Page:Archaeological Journal, Volume 6.djvu/326

 196 PROCEEDINGS AT MEETINGS OF In the church of Darley or Derley, between Matlock and Bakewell, are, or at least, -were, in August, 1802, two brasses of the seventeenth century, each having the name of the person by whom the inscriptions upon them were engraved. The brasses are affixed to slabs of black marble, and commemorate the husband and a son of Frances Senior, one of several heiresses, not sisters, of the ancient family of Columbell. The first is for the husband, Anthony Senior, of Cowley, gentleman, who died February 14, 1654. There are a few Greek lines engraved : — " F. P. composuit. — Rob. Thorpe fabricavit." The other is for the son, Richard Senior, who died when four years old, June 30, 1656. This has Latin verses. — " Robert Thorpe in Sheffield the carver." Mr. Minty communicated the following interesting letter, found by him amongst some old family papers, which had descended to him from the D'Oyley family, and containing a contemporary relation of the circumstances relating to the assassination of the Duke of Buckingham by Felton : — " I know the newes w^' occasioneth these my present letters is soe greate, as that it is w*^ you before the Carryer, yet because the reporters are many, and that I conceive the truth will bee welcome to you, w^h the circumstances precedant, concomitant, and subsequent, I will bee bold to trouble you, w"^'! soe much and soe many as are taken notice of here ; That the Duke is slaine I thinke is noe. newes to you, the place, at Ports- mouth in the howse wher hee lodged, the time Saterday morning last, about Eleven of the clocke ; The man by whom, M'' John Felton, a Gen- tleman who was a Lieutenant in the Voiage to Ree, wher his captaine beeing slaine, hee challendged to have (as appertaining to him in right of succession) his Captaines place ; of w<^'i hee was not onely put-by, but by the Duke at his returne dismiss'd and slighted. For the man and his life, such as is seldome heard-of in a Souldier : noe quarreller, never knowne to bee drunke, never heard to sweare, nor ever observd to bee a wanton, soe as hee was termed the Puritan-Soiddier ; And soe well grounded in Reli- gion as hee protests hee undertooke not this bloudy worke to revenge any Injury done himselfe, but to free liis Country, and will not allow the Divell was his Temptour, but God to bee the mover therimto. The Immediate Act of the Dukes that did pr'cede, and is here most noted, is that the Fryday night next before his Tragedy hee slew a Marriner w'^'^ his owne hande. The observations in the act are the manner and his last and all the words he spake. For the first yee have already heard this Felton was a man discarded, soe that his attendance and all seeming opportunities were removed, and him-selfe retyr'd w^'i a resolution never more to have sought employment, but walknig in Holborne about ten dayes before, it came suddainely in his minde : That he must deliver his Country by killing the Duke, w^^'' the horridnesse wher-of beeing much troubled hee presently retyres to his Chamber, & upon his knees most earnestly besought God to remove that temptation, and soe continued in prayer 3 nights and dayes together, but the suggestion continueing still strong w^l^in him, and giveing noe rest, a present opportunity was offer 'd by the death of some Captaine for him to move the Duke, by conferring upon him that place to recom- pence the former injury in rejecting him. W^'i this occasion, and the Continuance of the former suggestion, hee goes for Portsmouth, comes to the Duke in his owne lodging attended w^'' friends and servants, followes