in some of the Churches near Chippenham. 241 



•Holy Trinity; on her left, the arms of the Dauntsey family, of 

 II which she was the heiress. Over her head is a label bearing her 

 I name, Anne Danvers-, while from her uplifted hands issues another 

 label with the words " Due miserere mei." The inscription is : — 



" What vayleth yt Riches or what possession 

 Gyftes of high nature, nobles in gentry 

 Dafteness depuryd * or pregnant pollycy, 

 Sith prowes, sith power have their progression : 

 Ffate it is fatall on selff succession. 

 That world hath no thing that smellith not frealtie 

 Where most assurance, is most unsuertie. 

 Here lieth Dame Anne the lady of Dauntsey 

 To Syr John Danvers spowse in conjunction, 

 To Syr John Dauntsey by lyne discencion 

 Cosyn and Heire ; whose herytage highlye 

 Fastely be firmed in Christe his Mancion." 



Thus then have I endeavored to bring before you a few partic- 

 ulars relating to these ancient monuments which have come down 

 1 to us from bygone times : shewing their utility to the Chronologist, 

 j the Historian, the Herald, the Artist, and the Architect ; while to us 

 ' Archaeologists they are objects of interest, as showing the 

 \ character and customs and arts and doings and belongings of our 

 remote ancestors, many of them famous in their own times, and 

 who live still in the pages of history, though their bodies are 

 turned to dust. Reminding all at the same time of the end of all 

 men here below : " dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return. — 

 " Memento homo, quia pulvis es, et in pulverem reverteris." 



We may listen to the voice of some of these ancient monumental 

 figures who seem to say to us — " Siquis eris qui transiris, sta, 

 perlege, plora : sum ceu eris, fueramque quod es : pro me precor, 

 ora." 



* Dafteness, seems to mean folly, ignorance. Depuryd, purified ; done away, like dross from metal. 

 So "daftness depuryd " would mean <• ignorance removed " (that wisdom might take its place). 



