Close to the wall is a monument of Sir George Hollis, nephew to Sir Francis Vere, and a Major General under him. On the pedestal is represented the siege of a town in relief, where the principal figure is a General on horseback holding a battoon, and having one eye blemished, perhaps alluding to the siege of Newport, in which Sir George also gained great honour, and had a horse killed under him. On each side of this pedestal sits a Pallas, lamenting the death of the great warrior, who is represented above in the Roman habit, standing erect upon a lofty altar, with a cherub supporting the plinth on which he stands. Sir George died in January 1626. An ingenious author speaking of this monument, says, that Sir George was the first erect figure set up in the Abbey; “an attitude, says he, which I am far from discommending, for ’tis my opinion, statues should always represent life and action: ’tis peculiarly adapted to heroes, who ought never to be supposed at rest, and should have their characters represented as strong as possible: this before us is bold and manly, though not chaste and elegant: ’tis finely elevated too, and the mourning Pallases, at the base of it, are both well fancied and well applied.”
Near Sir Francis’s tomb is that of Aubery de Vere, the last Earl of Oxford of that name, and Lieutenant-General of Queen Anne’s forces, who died March 12, 1702.
In this chapel there are also some antique monuments; particularly on the right hand, is that of John de Eastney, one of the Abbots, who was a great benefactor to this church, and died on the 4th of May 1438. A brazen statue of this Abbot in his mass habit, lies upon his tomb. It is remarkable, that in breaking up a grave about thirty years ago, his body was discovered in a coffin quilted with yellow sattin, having on a gown of crimson silk, girded round him with a black girdle; on his legs were white silk stockings, and over his face a clean napkin doubled up, and laid corner wise. His body and legs are said to have been plump and firm, but his face somewhat discoloured.
There is likewise here the monument of Sir John Harpedon, Knt. who died in 1457. He lies in armour, resting his feet on a lion, and his head on a greyhound.
St. Erasmus’s, or Islip’s Chapel, has but two monuments worthy of notice; the first that of John Islip, Abbot of Westminster, the founder of this chapel, which he dedicated to St. Erasmus. It is adorned with much carving in devices, intaglios, and febuses, alluding to the name of the founder, as a person slipping boughs off a tree; an eye with the slip of the tree; and a youth sliding from a bough, with I slip, in a label proceeding out of his mouth. In the middle is Islip’s tomb which is a plain marble table, supported by four small brass pillars; over it was anciently painted on the roof, a picture of our Saviour on the cross. He died in January 1510.
The other is the tomb of Sir Christopher Hatton, son to Christopher Hatton, Lord Chancellor of England. The principal figures are a knight in armour, and a lady in deep mourning resting on the ascending sides of a triangular pediment, parted in the middle by a trunkless helmet. Over their heads is a neat piece of architecture, in the center of which is a scroll with their arms, held up by naked boys, one of whom holds an extinguished torch reversed over the Knight, to shew that Sir Christopher died first; the other over the Lady holds his torch upright and burning, to signify that she survived him. The inscription informs us, that Sir Christopher died on the 10th of September 1619.
Over this chapel is a chauntry, in which are two large wainscot presses, filled with the effigies of Princes, and others of high quality, interred in the Abbey. These effigies, ’tis said, resembled the deceased as near as possible, and were formerly exposed at the funerals of our Princes and other great personages, in open chariots, with their proper ensigns of royalty or honour. Those here deposited are all maimed, some stripped, and others in tattered robes; but the most ancient are the least injured, which seems as if the value of their cloaths had occasioned this ravage; for the robes of Edward VI. that were once of crimson velvet, but now appear like leather, are left entire; while those of Queen Elizabeth and King James I. are taken away, as is every thing of value from all the rest.
St. John Baptist’s Chapel, contains several monuments: one at the entrance is to the memory of Mrs. Mary Kendall, the daughter of Thomas Kendall, Esq; she died in her thirty-third year, and her epitaph informs us, that “her many virtues rendered her every way worthy of that close union and friendship, in which she lived with Lady Catharine Jones; and in testimony of which, she desired that even their ashes, after death, might not be divided; and therefore ordered herself here to be interred, where she knew that excellent Lady designed one day to rest, near the grave of her beloved and religious mother, Elizabeth Countess of Kendall.”
Next to this is a monument erected to the memory of Col. Edward Popham, and his Lady, whose statues in white marble stand under a lofty canopy, resting their arms in a thoughtful posture upon a marble altar, on which lie the gloves of an armed knight. This gentleman was an active officer in Cromwell’s army, and his atchievements were here inscribed on his tomb. Upon the restoration, the monument was ordered to be demolished, and the inscription erased; but at the intercession of some of his Lady’s relations, who had eminently served his Majesty, the stone whereon the inscription was cut was only turned inwards, and no other injury done to his monument.
In the midst of this chapel is a large table monument for Thomas Cecil, Earl of Exeter, Baron Burleigh, Knight of the Garter, and Privy Counsellor to King James I. whereon is placed his statue lying down, with his Lady on his right side, and a vacant space on his left for another. The Lady on his right side is his first wife the Lady Dorothy Nevil, daughter to the Lord Latimer; and the vacant space was left for his second wife, Frances Bridges, of the noble family of Chandois; but as the right side was taken up, she gave express orders in her will, not to place her effigy on his left, however, according to the inscription, they are all buried together in one vault.