William Hunnis
Encyclopedia
William Hunnis was an English Protestant poet, dramatist, and composer.
Hunnis was a gentleman of the Chapel Royal
to Edward VI
, but was imprisoned during the reign of Mary
for plotting against her regime and narrowly escaped execution. After the accession of Elizabeth
he was released, and, in 1566, made "master of the children" of the Chapel Royal.
His literary works include metrical versions of the Psalms, as well as some volumes of verse, including A Hiveful of Honey, and A Handful of Honisuckles.
His most famous musical compositions are found in a compilation, Seven Sobs of a Sorrowfull Soule for Sinne, which includes A Handful of Honisuckles. Those parts of the compilation which are musical are in a devotional style, and all his music in that collection consists of single-line tunes. Some of his work is for solo voice and viol
s, for example a setting of his own poem "In terrors trapp'd".
Hunnis was a gentleman of the Chapel Royal
Chapel Royal
A Chapel Royal is a body of priests and singers who serve the spiritual needs of their sovereign wherever they are called upon to do so.-Austria:...
to Edward VI
Edward VI of England
Edward VI was the King of England and Ireland from 28 January 1547 until his death. He was crowned on 20 February at the age of nine. The son of Henry VIII and Jane Seymour, Edward was the third monarch of the Tudor dynasty and England's first monarch who was raised as a Protestant...
, but was imprisoned during the reign of Mary
Mary I of England
Mary I was queen regnant of England and Ireland from July 1553 until her death.She was the only surviving child born of the ill-fated marriage of Henry VIII and his first wife Catherine of Aragon. Her younger half-brother, Edward VI, succeeded Henry in 1547...
for plotting against her regime and narrowly escaped execution. After the accession of Elizabeth
Elizabeth I of England
Elizabeth I was queen regnant of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death. Sometimes called The Virgin Queen, Gloriana, or Good Queen Bess, Elizabeth was the fifth and last monarch of the Tudor dynasty...
he was released, and, in 1566, made "master of the children" of the Chapel Royal.
His literary works include metrical versions of the Psalms, as well as some volumes of verse, including A Hiveful of Honey, and A Handful of Honisuckles.
His most famous musical compositions are found in a compilation, Seven Sobs of a Sorrowfull Soule for Sinne, which includes A Handful of Honisuckles. Those parts of the compilation which are musical are in a devotional style, and all his music in that collection consists of single-line tunes. Some of his work is for solo voice and viol
Viol
The viol is any one of a family of bowed, fretted and stringed musical instruments developed in the mid-late 15th century and used primarily in the Renaissance and Baroque periods. The family is related to and descends primarily from the Renaissance vihuela, a plucked instrument that preceded the...
s, for example a setting of his own poem "In terrors trapp'd".