Page:Walks in the Black Country and its green border-land.pdf/440

426 broght to Warrewiks." In the sides of the marble tomb supporting this brazen image and its funeral surroundings, are carved fourteen figures of lords and ladies, representing not only the Earl's children and nearest of kin, but distant posterity, who are to constitute a body guard of "weepers" for the dead. One of these is a rather remote descendant, or the famous "King-maker," who is here represented clad in a half-monkish habit, with a long face of artificial sorrow, looking as if he had just been taking a double pinch of snuff to force a little moisture from his eyes.

And here in this gorgeous chapel, even a man well read in English history will be at a loss how to conjugate the moods and tenses of this Warwick family. Indeed, ten chances to one, he will find himself at sea as to their distinctive individualities when standing by their separate or blended monuments. To begin with, there is the legendary Guy and the historic Guy, the Saxon of King Arthur's century, and the Norman who fought at Falkirk, and cut off the head of Piers Gaveston, the favourite of King Edward I, who had "called him names," such as "The Black Hound of Arden." Then we have two illustrious "Richards," easily to be confounded in one nebula of reputation. Here is the Richard that founded this chapel, and lies in solid brass on this tomb over a long posterity weeping in marble beneath.