Monument as it is today (2006)
Coloured engraving by T.Trotter (1802)
Fermor
This monument represents the kneeling figures of Jerome Fermor and his wife, Jane. He was the son of Richard Fermor, a merchant who bought Easton Neston from Thomas Empson in 1527. Note that there are various spellings of the name: Fermor, Fermour, Farmore, etc.
The tomb is described by Father J. Bertram (Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries) 13th July 2006:
"A wall-monument, from the Southwark workshops, disfigured by inappropriate repainting; two kneeling figures on either side of a desk, in an aedicule, surmounted by a shield of Fermor (Argent, a fess sable between three lions' heads gules) impaling Sable, a bend between two leopards' masks or; another shield on the apron scraped away. Under the figures are the following inscriptions in Roman capitals, the letters originally darkened but much faded, especially on the Latin verses:"
Inscription
THE MEMORIAL OF HIERO(M) FARMORE ESQ. & IANE HIS WIFE THEY LIVED TO/GEATH(ER)IN WEDLOCK 42 YEARS, & HE ATTAINED TO YE HONOR OF A GREAT GRAND / VNCLE & AFTER 74 YEARS LEFT THIS LIFE FOR A BETTER. [Sept. 7th A.D. 1602]
HIEROME THY IOYES ALL SHINE ON HIE
THY FAITH & TRVTH DID SHINE BEFORE
IANE LIVED THINE & WILL SO DIE
ALL PRAISE THY LIFE THY LIFE FAR MORE.
TERRA SVBEST PARS PARTA MEI, PARS INDITA SVPRA
TERREA PARS MORITVR, CAELICA PARS SVPEREST.
SED PERIIT PARS PARVA MEI, PARS MAXIMA VIVIT
VILIOR, ISTA IACET, SANCTIOR ILLA VIGIT.
Translation:
The part of me that was given birth lies under the earth; the part that was infused is above; my earthly part dies, my heavenly part survives; but the lesser part of me has perished, the greater part lives; that one, the viler, lies here; the other, more holy, is awake.
Trotter's inscription
Beneath his 1802 coloured engraving of the Fermor monument Trotter wrote the following inscription:
"MONUMENT of HIEROM FARMORE and JANE his Wife with their PORTRAITS enlarged TOWCESTER Northamptonshire. This Monument tho too much incumbred with colours, and varying at the same time from the true proportion of the Corinthian, yet the general composition forms a beautiful whole; the peculiarity of the blue Hair in all probability was the fashion of the times, it is by no means unique tho perhaps seldom met with in Monumental representation; the Artist was told many years ago by a very elderly Lady whoes veracity he could depend upon, that in the reign of George 1st. the Heads of the Beaus and the Belles were ornamented with Smalt instead of Merchette and to be powdered with blue was not less common than it now is to be powdered with brown; From the Name this is one of the early branches of the Pomfret family the Portraits consequently are interesting and are enlarged as being worthy of preservation. And are done in imitation of the mode of Painting prevalent at the period in which they lived."
