Ralph Widdrington (died 1688) was Regius Professor of Greek at

Cambridge University , mottoeng = Literal: From here, light and sacred draughts. Non literal: From this place, we gain enlightenment and precious knowledge. , established = , other_name = The Chancellor, Masters and Schola ...

. He was a member of a junior branch of an ancient Northumbrian family and was distantly related to William, Lord Widdrington. He was a younger brother of Sir

Thomas Widdrington Sir Thomas Widdrington SL (died 13 May 1664) was an English judge and politician who sat in the House of Commons at various times between 1640 and 1664. He was the speaker of the House of Commons in 1656. Life Widdrington was the son of Lew ...

and Henry Widdrington. He was educated at

Christ's College, Cambridge Christ's College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. The college includes the Master, the Fellows of the College, and about 450 undergraduate and 170 graduate students. The college was founded by William Byngham in 1437 as ...

, where he made the acquaintance of

John Milton John Milton (9 December 1608 – 8 November 1674) was an English poet and intellectual. His 1667 epic poem '' Paradise Lost'', written in blank verse and including over ten chapters, was written in a time of immense religious flux and political ...

. In 1654, he was appointed Regius Professor of Greek and in 1673,

Lady Margaret's Professor of Divinity The Lady Margaret's Professor of Divinity is the oldest professorship at the University of Cambridge. It was founded initially as a readership by Lady Margaret Beaufort, mother of King Henry VII, in 1502. Since its re-endowment at the end of ...

References

1688 deaths Alumni of Christ's College, Cambridge Scholars of Greek language Year of birth unknown Regius Professors of Greek (Cambridge) Lady Margaret's Professors of Divinity Cambridge University Orators {{England-linguist-stub