Patrick Hume of Polwarth
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Sir Patrick Hume of Polwarth
and Redbraes (c.1550-1609) was a Scottish courtier and makar
(court poet), the eldest son of Patrick and Agnes Hume, a major Scottish Borders
family with landholdings in The Merse. As eldest son, Patrick Hume succeeded to the family estates, including Redbraes Castle, on the death of his father in 1599. His brothers notably included the poet and courtier Alexander Hume
(c. 1557–1609) and George Hume
(c. 1556-1611) later Earl of Dunbar
when that title was resurrected in 1605.
Patrick Hume was introduced to the Scottish court, probably by his father as a member of the royal household, sometime before 1580. He rose to prominence as one of the household servants of the king, James VI, and after 1589 to the Queen Anne
, becoming Scottish warden of the Marches in 1591 and keeper of Tantallon Castle
the following year.
He is probably best known to history through his association with the Castalian Band
, the group of court poets writing in Scots
headed by the king in the 1580s and 1590s. Only two works by him are known, his first published poem, The Promine (1580), a hagiographical portrait of the king in aureate verse, and his contribution to The Flyting Betwixt Montgomerie and Polwart (c.1583), a poetic contest in which he proved himself a worthy opponent to Alexander Montgomerie
. Both works have survived.
Hume was knighted in later life, probably around 1605, though he does not seem to have had quite the same courtly ambition as his younger brothers George and Alexander. He was a rather reluctanct juror in the 1606 treason trial in Linlithgow
brought by his brother George (by then first Earl of Dunbar) on behalf of the king in London against a number of Church of Scotland
ministers who were defying James' attempts to bring about a union between the Scottish and English Churches.
He was succeeded by his eldest son, also Sir Patrick Hume, who died in 1648.
Polwarth, Scottish Borders
Polwarth is a village and parish in the Scottish Borders area of Scotland. It is located at , between Greenlaw and Duns, in the former county of Berwickshire....
and Redbraes (c.1550-1609) was a Scottish courtier and makar
Makar
A makar is a term from Scottish literature for a poet or bard, often thought of as royal court poet, although the term can be more generally applied. The word functions in a manner similar to the Greek term which means both maker and poet...
(court poet), the eldest son of Patrick and Agnes Hume, a major Scottish Borders
Scottish Borders
The Scottish Borders is one of 32 local government council areas of Scotland. It is bordered by Dumfries and Galloway in the west, South Lanarkshire and West Lothian in the north west, City of Edinburgh, East Lothian, Midlothian to the north; and the non-metropolitan counties of Northumberland...
family with landholdings in The Merse. As eldest son, Patrick Hume succeeded to the family estates, including Redbraes Castle, on the death of his father in 1599. His brothers notably included the poet and courtier Alexander Hume
Alexander Hume
Alexander Hume was a Scottish poet.The son of Patrick, 5th Lord Polwarth, he was educated at the University of St. Andrews and on the Continent. He was originally destined for the law, but devoted himself to the service of the church, and became minister of Logie in Stirlingshire...
(c. 1557–1609) and George Hume
George Home, 1st Earl of Dunbar
George Home, 1st Earl of Dunbar, KG, PC was, in the last decade of his life, the most prominent and most influential Scotsman in England. His work lay in the King's Household and in the control of the State Affairs of Scotland and he was the King's chief Scottish advisor...
(c. 1556-1611) later Earl of Dunbar
Earl of Dunbar
The title Earl of Dunbar, also called Earl of Lothian or Earl of March, was the head of a comital lordship in south-eastern Scotland between the early 12th century and the early 15th century. The first man to use the title of Earl in this earldom was Gospatric II, Earl of Lothian, son of Gospatric,...
when that title was resurrected in 1605.
Patrick Hume was introduced to the Scottish court, probably by his father as a member of the royal household, sometime before 1580. He rose to prominence as one of the household servants of the king, James VI, and after 1589 to the Queen Anne
Anne of Denmark
Anne of Denmark was queen consort of Scotland, England, and Ireland as the wife of King James VI and I.The second daughter of King Frederick II of Denmark, Anne married James in 1589 at the age of fourteen and bore him three children who survived infancy, including the future Charles I...
, becoming Scottish warden of the Marches in 1591 and keeper of Tantallon Castle
Tantallon Castle
Tantallon Castle is a mid-14th-century fortress, located east of North Berwick, in East Lothian, Scotland. It sits atop a promontory opposite the Bass Rock, looking out onto the Firth of Forth...
the following year.
He is probably best known to history through his association with the Castalian Band
Castalian Band
The Castalian Band was a group of Scottish Jacobean poets, or makars, which flourished between the 1580s and early 1590s in the court of James VI and was consciously modelled on the French example of the Pléiade. Its name is derived from the classical term Castalian Spring, a symbol for poetic...
, the group of court poets writing in Scots
Scots language
Scots is the Germanic language variety spoken in Lowland Scotland and parts of Ulster . It is sometimes called Lowland Scots to distinguish it from Scottish Gaelic, the Celtic language variety spoken in most of the western Highlands and in the Hebrides.Since there are no universally accepted...
headed by the king in the 1580s and 1590s. Only two works by him are known, his first published poem, The Promine (1580), a hagiographical portrait of the king in aureate verse, and his contribution to The Flyting Betwixt Montgomerie and Polwart (c.1583), a poetic contest in which he proved himself a worthy opponent to Alexander Montgomerie
Alexander Montgomerie
Alexander Montgomerie , Scottish Jacobean courtier and poet, or makar, born in Ayrshire. He was one of the principal members of the Castalian Band, a circle of poets in the court of James VI in the 1580s which included the king himself. Montgomerie was for a time in favour as one of the king's...
. Both works have survived.
Hume was knighted in later life, probably around 1605, though he does not seem to have had quite the same courtly ambition as his younger brothers George and Alexander. He was a rather reluctanct juror in the 1606 treason trial in Linlithgow
Linlithgow
Linlithgow is a Royal Burgh in West Lothian, Scotland. An ancient town, it lies south of its two most prominent landmarks: Linlithgow Palace and Linlithgow Loch, and north of the Union Canal....
brought by his brother George (by then first Earl of Dunbar) on behalf of the king in London against a number of Church of Scotland
Church of Scotland
The Church of Scotland, known informally by its Scots language name, the Kirk, is a Presbyterian church, decisively shaped by the Scottish Reformation....
ministers who were defying James' attempts to bring about a union between the Scottish and English Churches.
He was succeeded by his eldest son, also Sir Patrick Hume, who died in 1648.