chest of viols

American  

noun

Music.

1. a set of several viols, usually played together as an ensemble.

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chest of viols British  

noun

1. a set of viols of different sizes, usually six in number, used in consorts

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Example Sentences

In July 1638, Huygens wrote from The Hague to one of his well-connected cousins in London to say that he was anxious to purchase a good-quality consort or chest of viols - a collection of stringed instruments of various sizes and ranging from bass to treble.

From BBC

After that time, the viols declined in favour, and so rapidly, that at the very beginning of the 18th century, Dr Tudway of Cambridge describes a chest of viols, in a letter to his son, with such particularity, that it is clear they had entirely fallen out of use by 1700.

From Project Gutenberg

The violin family had come into general and fashionable use under the patronage of the Court of Louis XIV., and thus the English nation, true to their ancient habit of buying their 'doublet in Italy, round hose in France, bonnet in Germany, and behaviour everywhere,' took up the 'French fiddles,' and let their national Chest of viols go to the wall.

From Project Gutenberg

At one time every family of distinction in Britain deemed a chest of viols, consisting for the most part of two trebles, two altos, a barytone and a bass, as indispensable to the household as the piano is thought to-day.

From Project Gutenberg