That's what I'd call Perspicacious Conjecture.
RT
______________
Roman M. Turovsky
http://turovsky.org
http://polyhymnion.org
> Although there seems to be a general concensus that Dowland only produced
> the music parts of his own songs, I have always felt that this was rather
> unfair.
> I mean, it is not as if the chap was illiterate - doctor of 2 universities,
> as he was, what should stop him from contributing a poem or two to his own
> tunes?
>
> One such "anonymus" text is "Fine knacks for ladies", which some short time
> ago made
> for a very enjoyable thread on this list. In a recent conversation with the
> music
> researcher, Ole Kongsted, of the Royal library in Copenhagen, I was
> reminded of the
> text, and offer yet another explanation for its creation.
>
> On March 19 1590, Princess Elizabeth, sister of the later king Christian
> IV, was
> married to the German prince, Henry Julius of Braunschweig-Wolffenbuettel.
>
> Henry, eager to see his wife to come, sped a day or so ahead of his
> retinue, and called
> at Kronborg Castle in Elsinore, disguised as a pedlar, offering fine
> jewellery to the
> ladies of the court.
> The princess became obsessed with a certain piece, and asked the pedlar to
> name his price.
> Which he did: A night with the princess!
>
> Naturally, the outrageous pedlar was instantly slung in the slammer, there
> to spend the night.
> Only the next day, when his retinue arrived, Henry's true identity was
> revealed.
>
> This theme, a lover testing the fidelity of his/her betrothed, is well
> known in folk poetry
> all over Europe.
>
> I find it very likely that Henry has told Dowland of this prank during his
> stay in
> Wolffenbuettel, and that Dowland, in his discreet, diplomatic fashion, made
> his lovely
> song inspired by this hilarious incident.
>
> Reliably,
>
> Arne Keller.
>
>
>
