Thomas Ryves

, who writes himself in some of his books Rivius, was the fourth son of John Ryves of Damery Court in Dorsetshire, educated in Grammar learning in Wykehams School near to Winchester, admitted true and perpetual Fellow of New Coll. as a native of Langton in the said County of Dorset, after he had served two years of probation, an. 1598, where applying his studies to the faculty of the Civil Law, took the degrees therein, that of Doctor being compleated 1610, about which time he was an eminent Advocate in Doctors Commons and the Court of Admiralty. Afterwards he was one of the Masters of Chancery, and Judge of the Faculties and Prerogative Court in Ireland, where he was held in great esteem for his knowledge in the Laws. At length upon the coming to the Crown of K. Ch. 1. he was made his Advocate, and by him knighted, was engaged in his Cause when the grand Rebellion broke out, wherein he gave good evidence of his Valour; and notwithstanding he was then well stricken in years, yet he received several wounds in Fights and Skirmishes for his Cause. He was accounted a thorough-pac’d Scholar in all polite learning, was a pure Latinist, and Master of a smooth stile. He understood also the Common Law so well, that he was as fit to plead in Westminster Hall, as in his proper Courts, and therefore his, and the assistance of Dr. Duck, were required by his Maj. at the Treaty for Peace in the Isle of Wight. He hath written and published,

The Vicars plea: or, that a competency of means is due to Vicars out of the several Parishes. Lond. 1620. quart.

Regiminis Anglicani in Hiberniâ defensio adversus Analecten: lib. 3. Lond. 1624. qu.

Imperatoris Justiniani defensio contra Alemannum. Lond. 1626. oct.

Historia navalis antiqua: lib. 4. Lond. 1633. oct.

Hist. navalis media: lib. 3. Lond. 1640. oct. What other things he hath published I know not, nor any thing else of him, only that he paid his last debt to nature on the second of January, or thereabouts, in sixteen hundred fifty and one, and was buried in the Church of S. Clements Danes without Temple-barr near London, 1651/2. on the fifth day of the same month, having suffer’d much in his estate for the Kings Cause, which he had stoutly defended.