Alexander Hume (1558 – 4 December 1609) was a Scottish poet who served asModerator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland in the early 17th century.
He was born in 1558 the son of Patrick Hume (d.1599).
The brother ofPatrick Hume of Polwarth, he was educated at theUniversity of St. Andrews graduating in 1574 then studied Civil Law inParis.[1] He returned to Scotland in 1578 serving in the Court of Justice, but (ironically) found it too corrupt for his tastes and decided instead to devote himself to the service of the church, and became minister ofLogie Kirk inStirlingshire in 1597. This appears to have been at least partly supported byAlexander Home of North Berwick, Provost ofEdinburgh. Hisstipend (or at least the bulk of it) appears to have been paid by his own father rather than by the church.[2]
Hismanse stood to the west of the church in the grounds ofAirthrey Castle and dated from 1590.
He served asModerator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland "several times": thought to be 1602, 1604 and 1607 (possibly also 1599).[3]
On 6 May 1608 he was attacked by a parishioner (possibly his brother in-law), James Duncanson, with a heavy staff and never recovered.[4] Duncanson is probably the same James Duncanson mentioned in parish records of April 1595 for having "carnal deal together" with Agnes Forester of Stirling, where the church forced them to marry.[5]
Hume grew ill in May 1609 and died on 4 December of that year.
In his will he left a considerable number of books plus several musical instruments. To his best friend John Scherar a baillie in Stirling he left a gold ring to remember his "special love". He left his "love and Christian affection" to DameMarie Stewart,Countess of Mar, the poet LadyElizabeth Melvil, Lady Comrie, John Gillespie minister ofAlva, Ninian Drummond minister ofDunblane, William Stirling minister ofPort of Menteith, John Alison minister ofKincardine, William Nairn minister ofKippen and James Caldwell minister ofBothkennar.[6]
His position at Logie Kirk was filled by Rev James Saittone or Seytoun ofDenny before the end of the year.
He published in 1599Hymnes, or Sacred Songs, including "The Day Estival" descriptive of a summer day. Other works included the following:
His sister Janet Hume married Lord David Hume of Law.
He was married to Marion Duncanson, daughter ofJohn Duncanson (1501–1601) Principal ofSt Leonard's College in St Andrews, and later Dean of the Chapel Royal in Stirling. They had two daughters, Dinah and Naomi, and one son Caleb Hume, and they lived together in Logie manse. The family were asked to leave the manse in June 1610 to accommodate the new minister but were compensated £60.
His great nephew wasPatrick Hume, 1st Earl of Marchmont.
This article incorporates text from a publication now in thepublic domain: Cousin, John William (1910).A Short Biographical Dictionary of English Literature. London: J. M. Dent & Sons – viaWikisource.
