Fayrfax Manuscript
The Fayrfax Manuscript (British Museum Add MS 5465) contains seven pieces by Robert Fayrfax, whose arms appear on the title page, as well as works of Browne, William Cornishe jr., Davy, Banastir, Newark, Sir Thomas Philipps, Sheryngham, Tutor, Turges, and a number of anonymous composers. It seems to have been compiled before Fayrfax received the title of Doctor in 1504, and a prayer for Prince Arthur (d. 1502) likewise dates it to around the turn of the century. A modern edition by John Stevens appears in Musica Britanica vol. 36, while the texts are given with their original spelling in his Music and Poetry in the Early Tudor Court.
Publication date and place: ca. 1500 . – Manuscript
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Some of the more remarkable pieces are among the Passion carols nos. 29-36.
No. | Title | Composer | Parts | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. (i) | The farther I go | William Newark | SA | |
2. (ii) | Ah my heart, I know you well | Anonymous | SA | |
3. (iii) | What causeth me woeful thoughtes | William Newark | SA | |
4. (iiii) | So far I trow from remedy | William Newark | SA | |
5. (v) | My woeful heart | Sheryngham | SA | |
6. (vj) | Deemed wrongfully | upper voice only | ||
7. (xiii) | O my desire | William Newark | ||
8. | Let search your mindes eye | Hamshere | fragment of lower voice | |
9. | Love fain would I | |||
10. (xi) | Now the law is led | Rycardus Davy | incomplete, Tenor voice only | |
11. (xii) | That was my woe | R. Fayrfax | AT | |
12. (xiii) | Benedicite! What dreamed I? | Robert Fayrfax | ATB | attribution from title page |
13. (xiii) | To complain me, alas | Robert Fayrfax | ATB | attribution from title page |
14. (xv) | Alas, it is I | Turges (?) | ATB | attrib. to Faryfax on title page |
15. | I am he that hath you daily served | Edmund Turges | fragment | |
16. | …I pray daily | fragment | ||
17. (xix) | But why am I so abused? | William Newarke | ||
18. (xx) | Your counterfeiting | William Newarke | ||
19. (xxi) | Thus musing in my mind | William Newarke | ||
20. (xxii) | Most clear of colour | Roberd Fayrfax | SAT | |
21. (xxiii) | I love, loved, and loved would I be | Roberd Fayrfax | SAT | |
22. (xxiiii) | Alas, for lack of her presence | Roberd Fayrfax | SAT | |
23. (xxv) | That was my joy | Anonymous | TTB | |
24. (xxvi) | Somewhat musing | Robert Fayrfax | ATB | |
25. (xxvii) | Madame, defrain! | Anonymous | ATB | |
26. (xxviii) | O root of truth | Tutor | SA, T "ad placitum" | |
27. (xxviiii) | I love, and whom love ye? | Syr Thomas Phelyppis | SSA | alludes to the birth of a prince |
28. (xxx) | Complain I may | anon. | SSA | |
29. (xxxi) | Alone, alone | Anonymous | AAT | |
30. (xxxii) | Ah my dear, ah, my dear son | Anonymous | AAT | |
31. (xxxiii) | Jesu, mercy, how may this be | Browne | SATB | |
32. (xxxiiii) | Afraid, alas and why so suddenly? | Anonymous | SATB | |
33. (xxxv) | Woefully arrayed | William Cornysh Junior | SATB | |
34. (xxxvi) | Ah, gentle Jesu | Sheryngham | ATTB | |
35. (xxxvii) | Woefully arrayed | Browne | SAT | |
36. (xxxviii) | My fearful dream | Gilbert Banastir | ATB | |
37. (xxxix) | Ah, blessed Jesu | Richard Dauy | SAT | |
38. (xl) | Ah mine heart, remember thee well | Richard Dauy | SAT | |
39. (xli) | Margaret meek | Browne | SAT | |
40. (xlii) | Joan is sick and ill at ease | Rychard Dauy | SSA | |
41. (xliii) | Ay, besherew you! | William Cornysh Junior | SAT | |
42. (xliiii) | Who shall have my fair lady? | SSA | ||
43. (xlv) | Hoyda, hoyda, jolly rutterkin | William Cornysh Junior | TTB | |
44. (xlvi) | From stormy windes | Edmund Turges | ATT | dated 1501, a prayer for Henry VII's son Arthur |
45. (xlvii) | This day day daws | Anonymous | SAB | |
46. (xlviii) | Small pathes to the greenwood | Anonymous | ATB | |
47. (xlix) | Enforce yourself as Goddes knight | Edmund Turges | SAT | |
48. (l) | Be it known to all | Anonymous | TTB | |
49. (li) | In a slumber late as I was | Anonymous | SAT | Concordance in Drexel Manuscript NYPL 4180 |
External links
- View images of this manuscript at The Digital Archive of Medieval Music