Robert Spencer Collection

Acquisition of the Robert Spencer collection of 16th and 17th century English music manuscripts. The Robert Spencer Collection includes 16th, 17th and 18th century printed and manuscript music, as well as some musical instruments. It is the most important collection of Elizabethan lute music, early guitar music and baroque English song outside the British Library. It includes the only known example in this country of the handwriting of the great composer John Downland.