He was an ardent Calvinist, and received ordination at Antwerp from Villiers or Cartwright in the Genevan form.
At Cambridge, he became acquainted with Robert, second lord Rich, and about 1580 acted as his chaplain in his house, Great Leighs, Essex, where he held religious meetings (Strype, Aylmer, pp.
After several efforts on Bishop Aylmer's part to obtain the arrest of Wright, he and his patron were examined in the court of ecclesiastical commission in October 1581 in the presence of Lord Burghley.
Next year the prison-keeper on his own authority permitted him to visit his wife in Essex, but complaints were made of this lenient treatment to Lord Burghley.
He seems to have returned to prison and remained there until September 1582, when he declared his willingness to subscribe to his good allowance of the ministry of the church of England and to the Book of Common Prayer.’ After giving sureties for his future conformity, he was released.