Some Monumental Inscriptions of Willesborough Church

Some Monumental Inscriptions of Willesborough Church, noted by Rev Bryan Faussett noted 1758. Kindly typed up for the website by Pat Tritton.

In The Chancell.
1. On a Neat Mural Monument, on ye S. Wall

. [BOYS, 1.11, Petham imp. THOMSON, 1.11.do]. Memoriae Sacrum Johannis Boys Generosi, et Franciscae Uxoris, Familiâ perquam venerabili de Thomson apud Kenville, in Agro Pethamensi, oriundae: qui post Vitam Sanctimoniâ exemplari, Faelici Conjugio et, Omni Virtutum Genere, insignitèr peractam, Caelo tandem maturi ab Hominibus rapiuntur, Deo ac Angelis jungendi. Hic 8 Idus Julij Anno Salutis MDCXCIII. Aetat. LXVii. Illa Ipsis Junij Idibus, Anno Salutis MDCLXXXIX. Aetat LII. Quor Cineres hic subtus quiescent recidivam ac beatam Vitam sperantes. Pietatis ergo Maerens posuit Edvardus Boys Haeres et Unigenitus.

2. On a Flat Stone, with this Coat. [Gu. a lion rampt. double tailed or (not gardant), with a rose arg. in its dexter paw]. Here, under This Stone, lieth the Bodies of Robt. MASTER, Gent, and Margaret his Wife, hee departed this Naturall Life the 24th Day of August 1616. Aged 77 Yeares, and 4 Months. and Shee depted. this naturall Life, the 28th of Novemb. 1607. Aged 60 Yeres. and they had Issue 14 Children. 6 Sonnes and 8 Daughters.

3. On Another. Here lyeth the Body of John BOYS Gent. who departed this Life the 31st Day of July in the Year of Our Lord 1743. Aged 42 Years.

4. On Another. Here lieth the Body of Edward BOYS late of this Parish Gent, who departed this Life the Nineth Day of July in the Year of Our Lord 1742. Aged 72 Years. Edward Boys, Gentleman, Son of the said Edward Boys, died Aug. 4 1750 in the 48th Year of his Age. Whose Body is interrd, at the Feet of this Stone.

5. On Another, at the Feet of a Larger without Inscription. Under the Large Stone adjoining to this, lieth the Body of Mary, Daughter of Edward BOYS, Gent, and Martha his Wife. who died the 10th of June 1715. Aged 17 Years.

6. On Another Flat Stone. Depositum integerrimi Viri Edwini AUCHER, Armigeri; qui, Annos natus 77. Denatus .. Septembris 1661 ut renascatur in Vitam Aeternam.

7. On Another. Thos. NORCROFF e Col: Trin: Oxon. A.B. et Scholaris Filius Johannis Norcross hujus Ecclesiae Vicarij et Marianae Uxoris ejus Obijt 27 Aug. 1752. Aet. 23.

8. On Another. Louisa NORCROSS died 19 January 1755. Aged 16 Years. Ann Norcross died 4 November 1757. Aged 22 Years, Daughters of John Norcross, Vicar, and Marian his Wife.

9. There are Some Remains of Good Painted Glass in all the Windows of this Chancell; in the East Window, wch. is a pretty large One, is a fair Figure of a *King, presenting a Ring to an Abbot. *Anno Domini 1349. Thomas COLLWELLE was Abbot of St. Augustine’s near Canterbury, when KING EDWARD THE 3d. gave the Churches of Stone in Oxney, and Willesboroough, and Brookland, to the said Abbey. But, may not this Painting rather refer to the old Legend concerning KING EDWARD THE CONFESSOR, who, being forewarned of his Death by a Pilgrim (to whom, (as the Legend goes), St. John the Evangelist had reveal’d it), gave the Pilgrim a rich Ring from off his Finger? This Story is well painted, on the Glass of one of the Windows of the South Isle of Westminster Abbey; where, under the Fig. of the King, are these mutilated Verses. Rex, cui nil alind praesto fuit, accipe, dixit,/Annulum, et ex Digito detralit ille, suo/ -- Evangeliste --- Villa Johannis./ ---Gratia petit./ The Verses under the Pilgrim are not legible. This Story is, in CAXTON’s Chronicle. See AUBREY’s Miscellanies. P.86.
See also WEEVER’s Funeral Monuments, Fol.647. where he say’s that this same Story is depicted in the East Window of the South Isle of The Church of Rumford, in Essex.

10. In The South Chancell, Are 3 Ancient Flat Stones, the Brasses and Inscriptions of which are all lost.

11. The East Window of this Chancell has been a very fine One; but it is now so much ruined, that the History wch. it contained is not to be made out. At the Top, however, are 3 Small Figures of St. Catherine wth. her Wheel, to be seen. In the Middle is a Large Figure (but greatly broken) of a Bishop surrounded with a Glory, and a Dove descending upon him. At The Bottom are 6 small Figures, viz. 1st A Man, and a Woman both Kneeling, and under them these Words. "Pro Aiabus Thome ELYS et Thomasine Uxoris ejus". 2ly. Our Saviour and a Bishop, both standing. The Inscription under them is gone. 3dly. A Man and a Woman both kneeling. Under them, "Orate pro Aiabus Thome ELLYS Uxoris ejus".
Out of the Mouths of The 4 Kneeling Figures proceed these 4 Sentences.
1. Secundum Magnam Misericordiam Tuam.
2. Miseere Mei, Deus.
3. Et Secundum Multitudi [nem].
4. Dele Iniquitates nostras.

In The Body.
12. On a Brass Plte fixt to a Flat Stone. Pray for the Soule of Thomas WAITE, he decessyd the last Daye of October, in the Yere of Our Lord God MVXXViii.

13. On another Flat Stone. Sub hoc tumulantur Marmore praematuro abreptae Fato breves, hen nimium breves Parentum Deliciae Elisabetha Gulielmi SAWKINS, Generosi, et Uxoris ejus Elisabethae Filia 12 Call. Apr. 1732/3, Nata 11 Cal. Sext. 1733 denata.

14. In The Eastmost Window, on the North Side, is a Small Figure of a Person in Armour Kneeling, with his Head Peice lying beside him. The Inscription is so Imperfect as not to be made out.

In The South Isle.
15. On A Brass Plate (now lost), under the Figure of a Woman, On a Flat Stone, near the Door. Of Yo Cheryte py for the Soulle of Johne HAULLE the Wodowe of John HALLE who deceased the iiii Daye of July in the Yere of Our Lord God MVXXViij.

16. Another Flat Stone, adjoining to the last mention’d, has been inlaid with the Figure of a Man, and a Brass Plate; perhaps, for the Father & Mother of the abovenamed John HALLE.

17. On Another Flat Stone, on Brass Plates. [A lion ramp. imp. A fesse wavy betw. 3 lions’ heads erased *BLECHINDEN, as I think]. (No tinctures shown). *This Coat, not being engraved on a Brasse Plate, as the other, but being cut on the Stone, I suppose, belongs to William BROOK, whose Epitaph is cut at the Bottom of the Stone.

18. [Sa. 3 battle axes in fesse or (HALL)]. In Obitum Johannis HALL Generosi et Johannae HalL, Uxoris ejus. quo rum, primo, obijt haec 9 Die Maij Anno Salutis 1580. Deinde, Ille, 7 Die Octobris 1605. cum. Nonagesimum circiter ageret Annum./Hic Tumulo gelido requiescunt Corpora bina,/Umim quae fuerant, per Sacra Vinc’la Dei./Fermè Nomen et unum, Joannes, ac Joanna,/Hall, quos sejunxit Mors truculenter Seme./Mitior ast solito nunc hos conjunxit in Unum,/Et dedit his rursus compare Sorte frui./Omnibus haec eadem Lex est, Moriemur et Omnes,/Omnibus et Letho dabitur esse pares./Qui legis haec, Juvenis, Vitae Memor esto futurae;/Qui legis ista, Senex, Nil Meditare prius./ Cut On the Same Stone. Here lyeth the Body of William BROOK of this Parish, Gent. who departed this Life the 12th of September 1707 in the 36th Year of his Age.

19. On Another Flat Stone. On a Brass Plate. Hic requiescit, in Dei Misericordiâ Johes a BORESCO (*Sc: BOYS) (An odd mistake of B.F. for "A Gore"). qui ab hâc Luce migravit in Vigiliâ Epiphanie Dni, Anno Mo. quingentesimo Sexto (1506-7). Cujus Aie ppicietur Deus. Amen.

20. On Another Flat Stone. Here lieth the Body of Edward, A Son of William BROOK, and Susanna his Wife who died Dec. 22 1717. In the 44th Year of his Age.

21. On Another. here lieth the Body of Mrs Hester SARGEANT, the Wife of Mr Thomas Sargeant of this Parish. She departed this Life, the 7th Day of May, in ye Year of Our Lord God 1725 in the 51st Year of her Age. She was a dutyfull Wife, an indullgent Mother, a good Neighbour, and full of Charity to the distressed Poor. Here also lieth the Body of Mr Richard Sarjeant their only Son; he departed this Life the 3d. Day of November, in the Year of Our Lord God 1720. In the 29th Year of his Age. He died a Batchelor, and gave forty Shillings by his Will to the Poor of this Parish.

22. On Another flat Stone, not Legible is this Coat. [A fesse betw. 8 billets (no tinctures shown)].

23. Here are Remains of good Painted Glass, in the Windows; in ye Eastmost of which are many Peices of Inscriptions, placed, by ye Unskillfullness, or Negligence of some Glazier, in different Positions. I cd. only make out the following Scraps, here & there. "Orate pro … *BARRY, et …. Uxoris …. Thome Barrye ac…../. *Mr WEEVER (P.290) tells us this Inscription was for One William Barry, ye Son of George Barry of Mote in Sevington Parish, who dyed Anno 1463.
See more in Sevington.

24. This Church consists of The Chancell, Body, South Chancell, & South Isle; and a Small Vestry, on the North Side of the Great Chancell. In a tallish Shingled Spire’d Steeple, at the West End hang 5 Bells thus Inscribed.
1. Josephus HATCH Made Me. 1605.
2. Josephus HATCH Made Me. 1605.
3. Joseph HATCH made Me. 1605.
4. William FLINTSTONE. C.W. Josephus HATCH fecit Me. 1623.
5. Giles MAISTERS. C.W. Josephus HATCH Me fecit. 1623.

25. This Church was dedicated to the Virgin Mary.

26. It is a Vicarage in the Gift of ….
The Present Vicar is the Revd. Mr John NORCROSS, viz. 1758.

Church Yard.
27. About 2 Yards South East from the En’trance of the Church Porch is an Ancient Altar Tomb, on which, as The Revd. Mr NORCROSS told Me, the following Inscription was scarce legible abt. 30 Years ago, when he Copied it. It is now quite gone. Here lyeth entombed the Body of William, The Second Son of Michael MASTER, Esq. He, living a Btchelour’s Life to the Age of 28 Years, came to an untimely Abel’s Death. He was Honest of his Word, Well Beloved, and Respected of all. Elizabeth the only Daughter of John HALL, Mother and Mourner for so great and incomparable a Loss, hath erected this Monument, in Expectation of a Joyfull Meeting in the Resurrection of Souls.
There is a Tradition Among the Inhabitants, that, The Abovesaid William MASTER was killed, On his Wedding Day, by a Brother, who was also in Love with The Bride.

Index of Names and Places

Names Index
AUCHER 6
BARRY 23
BORESCO 19
BOYS 1, 3, 4, 5, 19
BROOK 17, 18, 20
COLLWELLE 9
ELYS 11
FLINTSTONE 24
HALL 18
HALLE 15, 16
HATCH 24
HAULLE 15
MAISTERS 24
MASTER 2
MASTER 27
NORCROFF 7
NORCROSS 8, 26, 27
SARGEANT 21
SAWKINS 13
WAITE 12Places
Brookland 9
Rumford, Essex 9
Sevington Parish 23
St. Augustine’s, 
   Canterbury 9
Stone in Oxney 9General
Abbot 9