Composite arms of George Montgomery, as shown on the monumental brass mural monument in Washfield Church, Devon, erected by him in memory of his mother-in-law Alice Fry (died 1605).
English: Recreation of arms of Bishop George Montgomery (1562–1621), as shown on the monumental brass he erected in Washfield Church, Devon, in memory of his mother-in-law Alice Fry (1533-1605), a daughter of William Fry, lord of the manor of Yarty in Devon and wife of Phillip Steyning (1509-1589) of Holnicote, Somerset. Bishop George Montgomery married as his first wife Susan Steyning (d.1614), Alice Fry's daughter. The brass displays two heraldic escutcheons. On the dexter side the arms of Steyning, a bat with wings elevated sable (of four quarters) impaling Fry Gules, three horses courant argent. On the sinister side are shown a version of the arms of Montgomery impaling Steyning. See image of brass: File:GeorgeMontgomery SusanSteyning 1605 WashfieldChurch Devon.PNG The arms of Montgomery as shown on the brass are: A lance and a sword saltire-wise between in chief three fleurs-de-lys and in base three annulets stoned. This is an un-heraldic mixture of the heraldic device of the lance and a sword saltire-wise also adopted by his relative the soldier Sir James Montgomerie (b.1600) (2nd son of Hugh Montgomerie, 1st Viscount Montgomerie of the Great Ards) "to denote his roles as a justice in peace and a commander in war", and placed over the entrance door of his Irish seat of Rosemount, County Down, (The Montgomery Manuscripts, Belfast, 1830, p.159) together with above: the arms of Montgomerie: Azure, three fleurs-de-lys or and below the arms of Eglinton (often quartered by Montgomerie): Gules, three annulets or stoned azure. The composite arms might therefore be blazoned as follows: Party per chevron azure and gules, a lance and sword in saltire points uppermost between three fleurs-de-lys or in base three annulets or stoned azure Alice Fry's niece was Bridget Fry, wife of Henry Worth (1537-1606), lord of the manor of Worth, in the parish of Washfield, Devon. Alice Fry survived her husband by 16 years and died at Worth, hence the location of the brass. See Hancock, Frederick, The Parish of Selworthy in the County of Somerset, Taunton, 1897, pp.128-132, concerning the history of Holnicote and the Steyning family. The verse, composed by Bishop Montgomery himself (Hancock, pp.129-30), is as follows: Alice daughter unto Will'm Frye and Phillip Steyning's wyfe, (Both squiers) with her husband led a long and lovinge lyfe, Nyne sonns and daughters five she bare & then as turtle true, (He dying first) she lyved sole and would not choose anew. Birth, beauty, personage, good grace, court breeding, gravitye, Chast love, trueth, virtue, constant faith, and sincere piety, A lyfe made her belov'd and blest yea dead though envye burst, And malice selfe can speake but well if they would speake ye worst, Agde seaventie-two she yeilded heere her body to the dust, Her soule into her Saviour's hands in whom was all her trust; By Whom in sorrow, sicknes, health, lyfe, death she still was blest, With whom she now in heavenly joy hath everlastinge rest. Her birth-place Yarty was, her lyfe in Holnecot she led; In Worth amongst her deerest frends she made her fatall bed. Anew deere mother, we must part although wee loved deerly Yet spyte of death lyfe once agayne I hope shall joyne us neerely. And for thy love whilst thou didst live I vow though dead thou lye, Thy sonne Montgomerie's love to thee & thine shall never dye. Obiit 8o Aug: 1605o, aetatis suae 72o.[1] Georgius Montgomerius Gener Posuit.[2]