Monumental Inscriptions from St Margaret's, Biddlesden

Brown Willis also lists the following monuments at the site of an old chapel, adjoining the site of Biddlesden Park House, dedicated to St. Margaret, but also demolished in the early 18th century, prior to the construction of the current Chapel.

"Inscriptions; the first on an ordinary Stone set in the South Wall, which was as follows:

Hic jacet Franciscus Dayrell, Filius Pauli Dayrell de Lillingston, qui obiit 29 Januarii, 1614.
Quid tua Vita, Dolor, quid Mors. Tibi meta Dolorum;
Ergone desunctum Vita lacry mabimur absit,
Præstat abesse Viris possit ut esse Deo.

This Francis Dayrell was, as the family told me, Steward to the Lord Grey.

Under the Communion Table the Effigies of a Woman in Brass with a Label proceeding out of her Mouth, where on a Scrowl this , Sancta Trinitas unus Deus Miserere Nobis. Underneath this,

Here lyeth buried under this Stone the Body of Dorothy Verney, in her life time Wife to Edmund Verney Esq. and Daughter to Sir Edmund Peckham Knyght, who died the xxiii Day of May, in the Yere of our Lord God 1547, on whose Soul Jesu have Mercy. Amen.

On another in the Middle of the Pavement the Effigies of a Woman in Brass, with an Infant Child at the four Corners, these Arms Quarterly,

1. A Chevron between 3 Roses. 2. Checque in Chief three Cinqfoils. 3. On a fess between three Mullets as many Crosses. 4. as 1. On an Escutcheon of Pretence three Grey Hounds Heads Collar'd and Eraz'd.

Under the Woman, Obiit 11 Die Dec. 1555.

After which these Verses:

Here Susan sleeps, George Peckham's Wyfe,
Which Death in Childbed took,
Who xiii Months in Marriage spent,
And then this Life forsook:
The only Heir of Henry Webbe,
The chiefest Joy he hadde,
The quiet Stay, and greatest Happe,
That made her Husband glad.
What Spyght was that to spoil that Tree,
Before the Fruit was blown,
And ryve it up so by the Roote,
That longer might have grown:
For at her xviii Years of Age,
When flowyng time befell,
She took her Leave and scarce did know
[But bid the World] farewell.
What helpeth Yowth, or fairest Flowers,
Or Brwte of Worldlye Praise,
When death unwindes the Thred of Life,
And Use of Breath decayes.
Such is the Cowrse that kind hath left
To Natures Children all,
Such are the Howses and sacred Happes
That to us Pilgrims fall.
But Vertuous End are Tokens plain
Of Blessed Lives before,
Which never diese which live before,
And shall for evermore.
When Susan's Sowll a seat hath wonne
If our Beleve be Just
And there shall dwell with Angels still,
When all things are in Dust."