On This Day (27 January) in 1569, Æmilia Bassano, Elizabethan courtier and Jacobean writer and poet was baptised.
Æmilia was the daughter of Baptista Bassano, himself a younger son of Venetian musician, Jeronimo Bassano (specifically a 'sackbut' player, an early 'wind' instrument) and instrument maker. Originally from the nearby town of Bassano del Grappo, from which the family took their name, Jeronimo and his eldest children, including five sons, settled in Venice, where Baptista was reportedly born; in his 1576 will, he described himself as a "native of Venice" (Woods, 1999; The Oxford Authorship Site, 2025). Baptista had emigrated to London in 1540, along with four older brothers (Jacamo, Alvise, Jasper and John), joining another brother Anthony, who had travelled to England in 1538 to perform at the court of Henry VIII. Whilst the brothers had inherited the skills of instrument making from their father, as well as his musical talent, being able to play a variety of instruments (including the sackbut), they initially formed a recorder ensemble, a favourite instrument of the extravagant king (Lasocki, 2015; The Oxford Authorship Site, 2025). However, Woods (1999) proposes that Baptista may have visited England prior to this, in the winter of 1538, performing as a sackbut player for Edward Seymour, then Earl of Hertford.
Baptista and his brothers were expected to play their recorders at court on a daily basis, either in the Presence Chamber, where all courtiers were able to access, or in the more exclusive Privy Chamber; courtiers would have danced to the music played by this ensemble, to popularity of which was demonstrated by the group's expansion and longevity (Lasocki, 2015). There is also speculation that Bapista may have additionally served as an Italian tutor and lute teacher to the teenage Lady Elizabeth, with him later gifting the queen a Venetian lute as a New Year's Gift in 1565 (Targoff, 2024).
There have been varying opinions as to the religious origins of the Bassano family. Whilst there was evidence of the family practicing Christianity (which would be Catholicism) prior to their immigration, there also appears to be evidence of Jewish heritage. Targoff (2024) identifies that the Bassano coat of arms display silkworms, suggesting ties to the Jewish-dominated silk industry, as well as there being known links between the Bassano family and known Jewish families. However, following their arrival and settlement in England, the Bassanos appear to have adopted the new Protestant religion; this is evident in Æmilia's baptism, and her subsequent religious education and affiliations.
Following their arrival to England, the brothers (and their families) were initially housed in apparent rent-free accommodation at The Charterhouse, a dissolved Carthusian monastery based in Aldgate, at the time being in the possession of the Crown, following the Dissolution of the Monasteries. It was here that some of the brothers set up workshops, manufacturing musical instruments, in addition to their performance responsibilities. Following the sale of The Charterhouse in 1545 to Sir Edward North, who embarked on an ambitious renovation and building projection, the brothers moved on to alternative accommodation, having been granted the status of 'denziens' (being able to own, but not inherit property) (Lasocki, 2015; Targoff, 2024). All except Baptista moved to accommodation on Mark Lane, near the Tower of London, where they set up and continued their instrument-making businesses (Woods, 1999).
It was after moving on from The Charterhouse that Baptista Bassano into the Spitalfields area, London's silk-making district, the only brother to move into this area. He went on to purchase long leases of three houses in the parish of St Botolph without Bishopsgate, "near unto the Spital", which he remained in possession of at the time of his death in 1576. It whilst living here that he went on to develop allegiances and friendships, that would benefit his family after his death, including the Vaughan family, owners of a silk-workshop which provided gowns to the royal court (Hudson, 2016; The Oxford Authorship Site, 2025).
It was when living and working near Spitalfields that Baptista a relationship with Margaret Johnson commenced, although this may have been the reason for moving into a different area than his brothers, albeit within a mile. Margaret was reportedly the daughter of a well-known lutenist, with her brother John also performing at the court of Elizabeth I. Her nephew, Robert Johnson, became a well-known court musician and composer, in addition to providing music for multiple performances by theatrical groups, including 'The Chamberlain's Men' and 'The King's Men', including those by William Shakespeare (Hudson, 2016). As with the Bassano family, multiple generations of the Johnsons attended on the Royal Court; it was likely through these musical connections that the pair met.
Baptista referred to her in his 1576 will as "my reputed wife", as well as providing two names of which she was known and referred to - Margaret Bassano and Margaret Johnson (The Oxford Authorship Site, 2025). These descriptions suggest that Æmilia's parents had not exchanged vows within the church, but rather chose to live as a common-law husband and wife. Targoff (2024) suggests that this may be due to ongoing religious differences, as well as potential ostracisation with the 'mixed marriage' between an English-born woman and a Venetian immigrant.
Æmilia was baptised at the parish church of St Botolph without Bishopgate, close to the Bassano's home on 27 January 1569 - she is recorded in parish records as "Emillia [daughter of] Baptist". She appears to have been one of four children born of the couple; there are parish records for the baptism of "Lewes Baptist" in October 1562 and his burial in November 1563, as well as the burial of "Phillips Baptiste, Mr Baptiste's son" in November 1573. Her older sister Angela appears to have been the only sibling to have survived into adulthood (Hallen, 1889).
Æmelia herself also spent her early years in the Spitalfields area, just outside the city walls of London, popular with immigrants, due to cheaper housing options. At the time of her birth and early childhood, the area was known as a 'theatre district', with multiple local theatres and public houses regularly performing plays, of which her family participated in their roles as musicians. Targoff (2024) describes the area as 'densely populated' and 'rather unsanitary'; in addition to the theatres and inns, where crime and prostitution was rife, the original site of Bethlem/'Bedlam' Hospital, for the treatment of the mentally unwell and distressed, was located nearby.
Baptiste Bassano died in May 1576 when Æmilia was 7 years old; parish records from St Botolph without Bishopsgate document his burial in the churchyard on 11 May 1576 as "Baptist Bassana, ye queene's musition" (Hallan, 1889).
In adulthood, Æmilia reflected that at the time of his death, her father's business was in decline; however, he remained in possession of the lease of the three houses near Spitalfields, and granted "my reputed wife...Margaret Bassanye alias Johnson...the use and occupation of the three said tenemants for and during her natural life". In his will, which was written in January 1576 in the months prior to his death, Baptista bequeathed his youngest surviving daughter 'Emilia Bassany' a sum to be paid on her marriage. The will also refers to Æmilia's older sister Angela, who was already married to 'Joseph Hollande, gentleman', in regards to arrangements for transfer of the leases of the houses after their mother's death, rather than any immediate financial bequests (The Oxford Authorship Site, 2025).
Following her father's death, Æmilia entered into the household of the 22-year-old widowed Susan(na) Bertie, Countess of Kent, and daughter of "radical feminist and Protestant reformer" Katherine Willoughby, Dowager Duchess of Suffolk, likely facilitated by their neighbours, Stephen Vaughan and his sister Anne (Hudson, 2016; p.133). It was during these formative years, including at nearby Willoughby House, that Æmilia received an education, normally only available to those of a high social status, which would come to benefit her in adulthood; she received a Protestant humanist education, likely influenced by well-known Tudor tutors including Roger Ascham, himself a previous patron of Edward Seymour. In addition to the French and Italian that she was already likely familiar, Æmilia was taught Latin and Greek, as well being introduced to contemporary poetry (Woods, 1999). Æmilia likely remained with the Countess until 1582, when she entered into her second marriage to Sir John Wingfield, the nephew of her mother's friend Elizabeth, Countess of Shrewsbury ('Bess of Hardwick'). It was the following year, aged 13, the age of sexual maturity in the Tudor era, that Æmilia was brought to court, quickly becoming the mistress of Queen Elizabeth I's cousin, Henry Carey, 1st Baron Hunsdon (Hudson, 2016).
An adult Æmilia, in a poem dedicated to 'To the Ladie Susan, Countess Dowager of Kent, and daughter to the Duchess of Suffolk' in her 1611 published work 'Salve deus rex Judaeorum', later reflected on these positive early experiences, and the role model she had in the then-young Countess (Layner, 1611):
Come you that were the Mistres of my youth, The noble guide of my ungovern'd dayes
And since no former gaine hath made me write, Nor my desertlesse service could have wonne, Onely your noble Virtues do incite My Pen, they are the ground I write upon;
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