who have lost their green alley is a red letter-box in the opposite wall.' 1650 The monument had been in Sir Ralph's thoughts ever since his wife's death: even before her body could reach Claydon he had written to Dr. Denton about it. 'Measure the Breadth of ye chancell & Aug. 25, marke the place where ye Body lies, and at your returne describe it to a Toombemaker & send me 2 or 3 draughts on paper drawne Black & White, or in Colours as it will bee, that I may see which Toombe I like best; & because my deare Mother & halfe my children are there, They and if you thinke fit my selfe, & 2 Boyes (not forgetting poore Pegg that went to Heaven from Hence) may bee added also, & 1 Sir Ralph's memorandum is as follows:- "THE ALMESHOUSE. Every Roome is 15 Foot long, and 13 Foote broad within. 'And 8 Foote high from ye Floore to the Wallplate, and from yt to the side peece, tis sloped and plastered lik ye Roofe of a garret. 'The Chimney is 4 Foote broad, & 4 Foote high within and placed right in ye Middle of ye Roome, between the streete Door and ye Garden doore, which doors are 2 foote 2 inches broad & five foote & halfe high. 'The Window is 2 paines of Glasse (without a casement), each paine being 2 Foote and halfe high and 15 inches broad. 'The garden is as broad as theire House, & 40 Foot long, with a privy at the end, & the side separations, and Lathes 4 Foote high. 'One pumpe in ye ally before the dore serves all. The Walke without the Wall is rayled in, & full 5 Foote broad, & a Row of Elmes planted in it. 'The Wall is 2 Bricks thick from ye ground to the Water Table, and from thence to the Wall plate 1 Brick & halfe Thick. "The Peeces of Timber that goe through the chimnies from Wall plate to Wallplate are about 4 inches thick, and 6 inches Broad.' 1651 if my Father could well bee brought in it would bee very well. As for ye price, if the designe please me, wee shall not easily differ for a little money. Set y° price uppon every draught. Black & white Marble, or all Black, or all White Marble I thinke is better than coloured Marbles. Tell mee what is best to bee donn. I meane whether to have soe many in the Tombe, or only a single statue of her alone whose memory is soe precious unto mee, that I desire to consecrate it to posterity by all immaginable waies & meanes within my power.' Monsieur Duval is lodging in one of the best stonecutter's houses in London,' and he superintends the work under Dr. Denton. Now for a Tombe, Sept. 23, ye chancell being little,' Sir Ralph writes, 'I was thinking to make an Arch like this () of Touch [Black Granite] or Black Marble; within the whole Arch shall bee black, & her statue in White Marble in a Winding sheet with her hands lift upp set uppon an Urne or Pedestall uppon which or on ye edge of ye Arch may bee what Armes or Inscriptions shall bee thought fit. I was thinking to make a double Arch like this and in it to set upp her statue, & only leave a Pedestall for mine, for my sonn to set upp, if hee thinke fit, but I doubt this would bee thought vanity, being there is non for my Father & Mother, but if it please god to give me life & my estate, I will set up a tombe for them. I know Mr. Write about Charing crosse did make one in this manner, with a greate Childe of White Marble |