ten 'Ane treatise of Conscience …' Edin. 1594, 12mo; 'Of the Felicitie of the World to come,' Edin. 1594, 12mo; and 'Four Discourses, of Praises to God,' Edin. 1594, 12mo.
[Hew Scott's Fasti, ii. ii. 734; Sibbald's Chronicle of Scottish Poetry, iii. 367-96; Hymns and Sacred Songs of Alexander Hume in Bannatyne Club, vol. xliii.; Irving's Lives of Scotish Poets and his Scotish Poetry.]
HUME, ALEXANDER (d. 1682), of Kennetsidehead, covenanter, was a portioner of Hume, and is described by Lauder of Fountainhall as 'a small gentleman of the Merse.' In 1682 he was taken prisoner by Charles Home, afterwards eighth earl of Home, and conveyed, sorely wounded, to the castle of Edinburgh. At first he was tried on the charge of having held converse with those who took the castle of Hawick in 1679, but the proof was defective, and no conviction was obtained. On 15 Nov. he was indicted before the justice court 'of rising in rebellion against the king's majesty within the shires of Roxburgh, Berwick, Selkirk, and Peebles, in marching up and down in arms, rendezvousing with the rebels in Bewly bridge, resisting and fighting apart of his majesty's forces under the command of the Master of Ross, besieging the castle of Hawick, robbing the arms therein, and marching towards Bothwell bridge.' Again proof was wanting, but he was kept in prison, and on 20 Dec. was indicted for 'having come to the house of Sir Henry MacDougall of Mackerston, besieged it, and demanded horses and arms, and of having subsequently come armed to Kelso, Selkirk, and Hawick.' The prosecutors tried to show that Hume was a captain and commanding officer among the covenanters, and therefore not included in the indemnity of 1679, which specially excluded 'ringleaders.' His defence was that after attending sermon, and riding, as was customary, with sword and holster pistols, he on his way home with a servant called at Mackerston House, and offered to buy a bay horse. Hume was found guilty and condemned to be hanged at the market cross of Edinburgh on 29 Dec. His request that his case might be laid before the king was peremptorily refused. His friends took the matter up, and according to Wodrow a reprieve actually arrived before the execution, but was kept back by the chancellor, the Earl of Perth. This statement lacks corroboration. According to Lauder of Fountainhall, Hume 'died more seriously and calmly than many others of his persuasion had done before him' (Historical Notices, p. 341). On the scaffold he made a speech, of which Wodrow professes to supply a report.
[Wodrow's Sufferings of the Church of Scotland; Lauder of Fountainhall's Historical Notices (Bannatyne Club); Historical Observes (Bannatyne Club).]
HUME, ALEXANDER, second Earl of Marchmont (1675–1740). [See Campbell.]
HUME, ALEXANDER (1809–1851), Scottish poet, born at Kelso on 1 Feb. 1809, was the son of Walter Hume, a retail trader. He speaks with gratitude of his early education received at Kelso, and he was permanently impressed by the beautiful scenery of his native district. While he was still a boy his family removed to London, where he joined in 1822 or 1823 a party of strolling players for a few months, undertaking a variety of characters, and singing specially a song entitled 'I am such a beautiful boy.' Through the kindness of a relative he obtained a situation in 1827 with the London agents of Berwick & Co., brewers, of Edinburgh, where he ultimately secured a position of trust.
Hume joined the Literary and Scientific Institution in Aldersgate Street, became a good debater, and wrote his 'Daft Wattie' for the magazine of the club. From this time he found recreation in writing Scottish lyrics. In 1837 he married, and in 1840, owing to bad health, travelled in America. Returning he became London agent for Messrs. Lane, well-known Cork brewers. In 1847 he revisited America for the benefit of his health. He died at Northampton in May 1851, leaving a wife and six children.
Hume dedicated an early issue of his songs to Allan Cunningham, and his collected 'Poems and Songs' appeared in 1845. 'Sandy Allan,' one of his best lyrics, is in the anthology of minor Scottish singers, 'Whistle Binkie,' 1832-47. Hume's poems are vigorous and fresh in sentiment and expression.
[Rogers's Modern Scottish Minstrel; Irving's Eminent Scotsmen.]
HUME, ALEXANDER (1811–1859), Scottish poet and musical composer, was born in Edinburgh, 7 Feb. 1811. After receiving an elementary education he worked for a time at cabinet-making. Early recognised as a singer, he became tenor in St. Paul's episcopal church, and chorus-master in the Theatre Royal. He devoted much of his leisure to reading. While still young he was associated with the Glassites, and it is likely that the arrangement of their musical manual was his earliest work as a musician.
About 1855 Hume settled in Glasgow, where he worked at his trade, and increased his poetical and musical reputation. He frequently contributed lyrics to the Edinburgh
