Brass Rubbing: William and Beatrice Chichele

From Bontell: This is an example of singular merit and beauty; it is the memorial of a younger brother of the archbishop, a citizen and alderman of London, and his wife, a daughter of William Barrett, Esquire. The border-legend, when complete, was a follows: SUCH AS YE BE, SUCH WER WE SUCH AS WE BE, SUCH SHAL YE BE, LERNETH TO DEYE, THAT IS THE LAWE, THAT THIS LIF YOW TO WOL DRAWE, SORWE OR GLADNESS NOUGHT LETTEN AGE, BUT ON HE COMETH TO LORD AND PAGE, WHEREFOR FOR US THAT BEN GOO, PREYETH AS OTHER SHAL FOR YOU DOO, THAT GOD OF HIS BENIGNITE, ON US HAVE MERCY AND PITE, AND NOUGHT REMEMBER OUR WYKEDNESS, SITH HE HAS BOUGHT US OF HIS GOODNESS. -Source Unknown. From the catalogue, An Exhibition on Medieval Brass Rubbings by Kathleen H. Cairns: "William Chichele, 1425, with wife Beatrice. In civil dress. His wife is in a beautiful mantle. He was sheriff and alderman of London. A fine double canopy. INSCRIPTION: Pray for the souls of William Chichele and Beatrice his wife which said William died A.D. 1425. Such as ye be such were we such as we be such shall ye be beneath to die. That is the law that this life yoke to well draw so in gladiness nought letten age. But on he cometh to lord and page. Wherefore for us that be go prayeth as other that for you do that God in His benignity on us have mercy and pity and nought remember our wordliness since He us brought of His goodness."

Felgate, T.M. Knights on Suffolk Brasses. East Anglian Magazine Ltd. Ipswich, Suffolk 1976. Spinke, Winifred. A Memento from Old England. Bury St. Edmunds, n.d. Medieval Brass Rubbings (exhibit catalogue), Pittsburgh, 1969. Bontell, Rev. Charles. Monumental Brasses of England (1849), p. 49. Cairns, Kathleen H. An Exhibition of Medieval Brass Rubbings, December 7, 1969 through January 4, 1970. Frick Fine Arts Building, University of Pittsburgh. Catalog #64. Cairns, Kathleen H. An Exhibition of Medieval Brass Rubbings, October 20 through November 19. Catalog #51.