Volume 18 — No. VI. MONUMENT IN THE CHURCH AT TICHMARSH.
Reading edition
“In the middle of the north wall of the chapel within the parish church of Tichmarsh, in Northamptonshire, is a wooden monument, having the bust of a person at top, wreathed, crowned with laurel. Underneath, THE POET; and below, this inscription:
“Here lie the honoured remains of Erasmus Dryden, Esq., and Mary Pickering his wife. He was the third son of Sir Erasmus Dryden, an ancient Baronet, who lived with great honour in this county, in the reign of Queen Elizabeth. Mr Dryden was a very ingenious worthy gentleman, and Justice of the Peace in this county. He married Mrs Mary Pickering, daughter of the reverend Docr Pickering,211 of Aldwinckle, and grand-daughter to Sir Gilbert Pickering: Of her it may truly be said, She was a crown to her husband: Her whole conversation was as becometh the Gospel of Christ. They had 14 children; the eldest of whom was John Dryden, Esq., the celebrated Poet and Laureat of his time. His bright parts and learning are best seen in his own excellent writings on various subjects. We boast, that he was bred and had his first learning here; where he has often made us happie by his kind visits and most delightful conversation. He married the Lady Elizabeth Howard, daughter to Henry212 Earl of Berkshire; by whom he had three sons, Charles, John, and Erasmus-Henry; and, after 70 odd years, when nature could be no longer supported, he received the notice of his approaching dissolution with sweet submission and entire resignation to the Divine will; and he took so tender and obliging a farewell of his friends, as none but he himself could have expressed; of which sorrowful number I was one. His body was honourably interred in Westminster Abby, among the greatest wits of divers ages. His sons were all fine, ingenious, accomplished gentlemen: they died in their youth, unmarried: Sir Erasmus-Henry, the youngest, lived till the ancient honour of the family descended on him. After his death, it came to his good uncle, Sir Erasmus Dryden; whose grandson is the present Sir John Dryden, of Canons-Ashby, the ancient seat of the Family. Sir Erasmus Dryden, the first named, married his daughters into very honourable familyes; the eldest to Sir John Philipps;213 the second to Sir John Hartop;214 the youngest215 was married to Sir John Pickering, great grand-father to the present Sir Gilbert Pickering, Bart.; and to the same persons I have the honour to be a grand-daughter: And it is with delight and humble thankfullness that I reflect on the character of my pious ancestors; and that I am now, with my owne hand, paying my duty to Sir Erasmus Dryden, my great grand-father, and to Erasmus Dryden, Esq., my honoured uncle,216 in the 80th year of my age. Eliza. Creed, 1722.”