James Ley, Larl of Marlborough. 87 
than it is the custom to do in these days, and I must say that I 
think the archeologist of two hundred years hence will regret the 
banishment from our Churches of epitaphs and heraldic devices. 
They are contributions to history which will be much missed in 
coming generations. This epitaph records that James Ley was the 
sixth son of Henry Ley, of Teffont Evias, who, having in his youth 
applied himself to the study of the law, by the greatness of his 
merits passed through all its stages until he reached its highest 
rank. After having served as Chief Justice of the Queen’s Bench 
in Ireland, he was made Attorney-General of the Court of Wards 
and Liveries, from which he was promoted to the office of Lord 
Chief Justice of England. He wasa knight and baronet. James I. 
made him Baron Ley, of Ley, in Devonshire, and Lord Treasurer, 
and by Charles I. he was advanced to the earldom of Marlborough, 
and made Lord President of the Council. He was three times 
married. His first wife was Mary, daughter of John Petty, of 
Stoke Talmage, in Oxfordshire. and by her he had issue three sons 
and eight daughters. After her death he married Mary, widow of 
Sir William Bowyer; and lastly Jane, daughter of Lord Butler, of 
Bramfield, by neither of whom he had any issue. He died at 
Lincolns Inn, the place he loved the most, on the 14th of March, 
1628. 
The outline of his life is thus recorded on his tomb, and if all 
epitaphs were as explicit, it would be more easy than it often is to 
write the histories of great men of former generations. His father, 
Henry Ley, belonged to an ancient Devonshire family, the Leys of 
Canon’s Ley, in Bere Ferrers, but he appears to have removed from 
his native county, and established himself at Teffont Evias. He 
must have been a man of considerable means, since he fought at the 
head of his own men at the siege of Boulogne. James was his 
(sam ifn allies ai Mies 
_ (publicis usque ad declivem «etatem Magistratibus bene functis) senio confectus, 
- animam de patrid optime meritam placidé morte Deo reddidit, Londini, in 
Hospitio Lincoln. sibi ante omnia dilectissimo, Mart. xiiii. Anno Salutis 
M.DC.XXVIII. 
“Henricus, Marlbrigii Comes, optimis Parentibus hoc, pro munere extremo, 
- monumentum uberibus lacrimis consecravit. 
