THE WASHINGTON'S IN ENGLAND.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1425, 27 April 1912, Page 12

THE WASHINGTON'S IN ENGLAND.

o INTERESTING MEMORANDA. The National Museum at Washington has recently received n set of rubbings from the monumental brasses of the Washington family in Sulgrnre and Bring(•011, England, collected and presented by Mrs. A. T. Robertson. of this city. The fact that the history of the family of George Washington is well known nnd fully recorded in England is brought to notice bv the brass memorials and inscriptions still to be seen in tlio old English Church and Manor. ,lt was in tins village that Lanrcnco Washington and his family lived for three generations previous to their removal to Brington. The Washington house, orignially a monastery, is now the manor house of tho villago of Sulgrnre. It was granted to Laurence Washington, the Mayor ol Northampton, by Henry VIII in the year 15118, upon tho dissolution of tho monasteries. Over the entrance is carved the Washington coat-of-arms, well known to every American citizen. Aii old church, St. Mary's, where tho family worshipped for years, is near by, and forms a point of considerable interest, containing, as it does, three memorial brasses on tho gray stone slab put down in memory of Laurence Washington nnd his family. These brasses consist of Lau. rence Washington's ofligy, a shield bearing (lie Washington arms, and the follow, ing inscription "Here lyeth buried ye bodys of Laurence Washingto, Gent, and Anno his wyf hv whome lie had issue iiij sons and ij daughts we laurence Dyed ye ... day .. ano 15 ... and Anne Deceased tho vj of October ano Dili 15(11." Apparently Laurence Washington, grent-great-great-grandfather of George Washington, devised this monument as a memorial to his wife, leaving the date of his own death blank to be tilled in after his death. This, however, has never been done. Two other records of tho Washingtons are found in the village of Tlrington. In this litllo township, not far distant from Northampton, stands the house to which tho family moved from Sulgrnv>. T! 'was in this house that Hubert Washington died in 1022. nnd in 1 lie yard, ens? raved Hliou n sun-dial, is found tho Washington cont-ef-nrins. In the Church of All Paints, near at hand, whero Robert. Washiiiftnn is buried, an inscription reads as follows:— "Hern inferred yo bodies of F.lizah, Washington, widdwe, who changed this life for i'uniortaililie ye ItMh (lav of March, 1(122. \s also yo body of Rohrrt Washington. (lout., her 111■* husband, second sonne nf Hubert Washington. of Snlgri've. ill vo County of Xcrih, l'sqr., who drilled this life ye K'lh of Much. 1(122. after they lived lovingly together." Laurence Wash.'ir:ton, '.-r;\ml-"n of tho Laurence ef Snlgrave, died iit Wlli, and is nlsn buried hove. Tivo of his suns John and T mmire, lietn-ne, .respectively. Sir .1 uhii Washington, Kni"M of Tlirap'lon, and the Rev. Laurence Washington, rector of I'lirleigli, Essex, whose son. John, emigrated to America in ICs". and was the Rrcit-giandfather nf George Washington, I lie President. Tt is believed that the original design of the American lla" came from the stars nnd slrinrs of the Washinelnn arms; ami in tho (lag, as in (ho original nuns, (lie stars signify divine influence, "ni''i>v: ilie hearer in tho right way. while Ilie liars denote one who sets the I'nr of conscience and religion against wicked temptations ami evil desires. Th» colours, i<■(! ami while, seem to follow also; (he red mennim! military bravery and 'fortitude; tho while peace and sincerity. So it "-eeins thai lln arms o|' (lie V'atlier of the ' 'onnlrv aro incorporated in his country's ll«B. '