Morley was the son of a brewer and served as a choirboy in Norwich Cathedral, where he became organist in 1583. He is also listed as a "musician" in the registers of St Helen's parish in Bishopsgate. In 1589, he became organist at St Paul's Cathedral, after having obtained a degree in music in Oxford in 1588. Eventually, in 1592, he was appointed Gentleman of the Chapel Royal. In 1596, he obtained the monopoly from Queen Elizabeth on the printing of music scores, which had previously belonged to William Byrd. In total, he published nine books of madrigals, the genre for which he has remained known: Morley has a reputation as a virtuoso composer of light polyphonic songs.