MEMORIAL STONES OF THE WASHINGTONS IN

ENGLAND.

LETTER TO JARED SPARKS, HISTORIAN OF WASHINGTON, Nov. 22, 1860. FROM THE BOSTON DAILY ADVERTISER.

BOSTON, November 22, 1860.

SIR, Since our last conversation I

MY DEAReived from Earl Spencer precise copies

of the two "Memorial Stones" of the English family of George Washington, which I described to you as harmonizing exactly with the pedigree having the sanction of your authority. The copies are, as I understand, of the same stone and of the same size with the originals, and have the original inscriptions, being in all respects fac-similes. They will therefore give you an exact idea of those most interesting memorials in the parish church near Althorp, in Brington, Northamptonshire.

The largest is of Lawrence Washington, father of John Washington, who with his brother Lawrence emigrated to America. It is a slab of bluish-gray sandstone, and measures five feet nine inches long and two feet six inches broad.

This is the inscription:

1 Life of Washington, Appendix, pp. 510, 511: Writings, Vol. I., Appendix, pp. 552, 553.

HERE LIETH THE BODI OF LAVRENCE WASHINGTON SONNE & HEIRE OF ROBERT WASHINGTON OF SOVLGRAE IN THE COVNTIE OF NORTHAMTON ESQVIER WHO MARIED MARGARET THE ELDEST DAVGHTER OF WILLIAM BVTLER OF TEES IN. THE COVNTIE OF. SVSSEXE ESQVIER WHO HAD ISSV BY HER. 8. SONNS &. 9. DAVGHTERS WHICH LAVRENCE DECESSED.THE. 13 OF DECEMBER A: DÑI: 1616

THOV THAT BY CHANCE OR CHOYCE

OF THIS HAST SIGHT

KNOW LIFE TO DEATH RESIGNES

AS DAYE TO NIGHT

BVT AS THE SVNNS RETORNE

REVIVES THE DAYE

SO CHRIST SHALL VS

THOVGH TVRNDE TO DVST & CLAY

Above the inscription, carved in the stone, are the arms of the Washingtons, with the arms of the Butlers. impaled, the latter being, in the language of heraldry, azure, a chevron between three covered cups or.

The other stone is placed over Robert Washington and Elizabeth his wife. Robert was uncle of the emigrant. This is a slab of the same sandstone, and measures three feet six inches long and two feet six inches broad.

The inscription, on a small brass plate set into the stone, is as follows: :

HERE LIES INTERRED YE BODIES OF ELIZAB: WASHINGTON WIDDOWE, WHO CHANGED THIS LIFE FOR IMORTALLITIE YE 19TH OF MARCH 1622. AS ALSO YE BODY OF Robert WASHINGTON GENT: HER LATE HVSBAND SECOND SONNE OF ROBERT WASHINgton of SolGRAVE IN YE COVNTY OF NORTH: ESQ: WHO DEPTED THIS LIFE YE IOTH OF MARCH 1622 AFTER THEY LIVED LOVINGLY TOGETHER

MANY YEARES IN THIS PARRISH

On a separate brass, beneath the inscription, are the arms of the Washingtons, without any addition but a crescent, the mark of cadency, which denotes the second son. These, as you are well aware, have the combination of stars and stripes, and are sometimes supposed to have suggested our national flag. In heraldic language, they are argent, two bars gules, in chief three mullets of the second.

In the interesting chapter on the "Origin and Genealogy of the Washington Family," preserved in the Appendix to your "Life of Washington," it appears that Lawrence, father of the emigrant, died 13th December, and was buried at Brington 15th December, 1616. But the genealogical tables followed by you furnish no indication of the locality of this church. Had it appeared as the parish church of the Spencer family, in Northamptonshire, the locality, which I believe was unknown in our country, would have been precisely fixed.

In fact, the slab covering Lawrence Washington is in the chancel of the church, by the side of the monuments of the Spencer family. These are all in admirable preservation, with full-length effigies, busts, or other sculptured work, and exhibit an interesting and connected series of sepulchral memorials, from the reign of

Henry the Eighth to the present time. Among them is a monument by the early English sculptor, Nicholas Stone; another by Nollekens from a design by Cipriani; and another by Flaxman, with exquisitely beautiful personifications of Faith and Charity. Beneath these monuments repose successive representatives of this illustrious family, whose aristocratic claims are enhanced by services not only to the state, but also to knowledge, as shown in the unique and world-famous library collected by one of its members. In this companionship is found the last English ancestor of our Washington.

The other slab, covering Robert, uncle of the emigrant, is in one of the aisles, where it is scraped by the feet of all who pass.

The parish of Brington — written in Domesday Book "Brinintone," and also "Brintone," in modern pronunciation Brighton is between seven and eight miles from the town of Northampton, not far from the centre. of England. It contains about 2,210 acres, of which about 1,490 belong to Earl Spencer, and about 326 to the rector in right of his church. The soil is chiefly dark-colored loam, with a small tract of clay towards the north. Nearly four fifths of the whole is pasture.

In the village still stands the house said to have been occupied by the Washingtons when the emigrant brother left them. You will see a vignette of it on the title-page of the recent English work entitled "The Washingtons." Over the door are carved the words, THE LORD GEVETH, THE LORD TAKETH AWAY, BLESSED BE THE NAME OF THE LORD; while the Parish Register gives pathetic commentary, by showing that in the

very year when this house was built a child was born and another died in this family.

The church, originally dedicated to the Virgin, stands at the northeast angle of the village, and consists of an embattled tower with five bells, nave, north and south. aisles, chancel, chapel, and modern porch. The tower is flanked by buttresses of two stages. The present fabric goes back in origin to the beginning of the fourteenth century, nearly two hundred years before the discovery of America. The chancel and chapel, where repose the Spencers and Lawrence Washington, were rebuilt by Sir John Spencer, purchaser of the estate, at the beginning of the sixteenth century. They afford a late specimen of Tudor architecture. The church is beautifully situated on the highest ground of Brington, and is surrounded by a stone wall lined with trees. Dibdin says that a more complete picture of a country churchyard is rarely seen. A well-trimmed walk encircles the whole of the interior, while the fine Gothic windows at the end of the chancel fill the scene with picturesque beauty.

The Parish Register, which is still preserved, commences in 1560. From this it appears that William Proctor was rector from 1601 to 1627, partly contemporary with the last Washingtons there. Other entries. occur, relating to this family.

1616. "Mr. Lawrance Washington was buried the XVth day of December."

1620.

"Mr. Philip Curtis and Mis Amy Washington were maried August 8."

1622. "Mr. Robert Washington was buried March y 11th." "Mrs. Elisabeth Washington widow was buried March ye 20th."