A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Fayrfax, Robert

FAYRFAX, Robert, Mus. Doc., of an ancient Yorkshire family, was born in the latter part of the 15th century. He was of Bayford, Hertfordshire, and is supposed to have held the appointment of organist or chanter of St. Alban's Abbey early in the 16th century. It appears from the Privy Purse Expences of Elizabeth of York that on March 28, 1502 (the Princess being then at St. Alban's), Fayrfax was paid 20s. 'for setting an Anthem of oure lady and Saint Elizabeth.' In 1504 he took the degree of Doctor of Music at Cambridge, and in 1511 was admitted to the same degree at Oxford. He was buried in St. Alban's Abbey, under a stone afterwards covered by the mayor's seat. Several of his compositions are extant in MS. in the Music School, Oxford, and the British Museum. In the latter library, Add. MSS. 5465, is a volume of MS. old English songs for 2, 3, and 4 voices by composers of the 15th and 16th centuries formerly belonging to him, and afterwards in the possession of General Fairfax, at whose death it passed into the hands of Ralph Thoresby of Leeds. Four three-part songs by Fayrfax are printed by John Stafford Smith in his Old English Songs, and others by Hawkins and Burney.

[ W. H. H. ]