William Byrd:
(Lincoln (?), circa 1543 – Stondon, Essex (?), 4 July 1623).
English composer. He was one of the greatest composers of his generation.
His name is also sometimes mentioned as Bird, Byrde and Byred. His birth and death dates are not known with certainty. Also, that his birthplace would be Lincoln in Lincolnshire, England, is only a conjecture, based on the fact that a number of Byrd families lived in this county in the 17th century.
This sweet and merry month of May, while nature wontons in her prime, and birds do sing, and beasts do play for the pleasure of the joyful time.
