In 1535 , he accompanied William Barlow (q.v.) , on an embassy to Scotland , and later became Prior of Nostell, Yorks. , in time to surrender the house to the king , 20 Nov. 1540 , whereupon he received a pension of £80. A leading reformer and high in Somerset 's favour he was made a royal preacher and visitor in 1547 . His consecration as bishop of S. Davids , 9 Sept. 1548 , was the first to be celebrated according to the English form of service. At S. Davids he came into sharp conflict with a powerful group of canons , who took advantage of Somerset 's fall to present a series of grave accusations against his protégé.

After the accession of Mary , Ferrar was imprisoned in Southwark , and, in March 1554 , was deprived of his bishopric for heresy and marriage. After some indecision, Ferrar , fortified by Bradford and other Protestant prisoners, refused to recant when examined by bishop Gardiner and other commissioners in Feb. 1555 . He was then arraigned before his successor, Henry Morgan (q.v.) , at Carmarthen , and, still refusing to retract his opinions, he met his death (by burning ) with great courage on Carmarthen market square 30 March 1555 .