MarginaliaAnno. 1555. October.From Cambridge I was called into KentMarginaliaD. Ridley called into Kent by Archbishop Cranmer. by the Archbishop of Caunterbury Thomas Cranmer, that most reuerend Father and man of God, and of hym by and by sent to be Vicar of Herne in East Kent.MarginaliaTo the parishe of Herne in Kent. Wherfore farewell Herne thou worshipfull and wealthy parishe, the first cure whereunto I was called to minister Gods worde. Thou hast heard of my mouth oft times the worde of God preached, not after the popish trade, but after Christes Gospell: Oh that the frute had aunswered to the seede. And yet I must knowledge me to be thy dettour for the doctrine of the Lordes Supper, which at that tyme I acknowledge God had not reueled vnto me:
This is an interesting insight into Ridley's conversion to evangelical beliefs; Ridley was vicar from Herne from 1538 - 1549, but he was present in the living only until 1540, when he became master of Pembroke College.
MarginaliaTo the metrapoliticke Sea of Canterbury.Farewell thou Cathedrall churche of Caunterbury, the Metrapolitike sea,
I.e., the chief see of an ecclesiastical province.
Foxe omitted a section from Ridley's letter, in which the bishop apologized to Soham (a Cambridgeshire parish of which he was vicar from 1547 - 1552), for never having resided in the parish (cf. Nicholas Ridley, A friendly farewell, which master doctor Ridley did write unto all his lovers and true lovers and frendes in God, a little before he suffered, ed. John Foxe [London, 1559], STC 21051, sig. C2r-v with ECL MS 260, fos. 98r-108r).
[Back to Top]MarginaliaTo the Sea of Rochester.Farewell Rochester, sometime my Cathedrall Sea, in whom (to say the truth) I did find muche gentlenes and obedience, and I truste thou wilt not saye the contrary but I did vse it to Gods glory, and thyne owne profite in god. Oh that thou haddest and mightest haue continued and gone forward in the trade of Gods law wherein I did leaue thee: then thy charge and burden should not haue bene so terrible and dangerous, as I suppose verely it is like to be (alas) on the latter daie.
[Back to Top]MarginaliaTo Westminster.To Westminster,
Henry created a short-lived diocese of Westminster, which was subsequently combined with the diocese of London. Fromm 1550 - 1553 Ridley was simultaneously bishop of London and of Westminster.
MarginaliaTo the Sea of London.Oh London, London, to whom now may I speake in thee, or whom shall I bid farewell? Shall I speake to the Prebendaries of Paules? Alas, all that loued Gods woorde, and were true setters forth thereof, are now (as I heare saie) some burnt and slaine, some exiled and banished, and some holden in hard prison, and appointed daily to be put to most cruel death for Christes Gospel sake.
John Rogers and John Bradford, both martyrs had been prebends of St Paul's, while Edmund Grindal, who had been precentor of St Paul's, was in exile.
Shall I speake to the Sea thereof, wherein of late I was placed almost, and not fully by the space of thre yeares? But what may I say to it, beyng (as I heare say I am) deposed and expulsed by iudgemente as an vniust vsurper of that roome. MarginaliaB. Ridley deposed from the Sea of London without right or iudgement.O iudgement iudgem?t. Can this be iuste iudgement to condemne the chief minister of Gods worde, the Pastour and Bishop of the Dioces, and neuer bring hym into iudgement, that hee might haue heard what crimes were laid to his charge, nor neuer suffer him to haue any place or tyme to aunswere for himselfe? Thinkest thou that hereafter when true iustice shal haue place, this iudgement can euer be allowed either of GOD or of man? Well, as for the cause and whole matter of my depositi?, and the spoyle of my goodes which thou possessest yet,
Ridley is complaining that his personal property had been illegally confiscated and never returned to him.
MarginaliaThe Sea of London worthely rebuked.O thou now wicked and bloudy sea, why doest thou set vp againe many altares of Idolatrie, which by the word of God were iustly taken awaie? Why hast thou ouerthrowne the Lordes table?
As bishop of London, Ridley had taken down the altars at the east end of the church where the mass was celebrated and replaced them with communion tables erected in the chancel; Ridley is deploring the fact that Mary's government reversed the process.
cept it shoulde bee by and by declared in their common tongue, that all might bee edified? Nay, harken thou whorish Baud of Babylon, thou wicked limme of Antichrist, thou bloudy wolfe, why slaiest thou doune, and makest hauock of the Prophetes of God? Why murtherest thou so cruelly Christes pore seely
I.e., innnocent.
I.e., the Host.
A harlot or prostitute.
MarginaliaTo the citie of London.Yet thou O London, I may not leaue thee thus. Although thy Episcopal sea, now beyng ioyned in league with the seat of Sathan, thus hath now both handled me and the Saintes of God: yet I do not doubt but in that great Citie there be many priuy mourners which doe daily mourne for that mischiefe, the whiche neuer did nor shall consent to that wickednes, but doe detest and abhorre it as the waies of Satan. But these priuy mourners here I will passe by, and bid them farewell with their fellowes hereafter, when the place and occasion shall more conueniently require. Among the worshipfull of the city, and specially which were in office of the Mairalty, yea and in other Cities also (whom to name nowe it shall not bee necessary) in the tyme of my Ministerie, which was from the later part of sir Rowlande Hilles yeare vnto sir George Barnes yeare
I.e., their mayoral years. Sir Rowland Hill was lord mayor of London 1549 - 1550 and Sir George Barnes was lord mayor of London 1552 - 1553.
Dobb's hospitals were established on the sites of former monastaries; Ridley is saying that the charitable use of these buildings made them truly religious houses for the first time.
Sir Richard Dobbs, Lord Mayor of London from 1551 - 1552, helped found Christ's Hospital, St Bartholomew's Hospital, the hospital of Bethlehem (later known as Bedlam) and the workhouse at Bridewell. All of this took place while Ridley was bishop of London.
And thou O Syr George Barnes (the trueth is to