10 s. VIL JAN. 19, loo:.] NOTES AND QUERIES.
43
churches under any plea, it does seem in-
conceivable that such things could possibly
disappear from such custody as the Bodleian
Library at Oxford, unless by deliberate
theft, which, one would suppose, would be
immediately detected, though it might not
lead to the recovery' of the article purloined.
I do not wish to be taken as casting the least
imputation upon the authorities of this
great library, but I believe the matter to
be of enough importance to justify a thorough
investigation, as far as it may now be possible.
Is it not more than possible that these
plates have accidentally become hidden or
put away in some place to which they do not
belong ? It is true that England possesses
untold wealth in archaeological treasures
denied to the New World ; and while all
Americans are, by our English cousins,
popularly credited with being especially
desirous of procuring any of these, even
at the sacrifice of personal honour and
integrity, I think England does not realize
the amazement with which Americans
regard the apparent supineness and indiffer-
ence of the English public to the loss of
treasures which can never be replaced
Something disappears, but unless it be of
especial value or almost of national import-
ance (like a Gainsborough portrait), its
loss would not seem to provoke more than
a few passing remarks, and the incident is
relegated to oblivion, and so losses go on
small perhaps in themselves, but in th(
aggregate of inestimable value.
So far as brasses are concerned, there would seem to be a decided opinion in Eng- land, among those interested in this subject, that any American would gladly barter his soul to possess one, no matter how obtained ; and I have in my possession a printed state- ment from England (which emanates from a source where certainly calmer judgment should have prevailed) to the effect that there is a regular market for such things here, and they readily command fabulous prices. May I, therefore, as one knowing whereof I write, be permitted to state that I am ignorant of any brass in this country, either in public or private possession, nor do I know of one ever having been offered
ffort to get such restored to their original
nomes. I could easily identify a brass,
more especially if it belonged to the list of
well-known " Lost Brasses " (alas that there
should be such a list !), as I possess prac-
tically everything of importance which has
3een published on monumental brasses.
STEWART FISKE. Mobile, Ala., U.S.A.
CHERTSEY MONUMENTAL
INSCRIPTIONS.
KNOWING how valuable inscriptions are to the genealogist, and how apt they are in the course of time to get removed or destroyed, I send copies of some that they may be preserved in the pages of ' N. & Q.' I may point out that Manning and Bray in their ' History of Surrey,' published in 1814, i. 234, give copies of thirty-five inscriptions originally in the parish church. Most of the tablets and stones, however, from which these were taken were probably destroyed when the church was rebuilt in 1806; for although the church now contains thirty- three inscriptions, only twelve (Nos. 1, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 14, 15, 17, 18, 26, and 28 of the present list) of those mentioned by Manning and Bray exist to-day. Two (Nos. 9 and 27), however, of the remaining twenty-one, dated 1736, and 1805 respectively, must have existed in their time, but were appa- rently overlooked.
1. In a vault near this place | Is deposited all that
- vas mortal | of Pratt Mawbey, | son of Sir Joseph
Vlawbey, Bar 4 , | of Botleys in this Parish, | By Dame Elizabeth his wife, | Daughter and Heiress of
of Surrey, | whose am
standing and Memory
dowments of Infancy,
- he most flattering Ho
Comfort. | But the A
able Disposition, | Under-
Surpassed the Usual En-
And afforded his Parents
)es | of future Honour and
mighty, | who knows and
T> J_ T 1 -_ 1
for sale
ordinary
and I am fairly confident that an
curio dealer would look on one
(if offered to him) somewhat dubiously, as
he would be at a loss how to dispose of it,
and at the most, it would not bring more
than a few dollars. If any fellow-disciple
of * N. & Q.' can tell me of any brasses in
the United States, I shall welcome the
i nf ormation, and I would certainly use every
stay, | Nor snatch'd thee from thy Friends away,
Thou shouldst have fill'd some nobler Place, | Th
3i
dispenses that which is Best, | and whose ways are
unsearchable, | Removed him from this transitory
Life | To the Enjoyment of eternal Felicity in
another | On the 31st Day of October, 1770, | In the
8 th Year of his Age. | Had Fate permitted longer
y
Country's Ornament and Grace. | Receive^ ' thou dear departed Shade, | This Tribute to thy Mem'r Paid, | And may it while it speaks thy Fame | Te how we love revere thy Name. | Here also are deposited the Bodies of the following other children | of the said Parents : | Elizabeth Mawbey, who died September 6, 1761, aged 12 Days. | Onslow Mawbey, a son, who died December 20/1766, caged 6 months. | Sophia Mawbey, who died on April 16, 1775, in the 4 th Year | of her Age. | Emma Mawbey, who died on April 2, 1785, | in the 10 th Year of her Age.
Arms : Quarterly, 1 and 4, Or, a cross gules, fretty of the first between four eagles
