Nicholas Ridley (martyr)
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- For the article on the British MP in the 1980s: see Nicholas Ridley
Nicholas Ridley (died October 16, 1555) was an English clergyman. He came from a prominent family in Tynedale, Northumberland, and was born early in the sixteenth century. He was educated mainly at the University of Cambridge, where he received his Master's degree in 1525. Soon afterward he was ordained as a priest and went to the Sorbonne, in Paris, for further education.
After returning to England around 1529, he became the senior proctor of Cambridge University. Around that time there was significant debate about the Pope's supremacy. Ridley was well versed on Scripture, and through his arguments the University came up with the following resolution: "That the Bishop of Rome had no more authority and jurisdiction derived to him from God, in this kingdom of England, than any other foreign bishop."
In 1540, he was made one of the King's Chaplains, and was also presented with a prebendal stall in Canterbury Cathedral. He was also made Master of Pembroke College.
He succeeded to the Bishopric of Rochester in 1549-50, and shortly after coming to office, directed that the altars in the churches of his diocese should be removed, and tables put in their place to celebrate the Lord's Supper. He was translated to Bishop of London in 1550.
He was burned at the stake, a martyr for his teachings and his support of Lady Jane Grey, along with Hugh Latimer on October 16, 1555 in Oxford. He burned extremely slowly and suffered a great deal. A metal cross in a cobbled patch of road in Broad Street, Oxford marks the site, and the event is also commemorated by the Martyrs' Memorial, located nearby.
His death was mentioned in the book "Fahrenheit 451" written by Ray Bradbury.
Ridley College, a private University-preparatory school located in St. Catharines, Ontario, was founded in his honor in 1889.
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- This entry includes public domain text originally from the 1890 Pronouncing Edition of the Holy Bible (Biographical Sketches of the Translators and Reformers and other eminent biblical scholars).
