Some Master-ful Memorials

Well, okay, some heraldic memorials to members of the Master/Masters family, all found in the parish church of St. Paul's Without the Walls, Canterbury.

First is the memorial to Edward Master, Esq., son of Sir Edward Master, died 1675, age 36; and his son, Hugh Master, died 1693/4.

Near this place lieth y^e body of Edward

Master Esqr., sun of S^r Edward Master,

Kni^t, who departed this life August

The 3^d 1675, Aged 36 years

Here also lieth y^e body of Hugh

Master, only sone to y^e above named

Edward Master by Ann his wife he

died Feb^y y^e 25^th 1693/4 Aged 24 years

Burke’s General Armory cites: Master (Cirencester, and Knole Park, co. Gloucester, originally of Kent; descended from Sir William Master, Knt., of Cirencester…). Gules a lion rampant guardant queue forchy or supporting between the paws a Tudor rose proper stalked and leaved vert.

Next, we have a memorial to Edward Master, died 1690 at age 80, and his wife (no name given)

Heere lyes the body of S^r

Edward Master he dyed y^e 22

Of Janu 1690 Aged 80 year 5 ^mo

Also under this ston his Lady

Lyes interrd

who dyed Dec^m 28 in y^e yea^r 70

Sir Edward Master(s) (2 August 1610 – 22 January 1690/91) was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons at various times between 1640 and 1679. He was High Sheriff of Kent in 1639. In April 1640, he was elected Member of Parliament for Canterbury for the Short Parliament. In November 1640, he was re-elected MP for Canterbury in the Long Parliament and remained until 1653, surviving Pride's Purge. He was elected MP for Canterbury in 1661 and sat until 1679 in the Cavalier Parliament. Master(s) died aged 80 and was buried with a memorial [above] at St Paul's Church, Canterbury.

Gules a lion rampant guardant queue forchy or supporting between the paws a Tudor rose proper stalked and leaved vert, impaling ? three goat’s heads couped ?

No name, given or surname, is given for his wife. Papworth's Ordinary of British Armorials gives us several possible bearers of "three goat's heads couped": Ramsey, Scott, Gaytzforth, and Bloore; and several more for "three ram's heads couped": Rammas, Rammes, Ram, Ramsay, Ramsey, Nason, Hammersley, Hamersley, Levall, Whistew, and Aries. Without knowing the tinctures, it is difficult to know which of them (if any) is the correct one, although Ram or Ramsey, Azure three ram's heads couped argent attired or, comes from county Kent, and may, because of that, be the most likely.

Finally, we have the memorial to Mrs. Ann (Nowers) Masters, widow of Edward Masters, Esq., who died in January, 1775/6, age 73.

Here lyeth Interrd y^e Body of

M^rs Ann Masters widow of Ed-

ward Masters, Esq. late of this

Parish & only daughter of Iohn

Nowers of As[?]ord Gen^t, she

departed this life Ianuary y^e

12, 1775/76 Aged 73 Yeares

Here, the arms of Master are impaled with those of Nowers, Norwers, Nonwers, or De la Nouers (Gothurst, co. Buckingham, temp. Henry III), as listed in Burke's General Armory, giving us: Gules a lion rampant guardant queue forchy or supporting between the paws a Tudor rose proper stalked and leaved vert, impaling Argent two bars and in chief three crescents gules (Nowers).

There appears to be an inescutcheon of pretense on the shield, but it is so worn that I cannot make out the charges upon it.

Taken all in all, a "Master-ful" display of memorial heraldry!