accompaniments for treble, tenor, and bass viols. These pieces are followed by ‘Six short Aers, Neapolitan like, to three voyces without the instrument, the first-fruits of composition done by William Holborne’ (brother to Anthony). A copy of this rare volume, once belonging to Evelyn, is now in the library of the Royal College of Music. 2. ‘Pavans, Galliards, Almains, and other short Æirs both grave and light, in five parts, for Viols, Violins, or other Musicall Winde Instruments, made by Anthony Holborne, gentleman and servant to her Most Excellent Maiestie. Imprinted at London … by William Barley … ,’ 1599. The books contain sixty-five pieces. ‘As they are in number many, so they are of a nature variable to please variable natures,’ wrote Holborne in a graceful dedication to Sir Richard Champernown. A copy of this work, possibly unique, is in the British Museum Library, where there are also some unpublished single pieces (Lute music, Addit. MS. 31392, and Egerton MS. 2046). A duet, ‘My heavy Sprite,’ with lute accompaniment, by Holborne, is in Robert Dowland's ‘Musicall Banquet,’ 1610. Holborne wrote commendatory lines in Latin for Farnaby's ‘Canzonets,’ 1598, and in English for Morley's ‘Plain Introduction,’ 1608; while John Dowland dedicated the first song, ‘I saw my Ladye weepe,’ of his ‘Second Book,’ 1600, to the ‘most famous Anthony Holborne.’ The cithern had before that date become popular, and was not yet superseded by the guitar of foreign design.
[Rimbault's Bibliotheca Madrigaliana, p. 10; manuscript notes in Holborne's Pavans, &c.; State Papers, Dom. (Mary) 1555 vol. v. No. 43, (Elizabeth) 1561 vol. xviii. No. 12; authorities cited.]
HOLBORNE, Sir ROBERT (d. 1647), lawyer, was the son of Nicholas Holborne of Chichester. His mother was, perhaps, Anne, sister of John Lane (cp. Gen. Misc. et Herald. 2nd ser. i. 179). He was trained for the law, as the custom then was, at Furnival's Inn, before proceeding to Lincoln's Inn, where he entered 9 Nov. 1615, and subsequently became a bencher and reader in English law there. He was early distinguished in practice at the king's bench (cf. Hist. Mss. Comm. Ap. to 4th Rep. p. 26), and his opinion was taken by Hampden in regard to ship-money. In the great case he was one of Hampden's counsel, and supplied what St. John [q. v.] had omitted in an elaborate argument which lasted for three days, 2-5 Dec 1637 (cf. Gardiner Hist. viii. 274). In the Short parliament Holborne sat for Southwark, and in the Long parliament he was elected for St. Michael, Cornwall, but seems to have been soon disabled to sit, and gave place to Lord Carr. While in the house he spoke strongly in favour of the power of convocation to bind the laity, in so far as the canons did not conflict with the law of the land. Holborne separated himself still further from his party by the fight he made against Strafford's attainder. When the king went to Oxford, Holborne joined him there, and on 7 Feb. 1642 was createcl D.C.L. The king made him attorney-general to the Prince of Wales, and on 19 Jan. 1643 he was knighted; his estate was sequestrated (Hist. MSS. Comm. Ap. to 5th Rep, p. 87). He died in 1647, and was buried in Lincoln's Inn Chapel on 16 Feb. of that year.
Holborne wrote: 1. 'The Reading in Lincolnes Inne, Feb. 28 1041, vpon the Statute . . . of Treasons,' Oxford, 1642, 4to: reiessued with Bacon's 'Cases' in 1681. 2. 'The Freeholders Grand Inquest touching our souveraigne Lord the King and his Parliament,' London, 1647, 4to; a pamphlet upon constitutional questions. He also edited William Tothill's 'Transactions of the High Court of Chancery,' London, 1649, 8vo.
[Gardiner's History of England; Return of Members of Parliament; Lincoln's Inn Register; Evelyn's Diary, iv. 101 ; Cal. State Papers; State Trials, ed. Cobbett, iii. 963 &c. ; Whitelocke's Memorials.]
HOLBROOK, ANN CATHERINE (1780–1837), actress, daughter of Thomas Jackson, a comedian, played with success such characters as Juliet, Roxana, and Alicia before she was eighteen. On her father's death in 1798 she obtained an engagement with a provincial company at Lewes in Sussex. She soon married at Battle an actor named Holbrook, belonging to the same company. They acted together with provincial companies in various towns, and after completing an engagement under Macready in Manchester Mrs. Holbrook published there a pamphlet entitled ‘Memoirs of an Actress’ (8vo, 1807), in which she gave many details of their varied fortunes. She died in London in January 1837. Other works from her pen are: 1. ‘The Dramatist, or Memoirs of the Stage, with the Life of the Authoress,’ Birmingham, 1809. 2. ‘Tales, Serious and Instructive,’ Uttoxeter, 1821. 3. ‘Constantine Castriot, an Historical Tale,’ Rugeley, 1829. 4. ‘Realities and Reflections. A Series of Original Tales, &c.,’ 4th ed. 12mo, Thame, 1834.
[Gent. Mag., May 1837, p. 553; Brit. Mus. Cat.]
