ABSTRACT
By the mid-seventeenth century the Civil War in England had resulted in the temporary replacement of an autocratic monarchy by an undemocratic Commonwealth. Given the religious bigotry and fanaticism of the Puritan faction now running the country, it might be supposed that the more gracious arts of living, including music, were proscribed. This view, once popular, is now known to be false. On the contrary, for many people including dedicated Puritans, music at home provided welcome solace and relief from the 'distracted times' raging outside. What is more, the Puritans were said actively to 'love and encourage instrumental music'; in contrast, they 'did not care for vocal [music], because that was used in church by the prelatical party'. 1 Church music was banned, as being a godless irrelevancy; the other objects of Puritan hate, the theatres, were also closed down, and with them their incidental music. But such persecutions only increased the stature of music in the home, where the organ continued to provide a quietly stable background to the gentle conversation of the viols. 'The Fantazia manner held thro' the troubles, and when most other good arts languished, Musick held up her head in private society, for many chose rather to fiddle at home than to go out, and be knocked on the head abroad.' 2
