Daily entries from the 17th century London diary
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Henry Cooke (Captain Henry Cooke; c. 1616-1672) was an English composer, actor and singer. At the outbreak of the English Civil War he was a Gentleman of the Chapel Royal and joined the Royalist cause, in the service of which he rose to the rank of Captain. With the Restoration of Charles II he returned to the Chapel Royal as Master of the Children and was responsible for the rebuilding of the Chapel and the introduction of instrumental music into the services. The choristers in his charge included his successor and eventual son-in-law Pelham Humfrey, as well as Henry Purcell and John Blow.
Henry Cooke, chorister of the Chapel Royal, adhered to the royal cause at the breaking out of the Civil Wars, and for his bravery obtained a captain’s commission. At the Restoration he received the appointment of Master of the Children of the Chapel Royal; he was an excellent musician, and three of his pupils turned out very distinguished musicians, viz, Pelham Humphrey, John Blow, and Michael Wise. He was one of the original performers in the “Siege, of Rhodes.” He died July 13th, 1672,: and was buried in the cloisters of Westminster Abbey. In another place, Pepys says, “a vain coxcomb he is, though he sings so well.”
The following item on Captain Cooke was posted to the diary entry of 18 May 1662 by Michael Robinson:
See:-
http://www.katapi.org.uk/SingingChurch/Ch19.htm
He was also Pelhem Humphrey