Brass Rubbing: John Martyn and Ann Botiler

From the catalogue, An Exhibition of Medieval Brass Rubbings by Kathleen H. Cairns. "John Martyn, 1436, with wife Ann Botiler. Under a double canopy, slightly mutilated. He was Justice of the Common Please and is shown in his robes of office, with coif. He is holding a heart inscribed "Jesus Mercy." Foot Inscriptions: Bend down thine eyes, behold me stretched beneath this marble stone O man, my mortal fate foreshadows the likeness of Thine own. Look onward sadly, standing here I pray Thee have in mind How the most high and honored life, untimely death shall find. Ere was I judge in royal hall, now tremblingly I plead Before my Judge's bar. Far down myself assigned indeed Comes swiftly on the day wherin my law, my praise, my fame Lose their renown. A lifeless voice scarce calling forth my name. I am not what I was of late, my corpse bneath this stone Yet in the end in the Heaven's own light endowed, my flesh I trust, O God, to see Thy face, to hail Thee as my Lord. (From printed translation in Graveney church) BORDER INSCRIPTION: Here lies John Martin once...of the Common Bench who died the 24th day of the month...A.D. 1436 in the fifteenth year of the reign of King Henry IV after the conquest of England and Mary Anne his wife who died then... day of the month of...A.D. 14--. On whose souls may God have mercy Amen. SCROLLS: (Man) Have mercy on me, O God according to They great mercy. (Woman) And by They tender mercy blot out my sins. (50th Psalm)" From Bontell: This large and fine brass comprises the effigies of the judge and his lady beneath a rich double canopy. The judge is represented in his official robes, witha coif upon his head; his feet rest upon a lion; and in his hands he holds a heart inscribed with the words IHU. MCY. The lady is habited in a kirtle under a mantle, and has the horned head-dress of the times: she was the daughter and heiress of John Boteler of Ewell Court, Esquire. She survived the judge, and also a second husband, Thomas Borgeys, Esquire, and died A.D. 1458. In the spandrels of the canopy between the pinnacles and the finials, were four shields of arms; of these one only now remains, and bears the arms of Boteler, or Butler.

Cairns, Kathleen H. An Exhibition of Medieval Brass Rubbings, December 7, 1969 through January 4, 1970. Frick Fine Arts Building, University of Pittsburgh. Catalog #42. Felgate, T.M. Knights on Suffolk Brasses. East Anglian Magazine Ltd. Ipswich, Sufflok 1976. Spinke, Winifred. A Memento from Old England. Bury St. Edmunds, n.d. Bontell, Rev. Charles. Monumental Brasses of England (1849), pp. 44-5.