126 
THE MONUMENTAL BRASSES OF WARWICKSHIRE. 
and lie wears a moustache and pointed beard. At the ends 
of a prayer-desk, before which lie stands, kneel his wives. 
The one upon his right hand wears a liigh-crowned hat with 
narrow curled brim, over a “ Paris head;” a ruff, an outer 
gown open down the front and confined by a sash, and an 
under dress. The wife on the left side is similarly dressed, but 
without the hat. Her French hood is depressed in the centre. 
Below the former wife kneel three girls and a boy ; under 
the latter, three boys and two girls, a prayer-desk separating 
the groups. The girls are dressed like the lady last described; 
the boys wear short doublets, knee-breeches, hose, and shoes. 
At the mayor’s right hand are the arms of Coventry, at his 
left those of Whithead. 
There is the following somewhat fanciful inscription :— 
Carmen in obitvm viri charissimi Johannis Whit¬ 
head QUONDA PrAETORIS HUIUS CIVITATIS DlGNISSIMI. 
Roma Nvma jactat decorat Lacedaemona prisca 
Jvsta Therapnaevs jvra Lycvrgvs agens. 
Non minor est nobis praeciso stamine vitae, 
Qvi JACET HIC CLAVSVS LVMINE CASSVS HVMO. 
VlRTVTIS CVRSV CONSTANS AtHLETA JeHOVAE, 
0 QVAM LONGE ABERAT SVBDOLA GrAECA FIDES. 
MoRTVVS ANTE DIEM PROH, SAEVO FVNERE RAPTVS 
Tempore praetvrae, mortvvs ante diem. 
Tempore praetvrae, tribvs et plus partibvs anni 
Officio fvnctvs, scandit in astra poli. 
In English thus:—Epitaph upon the death of the well- 
beloved John Whithead, sometime most worshipful mayor 
of this city. 
Rome boasts of Numa : ancient Sparta’s famed 
For equal laws by her Lycurgus framed. 
As great our chief who, in death’s gloom profound, 
His life-thread snapt, here rests beneath the ground. 
God’s steadfast champion in virtue’s race, 
No subtle Grecian guile might him disgrace. 
Ere his day, dead, to cruel fate a prey, 
He died in harness, ah ! died ere his day. 
He died in harness, scarce a year was given 
In which to rule, ere he was called to heaven. 
For an illustration of this brass see Poole, p. 140. 
Mention should here be made of an ancient brass tablet, 
dated 1568, now in St. Mary’s Hall, on which are engraved 
the conditions of the lease of Cheylesmore Park, granted by 
the Duke of Northumberland to the Mayor, Bailiffs, anil 
Commonalty of Coventry. 
(To be continued.) 
