Rodrigo de Ayllón (2) was a vihuela maker and vihela de arco player in Toledo, active from 1576 to 1617. He was the son of Luis de Ayllón and a prominent member of the guild of violeros. As a musician, he was hired to play at civic festivities in Toledo as part of an ensemble of musicians. The available data on Rodrigo de Ayllón was collected by Francois Reynaud, and complemented by further information published by Romanillos and Harris (romanillos2002). Romanillos and Harris (romanillos2002, 27) write: “In 1576 the violero Rodrigo de Ayllón had to pay taxes on wood. In 1590 he received seventy-two reales (2448 maravedies) to share with five other musicians who played viols in the processions of Corpus Christi in Toledo [Barbieri/Casares]. In 1594 he received 1496 maravedies for playing los violones y valdosa in processsion and in 1601 he received a further payment for playing bowed instruments during the celebration of Corpus Christi in Toledo. In 1601 he lived in calle de la Sillería, at the corner of plazuela de Hernando de Toledo, where he also had his workshop. He paid rent of 6375 maravedies. On 16 January 1617 a petition was headed by Rodrigo de Ayllón, master vihuela maker (meastro de açer biguelas), on behalf of the vihuela makers of Toledo, to have ordinances drawn up. [AMT, Caja de oficios, 16-01-1617]. Rodrigo de Ayllón, Francisco Rodríguez and Miguel Puche presented to the Commissioners of the Town Council of Toledo the draft of the intended ordinances of violeros of Toledo. The Commissioners accepted the text of the intended ordinances and the statements given by witnesses and recommended, on 7 August 1617, that it should be sent to the Royal Council for confirmation. This was carried out by His Majesty’s councillor, Gregorio López Madera, and dated 26 August 1617 [AMT Caja de oficios, 26-08-1617].
Reynaud speculates that he may have been responsible for training the little Diego de Puerto adopted by his parents.
These are the individual documented facts:
• 1576 .01.14 Concerning the purchase of wood. His father was his guarantor. AHPT 1798, f 92. This is the year in which he commenced his own business.
• 1590, 1595 and 1600 he played viola da gamba in the procession on the octave of Corpus Christi and the Assumption with other companions. He was the organiser of the group and took charge of the payments. He must have used his own instruments. [Reynaud “Contibution à l’étude des danseurs et des musiciens” p. 160, Docs 10, 10bis, 13, 14, 16]
[all cited reynaudPT, p. 401]
• 1601.06.07 Date in which he ceased activity based on a document to do with the rent of his shop. AHPT 2457, f 772v
• 1617 Instigator (together with violeros Francisco Rodríguez and Miguel Puche) of the Ayuntamiento de Toledo, Ordenanzas de oficios, oficios de vigoleros o vihueleros, fols 1-17v. [1617] [Reynaud PT 411]