In times of Fernando II (1458-94) the Barcelona-born poet and guitarrista (citaredo), Benedetto [or Benet] Gareth, (Barcelona c. 1450 - Naples 1514), known as “il Cariteo” was a poet singer and guitarrista in Naples. Sang Virgil poems at the request of Ferdinand II whom he also served as Secretary (Haraszti, 12-31, cited in gasserM, p.165) He composed 32 frottole (Petrucci, Frottole, Libro nono, RISM 1509/2), one of which appears arranged for voice and lute in Bossinensis, Brown 1511/1, no 10, fol 11v = RISM 1509/2 fol 55v) Gásser comments that the simple conjunct melodic style is not unlike Milán’s.
For more information: vid. James Haar, “Improvvisatori and their Relationship to Sixteenth-Century Music” chapter 4 of Essays on Italian Poetry and Music in the Renaissance, 1350-1600, Berkeley, Los Angeles y Londres: University of California Press, 1986. págs. 76-99; and F. A. Gallo, Musica nel castello: Trovatori, libri, oratori nelle corti italiane dal XII al XV secolo, Bologna: Il Mulino, 1992.
Also: Donna Cardamone, “Gareth, Benedetto” in New Grove.
Works of Cariteo: Bibliotheca Napoletana di Storia e Litteratura. I. Le Rime del Chariteo