Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Martial, Richard
MARTIAL or MARSHALL, RICHARD (d. 1563), dean of Christ Church, Oxford, possibly son of William Marshall (fl. 1535) [q. v.], was said to be from Kent, and was a scholar of Corpus Christi College, Oxford, from 1532 till 1538. He graduated B.A. 5 Dec. 1537, and his subsequent degrees were M.A. 5 Oct. 1540, B.D. October 1544, and D.D. 18 July 1552. He became fellow of his college in 1 538, but migrated to Christ Church about 1540, becoming a student there. At Corpus he was Greek lecturer, and noted as a strong Roman catholic of the old school. He was one of the witnesses against John Dunne in October 1538. In Edward's reign he is said to have turned protestant, and was vice-chancellor in 1552, but he 'returned to his vomit' under Mary. He also dug up the body of Peter Martyr's wife in Christ Church, and had it cast on his dunghill. In consequence of his activity he became dean of Christ Church in 1553, and is probably the Marshall or Martial who held prebends at St. Paul's and Winchester during Mary's reign. In 1554 he took part in the Oxford disputation on transubstantiation, and he was one of the witnesses against Cranmer, aided in the degradation of Ridley, and almost caught Jewel when he fled from Oxford after his recantation in the autumn of 1555. But at Elizabeth's accession he lost his preferments. He had, however, powerful friends, as he had been domestic chaplain to Lord Arundell. He is included in a list of persons in hiding early in Elizabeth's reign, and is supposed to have found refuge either with the Earl of Cumberland or Mr. Metcalf in the north. He was captured and brought to London, and signed a fresh recantation, which Strype prints, and was ready, it is said, to repeat it in public, but died, presumably in prison, some time in 1563.
[Welch's Alumni Westmon. p. 5; Strype's Annals, 1. ii. 48, 49; Cranmer, pp. 480, 536; Zurich Letters, 1st ser. p. 12, 3rd ser p. 373; Jewel's Works, p. xi; Ridley's Works, pp. 286, 295; Cranmer's Works, ii. 382, 543, &c, all in the Parker Society's publications; Cal. of State Papers, Dom. 1647-65, Add. p. 524.]