Spirit of the times. [volume] (Ironton, Ohio) 1853-1858, 1854-11-07
..::su2GLE!S-. h:
EMBALMED BODIES.

A writer in the London Notes and
Queries furnishes the following inleres.
ting account -
"A few weeks ago, in clearing out an
old chapel at Nuncham Regis, War.
wickshire, which had been pulled down,
all but the belfrey tower, forty years
since, we thought il necessary to trench
the whole space, that we mi ght more GER.
tainly mark out the boundaries of the
building, as we wished to restore it in
some measure TO its former state. 1t had
been used as stack yard and depository
for rubbish by the tenants of the farm on
which it was ever since its dilapdation.
We began 10 trench at the west end, and
came on great many bones and skele.
tons, from which the collins had crum.
bled away, ill, finding the earth had
been moved, we went deeper and discov.
cred leaden coffin, quite perfect, with.
out date or inscription ofany kind. There
had been an outer wooden coffin which
was decayed, but quantities Of the black
rotten wood were all around it. We cut
the lead and folded back the top, so as
not to destroy it; beneath was wooden
coffin in good preservation, and also
without any inscription.
As soon as the leaden top was rolled
back most overpowering aromatic
smell diGused itself all over the place
We then unfustened the inner coffin, and
found the body Of a man embalmed with
great care, and heaps Of rosemary and
aromatic leaves piled over him. On ex
amining the body more closely, we fount
that it had been beheaded. The hea(
was separately wrapped up in linen, ant
the linen shirt which covered the body
was drawn quite over the neck where tht
head had been cut of. The head wa.
laid straight with the body, and wher'
the jennings Of the head and neck SHOULD
have been it was tied round with 5roac
black ribbon. His hands were crossed
on his breast, the wrists were tied witt
black ribbon, and the thumbs wele tiet
together with black ribbon. He had {
peaked beard and a quantity Of lon;
brown hair, curled and clotted will
blood, round his neck. The only mask
on anything about him was on the liner
on his chest just above which his hands
were crossed on it were the letters I
b., worked in black silk.
On trenching towardsthe channel, VI
came on fonr leaden collins, laid sid'
by side, with inscriptions on ouch. ON
contained the body Of Francis, EaIl o
Chichester, and Lord Dunsmure, 1868
the next body of Audrey, Countess o
Chichester, 1862 another the body o
Lady::Audrey Leigh. their daughter, l640
and the third the body Of Sir John Ander
son, son OF Lady Chichester by her frs
husband. We opened the coffin Of La
dy Audrey Leigh, and found her perfect
ly embalmed and in entire preservation
her flesh quite plump, las if she were alive
hcr..fa very beautiful land her hands ex
ceedinsly small and not wasted. Sh
was dressed in fine linen, trimmed al
over with point lace, and two rows o
lace fiat across her forehead. She look
ed exactly as if she were lying asleep
and her beauty was very perfect, evel
her eye lushes and eyebrows were quit
perfect, and her eyes were closed NJ
part of her face or figure was at all fal
len in. We also opened Lady Chiches
tcr's coffin, but with her the embalmin
had perfectly failed. She was a skel
eton, though the coffin was filled will
aromatic leaves. Her hair, however
was as fresh as if she had lived /; it wa
long and thick, and as soft and gloss.
as that Of a child, and OF perfect au
burn color.
In tlenching On one side where the al
tar had been, we found anothe, leader
coffin with an inscription. 1t contain
ed the body Of Dame Marie Browne
daughter OF one Of the Leighs, and Of tn
Lady. Marie, daughter Of Lord Chancel
lor Brackley. This body was also quit
perfect, and embalmed principally wit
very small coffee seed, witt
which the coffin was nearly filed, an.
it also had SO powerful perfume that
filled the whole place. The linen, rib
bons, &C., were quite strong and good il
all these instances and remained so al
Ter exposure 10 the air. We kept piec
l out Of each coffin, and had It washe
without its being at all destroyed. (
Young Lady Aubery had ear.rings tn he