A HISTORY OF NORTHAMPTONSHIRE 



King's Serjeant and Speaker of the House of 

 Commons, died 1633, and that of his wife, 

 Temperance Bray. He wears a triple ruff, 

 and the coif and gown of a 'serjeant of the 

 law ware and wise.' Both figures appear to 

 be from the hand of Nicholas Stone. 



Sir Richard Knic.hilev, died 153+, and 

 Joan his wife. Fawsley. 



The alabaster portrait effigies of this worthy 

 member of an ancient family and his wife 

 lie upon a Renaissance tomb of much the same 

 character as that of Sir Robert Brudenell at 

 Deane. The sides are divided into four com- 

 partments. On the north are four female 

 figures, and in each division on the south two 

 male figures. The east end abuts against the 

 respond of the arch, and at tlie west is the 

 Knightley achievement (as on the tabard) sur- 

 mounted by a helmet with mantling and crest. 



Sir Richard Knightley wears a tabard 

 blazoned with arms on the front and each 

 sleeve. Over the tabard is a collar of SS, from 

 which is suspended a Tudor rose. This 

 marked the position of Gentleman Usher 

 Extraordinary to the King. Round the neck 

 is the mail gorget, and under the tabard ap- 

 pear the upright neck guards of the pauldrons, 

 and below it the large tuilles over the mail 

 skirt. The knees are protected by articulated 

 genouilleres, and the feet by plain round-toed 

 soUerets, unusual at this period, when broad 

 soUerets were in full fashion. Inside the tilt- 

 ing helm, upon which the head rests, is a 

 loose lining of mail, reaching beyond the 

 edge ; this was to defend that part of the 

 neck where the headpiece and gorget come 

 in contact. 



Dame Joan Knightley, daughter and heir 

 of Henry Skennard, wears the pedimental 

 head-dress, a partlet embroidered at the neck, 

 a waistcote, to which are attached divided 

 sleeves, connected at intervals by points or 

 laces, a kirtle of ermine, a gown, and over all 

 a heraldic mantle, showing that the original 

 was embroidered with the same Knightley 

 quarterings and impaled coats as are exhibited 

 on the knight's tabard, and on the achieve- 

 ment at the west end of the tomb — a striking 

 costume. 



In all probability both effigies are as careful 

 portraits as could under the circumstances be 

 produced. 



The alabaster effigy of the lord of Faws- 

 ley 's eldest son, Richard Knightley of 

 Upton, together with that of his wife Jane, 

 eldest daughter of the first Sir John Spencer, 

 remain at Upton in a greatly disfigured state, 

 the monument having been destroyed before 

 the time of Bridges. The knight is shown 



wearing a gorget and a standard of mail, a 

 collar of SS and a tabard, below which the 

 usual tuiles and mail skirt appear. The 

 culettes and taces are seen at the side, the 

 elbows are protected by plain coudidres, the 

 knees by articulated genouilleres, and the feet 

 shod with articulated soUerets, and armed with 

 long-necked spurs. The lady is habited in 

 the usual gown, kirtle and mantle of the time, 

 and her long hair flows from a plain caul with 

 a jewelled edge. She wears gold chains, a 

 collar of SS, a girdle and a rosary. Richard 

 Knightley succeeded his father at Fawsley in 

 1534 and died in 1537. 



William Parr, Lord Parr of Horton. 

 Died 1546, and Mary Lady Parr. Horton. 



The alabaster portrait effigies of Lord and 

 Lady Parr lie upon a tomb of the same stone 

 and of the same Renaissance character as those 

 of Brudenell at Deane and Knightley at 

 Fawsley, in the midst of the chancel. Both 

 figures are very delicately sculptured, and of 

 the best work of the time, the greatest care 

 having been bestowed by the sculptor upon 

 the waving curls of Lord Parr's hair and 

 patriarchal beard. He is represented in 

 armour, with remarkably large upright pass- 

 guards protecting the neck, and formed by 

 turning back the upper members of the 

 pauldrons which cover the shoulders. The 

 waist is encircled by tassets, from which large 

 channelled tuiles are suspended over the mail 

 skirt. The coudieres no longer have the 

 exaggerated form of the preceding century, 

 and are ornamented with an incised pattern. 

 The knees are protected by plain genouilleres, 

 kept in place by straps passing behind and 

 fastened by screws. The feet are covered 

 with the broad-toed soUerets, and take the 

 form of the general civil costume then in 

 fashion, as was usually the case with armour. 

 From the back quillon of the sword plain 

 gauntlets of plate are suspended by a loop, no 

 doubt representing the actual practice in real 

 military life, and on the right side of the 

 figure a heavy dagger or ' ballok-knyf ' is 

 hung from a cord round the waist, at the 

 bottom of the plain ridged breastplate. The 

 head rests upon the tilting helm, exhibiting 

 the usual loose lining of mail of the time, 

 which protected the neck, and is surmounted 

 by the crest. Over the shoulders is worn 

 a collar of SS from which a Tudor rose 

 depends. This signifies the wearer's attach- 

 ment to the royal person as Lord Chamber- 

 lain to his niece Queen Katherine Parr. 



The effigy of Lady Parr lies on the left 

 side of that of her gallant husband, and is a 

 good example of a splendid and peculiar cos- 



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