Waterford - The French Church

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Ireland Genealogy Projects Archives
Waterford Index
Copyright

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File contributed by: C. Hunt

THE FRENCH CHURCH
    [From J. E. Garstin, M.R.I.A.] 

'On p. 368, vol. ii, of the Journal, an incomplete and 
misread inscription from a slab in these ruins appears. A 
rubbing from the slab (probably taken by the late Colonel P. 
D. Vigors) is reproduced on the opposite page. 

'The inscription (contractions expanded and gaps restored) 
reads ':-

Hic Jacent corpora | Cornelii hurley aurifabri, qui fato 
concessit quarto Idus Januarias Hcd. | 1582, et Joanne | 
Naish uroris cius qui bitam mo(rtale)m mutavit anno a ? 
virgineo partu. 

'Translation':-

Here lie the bodies of CORNELIUS HURLEY, Goldsmith, who 
yielded to fate [i.e. died] on the fourth of the Ides [i.e. 
the 10th] of January, A.D. 1582, and of Joan Naish, who 
exchanged [this] mortal life in the year from the virgin 
birth-[Not given]. 

[Drawn image on next page] 

'The lettering is clear and beautiful, and seems to indicate 
the work of a foreigner, perhaps the T.M. whose initials 
appear above the sun and moon under the head of the cross, 
mainly composed of fleurs-de-lys. 

'Notice the elaboration of the capital letters and their 
capri- cious use. A flourished C, E, H, J, and N are 
accompanied by less demonstrative A C, E, and I, while the 
name of the man (HURLEY), as well as the D of " A,d., " is 
in small letters. 

'No place is named, no prayer included. The wife is given 
her maiden name (NAISH), but the year of her death is not 
forthcoming. The inscription was probably carved while she 
was alive, and the date not added afterwards. I thought the 
day and month of her husband's death might have been 
included in the flourishes following the striking Arabic 
numerals following the year 1582; but close examination 
leads me to conclude that they are all adjuncts of the E of 
"Et." 

'The mention of a Waterford goldsmith is interesting. Mr. C. 
J. Jackson, in his great work, " English Goldsmiths and 
their Marks," could only find mention of eight belonging to 
Waterford, but all comparatively modern, and no mark of 
theirs has been recovered.' 

SOURCE:
Journal of the Association for the Preservation of the 
Memorials of the Dead in Ireland.  Vol vii, FHL# 1279254