The Monumental Inscriptions in the Parish Church of S. Michael, Coventry/Altar Tombs

by John Astley

Altar Tombs.

 

A.

On the South side of the Mercers' Chapel within a light iron railing are three Altar Tombs, the first is the Swillington Tomb. On the top are three recumbent figures, viz.: Elizabeth Swillington, and on either side, her two husbands, Ralph Swillington and Thomas Essex. Essex is represented as clad in armour, and Swillington in his scarlet gown. Upon the uppermost edge of three sides, is the following inscription, in old English characters:

"Orate p' a' ia Elizabeth Swillyngton, vidue, nup. uxoris Radulph Swillyngton, Attornati Gen'alis D'ni Regis Henrici Octavi, Recordatoris Civitatis Cove'trie, quond'm uxoris Thome Essex, armigeri; que quidem Elizabeth obiit dn anno d'ni Mill'mo CCCCC——"

Translated—

"Pray for the soul of Elizabeth Swillington, widow, the wife of Ralph Swillington, Attorney General of the Lord King Henry VIII., recorder of the City of Coventry, formerly the wife of Thomas Essex, esqre., which same Elizabeth died in the year of our Lord 15.."

Below, on three panels, are the family arms, (plate vii.); on a fourth shield is the sacred monogram, and on each end three other shields, on which are depicted the sacred wounds, &c.

This Elizabeth Swillington lived at Stivichall, and in 1552 gave to the Mayor of Coventry, Henry Over, £140 to invest in land, the proceeds to be applied to the repair of the road to Stivichall and Warwick, and any surplus to the poor. The intention of the gift is still carried out. Dugdale, in his Memorials, gives the date of Ralph Swillington's Patent as Attorney General Ap. I, 15 Henry 8 (1524).

 

B.

This is a marble tomb with flat top, to the memory of the wife and children of Doctor Moore, two shields of arms, (plate vii.), Moore and Harewell.

"Sacrum memoriæ suavissimæ et charissimæ | Conjugis ELIZABETHÆ, ornatissimæ Matris | IUDAETHÆ et trium Inſantolorum, posuit | amantissimus mætissimus Maritus | Filius Pater, IOSEPHUS MOORE, | Med. Dr. Oxon, Anno | Domini 1640.

"Qui jam orbus donec cognati conjungantur | pulveres meliorari non ambit, non obnixe | rogat quam similiter Vivere, Mori | Esse.

Sleepe, Saints, & when your Easter's come about,
A Trumpe will call, the world will light you out."

"ELIZABETHA filia Henrici | Harewell, de civitat. Covent. | in comitat civit Coventr. | Armig. obiit puerperi, 15 | Maii, (eodem quo et nata est.) | Anno Domini 1640, ætatis suæ 23. |

"IUDAEETHA filia Thomæ Edmonds | de comitat. Devon, Armig. Uxor Johannis Moore, Dorcest. Gene | rosi. Obiit xi die Septembr. | anno Domini 1636, ætatis suæ 72."

"Memento Mori."

Thus translated—

"Sacred to the memory of my sweetest and dearest Wife, Elizabeth, of my most distinguished mother Juditha, and three infant children ; erected by the most affectionate and sorrowful Husband, Son and Father, Joseph Moore, Doctor of Medicine at Oxford, A.D. 1640."

"Till the union of our kindred dust, he who is now a widower, strives not, asks not importunately for any better lot than to live and die and be like them.”

"Elizabeth, daughter of Henry Harewell, of the City of Coventry, in the County of the City of Coventry, esquire, died in childbirth 15th May, (also the one born) A.D. 1640. Her age was 23."

"Judith daughter of Thomas Edmonis, of the County of Devon, esquire, wife of John Moore, of Dorchester, gentleman, Died the 11th day of September, A.D. 1636. Her age was 72."

"Remember Death."

 

C.

This tomb is commonly called Wade's tomb. On the front are six figures, three each, male and female ; on the end three figures, two males, one female. The top shews that there has been two figures, canopy and inscription plates in brass, also a brass band round the edge.

It is upon Dugdale's authority that this is called Wade's tomb, and he thus describes it:—

"On a raised tomb there are on the side seven shields of coats of arms defaced, among the rest a chevron frete, a chevron between three,—motto, 'Ryen Savnce Travayle,' with nine images in basso relievo; at the head azure, on a bend two striped carnatures, empaling 1 and 4 a chevron frete, 2 and 3 on a chevron, two mullets and a crescent between three roundlets."

In 1536 Christopher Wade was Mayor.

1557 a John Wayd, mercer, lived in Coventry.

1630 Mr. Wade paid 10 shillings to the vestry for liberty to repair the vault in the Church where his ancesters are buried. In Bubbenhall Church was a stone with same arms and motto, to Katherine, daughter of Edward Draper, of Bubbenhall, and wife of Samuel Wade, of Whoberley, Dec. 18, 166-

 

D.

This tomb formerly stood in the Drapers' Chapel. On the front in basso relievo are the figures of Nethmyl and his wife and ten children, in the attitude of prayer; between them a shield of arms impaling those of the Drapers' Company, (plate viii.), above is a scroll, having the following inscription, springing from the shield and dividing the scroll is a representation of our Saviour on the Cross-

"Hic jacet Julianus Nethermyl, pan'ari', q'nda' Maior huj Civitas, qui obiit xi die me'sis Aprilis, an'o d’ni mvxxxix, et Johan'a uxor eju', quoru' a' i'abus propitietur Deus. Amen."

Translated—

"Here lies Julius Nethermyl, draper, sometime Mayor of this City, who died 11th day of April, Ann. Dom. 1539; and Joan his wife, on whose souls may God be gracious. Amen."

Julius Nethermyl was Mayor in 1522. As a draper, there is a record in a book in the Augmentation Office to this effect—

1536, April 24. "It'm owyng to Julyne Nethermyll of Coventrey, drap' for lyve’y clothe that the late Abbot (of Stoneley) bought of hym, as apperithe by a byll of reconying thereof made the 17th day of June, in the 26th yere of the reign of o'r Sove'ing Lord Kynge Henrye the Eyhth. 121 155 5d."

In 1534 the Manor of Exhall was passed to him by Sir Thomas Butler, of Warrington, co-Lancaster; it was afterwards sold by his great grandchild, John Nethermyl, to Sir John Garratt, Alderman of London.

 

E.

This Tomb, which formerly stood at the East end of the Lady Chapel, is of fine alabaster, richly carved. On one end are the family arms, (plate viii.) and on the front is a large panel, with following inscription-

"Unto the memorie of William
Stanley, late Citizen and Maister of
the Worshipfull Companie of Mar-
chant Taylors London and one of
the Maisters of St. Bartholomewes
Hospitall, in Smithfield in the said Citie;
Borne in the Citie of Coventrie &
late Maister of the Worshipfull
Companie of Drapers here.

"He gave sundrie Legacies
to the good of the aforesaid
Hospitall and of this Citie and
departed this life the XVII
of December 1640 Ætatis
Suæ LXXXI 11 monethes

"Ioane his mournful
widowe hath erected this Monument."

William Stanley gave to the Mayor and Corporation, and also to the Drapers' Company, £100 each, to be lent out to young freemen without interest, also £100 to the Mayor to be given to 10 young freemen in Coventry

Pl. VIII.

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or London, and £100 to the Drapers' Company, to employ and set on work poor children when the Drapery should be made a workhouse. There were also other gifts, including £20 for the repairs of the Church.

 

F.

This large tomb of black marble and veined pillars formerly stood within rails, together with another to Lady Kath Berkeley, (now gone,) on the North side of the Drapers' Chapel. On the end are the family arms, (plate viii.), on the front two panels, one has the crest of the Berkeleys, and the other the following inscription-

"Here lyeth expectinge a joyful resurrec-
tion the body of Sr Thomas Berkeley, Knight
onely sonne of the Right Honble Henry Lo
Berkeley and of the Lady Katherine his wife
Sister of Thomas Howard late Dyke of Nor-
folke, who by Elizabeth his wife (sole Dav-
ghter and heire of the right Honorable
George Lo: Hvngdon Lord Chamberlayne to
our late Soveraigne Lady Queen
Elizabeth,) left issue George and Theophila
the onely children of 6 whom death had
spared to attend their fathers funerall,
and to bee the comfort of their mother; for
to whose perpetval memory shee hath erected
this her husbands monument.
In which also lyeth the body of Henry
the youngest of their children.
The said Thomas Berkeley deceased
the XXII day of November 1611

Ætatis suæ 37

and the said Henry his sonne deceased
the 4th day of March following."

This great house of Berkeley (originally of Gloucestershire,) on the death of Edw. VI., Henry 12th Lord Berkeley by descent from the Mowbrays and Segraves became possessed of Caludon, where he died, 1613, and was buried in the Chapel of Berkeley Castle. He married the daughter of Thomas Howard, Duke of Norfolk, she died at Caludon, 1596, and was buried with great pomp in S. Michael's Church, her tomb near to Sir Thomas Berkeley's has now passed away, but Dugdale gives a drawing of it. At her funeral the preacher summed up her virtues by saying that she was never heard to swear.'

Sir Thos. Berkeley, their only son, was born at Caludon, 1515, where he died, Nov. 22, 1611. Three years before his father's decease, the same year he had been elected Alderman for Gosford Street Ward; an infant son born after his death, March 4, 1612, was also buried in the same place. His heir, Lord George, was educated at the Coventry Grammar School, 1612, by the celebrated Dr. Holland; he afterwards removed with his family to London, and so ended the connection of this family with Coventry, which had existed for nearly 100 years.