Two four-part and five three-part In Nomines are attributed to the English composer William Byrd (1543-1623). This form was a polyphonic work written for unspecified instrumental ensemble andwas often a written by a younger composer to demonstrate technical mastery. This appears to be the case with Byrd's contributions, which appear to be quite early works.

The first catalogued five-part In Nomine is may not be by Byrd at all. It is stylistically unlike Byrd's other works, with busy but uncharacteristically dull and even clumsy polyphony. The scribe of the manuscript in which it was notated originally ascribed the work to William Mundy, but altered the attribution.

The cantus firmus of 5/1 is contained, unusually, in the treble. While four-part In Nomines with a treble cantus firmus were written by composers such as Johnson, Tye, White and Parsons, who Byrd studied, Byrd's 5/1 appears to be the only five-part example. It is possible that Byrd originally conceived this work as a four-part piece. Certainly, the fifth part contains very awkward writing.

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