Boyd, Zachary

Boyd, Zachary, a Scotch divine, was born early in the 17th century, studied theology, was appointed minister of the Barony parish, and professor in Glasgow College in 1623. He distinguished himself as an opponent both of Prelacy and Independency. During Cromwell's invasion of 1650, when the ministers, magistrates, and other officials fled in consternation from Glasgow, Boyd alone had the courage to continue, at his post, and preaching as usual, to use the words of Baillie, "he railed at Cromwell and his men to their very faces in the High Church, who," adds the historian, 'took it all in very good humor." Boyd possessed some poetical gifts, and being desirous to employ them in the service of the Church, he had prepared a metrical version of the whole Book of Psalms, which was examined by order of the General Assembly, and found unfit for publication. Notwithstanding this great disappointment, Mr. Boyd persevered in rendering the whole Bible into a sort of metrical version, a copy of which, in manuscript, is deposited in the library of Glasgow College. It is a great curiosity in its way, full of grotesque images and rhymes. Mr. Boyd wrote many devotional works, among them The last Battle of the Soul in Death, in Eight Conferences (1629, 2 vols). During the troubles in Scotland in the 17th century Mr. Boyd went over to France, where, having been appointed professor in one of the colleges, he resided for sixteen years. He died in 1654, leaving some valuable bequests to the College of Glasgow, with which he was long connected.-Jamieson, Cyclop. of Relig Biography, s.v.