Sit deo laus et gloria: defunctis misericordia.
The following inscription is on the edge of the tomb, running twice round, in the old English character, and freely interspersed with the Earl’s crest, the bear and ragged staff:—
“Preieth devoutly for the Sowel whom god assoille of one of the moost worshipful Knyghtes in his dayes of monhode and conning Richard Beauchamp late Eorl of Warrewik lord de spenser of Bergavenny, and of mony other grete lordships, whos body resteth here under this tumbe, in a fulfeire vout of Stone set on the bare rooch, thewhich visited with longe siknes in the Castel of Roan therinne decessed ful cristenly the last day of April the yer of oure lord god M. CCCCxxxxix, he being at that tyme Lieutenant gen’al and governer of the Roialme of Fraunce and of the Duchie of Normandie. by sufficient Autorite of oure Sov’aigne lord the King Harry the vi. thewhich body with grete deliberacon’ and ful worshipful condiut Bi See And by lond was broght to Warrewik the iiii day of October the yer aboueseide, and was leide with ful Solenne exequies in a feir chest made of Stone in this Chirche afore the west dore of this Chapel according to his last will And Testament therein to rest til this Chapel by him devised i’ his lief were made. Al thewhuche Chapel founded On the Rooch, And alle the Membres thereof his Executours dede fully make and Apparaille by the Auctorite of his Seide last Wille And Testament And thereafter By the same Auctorite They dide Translate fful worshipfully the seide Body into the vout aboveseide, honured be god therfore.”[58]
The effigy may be considered as one of the finest works of this class executed during the middle ages, and it derives additional interest from the fact of the original contract for its construction being still in existence. Of this beautiful work the late C. A. Stothard executed four views, in his magnificent volume on the Monumental Effigies of Great Britain, in a spirit worthy of so fine a subject. He ascertained that the ponderous figure of latten or bronze which lay upon the altar-tomb was loose, and with considerable effort succeeded in turning it over, when the armour at the back was found to be as carefully and accurately represented as in front, having all the parts of a suit, its straps and fastenings, displayed with singular minuteness. It is, in this respect, a perfectly unique effigy, and of great value to the historic painter, or student in ancient armour. On the preceding page we have given the two views of the effigy, as pictured by Mr. Stothard.
The Chapel contains other monuments of rare beauty and exceeding interest. The most remarkable is that to Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester—“Queen Elizabeth’s Leicester”—and his Countess. It is erected against the north wall, and consists of a heavy canopy, profusely ornamented, supported by Corinthian pillars, beneath which is an altar-tomb supporting the recumbent figures—that of the Earl being in armour, over which is a mantle bearing the badge of the Order of the Garter on the left shoulder, the French order of St. Michael on the left breast, and the Garter is round the knee—that of the Countess is attired in the robes of a Peeress, a circlet of jewels round the head, and wearing the high ruff of the period. A Latin inscription gives us in full the proud titles of the famous favourite of the “Maiden Queene,” who “gave up his soule to God his Saviour on the 4th day of September, in the year of Salvation, 1588,” and informs us also that “his most sorrowful wife, Lætitia, daughter of Francis Knolles, Knight of the Order of the Garter, and Treasurer to the Queen, through a sense of conjugal love and fidelity hath put up this monument to the best and dearest of husbands.”
Of the other tombs “of note,” may be mentioned that to Ambrose Dudley, the virtuous brother of Elizabeth’s Peer; that to the infant son of Robert Dudley,—“a noble impe,” a “childe of grete parentage, but of farre greter hope and towardnes;” and that to the Lady Katherine Leveson, one of the Dudleys, who “taking notice of these Tombes of her noble Ancestors being much blemisht by consuming time, but more by the rude hands of impious people, were in danger of utter ruine by the decay of this Chapell, if not timely prevented, did in her life time give fifty pounds for its speedy repair.”
In all respects the Beauchamp Chapel ranks among the most interesting of the venerable Ecclesiastical remains yet existing in Great Britain. Time has done it little injury; and it escaped the perils incident to the civil war—when all external tokens of piety were considered insults to the Deity they were designed to honour. Moreover, its history is nearly perfect: the very estimates, bills, and discharges of the builders, the gilders, and the glaziers may be examined, in the actual presence of the works they executed centuries ago.
Viewed in association with “the Castle,” of which it may be said almost to form a part, its importance is greatly enhanced. And, in reference merely to actual beauty of the design, and the exquisite character of the work, it may be said to vie with any structure of the kind, not only in Great Britain, but in Europe.
