THE MARTYR RIDLEY.
In Redmarley church is an inscription to one George Shipside, as follows:
"All flesh is grasse worme's meat and clay, and here it hath short time to live,
For proofe whereof both night and day all mortall wights ensamples give.
Beneath this stone fast closde in clay doth sleepe the corpes of George Shipside,
Wch. Christ shal rayse on ye last day and then with him be glorifide.
Whose sovle now lives assvredly in heaven with Christ ovr Saviovr
In perfect peace most ioyfvlly with Gods elect for evermore.
Obit die De'bris An. D'ni 1609, Ac An. Ætatis svæ 84. Ecce quid eris."
This is believed to be the George Shipside whose wife was sister to the martyr, Bishop Ridley. The bishop had the free warren of Bury Court, in this parish, and a George Shipside was his sister's second husband; he was the bishop's park-keeper at Bushley, was incarcerated at Oxford, and attended the martyr to the stake. Ridley's affectionate farewell on that occasion to George Shipside and his wife will not be forgotten. Ridley was led to the stake in 1555, at which time the above George Shipside was just thirty years of age.