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Sebastian Westcott (also speltWescott orWestcote) (c. 1524 – 1582) was an Englishorganist atSt. Paul's Cathedral. He is especially known for staging performances of plays with theChildren of Paul's.
Westcott was a chorister, under John Redford, atSt. Paul's Cathedral, London, and in 1550 becameorganist andalmoner of the cathedral. In 1557 he became master ofChildren of Paul's, the boys of that cathedral. He retained his post at St. Paul's, underEdward VI,Queen Mary, andQueen Elizabeth I, from 1550 to 1582, notwithstanding the fact that he was an avowed Catholic. Westcott is best known for the many plays and pageants, with music, which he produced for the English Court during a period of 32 years, these plays being performed by the boys of the cathedral school. So celebrated was he in this respect that he was generally referred to as "Master Sebastian".
Under Queen Mary he had the honour of arranging the music for the formal restoration of Catholicism at St. Paul's, in November 1553. He also composed theTe Deum which was sung on 9 February 1554, on the suppression ofWyatt's rebellion. He conducted the service for the reception of CardinalReginald Pole on the first Sunday ofAdvent, 1554, when themotetTe spectant Reginalde Pole, byOrlande de Lassus, was sung. Di Lassus was in England at this time, as was alsoPhilippe de Monte, and both were probably present.
Under Elizabeth I, in 1559, Westcott refused to subscribe to theThirty-Nine Articles, yet official documents from 1559 to 1561 prove that "Master Sebastian" was well paid for his musical and dramatic performances. In May 1561 the Catholic propagandistNicholas Sander, in a report toCardinal Morone, highly praised Westcott. In 1561 BishopEdmund Grindal summoned him for refusing to take part in theAnglican Communion, and in July 1563excommunicated him.Lord Robert Dudley, the Queen'sfavourite, intervened for him, however, and Bishop Grindal answered at length, apologizing, and explaining his action, though declining to suspend his verdict, only to suspend it for a while.[1] 14 years later, in December 1577, Westcott was deprived by BishopJohn Aylmer and imprisoned in theMarshalsea as arecusant. Apparently, Queen Elizabeth missed her customary Christmas plays by thechoristers of St. Paul's, and so Westcott was released on 19 March 1578. Westcott died in 1582, leaving assets of considerable value.[1]
This article incorporates text from a publication now in thepublic domain: Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). "Sebastian Westcott".Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company.| International | |
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