III. ELIZABETH, WIDOW OF ROGER TALBOT, 1694. Inscription on an oval plate, 22 by 18 inches, with a cherub's head at the top, a wreathed skull at the bottom, and an ornamental border running round the sides. Chancel floor. Hic in spe resurgendi Christum expectans suscitaturū signavit vicesimo sexto die Decembris Anno Domini MDCLXXXXIV Ætatis suæ sexagesimo octavo Anna ilius filia pietatis motu hoc chara Matris For an account of this lady see No. II. THORNTON WATLASS. I. GEORGE FERRARS, RECTOR, 1669. On a tomb in the churchyard is a small quadrangular plate, 12 by 9 inches, much indented and defaced, bearing a representation of a shrouded figure extended on a mattress and placed on a high tomb, with two cypresses in the background. Between the trees is a scroll bearing the word RESURGAM, and on the front panel of the tomb the following inscription: G. F. OBIIT IN CHRISTO QVARTO DIE SEPTEM BRIS ANNO DNI 1669. George Ferrer, or Ferrars, was instituted to the living on August 29, 1635. His burial is thus recorded in the register: "1669 September 7 was masster George Ferrars rector of Watleyes buryed." II. HENRY THORPE, RECTOR, 1702. Also in the churchyard, near to the former, another small plate, 8 by 12 inches, bearing some odd twisted devices and the following inscription: RESVRGAM HENRICVS THORPE OBIIT IN CHRISTO NONO DIE FEBRVARII ANNO DNI 1702. Henry Thorpe, M.A., was instituted to the living on April 17, 1696. TOPCLIFFE. THOMAS DE TOPCLYFF, 1362, AND WIFE MABEL, 1391. A fine Flemish brass, now unfortunately much worn and mutilated. It is composed of a number of small plates, making a large quadrangular sheet of metal 69 by 31 inches. The design consists of the full-length figures of a civilian and wife under rich canopy work, with figures of angels, &c., the whole being enclosed by a marginal inscription, with the symbols of the Evangelists at the corners. The background of the plate is richly diapered with foliage, and the heads of the figures rest on diapered cushions held by angels. The canopy consists of two cusped arches, divided by a slender centre column and carrying rich shrine work above, each division containing a seated figure holding the soul of the deceased and attended by censing angels. The side shafts are worked into niches, each containing an angel playing on a musical instrument, amongst which may be noticed a bass and treble viol, a dulcimer, regal, trumpet and tabor. Thomas de Topclyff is represented in civil dress, with curly hair, beard, and moustaches. He wears a tunic with close sleeves, edged with fur at the bottom and at the wrists, a mantle fur lined throughout and buttoned on the right shoulder. Round his neck is a hood, and hanging on his right side is a short sword, the fastening of which by means of a short chain attached to the end of the leather belt is clearly shown. Under his feet, which are encased in boots, is a lion. His wife Mabel wears the veil head-dress and wimple so arranged as to leave only a square opening for the face, a gown with close, tightly-buttoned sleeves reaching to the knuckles, and a mantle lined with fur. At her feet is a small dog gnawing a bone and wearing a collar of bells. ... The marginal inscription, in large, bold black letter, with roses between each word, is broken in the centre by quatrefoils enclosing the arms of TOPCLYFF, . . . a chevron between three peg tops . . ., and at the corners by the symbols of the Evangelists, that of St. John together with portions of the inscription being lost. Each section of the inscription was complete in itself; that referring to the man commences under his feet, that to the lady above her head. The missing words in the inscription, with the exception of the man's christian name, for which Gough is the authority,' are here shown in brackets from Dodsworth's transcript taken on October 16, 1622:2 hic iacet venerabilis [vir (Thomas) de] Topclyff qui obiit an[no domini Mo CCCLXEI quoru' ani'e [propicietur deus] [hic iacet mabilla] quondam uror eius que obiit anno domini Mo CCCXCI quoru' ani'e propicietur deus. There is a beautiful engraving of this brass in Messrs. J. G. and L. A. B. Wallers' Series of Monumental Brasses, and to Mr. J. G. Waller, F.S A., the Society is indebted for permission to publish the accompanying illustration, which is a reduced copy of the abovementioned plate. There is another interesting feature about this brass, viz. that the whole or a greater portion of it is palimpsest. Unfortunately it was never properly examined at the time when it was detached from its slab. Messrs. Waller give the following account of the discovery of the palimpsest portions: "The brass of Thomas Topcliff and lady was a few years ago, during restoration of the church, removed from its slab. The reverse was discovered to be entirely, or nearly so, composed of plates of metal that had been previously used. But one small portion, however, fell under the writer's observation, and that was a part of the border, the reverse of which showed a portion of inscription in Longobardic capitals and in the Flemish vernacular: 'bidt. voer. die. ziele,' i.e. pray for the soul. It was extremely well executed, much in the style of the brass at St. Alban's to Abbot Delamere; and was only a few years earlier in date to that of which it now forms a portion. Of the rest, the account given by the Rev. H. A. Hawkins, the incumbent of Topcliff, though less complete than one could have wished of so curious a fact, is nevertheless useful, and tends to support the theory that occasionally spoilt metal 1 Sepulchral Monuments, vol. i, p. 179. Except for this name, Gough's transcript is very inaccurate. 2 Dodsworth MS. (Bodleian), vol. 160, f. 257. For this the writer is indebted to Mr. J. W. Clay, F.S.A. 3 Series of Monumental Brasses, Introduction, page ix. |