Nicholas Ridley Martyr Facts, Life, Timeline - Prisoner of the Tower of London

Nicholas Ridley Facts 1500-1555 - Timeline and Life

Ridley was a Bishop of London in the Reformed Church of England. He became a Protestant Martyr along with Hugh Latimer when Mary 1 burnt them at the stake in Oxford for heresy.

Ridley was born the second son of Christopher Ridley of Unthank Hall near Willemoteswick Northumberland.

In 1518, Ridley attended Pembroke Hall in Cambridge. He graduated MA in 1526. Then he studied the Sorbonne in Paris and at Louvain. He was appointed later Junior Treasurer of Pembroke Hall Cambridge.

 

In 1536, he signed the decree against Papal jurisdiction for the University.

In 1534, he became Chaplain to the University.

In 1537, he was Champlain to Thomas Cranmer, Archbishop of Canterbury.

In April 1538, he became Vicar of Herne Kent

In 1540, he became Master of Pembroke Hall

In 1541, he became Chaplain to Henry VIII and canon of Canterbury.

In 1543, he was accused of heresy and acquitted

In 1547, he became nominated as Bishop of Rochester

In 1548, he helped compile the English prayer book

In 1549, he examined Bishop Gardener and bishop Bonner for heresy

In 1549, he succeeded Bonner as See of London.

Ridley signed papers that designated Lady Jane Grey as Queen after the death of Edward VI. Then, he preached a sermon on July 9th, 1553 at St Paul's Cross which proclaimed both Mary and Elizabeth illegitimate and that their succession to the English throne would be disastrous to the Church of England.

When it was obvious that Lady Jane Grey was not to be queen, Ridley went to Framingham to beg Mary I for a pardon. Instead, he was arrested and sent to the Tower of London.

In 1554, together with Thomas Cranmer and Hugh Latimer, he was sent to Oxford for examination. He was excommunicated and declared a heretic.

He refused to recant in October 1555. He was then tried for heresy and burned at the stake with Hugh Latimer at Oxford October 16, 1555.

related subject: Medieval Castles in England