KK-STMG-066

Elias Shee and Margaret Archer Renaissance mural-tomb c.1613 Renaissance mural-tomb to Elias Shee. Monument has been vandalised severely to the extent that only those elements that are cemented into the wall are still extant. Three tiers may be recognised namely an altar-tomb beneath an half-tester and entablature. A crown may be missing. The entablature has been predominantly removed with only about half of the moulded architrave surviving. The frieze comprises a rectangular panel engraved in false-relief with an inscription in Latin Roman capitals. The was transcribed by Carrigan (1905 iii, 99) thus: HELIAE. SHEE. ARMIGERO. MVLTIS. NATVRAE. DOTIBVS. AC. MVLTIPLICIC. DOCTRINAE. ORNAMENTIS. CONSPICVO. CONJVGI. SVAVISSIMO. CHARISSIMA. VXOR. MARGARETA. ARCHER. MAESTA. POVIT. OBIIT. DIE. 27. JVLII. ANNO. DOMINI .1613 The central and main tier of the tomb is the canopy/half-tester, which has lost its arches and side-paneling. Remains of the tops of two arches lie on top of the mensa. The back of the canopy is occupied by one long inscribed panel at the base below two smaller panels above. The central panel has been removed and a volute inserted in the space. The inscriptions are in false-relief, Latin Roman capitals. This has been transcribed by Carrigan (1905 iii, 99) thus: SPICVLV[M] MORTIS ORTVS. AD. I[N]TERITV[M]. TACITUS. PROGRESSIBVS. VRGET. MORTALESQVE. RAPIT. MORTIS. VIS. NESCIA. VI[N]CI. NESCIA. CONSILIO. VOTO. VEL. VOCE: MOVERI. IMPERII. ELOQVII. RATIONIS. ACVMINIS. ARTIS. ET. SOPHIAE. TRA[N]SCE[N]DIT. OPE[M]. EXERTOQVE. LACERTO. SPICVLA. CO[N]TORQVET. GRAVIS. I[N]CLEME[N]TIA. LETHI. CIVIS. AD. I[M]PERIV[M]. QVICQVID. SPIRABILE. MVNDI. MACHINA. CO[M]PLEXV. FOVET. EXPIRARE. NECESSEE. EST. SPECVLV[M] MORTALIV[M] SISTE. GRADV[M]. QVI. TRA[N]SGREDERIS. CORDATE. VIATOR. INQVE. SEPVLCHRALI. HOC. SPECVLO. CIRCV[M]SPICE. CLARI. ORA. VIRI. GENIO. I[N]GENIOQVE. ET. MORIBVS. ORBI. BRITTONICO. LUME[N]. CIVIS. FACVNDIA. VOCIS. ET. FAECV[N]DA. GRAVECE[N]SV. CENSVQVE. FACVLTAS. NON CO[N]TEMNE[N]DO. PIETAS. DOCTRINA. FAVORQVE. MAGNATV[M]. ME[N]TISQVE. VIGOR. DV[M]. VITA. VIGERET. NVNC. TENET. ORBATV[M]. CVLTV. BREVIS. VRNA. CADAVER. The base panel is transcribed by Carrigan (1905 iii, 100) thus: HOMO BVLLA VITA. QVID. EST. HOMINIS. GRACILIS. NISI. SPVMA. QVID. ISPE. NIL. NISI. BVLLA. QVID. HAEC. EST. TVMEFACTVS. HVMOR. ET. HVMOR. ET. VAPOR. HIC. FVMI. VEL. FLVMINIS. INSTAR. AVFVGIT. ET. VOLAT. HINC. FLAMINIS. INSTAR. HOMO. NEC. GENVS. ANTIQVV[M]. NEC. HONESTA. OPVLE[N]IA. RERV[M]. NEC. NECIS. IMPERIV[M]. LINGVA. DISERTA. FVGIT. NEC. FIDEI. FERVOR. NEC. RELIGIONIS. AVITAE. CVLTVS. AB. EXTREMO. LIBERAT. ENSE. NIHIL. HELIAE. HAEC. SVBREPANT. SVPERATVR. MORTE. SED. IPSE. SI. TAMEN. HAEC. MORS. EST. TRANSITVS. AD. SVPEROS. TRANSIT. ET. VT. CITO. PERVENIAT. QVO. TRANSIT. AD. ARCES. COELICOLVM. A. NOBIS. VOTA. PRECESQVE. PETIT. The lowest tier of the monument comprises a mensa of plain type. The side and front paneling of the altar-tomb is obscured by a later memorial.