Page images
PDF
EPUB

There are three Dials. On the side facing MORNING, or the rising sun, “VOLAT TEMPUS," is thus paraphrased:

"Oh early passenger look up, be wise:

And think how, night and day, time TIME onward FLIES."

On the side opposite to NOON or mid-day sun, is the scriptural advice "Whilst we have time, to do good."

"QVUM TEMPUS HABEMUS, OPEREMUR BONUM.'

"Life steals away- this hour, oh man, is lent thee
Patient to work the work of him that sent thee."

[ocr errors]

The words, on the side towards EVENING, or the setting sun, though appropriate when rightly applied, seem to fit less happily the case of the ordinary passer to and fro.

[merged small][ocr errors]

"Haste traveller! The sun is sinking low,

He shall return again-but NEVER THOU."

With respect to Maud Heath's real station in life, though we have so far let the current story pass, which assigns to her a rank not more exalted than that of a market woman, it is only fair to observe, that we are not aware that there is the slightest evidence or real foundation for it. Mr. Bowles repeats the tale as it was told to him; but neither he nor any one else appears to have made enquiry either for confirmation or disproof of it. Aubrey made a "Mem." to investigate the matter; but he never did so: at least he has not left us any result of his researches. In the inscription on the pillar set up at Kellaway's Bridge in 1698, and in the recital of old deeds relating to the Gift, she is described as "of Langley Burrell:" and there is no reason whatever for doubting that such was the case, so far as to its being her place of residence, probably also that of her death. But there is considerable reason for doubting the traditional story told by the parish clerk of Langley, as to a certain gravestone there, which he shows as the memorial of Maud Heath and her sister.

The alleged memorial is thus described by Aubrey, about A.D. 1670. "In the churchyard on the south side of the church, lye two sisters in a freestone monument. There was a canopy over them not long since taken away. These two sisters were benefactors

to the repairing the causeway towards Keilway's Bridge." Such is still the belief. The overlying slab, which is all that is left of the monument, is now reared up against the west wall of the tower close by the entrance at the south porch. It is a massive piece of freestone, about 74 feet in height. In the upper part of it are cut two small trefoiled and pointed niches, within each of which is a head, now much defaced by time and weather. On the surface of the slab below each head there have been at one time floriated crosses. Part of one only is now to be seen.

inscription.1

There is no trace of

As to its being a monument of Maud, and her sister, joint benefactors to the causey, this is quite contrary to all evidence: for none of the deeds or recitals of deeds make the slightest allusion to any sister being partner in the gift, but they invariably speak of Maud, and Maud only. In the next place we are rather inclined to think that the heads are those not of two females, but of a man and his wife, which, if it is the case, puts an end to all claim of Maud to this memorial; as "the worthy benefactress" was a spinster. The heads, it is true, are much defaced: but a very close inspection will show under the chin of the face on the sinister (i.e. the right as you look at it), or wife's side, the distinct remnant of female dress, of which there is no trace in the other. Finally, the gravestone is least 100 years older than

of a style generally considered to be at the time of Maud Heath. For these three reasons it is doubtful whether it can possibly refer to her. But be that as it may, there is no reason for doubting that she lived and probably died in the parish of Langley Burrell.

Mr. Bowles admits this, but he afterwards says that "her own parish was Bremhill." His authority for this statement he does

1 Single incised slabs of this kind, having a head introduced over the Cross, may be seen in the Churchyard of Limpley Stoke, between Freshford and Bath. Also at Monkton Farley. These particular examples are drawn in the Rev. E. Cutts's pretty and very cheap book, called "Manual of Sepulchral Slabs and Crosses of the Middle Ages." In that Volume, at Plate LXX., there is a tombstone of the double pattern (which is much more rare), very nearly resembling that at Langley Burrell.

not give: which, if he had any, is to be regretted, because it might perhaps have assisted in clearing up the darkness of her history, or might have led to something else that would have done so. But that Bremhill was her own proper parish we are certainly inclined to believe, and for these reasons. She must have had some interest in or connexion with that parish, (probably it was at Bremhill Wick), or why be at the pains to begin her causey so far within the bounds of it? In the next place, we have record of the name of Heath at Bremhill a few years after her death. Edward Heath was a Trustee of the causey in 1537;1 and in the Wilts Musters of 1538, the second person in the Bremhill list of "able men" is William Heath. This perhaps does not imply that William was of higher worldly rank than that respectable, yet now not so very common one, of independent yeoman freeholder. Still, supposing Maud to have been related to these persons, this would raise her above the mere market-woman rank of the common belief. But we venture with all modesty to aspire yet a little higher on her behalf; and however loath to disturb a plausible and popular story, presume to take the liberty of expressing a very strong suspicion (for a reason to be given) that perhaps the worthy benefactress belonged after all to the class of gentlefolk. The reason is this.

There is a casual note amongst Aubrey's (sometimes very useful) memoranda, which seems to have escaped observation hitherto. It is in his description of the interior of Bremhill Church as it was to be seen in his own time, 1650-70. Mr. Bowles does not appear to have known of Aubrey's notes. At least he makes no allusion whatever to them. The windows of the aisles, says Aubrey, had once been filled with good old stained glass. Part of this was still remaining. In the north aisle the five works of mercy, as Burial of the Dead, &c., &c.; with coats of arms, amongst which those of a Robertus Russell. In the south aisle, all the windows of which had been very good, there were still left "12 lights, containing the 12 apostles, each with his symbol of the creed, and cognizance: and at the top of the eastern window of

1 See p. 261. Note.

this aisle, the figure of a man drawn in green, kneeling, like Judge Littleton, and a woman drawn by him; with the words "Orate pro animâ Johannis HETH." A coat of arms was scattered about these windows, "Or, a lion rampant, double tailed, sable": and in the margin of his manuscript Aubrey writes the name Hethe as if it referred to this coat; though we have not been able hitherto to identify it as the shield of any family of that name.1 There can be no doubt that this south aisle had been thus liberally embellished by the Johannes Heath, whose figure, drawn in green, occupied so prominent a place at the eastern end of it. And it is only a fair inference that he must have been a gentleman landowner of the Parish of Bremhill. Therefore with this fact before us, of a family being settled there of the higher class of life, it is at any rate quite as likely that the benefactress to the causey belonged to that class, as that she was only in the more humble position, to which, in the absence of any bonâ fide evidence, popular gossip has consigned her.2

But this our suggestion to the contrary notwithstanding, the story of her being an old goody market-woman, or at the highest, a farm-housekeeper, is the favourite one, and is now likely to be perpetuated. For within these few years the tradition has been most substantially personified, in a bodily form and of a material that are likely to endure, as long as the causey itself shall last.

A few minutes after leaving the Chippenham Station in the Train towards London, the passenger may observe on the right hand, upon the top of a high ridge, (above-mentioned as Bremhill Wick Hill), a column standing clear against the horizon. The distance is too great to distinguish a figure at the summit; but a

1 Aubrey's Collections for N. Wilts. Part 11, p, 4. Sir T. Phillipps' edition. 2 If Maud had left a Will, which we fear she did not, it would have perhaps told us more of her history. The name does not occur very often at that period. All that in such a case can be done is to collect and compare such meagre notices as do occur. One thing often leads to the solution of another in a very unexpected way. There was a John Heath, Prebendary of Sarum, who died 1464, and a Richard Heath, Vicar of Chiseldon (about 15 miles from Bremhill) who died in 1474, the very year of Maud's gift. But there is at present nothing to identify either of them as relatives of hers.

figure there is of Maud Heath herself in the full egg-and-butter uniform, or what is presumed to be such, of temp. Edw. IV.; upon her head a heavy coiffure, in her hand a staff, and by her side a basket. And there she sits, composedly surveying the well wooded and verdant lowlands before her, from the point where "her praise begins" even to that at which it ends; and a great deal more besides. The column is of freestone, about forty feet high, octangular, upon a square pedestal: and an inscription underneath states that it was erected by Henry Marquis of Lansdowne, and William Lisle Bowles, Vicar of Bremhill, two of the Trustees. Then follow some lines by W. L. B.

“Thou who dost pause on this aerial height,

Where MAUD HEATH'S Pathway winds, in shade or light,
Christian wayfarer in a world of strife,

Be still-and ponder on the path of life."

And here, having conducted the reader along her causey, to the base of Maud Heath's Statua, we leave him, if he is weary of us, to do homage to that worthy benefactress, whilst we add a short notice of

THE BENEFACTION.

Of the original document by which Maud Heath in 1474 gave the estate, since belonging to the Trust, we have not seen any copy. But from recitals in subsequent deeds it appears that she enfeoffed certain parties, who as they became reduced in number, appointed others. Such continues to be the practice. The Trustees have been usually chosen from the gentry and clergy connected with the Four parishes, or their immediate neighbourhood. Of the Trustees first named by herself, three seem to have been surviving in 1537, William Woodland, Edward Heath,1 and Thomas Jefferye.

On 12th May in that year, these three appoint new Trustees: viz., Edmund Stokes (of Tytherton Kellaways), Leonard Woodland,

1 No doubt a relative of the benefactress. The Woodlands here named were a Chippenham family, who lived in what the Muster Roll of 1538 calls "The Tything of Vogan in Chippenham," by which is most probably meant the part of the town now called "Foghamshire;" Lord Hungerford's Rent Roll mentions Woodland as a Freeholder in "Foggamsheare." Jeffery was a name both at Bremhill and Langley Burrell. (Walter J. was Rector of Langley 1505-1532). Norborne was also in both Parishes.

« PreviousContinue »