Canzer [Cáncer], Melchor

n.b. Matteo Cancer is a music printer in Naples, publisher of Lieto’s treatise.
Griffiths DMEH

from corona1999 (p. 27) ‘In the chamber accounts of Doña Maria and Doña Juana, daughters of Charles V. Melchor Cancer can be found serving from 1547 as a chamber musician (musico de cámara); when Doña Maria married Maximilan H of Austria and left the Spanish court in 1548. Cancer remained to serve Doña Juana alone as musician (müsico). The nature of his instrument revealed: in a document of 1553, where Charles V takes Cancer in his service as "player of the bowed vihuela and other instruments" (musico tañedor de bihuela de arco y otros instrunientos). In 1553, this musician also served Don Carlos, son of Prince Philip - later Philip II- and accompanied this prince to England for his marriage to Mary Tudor in 1554. Cancer continued in the service of Philip until 1570, always as a player of the bowed vihuela. (corona1999, note 54, p.166) ‘His service from 1562 to 1570 is documented in AGS, CSR Leg. 82. Cancer died in 1570; his death certificate is reproduced in agullo1969, p. 215.’.