Monumental Inscription Detail

Place:

St Mary the Virgin, Willingdon

Location: Ratton Chapel.

Inscription:

Left Panel:
Here resteth Sr Nicholas Parker of Ratton in Willingdon, Knight, who was first married to Joane ye daughter of Sir William Courtney of Powderham in ye counte of Devon Knight, by whom he had no issue: secondly he married Elizabeth daughter of John Baker Esquire & had no issue; thierdly & lastly he married Katherine ye daughter of John Temple of Stowe in ye counte of Buck’Esquire, by whom he had issue sonnes Thom’,John,Robert,Nicholas & henry & daughters Anne & Mary. He ended his transitory life in assured hope of a joyeful resurrection by ye mercie of Jesus Christ ye 9th daye of march A Dni 1619 being of ye age 73.
They soule inthrones in Paradise were I
Can nothing add to they felicitye.
Thy body finds in earth a sweet repose;
As septer’d princes, & my heart, which owes
All Nations curious services to Thee.
Can nothing add to thy tranquillity
Thy name is like an odour rich and strong.
Of endless vigour & to Thee my tongue.
Right Panel:
Paying due eulogies, doth but returne:
Superious spices to thy Paenix. Urne;
Nor can blak letrs Thy desertd deface,
But sweeping first away all Humand race.
What then remains for custom sake alone
Vouchsafe to bear these lines upon thy stone,
Not for thine own behoffs but mine give way.
For what thou wolds’t not take I needs must pay.
In Philopaemen, Greece did teem her last
In Cassius Rome, her vigour did exhaust.
Then blame not aged Britains feeble womb.
For in her Parkers birth she did consume.
Her utmost strength ye works will scarce be strong,
For such another brave conception. .

Monument details:

Type: Internal Monument.

Monument Condition: Very good.

Inscription Condition: Very good.

Person commemorated (or mentioned):

Last name: Baker.

First Name(s): John.

Birth date: Not given.

Death date: Not given.

Transcription details:

Transcribed by: Rosalind Hodge.

Batch: Unknown.

Image:

Image of a monument

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