The arms, as tricked in the manuscript, show the chevron charged with a crescent for difference. Since no other monument now remains in the Church to which this inscription could have belonged, it is probable that the lost brasses of the slab in the Lawrence Chapel were those of Henry Waver and his wife. "Christian, relict of Sir Henry Waver, Knight," says Faulkner, in his "History of Fulham," "died anno 1480, being seised of the manor of Rosamunds, in Fulham the next heir to which place was Christian, daughter of her son Henry. No later records relative to this manor have been discovered, but Mr. Lysons supposes it to be the estate at Parson's Green adjoining the Rectory House . . . On the north side of the chancel, below the arch opening into the Lawrence Chapel, is a monument of a very unusual form, that, namely of a triumphal arch. Its situation is no less extraordinary: for the western portion of the arch opening into the Lawrence Chapel has been removed to make way for it, in such a manner that the remaining portion and the adjacent parts of the roof rest upon it. This monument would appear to have originally stood free, within the arch; and to have been used as a support for the wall above it, perhaps when the arch was rebuilt in its present form in 1784. The piers of the monument are panelled and moulded, the arch semicircular, having the soffit decorated with an Elizabethan fret: and at either end, above the piers, is a shallow niche, with a conched, semicircular head. The whole is surmounted by a simple entablature of which the frieze is unusually deep. The mouldings and ornaments of this tomb are delicately contrived, and it is an early and very interesting example of classic work in this country. In the centre of the frieze on the south side is a shield bearing these arms: Sa. a chevron between three eaglets close, or (should be arg.), for Gervoise; impaling, quarterly 1 & 4 sa. a chevron between 3 spears heads or, within a bordure gules, a mullet for difference. 2 & 3, az. 3 beacons burning or. A similar shield is in the centre of the frieze on the north side, Gervoise between being differenced with a crescent. On the frieze is also this crest repeated four times :-A tiger's head sable, tusked and maned or. The Gervoise arms are repeated in the dexter spandril of the arch on either side; the others are similarly repeated in the sinister spandrils : and on the inner face of the eastern pier is an achievement of Gervoise's arms, differenced as above, with helmet, crest, and mantling. Upon a tablet of alabaster let into the inner face of the western pier is the following inscription: VIRTVTIS PREMIVM LAVS RICHARDI, LECTOR, GERVOISI FVNERA CERNIS, A° DNI 1563. A° ÆTATIS SVÆ 27. This Richard Jervoise (to adopt the modern spelling) was third, but second surviving son of the Richard Jervoise, mercer and Alderman of London, who purchased a lease of the Old Manor House at Chelsea sometime between 1520 and 1548 (see Appendix B), and whose will was proved in the Prerogative Court of Canterbury on the seventh day of February, 1555-6. Lysons, indeed, conjectured that the monument was erected to the father, and as the lease had expired and the house had passed into other hands in 1557 (see chap. iv.) the conjecture would seem allowable, were it not contradicted by the absence of any epitaph, as well as by the fact that the Jervoise arms are differenced for a second son. I will return to this doubtful question presently. An account of "the Jervoises of Herriard and Britford " contributed to Vol. 3 of "The Ancestor " by Mr. F. H. T. Jervoise, brings to light many interesting particulars which are contained in a "Book of Evidences" compiled by the elder Richard Jervoise when at Chelsea. On the first page of this book is a roughly sketched pedigree with this heading : "Hereafter followeth the pedigre of Thomas Jerveys sometyme of the Towne of Kydd❜mster in the Countie of Wurcette' which Thomas hadd issue as hereafter followeth wch said pedigre was made and writen the thirde day of June anno dni 1552" Of this Thomas Jervoise, the writer was the only son; and it is interesting to note that not only does he not claim any older descent, but, significantly, describes himself as "the purchaser." A pedigree at the College of Arms on the other hand (7 D. fol. 153) begins with Richard Jervoise," whose ancestors according to family tradition came from Helstone in Cornwall." The next entry in the book is the following memorandum of his marriage and issue: "Memor. that I Richard Jerveis of London, Mcer toke to wyffe Wenefride late the wyffe of Willm Stathum, of London, mercer, and maried her the thursdaye the xxvj day in Octobre A⚫ dni 1525 which was doughter of John Bernerd of London mercer and had isshues by the sovaunce of God these children as hereafter doth folowe by the said Wenefride Jerveis. "Itm Barnard Jerveis my first sone was borne the xv daye of Septembre A° xvxxx betwext x and xi of the cloke at night and crisined the xvi daye Doctor Clement and James Barnard his godfathers Mrs Resce late the wyffe of John Grene mercer godmother and James Bolney Mercere godfather at the ["ffount" erased] bysshop which Barnard depted to Gode in octobre anno dui 1535 "Itm Thomas Jerveis my second sone was borne on Saterday being Childermas day the xxviij daye of Decembre the yere of o' lord god xvc and xxxij iij quarters of the houre after ix of the cloke in the night and Cristned on sent Thomas day folowyng his godfathers St Thomas More knyght late lord Chancellor of Ingland Mr Thomas Walshe the Kygs Remembrauncer in his Exchequer ladie Mary Seymer wyffe to Sir Thomas Seymer knyght Alderman of London godmother godfather at the busshop George Welshe brother to the said Thomas Walshe. |