The British Musical Biography

[E] Ravenscroft, Thomas, composer and
editor, was born in 1592 [1582] . He became
a chorister in St. Paul's Cathedral, London,
under Edward Pearce. Mus. Bac, Cantab.,
1607 He died at London in 1635.

[W] Works. — Pammelia, Musicke's Miscellanie,
or Mixed varietie of pleasant Roudelayes and
delightful Catches of 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10
parts in one. London, 1609. 2nd edition,
1618. Deuteromelia : or the Second part of
Musick s Melodic, or melodious Musicke of
pleasant Roundelais, K. H. mirth, or Free-
men's Songs, and such delightful Catches.
London, 1609. Melismata; musical Phansies,
fitting the Court, Citie, and Country humours,
to three, four, and five vovces. London,
1611. The Whole Booke of the Psalmes, with
Hymnes Evangelicall and Songs Spiritual,
composed into 4 parts by sundry authors, to
such severall tunes as have been and are
usually sung in England, Scotland, Wales,
Germany, Italy, France, and the Netherlands.
London, 1621. 2nd edition, 1633. Selections
from the works of Thomas Ravenscroft, a
musical composer in the time of King James
1. (Roxburghe Club). London, n.d. A briefe
Discourse of the True but neglected use of
Charact'ring the Degrees by their Perfection,
Imperfection, and Diminution in Mensurable
Musicke, against the common practise and
custome of these times. London, 1614.

[+] Ravenscroft is best known by his "Booke
of Psalmes," a work of much importance,
containing contributions by Tallis, Dowland,
Morley, Farnaby, Tomkins, Pearson, Parsons,
Hooper, Kirbye, Allison, Parmer, Bennet,
Milton, Cranford, Harrison, and tlie editor.
It lias been drawn upon by nearly every suc-
ceeding compiler of psalmody, and is now a
somewhat rare work. It is worthy of notice
that his "Pammelia" is the earliest collection
of rounds and canons published in Britain.

entry id: 335-L-21