This book is offered in no antiquarian spirit. The greater number of these old tunes are, without question, of an excellence which sets them above either the enhancement or the ruin of Time, and at present when so much attention is given to music it is to be desired that such masterpieces should not be hidden away from the public, or only put forth in a corrupt and degraded form. The excellence of a nation in music can have no other basis than the education and practice of the people; and the quality of the music which is most universally sung must largely determine the public taste for good or ill. Since such information as might be looked for in an introduction is given in the notes at the end of the volume, there is nothing to add here but a list of the sources and composers in order of date, which should in the eyes of musicians go far to justify this attempt. SYNOPSIS OF THE MUSIC IN ORDER OF DATE PLAIN-SONG MELODIES, Sarum use, nine, Nos. 29. 30. 31. 32. 47. 48. 49. 75. 86. Ambrosian, two, Nos. 91. 100. Later plain-song, two, Nos. 44. 45. HEINRICH ISAAC, 1490, one tune, Nos. 82 & 83. From the Strasbourg Psalter, before 1540, two, Nos. 37. 72. German of same date, one, No. 16. LOUIS BOURGEOIS, 1550, thirteen, Nos. 3. 19. 20. 27. 58. 64. 67. 70. 74. 77. 79 & 80. 88. 99 & see 66 & 84. CHRISTOPHER TYE, 1550, one, No. 15. From Crespin's Psalters, circ. 1560, three, Nos. 41. 84. 89. THOMAS TALLIS, 1560, seven, Nos. 2. 14. 54 & 55. 59. 68. 78. 98. From the French Genevan Psalter, after 1560, one, No. 92. A setting by CLAUDE GOUDIMEL, 1565, No. 88. English, 16th cent, four, Nos. 39. 53. 66. 87. Two settings by GEO. KIRBY, 1592, Nos. 39. 53. A setting by J. Farmer, 1592, No. 87. A setting by Rd. ALLISON, 1599, No. 84. Italian, 16th cent., one, No. 1. HANS LEONHARD HASSLER, 1600, one, No. 62. THOS. CAMPION, 1613, one, No. 36. ORLANDO GIBBONS, 1623, eight, Nos. 23. 24. 25. 28. 35. 38. 56. 94. HENRY LAWES, 1638, one, No. 73. JOHANN CRUEGER, 1640, four, Nos. 41. 57. 93. 97. English & Scotch, 1600-1650, seven, Nos. 10. 40. 50. 51. 60. 63. 71. German, 17th cent, two, Nos. 69. 90. JEREMY CLARK, 1700, nine, Nos. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 21. 61. 81. 95. WILLIAM CROFT, 1710, four, Nos. 34. 43. 52. 76. English, 18th cent., four, Nos. 12. 26. 33. 65. J.S.BACH, eight settings, mostly of earlier melodies, Nos. 13. 57. 62. 80. 83. 85. 90. 97. Seven new tunes by H. E. W., Nos. 4. 11. 17. 18. 22. 46. 96. NOTE 'The seven tunes by Tallis are all transcripts of his original four-part compositions. Only two of these tunes are in the common books; one of them "The Ordinal" is always reset, the other "Canon," which is usually sung to Bp. Ken's evening hymn, is completely altered, the canon being put in a different position and the harmony changed. This tune is I believe correctly edited for the first time in the Y. H. and it is now thus sung at Wells Cathedral.