Henry Bourchier 5th Earl Bath 1587-1654

On 17th August 1654 Henry Bourchier 5th Earl Bath [deceased] was buried at St Peter's Church, Tawstock [Map]. Inscription:

Here lies Lord Henry Bourchier, Earl of Bath, who, with a long lineage and numerous descendants, sprang from the most ancient and noble families of Bourchier and FitzWarren. By hereditary right and the title of kinship, he assumed the arms of Woodstock, Bohun, Say, Mandeville, Bruse, Badlesmere, Clare, Montchensey, Cornehill, Windsor, Peverell, Clifford, Gifford, Martin, Mohun, Tracy, Cogan, Dinham, Courtney, Rivers, Stourton, Hangford, and other renowned families, intertwining their natal arms with his own heraldic shield, which he embraces and displays to posterity on this marble. Enough said, Reader; you now at last have a brief series of his nativities, where you may behold the splendor of his lineage and the loftiness of his ancestry. If indeed you should also consider his virtues and the furnishings of his soul, consult his name, which is more enduring than bronze, more lasting than marble, or any eulogy or epitaph finally and conspicuously displayed.

Sacred to Eternity: Stop, Traveler. Beneath this tombstone, in this marble sarcophagus, Henry, Earl of Bath, has laid down the mortal remains of his flesh, the envy of his present age and the sorrow of future generations. A man distinguished by venerable birthright and a lineage of the most noble stock not less conspicuous. Observe with what furnishings of fortune he was endowed; nor did his great soul abound less in virtues. He was refined by various solid literatures, and yet with a pleasant charm of polite elegance, he was generous and open. To the needy, who lacked essentials, he was a support and pillar; to the academics, nearly crushed by the barbarity of these times, he was a support and stabilizer. To friends, he was a paragon of expansive courtesy; to foes, indeed, a specimen of kindly compensation; towards all others, obliging and humble, only towards himself, he was stern; towards the King he was a symbol of unbroken, albeit calamitous, loyalty, and again towards him, a constant follower of untainted piety. But alas, while we shadow such great icons of virtue with our meager stylus, lamented widely by pious souls and attended by angels, from this earthly dust he was raised to the heavenly heights. In memory of whom (lest it decay by neglect and the ravages of time), this monument, a token of her affection, was placed by Rachel [aged 41], the grieving Countess, who was the daughter to Francis, Earl of Westmorland, son and heir of Thomas Fane, Knight, by Mary his wife, daughter and heiress of Henry Neville, Lord Abergavenny. Her mother was Mary, daughter and heiress to Anthony Mildmay, Knight, by Grace, daughter and co-heiress of Henry Sherington, Knight. October 1659.

HIC SITUS EST DOM: HENRICUS BOURGCHIER COMES BATHONIENSIS: Qui longa Propagine, et numeroso Stemmate, a uetustissimus iuxta ac nobilissimis Familijs, de BOURGCHIER et FITZWARREN, effluxit Et Iure haeredit ario ac Titulo Cognationis ascita sibi Insignia de WOODSTOCK, BOHUN, SAY, MANDEVILLE, BRUSE, BADLESMER, CLARE, MONTCHENSEY, CORNEHILL, WINDSOR, PEVERELL, CLIFFORD, GIFFORD, MARTIN, MOHUN, TRACY, COGAN, DINHAM, COURTNEY, RIVERS, STOURTON, HANGFORD reliquareum celebris Notae Familiarum, Arma Natalitia, cum proprijs Insignibus, intertexta ac circumfusa, Scuto suo Gentilitio complectitur, et Posteris Marmore hoc insculpta exhibet. Satis est, Lector; habes iam tandem compendiosam suorum Natatium Seriem, ubi Generis Splendorem, et Prosapiae Suae Sublimitatem spectes. Si vero Virtutes, et Animi Supeflectilem lustraueris, Nomem Suum Ære perennius, Marmore diuturnius aut quouis Eulogio uel Epitaphio conspectius tandem aliquando consulas.

Æternitati Sacrum Siste Viator Sub hoc Tumulo hue Sistro Marmoreo Deposuit Exuuias Carnis Henricus Comes Bathoniensis Paefentis faeculi liuor, et venturae Posteritatis luctus: Vir venerandi Natalibus quam apprime insignis Et prolixa nobilissimi stemmatis Prosapia mon minus Conspicuus Videas qua supellectile Fortunae suit stipatus; Ne minus virtutum Peculio grandis Animus exuberauit Varia solidioris literaturae limatura suit excultus, Et taman blando Comtae Elegantiae lenocinio facilis et effisus Egenis sua Inopia vacissantibus suit subsidium et Columen Academicis ingruente huium Temporis Barbarie pene fractis, Fulcrus et Statumen, Amicis suit diffusae urbanitatis, Inimicis uero Benignae, Compensationis Specimen; In omnes alios pronus et demissus, solum in Seipsum grauis; Erga Regem erat infractae licet Calamitossae Fidelitatis Symbolum, Ac denuo erga peum intemeratae Pietatis assiduus Assecta. sed eheu dum tantos Virtutum Iconismos umbratili stylo Calamistramus, Plorantibus passim pijs et stipantibus Angelis A Terrestri hoc Puluere, in caeleste Fastigium euectus est. In cuius Memoriam (ne situ et Ærugine Tabeiceret) Hoc Monumentus Affectus sui Tesseram, RACHEL, Comitissa Lugens possuit who was Da: to Francis Ea: of Westmerland sone & heire of Tho: Fane KT by Mary his wife Da: & heire of Hen: Nevill LD Abergaveney. Her Mother was Mary Da: & heire to Anthony Mildmay KT by Grace Da: & Choheire of Hen: Sherington KT Octo: 1659