A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Hume, Tobias

HUME, Tobias, an officer in the army and an excellent performer on the viol-da-gamba; published in 1605 'The First Part of Ayres, French, Pollish and others together, some in Tabliture, and some in Pricke Song. With Pavines, Galliards, and Almaines for the Viole de Gambo alone … and some Songes to bee sung to the Viole,' etc., containing 116 airs in tableture and 5 songs. In 1607 he published 'Captaine Hume's Poeticall Musicke principally made for two basse-viols, yet so contrived that it may be plaied eight severall waies upon sundry instruments with much facilitie,' etc., containing 18 instrumental and 4 vocal pieces. Hume rose to the rank of colonel. In 1642, being then a poor brother of the Charter House, he presented a petition to the House of Lords offering his services against the Irish rebels, which he afterwards printed, but it is evident from its contents that he was labouring under mental delusion.

[ W. H. H. ]