William Byrd was an English composer of the Renaissance era who lived from 1540/1539 to 1623. He was a Roman Catholic and obtained the prestigious position of Gentleman of the Chapel Royal in 1572. Byrd composed sacred music, secular polyphony, keyboard works, and consort music in the styles current in England at the time. Some of his early compositions included Christus resurgens and In exitu israel, while later in his career he wrote Tears or Lamentations of a Sorrowful Soul and four English anthems.