines, Co rantoes, and Volts: selected out of the best approued Avthors, as well beyond the Seas as of our owne Country.’ This book also included short treatises on lute-playing by John Dowland and by J. B. Besardo. In the same year he published ‘A Mvsicall Banqvet. Furnished with varietie of delicious Ayres, collected out of the best Authors in English, French, Spanish, and Italian.’ This was dedicated to his godfather. On his father's death he was appointed in his place, by warrant dated 2 April 1626, a ‘musician in ordinary for the consort,’ with 20d. a day wages and 16l. 2s. 6d. for livery, his appointment dating from the day of his father's death. On 11 Oct. of the same year he obtained a license to be married at St. Faith's to Jane Smalley. In this document he is said to have been of the parish of St. Anne's, Blackfriars. After this he disappears, though he is said (Grove, Dictionary, i. 450) to have been still in the royal service in 1641.
[Addit. MS. 5750; Chester's Marriage Licenses (Foster), p. 415; R. Dowland's Works.]