Opposite to the door, on the northern side of the nave, and near the font, is a small brass figure in a shroud with the hands raised in prayer. It has not been given by Cotman. The legend is as follows:—
Pray for ye sowle of your charite
of Thomas Robson to ye trynyte.
Going eastward, we find, towards the centre of the chapel, a large stone with a brass, in very good preservation, of a female clad in a long mantle, with a veil and barbe, in a religious dress; she had devoted herself, after the decease of her husband, to the service of God. Her name is recorded in the following legend:—
Hic jacet tumulata dn'a Johanna Braham vidua ac deo dicata
olim uxor Johis Braham Armigiri que obit xviijo die Noue'bris
Ao dni mill'mo CCCCCo XIXo cujus a'ie p'picietur deuc. Amen.
Below this legend are three coats of arms[1]. The next slab in the pavement is the old altar-stone, marked with five crosses. Still eastward, and in front of the communion-table, is the effigy of a knight in armour, having a skirt of chain mail under plate armour with taces, and tuilles; the hands are raised in prayer, the sword is suspended by a baldric, and hangs down straight in front of the figure. The legend is in old English character:—
Hic iacet ven'abilis vir Joh'es Blen'hayset Armig' qi obit vicesimo vijo die me's' nove'b' dni MoVoXo cujs aie p'piet' de'.
There was a shield in each corner of this stone, but two are lost, and the other two nearly obliterated[2]. In the north-eastern corner of the chancel is another knightly effigy, with legend and four shields in better preservation. The hair in this figure is not flowing, but erect; the armour is of plate; the right arm covered by a succession of plates to give greater freedom to its movements; on the right side hangs a dagger, on the left a sword suspended by a baldric, buckled in front. At the feet is a lion couchant, regardant[3]. The legend runs thus:—
Hic jacet venerabilis vir Radulphus Blenrhaysett armiger qui obiit XVIIo die mensis Novembris Ao dni MoCCCCo LXXVo Cujs a'ie p'picietr deus. Amen.
- ↑ Blomef. Norf., vol. i. p. 145. Cotman, Pl. liii.
- ↑ Cotman, Pl. 1.
- ↑ Cotman has given no representation of this figure, which bears much resemblance to those of Sir Miles Stapleton, 1466, at Ingham, and Sir John Curzon, 1471, at Belaugh. An etching of it was executed by Mrs. Hayles, from a drawing by the late Rev. Thomas Kerrich, Librarian of the University of Cambridge.
