Lucretia / Lucreece Lanier

The name of Lanier's first wife is unknown (he married her some time before 1565), but following the custom that at court, marriages were arranged or at least approved by the Queen, Nicholas Lanier was paired with Lucreece Bassano, daughter of Anthony Bassano. The couple prospered, acquiring a great deal of property in East Greenwich, Blackheath, and nearby. Their home was reportedly fitted up with a theatre. Nicholas Lanier was appointed Musician of the Flutes in 1604.

As noted, Nicholas Lanier's first wife's name is unknown, however, they did have two, or possibly three children, of whom one was John Lanier, father of the artist-musician Nicholas Lanier, the most famous of the Laniers.

With Lucretia Bassano, he had nine children, including the musicians Alphonso, Innocent, Jerome Lanier, Clement Lanier and Andrea, and Ellen Lanier, who married Alphonse Ferrabosco II. After his death, Andrea succeeded him as Musician of the Flutes for life.

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Lucretia Bassano was born September 24, 1556, in London, England. She is the daughter of Anthony Bassano and Elena De Nazzi.[1][2]

"Lucresia Bassano" married "Nicholas Lanyer" February 13, 1571, at All Hallows, Barking By the Tower, City of London, England.[3]

Lucreece (Bassano) Lanier died January 4, 1634, in East Greenwich, England, and was buried at St. Alphege in Greenwich in Kent.[1]

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The Will Abstract of Nicholas was dated January 28, 1611-12, and proved July 1612, in the Rochester XIX, folio 514. To my wife Lucreece, all my lands and goods; to sons John, Alphonse, Innocent, Jerome, Clement, 12 shillings; to Andrea 20 pounds if he does not have my place; my four daughters, three of whom are unmarried, I leave to the discretion of my wife Lucreece, my sole EX. Lucreece Lanier was buried in east Greenwich, January 4, 1633-4. Her will is recorded in the Rochester Register XXII, folio l05.

Children: Most were musicians and married musicians.

1. John Lanier, born 1565, will dated November 21, 1616, proved December 21, 1616. Married October 17, 1585 Frances, daughter of Mark Anthony Galliardello and Margerie Galliardello. John Lanier was buried in the Chancel of Camberwell Church near his mother-in-law. John had a son, Nicholas Lanier, who became very prominent . His portrait was painted by Vandyke and by Livensz. The portrait of Nicholas Lanier by Vandyck was painted in Genoa, Italy in 1632. Nicholas was sent abroad by the King in 1625 to purchase paintings, statues, and fine art. During the Civil War, many of the King's fine art pieces were sold at auction. Many of the Laniers bought these paintings, of which Nicholas bought his own portrait by Van Dyck. His uncles, Jerome and Clement Lanier (Our line) also bought pieces of the art collection. The Civil War was responsible for the loss of many fortunes, the Lanier's included. However, after following the Stewarts into exile, the Laniers were returned to their high position.
Children were: Mark Anthony, John, Francis; and daughters, Lucretia, Elizabeth, and Judith.

2. Alphonse Lanier, died November 1613, and married Amelia. He had a son, Henry Lanier.

3. Innocent Lanier, died early 1625.

4. Jerome Lanier, buried December 1, 1659. Married Phrisdiswith Grafton.

5. Clement Lanier.

6. Andrea Lanier, married Joyce Perry.

7. Ellen Lanier, burried August 3, 1638, married Alphonse Ferrabosco.

8. Frances Lanier, married Thomas Foxe, February 4, 1618.

9. Mary Lanier, buried October 13, 1676.

10. Katherine Lanier, died before September 2, 1660, married Daniel Farrand.

This Family's Coat of Arms (see Scrapbook) is of the Crusading origin. The cross of squares is called an "honorable ordinary" and is one of the symbols of nobility. The cross is also a Crusading emblem, each square denoting a year spent upon the Crusades by the ancestor. The bordure is another honorable ordinary and an additional mark of nobility. The falcon is a heraldic pun, called a "cantling" and is a play upon the name. The lion, the symbol of bravery, is taken from the family residence. It is the Lion of Gascony. In the arms, blue is the color of truth, silver of loyalty, and gold of strength and purity.
The name of Lanier is derived from the ancient French tongue and means a “Falcon”. So far as written records show, the family is of French descent, and is from the province of Gascony in southern France; however, older records show a Tuscany family in northern Italy of the same name, and several genealogists claim that the family moved from Tuscany to Gascony after the Crusades.
The records of the Huguenot Society of London show a John Lanye living in County Surry in 1547; a record of 1 July 1544 gives a John Lanye, laborer, born Normandy, age 50 years, in England 30 years, married an English woman, six children; and a Nicholas Laneares in London in 1550, a denizen.
John Lanyer, a musician, arrived in London in 1561 with his wife Joan, and two children; and Nicholas Lanier arrived from Paris in 1561. Both were musicians to the Queen.
The Laniers were Protestants who left France to escape the early persecutions. Protestantism began in 1555, and the height of the persecutions was reached in the massacre of St. Bartholomew on the eve of August 24, 1572. It was in 1560 that the conspiracy began. One party hoped to enrich themselves by the estates of the heretics who were executed, or banished. The other party hoped to gain the favor of the masses by punishing the Protestants. The estates of those who fled were sold, their children who remained behind were exposed to the greatest sufferings. France lost thousands of useful and rich inhabitants whose industry, wealth, and skills found a welcome reception in foreign countries. To prevent the emigration of the Protestants, the frontiers were guarded with the utmost vigilance; yet more than 500,000 fled to England, Holland, Switzerland, and Germany.
The Laniers were Huguenots to London, and are well recorded in the books of the Huguenot Society of London, but could not be called Huguenots to America, having been naturalized Englishmen for three generations. However, their descendants are eligible to join the Huguenot Society.
There were two Laniers who fled France at the same time, in 1561, both settling in the Parish of St. Olave in London. They are John and Nicholas. It is possible they were brothers or cousins.

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Links:

• https://www.genealogy.com/forum/surnames/topics/lanier/967/
• https://petermatthews.com.au/the-bassanos-jewish-guardians-of-the-a...
• https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/63787644/lucreece-lanier
• https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Bassano-2
• https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_nqNCAAAAYAAJ/page/574/mode/1up?q...
• https://ancestors.familysearch.org/en/L56C-Q96/lucretia-baptista-ba...
• https://www.ancestry.com/sharing/30069068?mark=7b22746f6b656e223a22... and https://www.ancestry.com/sharing/30069085?mark=7b22746f6b656e223a22...
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lanier_family_tree
• https://longwaytotennessee.com/2014/02/23/the-bassanos-and-laniers/
• https://www.lost-creek.org/genealogy/familygroup.php?familyID=F2685...
• http://www.balcro.com/bassano.html
• https://freepages.rootsweb.com/~fairbanks/genealogy/lanier/history.htm
• https://isaacbrewer-familyhistory.blogspot.com/2015/01/ancestors.html
• https://dubbie.tripod.com/brewer/gen8.html
• http://pegstersfamilytree.com/b5198.htm
• http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~fairbanks/lanier/history.htm