OLD YS, WILLIAM (1696-1761), a useful bibliographer, was the natural son of Dr Oldys, chancellor of Lincoln, and was born in 1696. He was a good scholar, but of intemperate habits, and never succeeded in freeing himself from the thraldom of Grub Street, - unless, indeed, when he was employed for some years by Harley, earl of Oxford, as librarian, He is best known by his British Librarian, an esteemed but unfinished work, which began to appear in 1737 (see BIBLIOGRAPHY, vol. iii. p. 652). He was appointed Norroy king-at-arms by the duke of Norfolk. His death took place on 15th April 1761. A MS. collection of notes by Oldys on various bibliographical subjects and a copy of Langbaine's Lives copiously annotated by him are preserved in the British Museum.