William Hunnis

William Hunnis (died 6 June 1597) was a Protestant English poet, playwright, and composer.

Life
Hunnis was a gentleman of the Chapel Royal to Edward VI., imprisoned during the reign of Mary, but after the accession of Elizabeth was released, and in 1566 made "master of the children" of the Chapel Royal. He wrote metrical versions of the Psalms, as well as some volumes of verse, including A Hiveful of Honey, and A Handful of Honisuckles.

Writing
His most famous musical compositions are found in a compilation, Seven Sobs of a Sorrowfull Soule for Sinne, which includes A Handful of Honisuckles. Those parts of the compilation which are musical are in a devotional style, and all his music in that collection consists of single-line tunes. Some of his work is for solo voice and viols, for example a setting of his own poem "In terrors trapp'd".