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Mus. 544-53

*** N.B. This is an INTERIM ENTRY ***

Printed, with extensive manuscript additions; 10 volumes; English, 1640-early C18th. The Hereford Cathedral set of John Barnard's The first book of selected church musick (London, 1641), purchased by Christ Church from Hereford Cathedral in December 1917.

Mus. 544-53
The first book of selected church musick, consisting of services and anthems, such as are now used in the cathedrall, and collegiat churches of this kingdome. Never before printed. ... Collected out of divers approved authors, by John Barnard[,] one of the minor canons of the cathedrall church of Saint Paul, London.
London: Printed by Edward Griffin, 1641
RISM B/I 16415
Mus. 544: Medius decani; Mus. 545: Medius cantoris; Mus. 546: Primus contratenor decani; Mus. 547: Secundus contratenor decani; Mus. 548: Primus contratenor cantoris; Mus. 549: Secundus contratenor cantoris; Mus. 550: Tenor decani; Mus. 551: Tenor cantoris; Mus. 552: Bassus decani; Mus. 553: Bassus cantoris.
Many partbooks defective with pages supplied in manuscript. See the full description for details.

As printed by Barnard, each partbook originally comprised five preliminary folios (1. titlepage; 2. dedication; 3. preface; 4-5: contents), followed by folios of music numbered sequentially, the last page of which is marked 'finis'. (The sheets were printed without signatures.) Each partbook was subsequently bound with sheets of rastrated staves, on which MS music was added during the later C17th and early c18th. The following summary descriptions of the ten volumes provides outline information only, and makes no attempt to identify copyists, not to report the many annotations to the printed pages made by generations of singers. An inventory of the musical works added in MS follows the summary descriptions.

Mus. 544: MEDIUS DECANI.

  • PRINTED CONTENTS. All five preliminary folios are missing, and are not supplied in MS. Also missing, but supplied in modern MS, are music ff. 1-10. The following music folios are fragmentary, but restored and partially replaced in modern MS: ff. 18, 22-35, 42, 97, 99, 102, 104, 106, 109, 111, 120, 123-4. Last printed folio = 131.
  • MANUSCRIPT CONTENTS (following printed contents): 39 folios, foliated '132-69' in modern pencil (including f. '141a' between ff. 141-2).
  • Upright format, 327 x 227 mm. Early C20th binding of rough brown leather over boards, incorporating on the upper and lower covers the original mid-C17th covers of blind-tooled brown leather. Lower cover inscribed 'Treble Decani' (twice). A fragment of an annotated pastedown leaf from the original inside covers had been preserved in the modern inside upper cover.

Mus. 545: MEDIUS CANTORIS.

  • CONTENTS. The printed partbook is missing. It is replaced here by a manuscript copy made by John Bishop c. 1863. According to a letter from Bishop (unbound within the volume), his examplar was the copy belonging at that time to the Sacred Harmonic Society (now in London, Royal College of Music). Titlepage: supplied in MS in pseudo-facsimile on vellum-like paper, presumably by the Hereford Chapter Clerks' Office in 1863; a letter from that office to 'The Rev. Rev. F. J. Havergal' (unbound within the volume) refers to the return of this volume and the 'Bassus Decani' (= Mus. 552 below), both of which have this style of titlepage.
  • Upright format, 343 x 240 mm. Upper and lower boards of marbled paper over boards, half-bound in brown and black leather; insets of red leather on upper cover and spine, gold-tooled with details of the volume.

Mus. 546: PRIMUS CONTRATENOR DECANI.

  • PRINTED CONTENTS. The following music folios are missing, and supplied in modern MS: ff. 3-4, 6, 23, 27-8. Music f. 109 is completely missing, and not supplied in MS. Last printed folio = 133.
  • MANUSCRIPT CONTENTS (following printed contents): 34 folios, the first eleven of which are foliated '1-11' in contemporary MS, the remainder '12-34' in modern pencil. Refoliated '134-67' in December 1989, to bring this partbook into line with the remainder of the set.
  • Upright format, 330 x 225 mm. Early C20th binding (c. 1920) of rough brown leather over boards, incorporating on the upper and lower covers the original mid-C17th covers of blind-tooled brown leather. Upper cover instribed 'Contratenor Decani' and 'Treble Decani 1682'. Fragments of annotated pastedown leaves from the original inside upper and lower covers have been preserved in the modern inside covers.

Mus. 547: SECUNDUS CONTRATENOR DECANI.

  • PRINTED CONTENTS. Titlepage missing (not supplied in MS). The following music folios are missing, and supplied in modern MS: ff. 6, 34, 117. The last four folios (now 123-6) were incorrectly printed as '121-4'; the last printed folio is therefore 126 (printed as '124').
  • MANUSCRIPT CONTENTS (following printed contents): 37 folios, foliated '127-63' in modern pencil.
  • Upright format, 330 x 225 mm. Early C20th binding (c. 1920) of rough brown leather over boards, incorporating on the upper cover the original mid-C17th covers of blind-tooled brown leather. Upper cover inscribed 'Medius'. Fragments of annotated pastedown leaves from the original inside upper and lower covers have been preserved in the modern inside covers.

Mus. 548: PRIMUS CONTRATENOR CANTORIS.

  • PRINTED CONTENTS. Titlepage, dedication and preface missing (not supplied in MS). Music f. 6 missing, but supplied in C17th MS. The following music folios are missing, but supplied in modern MS: ff. 3-4, 26, 88. The following music folios are fragmentary, but restored and partially replaced in modern MS: ff. 29, 51. Last printed folio = 131.
  • MANUSCRIPT CONTENTS (following printed contents): 41 folios, foliated '132-73' in modern pencil (there is no f. 149).
  • Upright format, 327 x 225 mm. Early C20th binding (c. 1920) of rough brown leather over boards, incorporating on the upper and lower covers the original mid-C17th covers of blind-tooled brown leather. Fragments of annotated pastedown leaves from the original inside upper and lower covers have been preserved in the modern inside covers.

Mus. 549: SECUNDUS CONTRATENOR CANTORIS.

  • PRINTED CONTENTS. Dedication page and music f. 4 missing (not supplied in MS). The following music folios are missing, but supplied in modern MS: ff. 2-3, 5-6, 15-16, 23-4, 116. The following music folios are fragmentary, but restored and partially replaced in modern MS: ff. 25, 28, 34, 103. Last printed folio = 125.
  • MANUSCRIPT CONTENTS (following printed contents): 27 folios, foliated ' 126-52' in modern pencil.
  • Upright format, 327 x 225 mm. Early C20th binding (c. 1920) of rough brown leather over boards, incorporating on the upper and lower covers the original mid-C17th covers of blind-tooled brown leather. Fragments of annotated pastedown leaves from the original inside upper and lower covers have been preserved in the modern inside covers.

Mus. 550: TENOR DECANI.

  • PRINTED CONTENTS. The following music folios are missing, but supplied in modern MS: ff. 27-8, 33-4. Music f. 101 is fragmentary, but restored and partially replaced in modern MS. The titlepage and music ff. 23-4 and 26 are slightly defective and unrestored. Last printed folio = 126.
  • MANUSCRIPT CONTENTS (following printed contents): 33 folios, foliated '127-58' (including f. '151a' between ff. 151-2) in modern pencil.
  • Upright format, 327 x 227 mm. Early C20th binding (c. 1920) of rough brown leather over boards, incorporating on the upper and lower covers the original mid-C17th covers of blind-tooled brown leather. Upper cover inscribed 'Tenor Decani'. Fragments of annotated pastedown leaves from the original inside upper and lower covers have been preserved in the modern inside covers.

Mus. 551: TENOR CANTORIS.

  • PRINTED CONTENTS. The following music folios are missing, but supplied in modern MS: ff. 27, 85-90. The titlepage is defective. Last printed folio = 124.
  • MANUSCRIPT CONTENTS (following printed contents): 44 folios, foliated '125-67' (including f. '155a' between ff. 155-6) in modern pencil.
  • Upright format, 327 x 225 mm. Early C20th binding (c. 1920) of rough brown leather over boards, incorporating on the upper and lower covers the original mid-C17th covers of blind-tooled brown leather. Upper cover inscribed 'Tenor' (twice) and 'Tenor Cantoris'. Fragments of annotated pastedown leaves from the original inside upper and lower covers have been preserved in the modern inside covers.

Mus. 552: BASSUS DECANI.

  • PRINTED CONTENTS. Titlepage supplied in pseudo-facsimile MS, as in Mus. 545 above. Preface, contents pages, and music ff. 43-9, are all missing (not supplied in MS). The following music folios are also missing, but supplied in modern MS: ff. 5, 105-6. Music f. 17 is fragmentary, but restored and partially replaced in modern MS. Last printed folio = 126.
  • MANUSCRIPT CONTENTS (following printed contents): none.
  • Upright format, 345 x 227 mm. Early C20th binding (c. 1920) of rough brown leather over boards, blind-tooled.

Mus. 553: BASSUS CANTORIS.

  • PRINTED CONTENTS. Music folios 78-9 missing (not supplied in MS). Music f. 6 supplied in copy 'transcribed by Mr Joseph Warren 1846 from a copy of the Bassus Cantoris in his possession'; Warren's sheet is now bound into the volume as f. 6a. The following music folios are also missing, but supplied in modern MS: ff. 83-4, 88, 91. Music f. 89 is fragmentary, but restored and partially replaced in modern MS. The titlepage is defective. Last printed folio = 126.
  • MANUSCRIPT CONTENTS (following printed contents): 31 folios, foliated '127-57' in modern pencil.
  • Upright format, 327 x 225 mm. Early C20th binding (c. 1920) of rough brown leather over boards, incorporating on the upper and lower covers the original mid-C17th covers of blind-tooled brown leather. Fragments of annotated pastedown leaves from the original inside upper and lower covers have been preserved in the modern inside covers.

Table of titles and composers in modern form. Display form found in manuscript.

 Mus. 544Mus. 546Mus. 547Mus. 548Mus. 549Mus. 550Mus. 551Mus. 553
1 Thomas(?) Wilkinson Hear my prayer, O Lord ff. 132r-v ff. 134r-v ff. 127r-v ff. 132r-v   ff. 127r-v ff. 125r-v f. 127r
2 Thomas Tomkins Above the stars ff. 132v-133r f. 134v f. 128r ff. 132v-133r ff. 126r-v ff. 127v-128r ff. 125v-126r ff. 127v-128r
3 Thomas Tomkins My beloved spake ff. 133v-135r ff. 135v-136r ff. 127v-128r ff. 133r-v f. 127r ff. 128v-129r ff. 127r-v ff. 128v-129v
4 Thomas Tomkins O Lord, let me know mine end f. 143v ff. 135r-v ff. 129v-130r ff. 133v-135r ff. 127v-128r ff. 129v-130r ff. 127v-128r f. 130r
5 John Hilton (ii) Teach me, O Lord ff. 135v-136r ff. 136r-v f. 128v ff. 141v-142r ff. 128v-129r ff. 130r-v ff. 128r-v ff. 130v-131r
6 Nathaniel Giles O hear my prayer, Lord ff. 136r-v ff. 136v-137r f. 129r ff. 135v-136r f. 129r ff. 130v-131r ff. 128v-129r f. 131r
7 Michael East When Israel came out of Egypt ff. 136v-138r     ff. 143r-v ff. 130r-v ff. 134v-135v ff. 130r-131r ff. 138r-v
8 Richard Brown By the waters of Babylon ff. 138r-v f. 137v f. 130r ff. 136r-v f. 129v f. 131v f. 129v f. 131v
9 Richard Brown Unto him that hath loved us ff. 139r-v ff. 138r-v ff. 130v-131r ff. 136v-141r ff. 132r-v ff. 132r-133r ff. 131v-132v ff. 132r-v
10 Richard Brown If the Lord himself f. 140r ff. 139r-v ff. 131r-v ff. 137v-138r ff. 133r-v ff. 133v-134r f. 133r ff. 133r-v
11   Wherewithall shall a young man           f. 134r    
12 Thomas Tallis Preces and Psalm 110 ff. 140v-141r   ff. 132r-v ff. 138v-139r ff. 133v-134r   ff. 133v-134r ff. 134r-v
13 Thomas Tomkins Hear my prayer [Ps. 39:13]       ff. 139v-140r     ff. 134v-135r ff. 136r-137r
14 John Badham O Lord, thou hast searched me out ff. 141v-141Av f. 139v f. 133r f. 140v f. 134v f. 129r f. 135v f. 135r
15   Let God arise               f. 138v
16   If the Lord himself           f. 136r    
17 Edward Lowe O clap your hands together f. 142v f. 140r   f. 144r f. 135v ff. 136r-v f. 136v ff. 139r-v
18 William Cranford O Lord, make thy servant Charles f. 144r ff. 140v-142r ff. 134v-138v ff. 144v-145r f. 136r ff. 136v-137r ff. 137v-138v ff. 139v-140v
19 John Badham Defend us, Lord f. 144v f. 141v f. 134r   f. 137r f. 138r f. 138v f. 142v
20   O sing unto the Lord           f. 138r    
21 John Badham How doth the city sit solitary f. 145r f. 141v f. 133v ff. 145v-146r f. 136v f. 137v f. 139r ff. 141v-142r
22 William King Praise ye the Lord f. 145v f. 142v f. 135v f. 146v f. 137v f. 138v f. 139v f. 143r
23 William King O sing unto the Lord f. 146r f. 143r f. 136r f. 147r f. 138r f. 139r f. 140r ff. 144r-145r
24 Hugh Davies Have mercy upon me, O God ff. 146v-147r f. 144v f. 140r f. 148r ff. 135r-139v ff. 142r-v ff. 141r-v f. 146v
25 Richard Davies Thou, O God, art praised   f. 145r f. 140v f. 149r f. 140r ff. 143v-144r f. 142r ff. 147r-146v
26 Orlando Gibbons Glorious and powerful God f. 147r   ff. 136v-137r   f. 131r ff. 126r-131v    
27 Benjamin Rogers Behold now, praise the Lord f. 147v f. 144r f. 139r          
28 Thomas Tomkins Thou art my king, O God     f. 137r f. 142r f. 130v   ff. 130v-131v ff. 135v-137v
29 Daniel Henstridge Behold how good and joyful f. 148r f. 143v f. 138v f. 147v f. 138v f. 139v f. 140v f. 145v
30 William Lawes The Lord is my light f. 148v f. 146r f. 141r f. 151v ff. 140v-141r ff. 144v-45r f. 144r ff. 147v-148r
31 James Read Sing unto God, O ye kingdoms   f. 145v f. 141v   ff. 141v-142r f. 145v ff. 143r-v ff. 148v-149r
32 Richard Davies Let my complaint f. 149r f. 146v f. 143r f. 150v   f. 146r f. 145v f. 150v
33 Richard Davies Behold now, praise the Lord f. 149r f. 147r f. 142v     ff. 147r-v   f. 150r
34 Benjamin Rogers Who shall ascend into the hill ff. 149v-150r f. 147v f. 142r f. 151r f. 143v f. 146v f. 144v ff. 149v-150r
35 William Tucker O give thanks unto the Lord ff. 150r-v f. 148r f. 139v ff. 150r-v ff. 142v-143r f. 140r ff. 142v-143r f. 146r
36 Hugh Davies Defend us, Lord f. 167v         f. 140v f. 155A  
37 Hugh Davies Rejoice in the Lord, O ye righteous ff. 167r-166r         ff. 141r-v    
38 William Byrd Save me, O God ff. 150v-151r           ff. 147r-146r  
39 Daniel Henstridge Consider and hear me f. 151v f. 148v     f. 143r f. 147v f. 145r ff. 151r-v
40   Behold now, praise the Lord   f. 149v f. 144v          
41 Broad Benedicite   ff. 167v-r ff. 163v-r          
42 Nathaniel Patrick Short or Whole Service: T/M/N   f. 166v ff. 162v-160r ff. 173v-171v     f. 167v  
43 ?Batten/Child etc; see LeHD Praise the Lord, O my soul     f. 159v          
44 Hugh Davies Te Deum   ff. 165r-163v ff. 158r-157r ff. 170r-168v     ff. 166r-165r  
45 John Badham Magnificat ff. 169v-168v   ff. 156v-r ff. 168r-167v     ff. 164v-r  
46 William Child Sharp Service: T/J/K/C/M/N ff. 165r-160v ff. 163r-158r   ff. 167r-162v     ff. 163r-160r ff. 157r-153v
47 Benjamin Rogers Whole Service in D: M/N ff. 160r-158r ff. 158r-157r ff. 155v-154r     ff. 158v-157v    
48 John or Thomas Mudd Service in G: T/J ff. 158r-156v ff. 156v-155r ff. 154r-152r ff. 162r-160v ff. 152v-151v ff. 157r-155r ff. 159v-158r  
49 John or Thomas Mudd Service in G: S/K/C     ff. 152r-150v ff. 160v-159v ff. 151r-150r ff. 155r-153v ff. 158r-156v  
50 John or Thomas Mudd Service in G: M/N] ff. 156r-154r   ff. 150r-149v   ff. 149v-r ff. 153r-152r ff. 156v-155Av ff. 153r-152v
51 William King Service in B flat: T/J ff. 154v-153r ff. 154v-153r   ff. 158v-157r ff. 148v-146v ff. 151Av-151r ff. 155v-154v  
52 William King Service in B flat: Litany/S ff. 153r-152v     ff. 156v-r        
53 William King Service in B flat: K/C ff. 152r-151v     ff. 156r-155r ff. 146v-144r      
54 William King Service in B flat: M/N   ff. 152v-151v   ff. 154r-153v ff. 145r-144r ff. 150v-149v ff. 154r-153r  
55 William King The Lord is king, be the people   f. 151r ff. 153v-r   ff. 149v-r      
56 William King O be joyful in God   f. 150v   f. 153r   ff. 149r-148v    
57 William King O Lord our governor   f. 150r   f. 152v   ff. 148v-r f. 152v f. 152r
58 Michael Wise Awake up, my glory           f. 148r    
59   [Ps 33: search database when full.]           f. 148r    
60 Henry Hall (i) Service in D: M/N             ff. 152r-150v  
61 James? Read Service in ?C: M/N             ff. 150v-149r  
62 William Child ?Second Sharp Service: T/J/M/N   ff. 148r-146v         ff. 149r-146v  

Provenance: purchased in December 1917 from Hereford Cathedral. For correspondence and newspaper cuttings from the period November 1917 to May 1918 relating to the purchase of these books, see Mus. 1294.

Microfilms: The music collection of Christ Church, Oxford, reels 23-5.
View microfilm details.


See Cheverton pp. 408-12 (full ref in Spink p. 266)