{ "viewingDirection": "left-to-right", "metadata": [ { "label": "Origin Place", "value": "England." }, { "label": "Provenance", "value": "

The manuscript was likely owned in or near Dorset: the names mentioned in a marginal annotation on f. 1r<\/a> - John Reynolds, William Holman and Henry Rogers - can all be identified in Dorset records c. 1600. However, their names were written into this manuscript as a pen trial, comprising a partial draft of a letter, and thus none is likely to have been its owner. Indeed, the manuscript was Owned by William Trumbull (d. 1635) and probably copied by him. Trumbull was an English diplomat at the Brussels court of Archduke Albert of Austria. His correspondence demonstrates a keen lifelong interest in music. On his return from Brussels, Trumbull was granted the estate of Easthampstead Park in Berkshire. <\/p>

Remained among the family papers at Easthampstead Park until it was deposited on loan at Berkshire County Record Office in 1954 by Trumbull's descendant, Lord Downshire (1894-1989).<\/p>" }, { "label": "Extent", "value": "Codex: i + 25 + i leaves. Leaf height: 325 mm, width: 210 mm.

This statement of extent does not count stubs of original paper leaves or guards inserted during the conservation and rebinding of the manuscript at Cambridge University Library. The dimensions quoted are those of the leaves as a whole, covering both the original leaves and the paper onto which these have now been mounted. <\/p>" }, { "label": "Funding", "value": "" }, { "label": "Music notation", "value": "Tablature principally for 6-course renaissance lutes; three pieces (item nos 4 and 40-41) are written for a 7-course lute tuned to D. Right-hand fingering is marked in several of the pieces." }, { "label": "Date of Creation", "value": "c. 1595." }, { "label": "Classmark", "value": "Cambridge, University Library, MS Add. 8844" }, { "label": "Additions", "value": "

'To his verie ffrend Mr Jno Reynolds merchaunt in melcombe Regis to his good frend Mr Wm Holman merchaunt ill. to the woorshippfull Henrie Rogers Esquier': inscription written vertically by a contemporary hand (left hand margin of f. 1r<\/a>).<\/p>

'Mr Knowles ex.': note identifying the author of the galliard, written by a different hand (f. 8r<\/a>).<\/p>

'To his assured ffrend Wm T Trumball': erased note (left hand margin of f. 3v<\/a>).<\/p>

'dat mout ich hebben': note in Flemish by a different hand, written in light brown ink (ff. 3v<\/a>, 14v<\/a>).<\/p>

'nostre Roy yne de A Angl': faint note (foot of f. 33v<\/a>).<\/p>" }, { "label": "Subject(s)", "value": "Lute music" }, { "label": "Format", "value": "Codex" }, { "label": "Data Source(s)", "value": "This catalogue entry is based on an inventory prepared by John H. Robinson of the Lute Society." }, { "label": "Language(s)", "value": "English" }, { "label": "Binding", "value": "

The manuscript was described in 1980 as unbound and appearing never to have been bound but stitched into a single gathering (Spencer (1980)). It was also described then as 'recently' restored. The limp binding applied at that time consists of several leaves of archival paper folded into a handmade paper cover. <\/p>" }, { "label": "Condition", "value": "Before its conservation, the manuscript was in poor condition with losses from the edges of all pages. In most cases the staves have been fully preserved and this has not resulted in losses of music. The manuscript leaves were mounted on archival paper with silk gauze in the late 1970s while it was on deposit at Berkshire County Record Office." }, { "label": "Script", "value": "

Titles and notes written in italic<\/i> and secretary<\/i>.<\/p><\/div><\/div>" }, { "label": "Physical Location", "value": "Cambridge University Library" }, { "label": "Abstract", "value": "

The 'Trumbull lute book' is a rare example of a personal lute book made and used by an English government official and diplomat. Apart from one item at the end, it was almost certainly copied c. 1595 by William Trumbull (?1575-1635), secretary and later envoy to James I and then Charles I at the Brussels Court of Archduke Albert of Austria from at least 1605 to 1625.<\/p>

The manuscript was never bound and consequently the edges of the pages are badly eroded; 8 leaves have been cut out from the original 33. What survives contains 38 items of music, all but two for six-course renaissance lute, mainly solos plus ten duet parts, often only one of the two, and two ensemble parts, which permit a glimpse into how William may have used the lute book.<\/p>

The repertory almost exclusively comprises English dance forms, mainly pavans, and galliards, and only a few arrangements of vocal music and popular tunes. He must have been quite an accomplished lutenist as the majority require an intermediate standard of technical ability. He seems to have copied it during his formative years when he probably took lute lessons as part of his education and hopefully was diligent enough to practise lute solos for personal recreation. His lute book may also have served the important function of providing him with parts to use for social music making, playing duets or in a consort, a practice that he might have continued during the time he was working in Brussels.<\/p>

When he was compiling his anthology he seems to have had access to lute music of English court composers spanning much of the reign of Elizabeth I, as the manuscript includes examples by Philip van Wilder (1), Augustine Bassano (1), Alfonso Ferrabosco (fragments only of 1), Nicholas Strogers (2), John Johnson (8), Richard Allison (1), Francis Cutting (1), Anthony Holborne (5), Thomas Morley (1) and John Dowland (1).<\/p>

John H. Robinson, Lute Society<\/p>" }, { "label": "Former Owner(s)", "value": "Trumbull, William, -1635; Downshire, Arthur Wills Percy Wellington Blundell Trumbull Sandys Hill, Marquess of, 1894-1989" }, { "label": "Title", "value": "Trumbull lute book" }, { "label": "Author(s) of the Record", "value": "Suzanne Paul (November 2014), revised and expanded by James Freeman (June 2025)" }, { "label": "Material", "value": "Paper mounted on modern archival paper leaves. Spencer (1980) identified six watermarks: