YETMINSTER CHURCH. 151 



with suns in splendour, the colours employed being white, red, and 

 black, and bands of colouring on the pillars of the arcades. One 

 boss on the nave roof is important. It bears a white horse's head, 

 bridled the Horsey crest indicating that the Horsey who 

 possessed Clifton Maybank at the date of the erection of the 

 nave, &c., was much concerned in the success of the work. It will 

 be interesting to endeavour to establish his identity. Assuming 

 that the internal decorations are coeval with the erection of the 

 building, the sun in splendour will show us that the nave dates 

 from the reign of Edward IV., 1461 83, who had adopted this 

 device as his badge, which stood him in so good stead at the Battle 

 of Barnet, 1471. We shall readily recall the lines in the third 

 part of Shakespeare's Henry VI., Scene II. : 



Edw. : Dazzle mine eyes, or do I see three suns ? 

 Rich. : Three glorious suns, each one a perfect sun ; 



Not separated with the racking clouds ; 



But sever'd in a pale clear shining sky. 



See ! see ! they join, embrace, and seem to kiss, 



As if they vow'd some league inviolable ; 



Now they are but one lamp, one light, one sun. 



In this the heaven figures some event. 

 Edw. : Tis wondrous strange, and like yet never heard of. 



I think it cites us, brother, to the field, 



That we, the sons of brave Plantagenet, 



Each one already blazing by our meeds, 



Should notwithstanding join our lights together 



And over-shine the earth as this the world. 



Whate'er it bodes, henceforward Avill I bear 



Upon my target three fair-shining suns. 



During this reign three Horsey s held in succession the Clifton 

 property Henry, who died 1461-2 ; Thomas, his brother, who 

 died 1468-9 ; and John, the son of the latter, who married the 

 heiress of Turges, and enjoyed the estate for the long period of 

 62 years, dying in 1531. Of these three possible builders the 

 first may be excluded as having died when the reign had scarce 

 commenced. We have then to choose between the father and son. 



