Gleanings in Graveyards Part 15

SNODLAND.

Palmers al our faders were,- I, a Palmer, lived here, And travylled till, worne with age, I endyd this world's pylgrymage On the blyst a.s.sention-day, In the cheerful month of May, A thousand with foure hundryd seven, And took my jorney hense to Heven!

SANDWICH.

To Thomas, son of Thomas Danson, late a Preacher in this town. Born Oct. 23, 1668; died Oct. 23, 1674.

Upon October's three and twentieth day The world began, (as learned Annals say,) That was this child's birthday, on which he died, The world's end may in his be typified: Oh! happy little world, whose work is done Before the greater, and his rest begun.

WOOLWICH.

Several years since, an inhabitant of Woolwich died, leaving a testamentary order that his tombstone should be inscribed with the well-known lines:-

Youthful reader, pa.s.sing by, As you are now, so once was I, As I am now, so you must be, Therefore prepare to follow me.

The widow of the deceased, who did not honour her lord more than the ordinary run of wives, obeyed her late husband's injunctions, but added a postscript of her own composition-

To follow you I am not content, Until I know which way you went.

FRINDSBURY.

On Mrs. Lee and her son Tom.

In her life she did her best, Now, I hope her soul's at rest; Also her son Tom lies at her feet, He liv'd till he made both ends meet.

FOLKESTONE.

Sixteen years a Maiden, One twelve Months a Wife, One half hour a Mother, And then I lost my Life.

ROCHESTER.

Though young she was, Her youth could not withstand, Nor her protect from Death's Impartial hand.

Like a cobweb, be we e'er so gay, And death a broom, That sweeps us all away.

MAIDSTONE.

"Stop ringers all and cast an eye, You in your glory, so once was I, What I have been, as you may see, Which now is in the belfree."

"G.o.d takes the good too good on earth to stay, And leaves the bad too bad to take away."

The person was very aged on whose tomb-stone the above was written!

LEE.

In the village churchyard, near the Castle, is a rather singular inscription upon a gravestone, which was put up by the deceased during his life-time; and when first placed there, had blanks, for inserting his age and the time of his death. These blanks have long since been filled up, and the whole now reads as follows:-

"In memory of James Barham, of this parish, who departed this life Jan. 14, 1818, aged 93 years; and who from the year 1774, to the year 1804, rung, in Kent and elsewhere, 112 peals, not less than 5,040 changes in each peal, & called bobs, &c. for most of the peals; & April 7th & 8th, 1761, a.s.sisted in ringing 40,320 bob-majors on Leeds-bells, in 27 hours."

BOBBING.

G.o.d gave me at Kinardington in Kent, My native breath, which now alas is spent, My parents gave me Tylden Smith for name, I to the Park farm in this Parish came; And there for many ling'ring years did dwell, Whilst my good neighbours did respect me well.

But now my friends, I go by Nature's call, In humble hopes my crimes will measure small.

Years following years steal something every day, And lastly steal us from ourselves away.

Life's span forbids us to extend our cares, And stretch our hopes beyond our fleeting years.

Mary Farminger, my wife, from East Marsh place, Lies mouldering here like me, in hopes of grace.

The following Epitaph is to be found in the parish church of Ightham, erected to Mrs. Selby of the Mote House, Ightham, who was a beautiful worker of Tapestry, whose death is said to have been caused from her p.r.i.c.king her finger when working one Sunday. There is a marble figure of her, holding a steel needle in her hand, and underneath is the following inscription:-

She was a Dorcas, Whose Curious needle turned the abused stage Of this lov'd world, into the goldenage, Whose pen of steele, and silken inck unroll'd The acts of Jonah in records of gold, Whose art disclosed that Plot, which had it taken, Rome had tryumphed, and Britains wall had shaken.

She Was In heart a Lydia, and in tongue a Hanna, In zeale a Ruth, in wedlock a Susanna, Prudently simple, providently wary, To the world a Martha, and to Heaven a Mary.

Died 1641

STAPLEHURST.

Here lyeth the Body of Mary the daughter of Wm Maiss & Mary his Wife, who died Sept. 9, 1703, aged 22 years.

Here lyes a piece of Heaven, t'others above, Which shortly goes up to the World of Love, The Brightest Sweetest Angels must convey This spotless Virgin on the starry way; That glittering _quire_ sings but a lisping song, Till she appears amidst the s.h.i.+ning throng.