106 THE RHYMED CHRONICLE OF JOHN HARESTAFFE. 



And then his Corpes with full solemnitie 



To her greate charge were brought to Sudbury 



And lye interr'd w th in a Chappell there 



As by y e Monument may well appeare 



Which she erected to his memorie 



As soone as she had opportunities 



* Against the north wall of the Vernon chapel of the Parish Church of Sud- 

 bury is a handsome marble monument to the memory of John Vernon and 

 Mary his wife. The effigy of the husband, in late plate armour, with a small 

 ruff round the neck and wearijig a pointed beard, lies under an arch, and be- 

 neath it, on a projecting table-tomb, is the effigy of the wife. On the upper 

 part of the monument is the sixteen quartered coat of Vernon impaling the 

 four quartered coat of Littleton: — (i) Vernon, (2) Avenell, (3) Duversal, (4) 

 Camville, (5) Stackpole, (6) Pembrugge, (7) Vernon, with a canton, (8) Pype, 

 (9) Treamton, (10) Hodnet, (n) Spernor, (12) Montgomery, (13) old Mont- 

 gomery, (14) Swynnerton, (15) Swynnerton, within a bordure engrailed, (16) 

 Bond, — impaling (1) Westcote, (2) Littleton, (3) Quartermayne, (4) Bretton. 

 (The right to these quarterings is fully explained in Churches of Derbyshire, 

 vol. ii., p. 22; vol. iii., 321-2). At the east end of the tomb are the four 

 Littleton coats on a lozenge, and at the west end Vernon impaling Littleton. 

 On the face of the monument are the two following inscriptions : — 



" Here lyeth the bodye of John Vernon Esquier the sonne of Henry Vernd 

 sonne of Sr J5h Vernd knight and of Hellen one of the daughters & co-heires 

 of Sir John Montgomery by the which Hellen the mannor of Sudburie and 

 dyvers other lordshippes & landes lineallie descended unto the said John 

 Vernon who deceased at Upton in the Countie of Essex the 8 th day of July 

 ano dni 1600 ffrom whence his bodie was convayed & here interred and this 

 monument erected by Mary his wyffe daughter to Sir Edward Littleton of 

 Pillaton hall in the Countie of Staff knighte." 



" Here is interred ye bodie of Mary daughter of Sr Edw Littleto wife first 

 to Walter Vernon of Houndhill Esq to whom she bare 5 sonns and 4 

 daughters. After 7 years wydowhood she married John Vernon of Sudbury 

 Esq. whose lands (formrly past away for his redemption being enthrauled for 

 his friends by suertiship) were by her prudent endeavours redeemed and 

 brought to his disposinge who (havinge noe issue himself) appoynted the 

 Lordships of Sudbury and Aston with their members to her for life remainder 

 to her 3 sonns (then livinge) and their heirs male successively. And when 

 many assurances leases rent-charges annuities and guifts were by him 

 appointed to frends tenants servants and the poore which great adversaries 

 did oppose she (as a vertuous patronesse to them) with great care & travel 

 and at her own proper charges maintained their cause against their adver- 

 saries and brought the same to good effect to the great benefits of them 

 all. Such was her charitie and vertuous mind she built a mannor house at 

 Sudbury ; she contributed largely to the maintaininge of this church ; she 

 gave by will x li to y e poor of the parish and xx nobles to y e poore of 

 Marchington and rewards to every servant. And having lived vertuous 

 matrone 22 years in her later widowhood maintaininge good hospitalite to 

 the daily releefe of y e poore she willingly and in godly manner exchanged 

 this life for a better the 17 day of Dec. 1622 in y e 62 year of her age. 

 To whose memorie her eldest sonne Edward Vernon Esq. caused this 

 monument to be erected." 



