Alfonso was the son of Alfonso Ferrabosco the younger (d. 1628), who was probably the 'Master Alphonso Ferrabosco’ who sang in ‘a Hymenœi’ on Twelfth Night 1606, on the occasion of the marriage of Robert Devereux, 3rd Earl of Essex, with Lady Frances, daughter of the Earl of Suffolk.
He succeeded his father as one of the 'viols' in the king's band in March 1627–1628, and, together with his brother Henry, was appointed to the place of musician in ordinary.
[2] His brother Henry Ferrabosco died around 1658,[3] and their shared post as musician, was filled by Thomas Bates, who seems to have gained by the division of labour practised by his predecessors, as he is given £50 and £40 yearly.
Among the manuscripts in Ely Cathedral is an anthem, Let God arise, the full part of which is attributed to an Alfonso Ferrabosco, and the verse portions to William Lawes.
The third Ferrabosco is the one who stands nearest in point of time to Lawes, and we may therefore conclude that in this anthem we have a work by him.