Ryves, George

Summary

Father: John Ryves
Mother: Ann Burley

Birth: c1588
Birth Source: Reliques of the Rives

Death: 3 July 1666
Death Source: Reliques of the Rives

Spouse1: Mary Hussey
Spouse2: Elizabeth Ryves, daughter of Henry Ryves

Narrative

Children of George Ryves and Mary Hussey:

1. John Ryves, b. 1614
2. Elizabeth Ryves, b. 1616

Children of George Ryves and Elizabeth Ryves:

1. Arethusa Ryves, bap. 1626. m. Mr. Haysome or Haytham
2. George Ryves, bap. 28 Oct. 1627
3. Charles Ryves, bap. 26 Nov. 1628
4. Henry Ryves, b. c1630; m. Elizabeth; living in 1695.
5. Thomas Ryves, b. c1633
6. Richard Ryves, bap. 23 Sept. 1635
7. Robert Ryves, bap. 4. Dec. 1639
8. Elizabeth Ryves, b. c1640; m. Henry Rose

George was a whole-hearted Royalist and High Churchman who refused Protestation in 1645.  He was a captain in the local militia during the English Civil Wars.

In 1645 with Sir John Strangways, he represented the Dorset Cavaliers at the Bridgwater conference.  Also, in 1645, he led his company in an unsuccessful attempt to relieve Sherborne Castle which was left in ruins by General Sir Thomas Fairfax and his Parliamentarian forces.

Following the Parliamentarian victory, he seems to have been leniently treated by the Committee for Compounding with Delinquents.  The Committe allowed Royalists whose estates had been sequestrated, to compound for their estates, in other words pay a fine and recover their estates on the condition that they pledged not to take up arms against Parliament again.  George's fine was fixed at £125, equal to one year’s net income from his modest estate of only 800 acres.

From Reliques of the Rives:

George Ryves of Ranston, born about 1588, died 1666, matriculated at Hart Hall, Oxford, 15 November 1605, aged 16, as "of Dorset, armiger; perhaps B. C. L., 24 Jan. 1627/8; D. C. L., from All Soul's College, 5 July, 1634"; admitted to the Middle Temple, 23 Jan. 1609/10, as "son and heir of John Ryves of Randleston or Ranston of co. Dorset, gent." (Foster) (Ingpen).

That he was a man of affairs, just in his dealings and of more than ordinary judgment is made plain in the testimonies even of his kin, for no less than three of his relatives paid tribute to him in their wills by appealing to him to undertake various testamentary tasks on their behalf. Robert Ryves, of Fifehead appointed in his will (1658) "my loving Cozens Mr. George Rives of Randleston and Mr. John Fussell of Blandford to bee my executors in trust during the minority of my said Sonnes Robert and John Rives." Similarly, Richard Ryves, first cousin once removed of George Ryves, provided in his will (1633) "my cosen George Rives of Randleston, my cosen John Fussell of Blandford ... to be my overseers." Another cousin, Richard Ryves, of Childe Okeford, stipulated in his will in 1630 that his children should be ruled by his wife "both in their breeding and preferment in marriage with the advice of my Cosen George Ryves of Randleston."

George Ryves died 3 July 1666 and was buried in Shroton Church (Ewerne Courtney) where the following monumental inscription was erected to his memory: Georgius Ryves de Randleston, Arm. Hic Sepultus Est Julii 9, 1666.

He married 1st, Mary, daughter of Thomas Hussey of Winterborn Thompson, co. Dorset, and, according to Hutchins, and had by her (see above).

George Ryves, of Randleston, married, 2nd, Elizabeth Ryves, his second cousin, daughter of Henry Ryves, of Barton Stacie, co. Hants, their son, George Ryves, becoming ultimately heir of Damory Court. Mrs. Elizabeth Ryves was bequeathed £100 by Sir John Ryves in 1624 as "my niece Elizabeth Ryves, daughter of my brother Henry Ryves," She was buried at Ewerne Courtney 12 November 1643.

Research Notes

It is likely that this George was also the father of the Katherine Ryves who was engaged to marry John Aubrey, the antiquary, natural philosopher and writer. Katherine died young on 27th November 1657 and the marriage therefore did not take place.  Katherine's untimely death may have been her lucky escape, as Aubrey was reputedly syphilitic (attributed to a liaison with a prostitute in 1657, the year of Katherine's death) and his attitude towards women seems to have been driven by their financial situation.  In Brief Lives he wrote "Katherine Ryves, whom I was to marry, has died to my great loss … her portion was more than £2,000 a year and her husband (would receive) another £1,000 a year.” Katherine left Aubrey £350 in her will together with a mourning ring for his mother.

Sources

Childs, James Rives. Reliques of the Rives, p27
Clarendon, Rebellion, ix. 17; Dorset Protestation Returns ed. Fry, 73
The Great Civil War in Dorset, A. Bayley
Foster's Alumni Oxon 1500-1714
Dorset Burials
John Aubrey: My Own Life, Ruth Scurr, Random House, 2016