say the least) ten years too early; the reference to Isaiah is a manifest error. The earliest book mentioned by Benn as hearing Blow's imprint is the 'Works of Sir David Lindsey,' 1714, 12mo. But he printed for the presbyterians, and it is probable that some of their publications, without name of place or printer, are by him. James Kirkpatrick's 'Historical, Essay upon the Loyalty of Presbyterians,' 1713, 4to, the most important of these, is assigned by Benn to Blow; but this is not borne out by the character of the type. In the ecclesiastical contest (1720-7) between the subscribers and non-subscribers to the Westminster Confession, Blow printed for the non-subscribing section. One of the most interesting productions of Blow's press is 'The Church Catechism in Irish, with the English placed over against it in the same Karakter,' 1722. Blow died in 1759. His last known publication was Henry Grove's 'Discourse concerning the Nature and Design of the Lord's Supper,' 4th edition, 1759 (advertised in the 'Belfast Newsletter,' 2 Feb.) Blow lost two young children in 1717. His son Daniel succeeded him as a printer, and his grandsons founded the paper-making firm of Blow, Ward, & Greenfield. The original wooden press employed by the Blows was in use at Youghal as late as 1824.
[Benn's History of Belfast (1877), 424 seq.; Belfast Faneral Register (presbyterian); collections of Belfast publications in Linenhall Library, Belfast; others in private hands; private information.]
BLOW, JOHN (1648–1708), musical composer, is said by all his biographers to have been born at North Colfingham, in Nottinghamshire, in 1648, but the registers of that parish contain no entries relating to him or to any of his family, and Anthony Wood, in a manuscript account of his life, preserved in the Bodleian Library (Wood 19 D (4) No. 106), has the following note : 'Dr. Rogers tells me that John Blow was borne in London.' He is said to have received his first instruction in music from John Hingeston and Christopher Gibbons, but as the latter was organist of Winchester Cathedral from 1638 to 1661 he can hardly have been Blow's master at this period. With regard to Hingeston the statement is more likely to be accurate, as that musician was organist to Cromwell, and also held oflice after the Restoration. Blow was one of the first set of the children of the Chapel Royal on its re-establishment in 1660 under Captain Henry Cooke. He must have begun composition at an early age, for Cliflford's 'Divine Services and Anthems usually sung in His Majestie's Chappell' (1663) contains the words of three anthems, 'I will magnifie,' 'Lord, Thou hast been our refuge,' and 'Lord, rebuke me not,' which were set by him when he was still at the Chapel Royal. Another composition of this date which is still extant is the so-called 'Club Anthem,' 'I will always give thanks,' a work with orchestral accompaniments, the first part of which was written by Pelham Humphreys, the last by Blow, and the intermediate bass solo by William Turner. This is generally said (on the authority of Dr. Tudway) to have been composed to celebmte a naval victory over the Dutch in 1666, but as Humphreys left the choir in 1664 it is more probable that Boyce is right in attributing its origin to the friendship which existed among the three choristers. When he was still at the Chapel Royal, Blow composed his celebrated duet to Herrick's words, 'Goe, perjur'd man,' which was written in imitation of Carissimi's 'Dite o cieli,' Charles II having asked him whether he could copy that work. On his voice breaking. Blow still continued to study with assiduity. On 21 Aug. 1667 Pepys made the following entry in his diary, which probably refers to him : 'This morning come two of Captain Cooke's boys, whose voices are broke, and are gone from the chapel, but have extraordinary skill ; and they and my boy, with his broken voice, did sing three parts; their names were Blaew and Loggings ; but notwithstanding their skill, yet to hear them sing with their broken voices, which they could not command to keep in tune, would make a man mad — so bad it was.' Two years later, at the early age of twenty-one, he succeeded Albertus Bryan as organist of Westminster Abbey, and on 16 March 1673-4 he was sworn in as a gentleman of the Chapel Royal in place of Roger Hill, deceased. On 21 July 1674 he became master of the children of the same establishment, in which post he succeeded his old companion, Pelham Humphreys. In the same year (4 Sept.) he was married at St. Paul's, Covent Garden, to Elizabeth, only daughter of Edward Braddock, one of the gentlemen of the Chapel lioyal, and a member of the abbey choir. In October 1676 Blow was appointed organist of the Chapel Royal, and shortly after he is said to have received the Lambeth degree of Mus. Doc. from Archbishop Sancroft. It has been stated by all his biographers, from Anthony à Wood downwards, that Blow's musical degree was obtained in this manner, but the music school at Oxford formerly contained a manuscript act song, composed in 1678 and performed in 1679, which seems to show that the degree
