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The article aims to show the relationship between some musical sources written in Rome in the early 1640s: F-Pn, Rés Vm7 59--101 and Rés Vm7 102--150, I-Rc, 2505, I-Nc, 33.3.11. The analysis of these collections shows that in several cases the drafting of the seventeenth-century Roman musical manuscripts was carried out by different hands. The handwriting of the copyists takes up the styles of the most famous calligraphers active between the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, including Francesco Cresci and Leopardo Antonozzi. The study of watermarks supports the proposed chronology. The two 'Parisian' manuscripts -- which probably were sent in 1641 by the Barberini family to Prime Minister Richelieu -- show a very early reception of the Roman chamber vocal repertoire in France, before Giulio Mazzarino's arrival to power. Among other pieces, they contain some lamenti ascribed to Luigi Rossi, which contributed to spreading the Italian musical style in the French court even before the operas that were staged a few years later. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]