Jane Ratcliffe born Jane Brereton (died 1638) was an examplar of a godly life. She lived in Chester where her husband and later son were leading citizens.

John Ley John Ley (4 February 1583 – 16 May 1662) was an English clergyman and member of the Westminster Assembly. Life He was born in Warwick and received his early education at the free school in that town. On 12 February 1602, he entered Christ Churc ...

published an account of her life as "A Patterne of Pietie".

Life

Her date of birth is unknown but her mother died in 1592 and her father died in 1599. She was the daughter of Mary Parrey of Flintshire and John Brerewood of Chester. Her brother was born in 1588 and he became a judge and was knighted to become Sir Robert Brerewood. Her uncle, Edward Brerewood, was a Puritan professor at

Gresham College Gresham College is an institution of higher learning located at Barnard's Inn Hall off Holborn in Central London, England. It does not enroll students or award degrees. It was founded in 1596 under the will of Sir Thomas Gresham, and hosts ove ...

John Ratcliffe John Ratcliffe or John Ratcliff may refer to: Politicians *John Ratcliffe (American politician), former Director of National Intelligence, former congressman in Texas' 4th Congressional District, and former U.S. Attorney in the Eastern District of ...

's wife died in 1602. She married Ratcliffe as his second wife. John was the member of parliament and he was twice the a Sheriff of Chester in 1590 and in 1601/2. In about 1610 their first child died and she turned to a leading clergyman

Nicholas Byfield Nicholas Byfield (1579–1622) was an English clergyman, a leading preacher of the reign of James I.Louis B. Wright, Henry Steele Commager, Richard Brandon Morris, ''The Cultural Life of the American Colonies'' (2002), p. 138. Life He was a nati ...

and, from then, led a godly life. Meanwhile, her husband was

Mayor of Chester The position of Lord Mayor of Chester was created on 10 March 1992 when the dignity was conferred on the city of Chester, England by Letters Patent as part of celebrations of 40th anniversary of the accession of Queen Elizabeth II. Prior to tha ...

in 1611–12 and in 1628-29.History of Parliament Online – John Ratcliffe
/ref> She was said to have a "loving obedience" to John Ley, but it was noted that she was more enthusiastic for the Puritan church that she was and this dissonance with her husband was not thought ungodly by her church. Her husband died in 1633 and she then managed his brewery business. They had at least two children. John Ratliffe junior was a Sheriff to his father and an MP in 1646 and a daughter also married. She died in London in 1638. In 1640

who was a clergyman and member of the Westminster Assembly published ''A Patterne of Pietie, or the Religious life and death of that grave and gracious Matron, Mrs. Jane Ratcliffe, Widow, and Citizen of Chester'', 1640. It was addressed by Ley to

Brilliana, Lady Harley Brilliana, Lady Harley (1598 – 29 October 1643), ''née'' Brilliana Conway, was an English letter writer. Her name was coined by her father, Sir Edward Conway, English governor of Brielle (called Brill in English) in Holland with the suffix ...

and Alice, Lady Lucy and it has been noted that Ley's tribute was self-serving. He used his description of Ratcliffe's life to support his views on religion.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ratcliffe, Jane 17th-century English women People from Chester 16th-century births 1638 deaths Year of birth unknown