MI Colyton. “.... a sad trial awaited [Sir William Pole] in 1605, when he lost his wife through an accident. She is buried in Colyton church, where is her statue, kneeling, habited in a black gown, ruff, and cap, with her four sons ranged in front and her five daughters behind. Below is the inscription:-
HERE LYETH YE BODY OF MARY LATE WYEF OF SR. WM. POLE OF SHUTE KNIG:
BEINGE YE ELDEST DAUGHTER AND ON OF YE FOURE HEIRES OF SIR. WM. PERIHAM
OF FOLFORD KNG: LO: CHIEF BARON OF YE KINGE MAIESTIES EXCHEQVER SHEE
LEFT BEHIND HER 4 SONES AND FIVE DAVGHTERS VNTO HER SAIDE HUSBAND VIZ.-
JOHN, PERIHAM, WILL:, AND FRANNCIS, SONES,- AND MARY, KATHERINE,
ELIZABETH, ANN, AND ELIONER, DAVGHTERS - SHEE BROUGHT VNTO HIM ALSO 2
OTHER SONES, VIZ WIL: HER FIRSTE CHILD AND ARTHURE BEINGE ONE OF YE 3
SONES WICH SHE BROUGHT AT ONE BIRTH, AND PERISHED BY AN VNFORTVNATE
FALL, SHE DYED YE 2ND OF MAY IN YE YEARE OF OUR LORD, 1605, BEING THEN
OF THE AGE OF 38 AND ON MONTH, AND MARRIED VNTO HER HVSBAND 22 YEARS AND
TENN MONTHS.”338