Thomas Young (1587-1655)
Encyclopedia
Thomas Young was a Scottish Presbyterian minister and theologian, resident in England and a member of the Westminster Assembly
. He was the major author of the Smectymnuus
group of leading Puritan churchmen. He was also Master of Jesus College, Cambridge
, and is known as the tutor to John Milton
from age around ten years.
, his father William Young being a vicar. He studied at St Andrews University, graduating M.A. in 1606. He then moved south to England.
In London, from before 1612, he worked as a teaching assistant to Thomas Gataker
. He tutored Milton, possibly from 1618 to 1620 or 1622, and continued to correspond with him. He then took a position in Hamburg
, as minister to English merchants there, returning to England in 1628 and becoming vicar at Stowmarket
.
He was the primary author of the pamphlet An Answer signed Smectymnuus, an answer to an anonymous publication defending episcopacy and in fact written by Joseph Hall. It sparked off several more publications.
He became a Westminster Assembly member in 1643, and Master of Jesus College in 1644. He was expelled as Master in 1650.
Westminster Assembly
The Westminster Assembly of Divines was appointed by the Long Parliament to restructure the Church of England. It also included representatives of religious leaders from Scotland...
. He was the major author of the Smectymnuus
Smectymnuus
Smectymnuus was the nom de plume of a group of Puritan clergymen active in England in 1641. It comprised four leading English churchmen, and one Scottish minister...
group of leading Puritan churchmen. He was also Master of Jesus College, Cambridge
Jesus College, Cambridge
Jesus College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England.The College was founded in 1496 on the site of a Benedictine nunnery by John Alcock, then Bishop of Ely...
, and is known as the tutor to John Milton
John Milton
John Milton was an English poet, polemicist, a scholarly man of letters, and a civil servant for the Commonwealth of England under Oliver Cromwell...
from age around ten years.
Life
He was born in PerthshirePerthshire
Perthshire, officially the County of Perth , is a registration county in central Scotland. It extends from Strathmore in the east, to the Pass of Drumochter in the north, Rannoch Moor and Ben Lui in the west, and Aberfoyle in the south...
, his father William Young being a vicar. He studied at St Andrews University, graduating M.A. in 1606. He then moved south to England.
In London, from before 1612, he worked as a teaching assistant to Thomas Gataker
Thomas Gataker
Thomas Gataker was an English clergyman and theologian.-Life:He was born in London and educated at St John's College, Cambridge. From 1601 to 1611 he held the appointment of preacher to the society of Lincoln's Inn, which he resigned on accepting the rectory of Rotherhithe...
. He tutored Milton, possibly from 1618 to 1620 or 1622, and continued to correspond with him. He then took a position in Hamburg
Hamburg
-History:The first historic name for the city was, according to Claudius Ptolemy's reports, Treva.But the city takes its modern name, Hamburg, from the first permanent building on the site, a castle whose construction was ordered by the Emperor Charlemagne in AD 808...
, as minister to English merchants there, returning to England in 1628 and becoming vicar at Stowmarket
Stowmarket
-See also:* Stowmarket Town F.C.* Stowmarket High School-External links:* * * * *...
.
He was the primary author of the pamphlet An Answer signed Smectymnuus, an answer to an anonymous publication defending episcopacy and in fact written by Joseph Hall. It sparked off several more publications.
He became a Westminster Assembly member in 1643, and Master of Jesus College in 1644. He was expelled as Master in 1650.
Works
- Dies Dominica (1639)
- Hope's Incouragement pointed at (1644)
- Smectymnuus Redivivus (1669)