Ryves, George, Dr.
Summary
Father: John RyvesMother: Elizabeth Mervyn
Birth: c1559
Birth Source: Reliques of the Rives
Death: 31 May 1613
Death Source: Reliques of the Rives
Narrative
From Reliques of the Rives:Dr. George Ryves, born about 1559, and one of the illustrious scholars of his day in England, entered seriously upon his education with his entrance into Winchester College in 1574 as "of Blandford"5 (Kirby, Winchester Scholars). He passed from thence to Oxford University where he matriculated at New College, 20 March 1578/9, aged 19, as "of Dorset, armiger." Foster continues with his record as follows, "scholar 1578/9; B. A., 12 Oct. 1582; M. A., 3 June 1586; B. D., 7 Nov. 1594; D. D., 2 July 1599; Warden of his College, 1599-1613; Vice-Chancellor, 1601; Chaplain to Bishop of Winchester and Canon, 1598; licensed to preach, 28 June 1604/5; rector of Bland ford St. Mary, Dorset, 1589; of Alverstoke, Hants, 1591; of Staunton St. John, Oxford, 1600; of Colerne, Wilts, 1606; and of Old Alresford, Hants, 1608."
From the Lansdowne Mss., vol. 983, fol. 125, British Museum, there is taken the following concerning him:
"Minutes of Dr. George Ryves, Warden of New College, Oxford, who died May 31st 1613.
"1599. July 2. Among the Doctors of Divinity in Oxford was George Ryves of New College, Prebendary of Winchester. In December following he was elected Warden of the said College, and dying on the last of May, 1613, was buried as I conceive in the chapell belonging thereunto.
"1600. 3 March. Leave was given to institute Prebendary George Ryves to the church of Staunton St. John."
Wood (Life and Times, vol. iv, p. 173) recounts that on 31 July 1610 at 9 A. M. the first stone of Wadham College at Oxford was laid by the Vice Chancellor, Dr. (George) Ryves, of New College, who made an elegant oration in Latin in praise of the work and its founders.
His chief title to more than casual notice, however, rests in the fact that he was one of the translators of the King James Authorized Version of the Bible, more specifically, overseeing the translation of the New Testament," as appears from a letter addressed on April 19, 1609, by the Bishop of Winchester to Sir Thomas Lake, chief secretary to King James I, as follows:
After my verie harty commendations whereas doctor Ryves Warden of the new Colledge in Oxford and one of the overseers of that part of the New Testament which is there translated out of Greek and Mr. Nicholas Love Scholemaster of Winchester are willing with my allowance to exchange some of their livings being of my patronage that they may lay them near together and more commodious to the rest of there livinges and there is no let to the performance thereof but his majestie's pleasure signified by his letters to the late Bishop of London now Bishop of Canterbury that the next benefice of my gifte and of 20 pounds or above in the King's bookes that shall fall voyde should be reserved for some of those that are employed in the translation of the bible I doe not conceive that his Majesty's meaning thereby was to bar the men from exchanging their livings otherwise permitted by the lawes but that such livings as fell voyd should be reserved for the translators .... I shall hartely thank you if you will take opportunity to know his majesty's pleasure therein and obteyn his letters to signifie to me his princely pleasure. The men are both of good desert, the one imployed in the oversight of the translation and the other toke no small paynes in doing his duetie both for the enterteinement of his majestie and the prince when they were at Winchester." (State Papers, Jas. I., Vol, xiii, No. 73.)
Dr. George Ryves was one of the "privileged persons" taxed by the Vice Chancellor and others of the University of Oxford in 7 James I (1610) in an amount of 20 shillings for lands. He appears as a taxpayer also in 161 1 (Lay Subsidy Roll, 163/437). He left no will and Hutchins is the authority for his death without issue.