Sir Kenelme erected to her memorie a sumptuouse and stately monument[867] at ... Fryars[868] (neer Newgate-street) in the east end of the south aisle, where her bodie lyes in a vault of brick-worke, over which are three steps[869] of black marble, on which was a stately altar of black marble with 4 inscriptions in copper gilt affixed to it: upon this altar her bust of copper gilt, all which (unlesse the vault, which was onely opened a little by the fall) is utterly destroyed by the great conflagration. Among the monuments in the booke mentioned in Sir Kenelm Digby's life, is to be seen a curious draught of this monument, with copies of the severall inscriptions.
About 1676 or 5, as I was walking through Newgate-street, I sawe Dame Venetia's bust standing at a stall at the Golden Crosse, a brasier's shop. I perfectly remembred it, but the fire had gott-off the guilding: but taking notice of it to one that was with me, I could never see it afterwards exposed to the street. They melted it downe. How these curiosities would be quite forgott, did not such idle fellowes as I am putt them downe!
Memorandum:—at Goathurst, in Bucks[870], is a rare originall picture of Sir Kenelme Digby and his lady Venetia, in one piece, by the hand of Sir Anthony van Dyke. In Ben. Johnson's 2d volumne is a poeme called 'Eupheme[DY], left to posteritie, of the noble lady, the ladie Venetia Digby, late wife of Sir Kenelme Digby, knight, a gentleman absolute in all numbers: consisting of these ten pieces, viz. Dedication of her Cradle; Song of her Descent; Picture of her Bodie; Picture of her Mind; Her being chose a Muse; Her faire Offices; Her happy Match; Her hopefull Issue; Her ἈΠΟΘΕΩΣΙΣ, or Relation to the Saints; Her Inscription, or Crowne.'
Her picture drawn by Sir Anthony Vandyke hangs in the queene's draweing-roome, at Windsor-castle, over the chimney.
Venetia Stanley was (first) a miss to Sir Edmund Wyld; who had her picture, which after his death, serjeant Wyld (his executor) had; and since the serjeant's death hangs now in an entertayning-roome at Droitwich in Worcestershire. The serjeant lived at Droitwich.
Notes.
[DW] Aubrey gives in trick the coat:—'argent on a bend azure 3 bucks' heads caboshed or [Stanley, earl of Derby].' Another hand has enlarged this first sentence to 'daughter of Sir Edward Stanley of Eynstonn in com. Oxon, son of Sir Thomas Stanley, knight, younger son to Edward, earl of Derby.' A note by 'E. M.' (? Edmund Malone) says, 'This is Anthony Wood's handwriting.' It is certainly not; but it very probably is Sir William Dugdale's, which is sometimes mistaken for Wood's.
[DX] Einsham abbey is the place meant. See the facsimile in Clark's Wood's Life and Times, i. 228.