Ralph Ravens (c. 1553 – 1616) was an English clergyman and academic. He was nominated in 1604 as one of the translators for the

Authorised King James Version The King James Version (KJV), also the King James Bible (KJB) and the Authorized Version, is an Bible translations into English, English translation of the Christian Bible for the Church of England, which was commissioned in 1604 and publis ...

, in the Second Oxford Company, but his status is unclear. It is said that he was substituted, for reasons unknown, and did not actually take part in the project. It has been suggested that the Second Oxford Company, in which

Richard Edes Richard Edes (or Eedes) (1555–1604) was an English churchman. He became Dean of Worcester, and was nominated one of the translators for the Authorised King James Version, in the Second Oxford Company, but died in the earliest stages of the pro ...

had died, had two substitutes, namely

Leonard Hutten Leonard Hutten (1557?–1632) was an English clergyman and antiquary. Life Born about 1557, he was educated on the foundation at Westminster School, and was elected to Christ Church, Oxford, in 1574. He graduated B.A. on 12 November 1578, and M ...

and John Aglionby. On the other hand, Ravens may have taken part in early meetings as a Greek scholar.

Adam Nicolson Adam Nicolson, (born 12 September 1957) is an English author who has written about history, landscape, great literature and the sea. He is also the 5th Baron Carnock, but does not use the title. He is noted for his books ''Sea Room'' (about t ...

, ''Power and Glory'' (2003), p. 157.

Life

From

London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...

, he was educated at Merchant Taylors' School from 1571, and matriculated at

St John's College, Oxford St John's College is a constituent college of the University of Oxford. Founded as a men's college in 1555, it has been coeducational since 1979.Communication from Michael Riordan, college archivist Its founder, Sir Thomas White, intended to pro ...

in 1575, aged 18, becoming a fellow in the same year. He graduated B.A. on 22 June 1579, and M.A. on 29 May 1583; he proceeded B.D. on 27 October 1589, and D.D. 20 January 1596. He is mentioned as Rodolphus Ravens in the ''Speculum'' of John Case. He was ordained in 1587, by Thomas Cooper. He was vicar of

Kirtlington Kirtlington is a village and civil parish in Oxfordshire about west of Bicester. The parish includes the hamlet of Northbrook. The 2011 Census recorded the parish's population as 988. The parish measures nearly north–south and about east� ...

Oxfordshire Oxfordshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the north west of South East England. It is a mainly rural county, with its largest settlement being the city of Oxford. The county is a centre of research and development, primarily ...

, from 1591, Dunmow,

Essex Essex () is a county in the East of England. One of the home counties, it borders Suffolk and Cambridgeshire to the north, the North Sea to the east, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent across the estuary of the River Thames to the south, and G ...

from 1597, and rector of Great Easton (also as Eyston Magna), Essex, from 1605.

References

*Joseph Foster, ''Alumni Oxonienses; the members of the University of Oxford, 1500–1714'', vol. III (1891) *Charles John Robinson, ''A register of the Scholars admitted into Merchant Taylors' School: from A. D. 1562 to 1874'' vol. I (1882), p. 17 {{DEFAULTSORT:Ravens, Ralph 1553 births 1616 deaths Fellows of St John's College, Oxford Translators of the King James Version 16th-century English Anglican priests 17th-century English Anglican priests 16th-century translators 17th-century translators