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Sir Arthur Hesilrige - Part 3

© Elizabeth Batt

Here lyes Sir Arthur Hesilrige, Baronet,
Who injoyed his portion of this life,
In the times of greatest civill troubles,
That ever this nation had.
He was a lover of liberty, and faithfully to his country,
He delighted in sober company;
And departed this life 7th of January,
In England's peaceable year, Anno Domini 1660.
- - Inscription on Sir Arthur's Tomb.

Sir Arthur is buried at Nosely alongside his fourteen children. Max Wade Matthews describes Hesilrige's tomb as such - -

'Sir Arthur, whose head reclines upon a cushion placed on his helmet, lies in full armour between his two wives, Frances and Dorothy. It is most likely that the tomb was originally made with only two figures and completed before Sir Arthur's second marriage - the effigy of Dorothy being fitted on as best as the mason could manage. Arthur's right hand holds a truncheon and his left a sword. The family crest is carved on a small shield affixed to the soles of his feet.'

Max met the present Lord Hesilrige while conducting research for his CD Rom on the effigies of Leicestershire and Rutland. Apparently - - he told Max off for using the old spelling of his name. He sounds as forthcoming as his ancestor!

I shall leave you with an interesting account by Captain Richard Atkyns, who met Sir Arthur in the Battle of Roundway Down.

Twas my fortune in a direct line to charge their general of horse (Hesilrige). He fired his carbine first, and one of his pistols, before I came up to him and missed with both. I then immediately struck him and touched him before I fired mine. I'm sure I hit him, for he staggered and then wheeled away from his party and ran. I pursued him, came up to him and fired my other pistol at him. I'm sure I hit his head, for I touched it before I fired and it stunned him for a moment. But he was too well armed all over for a pistol bullet to do him any harm, having a coat of mail over his arms and a musketproof headpiece. I followed him down the side of the hill, and hit at him from head to saddle, but couldn't penetrate him or do him any hurt. But he cut my horse's nose so that you might put your finger in the wound, and gave me such a blow on the inside of my arm that I could hardly hold my sword. I hoped to pull him off his horse, but he struck my horse upon the cheek and cut off half my bridle. I ran my sword into his horse's body. All this time, we were fighting hand to hand.

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