This is one of the most important keyboard music manuscript from 16th century England. It is the earliest of four surviving MSS of this time, the others being those of Thomas Weelkes and Will Forster (BL) and the Fitzwilliam virginal book (Cambridge). The MS contains 42 works by William Byrd (1543-1623), copied by John Baldwin (completed on 11 September 1591) but with corrections thought to be by Byrd himself.
Item Provenance
Elizabeth, wife of Sir Henry Nevill of Billingbere (c.1518-9); thence by descent in the North family; purchased at auction in 1814 by Thomas Jones of Nottingham Place; Robert Triphook (dealer); purchased in 1833 by Lord Abergavenny and thence by descent in the Nevill family at Eridge Castle