Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Holmes, John (fl.1602)
HOLMES, JOHN (fl. 1602), composer, and organist first at Winchester Cathedral and afterwards at Salisbury Cathedral (1602–1610), was the master of Adrian Batten [q. v.] and Edward Lowe. He wrote for Morley's ‘Triumphs of Oriana,’ 1601, the five-part madrigal, ‘Thus Bonnyboots the birthday celebrated.’ His manuscript anthem, ‘I will give laud,’ is in the library of the Royal College of Music; a short part-song for five voices, ‘Lift up your eies,’ is No. 37 of a collection of fantasies, &c. (Addit. MSS. 17786–91. His anthem, ‘I will sing,’ is in Flackton's ‘Collection’ (Addit. MS. 30932, No. 105).
Thomas Holmes, probably a son, was lay-vicar of Winchester in 1631, was a gentleman of the Chapel Royal in 1633, and died at Salisbury on 25 March 1638. Some of his catches appeared in Hilton's ‘Catch that Catch Can,’ 1652 and 1658. George Holmes (fl. 1673–1715) [q. v.] may have been his son or nephew.
[Wood's MS. Lives of Musicians; Rimbault's Old Cheque Book of the Chapel Royal, p. 210; Grove's Dict. of Music, i. 744.]