Editing William Byrd (section)

===Later years===
During his later years Byrd also added to his output of consort songs, a number of which were discovered by [[Philip Brett]] and [[Thurston Dart]] when Brett was a university student in the early 1960s.{{sfn|Brett|2007|p=viii}} They probably reflect Byrd's relationship with the Norfolk landowner and music-lover Sir [[Edward Paston]] (1550–1630) who may have written some of the poems. The songs include elegies for public figures such as the [[Earl of Essex]] (1601), the Catholic matriarch and viscountess Montague [[Magdalen Dacre]] (''With Lilies White'', 1608) and [[Henry Frederick, Prince of Wales|Henry Prince of Wales]] (1612). Others refer to local notabilities or incidents from the Norfolk area.

Byrd remained in Stondon Massey until his death, due to heart failure, on 4 July 1623, which was noted in the Chapel Royal Check Book in a unique entry describing him as "a Father of Musick". Despite repeated citations for recusancy and persistent heavy fines, he died a rich man{{how much?|date=February 2025}}, having rooms at the time of his death at the London home of the Earl of Worcester.