He joined the college of canons regular at New Inn Hall, Oxford, and graduated B.A.
He was afterwards successively prior of St. Mary's College, Oxford (about 1528), and of Merton Abbey, Surrey.
In 1537 Thomas Paynell dedicated to him his translation of Erasmus's ‘Of the Comparation of a Virgin and a Martyr,’ which he had undertaken at Ramsay's request.
Ramsay adopted reforming principles, and resigned his priory before the dissolution of the monasteries.
The abbey was surrendered in 1538 by another prior, John Bowle (Dugdale, Monasticon, vi.