Stafford tomb, St John the Baptist Church, Bromsgrove: one of the most powerful families in Worcestershire, living just south of the town
English: Bromsgrove Church of St John, monument with effigies to Sir Humphrey Stafford (1400-post 1450) of Grafton, in the parish of Bromsgrove in Worcestershire, Governor of Calais, son of Sir Humphrey Stafford of Grafton by his wife Elizabeth Burdett. He married Eleanor Aylesbury (b. 1407 - d. AFT 1467), a daughter of Thomas Aylesbury and Catherine Pabenham. Text from: Cotton, William, Bromsgrove Church : its history & antiquities ; with an account of the Sunday schools, churchyard, and cemetery", p.61 [1] At the east end of the north aisle is an alabaster monument to Sir Humphrey Stafford, of Grafton, son and heir of Sir Humphrey Stafford, of Grafton, knight, by Ehzabeth his wife, daughter and heiress of Sir John Burdet, knight, displaying a full length recumbent figure of a knight, arrayed in the superb armour of the period ; Cased from head to foot in panoply of steel. His head is covered with a conical basinet or helmet, encircled by a rich jewelled wreath, called an orle, which was introduced during the reign of Henry W. for the purpose of contracting the heavy pressure of the jousting helme, worn over it at tournaments. (Plate IV., figure i.) The basinet is attached to a gorget (a piece of armour worn round the neck, the origin of that which officers now wear when on duty), the fastening being covered by an ornamental border (Plate IV., fig. 2), which is succeeded by the breast plate and back piece ; the shoulders are covered with jiauldrons, and the arms and hands protected by brassarts, elbow pieces, vambraces, and cuffed gauntlets, all likewise of plate. Round his neck is suspended the collar of SS. (Plate IV., figure 3), a cognizance introduced by Henry IV., being the initial letter of his favourite motto "Soveragne." Beneath the head is a jousting helme, the crest of which is a boar's head (Plate IV., figure 4), couped upon a wreath mantling and doubling.* The thighs, legs, and feet are incased in cuisses, genoiulleres, jambs, and soUerets pointed at the toes ; rouelle spurs were originally fastened to the heels, but the straps alone of these remain. The bawdrick or girdle, horizontally disposed about the loins, formerly bore the arms of Stafford, within a border engrailed, and an anclace or dagger on the right side : this is now missing, as also the sword, which was suspended on the left side from a belt buckled in front, and crossing the body diagonally, a fashion which had fallen into disuse on the introduction of the bawdrick, in the reign of Edward III., but was, during the 15th century, again revived. At the feet reclines a greyhound. Outstretch'd together are express'd He and my lady fair : With hands uplifted on the breast In attitude of prayer ; Long visaged, clad in armour, he, With ruffled arm and bodice, she. By the side of Sir Humphrey reposes the efihgy of his wife Eleanor, represented in the fashionable dress of her time, viz., a surcote or low bodied gown, fitting close to the shape, with light drawn sleeves; over this a mantle, open in front, and fastened across the breast by a cordon hanging down. The hair is gathered into a network of an orbicular shape, divided in the middle, milrc-like. (Plate IV., fig. 5.) * When a knight was equipped for the tournament, he wore a wreath upon his helmet, which was generally composed of two skeins of silk, of different colours, twisted together, and answering to the principal colours of the device of his shield. Round Iicr neck is a double chain. (Plate IV., figure 6.)* Her head is supported by two angels, and a dog and grififin crouch at her feet. 'J'he sides of the tomb are divided into square recessed compartments (Plate VI., fig. i), containing quatrefoils, in the middle of which are small shields ; to these were affixed armorial bearings, but none of them are now discernablc. According to Nash they bore the following : — Or a chevron Gules and canton ermine ; Stafford ; quartering Azure, a chief Gules, over all a lion rampant Argent ; Hastang : and empaling Azure a cross Argent ; Aylesbury. The tomb also bore the arms of Palgrave and Burdet. Stafford was heir of Palgrave, and Palgrave heir of Burdet. The inscriptions are worn away. Eight of the compartments originally completing the sides of this tomb now form the front and end of a long seat or sedilia on the south side of the sanctuary. In the iSth year of the reign of Edward IV., Eleanor, the widow of Humphrey Stafford, founded in the church a chantry of one chaplain, who was daily to say mass at the aUar of our lady for the good estate of the king and queen, herself, Sir Humphrey her husband, and Humphrey, lliomas, Elizabeth, Anne, and Joyce, their children. For the support of the chaplain, she granted to Thomas Lytelton, Justice of the Common Pleas, John Catesby, serjeant-at-law, and others, an annual rent of lo marks, issuing out of her manor of Dodford, in Northamptonshire, with intent that they should pay the same to the chaplain of the said chantry by two equal portions, at Lady-day and Michaelmas. She presented the chaplain, and the Bishop of Worcester gave him insthution, and after her death the lords of Dodford presented. Thomas Harding, the first chaplain, was succeeded by Thomas Lancastre, in 1504. Roger Chant (151 1) and Thomas Blackweye (1512) also held the office. The deed of the foundation is worded as follows....