Ferrabosco, but is not found in that composer's printed "Airs."
The earliest of the Elizabethan song-writers was William Byrd. In the year of the Spanish Armada, 1588, he published "Psalms, Sonnets, and Songs of Sadness and Piety," the first Elizabethan song-book of importance. He was probably a native of Lincoln, and was born in, or about, 1538.[1] From 1563 to 1569 he was organist of Lincoln Cathedral, and on 22 February, 1569-70, he was appointed Gentleman of the Chapel Royal. In 1598 he became possessed of Stondon Place, Essex. He adhered to the Roman Catholic faith; and his wife, Ellen Birley (by whom he had five children), was also a zealous Romanist. His last work was published in 1611, and he died at a ripe old age on 24 July, 1623. The "Psalms, Sonnets, and Songs" are dedicated to Sir Christopher Hatton. From the title one would gather that the collection was mainly of a sacred character, but in
- ↑ I have made no attempt to give any full biographical account of the composers. Excellent notices of Byrd and John Dowland, by Mr. Barclay Squire, may be seen in the "Dictionary of National Biography." A full account of Dr. Thomas Campion is prefixed to my edition of Campion's Works (privately printed). For notices of the other composers I must be content to refer the reader to Grove's "Dictionary of Music."
