214 ANCIENT MEMORIAL BRASSES OF DORSET. 



illustrated article, " Some Additional Palimpsests," by Mr. 

 Mill Stephenson, B.A., F.S.A., in the Transactions of the 

 Monumental Brass Society, Vol. VI., pp. 80 and 81. 



I am able to give, for comparison with this Dorset example, 

 ecclesiastical palimpsests recently discovered by Mr. 

 Stephenson at Islington ; he has long been referred to 

 as an authority on palimpsests, and I cannot do better 

 than use his words to describe this singular plate. 



The Rev. W. G. Newman kindly - allowed me to 

 unscrew this brass, making my discovery of this portion of 

 an interesting ecclesiastical figure possible. 



PlDDLEHINTON ST. MARY. 



1. Mr. Thos. Browne, parson for 27 years 1617 set. 67, in 

 hat, holding staff and book, very small with 12 elegant verses, 

 peculiar, square plate, chancel. Haines. 



2. Inscription, John Chapman, 1494, North Aisle. 



Haines. 



THOMAS BROWNE. 



Position. On south wall of chancel. 



Size of plate. 15ins. high, ISJins. wide, figure Sins, by 

 2Jins. 



Description. Hutchins states : " In the Chancel, without 

 the rails, is a gravestone, with a brass plate, having in the 

 dexter corner the effigies of a man in a clerical habit, holding 

 a walking stick in his right hand and a book in the left." 



The dress is very peculiar and gives the effigy a square 

 appearance ; it is striped, including the very large sleeves, 

 which are gathered tightly at the wrists. Around the neck 

 is a large ruff, the whole surmounted by a broad brimmed high 

 crowned hat with a twisted ribbon. Thomas Browne, M.A., 

 was instituted to Piddlehinton in 1590, and, dying in 1617, 

 was, as stated in this brass, " parson of this place seaven and 

 twentie yeares." 



