Possibly once having been in the possession of its copyist, John Merro, the whereabouts of the partbooks is unknown until the 19th century.
 Philip Brett mentions annotations he attributed to Matthew Hutton, but Monson believed Brett was mistaken, for the only annotations appear to be by a contemporary librarian.
The first indication of the partbooks comes from a nineteenth-century owner and musicologist Edward F. Rimbault.
From whom he obtained the partbooks is revealed by the title of the publication in which he printed a few of the selections:  A Collection of Anthems for Voices and Instruments by Composers of the Madrigalian Era Scored From a Set of Ancient M.S. Part Books Formerly in the Evelyn Collection.
The opening line of Rimbault's preface reads:
The following collection of anthems by Este, Forde, Weelkes, and Bateson, have been scored from a manuscript set of part-books formerly in the possession of the celebrated John
Evelyn, and now forming one of the many musical rarities in the library of the Editor.

Despite Rimbault's acknowledgement of John Evelyn in the title and in the first line of the preface, Monson and Ashbee had problems with Rimbault's account, possibly because of the previously mentioned errors.
Monson observed Rimbault said that the books were "formerly in the possession of the celebrated John Evelyn."
 Yet they didn't appear in Evelyn's own manuscript catalog nor do they carry Evelyn's ownership mark.
Ashbee admits the possibilities that the partbooks might have been given away prior to the creation of Evelyn's catalog, but noted that no mention of Evelyn is in the auction catalog of Rimbault's library.

Since Merro was living in Gloucester, Fallows hypothesized that the partbooks were probably acquired by Edward F. Rimbault from someone living in that region.
He views John Stafford Smith as the likely candidate since his father, Martin Smith, was organist at Gloucester Cathedral from 1739 to 1781.
Ashbee notes that after his death, Smith's library was sold piecemeal which would have simplified acquisition. (
Rimbault acquired other works from Smith, such as Drexel 4175.)

After Rimbault's death in 1876, the partbooks were sold as part of his estate.
 They were one of about 600 lots purchased by Philadelphia-born financier Joseph W. Drexel (through his agent Joseph Sabin), who had already amassed a large music library.
Upon Drexel's death, he bequeathed his music library to The Lenox Library.
When the Lenox Library merged with the Astor Library to become the New York Public Library, the Drexel Collection became the basis for one of its founding units, the Music Division.
Today, Drexel 4180–4185 is part of the Drexel Collection in the Music Division, now located at the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts at Lincoln Center.
Possibly once having been in the possession of its copyist, John Merro, the whereabouts of the partbooks is unknown until the 19th century.  Philip Brett mentions annotations he attributed to Matthew Hutton, but Monson believed Brett was mistaken, for the only annotations appear to be by a contemporary librarian. The first indication of the partbooks comes from a nineteenth-century owner and musicologist Edward F. Rimbault. From whom he obtained the partbooks is revealed by the title of the publication in which he printed a few of the selections:  A Collection of Anthems for Voices and Instruments by Composers of the Madrigalian Era Scored From a Set of Ancient M.S. Part Books Formerly in the Evelyn Collection. The opening line of Rimbault's preface reads:
The following collection of anthems by Este, Forde, Weelkes, and Bateson, have been scored from a manuscript set of part-books formerly in the possession of the celebrated John
Evelyn, and now forming one of the many musical rarities in the library of the Editor.
Despite Rimbault's acknowledgement of John Evelyn in the title and in the first line of the preface, Monson and Ashbee had problems with Rimbault's account, possibly because of the previously mentioned errors. Monson observed Rimbault said that the books were "formerly in the possession of the celebrated John Evelyn."  Yet they didn't appear in Evelyn's own manuscript catalog nor do they carry Evelyn's ownership mark. Ashbee admits the possibilities that the partbooks might have been given away prior to the creation of Evelyn's catalog, but noted that no mention of Evelyn is in the auction catalog of Rimbault's library.
Since Merro was living in Gloucester, Fallows hypothesized that the partbooks were probably acquired by Edward F. Rimbault from someone living in that region. He views John Stafford Smith as the likely candidate since his father, Martin Smith, was organist at Gloucester Cathedral from 1739 to 1781. Ashbee notes that after his death, Smith's library was sold piecemeal which would have simplified acquisition. (Rimbault acquired other works from Smith, such as Drexel 4175.)
After Rimbault's death in 1876, the partbooks were sold as part of his estate.  They were one of about 600 lots purchased by Philadelphia-born financier Joseph W. Drexel (through his agent Joseph Sabin), who had already amassed a large music library. Upon Drexel's death, he bequeathed his music library to The Lenox Library. When the Lenox Library merged with the Astor Library to become the New York Public Library, the Drexel Collection became the basis for one of its founding units, the Music Division. Today, Drexel 4180–4185 is part of the Drexel Collection in the Music Division, now located at the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts at Lincoln Center.
Drexel 4180–4185