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Richard Shelley facts for kids

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Richard Shelley was an English man who lived in the 1500s. He is known for asking Queen Elizabeth I or her Parliament to allow more freedom for Roman Catholics to practice their religion. At that time, Catholics faced many rules that limited their religious freedom. Because of his actions, Richard Shelley was put in Marshalsea prison in London, where he died around February or March 1586.

Early Life and Family

Richard Shelley was the third son of John Shelley, who lived in Michelgrove, Clapham, Sussex. For some time, Richard lived abroad. He was with his uncle, Sir Richard Shelley, who was an important leader of the Knights Hospitallers of St. John of Jerusalem. This was a very old group of knights. Richard Shelley was allowed to come back to England in May 1583, and he did so soon after.

The Petition for Religious Freedom

Richard Shelley wanted to help other Catholics in England. During his time, laws made it very hard for Catholics to practice their faith freely. He wrote a special request, called a petition, asking for more religious tolerance.

There are two main stories about this petition:

What Peter Penkevel Said

Peter Penkevel was Richard Shelley's servant when Shelley was in prison. Penkevel said that Richard Shelley presented the petition to the Queen. However, some of Penkevel's dates seem to be incorrect. This means that what he knew about the petition might have been based on what he heard, not what he saw directly.

What John Strype Reported

Another historian, John Strype, seems to have seen the petition himself. According to Strype, the petition was given to Parliament, not directly to the Queen. As a result of presenting this petition, Richard Shelley was sent to Marshalsea prison on March 15, 1585. He stayed there until he died in early 1586. He was sick when his servant, Peter Penkevel, came to him. Richard Shelley died in prison, remaining strong in his beliefs.

Another Richard Shelley

It is important not to confuse this Richard Shelley with another man named Richard Shelley. This other Richard Shelley was from Findon, Sussex. He was also put in Marshalsea prison for his Catholic faith in August 1580. He was released later but was imprisoned again in 1592.

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