The Strife of the Roses and Days of the Tudors in the WestRogers, W. H. Hamilton (William Henry Hamilton)
History
The Strife of the Roses and Days of the Tudors in the West
Rogers, W. H. Hamilton (William Henry Hamilton)
Great Britain -- History -- Tudors, 1485-1603; Great Britain -- History -- Wars of the Roses, 1455-1485
The figures on the monument at Porlock are sculptured in alabaster,
and Lady Harington-Bonville wears cote-hardie and gown, with mantle
over, fastened across the breast by cordon and tassels. Around the
hips is a rich cincture, and a double chain with dependant jewel
encircles the neck. The head-dress is horned, the hair secured in a
reticulated caul splendidly embroidered, and with jewelled ornaments
filling the interstices. Just over the brow is a band-coronet, studded
with pearls and crested by fleurs-de-lys, and her fingers are
ornamented with rings. Angels support the cushions on which her head
rests, and an animal, probably intended for a boar, as allusive to her
family, is at her feet. Lord Harington is in plate armour, orle around
his bascinet, plate gorget, large epaulières with deeply scolloped
terminations, diagonally placed sword-belt with sword, rich baudrick
across the hips with anelace, small tuilles, gauntlets, and about his
neck a chain of ornamented link-work, with the usual trefoil clasp and
small pendant. The head reclines on a helmet with crest of _a lion's
head couped at the shoulders_, and angels were originally on each side
supporting it. The feet rest on a lion. The armour is of an
interesting character, and of later date than that worn at the death
of the knight, being referable to what was in use about the middle of
the fifteenth century, accounted for by the appearance of his wife by
his side, who survived him more than half a century. There is a fine
canopy over the effigies.
[Illustration: EFFIGIES OF ELIZABETH COURTENAY, LADY BONVILLE,
AND HER FIRST HUSBAND, JOHN, FOURTH BARON HARINGTON OF ALDINGHAM,
PORLOCK CHURCH, SOMERSET.--A.D. 1417-71.]
We broke off our little personal history in the year 1454, when
presumably Lord Bonville had returned from Aquitaine, of which
province he had been made Lieutenant. The next glimpse we get of him
is in the year following, and the incident, that brings him before us,
is quite in keeping with the belligerent spirit of the times, and
which seems to have invaded both public and private life at this
turbulent and lawless era. The old historian, Westcote, gives a
succinct outline of this remarkable quarrel,
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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