Page:Notes and Queries - Series 11 - Volume 3.djvu/196

 190

NOTES AND QUERIES. tn s. m. MAS. 11, 1011.

Public. These examinations were at Eccles- hall Castle, but the notary's place of abode is not stated. Is it known where Richard Baddeley lived, and to what family he belonged ? DIEGO.

LADY (JLOONEY'S (MRS. JANE

MOLONY'S) EPITAPH.

(US. iii. 108, 154.)

THEBE can be practically no doubt that the so-called Lady O'Looney epitaph is a poor, abbreviated, and corrupt reproduction of Mr 5. Jane Molony's existing epitaph, and that it never had any place in Pewsey Church. The real epitaph is on one of the walls inside the chapel of St. George's burial-ground in the Bayswater Road (see 10 S. vii. 13, 135, 198).

The chapel was pulled down in or about 1893, and rebuilt at the expense of Mrs. Russell Gurney. I visited it when it was in a state of devastation, and got the fore- man of the works to show me the tablet bearing Mrs. Molony's epitaph, then among the tablets which had been taken down. When the chapel had been rebuilt it was put up on the south wall inside, but so high up that one cannot read a word of it without mounting a ladder.

Having read in the editorial note to the query that Mr. E. R. Suffling had in his years ago" I went to the chapel to-day (February llth) and learned from the care- taker that the tablet is still there, though apparently he had not known of it until quite recently. He had ascertained the fact by mounting a ladder. I could not this time read a word of it, although I had a pair of opera glasses. The complete epitaph is given in the Appendix (p. 184) of ' Antiente Epitaphes,' collected by Thomas F. Raven- shaw, 1878.
 * Epitaphia ' written of " its removal a few

The heading of the copy is-

" 1839. Mrs. Jane Molony (' Lady O'Looney ')," and a foot-note says :

" In a very mutilated form this epitaph has long been current as that of ' Lady O'Looney,' & was said to be found at Pewsey, Wilts."

As showing that this old and often re- peated story is a fabrication, I may mention that Ravenshaw's prefatory remarks are dated " Pewsey Rectory, Wilts, 1878." It would appear to be impossible that the " Lady O'Looney " epitaph could ever have

existed in Pewsey without hi 3 knowledge. Although it is very long I think that room might well be found for the true epitaph in ' N. & Q.'

" Sacred to the Memory of | Mrs. Jane Molony I who lies interred in a vault underneath this chapel | daughter of Antony Shee of Castle Bar in the county of | Mayo Esqre | who was married to miss Burke of Curry in the said j county | and cousin to the rt honble Edmond Burke commonly | called the sublime | whose bust is here surmounted or subjoined | the said Jane was cousin to the late countess of | Buckingham- shire | and was married to three successive husbands first | Stuart esqre | cousin to the late marquis of Bute ; secondly to William | Collins Jackson | of Langley lodge in the county of Bucks formerly | military secretary | to the hon : east India Company in India esqre | thirdly Edmond Molony of Clonony Castle King's county | Ireland esqre | barrister at law and late, of Woodlands in the county | of Dublin | cousin to the earl of Roscommon, who is brother in law | of the | present earl of Shrewsbury and also cousin of lord viscount Dillon | of Costollo and Gallon in the kingdom of Ireland | the first wife of the said Edmond Molony was Jane | Malone I who is interred in the demesne of Barinstown | in the county of Westmeath with her | brother in law Antony Malone esqre, and also with I her cousins lord Sunderlin | and his predeceased brother Edmond Malone commonly | called | Shakspear Malone late of Queen Anne street east London | she was daughter of sergeant Richard Malone an' | eminent lawyer and | a great states- man who possessed great estates in the | said King's county | and niece to the rt. honble Antony Malone deceased | who was greatly | regretted of whom it was said by one of the most | elegant writers | of the day that he possessed one of the sweetest tongues | that ever uttered the dictates of reason | he was a great patriot and refused the great seals of | Ireland the situation | being at the pleasure of the crown while chancellor | of the exchequer | of Ireland from which he was removed without cause | or his own consent | he availed himself of the judicial place attached to it | and sat on the bench above the chief baron and decided | many cases | which gave general satisfaction and his decrees were | never questioned | he died 1776 aged 76 ] the said mrs Molony other- wise Malone died at said | Woodlands | in February 1808 aged 59 | the said mrs Molony otherwise Shee died in London in | January 1839 | aged 74 | she was hot passionate and tender drawer | in water colours which was much admired in the | exhibition room in | Somerset house some years past
 * and a highly accomplished lady and a superb

" though lost for ever, yet a friend is dear the heart yet pays a tributary tear."

" this monument was erected by her deeply afflicted | husband the | said Edmond Molony in memory of her great virtues | and talents f beloved and deeply regretted by all who knew her | for of such is the kingdom of heaven."

Ravenshaw adds :

Chapel of s. George's Burying Ground, London, [Copied May, 1877.]