John Astley

“ Memorial stones, sanctified by their use and the place they are in, are like domestic records, hallowed by being written on the blank leaves of the Family Bible, which no one willingly destroys, but are read by each succeeding generation with reverence and interest. ”

“ Lest there should be three citizens of one name in one city, the gloomy hand of death snatched one away: and lest one College should rear three fellows of one surname, one of them was removed from life, and lest there should be three sons and one Father in one family, one of the three sons died. ”

“ Lectern.
This handsome brass lectern was manufactured by Mr. F. A. Skidmore. Round the globe on which rests the feet of the Eagle are these words—
"Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God." ”

“ In the process of restoration of S. Michael's Church, in 1850, the stones which covered the floor of the Chancel and Lady Chapel were mostly buried by being covered with soil some inches thick, and others removed or used for baser purposes, and so we lose the record of many a worthy citizen whose generous gifts are still enjoyed by the needy of the city or parish. ”

“ COVENTRY.
STAINED GLASS WINDOWS.
THE five windows forming an apse in the East are large and of noble proportions; they have three tiers of four compartments each, the rich tracery occupying more than one third of the whole area. North and South windows. No. I, and V., [1] are filled with the old stained glass taken from the others (the two lower tiers of which were formerly blocked up with brick) and from some of the clerestory windows, but as they are not monumental windows. ”

“ The Right Honourable Edward Ellice represented the City of Coventry, in twelve Parliaments, from the year 1818 to the date of his death, September 17, 1863. In 1826 he was defeated by the Conservatives. Under Lord Grey's administration, 1833, he was made Secretary at War. A life-size portrait of him is to be seen at the School of Art.
VI.
The window over the Vestry door at the east end of the Mercers' Chapel has seven compartments; in each two figures. ”

“ Thus, thus to thee is made sure, the hope of life, which is life eternal.
Mary Hinton was the first wife of the Rev. Wm. Hinton, he was Vicar of S. Michael's for 40 years, being appointed 1583 and Archdeacon, 1584. He resigned the Vicarage in 1623, but retained the Archdeaconry until his death, 1631, he was interred during the night, but where is not known, probably beneath the chancel.
This brass was affixed to a marble slab on the North wall of the Chancel. ”

“ The four panels at the foot of the figures contain the Ark on the Waters, and Rising Sun; Palm Branches and Crown; the Eagle or Phoenix rising from its own ashes; and Dove upon the waters. Inscription at foot-.
"To the glory of God, and in memory of William Lowe, of this parish, who entered into rest, March 6, 1868. This window is erected by his widow, Ellen Ralphs Lowe."
VIII.
In the tracery are two quatrefoils-Angels with lamps burning; in the upper one, the Lamb and Flag. The subjects of this window are from the Parables of our Lord. ”

“ To the historian, genealogist, and herald, they are of the greatest importance in their studies, and supply undoubted evidence of that near and dear relationship which we cherish for those that have gone before, and it is our duty to preserve them from defacement. ”

“ Pray for the soul of Elizabeth Swillington, widow, the wife of Ralph Swillington, Attorney General of the Lord King Henry VIII., recorder of the City of Coventry, formerly the wife of Thomas Essex, esqre., which same Elizabeth died in the year of our Lord 15.. ”

“ He was the Son of H. Cadwallader Adams, first Mayor of the reformed Corporation, 1835; for his gallantry he was Knighted, but the patent of his creation not arriving in the Crimea until after his death, Lady Adams was permitted the title during her life. ”

“ This tomb formerly stood in the Drapers' Chapel. On the front in basso relievo are the figures of Nethmyl and his wife and ten children, in the attitude of prayer; between them a shield of arms impaling those of the Drapers' Company, (plate viii.) , above is a scroll, having the following inscription, springing from the shield and dividing the scroll is a representation of our Saviour on the Cross-
"Hic jacet Julianus Nethermyl, pan'ari', q'nda' Maior huj Civitas, qui obiit xi die me'sis Aprilis, an'o d’ni mvxxxix, et Johan'a uxor eju', quoru' a' i'abus propitietur Deus. ”

“ Glover Thomas Goode William Goodwin Elizabeth Thomas Thomas Hy Richard Gravenor Abel Ann Dinah Edward Elizabeth Mary Gregory Caroline Grey Anthony 57 45, 62 57, 62 45 62 62, 63, 74 57 45 48 39 39 57 9 Fairfax School Farndon Thomas Fidoe Benjamin Jane Flexney Catherine Ralph Fonts Ford Edmund Mary Foster Mary William Foxall Christian Edward Freeman Edward Mary Frodsham Barthona Humphrey Mary Fullwood George Mary 33 57 63 63 99 49 57 29 62 61 99 49 32 61 . ”

“ The intention of the following pages is to supply a perfect record of such memorials as are now in S. Michael's Church, therefore I have copied the inscriptions literally, and have indicated their positions by a reference plan of the Church. The various coats of arms are drawn correctly, and afford much information as to the alliances of the different families. ”

“ Mary, Elizabeth and Sarah Lea were sisters of H. Lea, Esqre., whose death is recorded by the next window.
Miss Sarah Lea died 17th Feb., 1873, Miss Mary, 17th Aug., 1876, and Miss Elizabeth, 30th July, 1882; they were buried in the family vault, situated in the pathway through the churchyard, near to the North door of the Church.
X.
In the upper space in the tracery is an Angel bearing a scroll-
"Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness." ”

“ This monument was 17 22 Beautifyed in the Year
Thus translated—
"Remember thou must die, and in eternity thou shall not sin." “ Here lies John Brooke, a citizen of Coventry, born of a noble family, a worshipper of the Holy Deity, a most devout son of the Anglican Church, a most obliging friend, inferior to none of the ancients, a great ornament to his City, whom inexorable death carried off in the flower of his age, amid the lamentations of all good men, on the 4th day of August, A.D. 1679." ”

“ Two uppermost panels in the tracery, “The raising of Lazarus from the tomb, and the Evangelists in the four lower ones. The four larger divisions of the window each contain two subjects, viz., the type and antitype. 1st, Moses with the tables of stone-
"These are the words which the Lord hath commanded that ye should observe them.'
Virgin and Child with Joseph and adoring angels kneeling—
"For the law was given by Moses but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ." ”

“ Mary Ann and Letitia,
daughters of the above.
There was also a flat stone at the West end, recording the death of Thomas, William, and Letitia.
H.
Below on a stone let into the wall is a brass, 2 feet by 18 inches, formerly in the chancel, on which is the figure of a woman, in the attitude of prayer, and inscribed in capital letters—
"Her zealous care to serve her God,
Her constant love to husband deare
Her harmeles harte to everie one
Doth live although her corps lye here,
God graunte us all while glass doth run,
To live in Christ as she hath done. ”

“ Below, on three panels, are the family arms, (plate vii.) ; on a fourth shield is the sacred monogram, and on each end three other shields, on which are depicted the sacred wounds, &c.
This Elizabeth Swillington lived at Stivichall, and in 1552 gave to the Mayor of Coventry, Henry Over, £140 to invest in land, the proceeds to be applied to the repair of the road to Stivichall and Warwick, and any surplus to the poor. The intention of the gift is still carried out. Dugdale, in his Memorials, gives the date of Ralph Swillington's Patent as Attorney General Ap. ”

“ In the upper quatrefoil is the pelican. The subject is the Birth, Death, Resurrection, and Ascension of our Lord. The figures in the first compartment are the Holy Child Jesus, S. Joseph, and the Virgin Mother, with angels and doves. Inscription—
"Unto us a child is born." ”

“ Louisa Samuel Hopkins Anna Maria Edward ... Horatio Margaret... Mary Richard ... Horsenail Ann Howard Thomas Howe John Joseph Hannah Huddesford Arthur Edward Mary ... Hungden Lord Geo. Hunt Henry Mary ... 15 43 99 43 93 Halford Abigail Edward Elizabeth ... John... Lucetta Lucy... Martha Hall Deborah Mary ,, Richard... William Hamond Sir A.S Sir G. E... Hardway James Katherine Harewell Elizabeth Henry Harper Edward Ellys Harrold Ann ... ”

“ To record the bountiful gifts of this good man, would occupy too much space. Here in this Church twenty poor men assemble every Sunday, and by their presence testify to the goodness of Thomas Bond ; and twenty-five others receive a weekly pension by his liberality. He was Mayor of Coventry, 1497.
Dugdale states that the stone had a coat of arms above the brass, viz.: a chevron between three roundells, and three roundells in chief.
BB.
On Bath stone is recorded the death of the Rev. Robert Simpson, a Vicar of this parish—
"Sacred | to the memory of the | Rev. ”

“ The five compartments are occupied by subjects from the Old and New Testaments, illustrative of the women of the Bible, viz., the death of Abraham's wife, Sarah, Elkanah visiting Samuel in the Temple, Naomi and Ruth, Elizabeth and S. John Baptist, and the presentation of Christ in the Temple by His mother. ”

“ Rann Anna Maria... Harriet... Joseph Hughes Maria Ratliff Ann Cleophas Elizabeth Henry John Sarah Rawes Sarah Rawlins Sarah Richard ... Reader Elizabeth Harriet William Rew Benjamin Sarah Sir Skears Rogers Alice ... Rogerson Maria Royle John 33 16 16 .. ... 71 ... 9. ... ... 33 33 43
... ... 93 Joseph William Skeffington Lady Sir Richard... Slingsby Ann Frances William Smith Eliza Elizabeth Esther James John Martha Matthew Rachel ... ... .. 99 99 ... 51 ... ... ... 55 99 53 53 53 68 68 68 58 25 9, 39 99 .. ... ... ... ”

“ The centre, Almighty God and S. Michael; on the one hand, SS. John, Philip, James the less, Simon, Matthias, and Thaddeus; on the other hand, SS. Peter, Andrew, James the greater, Thomas, Bartholomew, and Matthew, the tracery being filled with sacred emblems. Below the window is a brass, 7 feet by 7 inches, with this inscription:
"To the honour and glory of Almighty God and to the memory of Major-General Adams, C.B., of Anstey Hall, who died at Scutari, the 19th of December, 1854, aged 49, of wounds received at the battle of Inkerman. ”

“ Bryan Elizabeth Thomas 56 56 58 ... ... 3 71 62 99 52 9 19 ... 9 8 93 19 .. 62 31, 67 67 67 14 Smith Stephen Susannah Thomas Thomas Lander ... Snell Abigail Ann William Soden Elizabeth J. S.... Joseph Thomas Spark Jeremiah Spicer Samuel Sarah ... Spooner Isaac Richard William Staunton Ann Frances ... ”

“ This was formerly on the North wall of the chancel.
I.
Over the door leading to the chamber above the south porch, commonly called the Capper's Chapel, is an alabaster monument recently restored by the compiler of these pages. On the top are the arms of the family (plate ii.) ”

“ The palm ; for first preferred, and 'mongst the poor
Held as a father; still let Abraham's praise
Live ever, though to day his name doth live,
Worthy in marble, to stand charactered
A golden name, a golden Abraham.
He died in Coventry, Jan. 22, A.D. 1662, aged 41.
J.
Near to the last is a brass, 26 by 22 inches, taken from a plain stone in the floor at the West End of the Church; it bears the following quaint inscription and arms, (plate 3) :—
"Here lies the body of Captn. ”

“ In the tracery is the Ark, Kings Solomon and Hiram, and Hiram Abiif.
The label at foot of this window reads—
"The gift of Henry William | Eaton esqre | Member | of Parliament to the | City of Coventry MDCCCLXIX."
To the initiated this window will be of special interest, the donor being a Past Warden of the Grand Lodge of Freemasons of England.
H. W. Eaton, Esqre., was first elected, in the Conservative interest, as Member of Parliament for this City, in June, 1865, upon the death of Sir Joseph Paxton; in July, same year, upon a dissolution, he was returned with Mr. Morgan Treherne ”

“ Between windows Nos. 32 and 33, is a marble tablet with armorial bearings, (plate iv.)
"Sacred to the memory of | Sarah, daughter of Bryan Troughton | formerly of this city, and of Lombard Street, | London, Esq., banker, | and one of the Receivers-General of the | County of Warwick, and for 47 years the beloved, affectionate, & | faithful wife of Robert Long, Esq., | of the Manor House, Dawlish, in the County | of Devon, and of the Crescent, Cheltenham, | who died on the 22nd day of May, 1837 Her remains | repose in a vault in the churchyard | of Swindon, near the last-named place. ”

“ BATHONA FRODSHAM, relict | of Humphrey Frodshain, Esq., | and daughter of John Hales, of | New House, Esq., together with | Mary her daughter."
She died 1661, and her daughter Mary, 1656. Mrs. Frodsham was buried in her father's tomb under the Church, near to the North door. The monument on the outer wall was removed many years since.
V.
On the same pillar, but on the North side of S. Lawrence Chapel, is a monument with the following curious epitaph and coat of arms of 30 quarterings, (plate v.) ”

“ Auratum superest. aureus Abrahamus.
Obiit Coventriæ, Jan. 22, Anno Domini 1662, annóq. ætatis 41."
The following translation is as literal as the florid Latin of that period will admit:
Life is short, but art is long. ”