RID 



laneoufly. Children, and young perfons, are diverted by 

 every little jingle, pun, contrail, or coincidence, which is 

 level to their capacities, even though the harfhnefs and in- 

 confillency, with which it firfl ftrikes the fancy, be fo mi- 

 nute, as fcarcely to be perceived. And this is the origin of 

 that laughter which is excited by wit, humour, buffoonery, 

 &c. The moll natural occafions of mirth and laughter in 

 adults feem to be the little miftakes and follies of children, 

 and the fmiller inconfiftencies and improprieties, which hap- 

 pen in converfation in the daily occurrences of life ; inaf- 

 much as thefe pleafures are, in great meafure, occaiioned, or 

 at lead fupported, by the general pleafurable ftate, which 

 our love and affection to our friends in general, and to chil- 

 dren in particular, put the mouth and body into. For this 

 kind of mirth is always checked where we have diflike ; 

 alio where the miftake or inconfiitency rifes beyond a cer- 

 tain limit ; for then it produces concern, confulion, and un- 

 eafinefs. This account of the original of laughter, and 

 alfo of its falutary effects which the author mentions, both 

 with refpeft to the body and mind, is inconliitent with 

 Hobbes's theory, to which we have above referred. The 

 laughter of pride and contempt, and the ridicule connefted 

 with it, are very different, not only in their origin, but in 

 their influence. 



Ridicule, in a Comedy. See Comedy. 



RIDICULI iEDlci'LA, or the Chapel of Laughter, in 

 Roman Antiquity, was a building erefted at Rome, about 

 two thoufand paces beyond the gate Capena, in memory of 

 die flight of Hannibal from the fiege of the city, on account 

 of the ruin and tempeit that befel him on that occafion. 

 The Romans, in ridicule of his flight, built and conlecrated 

 this chapel. 



RIDING, a corruption of trithing, a divifion of York- 

 fhire, of which there are three ; viz. the Eall-riding, Weft- 

 riding, and North-riding. 



In indictments, in that county, it is neceflary that the 

 town and riding be exprefled. See Register. 



Riding Academy. See Academy and Manege. 



An academy for riding was founded in this country, by 

 king William III. See Ride. 



Riding Armed, with dangerous and unlawful weapons, 

 is an offence at common law. (4 Lift. 16c.) By the ila- 

 tute 2 Edw. III. cap. 3. none (hall ride armed by night or 

 day, to the terror of the people ; or come with force and 

 arms before the king's juflices, &c. doing their office, upon 

 pain to forfeit their armour, and fuffer imprifonment at the 

 king's pleafure ; and a fine may be fet upon them by the 

 jullices, by 20 Ric. II. cap. 1. And no perfon can excuie 

 the riding armed, in public, by alleging that he wears ar- 

 mour for his defence againft an aftault ; but men may wear 

 common arms, according to their quality and the fafhion, 

 and have attendants with them armed agreeable to their cha- 

 racters : alfo perfons may ride or go armed to take felons, 

 fupprefs riots, execute the king's procels, &c. 3 Inft. 

 162. 



Riding Cajl, in Hujbandry, a term ufed by the farmers 

 for a particular method of lowing their grounds, by making 

 two cafts upon the ground at the fame time. This is not 

 much ufed, but it is a quicker way than the double catt, 

 which is the method now moil ufed. Plot's Oxfordihire, 

 p. 251. 



KimnG-Cleri, one of the fix clerks in chancery, who in 

 his turn, for one year, keeps the eontrolment-books of all 

 grants that pafs the great feal that year. Blount. 



Riding -Bitts, in Ship Building, are the largeft bitts in a 

 fhip, and thofe to which the cable is fitted when (he rides at 

 anchor. 



K I D 



RIDL, in Geography, a town of Auflfia ; 10 miles 

 S.S.W. of Aigen. 



RIDLEY, Nicholas, in Biography, an eminent Eng- 

 lifti prelate, and martyr to the caufe of the reformed re- 

 ligion, defcended from an ancient family in Northumberland, 

 was born early in the 16th century. As he exhibited early 

 proofs of good natural abilities, he was placed in a grammar- 

 fchool at Newcaftle-upon-Tyne, in which he made fuch 

 progrefs, that he was taken from thence and entered of 

 Pembroke-hall, Cambridge. This was about the year 

 1518. In 1522 he was admitted to the degree of B.A. ; 

 and in 1524 he was elected a fellow of his college. In the 

 following year he commenced M.A. ; and having been or- 

 dained pried, he went, for farther improvement, to the 

 Sorbonne at Paris ; and from thence to Louvain ; con- 

 tinuing on the continent till the year 1529. He hid been 

 brought up, and continued a zealous Papift ; but on his 

 return home, he applied with great diligence to the reading 

 of the fcriptures, as the fafeft guides in his theological 

 ftudies. In 1533 Mr. Ridley was chofen fenior proftor of 

 the univerfity ; and while he continued in this office, the 

 point of the pope's fupremacy was brought before the uni- 

 verfity, to be examined upon the authority of fcripture. No 

 one was better qualified to give an opinion on this fubjeft 

 than Mr. Ridley ; and after much public difputation, the 

 univerfity came to the following refolution : " That the 

 bifhop of Rome had no more authority and jurifdiftion de- 

 rived to him from God, in this kingdom of England, than 

 any other foreign bifhop ;" and this was officially figr.ed by 

 Mr. Ridley, as well as by the vice-chancellor and the other 

 proftor. In the year 1536, his well-known learning and 

 talents procured him a powerful patron in archbifhop 

 Cranmer, who took him into his family, and made him his 

 chaplain. He had, probably before this, abandoned the 

 principles in which he had been educated ; and being, in 

 1538, preiented by the archbiihop to the vicarage of Heme, 

 in Eail Kent, he preached certain doctrines attached to the 

 reformation, but neverthelels ftill adhered to the doftrine of 

 tranfubftantiation. Among other converts whom he made 

 to his own opinions was lady Fiennes, who proved a diftin- 

 guifhed ornameut to the caufe which ihe adopted. To ex- 

 cite or enliven the devotion of his parifhioners, he had the 

 " Te Deum" fung in Enghfh, which was afterwards made 

 the fubjeft of an accufation againft him. In 1539, when 

 the aft of the fix articles was paffed, he bore his teftimony 

 againft it, though he himfelf was not likely to be affefted 

 by the penalties of the ftatute. In 1540 he went to 

 Cambridge, and proceeded doftor in divinity ; and foon 

 after he was choien to the mafterlhip of Pembroke- hall. 

 About the fame time he was, through the influence of the 

 archbifhop, nominated chaplain to the king ; and this ho- 

 nour was fpeedily followed by his collation to a prebendal 

 flail in the cathedral church of Canterbury. In this city, 

 when his duty called him to preach, he endeavoured with 

 all his talent6 to expofe to the people the abules of Popery ; 

 which gave fo much offence, that charges were exhibited 

 againft him for preaching contrary to the ftatute of the fix 

 articles. The attempt, however, of involving him in the 

 penalties of the law, completely failed. Gardiner, bifhop 

 of Winchefler, next endeavoured to entrap him ; and ar- 

 ticles were exhibited againft him before the jullices of tin- 

 peace in Kent, and afterwards before the king and council, 

 which charged him with preaching againft auricular confef- 

 fion, and with direfting the Te Deum to be fung in Eng- 

 lilh. The accufation was fortunately referred to Cranmer, 

 by the king, who immediately crufhed it, much to the mor- 

 tification of Dr. Ridley's enemies. About the year 1545 

 3 he 



