1806.] 
Though even at this early period we can 
adduce one inftance of polthumous flarte- 
ry, in the infcription attributed to Lau- 
rentius, 1176, one of the three abbots 
whofe tombs are ftill lying in the cloilter 
at Wetiminfler. 
Clauditur hoc tumulo vir quondam clarus in 
orbe 
Quo preciarus erat hic locus, eft, et erit. 
Pro meritis vite dedit illi laurea nomen, 
Detur ci vi.@ laurea pro meritis. 
Early in the thirteenth century we be- 
gin to find the epitaph in French: and 
with thefe, it fhould fem, promifes of 
abdfolution to juch {peGtators as might pray 
for the dccealed were introduced. The 
more commen epitaphs, however, which 
were written in the French tongue, were 
like that for William de Tracy, one of 
the murderers of Archbifhop Becket, 
1223. 
Syre Guillaume de Tracy gift icy. Dieu de 
fon alme eyt mercy. 
Weever gives a longer infcription for 
Robert the third Earl of Oxford, 1221, 
which throws light upon a point we have 
already mentioned. 
Sire Robert de Veer le premier Count de 
Oxenford le tierz git ici. Dieu de lame fi lui 
pleft face merci. Ki pur l’alme priera xu 
jors de pardon avera, 4 Pater nofter, &c. 
Henry IlI:’s, in 1272, ftill remains em- 
bofied round the ledge of his tomb in old 
capitals. 
Ici: gift: Henri:-iadis: Rey: de: Engletere: 
Seygnur: de: Hirlaunde: e Nuc: de: Aqvi- 
tayne: le fiz: li Rey : Johan: tadis Rey de En- 
gle:ere: a ki: Dieu: face: merci: Amen. 
The epitaph of Bithop Gravefend, 
1279, isa profeffion of faith. 
Ego Richardus guondam Epifcopus Lin- 
colnienfis credo quod Redemptor meus vivit 
et in noviflimo die de terra refurreCturus fum 
et rurfum Ccircumdabor pelle mea, et in carne 
mea videbo Deum falvatorem meum. 
The infcription for Urien de St. Piere, 
(who died s295,) in the church-yard of 
St. Pere, by Chepftow, exhibirs another 
formule of the epitaph in French, though 
it has been but imperfeétly preferved. 
Ici git le cors de Sene Pere 
Preez pur li en bon manere 
Ke Jefu pur fa paifun 
de phecez li done pardun. Amen, Pr. 
Another, which we quote from Dug- 
dale’s Baronage, for John de Warren the 
feventh Earl of Surrey, who died 1304, 
begins very much i the manner of that 
for Edward the Black Prince at Canter- 
bury. 
The Antiquary. 
419 
Vous ge paffer ov bowche clofe, 
Prier pur cely ke cy repofe : 
En vie come vous efti jadis fu, 
Et voustiel, ferretz come je fu; 
Sire Johan ap de Garenne gift ycy 5 
Dieu de fa allme eit mercy. 
Ky pur fa alme prierra. 
Troiz mill jours de pardon avera. 
S:ill however it is very rarely that we 
meet with an epitaph written in the vul- 
gar tongue. There is one at Thornhill, 
in Yorkfhire, or at leaft it was there fome 
years az0, which may perhaps be alcribed 
to the early part of the fourteeath century, 
Ir is rude, but curious; and was placed 
over one of the Savil family. 
Bonys emongg ftonys lys ful 
fteyl, gwylfte the fawle wan- 
-deris were that God wylethe. 
But till the middle of the fourteenth 
century the French epitaph continued ; 
when we find titles and offices frequently 
recorded, At the church of Kingfweer, 
ia Devonfhire, we have one in rhyme. 
Vos qui ici venez 
Pur Valme Philip priez, 
Trente jours de pardon 
Serra voftre gwerdun. 
Toward the middle of this, and al! 
through the next century, inferiptions in 
the vernacular tongue more frequently oc- 
cur. Blomefieid has prelerved’ a curious 
fpecimen of the Englith of the time, in 
one at Holm church, in Norfolk, about 
1404. 
Henry Notingham and his wyf lyn here 
That mayden this ¢hurch, ftepull, and querey 
Two vefiments and bellez they made alfoy 
Chrift them fave therefore fro wo ! 
And to bringe ther foules to bles of heven 
Saith Pater and Ave with mylde fteven. 
And Mr. Gough, in the Sepulchral 
Monumests, whence many of the epi- 
taphs in the prefent paper have been taken, 
gives the following from the church of St. 
Peter, at St. Alban’s, 1420. 
Inthe yere of Chrift on theufand and four 
hundryd ful trew with four and fixteen 
I Richard Skipwith gentylman in birth, late 
fellow of New Inne, 
In my age twenti on my fowl partyd from the 
body in Auguft the 16th day 
And now I ly herabyding God’s mercy under 
this fton in clay, 
Defyring yow that this {al fee unto the Mey= 
den pray for mee 
That bare both God and Man, 
Like as ye wold that other for ye fhold 
When ye ne may nor can. 
The clergy and religious, however, ftill 
preferred Latin, perhaps as their more fa- 
miliar idiom ; and one er two inftances 
3H2 OCCUry 
