Volume II 1603-1660 - The Honourable Society of the Inner Temple

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INTRODUCTION.
ing description by Aubrey,' has the value of a contemporaneous
record. " He dyed (of dropsey) in lEdibus Carmeliticis the last day
of Nov. 1654 and on Thursday the 14 Dec', he was magnificently
buryed in the Temple Church. . . . [His executors] invited all the
Parlt men, all the benchers & gt officials. All the judges had
mourning as also an abundance of persons of quality. The Ld
Primate of Ireland, Usher, preached his funerall sermon. His
grave was about ten foot deepe or better, walled up a good way
with bricks, of which also the bottome was paved, but the sides at
the bottome for about two foot high were of black polished marble,
wherein his coffin (covered with black bayes) lyeth, and upon that
wall of marble was presently lett downe a huge black marble stone
of gt thicknesse with this inscription : Heic jacet corpus Johannis
Seldeni, qui objit 30 die Novembris 1654: Over this was turned
an arch of brick for the house could not lose their ground. . . •
He was very tall, I guesse about 6 foot high, sharp ovall face, head
not very big, long nose inclining to one side, full popping eie (gray).
. . . He was buried by Mr. Johnson, then master of the Temple,
the directory way.2 . . . He never kept any servant peculiar, but my
ladie's were all of his command. He lived with her in Whitefriars,
which was before the conflagration a noble dwelling. He kept a
plentiful table and was never without learned company. He was
temperate in eating and drinking." He was buried at night, after
Aubrey's " Brief Lives . . ." vol. ii., p. 221.
= The Directory way was as follows : " Concerning Burial of the Dead. When any
person departeth this life, let the dead body, upon the day of Burial, be decently
attended from the house to the place appointed for Publique Burial, and there
immediately interred without any ceremony. And because the customes of kneeling
down, and praying by, or towards the dead corps, and other such usages in the place
where it lies, before it be carried to the Burial, are Superstitious : and for that, praying,
reading and singing both in going to, and at the Grave, have been grossly abused, and
are no way beneficial to the dead, and have proved many wayes hurtful to the living,
therefore let all such things be laid aside. Howbeit we judge it very convenient, that
the Christian friends which accompany the dead body to the place appointed for
publique Burial, do apply themselves to meditations and conferences suitable to the
occasion : And that the Minister, as upon other occasions, so at this time, if he be
present, may put them in remembrance of their duty That this shall not extend to
deny any civil respects or differences at the Burial, suitable to the rank and condition
of the party deceased whiles he was living." Ordinances, 1643-7, cap. 513 The Book
of Common Prayer abolished and the Directory established, 25th April, 1645.
" Scoble," part i., p. 75.