A memorial for Thomas Holte:

H.S.E.

THOMAS HOLTE Eques et Baronettus

Quibus Titulis a Jacobo Imo

Ob Patriae Amorem Vitae Integritatem

Morum Candorem erga Principem Fidem

Erga Pauperes Liberalitatem, erga Omnes Juftitiam

Infignitus eft

Flagrante Bello Civili

E Refua Familiari, bis confifcata et decima parte femel profcripta

Quicquid Reliquit Fanatica Rabies

CAROLI Imo (cui EDVARDUS filius a Cubiculis fuit)

Incarceratus licet, in Subfidium contulit

Tandem vero Aedes ASTONIANAS nobili magnificentia extruxit

Nec tamen Egenis defuit

Quibis Hofpitium pari Munificentia Vicinum condidit

Eximia ingentis Animi Monumenta

Cujus Memoriae alterum hoc Monumentum

non fupervacaneum cenfuit

CAROLUS HOLTE Baronettus Pronepos.

Duas habuit Uxores, GRATIAM, GUL: BRADBOURNE

de Hogh in Agro Derbienfi Arm. Filiam,et Cohaeredem

ex qua Quindenam fufcepit Sobolem

Sed nullam fuperftitem praeter GRATIAM RICH: SHUKBURGH

de SHUKBURGH in Agro Warwickenfi Militis Uxorem

ANNAM, EDV. LITTLETON de Pillington

in Agro Staffordienfi, Baronetti filiam

quam fine prole reliquit Viduam

Obijt Anno {Aetatis fuae LXXXIII

. _____{Sal Hum MDCLIV

Which translates as:

Here lies buried Thomas Holte, Knight and Baronet, with which titles he was endowed by James I. on account of his love to his country, the integrity of his life, the purity of his morals, fidelity to his Prince, liberality to the poor, justice to all. While the Civil War was raging, although in prison, he sent to Charles I., to whom his son Edward was Groom of the Bed-Chamber, all of his estates which fanatical rage had left him, his property being twice confiscated and once taxed to the amount of one-tenth. But at length he built Aston Hall with a noble magnificence, and yet he was not wanting to the poor, for whom he built the neighbouring almshouse with a similar munificence, striking monuments of his great mind. To whose memory Charles Holte, Baronet, his great grandson, did not think this monument superfluous. He had two wives, Grace, the daughter and co-heiress of William Bradbourne, Esquire, of Hough, in the County of Derby, by whom he begat fifteen children, but none of them survived except Grace, the wife of Sir Richard Shukburgh, Knight, of Shukburgh in Warwickshire, Anna, the daughter of Edward Littleton, Bart., of Pillerton*, in the County of Stafford, whom he left a widow without issue. He died in the 83rd year of his age in the year of man's salvation 1654.

*Probably Pillaton Hall.

(12Jul2009)