Edward Rishton

of a right ancient Family in Lancashire, became a Student in the University about 1568 particularly, as it seems, in Brasenose College, where after he had spent some years in Philosophy and Mathematicks, supplicated the Ven. congr. of Regents in Apr. 1572 for the Degree of Bach. of Arts, having performed all excercise requisite thereunto, but whether he was admitted it appears not in the University registers. Afterwards he left his native Country and Friends, and went to Doway, where studying for some time in the English Coll. was made M. of A. Thence he went to Rome in 1577 and after he had consummated certain studies in Divinity, was made (m)(m) Jo. Pits. De illustr. Aug. script. Aet. 16. num. 1035. a Priest in 1580 or thereabouts. Soon after he was sent into the Mission of England, but before he was quite settled, he was taken and kept close Prisoner in the Tower of London and elsewhere 3 or 4 years. At length being released, his life spared, and he condemned to banishment with Jam. Bosgrace a Jesuit, John Hart and others, he went into France, and settled for a time in the University of Pont-à-musson in Loraine to the end that he might proceed in the study of Divinity and take a Degree or Degrees therein; but the plague being then there and he careless to avoid it in time, was infected therewith and soon after died. This is that Edw. Rishton, qui impie ingratus (as one (n)(n) Camden ut sup. sub an 1584. saith) in Principem cui vitam debuit, publicatis scriptis malitiae virus illico evomuit. The titles of the said writings are these.

Synopsis rerum ecclesiastiearum, ad an. chr. 1577. Whether in Engl. or Lat. I know not, for I have not yet seen it.

Profession of his faith made manifest, and confirmed by 24 reasons (or motives)—It must be now known that Nich. Saunders left behind him at his death two imperfect books De schismate Anglicano; with the beginning of the third, commencing with the Reign of Q. Elizabeth, which coming into the hands of our Author Rishton after he had suffered imprisonment for some time in England, he supplied what was defective in them, corrected and caused them to be published at Colen. 1585. to which he added of his own composition, besides the third book, which was in a manner all his,

Rerum pro religione catholica ac inturri Londinensi gestarum ab an. 1580. ad an. usque 1585 indiculus seu diarium, with a preface to it.

Religiosorum & sacerdotum nomina, qui pro defensione primatus Rom. Ecclesiae per Martyrium consummati sunt, sub Henrico 8. Angliae rege, &c. Mostly taken out of Saunders his book De visibili Monarchia Ecclesiae, &c. These additions, with the book De Schismate, having undergone several impressions, as I have told you elsewhere, have been since added to them (1) An appendix, which makes a fourth book, exerpted from certain of the works of Peter Ribadeneira a Jesuit (2) Summarium rationum, quibus Cancellarius Angliae & Prolocutor Puckeringius Elizabethae Angliae Reginae persuaserunt occidendum esse Mariam Stuartum Scotiae Reginam, &c. Which being published in English were translated into Latine, and had added thereunto, Supplicium & mors Reginae Scotiae, &c. by the labour of Romoald Scot (3) Epistola Doctoris Johannis Pistorii Nidani ad D. Jacobum Grynaeum Ministri verbi Ecclesiae Basiliensis. (4) Mariae Stuartae Reg. Scotiae innocens à cade Darlean [•] , &c. written by Obertus Barnestapolius. Which four things being added to Rishtons additions to Saunders book De Schismate, were all printed together at Colen 1628 in a thick oct. What other things our Author Rishton hath extant, I know not, nor any thing else of him, only that he dying near to St. Manhou after, 1585 or about, Fifteen hundred eighty and five (in his flight from Pont-à-mosson to avoid the pest) was buried there by the care (o)(o) Jo. Pits. ut sup. of Joh. Barnes an English exile, the same, I suppose, with John Barnes the Benedictine Monk, whom I shall mention elsewhere. I find one Edw. Risden a Secular Priest of the English Coll. at Doway in this Mans time, who was afterwards of the Order of Carthusians, but he being descended from the Risdens or Risdons of Devonshire, must not be taken to be the same (as some are apt to do) with Edw. Rishton beforemention’d. I find also one Edw. Risden or Risdon a Devonian to have been Fellow of Exeter Coll. and Master of Arts 1566, which probably may be the same with the Carthusians; sed Qu.