An Altus partbook from a set of five volumes, containing only a set of unascribed lamentations, each with a Benedictus antiphon written in a different hand. The title page of each book has the library stamp of John, 6th Baron Lumley (d. 1609). The books are written neatly in an elegant italic script; this, with the neat notation and other decorative features suggest that they might have been a presentation copy. They are mentioned in the catalogue of the Nonsuch library of 1609 a the head of a group of Byrd's Latin liturgical works. This may have given rise to the suggestion that the lamentations were written by William Byrd, and both Brett and Dart suggest there is stylistic cause to support that assertion. The melodic ranges are small and the texture is largely homophonic or lightly imitative. The source is unique among 16th-century Lamentations in its dependence on melodic sequence, with most of the settings of the Hebrew letters based on sequential basses, similar to the use of a ground in English instrumental works
The choice of verses does not correspond with the Roman or Sarum use, nor that of continental Catholic composers. Despite this the books have been linked with recusant Catholicism. The music has commonalities with much counter-Reformation polyphony, particularly that written for Holy Week, and has clearly English traits.