fourteenth century at the earliest, and 1404 at the latest. The first unambiguous reference to the clavichord is generally considered to be the 1404 German poem "Der Minne Regel", which mentions the terms clavicimbalum (a term used mainly for the harpsichord) and clavichordium, designating them as the best instruments to accompany melodies.

One of the earliest references to the clavichord in England occurs in the privy-purse expenses of Elizabeth of York, queen of Henry VII, in an entry dated