Flat stone to John Young and Margaret Scrymseoure, 1578.
Erected by their son, Peter Young of Seaton.
Coats of arms and Latin inscription.
Sacred to the Memory of JOHN YOUNG and MARGARET SCRYMGEOURE,
the best of parents. PETER YOUNG of Seatoun has afterwards raised this monument
to show his reverence to future times. JOHN slept in the Lord in the Year of
Salvation 1583, on the day before the Calends of September, aged eighty six.
MARGARET in the Year of the Lord 1578, on the 5th of the Ides of May, aged sixty
eight.
The day of death is the birth day of eternal life.
The family to which SIR PETER YOUNG belonged was settled in Forfarshire early
in the fourteenth century. His father, JOHN YOUNG, a Burgess of Edinburgh, was
married in 1541 to MARGARET SCRYMGEOUR, daughter of WALTER SCRYMGEOUR of
Glaswell, and sister of HENRY SCRYMGEOUR
JOHN YOUNG died at Dundee in 1583, in his eighty sixth year, his wife having
predeceased him, leaving four sons and two daughters.
PETER was the second son, and was born in Dundee on 15th August, 1544. At an
early age he was sent to the Continent to complete his studies under the care of
his uncle, HENRY SCRYMGEOUR, with whom he spent some time at the University of
Lausanne. He was thus introduced to the company of the foremost men of letters
of the period, and became associated with the great leaders of the Geneva
School, JOHN CALVIN and THEODORE BEZA. His literary reputation must have been
very considerable, as upon his return to Scotland, in 1569, he was chosen as
assistant to the famous GEORGE BUCHANAN one of the most erudite men of the time
in superintending the education of the young KING. The task was a most
responsible one, since the peace and security of the Kingdom depended upon the
bias given by the instruction of the KING during his early years. Opinion has
been divided as to the fitness of PETER YOUNG for this duty, some of his
contemporaries, notably ARCHIBALD SIMSON and SIR JAMES MELVILLE, accusing him of
having flattered the vanity of his Royal pupil for the purpose of securing
favours and rewards for himself and his family; but these statements must be
received with caution. YOUNG could neither have obtained nor held his post as
assistant tutor had his gifts and accomplishments been other than exceptional.
Throughout his long life he enjoyed the confidence of the KING and was
frequently sent by him upon missions of the greatest moment to the Courts of
contemporary Sovereigns. He was thrice despatched as ambassador to Denmark, and
also accompanied the KING to that country when he went to bring home his bride,
the PRINCESS ANNE. In 1595, when KING JAMES committed the charge of the affairs
of Scotland to eight of the most trusted statesmen known in history as the
Octavians PETER YOUNG was included in the number; and he was also one of the
Commissioners appointed to examine into the constitution of the Universities of
St Andrews, Aberdeen, and Glasgow, in 1598. Shortly after the KING had assumed
the Crown of the United Kingdom, YOUNG was knighted at Whitehall (19th February,
1605), and a munificent pension was bestowed upon him, in addition to the
princely gifts that had formerly been granted to him from the Kirk lands that
had fallen into the KING's hands. With QUEEN ANNE he was not less a favourite,
and for a long period he was entrusted with the care of her revenues in
Scotland. The estate of Easter Seatoun, near Arbroath, was purchased by SIR
PETER, in 1580, and after his retiral from public life he spent the remnant of
his declining years at the mansion house there. He died at Easter Seatoun, on
7th January, 1628, in his eighty fourth year, and was 'buried in the vault under
the Church of St Vigeans, where a, mural tablet bearing a Latin inscription to
his memory is still preserved. From the date of his father's birth (1497) to
that of his own death (1628) the long period of one hundred and thirty years
intervened, during which time there had been six Sovereigns on the Throne of
Scotland.
SIR PETER YOUNG was thrice married. By his first wife, ELIZABETH GIBB,
daughter of JOHN GIBB, a Gentleman of the KING's Bedchamber (married, 1577;
died, 1595), he had seven sons and five daughters. His second wife was the
relict of LORD TORPHICHEN, but she only survived her marriage six months. In
1600, SIR PETER married MARJORY NAIRNE, daughter of NAIRNE of Sandford, in Fife,
by whom he had four daughters. Several members of his family rose to, eminence,
and two of his sons appear at a later date on the Burgess Roll of Dundee.
Source 3.
Claimant: Mrs Cochrane, Overgate, Catherine Pyper, Alex Alexander flaxdresser,
West Port, Grandson to Catherine Pyper.
Source:RT
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