A Bassus partbook from a set of 5 volumes owned by John Sadler, a Norwich Grocer, who also had a connection with GB-Ob MS. Tenbury 1486 (the Braikenridge Manuscript), and its partner volume GB-Ob MS. Mus. c. 784 (the Willmott Manuscript). Later owned by the collector Richard Heber (1773-1833); purchased by Bodleian Library from bookseller J. E. Cornish in 1885.

See also the digital reconstruction of this book.

All books in this set in highly fragile condition; folios damaged by ink corrosion, but most music still legible.

Original limp vellum covers incorporated in 18th-century Russia leather bindings until 1918. Now bound separately as GB-Ob MS. Mus. e. 21.

Heawood #2168

black void mensural notation with coloration in black full.

dates from 1568 to 1585 written in manuscript

usually five staves per page, some of which are skewed

Other numberings: Original ink numbering of pieces, i-xxxv, excludes several pieces at beginning and end of each book

New pencil foliation in each book; probably the work of two hands

Initials and borders decorated with floral designs, animals, and grotesque heads, in red, blue, green, and gold; first and last folios in each book usually decorated with geometric patterns and Latin inscriptions.

Modern index at beginning of first partbook

paper

Digitized with funding from the Arts and Humanities Research Council (UK) for the Tudor Partbooks project at the Universities of Oxford and Newcastle.

1 Mass, 1 Te Deum, 1 hymn, 3 Lamentations, 32 motets, 1 Latin secular piece, 2 English secular pieces, 1 In nomine = 42

Aston-1, Aston/(Ashwell)-1, Byrd-5, Crecquillon-1, Fayrfax-2, A. Ferrabosco I [Alfonso]-1, R. Johnson I-2, Merbecke-1, Morley-2, Parsley-2, W. Parsons-1, Sadler-1, Shepherd-1, Tallis-7, Taverner-4, Taverner/(Tye)-1, Tye-1, R. White-6, Wilder [Master phillups]-1, anon-1

5 paper partbooks (D-78 folios, A-78, Tl-78, T2-69 + i, B-72), 205 x 280. All books in highly fragile condition; some folios damaged by ink corrosion, but most music still legible. New pencil foliation in each book; original ink numbering of pieces, i-xxxv, excludes several pieces at beginning and end of each book. Original parchment covers now incorporated in 18th-century brown leather bindings. Modern index at beginning. Copied by John Sadler, who also wrote OxfBT 1486 and SpetchB s.s. (FelAP). Initials and borders decorated with floral designs, animals, and grotesque heads, in red, blue, green, and gold; first and last folios in each book usually decorated with geometric patterns and Latin inscriptions (possible symbolic significance of decoration discussed by MateerS). Watermark is Heawood #2168, also found in OxfBT 1486 and SpetchB s.s.

Ca. 1565-85 (MateerS); dates from 1568 to 1585 in manuscript. Copied at Oundle and Sudborough, Northampton. The compiler, scribe, and original owner was John Sadler, a schoolmaster and Anglican priest. Later owned by the collector Richard Heber (1773-1833); purchased by Bodleian Library from bookseller J. E. Cornish in 1885.