Commemorating the 400th anniversary of the Gunpowder Plot, the King's Singers and Concordia illuminate the dangers of hearing Mass in secret, of conspiracy and downfall and of Protestant relief and great joy. Structured around Byrd's perfect 4-part Mass, the CD contains motets by Catholic composers, Protestant anthems celebrating the downfall of the plot and a commission from the British composer, Francis Pott, Master Tresham: His Ducke. A script, drawing on historic texts, reproduced in the CD booklet, uses the dramatised persona of Byrd to recreate the atmosphere of change and hope in the Jacobean court.