Walthamstow.117

Walthamstow.

In the Church Yard, West of the Church, in a new Vault, is interred the Body of Dame Eliz. Hickes, late Wife of Sir Harry Hickes of Ruckholts, Bart. the Daughter of Sir John Holmes, a Flag Officer in the Fleet in King Charles the Second's Reign. On a Tomb raised over her is this Inscription:

Hic inserius jacent Reliquiæ Dnæ. ELIZABETHÆ HICKES, Conjugis HARREII HICKES, Baronetti. Quæ obiit Januarii 14o. Anno Dom. 1705. Ætat. suæ 29o. Fœmina venustate & moribus, & (quod magis est) Virtute & Pietate ornatissma: Fidelitate & Amore Marito conjunctissima. Cui Filium unum, & duas Filias peperit. Cognatis suis blanda, Pauperibus benefica, Ægrotis medica, Amicis fida, Comis omnibus. Morbum diuturnum, Dolores gravissimos patienter tulit, Soli nixa Deo. Qui eam, quoniam dignus illâ non erat Mundus, in cœlum recepit.     
Si Charitas non moritur, æternùm vivet.
P.M.M.P.A.Æ.


WALTHAMSTOW.

 

ALittle Mile North East of Low Leyton is the Parish of Walthamstow situate; washed likewise and bounded on the West with the River Ley, from whence the Town gently riseth unto the Forest.

Walthamstow.

Its Situation.

The Church is fair and large, mounted upon a Hill; consisting of three Iles: That on the North Side built by a great Benefactor to that Parish, Sir George Monoux, Alderman, and Maior of the City of London, in the Reign of K. Henry the Eighth. Whose Coat of Arms still remains in one of the Windows of that Ile. He built also the fair Steeple.

The Church.

In this Parish are divers ancient Seats: As Higham Hall, the Seat of the Rowes, an ancient mily: A fair and graceful House in Hoo Street, inhabited by Joh. Conyers, Esq; (Patron of the Vicarage) and his Ancestors.

Seats.


In the Church are these MONUMENTS.

 

In the Middle Ile there still remain the Monumental Stones of two ancient Vicars thereof.

On a Brass Plate is the Effigies of a Priest in his ministring Garments, with a shaven Crown, his Hands clapt together, and this Inscription at his Feet:

Hic jacet Dns. Wilhelm. Hyll, nuper Vicariis istius Ecclesiæ. Qui obiit viio die mens. Julii, Ano Dni. Millo. CCCCo LXXXVII. Cujus animæ propitietur Deus, Amen.

William Hyll, Vicar of Walcomestow in Essex, by his Will, dated May 17, 1487, gives to the Church of Walcumstow an Acre of Meadow of the Lowhal Hold: Upon Condition it be not sold, but yearly the Profit thereof come to the Church. Item, he gives to his Cousin James Bryce a Grove at Leyton Brigg, with the Croft adjoining. With divers other Parcels of Land in Walcumstow, and an House, to his Relations.

Walthamstow.

Regist. Lond. Lib. Lytchfield.

At the Head of this, another Brass Plate, the Figure of the Priest gone. The Inscription as follows:

Hic jacet Dns. Henricus Crane, quondam Baccalaureus utriusq; Juris, & Vicarius istius Ecclesiæ. Qui obiit xxviii die Octobr. An. Dni Mo CCCCo XXXVI. Cujus animæ propitietur Deus.

To which I join the Monument of another ancient Vicar of this Church, tho' erected in another Place: Being on a Brass Plate, an Effigies of a Preacher in the Pulpit, against a Pillar in the South Ile: With this Inscription:

GEORGIUS JOHNSON, Verbi & Sacramentorum Minister. excessit Sept. die 5. Salutis anno 1576. Ætat 36. Sedit hic Vicarius annis 10.

The Office set by Pastor true,     
(By Christ) his Flock to guide,
Is unto them his Faith to preach,     
And from it never slide.
The Duty to the Flock assign'd,     
God's Word is to obey;
And on the same to stay themselves,     
With Faith and Hope alway.
For here on Earth, as Pilgrims strange,     
We daily seek for Rest:
Yet finding none, because we bee     
With sinful Flesh opprest.
No State on Earth, no Pomp may last,     
No Flesh can long endure;
But being Earth, to Earth shall turn:     
Of this we be most sure.
Then sith our Days be full of Ill,     
While we do pass the same:
Let us redeem them doing good,     
Not seeking Praise, ne Fame.
But Glory, Praise, and Honour due,     
Yield we to God of right:
Whose Promise is, all Darkness past,     
To give us his true Light.

Out of his Mouth goes a Label, with these Words:

Post Tenebras spero Lucem.

Before the Communion Table, within the Rails, upon a fair Marble Stone, covering the Body of Pierse, sometime Bp of Bath and Wells, and who lived and dyed in this Parish, is this Inscription:

Hic jacet R. Prælatus, GUILIELMUS PIERSE. Qui a sede Petriburgensi ad Bathoniensem & Wellensem translatus fuit, Anno Car. I. 8vo. A qua Temporum iniquitate perturbatus fuit, usq; ad Reditum Caroli II. Restitutus, Templum Cathedrale Wellense reparavit, Episcopale Palatium exædificavit, cœlis maturus, terris valedixit, An. Ætat. 94. Salutis 1670.

Next to the Bishop's Stone was another, inscribed on a Brass Plate thus:

Margery, late Wife of William Nicolls, and Daughter of Marmaduke Fairbary of Darlington in the Bishoprick of Durham. Which Margeret dyed the v. Day of April M CCCC LXI.
O! Blessed Trinity, have Mercy on her Soul, Amen.

This Stone is now removed to the South Chancel.

Against the East Wall South of the Altar are two Effigies, half Way in Stone, of a Knight and a Lady; and an Account of the Lady underneath engraven in these Words:

By