rycaut's mother, mary van der colge, was the daughter of silk merchant from spitalfields whose father had fled belgium as a result of the persecution of protestants by the spanish. mary was born in london, united kingdom and was a member of the huguenot society in london. rycaut learned greek and latin probably while still in grammar school in kent. he graduated from trinity college, cambridge in 1650. in 1652, he was admitted to gray's inn.