Page:The Monumental Inscriptions in the Parish Church of S. Michael, Coventry.pdf/38



A painted stone Tablet bears the following, in gilt capital letters—

{{quote|"An Elegicall epitaph, made upon the death of that mirror {{!}} of women Ann Newdigate, Lady Skeffington, wife to that {{!}} true moaneing turtle Sir Richard Skeffington, Kt., & consecrat {{!}} ed to her eternall memorie by the unfeigned lover {{!}} of her vertues, Willm. Bulstrode, Knight {{!}}

{{center block| "Vertue humble, beautie chaste, pious wit, Husband's honour, women's glorye, sweetlye knit, And all comprised fairelye in this one, Sad fate hath here enshrined with this stone. Vertue triumph, for thou hast woon the prize ; Beautie teach women to be chaste & wise ; Make her your patterne of a vertuous life, Who lived & died a faire unspotted wife. She was the mirror of her age and dayes, And now the subject of transcendent prayse. O what a harmonye man's life would be, Were women all but neare so good as she ! Here life was such as feared no sting of death, But dared him by so strong undoubting faith; As that he did but mildlye steale unto her, And gentlye whispered, as he meant to wooe her ; And she as gentlye yeelded straight to goe, Before 'twas knowne if she were dead or no; Nor is she dead: her soul to heaven stept, The rest stayes here till it awhile hath slept ; And her fame here still lives, & still shall wake, Till all good memorie shall earth forsake. Thrice blessed soule, wee'le not our grieffe belye, Wee wayle not thee, but our own destinye. Yet, in our loss of thee, this is our glorye, That 'tis thy happiness that makes us sorye."

W. B. }}

"Obiit Maii 21. { ætatis suæ 29. anno Dni. 1637." }}

Above are the arms of Skeffington, (plate I) Arg. three bulls heads erased sable, impaling;—Gules, three bears paws arg. for Newdigate.