Ian Spink, a leading authority on seventeenth-century English music, has carried out a remarkable new investigation of the musical sources of the Restoration period, and of the archives of every cathedral and choral foundation. For the first time, perhaps, the true character and shape of this period of musical history is revealed, taking in the work of the great men of the age, including Purcell, Locke, and Handel, and many lesser masters such as Humfrey, Blow, Clarke, Weldon, and Croft.

Henry Lawes (1596-1662) has long been acknowledged as the leading English songwriter of the period of Charles I. He collaborated with Milton in Comus (1634) and among his hundreds of songs are settings of many famous lyrics by Cavalier poets such as Carew, Herrick, and Suckling. New recordings and musical editions of his work reflect his continued and increasing importance. This study, the first published since 1940, combines an account of his life with an analysis of his development as a songwriter.