An Inscription in Little Chart Church

( 131 ) AN INSCRIPTION IN LITTLE CHART CHURCH. BY RALPH GRIPF1N, SECRETARY S.A. THE north chapel in Little Chart Church belongs to Calehill in that parish. It forms a kind of north aisle to the nave, from which it is separated by an interesting parelose screen. Within it is a great pew formed of equally interesting woodwork. Near the east wall to the south, on the floor, lies the slab for the first John Darell of Calehill; to the north stands the tomb with alabaster effigy of Sir John Darell, who died in 1509, and in the north wall above that tomb is the inscription here reproduced, which refers to this tomb. The style of the lettering of the inscription shews it to be c. 1620, and its contents shew it to have been inspired by the heralds of the period, possibly by Jobn Philipot. It is quite easy to read, and need not be here translated into more modern spelling. It is on a stone 24| X 15| inches, surrounded by a carved frame. In the fifth line the sculptor has carved an o instead of a c in the word which in his copy was no doubt discended. He may have thought it was intended for disowned. There is a pedigree of Darell in the 1619 Visitation, continued in that of 1663, and there is another by Scott- Robertson printed in Archceologia Cantiana, Vol. XVII., p. 46. This inscription is not noticed in either of the Visitations or by Scott-Robertson. It derives the first John Darell who came into Kent from the family seated at Sessay in Yorkshire, making him second son of Sir Marmaduke Darell of that place.. If, however, the De Banco Roll quoted in Genealogist, N.S., XV., at p. 95 is correct, his father was named William and his grandfather Marmaduke. However that may be, it seems clear that John Darell was the first of K 2 332 AN INSCRIPTION IN LITTLE CHART CHURCH. the family who came into Kent, and that he so came towards the end of the reign of Richard II. He improved his position by a marriage with the heiress of Valentine Baret of Perry Court in Preston-next-Faversham. This was in 1400, and by a lucky chance there has been preserved a copy of the original marriage articles agreed on between Valentine Baret and John Darell. It was copied verbatim by the Rev. L. B. Larking into his Codex of Kent, now in the Maidstone Museum. The original has not been traced, and Mr. Larking does not say where he found it. It is not in the volume of copies of deeds at Surrenden. The deed is in Norman French, and as documents of this kind are of some rarity it may be hoped that it will soon appear in print. I t establishes certain points clearly. The lady's name was Thomasine as in the visitation, and not Joan as stated by Scott-Robertson in his pedigree. Her mother's name was Joan and she was dead. This disposes of the assertion made by the Darells later, to justify their claim to quarter the arms of Atleese, that John Darell's wife was a daughter of Valentine Baret by his second wife, an heiress of Atleese. I t appears further from the deed that Thomasine was at the time of the marriage twelve years old, and as livery of the lands was not to be made till 1404, when she would be of the full age of 15, it may be that the marriage was not till then to be consummated. A further most interesting point emerges from the terms of the deed, that a fine could be levied before the mayor and jurats of Faversham. From the time of the marriage John Darell seems to have been prosperous. In 1405 he is found acting as deputy " t o the King's servant Thos. Chaucer, chief butler," in the ports of Sandwich, Faversham, and Dover. . In 1410 he made his great purchase of Calehill from Thos. Brockhull, whose feoffees, Edmund de Hardres, Thos. Goldwell, and Roger Rye, convey on 14 Dec. 1410 to Win. Darell, Thos. Elys, Thos, Wotton, and Wm, Ledes the manors of Calehill, Little Chart, and Hacchesden [in Bethersden], and lands in the neighbourhood of these manors. The original is in the HLLRE LYETH THE BODY OF 5RIOHN DARELL KNIGHT OQVYRE OF THE BODY TO KLNGE H: THE 7 " WHO DE : PARTED THUS LYFE 0 P OF.PTEMB '. I 5 O 9 FROM THE AVNCIENT HOWSE OF LKFELL OF 6EYSEY IN THF. COVNTIE OV YORKE.ARE DISOENDED TWOE HOWIES.THE ONE OF CALEHILL BY lOHN THE SECOND JONNE OF S I RMA RMA D V K E DARELL OF 5FY.SEY AFORE SAID KLMIGHT.THE OTHER OF LLTLECOTT L"N THE COVNTIE. OF WLLTJ BY WILLIAM THE THIRD .SONNE OF THE SAID KNIGHT THE DIFFERENCE OF WHICH TWOE HOWJE^ BY ORDER WAS THIS.THAT CALEHILL SHOVlD BEARE THETROYFOLL IN THF. 5HOWLDER OF THE L.YO"N,AND LlTLECOTT SHOVLD CARRY THE CROS SECROSLET . FOR DIFFERENCE -SAKE BvT BY THE DEATH OF IHOMAS DARELL OF 3ESEY AFORE SAYDE WHOE DIED WJTHOVT KSSF.WE MALE 17 °H: 8': THE DARELLES OF CALEHILL BEINGE NOWE THE ELDEST HEYRES MALE,OF RIGHT DO GIVE THE AVNCIENT ARMES fNTIRE W ITHOVTE DIFFERENCE > a R 50 s c m r- • Q = > rr H a s d tag a K l,ITTt.K CHAMT ('HI Kl II IVMUFnOli l.RlVSS OS «TO.\K OS THK SOUTH WALL OK TIIR OAUKI.I. (IIAPKL. [/Vow a rubl.ing in Cknrltt Stoil'. i 4 134 AN INSCRIPTION IN LITTLE CHART CHURCH. British Museum (Add. Ch. 16,372). It is adorned by three beautiful seals, and the witnesses are Wm. Kyriell, baron of Walmer, Val. Baret, Steph. Bettenham, John Haute of ; Pluckley, and John St. Leger. • The grantees were the usual feoffees to John Darell's use. The first is William Darell, probably John Darell's brother, who was of Wiltshire. By a fine of 12 Hen. IV., No. 520, John Darell and his wife Thomasine convey to Wm. Darell, Thos. Wotton, and Wm. Ledes 40 acres of land in Faversham and Ludenham, with a warranty against the lady's heirs. The consideration expressed is 20 marks. ' This is probably part of the property dealt with in the marriage articles, and was thus settled in John Darell's feoffees to his use: Two years earlier, by a fine of 10 Hen. IV., No. 433, John Mordon and bis wife Margaret, one of the sisters and heirs of Thomas Baret, son of Andrew Baret, convey to Wm. Darell, Thos. Elys and Wm. Ledes, and the heirs of Wm. Darell half of certain property in Grodmersham, Beltyng, Hernehill, Graveney, and Boughton-under-Blean, with a warranty against the heirs of Margaret. The consideration expressed is 20 marks, but the property is some 350 acres and three messuages. What the connection between these Barets and Valentine Baret was is not at present a point capable of determination, but it seems highly probable that John Darell acquired this property because of his relationship by marriage with the Barets. The Godmersham property will be found mentioned after John Darell's death. In 1412 John Darell must have been a man of considerable wealth, for in the certificates given by Wm, Kyriell, Val. Baret, John Darell, Wm. Notbeme, Sheriff, and Regd. Pympe> Escheator of Kent (commissioners under Letters Patent of 2 January 1412, 13 Hen. IV.), certifying all who have £20 per annum in land in Kent, the feoffees of John Darell in Chart, Calehill, Felborough, and Faversham hundreds are returned at £40, and it further appears that John Darell had in ward the son and heir of Sir Wm. Septvans. Thomasine was the mother of John Darell's eldest son and heir William, who will be mentioned again below. She AN INSCRIPTION IN LITTLE CHART CHURCH. 135 was also probably the mother of his second son Robert, who was later of Ospringe. The fine shews she was alive in 1412. John Darell married secondly (in 1418 it is said) Florence Chicheley, daughter of William Chieheley and niece of the Archbishop, whose steward John Darell was or became. The lady was widow of John Burton, and had previously been widow of Sir Wm. Peche of Lullingtone. The Archbishop made her an heiress by settling on her Scotney and other property. This second marriage must have added considerably to John Darell's wealth, so that he was of great standing in the county and in many commissions of various kinds. He is often in these commissions along with Valentine Baret his father-in-law. John Darell was sheriff in 1410,1417 and 1422, and knight of the shire in 1407, 1413, 1417, 1425 and 1429. Mr. Cave-Browne (Arch. Cant., XXL, 219) calls him Chivaler at all these dates except 1429, when he writes Johannes Darell, armiger. Unfortunately the whole list he gives is quite untrustworthy. John Darell was never knighted, and in his brass is described as armiger. In 1419 John Darell, " donsel of the diocese of Canterbury, and his present wife, noblewoman," have an indult to have a portable altar and also an indult of plenary indulgence.* This would seem to shew that the second marriage had already taken place in 1419. John Darell's testament made at Scotney the 24th Oct. 1438, the day before he died, is at Lambeth.f It mentions his wife Florence and his sons, but does not mention his daughters. He leaves his best gilt cup to his master the Archbishop, and amongst the various legacies;.is one which has a particularly human touch, for he leaves 100s. to his tenants living near the Warren at Calehill to compensate them for damage done by rabbits. The testament is followed by the last will. Again his sons are mentioned, but the fact that he had two daughters has to be inferred * Calendar of Papal Registers in the Record Office Series. Papal Letter?, vol. vii,, pp. 335, 339. t 1 Chiehele, 470. 136 AN INSCRIPTION IN LITTLE CHART CHURCH. from the will. The document is long and interesting, and may be worth printing. The north chapel or chancel at Little Chart Church may well have been built by John Darell. The style of the architecture would accord very well with a date 1410—1438. This chancel is dedicated to St. Katherine. Whether the fact that Preston Church is also dedicated to that saint adds anything to the likelihood that it was built by him is more than can be affirmed confidently. It is a circumstance. In the south-east corner of this chancel or aisle of St. Katherine is what remains of John Darell's brass. The slab of Purbeck or Bethersden marble is much perished, and the place of two figures can only be conjectured from the., remains of some of the brass pins which held them. A foot inscription remains, as does part of the marginal inscription. These are fairly reproduced in -Belcher, vol. ii., p. 28, but the position of the foot inscription is quite wrongly indicated, and the four very fine shields of arms, one being now reproduced, are not only misplaced, but the lions have lost their crowns. Over the man's head was: [Azure], a lion rampant [or], armed and crowned [argent], charged on the shoulder with a sUpt trefoil [azure], for Darell. The lead for argent and the azure composition are perished in the crown and trefoil, but the outlines are clear. Over the lady's head was: [Or], a chevron, between three pierced cinquefoils [gules], for Chicheley. Below each figure was Darell impaling Chicheley. The brass, therefore, took no notice of the first wife. Although by the will Calehill was left to Dame Florence for her life, she came, so it seems, to a friendly arrangement, about it with her stepson William, a memorandum of which, is contained in an ancient deed [C. 1798] in the Eecord Office.* It is in English, and by it the widow surrendered her estate in the manors of Calehill and Little Chart and in the lands which her stepson farmed, but he was to give her in return a life estate in the place of Godmersham and in * Noted in vol. ii. of the Anoient Deeds in the Reoord Office Series, AN INSCRIPTION IN LITTLE CHART CHURCH. 13T the lands which he claims in the parish of Godmersham,. and also should continue her estate in lands called Goremerssham in Hernhill and Beltinge in Wye. He was also-1 to release his right in tenements in the parish of St. John Walbrook, London, and in the quay at Faversham, as alsoin Wheteacre in Waltham. A t««. SHIELD FEOM BRASS TO JOHN DAHELI,, 1438, SHEWING THE TEEFOIL ON THE LION'S SHOULBEK. Size of shield 4£ inches wide by 5^g inches high. [From a rubbing by Charles Stokes.. 138 AN INSCRIPTION IN LITTLE CHART CHURCH. In the same series* is a demise 1439—1440 by William Darell of Litilcote, co. Wilts, Esq., to Wm. Darell, son and heir of John Darell, of an estate tail of all lands which lately belonged to Margaret, sister and coheir of Thos. Baret, daughter and coheir of Andrew Baret, in Hernhill, Graveney, Godmersham, Wye and Beltyng, which he (Darell •of Litilcote), with others now dead, had of the gift of Valentine Baret. This seems to be the property dealt with by the fine No. 433 quoted above. Between the two William Darells, uncle and nephew, muck confusion has arisen. Nor were Wm. Darell of Littlecote's children above taking advantage of their cousin William Darell of Calehill in the troublous times of Hen. VI. and Edw. IV. There is much dispute about a manor of •Capell in Kent, " held of the prioress of the brethren and .sisters of the hospital of St. James, Canterbury," iu Wincheap but in Thanington parish. As early as 1421 there is an entry in the Patent Rolls of •& commission to John Darell, Esq., and Roger Rye to enquire as to it. What the result was does not appear, but forty years after there is a grant of the manor on the Patent Roll, 7 April 1465, to William Darell, son of Thomasine, daughter of Val. Baret, the allegation being that Val. Baret had the fee. There are several manors of this name in Kent. Mr. Streatfeild thought it was the one in Warehorne. Be -this as it may, in 1468 there is a commission on a claim by Geo. Darell and Richard Darell, Knts., Constantine Darell, Alexander Darell, and Thos. Darell to the manor, basing •their right to it on the fact that they were sons and heirs, according to the custom of gavelkind, of William Darell. I t is clear that these gentlemen were sons of Wm. Darell of Littlecote, and had no connection whatever with Thomasine Baret. It appears therefore that they were trying to take advantage of a confusion between one Wm. Darell and the other. Hasted states, on what authority I know not, that Wm. Darell died in 1471. There is the indent of a brass of a man * C. 3341 in vol. iii. AN INSCRIPTION IN LITTLE CHART CHURCH. 139 in armour and his wife in the Calehill chancel in Little •Chart Church, next to that of John Darell and his wife Florence, which may well have been that of the brass of Wm. Darell, John's eldest son and heir of Calehill, if he died about 1471, for the style of the indent would correspond -to that date. The will of this William has not been traced, but there is no doubt he was succeeded at Calehill by his •eldest son John, who as John Darell, Esq., is Sheriff of Kent in 1491, and was knighted at Blackheath 1497. In 1486, when he was esquire for the King's body, he had obtained a grant in tail of various manors late of Humph. Stafford, Esq., attainted, and when the King was at Charing in 1487 Darell thought it wise to get a confirmation of his title, for by Letters Patent dated 16 April in that year licence is given to the prior and convent of Christ Church, Canterbury, •of the foundation of the King's progenitors, to grant to John Darell, Esq., and his heirs the manor of Lytelchart, held of the King in fee alms, late of Thos. de Brokhelle, to hold at a yearly rent of £18 4s. 3d. Sir John Darell's will, made the 6th Sept. 1509, is at Somerset House. It directs burial in the chancel of St. Catherine in Little Chart Church at the north side of my grandfather. It is in P.C.C., Bennett, 24, and Mr. Leland Duncan has been good enough to give me a copy of it. 6th September 1509. I sir John Darell Knyght of the parisshe •of litle Chart. To he buried w*in the churche of litle Chart in the •chauncell of Seynt Kateryn at the north side of my grandfather. I bequeth for a stone to lye ouer me w* the Bpithaphie iiij11. I bequeth to an honest Englissh preest to syng & say messe for the helthe of my soul for v yeres 1 mrcs. To the light of the hole ibeame iijs iivjd. To euery light in the churche beside xxd. To Dame Anne my wif all hir hole apparell, money, & Jewells, •and of my plate to take at her choise the value of xl11, to be devided gilt plate at iij8 iiija le onze & white plate at iij8 iiij*1 the onze. To the prioresse of Shepey my potell pott of siluer to the profite •of the house to kepe an obite for me. Eesidue of my plate to .Tamys my son and Alice Engeham my •daughter. 140 AN INSCRIPTION IN LITTLE CHART CHURCH. To Dame Anne my wif my coler of gold of Esses. To the mariage of Isabell my doughter c". To xx of the porest mennys doughters w'in the parisshes of litle Chart, Bederysden, Smerden, Westwell, Charyng and Preston beside Feuersham to ther.mariages y mrcs. Myn other stuff of household I will it be devided in three parts,, my wif to chose first & James my son nexte & Isabell the thirdeparte. To James my son all my come & catell. My tawney welwet gowhe to be made a cop at my costs for thechurch of Litell Chart w' myn armes vpon it and goodly orfrays by thadvice of the werkman. To my godsonnes beryng my name at Christenynge w'in the hundred of Kalehill to eche of them iij8 iiij'1. To Susanne Auger my goddoughter xs. Also I bequeth for londs that I bought of Pykerell in Westwell for certeyn whet that sho[uld] goo owte yerely of the same lond in almes to poore people by the will of olde Pykerell his fader for my discharge iij1' vj3 viija, but I will myn executours by thadviz pf my feoffez see it be made suer for