John Young (Dean of Winchester)
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John Young (25 June 1585 - 20 July 1654) was a Scottish clergyman who served as
Dean Dean may refer to: People * Dean (given name) * Dean (surname), a surname of Anglo-Saxon English origin * Dean (South Korean singer), a stage name for singer Kwon Hyuk * Dean Delannoit, a Belgian singer most known by the mononym Dean Titles * ...
of the
Winchester Cathedral The Cathedral Church of the Holy Trinity,Historic England. "Cathedral Church of the Holy Trinity (1095509)". ''National Heritage List for England''. Retrieved 8 September 2014. Saint Peter, Saint Paul and Saint Swithun, commonly known as Winches ...
from 1616 until his ejection in 1645.


Biography

John Young was born the eighth of twelve children to Sir Peter Young of Seaton (1544–1628) and his first wife Elizabeth Gibb (d. 1595). Sir Peter served as tutor to
James VI of Scotland James VI and I (James Charles Stuart; 19 June 1566 – 27 March 1625) was King of Scotland as James VI from 24 July 1567 and King of England and Ireland as James I from the union of the Scottish and English crowns on 24 March 1603 until hi ...
at the time of Young's birth, and his political connections helped establish Young early in life. John Young attended
Saint Andrews University (Aien aristeuein) , motto_lang = grc , mottoeng = Ever to ExcelorEver to be the Best , established = , type = Public research university Ancient university , endowment ...
and had received his MA by 1606 when he was admitted to
Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge Sidney Sussex College (referred to informally as "Sidney") is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge in England. The College was founded in 1596 under the terms of the will of Frances Sidney, Countess of Sussex (1531–1589), wife ...
. Young was ordained a priest in 1610 by Bishop George Abbot of
London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...
. After traveling as a tutor on the Continent, John was translated to the Deanery of Winchester in 1616. Sometime between 1615 and 1617, Young married his wife Sarah Bourman (d. 1652). He and Sarah had five children together, named Sarah (1617-1636), James (1620-1647), John (d. 1686), and William and Agnes, both of whom died young. Early in his tenure, John was made a Royal Chaplain, and sent to Scotland multiple times "on His Majesty's Service." Young was also considered an excellent
theologian Theology is the systematic study of the nature of the divine and, more broadly, of religious belief. It is taught as an academic discipline, typically in universities and seminaries. It occupies itself with the unique content of analyzing the ...
, and was consulted on various religious issues from the
Five Articles of Perth The Five Articles of Perth was an attempt by King James VI of Scotland to impose practices on the Church of Scotland in an attempt to integrate it with those of the Church of England. This move was unpopular with those Scots who held Reformed vi ...
to miscellaneous religious tracts. Young was a close associate of King James in the decade before the King's death, due to their similar theological views and Scottish heritage. James I and Young were both
Calvinists Calvinism (also called the Reformed Tradition, Reformed Protestantism, Reformed Christianity, or simply Reformed) is a major branch of Protestantism that follows the theological tradition and forms of Christian practice set down by John Ca ...
, but were not nearly as radical as the much more infamous
Puritans The Puritans were English Protestants in the 16th and 17th centuries who sought to purify the Church of England of Roman Catholic practices, maintaining that the Church of England had not been fully reformed and should become more Protestant. P ...
. After the death of James I, John was less active as a civil servant. He was consistently passed over for Bishoprics, though there were several openings from 1626 onward. Although Young's
Calvinism Calvinism (also called the Reformed Tradition, Reformed Protestantism, Reformed Christianity, or simply Reformed) is a major branch of Protestantism that follows the theological tradition and forms of Christian practice set down by John Cal ...
was an asset during James' reign, his son
Charles I Charles I may refer to: Kings and emperors * Charlemagne (742–814), numbered Charles I in the lists of Holy Roman Emperors and French kings * Charles I of Anjou (1226–1285), also king of Albania, Jerusalem, Naples and Sicily * Charles I of ...
was much less sympathetic. Young was never punished for his views, and was even appointed to serve as a judge in both lay and spiritual courts. However, Young would never have the prominence under Charles I that he held under James I. During the
Personal Rule The Personal Rule (also known as the Eleven Years' Tyranny) was the period from 1629 to 1640, when King Charles I of England, Scotland and Ireland ruled without recourse to Parliament. The King claimed that he was entitled to do this under the Roya ...
of Charles I, Young was fully occupied with managing his chapter in Winchester, as his Calvinist opinions and Scottish birth caused some friction among members of the church. Young largely avoided the conflicts of the
English Civil War The English Civil War (1642–1651) was a series of civil wars and political machinations between Parliamentarians (" Roundheads") and Royalists led by Charles I ("Cavaliers"), mainly over the manner of England's governance and issues of re ...
s, even though Winchester was a sight of some conflict. One early confrontation occurred on 29 December 1642, when "rebels" plundered the Cathedral Church, destroying the Cathedral's
Vestment Vestments are liturgical garments and articles associated primarily with the Christian religion, especially by Eastern Churches, Catholics (of all rites), Anglicans, and Lutherans. Many other groups also make use of liturgical garments; this ...
s, and ornaments, and stealing the silver chalices and plate. Afterwards, in a poem composed about the sacking of the town, the unknown author made much of the destruction of the church: The Pope himselfe before this time had ne're
So many superstitious Rites as there
But now th'are to demolisht in that Towne
That now, if ever; Popery goes downe
...
Th' Organs uncas'd that everyone might see
Whence they deriv'd so sweet an harmony
So well they like'd them, that they did presume
Each man to take a Pipe and play his tune Young was ejected from his deanery in 1645 amidst the conflict, and he then retired to
Over Wallop Over Wallop is a small village and civil parish in the Test Valley district of Hampshire, England. The village lies close to the border with Wiltshire, approximately northwest of Stockbridge. Over Wallop is the westernmost of the three villages ...
in
Hampshire Hampshire (, ; abbreviated to Hants) is a ceremonial county, ceremonial and non-metropolitan county, non-metropolitan counties of England, county in western South East England on the coast of the English Channel. Home to two major English citi ...
. Young lived there for the next decade in relative quiet, and he died on 20 July 1654.ODNB "John Young"


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Young, John 1585 births 1654 deaths Deans of Winchester