CHIEF:  Alastair Ivor Gilbert Boyd 7th Baron Kilmarnock

Richard G. Boyd

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ZACHARY BOYD--SCOTTISH DIVINE

Zachary Boyd is a name famous in Church and State and a descendant of the Boyds of Penkill and Trochrague (Trochrig). Zachary Boyd, is a cousin of Robert Boyd of Trochrague, the 2nd Laird, grandson of Adam Boyd the first Boyd Laird of Penkill, and greatgrandson of the 1st Lord Robert Boyd was then Principal of Glasgow University, and previously a Professor at Saumur the chief Pro-testant Seminary of France. 

Zachary Boyd lived in the last ten years of James the I and VI and the early part of the reign of Charles I. He received his early education at the School of 
Kilmarnock, and being as it was seen "A lad of pairts" he soon proceeded to the University of Glasgow. From there he went to France and became a student at the great University of Saumur where his cousin, as before stated, was Professor of Divinity. He remained in France for about 14 years, but had to leave that country owing to persecutions against all Protestants in France.

In the year 1623 he became the minister of the important charge of the Barony of Glasgow, and remained the minister of that Parish until his death in 1653. In 1633 when Charles I visited Scotland to be Crowned, Zachary Boyd made a most laudatory address to him in Latin, which he delivered from the porch at Holyrood House. Later he saw fit to change his opinion of that King, and became a "stronger-than-ever" Protestant. Neither did he approve of Cromwell; and later when Cromwell came to Glasgow and had the appalling effrontery to stable his horses in the crypt of the Glasgow Cathedral (that crypt acknowledged to be one of the finest in Europe) Zachary Boyd defied him to his face! The story -one of the best known in the Boyd annals is as follows.

When Cromwell came to Glasgow with all his Legions in the autumn of 1650, the  ministers and magistrates were in a state of much alarm when they heard that he had defeated the Scottish Presbyterians at Dunbar. Cromwell had sent out an order that on Sunday there was to be no preaching in the pul-pits of Glasgow. But Zachary Boyd was not one to quail before a Cromwell, and was determined to fulfill the services of the day. The rest of the tale should be told in a graphic article by Miss Dot Allan which she contributed to the "Glasgow Herald" of April 8th 1933. 

"On Sunday Cromwell went to service in the Barony Church, accompanied by a detachment of his troops. There were few townspeople present, but in the pulpit was a man of fire, whose spare scholarly features were ashen pale as he looked down on the Protector and his men occupying the places of his parishioners. When he began in his vibrant Scottish voice to speak of the "ram and the he-goat as they appeared unto Daniel", the English soldiers stirred uneasily in their seats. In the mellow light of the Cathedral the white-bearded preacher with his long lean fingers curving over the pulpit edge resembled - to their thinking - an ancient prophet. Heedless of the abusing torrent of words pouring from the preacher's lips, Cromwell gazed steadfastly up at the dim old rafters. "Therefore the he-goat waxeth very great, even as the he-goat that hath entered this city waxeth great; but his power shall be broken and his pride shall be humbled to the dust." An ominus mutter rising from Cromwell's soldiers drowned Boyd's utterance. Like the menace of distant thunder it grew louder and louder, until it invaded his consciousness. Boyd stood stock still defying with his eyes the angry multitude. In the pew immediately below, Thurlow, Cromwell's Secretary was fingering his pistol and whispering in his Master's ear - Shall I shoot my Lord?" Slowly the Protector levalled his gaze to meet that of the Preacher. For a full moment the scales of life and death were being weighed in the balance. They were being weighed -not as was fitting in the House of God, but by a hulking English General with a swollen and reddish face. At last Cromwell broke the silence so ominous. "Put up thy weapon" he commanded "Thou art a greater fool than he himself." Thurlow sank back in his seat -and Cromwell lowered his head in silent prayer." The sequel is noteworthy. After the service Boyd was invited to dinner with the Protector. And the Scottish minister remained with Cromwell till well on in the night, and listened - we are told - to a prayer of three hours duration!

It it understood that Boyd left the General's headquarters with a completely 
changed opinion of the "Intruder". To Miss Dot Allan I am most grateful for these details.

Zachary Boyd became Dean of Faculty of Glasgow, and three times over he was chosen for this honourable post. He then became Rector of the University, and also was elected for that post three times. He had a great love for his "Alma Mater" and at his death in 1653 he left a consid-erable sum of money (large for that day) to the University of Glasgow that it might be removed from the old High street to the much more advantageous position on Gilmour Hill on the West side of the city. That noble position it holds now, and is the cynosure for miles around, standing high above the River Kelvin, and with distant views of the beautiful River Clyde and blue mountains beyond.

Quite recently fine new iron gates wrought with great art, were added to the 
University Enclosure, and in plaques across the centre of the iron work in large gold letters is engraved the name: "Zacharias Boyd"

Also in the doorway of the Hunterian Museum close to the University, stands a statue of him, arresting in its dignity, as one enters the building. He bequeathed all his books and MSS to that library. There is also a large portrait of him there, which shows a man of refined and dignified appearance.

Zachary Boyd was a prolific writer in prose, and one of his best known works is "The Last Battle of the Soul in Death." "I live to die, and I die to live" was his motto, and dedicated to "His most sacred and mighty Monarch, King Charles I", but being disappointed in Charles as we have seen, he became a strong Covenanter.

Another of his prose works is "Four letters of Comfort". But it is as a poet that he is most remembered, though his poetry has been very unfairly dealt with and just the wrong quotations became current, and some couplets are made a laughing-stock.

But if any one will take the trouble to read the poems right through (which 
critics who are out to laugh at important people never do) they would perforce be struck (and perhaps silenced) by many beautiful passages which are well worth pondering over. I, for one, feel that his poetry has never been given justice to on account of the ribaldry of those who fail to seek out the real poetry. His ambition was to put the whole Bible into verse, of course an impossible attempt; and undoubtedly we should not call it all poetry, but poetic prose. But those who take the trouble to read right through his "Jonah" will be rewarded with many little gems of thought with a curious directness of speech. At any rate there is no room for dispute over the beauty of his 23rd psalm so dear to us in the Church of Scotland. He was deeply hurt by the criticisms of his poetry, and grieved over it very much. It is told that when his dearly beloved wife was dying, her last comforting words were -Never mind Zack! I prophesy that wherever there is a Kirk of Scotland, there will this version of your psalm be sung." And was she not right? "It appears" says an antiquarian reviewer, "that Ayrshire is entitled to claim Mr. Zachary Boyd as one of her sons. He was descended from the Boyds of Penkill -a Family of some standing in Carrick." While he was in France he wrote to Principal Boyd in Scotland "That a tax is imposed upon all who cannot evidence their descent from Noblesse (Nobility) and therefore please send me descent
attested, as a cadet of the noble Family of Kilmarnock. He himself claims 
kindred to the Lord Boyd. Cousin to Mr. Andrew Boyd, Bishop of Argyll." One of his well-known books of poetry is "The Flowers of Sion"

February 24 1655; Deeds instituting Bursuries etc. "The Moderators ordain that the statue of the said Mr. Zacharias Boyd, done in marble, be set up in some convenient place of the new building, with an inscription in gold letters, bearing the munificience of the said Mr. Zacharias Boyd towards this University of Glasgow." This statue or bust was erected over the gateway within the College Court with the following inscription:

NOTE: Use this data as a finding tool, just as you would any other secondary source. When you find the name of an ancestor listed, confirm the facts in original sources.

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