Cantus, songs and fancies: Rare Book of the Week

This week's Rare Book of the Week appears at PBA Galleries' Photography & Fine Art; Fine Press & Fine Bindings - with Rare & Antiquarian Books sale on August 14.

It's lot 303, a first edition the 1662 Cantus, songs and fancies: To thre, foure, or five partes, both apt for voices and viols. With a briefe introduction of musick, as is taught in the musick-schoule of Aberdene by T. D. Mr. of Musick by Thomas Davidson and John Forbes (estimate: $8,000 - $12,000).

The volume is only the second known copy, the other held at the Huntington Library. Although many of the songs are English, it is still regarded as the first musical collection containing Scottish songs, and was an important step in the development of Scottish music as a genre. Although this copy is incomplete, most of the volume is present.

In the video below, the song Lyke as the Lark from the book (pictured top) is performed by Mhairi Lawson.