Ralph Morice facts for kids

Ralph Morice was an important person in English history. He worked as a secretary for Thomas Cranmer, who was the Archbishop of Canterbury. An archbishop is a very high-ranking leader in the church. Ralph Morice also wrote down stories about Cranmer's life.

Early Life and Education

Ralph Morice was born around the year 1500. His father, James Morice, worked for Margaret, Countess of Richmond. She was the grandmother of King Henry VIII. Ralph's father helped manage her buildings and became quite wealthy. The family lived in a town called Chipping Ongar in Essex.

Ralph went to Cambridge University. He earned his first degree in 1523 and a master's degree in 1526.

Working for Archbishop Cranmer

In 1528, Ralph Morice became the secretary to Thomas Cranmer. He continued in this important job even after Cranmer became the Archbishop. Ralph stayed Cranmer's secretary until after King Edward VI passed away.

His job was very busy. Ralph wrote many documents to support the big changes happening in the church at that time. He also helped Cranmer with difficult situations. For example, in 1544, a preacher named Richard Turner faced trouble for his Protestant sermons. Ralph Morice worked hard to help clear Turner's name. This was part of a larger challenge against Cranmer, and Ralph played a key role in helping Cranmer keep his position with the king.

Later Life and Challenges

When Queen Mary came to power, Ralph Morice faced some danger. His home was searched two times, and he lost many of his important papers. He had to hide and was even put in prison for a time, but he managed to escape.

Ralph spent the end of his life in Bekesbourne, a town in Kent. He became quite poor and mentioned in a letter to Queen Elizabeth that he had four daughters he struggled to support. However, three of his daughters, Margaret, Mary, and Anne, were married in 1571. The exact date of Ralph Morice's death is not known.

His Writings

Because of his job, Ralph Morice knew a lot of important information. He helped other writers and historians, like John Foxe, with their research. He shared his Anecdotes of Cranmer, which were like short stories or facts about Cranmer's life. These stories were later used by John Strype in his book about Cranmer.

Ralph Morice also helped Foxe with other information. He wrote an account of how Hugh Latimer, another important church leader, changed his beliefs. This account was also printed in books about Latimer and in Strype's writings.