College, Cambridge, in the third quarter of 1511, and second choirboy in August 1512, was Christopher Tye. The commons books for the preceding ten years are lost; but it may be presumed Tye had been some time before 1511 in the choir, and was born about 1497.
The name Tye next appears in the commons books for Michaelmas to Christmas 1527, when he was one of the singing-men; the full name, ‘Christopher Tye, clericus,’ is first met with in the Mundum books for Lady-day to Michaelmas, 1537. A ‘Richard Tye, clericus,’ who died in 1545, was also in the choir of King's College, and some of the earlier records may refer to him. In later life Christopher Tye appears in close connection with Dr. Richard Cox (1500–1581) [q. v.], who entered King's College in 1519.
In 1536 the Cambridge grace book recorded that Christopher Tye, having studied the art of music ten years, with much practice in composing and in teaching boys, was granted the degree of Mus. Bac., on condition of his composing a mass to be sung soon after Commencement, or on the day when the king's visit was celebrated, or at least that some specimen of his skill should be displayed at the Commencement. How much longer Tye remained at King's College is uncertain, as the Mundum books for 1538–42 are missing; but he probably left in 1541 or 1542. At Michaelmas 1543 Tye received 10l. for a year's salary as master of the choirboys at Ely. In 1545 Tye proceeded to the degree of Mus. Doc.; he was required to compose a mass to be sung at the Commencement, and was to be presented ‘habitu non regentis.’ He was permitted to wear the robes of a doctor of medicine, as there were no distinctive robes for musical graduates until a recent period. In 1547 Cox became chancellor of the university of Oxford, and in 1548 Tye was incorporated there as Mus. Doc. He was apparently still at Ely, as the treasurer's rolls record the payment of his salary in Michaelmas 1547; but the rolls for the next twelve years are lost. Tye is not heard of again until 1553, when he published his ‘Actes of the Apostles,’ calling himself gentleman of the Chapel Royal, and dedicating the work to Edward VI in terms which suggest that he was, or had been, under Cox, the young king's teacher. This supposition is strengthened by a passage in Samuel Rowley's chronicle-play, ‘When you see me, you know me,’ 1605, in which Tye is introduced, and addressed by Edward as ‘Our music's lecturer.’ The title of gentleman of the Chapel Royal does not necessarily imply that Tye must have left Ely. Hawkins and others have supposed that he also taught Edward's sisters, which is possible in the case of Elizabeth, but hardly as regards Mary, who was much older, and had played to the French ambassadors in 1527.
Tye is not heard of in Mary's reign, nor does his name occur in any published list of the Chapel Royal, nor in the cheque-book, which begins in 1561. On 23 May 1559 the dean and chapter of Ely executed a deed by which Tye was granted 10l. annually as master of the boys and organist. Since Tye had previously received the same salary, it is possible that he had left his post and was formally reappointed. But he received only half a year's salary at Michaelmas 1561; and in 1562 Robert White (d. 1574) [q. v.] succeeded him as ‘informator choristarum.’ Tye had already taken deacon's orders in July 1560, and in November following Dr. Cox, now bishop of Ely, ordained him priest. In the register he is called canon of the cathedral. He must have been previously made incumbent of Doddington (Donyngton)-cum-March, as he compounded for the first-fruits on 25 Sept.; a return sent by Cox in the same year reports that Dr. Tye lived at Doddington with his family, was not yet capable of preaching (‘non tamen habilis ad prædicandum’), nor specially licensed thereto. The living at a later period became the richest in England, and was divided into seven. The bishop took a singular bond from Tye, who engaged not to lease any part of the benefice without the bishop's consent, ‘but from year to year;’ and since this bond was executed at the request of Tye's wife, it indicates either that he was incompetent in business matters, or that he was under the influence of his son Peter, a disreputable man, who had by fraud obtained ordination and was rector of Trinity Church, Ely. These matters were among the grounds of accusation against Dr. Cox after Tye's death (Strype, Annals, vol. ii. App.). In 1564 Tye appears as rector of Newton-cum-Capella, and of Wilbraham Parva; he had paid firstfruits for the former on 13 May, but not for the latter, which was ordered to be sequestrated. The matter was in some way arranged, and the money was paid on 19 Oct. He resigned this living in 1567, and Newton in 1570. On 26 June 1570 the living of Doddington-cum-March was ordered to be sequestrated, as Tye had not paid certain dues. On 26 Aug. 1571 Lesley, bishop of Ross, then in the custody of Cox at Doddington, noted in his diary (Bannatyne Miscellany, 1855) that he had written some verses, and given them to Dr. Tye ‘for ane argument, to mak the same in
