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 (AV), is an Early Modern English Bible translations, Early Modern English translation of the Christianity, Christian Bible for the Church of England, wh ...

, 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 had died, had two substitutes, namely Leonard Hutten and John Aglionby. On the other hand, Ravens may have taken part in early meetings as a Greek scholar. Adam Nicolson, ''Power and Glory'' (2003), p. 157.

Life

From

London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...

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

St John's College, Oxford St John's College is a Colleges of the University of Oxford, 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 foun ...

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 parishes in England, civil parish in Oxfordshire about west of Bicester. The parish includes the Hamlet (place), hamlet of Northbrook. The United Kingdom Census 2011, 2011 Census recorded the parish's popula ...

Oxfordshire Oxfordshire ( ; abbreviated ''Oxon'') is a ceremonial county in South East England. The county is bordered by Northamptonshire and Warwickshire to the north, Buckinghamshire to the east, Berkshire to the south, and Wiltshire and Glouceste ...

, from 1591, Dunmow,

Essex Essex ( ) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in the East of England, and one of the home counties. It is bordered by Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, the North Sea to the east, Kent across the Thames Estuary to the ...

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 English translators 17th-century English translators