Records of Buckinghamshire, Or, Papers and Notes on the History, Antiquities ...

MONUMENTAL BRASSES FORMERLY IN

GREAT MARLOW CHURCH.

BY MILL STEPHENSON, B.A., F.S.A.

In response to Mr. A. H. Cocks' request to supply an omission in his paper on "The Intra-mural Monuments. and other Inscriptions of Great Marlow Church" (1), it gives me much pleasure to contribute the following notes on the brasses formerly in this church.

The shameful neglect which, when the church was pulled down in 1832, allowed the workmen to sell the brasses for old metal, has deprived Great Marlow of three of the most interesting examples in the County, one of which was also unique, no similar brass or casement having been noticed elsewhere. Fortunately, as Mr. Cocks remarks in his paper, impressions of two of the finest of the brasses are preserved in the British Museum, whilst in the great collection of rubbings given by the late Sir A. Wollaston Franks to the Society of Antiquaries are not only rubbings of these two, but of a third fine brass and of some less important inscriptions and fragments. From these impressions and rubbings the following descriptions have been taken and the accompanying illustrations prepared. The writer desires to express his gratitude to Messrs. A. H. Cocks, M.A., G. E. Fox, F.S.A., W. H. St. John Hope, M.A., and J. Challenor Smith, F.S.A., for the kind and ever-ready assistance rendered to him in the preparation of these notes.

THE CHILDREN OF SIR JOHN AND DAME JOAN SALESBURY, 1388.

The total loss of this interesting and unique memorial is greatly to be deplored. Langley (2) states the stone

(1). Records of Buckinghamshire, Vol. VIII., pp. 162-203.

(2). History and Antiquities of the Hundred of Desborough, by the Rev. Thomas Langley, Lond., 1797, p. 133.

to have been in the chancel, but gives a poor and inaccurate account of the brass. The composition, which measured 5 feet 2 inches by 2 feet 8 inches, originally consisted of a large figure of Our Lord rising from His Tomb, with the figures of angels at the sides. This filled the upper half of the stone. In the lower half were the kneeling figures of the four sons of Sir John Salesbury, each with a scroll from his hands, and below the eldest boy a small shield of arms. The whole was enclosed by a marginal inscription with the symbols of the four Evangelists at the corners.

The impressions and rubbings preserve everything with the exception of the tomb and figure of Our Lord, and three of the symbols of the Evangelists. The various pieces may now be considered in detail.

The casement or indent for the tomb and figure of Our Lord is clearly shown on one of the rubbings in the collection of the Society of Antiquaries. From this it appears the tomb was an oblong, about 24 by 12 inches, from which Our Lord was probably represented as stepping. His figure, the upper part being about 18 inches in height, has the head nimbed, and carries a banner in the left hand. On each side of Our Lord is the figure of an angel vested in an albe, one hand pointing to the children below and the other holding a scroll, that on the right-hand side reading

Coites sint quatuor isti

(Comites sint quatuor isti);

and that on the left

Surgentis xpi

(Surgentis Christi).

The four sons, William, John, Louis, and John, are represented kneeling, with faces upturned and hands raised in prayer, the prayers being on scrolls which they hold in their fingers. The figures vary in size, the two on the left hand being respectively 15 and 17 inches in height, and the two on the right 16 and 14 inches. All are dressed alike in loose tunics with

close-fitting sleeves, and have long, curly hair. The scrolls respectively read, beginning at the left hand:

Surg'e fac rpe tibi q's opit lapis iste. (Surgere fac Christe tibi quos operit lapis iste.) ℗ victor mortis nri miserer' cohortis.

(O victor mortis nostri miserere cohortis.)

Qui surgis ve' près nobis miserere.
(Qui surgis vere parcens nobis miserere.)

Qui supas mortes fac nos ti scāde' fortes. (Qui superas mortes fac nos tibi scandere fortes.)

It will be noticed that all these scrolls refer to the Resurrection, leaving no doubt as to the nature of the plate above, even if no other record remained. These children, as the inscription quaintly records, died in the months of September and October in the years 1383 and 1388. The largest figure, under which is the shield bearing the Salesbury arms, (Az.) billety and a griffin segreant (or), with a label of three points. is undoubtedly the eldest son William, and the small figure on the left may be the first John, whilst the other two are probably Louis and the second John.

....

The marginal inscription, originally with the symbols of the Evangelists at the corners, but only that of St. Matthew remaining, reads thus:

* Hic iacent Wills Johës Lodowic' ; Johes filii legiti Dni Johis Salesbury militis Regis Rīci secūdi z Die Johe Uroris predicti Johis qui obierut annis dñi Mmo CCCmo Lxxxiiio ; biiita mensibus Septemb' ; Octob quor' aiabz ppiciet' deus amen.

In addition to the curious method of expressing the date of death, this inscription contains the unusual phrases of "filii legitimi" and "miles regis." The attainder of the father explains the former, and in the