MONUMENTAL EFFIGIES 



garet Spencer's death in childbed. The 

 head rests on two cushions, rich in flowing 

 arabesques. From the fact, as stated in the 

 inscription, that ' Robert Lord Spencer built 

 this monume't in his life anno I599>' both 

 effigies must be taken as faithful portraits. 



Although not an effigy, the very singular 

 memorial in white marble of Sir Edward 

 Spencer (died 1655), fourth son of Lord 

 Spencer, may not be omitted from these ac- 

 counts. It consists of a pedestal supporting an 

 urn out of which arises the life-size portrait 

 bust in armour. The urn is flanked on the 

 right and left sides respectively by a square 

 and a round column and of the same height 

 as the urn. The right hand is placed on the 

 heart, the left resting on a book, the action 

 probably signifying that by the aid of the 

 Book the dead man will rise from his funeral 

 urn. 



The final sentence of the Latin inscription 

 on the marble urn is as follows : — ' Maria 

 uxor charissima monume'tu' hoc ipse ut 

 descripsit viv', honoris et amoris ergo mortuo 

 erexit.' 



In one of the ' Note Books' of Nicholas Stone 

 in the Soane Museum is the following entry : 

 ' In ano 1656 I set up a tombe for Sir 

 Edward Spencer att Brainton neare Althrop 

 in Northamptonshire for w"^'' I had Li 64.' 



Dame Elizabeth Carey. Died 1630. 

 Stowe-nine-Churches. 



This beautiful white marble effigy repre- 

 sents Lady Carey in a richly embroidered 

 bodice or gown, and a mantle lined ermine. 

 The head is covered with a coverchief, a feature 

 very characteristic of the works of Nicholas 

 Stone. This is justly considered his master- 

 piece. It was set up in Lady Carey's life- 

 time, and must therefore be an accurate por- 

 trait. In the sculptor's ' Note Book' in the 

 Soane Museum the following entry occurs : 

 'The 1 6th of March, 161 7, I undertokc to 

 mak a tombe for my Lady, mother to my 

 Lord Da'vcrs, which was all of whit marbell 

 and touch, and I set it up at Stow of the nine 

 chirches in Northampton some two year after, 

 one altertomb for the wich I had ^^220.' 



Elizabeth, youngest daughter of John 

 Nevill Lord Latimer, by Lucy, daughter of 

 Henry Somerset second Earl of Worcester, 

 married first Sir John Danvers, and secondly 

 Sir Edward Carey, third son of Henry Lord 

 Hunsdon. Her own alliances as well as 

 those of her six daughters and her third and 

 youngest son — together with the coats of her 

 two elder sons and her seventh daughter — are 

 displayed on white marble oval shields on 

 the tomb of ' touch.' 



Sir William Dove, died 1633, and Dames 

 Frances and Dorothy his wives. Upton, 

 near Peterborough. 



Under a large canopied altar-tomb, sup- 

 ported by four Ionic columns, the whole of 

 Barnack rag, lies the effigy of the knight 

 carved in fine red stone, between those of his 

 two wives. He wears the usual armour of 

 his time, and lies upon a platted mattress, 

 rolled up to form a support for the head. 

 The rugged countenance, with its wrinkles 

 and warts, are evidences of an accurate por- 

 trait. The figure of Dame Frances is also in 

 fine red stone, and the face clearly a likeness. 

 She wears a falling ruff or band edged with 

 lace, a bodice, and a gown with slashed 

 virago sleeves, lace-edged ruffles, and a cover- 

 chief over the head. Dame Dorothy wears a 

 hood a calcche, falling ruff, loose body with 

 narrow bodice, gown and mantle. This 

 elegant portrait effigy is carved in clunch, and 

 doubtless all of them arc the work of Nicholas 

 Stone. 



William Lord Spencer, died 1636, and 

 Penelope his wife. Brington. 



The tomb of this nobleman is a very stately 

 erection. It consists of a large basement table 

 of black and white marble ; upon this is 

 placed a low altar-tomb of ' touch,' sustaining 

 the white marble effigies. Above them rises a 

 lofty canopy supported upon eight Corinthian 

 pillars of black marble with white capitals. 

 On the tomb and canopy are numerous 

 impalements and quarterings of Spencer, and 

 a long Latin inscription at the east end of the 

 tomb. The effigies are very delicately sculp- 

 tured in every respect, and are of course faith- 

 ful portraits, having been set up in 1638, 

 twenty-nine years before the death of Lady 

 Spencer. Her noble husband is shown wear- 

 ing a pique devant beard and a falling band 

 edged with lace. He is habited in peer's robes, 

 well disposed and lined ermine. The badge 

 of the Order of the Bath hangs from a broad 

 ribbon, and a very elegant sword, with an 

 escallop shell at the hilt, lies free on his right. 

 Lady Spencer wears Stone's characteristic 

 coverchief over the head, and a lace collar 

 richly decorated with jewels and SS for 

 Spencer. She is habited in a loose gown 

 with wide sleeves and double lace cuffs, and 

 the mantle of a peeress lined ermine. The 

 hands are long and slender, and the counten- 

 ance betokens the nobility of her character. 

 The cushions of both effigies are rich with 

 arabesque patterns very beautifully executed. 

 The monument is the work of Nicholas 

 Stone, and his ' Note Book ' records that it was 

 erected at the cost of ;^6oo, the figure of 



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