Page:Archaeological Journal, Volume 11.djvu/185

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SEPULCHRAL MONUMENTS AT CLIFTON REYNES, BUCKS.
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and veil; her gown is buttoned down to the waist, a mantle over her shoulders is fastened by a band over the breast and reaches to the feet. Her head rests on tyo pillows, and her feet on two dogs, their heads in opposite directions, and each wearing a collar.

The ends of the tomb are concealed by the columns supporting the arch under which it stands, but the sides are richly sculptured. Each is divided by graduated buttresses into eight lofty niches with trefoiled canopies, crocketcd and enriched with pinnacles and finials. The first niche on either side of the tomb contains an armed statuette, and each of the others a male or female figure, probably representing the knight's relations or dependents. The canopies are surmounted by a hollow cornice bearing in relief an armorial shield over each niche. Those on the south side are as follows. (See the account given by Lipscomb).

1. A fess between six cross-crosslets, (Beauchamp). 2. A saltire engrailed, (Tyringham). 3. A bend between six martlets, (? Seyton, almost obliterated) 4. An inescutcheon within an orle of eight martlets, (Erpingham). 5. A cross engrailed, (Drayton). 6. Three crosses fitché, in chief a demi-lion. 7. Three stirrups with leathers, (Scudamore). 8. On a chief a lion passant.

On the north side of the tomb are:—1. Bezanty, a canton ermine, (Zouch). 2. Obliterated. 3. Three stags trippant, (Green). 4. Three arches, (Seyton). 5. Ermine, a chief endented, (Morteyn). 6. A saltire engrailed, (Tyringham). 7. Ermine, on a fess, three crosses potent, (Brisley). 8. A chevron between three escallop shells, (Dyve).

The proper tinctures, which were doubtless shewn, cannot now be discerned. The knight's effigy measures 6 ft. 10 in. in length, the lady's 6 ft. 1 in.

The author of the manuscript History of Clifton supposed, and I think on sufficient grounds, that this tomb was raised to commemorate Sir John Reynes and his first wife, Catherine, daughter and heir of Sir Peter Scudamore, of Wiltshire, by Joan, daughter and heir of Henry Brisley, Esq. Though the arms of Reynes are not on the tomb, they are on the effigy. The arms of Scudamore and Brisley appear on the tomb, though not impaled, and no one of the family of Reynes could with more propriety so use them, as there was no male descendant from this alliance.