[1] By the age of seventeen Humfrey's anthems were evidently in use and he was sent by the King to study in Paris, probably in January 1665 where he was greatly influenced by music at the French Court.
He later succeeded Henry Cooke (his father-in-law) as Master of the Children of the Chapel Royal and also became composer to the Court.
At his early death he had already produced several works of great poignancy and expressive power including the Verse Anthem O Lord my God.
Samuel Pepys mentions Humfrey's dress sense and general demeanour in his diary: Little Pelham Humphreys is an absolute monsieur as full of form and confidence and vanity, and disparages everybody's skill but his own.
[2]One of Humfrey's best-known compositions is his setting of the poem "A Hymn to God the Father", by John Donne.