Young, Patrick

, an eminent scholar, was descended of an ancient Scotch family, and was born Aug. 29, 1584, at Seaton, in Lothian, then the residence of his father, sir Peter Young, knt. who, among other honourable offices, had been assistant tutor, with the celebrated Buchanan, to king James VI. At the age of fifteen Mr. Young was sent to the university of St. Andrew’s, where having completed the usual course of academical study, he received the degree of M. A. in 1603. Soon after he accompanied his father to England, and being recommended to Dr. Lloyd, bishop of Chester, the latter assisted him in the study of divinity, as he was destined for the church. He continued about a year with the bishop, and then went to Oxford, and his merit having strongly recommended him to some of the heads of houses, he was incorporated M. A. in July 1605. He then took deacon’s orders, and was chosen chaplain of New college, which office he held for three years, and during that time he employed himself chiefly in the study of ecclesiastical history, and in cultivating the Greek language, of which he at length acquired a profound knowledge. Leaving Oxford, he went to London, where his object seems to have been advancement at court, and where his father, still living, had considerable interest. The first patron he acquired was Montague, bishop of Bath and Wells, by whose recommendation the king granted him a pension of' 50l. Having succeeded thus far, his next wish was to be appointed librarian to prince Henry, who had a very fine collection of books, and a museum of other curiosities; and although he failed in this, he succeeded in obtaining the care of the royal library newly founded by the king, chiefly by the interest of his friend and patron, bishop Montague. He had already drawn up a catalogue of the books by the king’s express command, and after he obtained the place he employed himself in forming them into classes, as well as in making additions by purchases which he recommended to the king, | particularly of Isaac Casaubon’s books. With the same view he took journeys to Francfort, Holland, Paris, &c. In the mean time his partiality to the Greek language induced him to invite some of the natives of that country to England, and he contributed by himself or friends, to thenmaintenance and education here. Such was his zeal in this species of learned patronage, that bishop Montague used to call him the “patriarch of the Greeks.” He also cultivated the Latin language, which he wrote elegantly, and assisted Mr. Thomas Rhead, or Read, in translating king James’s works into that language. This volume appeared in 1619, and by his majesty’s special command Mr. Young was sent with a presentation copy to Oxford and Cambridge.

In 1620 he married, and about the same time was presented to the rectories of Hayes, in Middlesex, and Llannine, in Denbighshire, it being then lawful for persons who were only in deacon’s orders to hold parsonages. He was also collated to a prebend of St. Paul’s, of which church he was made treasurer in 1621. Although he had hitherto published nothing himself, he had been a very liberal contributor to the labours of others. Among these was Selden, whom he assisted in preparing for the press his edition of the “Arundelian Marbles,” and Selden was so sensible of the value of his aid, that he dedicated the work to him. The same year the famous Alexandrian ms. of the Old and New Testament 1 being placed in the king’s library, Mr. Young examined it with great attention, and furnished the various readings, upon collation, to Usher, Grotius, and other learned men. He had intended to have published a fac-simile of this ms; but his many avocations, and perhaps the confusions which ensued in the political world, prevented him. In 1643, however, he printed a specinrea of his intended edition, containing the first chapter of Genesis, with notes; and left at his death scholia as far as the 15th chapter of Numbers. The future progress of such a publication is noticed in our articles of Grabe and Woide.

In 1633, he published an edition of Clemens Romanus reprinted in 1637, with a Latin version “Catena Graecorum patrum in Jobum, collectore Nsceta Heraclere Metropolitaa,” to which he subjoined, from the Alexandrian ms. a continued series of the books of scripture, called Poetici. This was followed, in 1638, by the “Expositio in Canticum Canticorum Gilberti Folioti episc. Londini, una | cum, Alcuini in idem Canticum compendio,” with a dedication to bishop Juxon. He made preparations for publishing several other curious Mss. while he continued in the royal library, which was till near the death of Charles I. when it was seized by the republican party, and preserved, amidst many vicissitudes, with more care than could have been expected. Mr. Young now retired to Bromfield, in Essex, to the house of Mr. John Atwood, a -civilian, who had married his eldest daughter. There he died Sept. 7, 1652, and was interred in the chancel of Brornfield church.

Respecting Mr. Young’s learning there seems to have been no dispute. It was acknowledged by all the eminent scholars of his time, both at home and abroad, particularly Fronto-Ducaeus, Sirmond, Petavius, Grotius, Salmasius, Vossius, Casaubon, Usher, Selden, &c. But it seems to be disputed whether he did not side with the republican party. Of this we have not discovered any direct proof, and his court connexions, and the friendships which subsisted between him and Juxon, Usher, Walton, Hammond, Pearson, &c. seem to afford a presumptive evidence that he was upon the whole more attached to monarchical than revolutionary principles. ¹