434
RIDLEYS OF WILLIMOTESWICK, NORTHUMBERLAND.
SELFISHNESS.
"Self spoils the sence of all mankind,
And casts a mist before the mind;
Whate'r 's the intrinsic of the coin,
Yours always will be worse than mine.
Each grovelling, despicable elf
Damns all the world besides and deifies himself."
John Ridley18 (12), eldest son of Nicholas (10), died unmarried in
1716, and was buried in St. Nicholas' Church, Newcastle-on-Tyne.
Richard Ridley's (4), second son of Nicholas (10), was born at New-
castle-on-Tyne; married Margaret, daughter of another eminent Newcas-
tle merchant, Alderman Matthew White, and his wife Jane, daughter of
Alderman Nicholas Fenwick, at Stannington, in 1707, and had issue, of
whom hereafter. He was alderman, mayor of Newcastle in 1713 and
1732, and Governor of the Merchants' Company. He purchased the es-
tate of Heaton, and built for his country-residence a large brick house.
named Heaton Hall (see plate in this book), on the steep and woody banks
of the Ouseburn, in the neighborhood of extensive collieries owned by him.
Mr. Ridley died at Heaton, Nov. 2, 1739. The following account of his
funeral will be of interest here:
"On the 5th, in the evening, his corpse was interred in St. Nicholas'
Church. The hearse, covered with escutcheons, and drawn by six horses,
was preceded by eighty-six of the deceased's tenants and agents on
horseback, two and two, with mourning gloves, and three servants; the
hearse was followed by a retinue of mourning and other coaches. In this
manner the corpse was conveyed from Heaton to Mr. Ridley's house on
the quay, Newcastle, where the company were invited, and where the
corpse was taken out of the hearse and from thence carried to the church,
the pall being covered with escutcheons, and supported by eight gentle-
men of note. The master of the charity school, with a scarf, leading the
charity boys of St. Nicholas, went foremost in the procession; after whom
came five beadles, who were followed by twenty men in cloaks, walking
two and two; betwixt these and the corpse walked three couples of ser-
vants in mourning; behind the corpse walked twenty-four chief mourn-
ers, two and two; these were succeeded by the regalia of the town in
mourning, borne by the proper officers, who were followed by the mayor
and aldermen, with scarfs and black gloves; next to these walked the
clergy, with scarfs, who were followed by the relations of the deceased, in
scarfs; to these succeeded the wardens and secretary of the Merchants'
Company, with gloves, two and two, and closed with a beadle in a scarf.
Then followed a multitude of gentlemen and tradesmen, in gloves; after
these came the eighty-six tenants and agents on horseback, as before.
During the procession through the town half-minute guns were fired, and
a solemn silence was observed by the vast crowd of spectators. When
the corpse entered in at the west door of the church, a piece of solemn
music was performed upon the organ. After the funeral ceremony was
over the bells rung a mourning peal, which closed the solemnities of the
day."
Nicholas Ridley18 (11), third son of Nicholas (10).
Edward Ridley18 (2), fourth son of Nicholas¹7 (10).
John Ridley18 (13), was the fifth son of Nicholas (10).
Νο
records.
