BULL, Dr JOHN, a celebrated musician and composer, was born in Somersetshire about the year 1568. He received his education under Blitheman. In 1586 he was admitted at Oxford to the degree of bachelor of music, having practised in that faculty fourteen years; and in 1592 he was created doctor in the university of Cambridge. In 1591 he was appointed organist of the queen's chapel, in the room of his master, Blitheman.
Bull was the first Gresham professor of music, having been appointed to that station on the special recommendation of Queen Elizabeth. But however skilful he might be in his profession, he was not, it seems, able to read his lectures in Latin; and therefore, by a special provision in the ordinances respecting the Gresham professors, made in the year 1597, it is declared, that because Dr Bull was recommended to the office of music professor by the queen's most excellent majesty, his lectures should be permitted to be altogether English, so long as he should continue music professor there, he being unable to speak Latin.
Dr Ward, who has given some particulars of Dr Bull, in his Lives of the Gresham Professors, relates, that upon the decease of Queen Elizabeth he became chief organist to King James, and had the honour of entertaining his majesty and Prince Henry at Merchant Tailors' Hall, with his performance on the organ. The same author states, that, in 1618, Bull quitted England and went to reside in the Netherlands, where he was admitted into the service of the archduke. Wood says that he died at Hamburg; others state that he died at Lubeck.