Thomas Horwood (Mayor Of Barnstaple) on:
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Thomas Horwood (1600-1658) of
He founded an almshouse in Church Lane, Barnstaple. A contemporary tablet above the front door survives inscribed as follows:
:"This almshous was founded and endowed by the worshjpful Thomas Horwood, Merchant, twice mayor of this towne who was a worthy benefactor, and began it in his life, finished by his wife, Mrs Alice Horwood, after his death who of her owne accord added the adioyning free schoole and endowed it for 20 poore children for ever. 1659. ''Abi et tu fac similiter''" (i.e. "go ye and do likewise")
:"Sleeping a while in dust his body lies, :Who (living here) was taught the exercise, :Of Faith and Hope and Love the Graces Three :Wherin consisteth Christianitie. :His faith did eye the promise from above, :His hope the just performance, and his love - :Made haste to feast upon those Heavenly dishes :Which faith and hope presented to his wishes. :Thus all concurr'd and now though love alone :Possess those pleasures which attend the throne, :Yet neither Faith nor Hope doe thereby miss :Of their reward: seeing that very bliss :(Wch Love enjoies); so lulleth them in peace :That though to act as formerly they cease, :Yet they are layd to rest in this condition: :That Faith to Vision turns, Hope to Fruition".
Barnstaple
Barnstaple ( or ) is a river-port town in North Devon, England, at the River Taw's lowest crossing point before the Bristol Channel. From the 14th century, it was licensed to export wool and won great wealth. Later it imported Irish wool, bu ...
in Devon, was twice Mayor of Barnstaple
The Mayor of Barnstaple together with the Corporation long governed the historic Borough of Barnstaple, in North Devon, England. The seat of government was the Barnstaple Guildhall. The mayor served a term of one year and was elected annually on t ...
, in 1640 and 1653. He founded an almshouse
An almshouse (also known as a bede-house, poorhouse, or hospital) was charitable housing provided to people in a particular community, especially during the medieval era. They were often targeted at the poor of a locality, at those from certain ...
in Church Lane, Barnstaple. His mural monument survives in St Peter's Church, Barnstaple.
Marriage
He married a certain Alice, whose family is unknown, but whose paternal arms as shown on her husband's mural monument in St Peter's Church, Barnstaple were: ''Or, on a fesse between three martlets gules as manybezant
In the Middle Ages, the term bezant (Old French ''besant'', from Latin ''bizantius aureus'') was used in Western Europe to describe several gold coins of the east, all derived ultimately from the Roman ''solidus''. The word itself comes from th ...
s an annulet for difference
Difference, The Difference, Differences or Differently may refer to:
Music
* ''Difference'' (album), by Dreamtale, 2005
* ''Differently'' (album), by Cassie Davis, 2009
** "Differently" (song), by Cassie Davis, 2009
* ''The Difference'' (al ...
''. In 1659, early in her widowhood, she founded a free school for "twenty poor maids", in Church Lane, Barnstaple, next to her husband's almshouse and today in use as a coffee-shop. A slate tablet affixed in 1917 above the entrance door of Alice Horwood's School, now the "Old School Coffee Shop" in Church Lane, Barnstaple, is inscribed: "A.H. 1659. This school for 20 poor maids was founded and built by Alice Horwood. Restored 1917", and shows the arms of Horwood: ''Azure, a chevron ermine between three moorcocks passant argent winged sable wattled gules in chief a mullet argent for difference''. Adjoining Thomas Horwood's almshouse are "Paige's Almshouses", founded by his sister Elizabeth Horwood (Mrs Paige), sister-in-law of Gilbert I Paige (d.1647), twice Mayor of Barnstaple in 1629 and 1641.
Founds almshouse
He founded an almshouse in Church Lane, Barnstaple. A contemporary tablet above the front door survives inscribed as follows:
:"This almshous was founded and endowed by the worshjpful Thomas Horwood, Merchant, twice mayor of this towne who was a worthy benefactor, and began it in his life, finished by his wife, Mrs Alice Horwood, after his death who of her owne accord added the adioyning free schoole and endowed it for 20 poore children for ever. 1659. ''Abi et tu fac similiter''" (i.e. "go ye and do likewise")
Monument in St Peter's Church
His mural monument which survives in St Peter's Church, Barnstaple, shows an effigy of the deceased seated under an arch, his right elbow propping up his head and his left hand holding a human skull, in thevanitas
A ''vanitas'' (Latin for 'vanity') is a symbolic work of art showing the transience of life, the futility of pleasure, and the certainty of death, often contrasting symbols of wealth and symbols of ephemerality and death. Best-known are ''van ...
genre. In the spandrels of the arch are depicted female personifications of Prudentia
Prudence ( la, prudentia, contracted from meaning "seeing ahead, sagacity") is the ability to govern and discipline oneself by the use of reason. It is classically considered to be a virtue, and in particular one of the four Cardinal virtue ...
(left) with her attributes of mirror and snake, and Justitia
Lady Justice ( la, Iustitia) is an allegorical personification of the moral force in judicial systems. Her attributes are scales, a sword and sometimes a blindfold. She often appears as a pair with Prudentia.
Lady Justice originates from the ...
(right) with her balance and sword. It includes two tablets, the higher of which is inscribed as follows:
:"To the memorie of M(aste)r Thomas Horwood, Mercht. twice Maior of this towne, founder of ye almshous near ye church to wch M(ist)r(es)s Alice Horwood his relict added a free schoole & endowed it. Hee dyed June 1st 1658 aetat(is) 58".
The lower tablet is inscribed with the following verse:Transcribed from monument. See also transcription in Chanter, p.45:"Sleeping a while in dust his body lies, :Who (living here) was taught the exercise, :Of Faith and Hope and Love the Graces Three :Wherin consisteth Christianitie. :His faith did eye the promise from above, :His hope the just performance, and his love - :Made haste to feast upon those Heavenly dishes :Which faith and hope presented to his wishes. :Thus all concurr'd and now though love alone :Possess those pleasures which attend the throne, :Yet neither Faith nor Hope doe thereby miss :Of their reward: seeing that very bliss :(Wch Love enjoies); so lulleth them in peace :That though to act as formerly they cease, :Yet they are layd to rest in this condition: :That Faith to Vision turns, Hope to Fruition".
References