ANTIQUITIES OF NORTHUMBERLAND. 23 



petitioned the king for the repeal or mitigation of that cruel 

 ftatute. 



There was another eminent divine of this family at the refor- 

 mation, Lancelot Ridley, D. D. He was fellow of King's-Hall, in 

 Cambridge, about the year 1532. one of the fix preachers of Can- 

 terbury, and author of a Commentary on St. Paul's Epiftles^J. 



That great civilian, Sir Thomas Ridley, Knt. L. L. D. derived his 

 defcent alfb from this antient flock. He was born at Ely fc) ; 

 educated at Eaton-fchool, of which he was afterwards a fchool- 

 mafcer, and fellow of' Kings College, in Cambridge. For his juri- 

 dical erudition, and other liberal accomplifliments, he was pro- 

 moted to a maftcrmip in chancery, to the honour of knight- 

 hood, to the Chancellorfhip of Wiuchejler, and the high llation 

 of vicar general to Dr. George Abbot, Archbilhop of Canterbury. He 

 was member of parliament for Wy combe, in Buckinghamffjire, 28 

 Q. Elizabeth. He was author of a treatife on the Eucharift, and 

 of a book, inticled, A view of the civil and ecclefiailical law. 

 He died, 22 January, 5 K. Charles I. 1629 (d) ; and was interred 

 in St. Bennetts church, near St. Paul's wharf, London. 



The Ridleys of Willimotcfwicke feem to have been a family of 

 Literati and divines. Three of them were rectors of the parifli 

 of Simonburn, in Northumberland; viz. Robert Ridley, D. D. nominat- 

 ed, 1 5 1 o ; John Ridley, 1532; Cuthbert Ridley, 1635 (e). 



Willimotefwlcke was the feat of Sir Nicholas Ridley, Knt. 12 

 Elizabeth ; then high meriif of -Northumberland, and poffefTed of a - 



(I) Carters Hi ft. of Cambridge, p. 308. 



(V) Id. p, 149. (d) Id. (e) Rcgiftr. Dunelm. 



eon- 



