One of his surviving works is the motet Circumdederunt me. Although the heading of the ms. containing Circumdederunt me (My enemies have surrounded me) is "pro defunctis trosylho" (for the dead, Trosylho), the text is, in fact, for the Indroit for Septuagesima Sunday.
♫ Circumdederunt me
© Ricercar RIC 246
This Antiphon “Circumdederunt me” is used in the Officium Defunctorum ad Matutinum and set by the far unknown Portuguese Bartolomeo Trosylho for four voices (SATB). The Circumdederunt is often especially used by Spanish and Portuguese composers in the Office of the Dead like Cristobal de Morales (c.1500-1553), Pedro Fernandez (1483-1547), Aires Fernandez (16th C.), Juan de Avila ( 16th C.), Juan Gutiérrez de Padilla (c.1590-1664), Bartolomeo Trosylho (1500-1567), Hernando Franco (1532-1585), Sebastian de Vivanco (c.1551-1622), the German Balthasar de Senarius (c.1485-1544) and even Orlando di Lasso (1532-1594), Jacob Regnart (1540-1599) and William Byrd (1543-1623) did. As we saw this Antiphon is set by them all as an invitatory Antiphon for the Office of the Dead. On the other hand the interesting plainchant Circumdederunt is often used in chansons, motets, parody masses and even used in the splendid Requiem Mass by the Jean Richafort (c.1480-c.1547)a composer belonging to the third Netherlandish generation. Further more a “Circumdederunt me” is on the other hand the Introit out of the liturgy of Septuagint/Septuagesima. But that text differs from the wording used by the mentioned composers. This Antiphon is chosen by Trosylho as an invitatory antiphon (Motet) used at Matins of the Dead or at the Office of the Dead. He indicated by himself on the manuscript “pro defunctis trosylho”. That means enough.
This motet “Circumdederunt me” is written in an vast polyphonic imitative flowing style. This motet is found in Coimbra MM34.
Text:
R. Circumdederunt me dolores mortis et pericula inferni invenerunt me.
V. Et Tribulationem et dolorem inveni, et exaudi mei..
Translation:
R. The anguish of death surrounds me; and the pains of hell hold upon me.
V. I met with trouble and sorrow, and listen to me.