James Ley, Marc of Marlborough. 



87 



than it is the custom to do in these days, and I must say that I 

 think the archaeologist of two hundred years hence will regret the 

 banishment from our Churches of epitaphs and heraldic devices. 

 They are contributions to history which will be much missed in 

 coming generations. This epitaph records that James Ley was the 

 sixth son of Henry Ley, of Teffont Evias, who, having in his youth 

 applied himself to the study of the law, by the greatness of his 

 merits passed through all its stages until he reached its highest 

 rank. After having served as Chief Justice of the Queen's Bench 

 in Ireland, he was made Attorney-General of the Court of Wards 

 and Liveries, from which he was promoted to the office of Lord 

 Chief Justice of England. He was a knight and baronet. James I. 

 made him Baron Ley, of Ley, in Devonshire, and Lord Treasurer, 

 and by Charles I. he was advanced to the earldom of Marlborough, 

 and made Lord President of the Council. He was three times 

 married. His first wife was Mary, daughter of John Petty, of 

 Stoke Talmage, in Oxfordshire, and by her he had issue three sons 

 and eight daughters. After her death he married Mary, widow of 

 Sir William Bowyer; and lastly Jane, daughter of Lord Butler, of 

 Bramfield, by neither of whom he had any issue. He died at 

 Lincolns Inn, the place he loved the most, on the 14th of March, 

 1628. 



The outline of his life is thus recorded on his tomb, and if all 

 epitaphs were as explicit, it would be more easy than it often is to 

 write the histories of great men of former generations. His father, 

 Henry Ley, belonged to an ancient Devonshire family, the Leys of 

 Canon's Ley, in Bere Ferrers, but he appears to have removed from 

 his native county, and established himself at Teffont Evias. He 

 must have been a man of considerable means, since he fought at the 

 head of his own men at the siege of Boulogne. James was his 



(publicis usque ad declivem tetatem Magistratibus bene functis) senio coDfectus , 

 animam de patria optime meritam placida morte Deo reddidit, Londini, in 

 Hospitio Lincoln, sibi ante omnia dilectissimo, Mart, xiiii. Anno Salutis 

 M.DC.XXVIII. 



"Henricus, Marlbrigii Comes, optimis Parentibus hoc, pro munere extremo, 

 monumcntum uberibus lacrimis consecravit. 



