In Holy Trinity Church, Hull, is an example of a punning epitaph. It is on a slab in the floor of the north aisle of the nave, to the memory of "The Worshipful Joseph Field, twice Mayor of this town, and Merchant Adventurer." He died in 1627, aged 63 years:--
Here is a Field sown, that at length must sprout, And 'gainst the ripening harvest's time break out, When to that Husband it a crop shall yield Who first did dress and till this new-sown Field; Yet ere this Field you see this crop can give, The seed first dies, that it again may live. _Sit Deus amicus, Sanctis, vel in Sepulchris spes est._
On Bishop Theophilus Field, in Hereford Cathedral, ob. 1636, is another specimen:--
The Sun that light unto three churches gave Is set; this Field is buried in a grave. This Sun shall rise, this Field renew his flowers, This sweetness breathe for ages, not for hours.
He was successively Bishop of Llandaff, St. Davids, and Hereford.
The following rather singular epitaph, with a play upon the name, occurs in the chancel of Checkley Church, Staffordshire:--
To the Memory of the Reverend JAMES WHITEHALL, Rector of this place twenty and five years, who departed this life the second daie of March, 1644.
White was his name, and whiter than this stone. In hope of joyfole resurrection Here lies that orthodox, that grave divine, In wisdom trve, vertve did soe clearly shine; One that could live and die as he hath done Suffer'd not death but a translation. Bvt ovt of charitie I'll speake no more, Lest his friends pine with sighs, with teares the poor.
From Hornsea Church we have the epitaph of Will Day, gentleman; he lived thirty-four years, died May 22nd, 1616:--
If that man's life be likened to a day, One here interr'd in youth did lose a day, By death, and yet no loss to him at all, For he a threefold day gain'd by his fall; One day of rest is bliss celestial. Two days on earth by gifts terrestryall-- Three pounds at Christmas, three at Easter Day, Given to the poure until the world's last day, This was no cause to heaven; but, consequent, Who thither will, must tread the steps he went. For why? Faith, Hope, and Christian Charity, Perfect the house framed for eternity.
On the east wall of the chancel of Kettlethorpe Church, co. Lincoln, is a tablet to the memory of "Johannes Becke, quondam Rector istius ecclesiæ," who died 1597, with the following lines in old English characters:--