More taubronar
The More Taubronar (died 1507) was a musician of African origin at the court of James IV of Scotland and his wife Margaret Tudor.
[3] Archival records credit the More Taubronar as the producer of a costumed dance or masque performed at the Scottish royal court in 1505.
[9] At Dumfries James IV gave 28 shillings to a musician called "Cloffies" whose "tabroun" drum had been taken by Cuddy Rig, who is identified as a fool and fiddler.
[10] The Italian minstrels and the "More taubronar" joined the king on his trip to the north to Brechin, Darnaway and Elgin in October 1504.
While James was away in the north, Margaret Tudor stayed at Dunfermline Palace with four young African women known as the "More lasses".
[14] A coat was made for the "More taubronar" of camlet fabric woven with black and red threads, with a damask doublet in grey and tanny (purplish brown), and begarried (striped) hose in December 1503.
[24] In February 1506, James IV gave 28 shillings to a nurse that brought the "Moris barne" to him "to see",[25] which may suggest this child, possibly the drummer's, was an object of exotic interest to the king.
[26] Extracts from the treasurer's accounts mentioning the musicians at the court of James IV were first published in the 1830s by Robert Pitcairn and William Dauney.
[31] In January 1494 music for a masque or disguising at Westminster involving 12 male courtiers and 12 ladies was provided by a "small Tabret and a subtyle ffedyll".
[40] At Easter 1501, the court musicians were given rewards in cash, the taubronars Adam Boyd, Guilliam, Ansle, and John Portwis or Portuous received 14 shillings.
[49] A group of Italian acrobats was mentioned in July 1502, when James IV gave 42 shillings to Peter de Luca, "the spelaris master".
[51] Drummers, "tabretts", played merrily at Margaret Tudor's Royal Entry to Edinburgh, and the "young Italian" acrobat performed on the day after the wedding on the tightrope in the courtyard of Holyrood Palace.
[53] The Italians also moved on, one of the acrobats was given 20 crowns when he left the court in April 1502, and another, presumably Francis de Luca, departed with £13 Scots on 24 August 1503.
[54] Acrobats at the English court at this time, entertaining Henry VII, included the tumbers Vonecorps and the Little Maiden, who performed on New Year's Day 1504.
[55] Wages for a drummer of African origin, John Blanke, were recorded in the Tudor accounts and he was depicted in the 1511 Westminster Tournament Roll.
They received a reward for playing when the king sailed between Inchkeith and Kinghorn in May 1502 (perhaps a pilgrimage to the Isle of May, like that involving the More taubronar in May 1506).
